Squier Stratocaster – Evaluating a Used Guitar
In this video I evaluate a Squier Stratocaster in need of a day at the spa. In future videos I will service the guitar: tighten things up, deal with sharp fret edges, level and polish frets, give it a cosmetic overhaul, and make a few upgrades along the way. Come on the journey with me, this will be a fun ride. In this video we discuss evaluating a used guitar.
It appears the guitar was made in 2012. However, the other details are dicey. The serial number is a little difficult to trace as the serial number does not come up in any search. The prefix “ICSI” makes it interesting, it could mean “I” Indonesia, “C” Cort factory, and “S” for Squier. Or the “S” could stand for Samick.
According to http://guitarcheck.info (a site that looked kinda sketchy I will admit) did pull up the number and confirmed this Squier was made in 2012.
The guitar does appear to be a bullet given the dimensions.
The body depth is 1.5 inches compared to a full size body of 1.75 inches
The guitar weighs 6.6 lbs. indicating a lighter wood
21 Frets
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Washburn “Take the Stage Pack” – Is this Legit?
Ghibson Les Paul – My 2nd N.A.G. (Not a Gibson)
Leo Jaymz Kit Guitar – (LP style)
Ghibson Les Paul (a.k.a., The “N.A.G”)
Budget Pedalboard Stuff
Peavey Nitro Guitar Restoration: Before & After
TEMU Guitar: Vicers ST
Broken Guitar Rescue: SG Special
Budget Guitar Reviews
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Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster 50s
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Refinishing Project (Fesley DIY Kit Guitar)
Starting Over – Refinishing Project (Fesley DIY Kit)
Completed Projects
Guitar upgrades, builds, maintenance, and tips
Should you buy a budget guitar? Is it worth it?
Harley Benton Stories
Westcreek Racer Stories
Leo Jaymz Telecaster – Quality Control Issues or Amazon Deception?
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#guitar #fender #squier #stratocaster
#Squier #Stratocaster #Evaluating #Guitar
Originally posted by UCBr6kaWeOvldTHvntB3tnMg at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlLYhTEd0O4
Peterson does a 65 dollar clip on strobe tuner as well for intonation.
I always upgrade my Squiers. New nut, new wiring, new tuners, new pot's, new tree's and fret job. I usually look gor a particular year or model of stratocaster. The SE STRAT is my favorite modding platform cause thry have full thickness agathist body's and fat baseball necks. The original pickguard is usually aged by now and 3 ply. I use tru oil as a finish too cause mine is a relic. It even has a veneer on thr front and back which allows a burst pattern if you want. The necks are pretty good and hard now. Oh, and I roll the slab fingerboard.
Polyurethane yellows quickly. Polyacrylate does not. Use polyacrylate spray.
The Stratocaster is the best electric guitar design ever…and also the most boring. Perfect for every occasion….boring AF. The stickers on that guitar make it make it much more interesting. You should clear coat over them to make it permanent!
Why you speak like bill clinton ???? lol
That kid is an artist with how he placed those stickers…yup..looks cool. give him some art supplies !
I’m with Brant .. didn’t even know they were stickers at first .. I thought it was an intentional design too ????????.. Great video Ted.. God bless
I know you're losing the stickers, but your nephew has an eye for design. The arrangement of the stickers makes it look like an intentional finish. He's a lucky son-of-a-gun to have you as his uncle to help get this in proper shape! Cheers, Ted!
I was thinking of stickering my Strat. I was gonna remove the pick guard and back spring cover. I was gonna sticker the body seperate from the pick guard and spring cover then put a coating on each seperate so that that everything can be taken apart and worked on if necessary.
If that was mine, I wouldn't clear coat it. I'd rather see the wear on the stickers over time. However, if I were to clear coat it, I would definitely get a pro to do it with a spray gun. Someone like BCG. I'd leave drip marks all over the darned thing!
Btw, the stickers look badass on that guitar.
Whilst scratchy frets are indicative of cheap production with not much in the way of factory finishing, I never get why people are especially bothered by it. It's very easy to sort out, in fact, playing will eventually do that anyway and you don't really hear it when amped up. Technically it ever so slightly helps with sustain on bends because the friction scrape as you bend imparts more vibration and makes the strings ring out for a little longer.
As far as clear over stickers go, one has to be careful that the clear being used is OK to go over the stickers. Some stickers are not made to be cleared over. This is one of those things that If I cleared it I would use Poly clear. The black on this guitar is Poly. So stick with that.
This Squire is a black label. It's not the top of the line, Squire. But most Squire stars I had were all pretty good sounding guitars. At one time I had about 80 of them at one time! LOL! I got them all through a lot of trading I did back then. My favorite ones were the Gold label ones. Most of them didn't require a lot of work to make them great playing guitars.
It is good that you are working on this guitar to make it better!
You could always paint over the sticker then pull the sticker off? HA! Talk about opening a can of worms!
12:59 something thick. Maybe an epoxy pour, or several layers of clear. I think Deft makes a clear thats pretty thick. Then wet sand until its smooth. Finish has to be thicker than the stikers, so you can sand down. Gonna be heavy ????
Stickers on a guitar are like tatoos to me. I don't get it. Paiinting in a design on an already finished guitar? Nope. I'd only consider it on an unfinished DIY. Hope your nephew realizes how much better his guitar is about to become. Cheers!
If that was painted on and not stickers that would be a killer guitar
sweet looking axe. (That is the era of Indonesian bullet squire that Jack Pearson plays/recommends; Jack????:)