Urgent: Some help here please!

[bbryann]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for my first electric guitar.
I've been to peninsular/excelsior and swee lee.
I'm looking for a SRV, John Mayer sound and my friend recommended a strat.
Should i go with a higher end strat like the fender or should i get a squire one and upgrade the pickups(is it worth it)?
Also, does anyone know if the fender strats are really cheaper in japan?
Because i'm going there in a week and if its cheaper, i'll get it over there.

Thanks guys.

 

[daryl]

Yes but only the Japanese fenders are cheaper in Japan, not the Americans I think. Get a Japanese strat is what I'll say.

 

[bbryann]

ok. so how much will a japanese fender cost?

 

[EugeneSmasher]

I'd go with the Fender instead.

I heard that Squier electronics tend to conk out in a few years, and from inspections, I find their Quality Control sub-par.

Fender MIA quality is rather inconsistent, but I've heard a lot of good things about MIJ and CIJ Fenders, so yeah that's my recommendation.

 

[darf]

If you are going to get a strat first hand, a Japanese fender should be decent
why it should cost more then a squier is mainly due to the wood and craftsmanship used

for strat type guitars (or any type rather), a good set up is a must!
no point spending so much on a guitar and not do any setting up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIb0nUuQ03c

you can sound good with a squier too

 

[EugeneSmasher]

+1 to the set-up. Good intonation at the bridge is necessary since most strats come with synchronized light tremolos.

Yeah, you can sound good with a Squier since they use the same woods. But, how long before it conks out?

 

[bbryann]

Okay.
So how much does a squire in singapore cost?
compared to the fender? the fender is definitly better in terms of quality i guess.
but do i really need it? can you actually tell the difference in sound?

 

[zax]

go for a fender , dont bother with a squire cause they kinda die fast . anywayy yes the strats are cheaper in japan , even the gibsons . i was there in june so yeah . hmm if your going to yokohama port , they have quite a few stores there . and they sell the coolest stuff . but but there is one going for about 500 sing dollars when you do the math , hmm those strats arent really good , rough neck and all , go for the slightly more expensive ones . if not just get an american strat , you need a hardcase to bring it back anyway and the american series come with just that , lower ends come with gig bags and you have to buy a hardcase

 

[bbryann]

i'm going to tokyo. i read on other forums that there's a whole street of guitar shops there. any idea which part exactly? i was told that the fender workmanship is pretty consistent. is that true?

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Fender MIJ is consistent, but MIA is not.

 

[zax]

i prefer the MIA though . well up to you , japanese craftsmanship is really good and so is they're qc . but nothing like owning an american strat

 

[EugeneSmasher]

MIA is obviously more prestigious, but nothing special in my opinion...

 

[bbryann]

Ok. I'll go to japan to get it. Can anyone tell me what to look out for to determine the quality? I'm new at this so i need some help. Thank you.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Nothing like having a more experienced player there to inspect it but...

1. Check the neck, if it is smooth, nice and playable.

2. Check if the neck is warped. Make sure it is straight.

3. Check the body. Any uneven finish, uneven lacquering, etc. Smoothness is key here. Running your fingers over the body and neck is a sure way to inspect smoothness.

4. Check that the build feels solid, like no shaky parts, etc.

5. Turn the knobs here and there, again see how smooth the knobs turn. Also, check the pickup toggle switch. Move it back and forth. Feels solid? Good.

6. Now ask to play it. Plug it into an amp and play a bit to hear if the tone is full and pleasant.

7. Try the tuners. It helps to detune and retune again, because if you do buy the guitar in the end, you're gonna re-string it and retune it anyway. Check that the tuners are, once again, smooth and consistent.

8. If you like the guitar and feel that it is worth the price, buy it! BUT, ask for a set-up. They will intonate the bridge, adjust truss rod, lower the action to your preference.

These are the basics. Its okay to spend some time inspecting the guitar, its only good business for them if their stuff are kept in mint condition and people spread the good word. You might not just try one, but several guitars, because there is always the chance of getting a bad piece. Some more, each guitar has its own tone so yeah, find the one you like the most.

My two cents =) I'm usually very picky on quality, every flaw makes me discount getting the guitar for the given price. Need more advice, feel free to PM me.

 

[zax]

ask the staff there , when i was trying guitars there , they refused to let me play anything if the neck is warped or if anything is wrong with the guitar , they'll fix the problem before you touch it . and i think its the culture there but they're very honest .

 

[bbryann]

Okay, Thanks for the help so far guys.
Another question. What are the differences between the fender strat and the squire strat?

 

[optisailor2002]

squier is fender's budget series so quality will be lower, of course, like any other brands out there you might be lucky and find a good piece. and squiers are usually made in china while fenders are either made in japan, mexico or america, all of which generally have better quality than chinese products. i said GENERALLY cos like anything else, there are always exceptions.

 

[subversion]

ibanez's Atrcore models are a timely reminder of what dedicated chinese craftsmanship can do...

 

[bbryann]

Ok. Thanks. So what do you guys recommend for amps?
and do i need effects pedals yet? or should i wait till i get better?

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Hmmm, for a John Mayer sound you probably would need an amplifier with overdrive, but I doubt you will need pedals just yet. But you might wanna get an overdrive, a delay and a chorus.

Go for solid state amplifiers.