guitar upgrade

isis

so, I've been playing a squier strat for a couple of years now and I've started fondling the idea to get a better guitar.

Right now the options I've taken in consideration are: an american standard stratocaster and a fender jaguar.

I know very little about guitars and the reason of the above choices are quite stupid, i.e.: (a) an american stratocaster should be like a squier (which I like), but better (b) I've heard that the jaguar is really fun to play and (c) I think the jaguar is really beautiful.


I know noone to give me some reasonable advice to prevent me to step in the first guitar shop and throw away my (not so much) money and would really appreciate your input.

thanks

p.s. I could spend a maximum of € 1000 (should be something like 800 dollars)

who's_pearljam?

I think you would do ok with both, but,, if you really like your strat, I think they're more versatile. That's a personal preference, though.
Here's a suggestion:

If you want a Strat:
Go to a shop and play a bunch of strats, and pick out the one you like. Check all the pick up combinations, the hardware and the tremelo. Look at the finish and all the neck joints.
Does it feel better than your Squier? Does it sound better than your squier?
If it doesn't feel any better, but sounds better, find out what pickups are in there, and do an upgrade on the Squier. You can put new tuners, pick ups, switching, tremelo and maybe get some more beef out of the Squier for a couple of hundred bucks,,,,, IF you like the guitar.
The usual complaint with a Strat is the bridge pickup being wimpy,,, you can stick in a seymour duncan lil 59 in the bridge, it's a humbucker and will give you more. That would be the same on your Squier and an American Standard.

You can try a Lone Star Strat that already has a Humbucker in there, too.

If the American Standard feels better,, (It probably will, because you want one anyway:D) go for it! Fender is making stuff really well, lately.


Good luck with your Jaguar!:D:D

isis

Hey Thanks!

I hadn't thought about just changing pick ups on the Squier.

Anyway, I think you're right, a real strat will probably feel better ...'cause I want a new guitar and also because my lovely poor sqier came out of a very chinese "electric package" (I love her anyway and I'm desperately trying to decide if I have to sell her or not... I mean (a) it was my first electric guitar, (b) I had it set up not long ago, (c) I wouldn't make much money out of her anyway and (d) ... It's oh so, well, red!)

Maybe I could get a new one and upgrade the Squier.

In any case I have a lot of time to think about it, as I won't have the money until Christmas (so it is going to be my christmas present to myself).

Could you tell me a little more about the jaguar?

Thanks a lot for all the information.

and by the way, I made the wrong euros/dollars conversion. so 1000 Euros should be something more than 1000 dollars. I just came back from the US and I got used to convert dollars into euros instead than euros into dollars!

pariah

Originally posted by isis
Anyway, I think you're right, a real strat will probably feel better ...'cause I want a new guitar and also because my lovely poor sqier came out of a very chinese "electric package" (I love her anyway and I'm desperately trying to decide if I have to sell her or not... I mean (a) it was my first electric guitar, (b) I had it set up not long ago, (c) I wouldn't make much money out of her anyway and (d) ... It's oh so, well, red!)

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T DO IT!

I've been there... and now once a month I thank the heavens I didn't sell my Jap Squier strat... My new guitar ain't a strat though, it's a Jazzmaster and I love it. You should try one.

Pacomc79

don't sell the squier, hang it on the wall as a backup and a memento.

I think you'll find the American Series Strat sounds and feels better and give or take the import taxes will probably be in your price range.

The Jaguar is a very cool design although the vintage tremolo is completely crap and you'll do better tuning wise locking it out completely. The Japanese version is in your price range and the ones I have picked up have been very nice. Just go in to the shop and play lots of them even guitars you may not want aesthetically, to figure out the differences in tone and resonance etc. You should take a few trips to the store to decide exactly what you want and that will take the insecurity out of your purchase.

I don't think you'll be disapointed with either choice.

isis

so you all agree I shouldn't sell the squier!

what a relief!!

now I "only" have to decide if I want the american strat or the japanese jaguar... (I also like the jazzmaster, in fact..)

I'm afraid the owners of the guitar shops will get to hate me in the next few months !!


thanks again to all for your wise advice!

mccreadyisgod

Why not get a Mexican Strat and then upgrade the pickups in the Squier? Like a Lil 59 in the Bridge, a Hot Stack in the Middle, and a Quarter-Pounder in the Neck?

who's_pearljam?

and by the way, I made the wrong euros/dollars conversion. so 1000 Euros should be something more than 1000 dollars. I just came back from the US and I got used to convert dollars into euros instead than euros into dollars! [/B][/quote]


isis,
You're getting richer by the minute!
According to the automated Who's_pearljam? currency converter, 1000 Euros is 1209.89 Dollars.
(these days, multiply dollars by about .83 to get euros
or Euros by 1.2 to get dollars

I was just in Austria and Italy and our dollar is not getting us Americans a great deal these days, so you've just upgraded to an American Standard Deluxe with S-1 switching by just sitting around for a couple of days:D

Keep the squier!, it can be a project guitar, or a memento, or on the wall of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 3-4 years.

isis

a stratocaster american standard deluxe!! that is even too much!! seems like I'll have to learn how to really play then!!!

actually I'm a little confused about prices. There is a fender Italian price list, but I've read somewhere that the shops' prices are lower (how come???) and on the web, the same guitar (or what it looks to me to be the same guitar) seems to have 10 different prices.

probably the smart move was to buy it in the US (for the euro/dollar conversion rate). Too bad I couldn't.

I'll keep the squier.

Duly autographed it will hang on the wall of (the rock and roll hall of fame of) my house for the centuries to come!!!!

LemonYellowSun

Originally posted by isis
actually I'm a little confused about prices. There is a fender Italian price list, but I've read somewhere that the shops' prices are lower (how come???) and on the web, the same guitar (or what it looks to me to be the same guitar) seems to have 10 different prices.

there is probably a Fender Italian MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) off of which most dealers will base their price. Almost always the MSRP is significantly higher than the actual "street price" that the product is selling for. That way it seems like you're getting a "deal" by saving whatever percent off of the MSRP. I'm thinking that's the cause of the price differences you saw.

isis

they are smart, these guitar shops owners!

how many things one must know to buy a guitar ??!! (knowing what one's doing)