Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Henk on December 19, 2007, 11:40:31 AM
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Hey!
I FINALLY found one i was happy with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/Boshond/DSC_3921.jpg)
I had been looking for a good strat for a couple of weeks, nearly to the point of getting obsessed, damn my GAS is bad i can tell you......
Anyway after trying MANY different strats i decided i wanted something with the build quality of an USA strat and the vintage feel of a really old one. I drove around to check out some old MIJ strats but they were all rubbish, most were upgraded in a bad way and nearly all had a bad neck. When i say bad i dont mean frets and such but they were twisted or wobbly(wave form).
Anyway, as sort of a 'last attempt' before giving up i called a shopkeeper i know very well. I knew hes a strat man and i also knew he had a nice JV squier in his shop but it wasnt for sale then. Well i just went ahead and asked im if he was interested in selling it anyway!
Its just that sometimes luck lends you a hand on these occasions, he had just bought another like the one in his shop, and he even collected old MIJ strats. Since he just bought another he was willing to sell the one in his shop, needless to say i jumped in my car and went to check it out again, but now giving it plenty of time.
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/Boshond/DSC_3935.jpg)
At first i was a bit put off by the paint which had been chipped off in rather unpleasing patches, i had seen this often on the JV's, it seems they used a softer and lighter kind of alder and where there is a dent in the body wood the paint just chips off.
The strat had very high action and really old string, actually they were even old dadario string which just sound horrible IMO. When carefully examining the guitar the neck was great, allthough had alot of relief. Frets were soso and there was a huge amount of crud on the fretboard.
After some trying out and comparing to other strats in the shop i decided to take it, maybe a bit of a chance since i didnt know how it had been kept but the think that confinced me most was the sound. It just had such a great vintage tone, even better then the 5000 euro worth CS strat i compared it with.
My JV is quite light, like many of the CS strats very light (but also soft) alder was used. My strat weighs just under 3.2 kg, which is quite light for a strat. The body had an exeptionally 'light' sounding tap tone, even alot brighter then the neck tone which i didnt hear very often. The body is also the most resonant one i ever heard. These characteristics of the body give it that lively strat tone i like so much i think, perfect!
Also the neck, which is quite an issue for me i can work with, it has a 'slim D' shape. When comparing it to the original D shape it actually is just a bit thinner in the center part of the neck, if i play with my thumb on top of the neck it actually plays quite like a 50s gibson neck allthough im missing a bit of support from the center of the neck. The neck has a thin dark rosewood fretboard, the neck has only one little 'ding' its in excellent condition otherwise. Exept for the frets, which only have like a 30% left on them, but i guess you can expect that.
I payd the good fellow, it has the original tremelo arm and i also got an USA 5-way switch, i did think the 3-way switch was some weird upgrade, but it was the original. It does switch 5 ways but only 'locks' in the 3 positions. All hardware is fine, it has good 250k pots which i wont change, only the pickups will get changed at some time, i dont really like the USA vintage pickups much and actually prefer the acoustic sound much more, shame really but anyway. I do know that the pickups that will get in this strat they will definately have to be very sensitive and vintage sounding in a more brownish/bluesy way. The USA vintage are too overpowered for this guitar IMO.
Kind of surprising actually, i had thought i wanted a more punchy sound on a '57 type strat but now its much different, the JV is a '62 RI model.
Then i got home i took it apart to set up and work on since i found it way too uncomfy to play as it was, there is the Gibson man again :lol:
I left the guitar a couple of hours without strings and took the neck out for proper aligning, there was too much relief on the neck, i like a bit of relief but decided to set the neck as absolutely straight and let the strings give it some relief later on.
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/Boshond/DSC_3919.jpg)
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/Boshond/DSC_3920.jpg)
After getting all the facts traight i found out its a domestic (D stamped body) squier dated jan-feb 1983, matching the JV3 serial number. After checking some links(thanks Twinfan) it is a SST-30s, in 3-tone sunburst.
The info on this series states that the later '83 squiers of this type were downgraded a bit with japanese hardware, this one does however still have the 'good' hardware, exept for a cratchy switch all works noisefree. Even the pickups are pretty low noise, but probably thats also due to the really tight SSS routing of the body. This guitar is all original.
After hours of carefully adjusting, checking, readjusting and in between trying to get the thick layer of crud of the fretboard, all was ready to be played again.
Man, i cant begin to express how great this one is, i once played an original early 60's strat and allthough there are things about that one i liked better, my JV has THE SOUND!!!!
Its just so amazing how much resonance and tone you can get from such a simple stringed shelf. This guitar is just so captivating, it just all sounds so natural and uncomplicated, its simply a dream to play.
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/Boshond/DSC_3931.jpg)
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb157/Boshond/DSC_3939.jpg)
Im really thankfull for this one, in this time where everyone seems to make a mess of their guitars this one is mine and most definately will remain mine till one of my kids is old enough to play it better then his old man.....
Thank you for the interest and the lengthly read!
Kindest regards,
Henk
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Very interesting, great post, and love the pictures!
Thanks for that!
Roo
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Glad you liked them Roo,
I forgot to add the link to the JV fansite, alot of interesting reads there:
http://www.21frets.com/
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Looks nice, but I'm such a snob I turn my nose up at the Squire logo on the headstock.
I know it's probably an awesome playing, sounding and well made guitar, I just can't get over that little squiggle...
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Nice guitar!
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Actually most dont like the fact that its a squier....
I personally would like to get a band together just to walk on a stage with a cr@ppy squier which sounds like this one.
Probably thats why these squiers are still affordable i think, this one cost about the same as a MIM classic player would have cost me, it isnt a hard choise then is it?
The fender logo ones cost about twice as much.... :?
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It's an odd stigma indeed. But Fenders tend to be a very "personal" guitar. You need to find one that fits. My MIM Tele is so utterly perfect for me, playing it is a breeze. My Strat on the other hand is adequate, thanks to the BKPs it sounds awesome, but just isn't as fun to play. I'm actually very tempted to sell the Strat and replace it with a tele, keeping the Holydiver in the bridge mind :wink: Doubt this will happen any time soon...
Sorry to derail you slightly, I tend to ramble. And I cut my thumb today on my scalpel, so no playing until it heals :(
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I quite like it actually...
Not really a strat man myself.
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That looks very similar to my UK export JV, similar age too. Mine is dated 8-9'83 and has the same logo etc:
(http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r267/junkacct/JVSquierMedium.jpg)
Mine has USA hardware and I think it had USA pickups, although I traded them about 15 years ago :( for some David White 'Old Glories' :D
Superb Strats, and great value for money if you want some of that vintage vibe. Nice buy, Henk!
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Nice one Twinfan!
After more reading about my JV i found pictures of the SST-30. Mine is a SST-50 after all, the 30 version is very different from mine.
The domestic JV's did not have USA pickups like i assumed but they made a copy of the USA original which they overwound, so its more of a 'hot' version(SQ-5 'hotrod' pickups), kind off explains why i dont like them much, too hot for this baby IMO. I did found a nice spot on the middle/bridge selection turning the tone pot down a bit, nice versatility here also.
@Badgermark: I dont know about strats being more personal allthough seeing all the things people do to their strat makes one think so. Would be a very smart marketing strategy from fender now im thinking about it. I didnt like strats either for a while after i had tossed the last i owned, still it does have a certain appeal that seems to pop up once in a while. This one is different though, it a very comfy player, unusually so for a strat IMO.
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Supernice - I have Twinfan's twin brother - 1983 JV Fiesta Red squier JV 1962 with Mother's Milks.
Anyone who has owned a JV will tell you a JV Squier Strat will piss on anything coming from Mexico for feel and tone and also much of what came out of the USA until recently.
Mark - your'e a Gibson man in denial are'nt you? Why don't you just come out, I mean we won't be prejudiced :D
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I'm NOT in denial. Sounds like it though doesn't it? Man I suck at this gear lark. Shoulda stuck with my acoustic.
I have had Gibsons, my Epi LP was my first proper guitar, and I still love her, and I had a SG, that I never really got on with.
Don't get me wrong, I love the sound of them, just playing them is a nightmare. The shorter scale seems to be very noticeable to me. On paper three quarters of an inch doesn't sound like much (errrr... That's what she said?) but I notice it. I really struggled to play anything past the 9th fret, no problems on my Fenders though.
I'll make all you mofo's happy one day. A custom LP or SG with a Strat styled neck and two beasting humbuckers. Before that I might pimp out my LP, needs some BKPs and a re-wire. Possibly a refinish too while I'm at it...
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
Well see about that Elliot im not converted yet.....
Kind of funny we all seem to have '83 JV squiers, maybe there is something unusually godlike about them that once you hold them you just gots to have it :wink:
I like the sound of JV trough my bluesbreaker alot, it sounds very warm and round, i just screwed down thw pickups for a bit mellower sound, not bad actually but not as warm and full as i would like it to be. It does have a very recognisable strat tone which make it much easier to listen to then the complex gibson sound. Maybe i just need to get the sound of a fat gibbo out of my head first though, wouldnt you agree? :wink:
EDIT: I thought you meant me with the gibson man in denial :lol:
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how do these compare to the vintage reissue strats, from Fender usa?
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how do these compare to the vintage reissue strats, from Fender usa?
I would say better, the hardware on mine is excellent just like the USA stuff, pickups are different, neck is different and the USA reissues are new which is entirely different to the touchy-feely experience of and old reissue. The neck on my JV is very stable, more so then the USA ones IMO. Could be the strings too by the way, ive put all nickel rotosounds on my JV which seem to have been wound exceptionally tight.
EDIT: Rethinking my responce i should add that i am not a fan of USA strat since i find them overpriced and overrated. Probably there are more strat-experienced people around to answer your question.
I do think someone who really wants a vintage strat to be as original as possible a JV is the way to go, its more or less the same build quality(samples variation is still a factor offcourse and probably a bigger issue on the MIJ's) and they are actual vintage guitars by now.
I have heard some talk about the new fenders being better then say the 90's ones, i dont know about that, i do think considering value for money and resale value you cant really go wrong with a JV, well unless its a cr@p guitar. Most guitars with alot of natural wear and tear do seem to be the best samples IMO.
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JVs have really dark rosewood necks - I have a 2003 Mex classic and had a 2002 US standard Strat (which was a pig to play and I sold for more than I payed for it) and the rosewood was kinda light. Is this due to the change over from Brazillian to Indian rosewood?
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No JV will have Brazilian rosewood.....
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If my memory serves me well, dark rosewood is a selection of the best rosewood available, best in terms of looks and tone.
The original '62 strats also had dark rosewood fretboards, the '62 model JV strats were made with it aswell. Fender still uses the darker selection of rosewood in their custom shop reissues, probably the JV scores another point valuewise with this.
I what respect it sounds different from 'normal' rosewood i dont know, but it looks to me it is more dense and has heavier grain then the lighter rosewood i know. The grain has the downside that it collects alot of crud as i found out, it still looks more like ebony then rosewood on my JV.
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Hey, i though i should give this thread a final update.
I have been playing SO MUCH on the JV last couple of days, its just such a dream to play when you cant get along with the C shape necks. If you just concentrate on thumb placement on top of the neck instead of palm support like on a gibson 50s neck you wont have any problem adjusting at all!
The pups(japan 'hot' vintage SQ-5) are very clapton voiced, thats actually fine with me for now, ill probably get a vintage 'twang' set on a black pickguard anyway. Apaches would do reight?
The only problem i have with the pups atm is that the japanese pots bleed to the ground which isnt very nice, hence the idea of just putting in another pickguard and keeping this one original.
The JV is just such a good match with my Bluesbreaker, the BB didnt get much use the last couple of years and now its back! I use it in high 1 channel or in 'plexi jump lead' mode, especially the latter sound huge with a strat.
The only irritating thing is that when you are looking for clapton tabs there are like 10 for 1 song and NOT 1 is any good, so i have to tab myself which i dont like much....... :(
If you can find a JV which suits you(many were basswood so mind that) go for it! It just shreds an USA standard to pieces and is comparable(or even cheaper if you get a domestic one like me) in price.
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I found out (thanks to you,Henk 8) ) that i own a Jv ...It's a black Squier Strat Jv from 82 (reg.n°),it looks very similar to Henk's but in black ,of course..It's in mint condition,though (no paint scratch...).It's EXTREMELY light,really surprising if i compare to my USA strat (70).All specs seems originals.I do like the neck (slim) and the dark rosewood.Hardware seems to be US' but i don't like the PU's.It's really the weak spot.It needs BNK's..i guess.I would like to know how much it's worth?
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It's worth about £500....
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The pickups on an export JV are Dan Smith era US Fender (made in the Fullerton factory) alnico Vs - wound to 6k. Smith refused to let the Japanese make pickups. I just say that in case you want to go hotter or cooler.
Its light because its probably made of basswood - as were almost all solid colour JVs - this is no problem because having seen a stripped JV we are not talking the poor quality basswood used in cheap guitars but rather the alder like top grade of basswood. People slag off basswood too much - good basswood sounds like alder, if a little warmer and is almost as tough as alder.
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Thanks,guys! 8) I looked again and my Jv is from 83 (Jv4).I didn't used it lately but i will check the quality of the Pu's again because when i used it,in the past,it was only with a Mosfet amp.It's surprising (sweet) to find US Pu's in it. :D Cheers!
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Hey! One of my main axe is another Squier Strat Made in Japan.It's a white one but very different then the black Jv.First,it's much heavier,almost as much as my old 70' Strat (the "white"body was stolen by the luthier and replaced by a "natural wood"body,probably Ash.Btw,is there a serie M,like the serie L for Strats?) then,the serial number is not behind the neck but written on the head instead.Mechanics are not "vintage"-like and there are no Fender logo on the bridge.The neck is rounder and the finish is satin-like.On the head,logo says:Squier-Stratocaster/by Fender-Made in Japan-sr.number. etc. Would anybody know something about this Squier?I would like to know because it's a very nice guitar (it's fitted w/EMG's).
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It is very common with Fenders that alot of the original stuff gets replaced.
You can find alot if not all info on MIJ squiers at http://www.21frets.com.
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M is the dating prefix for 1992-1993