Custom Vibe Squiers have arrived in London!!

[AndyR]

During my strolls around Tottenham Ct Rd and Denmark St, this afternoon, I found something I wasn't expecting.

Macari's have CV Squiers:
2 50s Strats
1 60s Strat
1 50s Tele

I played them all, twice, and managed to keep my money in my pocket. This is mainly cos it's the 60s strat I want and it was the least fab of the four (didn't like the visible body grain compared to the other strats - thought about asking him to take them apart and swap the bodies, thought better of it :lol:)

They have very slim necks and flat boards for those who like that kind of thing, unfortunately I don't anymore, but that wouldn't stop me. The strats have narrow bridge saddles and the Es are inside the polepieces of the pickups, this would be a bit of a niggle for me, it looks like replacing them would put the strings very near the edge.

The neck finishes are GORGEOUS - puts the Mexican Baja neck finish to utter shame. 

They're well set up, very nice frets, and they sound like you'd expect them to. For me the 50s strat with maple board sounded the classiest. The tele was very slick to play, but looks a bit "white" for me.

I so nearly bought one of them. I ought to buy the maple board strat if I do (I don't have one), but the rosewood board strat is in my blood...  In the end I asked if he'd ordered any more - he hadn't!! But he has had enough people climbing over them for him to realise there might be a bit of a market. None of the other shops in the area have them. My man in my favourite shop says he's hoping to get them in a couple of weeks, but he was a little dismayed to hear about the strat bridges (same as I was, but NOT the guy in Maccari's - he couldn't see what the issue was) and them all being very slim necks - he likes the same strat necks as I do I think.

SO - are they worth it (they offered me £259 each)? I think so, but I'm going to wait for "the one" if and when I actually have the money (more overtime coming up soon :D). But if I miss out in the meantime, it's not the end of the world, they are good quality and very good value for money, but they're not "oh wow I have to have one" for me.

[gwEm]

did they have the duo-sonic? looks pretty cool...

[AndyR]

Yes, one I think, I forgot that - it appeared while I was trying one of the strats. It doesn't really grab me as a shape. The main thing that struck me was it's very "biege" - reminded me of my Nan's stockings many many years ago!

Is that the only colour they ever came in? It's not very rock n roll!! :lol:

[gwEm]

Yes, one I think, I forgot that - it appeared while I was trying one of the strats. It doesn't really grab me as a shape. The main thing that struck me was it's very "biege" - reminded me of my Nan's stockings many many years ago!

Is that the only colour they ever came in? It's not very rock n roll!! :lol:

i think they came in many other colours back in the day... but i believe that was what the first ones came in. struck me as an unusual instrument, was wondering how it played ever since i saw it on the squier site

[FernandoDuarte]

Good hear it! Hate thin necks :D

My man in my favourite shop

Could you tell us the shop?

[Philly Q]

They have very slim necks and flat boards for those who like that kind of thing, unfortunately I don't anymore, but that wouldn't stop me. The strats have narrow bridge saddles and the Es are inside the polepieces of the pickups, this would be a bit of a niggle for me, it looks like replacing them would put the strings very near the edge.

Yep, that's a couple of deal-breakers.   Phew, what a relief!!

[Plexi Ken]

I was also interested in these but I'll never buy another thin neck again, they're just not 'me' anymore.

Guitar Village has them for £219
http://www.guitarvillage.co.uk/product-list.asp?manuid=100&catid=3

[AndyR]

Good hear it! Hate thin necks :D

My man in my favourite shop

Could you tell us the shop?

Regent Sound. It's where I got my Japanese Tokai recently, and where I got my Fender Japan 62 strat last year. And where I keep looking at this Gretsch Corvette thinking "Bullfrog Blues" - not dared try it yet.

By the way Philly, he has one 70s Jap non-export Re-issue at the moment. 70s headstock, but it's a rosewood board. Black with a white scratch-plate and black pups/knobs. I can't remember the price - same as mine was, around the 500 mark I think. There's also a whole load of special edition "reverse headstock" and "reverse bridge pup" strats for £499 each. Not heard of these, are they US? Mex? But they look a bit odd to me. If I was that keen on getting "hendrixed-up" I'd get a leftie and set it up for right hand.

[Philly Q]

By the way Philly, he has one 70s Jap non-export Re-issue at the moment. 70s headstock, but it's a rosewood board. Black with a white scratch-plate and black pups/knobs. I can't remember the price - same as mine was, around the 500 mark I think.

 :) Thanks Andy, excellent memory!  I'm pretty set on the maple board as my other two Strats are R/W, but I'll keep it in mind!  I suppose I could get a Classic Series '70s model if it comes to it, but I fancy the MIJ one, even though it has a basswood body.

The reverse Strats you mentioned, were they like this?  I think it's a Mexican model, but not sure.

 

[Ted 'N' Leo]

They had the duo sonic in guitarguitar in Glasgow when I was there the other day. Didn't have a go but I was surprised at how good I thought it looked. Couldn't see the others though.

[badgermark]

The duo sonic looks pretty nice. it's a 24" scale if i remember rightly, but uses a conversion neck. So a 25.5" should fit like a glove. Might see if i can pick up a body if they end up on ebay.

The pine vibe tele looks very nice though, might dabble if i feel the need for a single coil tele again.

[AndyR]

The reverse Strats you mentioned, were they like this?  I think it's a Mexican model, but not sure.
 

Yep, that looks very much like the beast. Didn't fancy it myself - and of course I wasn't really spending money :lol:... so I didn't even try one.

[Philly Q]

Yeah, it doesn't appeal to me much either.  I don't mind the reverse pickup and reverse headstock, it's the way the headstock logos look so odd - that really puts me off, for some reason.

[AndyR]

That's exactly it!

It confused/worried me so much that I dug out pictures of left-handers over the weekend - same issue there. The logos are by and large no different, they just look plain wrong to me when they're upside down on a Fender headstock...

[headtheball]

I had the American Version of that one, with a rosewood board, and it was an absolute beast of a guitar. I'm quite happy to see fender making it again.