The Squier '51 returns in a hot new Vintage Modified model that delivers all the great style and features of the original value-priced screamer of the mid 2000s. All of the '51s enormous tonal versatility is back, with a powerful SH pickup configuration, rotary pickup selector, push-pull coil tap and more.
Features include a basswood body, satin-finish maple neck with "C"-shaped profile, 9.5"-radius maple fingerboard with 21 medium jumbo frets, single-coil Stratocaster neck pickup and hot humbucking bridge pickup, knurled "chrome dome" master volume control knob that also functions as a push-pull bridge pickup coil-selector switch (full humbucking or inner coil only for single-coil bridge pickup tone), knurled "chrome dome" three-position rotary pickup selector switch (in place of a tone control knob), single-ply white pickguard (black pickguard on Vintage Blonde model) and six-saddle hard-tail bridge. Case sold separately
Get five distinct tones without using a tone control. Order today.
SPECIFICATIONSVintage Modified Squier '51
BodyBody Material: Basswood
Body Finish: Gloss Poly
Body Shape: Stratocaster
Neck
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Satin Poly
Neck Shape: "C" Shape
Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8cm)
Fingerboard: Maple
Fingerboard Radius: 9.5" (241mm)
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Medium Jumbo
Nut Width: 1.650" (42mm)
Position Inlays: Black Dot
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Hot Humbucking
Neck Pickup: Standard Single-Coil Strat
Controls: Master Volume, 3-Position Rotary
Pickup Switching: 3-Position Rotary Pickup Selector Switch: Position 1. Neck Pickup (Full Clockwise) Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups (Middle) Position 3. Bridge Pickup (Full Counterclockwise)
Pickup Configuration: HS
Special Electronics: Push/Pull Coil Selector Switch (On Master Volume Pot): Normal Position: Full Bridge Humbucking Pickup Up Position: Inside Coil of Bridge Humbucking Pickup
Hardware
Bridge: Hard-Tail 6-Saddle
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Tuning Machines: Standard Die-Cast
Pickguard: 1-Ply White
Miscellaneous
Strings: Fender USA, NPS, (.009-.042 Gauges)
Custom Guitar's Friend Gold Coverage
Gold Coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty to protect your gear from unexpected breakdowns, accidental damage from handling and failures. This plan covers your product for one, two, three or up to five years from your date of purchase, costs just pennies per day and gives you a complete "no-worry" solution for protecting your investment.
Gold Coverage Includes:
Unexpected and unintentional spills, drops and cracks Normal wear and tear Power surges Dust, internal heat and humidityOther plan features include:
For products over $200, No Lemon Policy applies. If it fails for the same defect 3 times, it is replaced on the 4th breakdown. (Does not apply to failures due to drops, spills, and cracks) For products under $200 experiencing the above failures, a Custom Guitar's Friend gift card will be issued for the full price of the product + tax. Shipping fees covered if required for repair or replacement Plans are transferable in the event merchandise is sold Plans are renewable on new gear*Limitations and exclusions apply. See terms and conditions for program details
Term for New Gear begins on date of purchase but does not replace the store return policy or manufacturer coverage.
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OK, I don't usually buy inexpensive guitars. I own and have owned some of the finest. I don't know why I ordered this Squier, I guess the looks just appealed to me. It has the pickguard of a '51 Fender Precision bass, the body of a Stratocaster, and the neck and control plate of a Telecaster. It is string-through the body, with a single coil in the neck and a humbucker at the bridge, with push-pull coil splitting. There is no tone control. There are 21 polished frets, with no sharp edges. The strings are centered on the neck, with plenty of room on the edges for both "E" strings. The fit and finish is flawless, and my two-tone burst has beautiful grain. The only flaw was a loose input socket, which I fixed by tightening up the two nuts on either side of the cover plate.This guitar plays like a dream, and the sound through my Fender Deluxe Reverb is unreal! It sounds great in all positions, and I certainly won't be swapping out pickups. As a matter of fact, it sounds so scary-good that I'll probably be selling off some of my USA Fenders. This is the real deal, with a sound that I have been searching for for many years. Who would have thought that I would have found it in a economy Squier? And for skeptics, this model needs to be heard and played to be believed.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.I just wanted to offer a footnote to my earlier review in hopes this will help other VM51 purchasers and current owners. Even after a thorough detailed fret leveling and polishing (and numerous truss rod, saddle height adjustments..). I was STILL getting some unsettling resonances. So, I began checking other things that one might not typically suspect and, voila!, I encountered two basic and easily correctable things people might want to know about.
Let me offer a bit of background first. The body is made of Basswood (aka Linden, in many parts of the US). It is a rather soft hardwood and is not very dense/hard -- relatively speaking. It still, however, is a very good choice for a body (in my opinion). It is possible that the pieces are not completely dried before final assembly and some slight drying/shrinkage might occur after assembly and painting. ..I am guessing, these factors underlie the problems I found on my VM51.
Long story short: the nuts fastening the tuners in place were either grossly under-torqued or just plain loose. Easy enough to correct, and this helped somewhat... But, the bigger issue was the screws fastening the bridge tailpiece to the body were also not sufficiently tightened. Once I tightened all those nuts/screws up (but not OVER tightening them -- as basswood is relatively soft..), the weird resonances went away and this thing rings clean and true up and down the fretboard on every string. Funny thing is, I thought I checked those immediately after I got the VM51 and am usually careful about those things.. but, maybe I didn't (???) or maybe they had just loosened up during the 10 months or so I was playing it... (not really sure).
Hope this helps! Have fun with your VM51! I love mine now.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.THIS GUITAR WAS A REAL SURPRISE. YOU LOOK AT IT AND THINK STRAT, BUT IT COME OFF TELE. IT HAS MORE TWANG FOR THE BUCK THAN MOST .THE "TRADITIONAL TONE CONTROL POT" DOES'NT EXIST BUT, YOU HAVE A THREE POSITION PICKUP KNOB THAT GIVES YOU THREE TONES PLUS ANOTHER PUSH PULL POT(COIL SPLITTER) ON THE VOLUME TO ADD TWO MORE TONES. OVERALL IT IS BRIGHT. BUT YOU CAN CONTROL THAT AT THE AMP IF MORE BASS IS NEEDED. A REFRESHING ADDITION TO MY COLLECTION.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
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I got mine for Christmas. The sunburst is beautiful. You can get any sound that you want out of this thing. The neck is the best that I've ever played. Honestly, it's better than the necks on the American Fenders. At this point my Strat could get stolen and I wouldn't care, but if you try to take this guitar I'll take your life. I'm considering getting another one. Punk, Metal, Country, Jazz, Classic Rock, Blues, you can play them all with this guitar.Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.Everything's okay. The neck's not lacquered, and that's okay, but I like a lacquered neck. The neck is true it's the right shape. I can get the tones I like and it's balanced and light weight. The finish is gorgeous red. Love the push/pull splitter. Pick guard is cool and sturdy. All the hardware seems tight. Thanks for the six saddles. Good value.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.I bought a scratch and dent. Small nick on back is of no consequence, the guitar is like new.
I received an Indonesian model of high quality, and it immediately became one of my favorites.
Fantastic value, I'm ready to buy another in a different color.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.Bought new guitar, received used with scratches on pick guard. Setup terrible. Someone messed up bridge saddles, position and height. Guitar not double boxed for shipping, was loose in the Squier box.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.I found out theses were being produced again after a several year hiatus, and have to have one! I've had two of the originals, and still have one.
The Vintage Blonde 2014 model I recieved is like the black 2005 model I have, which is a good thing!
No sharp frets, no finish flaws, only issue was the nut on the pickup selector was cross-threaded. It threaded on correctly after being taken off and put back on, no big deal.
As far as sound the pickups are great for a guitar in this price range. Very bright sounding as there's no tone control. The electronics function well.
The only real issue I have with the guitar is the cheap nut, which I will be replacing.
Overall 10/10 great job Squier it was everything I expected!
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.Let me start out by saying im a perfectionist with every instrument I own. I own about 7 guitars but I was looking for something I can call my own. I have plenty of stock strats and teles and even a mustang and jazzmaster but something about this guitar caught my eye. I knew right away id be putting more money into modding the guitar than it actually costs. out of the box this guitar played about how I expected it to. right away I noticed some sharp fret edges and fret buzz but with some tweaking that's not a problem. like I said I modded this guitar to the max to make it my own. I added a dimarzio super distortion in the bridge, a dimarzio true velvet in the neck, added sperzel locking tuners, graph tech ferrules, and dimarzio 500 k pots. this guitar is something is the one I can say I love more than any other. its unique and its sound is near flawless running through a Rolland jazz chorus. even if you don't mod it to death its definitely a fun guitar. the vintage blonde finish is gorgeous as well. highly recommended for guitarists of any skill level.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
.Overall, I really like this guitar. Is made of basswood, not my fav, but for this guitar it works fine. Biggest problem is getting the bridge to stay mounted flush. I used a small dab of wood glue along with a pieces of toothpick into the screw holes to be able to tighten the bridge screws tight enough to hold it to the body-the bridge was lifting off the body when I received the guitar. I really like the bridge: it is string through and has slots for the outer 2 saddle screws so they cannot move around. That always bothered me about most fender type guitars, how the saddles could move around effecting intonation.
I replaced the nut with a graphite pro-line nut, fit well with little modification to the nut and was worth it for the added tuning stability and better tone.
The tuners seem acceptable, I may upgrade to standard Fender or Fender locking.
I like the pickups. Had to take off pickguard to be able to raise the neck pickup-added a piece of foam underneath the pickup. Only thing I wish is that the bridge pickup had adjustable pole pieces on at least one side so I could match it to the string radius.
No tone knob is fine for me, I just turn down the volume a little to help tame.
I did replace the push pull volume knob with one that had an adjustment screw to hold it on, as the one it came with kept pulling off.
I like the neck. It is a little thicker than a modern C, but still very comfortable to play. Also really like the light satin finish on back of neck, seems faster than the thick poly that is put on a lot Squier/Fender guitars.
I would buy another if they go on clearance like they did with the first run. I have the 2 tone burst color, but still would like the blonde with black pickguard.
Squier Vintage Modified Squier '51 Candy Apple Red
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