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Help with info for Squier II


h82crash

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I have a old Squier II I've had since about 91. I have refinished it and when I had it apart I found dates on the neck, body and pick guard. They ranged from 12/79 to 02/80. There is no serial # on this thing. The body looked like alder when I stripped it. The head says Squier II in gold with Stratocaster and by Fender in black. My tech thinks it is a Japan model. Any one have any clues?

 

My refinish job. SquierII.jpg

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I have one of these and mine is Korean. Mine has a laminate body. It is actually a pretty decent guitar. The switch was going bad and the pots were scratchy so I replaced the whole electronics package with GFS 64 staggers and Fender switchs/pots. THe pickups were originally ceramics and were not that bad, considering, but it sounds better now. The neck is awesome with a skunk stripe. The downside is a thick eurothane clear coat and crappy tuners which I will upgrade eventually. If it ever got played in its 20 years, I can't find a sign of it. I paid $70 for it and I doubt I could find a better guitar cheaper.

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Mine has no stripe on the neck and the body was 4 pieces of solid wood. I bought a loaded pick guard from GF just for looks as this one now just hang in my music room. This one was heavily played before I got it.

 

Since the dates are pre 82, might it be made in USA?

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Can you share some pics of the headstock? I don't have any answers, but I am curious to see these things. BTW, no need for the skunk stripe on yours since the FB is rosewood.

 

Excellent work on the finish too. :thu:

 

Mine is MIK with a plywood body too. I doubt much of it is original except the neck and body. Coincidentally and lacquer is curing on the replacement body at the time of this posting. Yipee...

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Picture of the headstock?

 

Every Squier II I've ever seen was made in 1989 or shortly thereafter. The serial number is usually under the Squier logo and would start E9**** E for 80s, 9 for 1989, N0**** would indicate 90s, 0 for 1990. Most had the logo in either silver or gold with black border.

 

My understanding was that the Squier IIs started in 1989, were made in Korea and the ones actually from 1989 may have used leftover Japanese necks. Either way, the 1989s are VERY nice necks. I've probably owned 8 of them and they have ranged from very nice to very very nice to super de duper nice.

 

I didn't think ANY Squiers were made before 1982 or 1983. :confused:

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I've got one and he serial number was on a sticker at the base of the neck by the body. body is not ply (scraped the paint inside the cavity) but I don't know how many pieces. The original pickups were 'bigger' than standard single coils, and wouldn't fit in a replacement pickguard. I didn't see dates on the neck heel or the body... anybody else notice this about the stock pickups?

 

replaced the tuners with some off a 80's bullet, nice enclosed tuners that work great. pickups are mightymite. I LOVE the neck on this guitar....my favorite strat neck ever.

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True, my parts may have sat on the shelf for years before being assembled. But, if I got it in 90-91, it would have only been a year or 2 old. The guy I bought it from giged it which explains the bumps and scratches but the 2nd and 3rd frets were worn flat. I'm guessing it takes more than a year to do that. I played it for 15 years and didn't do squat to the frets.

 

My pickups were smaller and the pick guard a different shape from newer Strats. The trem plate was also smaller. Notice the gap between my new pick guard and the trem. I filled screw holes while prepping the refinish.

 

IMG_7152.jpgIMG_7154.jpg

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Yeah, Squier II were always Korean, late 80s early 90s. That's what you have there.

 

The original MIJ Squiers were first released in 1982.

 

For what it's worth those korean necks are fantasic, I have one laying around here that I keep meaning to get a body for.

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Hrmm... that headstock is definitely slightly different than any of mine, but I'm still 99.999% sure it's a 1989 or very early 1990s Korean Squier.

 

I wouldn't use fret wear/damage as an indicator if age. My second MIM had terrible looking frets from fret 2-5 and the body and neck were in PERFECT condition. I think it was from having something leaning against the strings pushing them into the neck. Or possibly from being in a hard case with something (maybe a strap) resting against the strings in that area.

 

Regardless of where the guitar was made, if you love it... keep on loving it. Those early glossy Korean necks are absolutely outstanding!

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I used to own a Squier II -- it was a neat guitar and the 12" radius neck is fairly unique for a strat.

 

My Squier II was plywood, and they definitely weren't made until (possibly) the late 80s, IIRC. Most likely you've got a Frankenstrat on your hands. I'd be psyched: the Squier II neck is kickass and the body isn't plywood. Its got great specs.

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Thanks for the info, guys. Yeah, I love this guitar, definitely not plywood. Everything about it showed quality. It's kind of a tank compared to my Iby. But it is a solid player.

 

I don't think the neck will fit any of the newer strat models. It is more narrow. I also have a slight gap all the way around where the pick guard meets the neck. Not real noticable to look at but when I was fitting the new pick guard it was obvious. This pick guard fits the later standard Strats. I have a 94 Korean Squier and this new larger stuff fits it fine. I've seen some replacement bodies that have a smaller neck pocket so you can custom fit the neck.

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