Members Mind Riot Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 My main guitar is a Schecter 007 Blackjack. It is capable of coil splitting, but it always sounds like what it is; a solid mahogany beefy monstrous humbucker equipped guitar. I wanted to get something to round out my sounds a bit, something with some single coil snap. The problem being that I'm poor. So I was pretty much limited to really cheap guitars, and I heard a lot of good things about the Squier '51. I also couldn't help liking the way it looked. So I snagged one at a local mom and pop after I missed the last $99 GC model. The mom and pop knocked $25 off their price, so it was $125. It's the black one with the white pickguard. First impressions, the setup was horrific. Rusty nasty strings, hugely high action, lopsided saddles, a completely ludicrous amount of relief in the neck. I bought a set of 10-52's and took it home to see if I could get it to sing. I yanked the old strings off and did a fret polish as well as filed the fret ends, they were sticking out and quite sharp. Put the new strings on and the relief was just ridiculous, like about a quarter inch at the seventh fret or more, as aggravated by the heavier strings. I adjusted the truss rod and waited overnight to let it settle. Still too much, so I adjusted again and waited. Over about a day and a half it settled in. I setup the action and intonated as best I could, a couple of the saddle adjustment screws were too long and would contact the string. First impressions: 1. Playability: After all the fret work and setup it actually plays quite nicely. There's no buzz on the lower strings, but there is some on the higher three. I can't get the action as low as I would like, but it's still pretty low. There seems to be a slight rise in either the fretboard itself or the fret height toward the end of the fretboard where it joins the body that prevents me from setting the action as low as I would like. I'm not sure if I want to invest in a fret level on a $125 guitar, but as it is it plays pretty nicely. As many have observed, the neck is quite lovely, a slim, smooth, unfinished tele neck. But I can't spank the higher strings like I can the lower without buzz and note choking. 2. Sound: Most people who get these seem to replace the pickups, but some keep them. I find the single coil in the neck to be quite pleasing, spanky and punchy, if not too brilliant. The bridge humbucker is decent, with some quacky midrange that can be fun, but it does not distort very well, at least for anything beyond crunch. I know it's not really designed for it anyway. It splits nicely, but the neck single still sounds better to me. The guitar really does have a mojo, as some have talked about. It makes you want to keep playing it. In fact, even though the relief had not yet settled and the action was ludicrously high as a result, I couldn't stop playing it the day I got it and ended up causing myself some serious pain in my fingers. 3. Fit and finish: The bridge has its problems, as I mentioned. I could cut the ends off the screws that are too long, but I think I'll probably replace it. It also buzzes on the D string, and I can't seem to find why. The height saddles are tight and both are set flat so neither is loose, and the spring is tight. I understand this is a common problem and since I'll probably replace the bridge anyway it's not too big a deal. The paint is smooth and seems tough. The knobs and pots and the coil tap feel solid and not cheap. The pickguard is a cheap slab of plastic and looks it, with a few burrs and one slight upward bubble. The tuners are decent sealed ones, I'll probably just keep them. The guitar holds tune quite well. Plans. After looking at the cost involved in getting a pearl pickguard made for this thing, I think I'll just keep the stock pickguard, plain as it is. My plans thus far are this: Replace the bridge pickup with a GFS Dream 90. I've wanted a guitar with a P-90 for a while, and these seem to be held in pretty high regard. Plus, they're inexpensive. The bridge humbucker is not horrible, but I've already got all the humbucker tone I could want in my Schecter, and this guitar is intended to fill in some of the blanks in my sounds. Even though I like the neck single, I might replace it with some Tele single or something from GFS. I haven't decided, it really does sound quite decent. Replace the bridge with the top loading model, also from GFS. I've heard a lot of guys have done this and are quite pleased, and it's the only top loading bridge I can find that doesn't cost half what the guitar did. Hopefully, after I'm done, it'll be a nice solid axe that'll give me some good single coil and P-90 tones and help round out my arsenal of sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted March 10, 2006 Share Posted March 10, 2006 Congratulations and welcome to 51 land. You should see all the mods folks do to this guitar right up to tossing a bigsby on it. I like the stocks on mine. I find the neck mellow and the bridge kicks ass. I have a song where I start the solo on the neck and rip into a crescendo using the bridge. It's like an alarm clock. Hello! But this guitar is like a chameleon. Everyone who has it brands it.I've been very way happy with mine. I thought the pickguard was too plain also but I couldn't see spending the $60 to get the one I wanted after spending $125 on it so I kryloned mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pengrin Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 Hey Frets99 can you explain what you did to your pickguard. That looks freakin cool. What the heck is Kryloned???????FYI, I got a nice black 51. I've upgraded the pups to a Dimarzio Class of 55 in the neck and Dimarzio Fast Track 2 in the bridge. The Fast Track 2 is a single coil but doesn't look too bad hanging out in a humbucker space. I tried a lot of pickup combinations and this one sounded great to me. When I got mine the setup was really bad. I had to shim the neck to get it playing right, fix intonation etc, etc. Totally worth the effort and didn't take long. I love the playability and the fact that while it looks like a typical Fender in some ways (albeit a bastard son of several models) it is so unique and cool. Kudos to Squier for coming up with new guitars of late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mind Riot Posted March 10, 2006 Author Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 Originally posted by Frets99 Congratulations and welcome to 51 land. You should see all the mods folks do to this guitar right up to tossing a bigsby on it. I like the stocks on mine. I find the neck mellow and the bridge kicks ass. I have a song where I start the solo on the neck and rip into a crescendo using the bridge. It's like an alarm clock. Hello! But this guitar is like a chameleon. Everyone who has it brands it. I've been very way happy with mine. I thought the pickguard was too plain also but I couldn't see spending the $60 to get the one I wanted after spending $125 on it so I kryloned mine. Yeah, I've seen yours in other threads, very cool. I've done a lot of searches on it to make sure it was a good buy, since I don't have much money. It was either this or an SX of some kind, and while the SX's are cool, this one has the added mojo of being really unique. I'm actually thinking of taking a dremel or something to the pickguard and cutting out parts of it to give it a different look. Then it won't be so plain, and won't cost me anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fanuvbrak Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 Nice review That Krylon job looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members machine gunner Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 I got lucky and found a great one- no sharp fret edges whatsoever, almost perfectly intonated, stays in tune great, perfect action out of the box. Great array of tones, and as many have said, very hard to put down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zappa74 Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 Friend of mine just got a 51. Nasty, rusty strings and a pretty ugly setup out of the box. Put on some 10s, a few adjustments and now it plays great. I always pick it up whenever I'm at his place. Might have to get one for myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Daddy-OhNo Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 Hey Mind. Excellent review, although it sounds like you may have gotten a particularly rude one. They come around nicely though! Excuse my ignorance, but who is this "GFS" you speak of? I think I'm in for replacing the bridge on my '51 as well. Same reasons you mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PolyFmorf Posted March 10, 2006 Members Share Posted March 10, 2006 Originally posted by Daddy-OhNo Hey Mind.Excuse my ignorance, but who is this "GFS" you speak of?I think I'm in for replacing the bridge on my '51 as well. Same reasons you mentioned. Guitarfetish Also see: AndyZ's Squier 51 Modders Forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted March 11, 2006 Share Posted March 11, 2006 LOL Krylon spray paint for plastic.I had a dark red, black and a light tan. Sprayed them on, lots of red, some black and some light tan. Used a 1/2 inch paintbrush to swirl it around and dab it. I think I was lucky it came out as good as it did but I'm really happy with it.I'm playin this girl at the blues guitarmaggedon in Natick MA on Tuesday. win, lose or draw, I will have a ball!!!!!I like the idea of changing the shape of the pickguard. The body is pretty solid under the guard. In fact, I'd like the burst one nekkid!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members brooksblues Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 Hey frets99 I am already working on a naked 51 if youd like to call it that. I noticed the same thing I couldnt believe its only a small single coil route, mine started out as a sunburst but wont end as one. When I am done I will post pics but it will be a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mind Riot Posted March 11, 2006 Author Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 Originally posted by Daddy-OhNo Hey Mind. Excellent review, although it sounds like you may have gotten a particularly rude one. They come around nicely though! Excuse my ignorance, but who is this "GFS" you speak of? I think I'm in for replacing the bridge on my '51 as well. Same reasons you mentioned. Someone already linked to the guitar fetish website. They make some pretty inexpensive pickups that are held in pretty high regard around here, particularly the Dream 90 which is what I'm eyeballing.It looks like the fretboard may have a slight rise where it meets the body, I'm getting some pretty nasty note choking there. Not sure if I want to invest in a fret leveling for such a cheap guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theyapster Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 when i ordered mine i said i dont wanna find ne of the problems like other people have, the guy said well it is a budget guitar, so i said yes "budget" not second hand, so for something brand new i dont wanna find loads of {censored}ty faults i have to put right. when it came i pulled it out the box and it was set up v nice, no sharp frets, no qc problems at all, and i love the thing. ots the blonde with black pickgaurd and i always find myself sat with it, and do u guys also think it sounds pretty good unplugged??? this sounds really really good just strumming along unplugged. ne way i love mine and if i was to sell ne of mine id have trouble letting this 1 go, i just really really like it and a fantastic neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theyapster Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 damnit guitar fetish has all the gfs pickups, i cant find newhere in uk that has a stock like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IdaCrue Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 I have 2 Squier 51's, black and sunburst. If you are the tinkering kinda guy these guitars are fantastic, even if you aren't, they are a great value. I've replace the neck pickup on both of mine with a GFS Lil' Killer and a GFS Lipstick along with upgraded bridges, tuners, and chrome pickup rings. I have gone for weeks where this is the only guitar I play, until I feel bad about neglecting my others. I'm getting a fret end dressing file and will soon be attacking the fret ends on my black 51. Nothing not to like about this guitar IMHO, especially when you consider the price and the fun factor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members krish Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 Originally posted by theyapster damnit guitar fetish has all the gfs pickups, i cant find newhere in uk that has a stock like that www.axesrus.co.uk has quite a few GFS pickups quite cheap. This is where I went to get all the pickups to mod out my 51 and my tele. They deliver pretty much next day aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theyapster Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 cheers krish, and would u believe it.... axesrus address is 7 fricking miles away from me???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ganjaseed Posted March 11, 2006 Members Share Posted March 11, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mind Riot Posted March 12, 2006 Author Members Share Posted March 12, 2006 Hmmmmm...the plot thickens... I raised the action some more and the buzzing is better, but it's definitely not as low as I would like. I'm not real picky about action, in fact I usually like it decently high, but this is pretty excessive. I called the store where I got it and asked if they would do a fret level under the warranty and he said if I brought it in and they were sure it was the frets they might do it. The tech was not in that day but I'll check back on it next week. In the meantime, I've still been playing it a lot and I just may leave the stock pickups in this thing after all. I'm not sure yet, but I started screwing with the amps on my PODxt and found that the bridge humbucker as well as the neck single delivered some really nice crunchy tweed tones with some of the old Fender tweed models. It's actually really cool and exciting to get these totally different sounds and basically hear these models come alive with this guitar after trying in vain to get any kind of interesting sound out of them with my Schecter. Not sure if I want to swap the pups now, but I may anyway. Decisions decisions.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members theyapster Posted March 12, 2006 Members Share Posted March 12, 2006 ive got the same questions, i love this 51 and wouldnt mind really giving it an overall, but im worried ill just lose the tonal character of it, it brings out the best in some of the modelling of my vox tonelab and ad30.yest i made a couple more adjustments to the saddle pieces and give the neck a slight turn, got up this morn and tuned it up and it just feels and sounds fricking good, i think ill just keep it as it is and enjoy it, afterall i think i was considering cosmetics rather than sound.wouldnt it be good if there was a online photoshop way of buying??? swapping diff pickgaurds and pickup covers just to see what it would look like, but im keepin mine the way it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zen Posted March 12, 2006 Members Share Posted March 12, 2006 I need to take better pics of my rig. Anyone know of a website that can host pics bigger than 250kb. I compressed them with Photoshop and the compression looks like crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted March 12, 2006 Share Posted March 12, 2006 Sorry, you're having so much trouble with your 51 setup, mindriot. I tried a couple when I went to GC before buying mind. I loved the setup and haven't changed a thing except strings. I've heard lot's of people swap pups on theirs but I gotta say. I love the sound of mine as well. I would hate to lose the character the drew me to her in the first place. That being said, I'd probably love to one 2 or 3 more and make mods that would probably sound awesome as well.And Zen. "holy mother of mods, Batman", that's mad crazy beautiful and I bet it sounds sweet too!!!! :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members krish Posted March 12, 2006 Members Share Posted March 12, 2006 It feels really wierd reading about the horror stories of poorly set-up 51's. Mine was absolutely flawless top to bottom, smooth frets, no buzz, ace action. The only teeny thing wrong was a lose jack socket but that only took like 4 seconds with a spanner to fix. I eventually got fed up with the rotary selector so that had to go, it's just not practical for live work.Also, I don't know how many of you 51 owners get this, but doesn't it get so annoying when some bloody guitar amateurs who think they know everything take one look at the headstock and totally dismiss it as a crap guitar. Then I'm like so what do you have? and they reply with "oh a FENDER! mim strat". I bet my 51 could rape the crap out of their oh so perfect fender any day of the week. I guess I could give in a change the decal but sod it, I know how great my guitar is and that's all that matters.I agree that the stock pickups do sound brilliant. But I needed a tone that was slightly better defined so I swapped out the stocks for an SD SSL1 and an SH5. Of course these pickups are naturally very bright (which was really cool but didnt make it too hot for rhythm playing) so to counteract that I put a mini HB in the middle, which works a treat for deepening out the sound.I'm very tempted to get myself another 51 (the black one looks cute) to leave stock. Either that or get something else with the same configuration and plant the stock pus I have left over from my squier into them. Tempting...very tempting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vibroluxman Posted March 12, 2006 Members Share Posted March 12, 2006 I know I could probably find out what the body is made out of on my own, but I figured that you guys would probably know. What is it? I've been kind of tempted by all the talk you guys give these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members straightblues Posted March 12, 2006 Members Share Posted March 12, 2006 MIND RIOT My guitar, like several other people here, set up much better with a neck shim. I went with 10-54 strings and my saddles where just way too high without the shim. With the shim I have plenty of adjustment in both directions and it worked out great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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