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Are these Plywood MIK Squiers?


yz250f49

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Can you tell if these are the plywood bodies?

 

 

 

Korean Squiers

 

CN/VN: C = Cor-Tek (Cort), V = Saehan(Sunghan), S was already taken by Samick so Saehan(Sunghan) used V instead (Saehan(Sunghan) made the Vester guitars), N = Nineties (1990s), the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.

 

For example

 

* "CN5" = made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in 1995.

* "VN5" = made by Saehan(Sunghan) in 1995.

 

KC/KV: KC (Korean Cor-Tek (Cort)) and KV (Korean Saehan(Sunghan)), the serial number prefix is followed by a 2 number year.

 

For example

 

* "KC97" = made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in 1997.

* "KV97" = made by Saehan(Sunghan) in 1997.

 

KC and KV serial number prefixes are usually used on Crafted in Korea Squiers.

 

S/E: The S and E serial number prefix Korean Squiers are from the late 1980s/early 1990s. S = Samick, E = Young Chang, E letter serial numbers were used on Young Chang's Fenix brand guitars [3]. The first number following the serial number prefix is the year.

 

For example

 

* "S9" = made by Samick in 1989.

* "E0" = made by Sung-Eum in 1990.

* "E1" = made by Sung-Eum in 1991.

 

There were also Korean Squier serials with no serial number prefix and 6 or 7 numbers and the first number is the year.

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I've had about seven E9***** Squiers, two S9***** Squiers, a VN Squier and an NK Squier... all Korean and every single one of them had a plywood body. Some of them were much heavier than others (my VN Bullet is one of the lightest strats I've ever owned) and most were pretty resonant.

 

For the most part, if I see 'Korean' and 'Squier' in the same sentence, I assume it has a plywood body.

 

:thu:

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Well you are correct. I just was able to snag it for $125 and yes indeed it does have a plywood body.

 

It has a Bill Lawrence USA made humbucker in it. Those are at least $50 bucks.

 

index21.jpg

 

Looking at maybe buying a GFS body and installing the neck on there. The Squire neck appears to have the same USA heel dimensions, so I'm thinking it should fit properly.

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Seriously... give it a try. Obviously if it's stopping you from enjoying it, then certainly change it, but I have several strats, mostly Japanese, from various woods and two of the plywood Koreans are among my favorites. The 94 Bullet is probably the second most resonant strat I've ever owned out of probably 40 or so that were solid wood. I've come to think it's more about how well cut the neck pocket is. Not sure how that translates to it's tone when plugged in, but even then, I'd say the Bullet with Duncan SSL2s is probably my third best sounding strat.

 

Used to have 57/62s in it so I've always felt it was a great sounding and playing strat.

 

:idk:

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Seriously... give it a try. Obviously if it's stopping you from enjoying it, then certainly change it, but I have several strats, mostly Japanese, from various woods and two of the plywood Koreans are among my favorites. The 94 Bullet is probably the second most resonant strat I've ever owned out of probably 40 or so that were solid wood. I've come to think it's more about how well cut the neck pocket is. Not sure how that translates to it's tone when plugged in, but even then, I'd say the Bullet with Duncan SSL2s is probably my third best sounding strat.


Used to have 57/62s in it so I've always felt it was a great sounding and playing strat.


:idk:

 

 

My original intent was to just refinish the body into a nitro surf green color and maybe upgrade the pups. I'm going to put it back together in a few minutes with some fresh strings and see how it sounds.

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They do have great necks, and the pocket on mine is very tight. They do have good actions and feel good to play. The only weal spot on mine was the tuners, which were so rough it was hard to get it tuned. They held once there, but they felt very gritty.

 

I replaced them with some no-name split shaft vintage tuners, and replaced the pickups with some GFS premium alnico singles because I wanted a more vintage pickup.

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So here she is.

New strings put on and it doesn't sound half bad. Selector switch is a bit scratchy and the humbucker is awfully hot but I was possibly going to buy a loaded pickguard before I paint it. Needs a better set-up for my taste, but this was supposed to be a project for me anyway.

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Nice looking Squier. I like the SCXD, too - I love mine. Sounds great through a 2x12.

 

The loaded pick guards from Guitar Fetish are decent, but very bright. I put one in an SX strat. The hand wired guard that I bought from them was much better, but it also cost more. I have never tried a Mighty Mite.

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Nice looking Squier. I like the SCXD, too - I love mine. Sounds great through a 2x12.


The loaded pick guards from Guitar Fetish are decent, but very bright. I put one in an SX strat. The hand wired guard that I bought from them was much better, but it also cost more. I have never tried a Mighty Mite.

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

Naturally, those were the pick guards I had in mind. What pick-ups did you have installed in them?

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Thanks!


Naturally, those were the pick guards I had in mind. What pick-ups did you have installed in them?

 

 

The Premium Alnico Vintage. I think they use alnico II magnets in this set, but I can't remember exactly. They are very quacky in the second and fourth position, which I like. I had no trouble with the full-size pots fitting. I did have to move some screws when installing the guard, but I have had very few times I haven't had to. Even on more expensive guitars.

 

You can look up the diagram online, but I would wire a jumper to give you tone control on the bridge pickup. It's easy to do, takes about a minute and a short piece of wire - probably the easiest Strat wiring mod to do and well worth it.

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  • 1 year later...
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I have a 1997 "KV97xxxxxxx" (Sunghan Music) Squier and I've checked the body at the neck pocket and the Trem well and it is NOT Plywood! Although I have no idea what the wood is for sure ... though it looks and weighs like Basswood. I believe that the Plywood body Korean Squier's ended with the beginning of 1996.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]338295[/ATTACH]

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