Thanks so much. Yes, I found the pickups adequate, but agree there’s room for improvement there.

Nice. Yeah, that’s what I’m seeing. The Squiers typically need a little work. But to put it in perspective, I used to send almost any new Fender or Gibson straight to my guy for $150 worth of fretwork. They’ve both improved a fair amount recently, but it honestly used to be SOP, even for very pricey models. Thanks so much for watching.

Not sure my knowledge is really “vast”, but thanks. Yeah, lunch would be good.

It’ll probably be that way for quite awhile with these super high volume, lower priced guitars. Luck of the draw. Thanks for watching.

@@leonardgriffieblues5845 Very true and always better to buy in person if possible, but a lot more variety buying online. As long as the dealer has a good return/exchange policy it’s not too risky.

I’d heard that about the lack of fret hardness. It’s been a long time so I’d more or less forgotten. As for the weight, I haven’t weighed it but this one isn’t heavy. I imagine that varies wildly since I’m sure they use whatever wood they can source for the right price. Thanks so much for watching.

@@leonardgriffieblues5845 The one I have is really heavy. SQUIER 40TH ANNIVERSARY STRATOCASTER VINTAGE EDITION SATIN SONIC BLUE. Nyatoh ! I had a Telecater Godin in Laurentian basswood, also very dense, whereas I have Chinese ones in very light basswood. This difference in density on the same type of wood is disconcerting.

Yep, high volume, mass production. Clearly they can’t afford to sort for lighter weight, so it’ll be luck of the draw. Glad the JM worked out.

Thank you my friend. I appreciate you watching.

A good point and one that might be difficult to find addressed. Most guitars I buy for review are moved along fairly quickly. It’s the only way I can keep my channel going. My personal stage instruments don’t change often. The point is, I imagine most who review Squiers don’t sweat all over them for hours on end or subject them to much real world use at all. Perhaps pose the question on a forum? Thanks so much for watching.

@@leonardgriffieblues5845 You make good points. I suppose my comment about tarnish was likely slightly metaphorical and phrased as a cautionary note, per my experience. I know I’m in the distinct minority as a regularly gigging musician that when I put my instrument away, there isn’t evidence of sweat or fingerprint on it anywhere. I agree that typical owners of Squiers will likely not be as um “fastidious” as I am. But I also see that changing a bit as Squier seems to be moving upmarket and with it, ownership that will be mindful of the short and long term beauty and longevity of the instrument. I too have a handful of favorites and go-tos. For no reason or fault of Squier, I don’t see adding any Squier to my collection anytime soon. But… it is always interesting to see how good budget minded instruments have really become. It’s a different world and marketplace than when I started 30 years ago.

Thanks so much. Yeah, I wasn’t sure about the look at first but it’s kinda cool.

They so seem a great value. Thanks for watching.

Nut slotting is one of those things you should really practice a bit before jumping in with both feet. It’s VERY easy to go too deep. That said, if it happens it’s usually not the end of the world. The baking soda/superglue trick can bail you out. In any case, I always recommend actual nut files. I know some hobbyists do the work with hardware store files but it’s almost impossible to do a satisfactory job. Trouble is, unless you have a bunch of guitars to do, it’s cheaper just to have a qualified repairman do it for you. Thanks for watching.

@@leonardgriffieblues5845 Thanks Leonard - actually, I didn't file the grooves down - that's way above my pay grade ;)) but I used the foil/paper strip in each of the two grooves to essentially pad them - I know it's likely it needs more work than that to actually bring it up to snuff, but for now my quick and dirty fix seems to be working - very much appreciate the advice - thanks!

Thanks. I appreciate you watching my channel.

Thanks so much.

That’s great. I imagine the pickups were a big upgrade.

Funny enough, I heard Jack’s aren’t even the better Squiers, but the cheaper Bullet models! Thanks for watching.

I assume they don’t want them to be confused with the higher priced, Fender branded instruments. Obviously Gibson does the same thing with the way they market Epiphone. PRS, to their credit, puts their logo on the SE line now. Thanks for watching.

Ah, that’s too bad. Even when the consistency is decent the duds can sneak through when these factories crank out so many guitars. I hope it works out for you and thanks for watching.

From what I’ve seen, with the American Vintage II it’s more about consistency and detail. And yeah, shouldn’t be the case on a $2000 guitar. However, the Vintera II I reviewed awhile back was very nice. Pretty much flawless. Thanks for watching.