Help choosing 1st strat

mickzo · 08-16-2010, 05:10 AM

Hi,

I am learning to play guitar mainly wanting to play mainly blues, Hendricks, Clapton. I am looking to get a squier strat and currently trying to decide between the standard, classic vibe 50 and classic vibe 60 but can't make up my mind. So I am now seeking your advice, which one would you recommend and why?

Also, what is the difference in between the CV 50 & 60?

Thanks for your help and advice.

Michael

horax · 08-16-2010, 01:05 PM

If you're just starting, go with the standard cause it's cheaper. YOu don't know exactly if you'll catch on or not.
If money isn't an optino, go with one of hte CV's...whichever one catches your eye and sounds the best.

peskypesky · 08-16-2010, 01:13 PM

i say go for a CV50s. they are outstanding guitars for the price. all Squiers are really good deals, but the CV is just super quality.

the main differences between the CV50s and CV60s:
50s has maple fretboard/60s has rosewood
50s has alnico 3 pickups/60s has alnico 5 pickups

TwoMartinMan · 08-16-2010, 01:53 PM

You can't go wrong choosing any one of those, but the CVs are truly outstanding. I like the 50s style, myself. Just be sure to get a good set up done on whichever one you get so that it plays well for you.

houseguitarshop · 08-16-2010, 04:13 PM

i agree both are great,

my first strat was a peavy strat copy,

in about a year I moved to a Squier standard

the standard did me just fine for 5+ years and I still have it and still play it sometimes.

the CV is defiantly a step up from the standard, but most likely you wont be able to tell much difference if your just starting. the neck finish would be the biggest noticeable difference in feel of the gutiars if your just starting.

IMO the deluxes are great value, look to be similar qaulity to the CVs but quite a bit less.

after a long time and lot of hours of playing, different aspects of guitars become important and other aspects not so much.

it takes a while to know exactly what you like and want to look for in a guitar for yourself.

good luck

nomadh · 08-16-2010, 08:26 PM

I agree, pay attention to the neck finish. The standard is a mat finish. Not as pretty but it sure plays better for my playing and deep string bending. The CV has that thick pretty gloss finish. It looks slick but it seems It actually suction cups to my fingers. Although a lot of people apparently still get a cv and then sand or scotchbrite the neck.

AllroyPA · 08-16-2010, 08:58 PM

Get an older Japanese Squier, they rock for feel. They are bit heavier than todays Squiers. I also like my 90's MIM Fender/Squier, no difference but a pickguard in the 90's mim's. Or a ProTone if you can get a price on one.

OleFudd · 08-16-2010, 09:10 PM

I can't answer your question about the Strats, but I have a 2009 Tele Standard and if the Standard Strats compare in fit and finish to the Teles I'd say go for a Standard, learn your chops and in the future upgrade to a CV. I've a never owned a Strat but I may have one someday.
Good luck with your search.

motoman45 · 08-16-2010, 09:42 PM

hey mick, have you actually played any of them?....if so, what felt the best?, what sounded the best?..then thats the one.....

mickzo · 08-17-2010, 12:19 AM

Thanks for all your responses. I have tried them out yet but will be doing that on the weekend. The CV are about $200 more than the standard and money is an issue.

However my thoughts are spend that little extra and get something quite decent first up that will last me a while rather than get something that I will end up modding in a year or two. This is why I am considering the CV.

I haven't ruled out the standard and I'll have to compare them in store and see whether it is worth spending the extra. At the moment i'm leaning more for the CV 50 over the CV 60 is simply because I can get it in white and the reason the CV over the standard is because of the Alder body rather than agathis and the pickups.

Thanks
Mick

nomadh · 08-17-2010, 12:20 PM

I don't think there is a quality diff at all. They are both high quality. Its just that the gloss finish neck seems to cost more. The question is do you like the gloss neck? Also check out the std cherryburst. I think they call the wood alder but the grain looks ash to me.

DreadSi · 08-17-2010, 01:27 PM

I picked a MIM fat strat for my first. Nice guitar but I never bonded with it. I really wanted to capture the Strat mistique so I kept trying - indo double fat strat, indo mahogany fat strat (see for sale forum). Didn't really hit magic until I picked up an 80's squier II. Ply body, humbucker in bridge, a most excellent maple neck and the sweetest sounding middle pickup I had run across. Nice heft too. The magic really, really happened when I picked up a well used MIJ Squier from the late 80's - an E series. Got it and a hard case for $220 - Lake Placid Blue. It instantly became my favorite and just about everything else is going on CList. I want more of these. They are not easy to find at that price but I found this one and if I had the cash I could have picked up another a couple of weeks ago. I also got a 93-94 MIJ Squier in excellent condition with a nice case for $200 that is very nice but a somewhat distant second to the first. Worth the wait and the search.
My next acquisition will be a MIJ Strat (not squier) from the 80's. There is one on the local Craigslist for $350 as I speak. I would love to find a hardtail in players condition for the right price.

AllroyPA · 08-17-2010, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadSi

My next acquisition will be a MIJ Strat (not squier) from the 80's. There is one on the local Craigslist for $350 as I speak. I would love to find a hardtail in players condition for the right price.

I just want you to know unless it's early 80's 82-83 Squier there is no difference between the Squier and the mid 80's Fender tagged E-series.

DreadSi · 08-17-2010, 04:18 PM

How in the Hades does one keep up with all the iterations? Anybody know if they made a squier hardtail in the 80's?

Stratatattat · 08-17-2010, 06:21 PM

my first strat was a "california" strat copy. it was the one that got me into modding. now if i can't find the strat i want, i make it! lol.

AllroyPA · 08-17-2010, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreadSi

How in the Hades does one keep up with all the iterations? Anybody know if they made a squier hardtail in the 80's?

Probably not, but I've seen a few Fender ones about from time to time. There may be a Squier Bullet hardtail though. In the JV series there were a few hardtails about, but the price of those would be 10-fold that of an E-series.

eric93 · 08-17-2010, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickzo

Thanks for all your responses. I have tried them out yet but will be doing that on the weekend. The CV are about $200 more than the standard and money is an issue.

However my thoughts are spend that little extra and get something quite decent first up that will last me a while rather than get something that I will end up modding in a year or two. This is why I am considering the CV.

I haven't ruled out the standard and I'll have to compare them in store and see whether it is worth spending the extra. At the moment i'm leaning more for the CV 50 over the CV 60 is simply because I can get it in white and the reason the CV over the standard is because of the Alder body rather than agathis and the pickups.

Thanks
Mick

I'm wondering is the Alder used in the Squier CV closer that of their chinese Affinities than the MIM/A, if so, i wouldn't really bother comparing Agathis to Asian Alder, it's more about whats plentiful to asian factories, i've had 2 Agathis Standards.

eric93 · 08-17-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric93

I'm wondering is the Alder used in the Squier CV closer that of their chinese Affinities than the MIM/A, if so, i wouldn't really bother comparing Agathis to Asian Alder, it's more about whats plentiful to asian factories, i've had 2 Agathis Standards.

If you gonna go CV, go with a pine body, heard good about teles, i think they make strats too.

mickzo · 08-19-2010, 07:04 AM

Thanks again for all the feedback.

I got a $200 discount on a brand new CV 50 and I picked it up for $650 AUD. I am now the proud owner of a Lake Placid Blue CV 50 Strat. Unfortunately I couldn't get the music store to come down on a white Mexican Standard but I'm very happy with the CV. Now I have to tune it and take it with me for my first lesson on Monday. I can't wait.

Mick

AllroyPA · 08-19-2010, 07:58 AM

Congrats mickzo, happy new guitar day~!