Someone tell me what I just traded for? CAE serial#?

[rompo420]

Hey all,

I am back again for some more knowledge from you great folks. I just traded my EPI DR100 Straight across for this SQUIER STRAT. It doesn't signify what series it is from, but it is labeled like my old '07 Affinity (minus the actual affinity part.) Unlike my old affinity, it is full thickness, Has tuners that are labeled Squier, Does not have any indicators of where it was made, has a sticker serial number starting with "CAE," the bridge saddles are different, the neck feels fatter, it came with a 3-ply PG, Small headstock size, also the neck looks to be tinted a bit but it doesn't look like kiwi because it is also under the sticker...

Can anyone drop some knowledge on me about what I have come into?

I am adding pics too so that you can see what it is.

Oh BTW, it plays and sounds really, really nicely.



Thanks a lot Gentlemen.


Jeff


















(I never could get a clear, clean shot of the logos on the tuners.)

(ALSO, pardon the dust, it looked like it had been sitting a while, LOL.)

[woolbrig]

Nice guitar! That looks to be a Squier SE.

[spanker63]

Thats identical to my Squier SE. They come in a squier strat pack. Great modding platform. I bought a beat up one from the guitar center used website a couple months ago for 50 bucks. I lucked out because it has a great neck.

I'm currently modding the living crap out of it as we speak.


Yours seems to be in alot better shape than what mine was.

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by spanker63

Thats identical to my Squier SE. They come in a squier strat pack. Great modding platform. I bought a beat up one from the guitar center used website a couple months ago for 50 bucks. I lucked out because it has a great neck.

I'm currently modding the living crap out of it as we speak.


Yours seems to be in alot better shape than what mine was.

What can you tell me about the PUPS? I figure they are ceramic but do you like them or is that a part of the mods you are doing? What kind of pots are in it? Also, I am interested in the CAE part. why a sticker? How do I decipher it?

I just got this thing home 2 hours ago so I haven't exactly gutted it yet, LOL.


Also, where does it fall in the current genealogy of the squier lineup? (example, Bullet, SE, Affinity, Standard.)

Is that about right?

[Stratatattat]

definitely an SE...sorry i can't really tell u much about the serial #. they have ceramic pups that are a bit trebly for my ears so whenever i work w/ 1 they go. i usually do an upgrade on all the electronics...they're a great modding base. nice full body. good neck. room for improvement everywhere else to be honest.

[spanker63]

Originally Posted by rompo420

What can you tell me about the PUPS? I figure they are ceramic but do you like them or is that a part of the mods you are doing? What kind of pots are in it? Also, I am interested in the CAE part. why a sticker? How do I decipher it?

I just got this thing home 2 hours ago so I haven't exactly gutted it yet, LOL.


Also, where does it fall in the current genealogy of the squier lineup? (example, Bullet, SE, Affinity, Standard.)

Is that about right?

All i know is that the pups are ceramic and yes i am changing them. I bought the GFS vintage overwound pups but haven't installed them yet. I'm basically replacing everything besides the neck and body.

I can't tell you really anything about the serial number... mine didn't have one.

As for the pots, they are the of the dime-sized variety. But if you like the way sounds, i say leave it stock. I'll let ya know once i've got this bad boy put together how all the mods turned out.

oh... and HNGD!!

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by spanker63

All i know is that the pups are ceramic and yes i am changing them. I bought the GFS vintage overwound pups but haven't installed them yet. I'm basically replacing everything besides the neck and body.

I can't tell you really anything about the serial number... mine didn't have one.

As for the pots, they are the of the dime-sized variety. But if you like the way sounds, i say leave it stock. I'll let ya know once i've got this bad boy put together how all the mods turned out.

oh... and HNGD!!

Well, I already have some black covers and knobs for it- and the lack of staggered poles is to my advantage since my PUP covers are no-hole. I so have some affinity PUPS that I really like and some 250k pots and switch from a Fender American standard........I may be neck deep in this thing by nightfall!

[Old Mojo]

Originally Posted by rompo420

...I may be neck deep in this thing by nightfall!

That's a good way to be!

[Ctmrxmas]

Originally Posted by rompo420

........I may be neck deep in this thing by nightfall!

lol...when I brought my first guitar home (knowing nothing about it), within a few hours I had it all taken apart. My wife asked what the hell I was doing to a brand new guitar. I simply replied "I needed to know how everything worked" she thinks I am insane! lol

[Caddy]

2000 SE - I have one just like it that I modded into a great strat! My buddy has a room full of high dollar Fenders and really likes mine. Had me take one of his Fender MIMs home so I could make it sound and play like my Squier SE.

Mine is in my avatar. Same SE, same year.

[softwarejanitor]

Originally Posted by woolbrig

Nice guitar! That looks to be a Squier SE.

That is correct, it bears every hallmark of an SE. Excellent modding base and not really too terrible stock even.

[rompo420]

So I won't be doing anything terrible if I remove the serial sticker. I plan on keeping it and making it into a sister to my tele- looks wise that is.

[Caddy]

I took the sticker off mine and kept it. In the line up of current model Squiers, most think, Bullet, Affinity, SE, Standard, Deluxe, CV & VM (about a tie). The SE gets that spot for having the heavier, full thickness body and the smaller (pre CBS) headstock and great necks.

The only things left on mine from when I got it are the neck and body. Replaced pickups with GFS Premium Vintage, Fender pots, cap and switch, Locking tuners from GFS, new pickguard, new full tremolo assembly with large brass block (adds a lot of sustain and tone) and new srting trees and output jack, also from GFS, and a Graph Tech nut. Got mine in a pawn shop for $60, in far worse shape that what your looks to be. Mine is in my avatar. My buddy had me take his MIM Fender home to mod it just like mine, because he really liked mine. (and he has a room full of top of the line Fenders.
You will like it.

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by Caddy

I took the sticker off mine and kept it. In the line up of current model Squiers, most think, Bullet, Affinity, SE, Standard, Deluxe, CV & VM (about a tie). The SE gets that spot for having the heavier, full thickness body and the smaller (pre CBS) headstock and great necks.

The only things left on mine from when I got it are the neck and body. Replaced pickups with GFS Premium Vintage, Fender pots, cap and switch, Locking tuners from GFS, new pickguard, new full tremolo assembly with large brass block (adds a lot of sustain and tone) and new srting trees and output jack, also from GFS, and a Graph Tech nut. Got mine in a pawn shop for $60, in far worse shape that what your looks to be. Mine is in my avatar. My buddy had me take his MIM Fender home to mod it just like mine, because he really liked mine. (and he has a room full of top of the line Fenders.
You will like it.

Yea, yours is a real BEAUTY!!!! I take it there was no trouble with the full sized brass block with these guitars being full thickness?

[Hiker]

Congrats, and I was able to read 'Squier' on those nice lookin' tuners!

[softwarejanitor]

Originally Posted by Caddy

I took the sticker off mine and kept it. In the line up of current model Squiers, most think, Bullet, Affinity, SE, Standard, Deluxe, CV & VM (about a tie). The SE gets that spot for having the heavier, full thickness body and the smaller (pre CBS) headstock and great necks.

Also compared to the Affinity, the tuners on the SE are better quality (die cast 10mm Gotoh clones with Squier markings) and the SE comes with either a 3-ply white-black-white pickguard or a 2-ply tortoise or pearloid (depending on what color and when it was made) instead of the cheaper plain 1-ply pickguard found on Affinities.

About the only part on an Affinity that is typically "more expensive" than what comes on an SE is the neck plate. Affinities normally come with a "S" logo stamped plate while the SE usually comes with a plain plate. Arguably for custom builds some may even prefer the plain plate, especially those oh-so-naughty people who want to put on a fake Fender waterslide.

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by Hiker

Congrats, and I was able to read 'Squier' on those nice lookin' tuners!

Thanks, Hiker!

[rompo420]

Forgive my very primitive "windows paint" drawing but I have another question:

My affinity came stock with ceramic PUPS but they were the "2 bar" type- not just one solid magnet.

Does the SE come standard with these or just a "full bar" type ceramic PUP?

Now, for my crude PICTURE:

[softwarejanitor]

Originally Posted by rompo420

Forgive my very primitive "windows paint" drawing but I have another question:

My affinity came stock with ceramic PUPS but they were the "2 bar" type- not just one solid magnet.

Does the SE come standard with these or just a "full bar" type ceramic PUP?

Now, for my crude PICTURE:

The stock SE pickups I've seen have all had one big ceramic bar magnet across the bottom. I've seen the ceramic pickups with two smaller bars on other Squiers, including at least one of the older MIKs I've got. It doesn't really seem to matter much, either design they are all in my opinion kinda overly brittle and harshly trebly sounding, albeit at least part of that is the poor pairing with the dime size 500k pots and 0.022uf pot they are usually accompanied by.

[Caddy]

The Fender service manuals currently, and going pretty far back in years, list stock pots at 250K and caps at .022 as standard in their single coil guitars.

Yes, the larger trem block fits in the body fine, as these are full thickness (1 3/4") bodies.