New Squier Starcasters - Classic Vibe, Contemporary, and Affinity

[Debaser]

Bigsby installed, easy set up.

I lucked out with the bridge. It’s a dBridge made for the Supro I recently sold, but it still works on the Starcaster, just needed a minor adjustment for the 9.5” radius

I slotted the nut correctly, and polished the slots. Set up for 10s, I had to adjust the truss rod. I tried my ‘low action’ setting first and I have to say, this is some of the nicest fretwork I’ve seen on a Squier CV, period. No buzz.

[Bradley-Jazz]

Nice, very nice!

Does the Bigsby cover the stop bar holes, or have you done something there?

[ludobag1]

seems there is a vibramate here

[Debaser]

Thanks guys. Yes I used a Vibramate V5, which mounts to the stud bushings. I don't care for vibramates (just screw it in and learn how to string a Bigsby ), but in this case it makes the Bigsby better, since the break angle is relieved and footing for the B5 mounted flat instead of trying to make it conform to a curved surface.

I bought some inexpensive flying saucer knobs, I think it's much better than the black ones. I tried removing the aluminum knob top plate (?!), but these are well made knobs actually. I've done some spendy things to my guitars before but paying over 100 bucks for vintage knobs is too much vanity for me

[Pacafeliz]

Nice!!!

So, any 1st hand experience with the affinity ones?

[amv]

Thanks guys. Yes I used a Vibramate V5, which mounts to the stud bushings. I don't care for vibramates (just screw it in and learn how to string a Bigsby ), but in this case it makes the Bigsby better, since the break angle is relieved and footing for the B5 mounted flat instead of trying to make it conform to a curved surface.

I bought some inexpensive flying saucer knobs, I think it's much better than the black ones. I tried removing the aluminum knob top plate (?!), but these are well made knobs actually. I've done some spendy things to my guitars before but paying over 100 bucks for vintage knobs is too much vanity for me

Dude. The bridge, the Bigsby, the knobs, that gorgeous finish? You have officially killed it. Incredible.

[travisbrowning]

Not sure if the shop I went to set this thing up before hand but I went in just to buy strings and absolutely could NOT put this thing down. Still wasn't going to buy it but the sales guy let me plug it in. Then gave me 10% off. So much guitar for the money, it's really a joy to play. Only downside is the pickups are a little dark to me but I've pretty much only played single coils for a decade, still have to experiment with pickup/pole piece height and adjusting my amp/pedal settings.

[Debaser]

Dude. The bridge, the Bigsby, the knobs, that gorgeous finish? You have officially killed it. Incredible.

Thanks man!

[carron]

Thanks guys. Yes I used a Vibramate V5, which mounts to the stud bushings. I don't care for vibramates (just screw it in and learn how to string a Bigsby ), but in this case it makes the Bigsby better, since the break angle is relieved and footing for the B5 mounted flat instead of trying to make it conform to a curved surface.

I bought some inexpensive flying saucer knobs, I think it's much better than the black ones. I tried removing the aluminum knob top plate (?!), but these are well made knobs actually. I've done some spendy things to my guitars before but paying over 100 bucks for vintage knobs is too much vanity for me

Debaser, this looks beautiful. What is that bridge exactly? Looks like it is solid brass.

[Mechanical Birds]

Thanks guys. Yes I used a Vibramate V5, which mounts to the stud bushings. I don't care for vibramates (just screw it in and learn how to string a Bigsby ), but in this case it makes the Bigsby better, since the break angle is relieved and footing for the B5 mounted flat instead of trying to make it conform to a curved surface.

I bought some inexpensive flying saucer knobs, I think it's much better than the black ones. I tried removing the aluminum knob top plate (?!), but these are well made knobs actually. I've done some spendy things to my guitars before but paying over 100 bucks for vintage knobs is too much vanity for me

Dude. The bridge, the Bigsby, the knobs, that gorgeous finish? You have officially killed it. Incredible.

Yeah, that walnut looks damn good. I want a black one more than any other colors they’ve done but no way am I springing for the 2x priced fender version. I wonder how cheaply I could get one refinned to like, Inca Silver or LPB along with the headstock carve? Olympic White would look cool too and I’m not usually a huge fan.

[Mechanical Birds]

Last summer in DC at the coolest used guitar store ever they had a 70s Twin that somebody had replaced all the knobs with Starcaster/Fender Blender knobs and for a moment an employee agreed to sell them all to me for $20 but as we were settling up the owner insisted I give them $60 so I walked.

[Debaser]

Debaser, this looks beautiful. What is that bridge exactly? Looks like it is solid brass.

It's a d-Bridge (link https://www.db-guitars.com/), milled from solid brass. Just a happy customer here, I found out about these through Gretsch-dom. Unlike other bar bridges, which are less specific for string gauge and bridge position, these bridges are made with the exact placement of your existing TOM saddles. Of course, one has to know the strings they will use and have their guitar set up exactly as they like it, then photograph the saddle position, and measure a few other specs for him.

Strange enough, this bridge was made for a Supro with a 12" radius. I filed a few slots to make it 9.5" radius. I checked intonation and it was spot on except a plain string. I got very lucky with it. I was able to file a bit to bring the "saddle" back, but I can't bring it forward since the bridge posts are stud mounted.

Benefits are no rattle, increased sustain, and better tuning stability with Bigsby use, IME.

[postchrist]

looks absolutely incredible!! any other mods planned?

[Mechanical Birds]

Aiming for one of these for Christmas but surprisingly got to strum one at the store this weekend and was beyond impressed. I got to play one of the MP ones a while back and it was great but this one was noticibly better. The only thing that annoyed me was how far the neck stuck out from the body, and at a weird angle, like the part that sits in the neck pocket was pointing up at a 45 degree angle. It played really well and had great fretwork, I just wish that they hadn’t messed with the design so much. Like I’d love more than anything to get a real reissue of these things but for ~$350/400, I try to look at them the same way I’d view old weird MIJ copy guitars. In that sense, they’re great and I’m very thankful they exist. I guess I also wish they were flat on top so I could put the trem I want in there but you can’t win them all.

TL;DR - these Squiers are great fucking awesome guitars and I’m really excited about getting one.

[seenoevil II]

So, on paper, I should really hate these. Everything about them is "wrong." Active pup starcaster? No f holes?


But, it kind of turns me on. Like a guilty pleasure thing. I don't even want to buy another Squier. I don't want to support Cort (or worse if they're made in China). And I hate the way Fender bastardizes old designs to parlay profits from our nostalgia for classic shapes. I get all flustered and start playing with my hair when I look at these.

They tap into my secret desire to be a futuristic robot version of Trey Anastasio.

I can see Ed Rodriguez of Deerhoof playing one of these (if he ever stops playing the signature model and why would he?).


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Edit: spelling