|
|
Post by newey on Sept 21, 2013 7:45:25 GMT -5
For years, the Squier Bullet Strat has been the go-to entry-level axe for modders. With a bit of set-up work, they can be made to play decently, and it's hard to argue with the price. Now they've got a new Bullet Tele model, $115 out the door. It varies a bit from an actual Tele as it has a bridge HB and lacks the Tele bridge plate. It has black hardware, probably saves a few pennies. But I suspect this will become a go-to model for mods, just like the Bullet Strat.  |
|
|
|
Post by JohnH on Sept 21, 2013 15:12:57 GMT -5
It looks good. An adjustable bridge too? I think thats a better entry-level option than a cheap Strat because it gives you a foot in both single-coil and humbucker camps. Plus, it avoids two issues with such strats, being a thin, nasty, bridge single coil, and trems that are too unstable to use.
My mod thoughts for this one would be based around adding one of the bridge coils in series with the neck (I like that on the Strat)and also to find out what the bridge single and parallel sounds are like. Whether they are any good seems to vary between guitars, so Id test first.
I wish there was an MIA or MIM Tele with bridge Hb and neck single, Id be all over it since those are the two sounds I use most of the time, and you get B+N.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2013 23:55:47 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by lunaalta on Sept 22, 2013 6:15:56 GMT -5
I like the look of the Squire (and the price), but, sorry, I really don't like the head stock on that sig (or the price).  |
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Sept 22, 2013 10:52:34 GMT -5
Hey newey, where did you even find this, it's not in news or on Squier's website that I can see. Though I did find THIS! |
|
|
|
Post by newey on Sept 22, 2013 13:24:19 GMT -5
ux-
I found it on the MF website, by checking search boxes "New" and "Pre-order" in the Electric Guitars section.
I didn't know they were bringing back the '51, that's cool. The Squier site states:
.
Did the original Squier '51s have that set-up? I don't recall.
|
|
|
|
Post by JohnH on Sept 22, 2013 15:24:55 GMT -5
I like the look of the Squire (and the price), but, sorry, I really don't like the head stock on that sig (or the price). Yes, that Fender model is a beautiful thing, but with a medical implement instead of a headstock. (open wide and say aggghh!!) |
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Sept 22, 2013 16:13:12 GMT -5
Did the original Squier '51s have that set-up? I don't recall. Yes it did. |
|
|
|
Post by newey on Sept 25, 2013 6:06:55 GMT -5
JohnH, earlier, said:
NO MIA/MIM models of that sort except the J5 signature model with the funky headstock. They do make the "Modern Player" Tele which is HSS, with a 5-way switch and a coil cut for the HB. But you'd need to mod it to get the N + B, since it uses a Strat 5-way.
BTW, Musician's Friend has the Bullet Tele listed as a "Fender", although it clearly says "Squier" on the headstock. That may contribute to trouble finding it.
|
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Sept 25, 2013 19:31:59 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Sept 30, 2013 18:52:23 GMT -5
Just got the Columbus Day GC flyer, it'll be $99... For the stores that have them in stock.
|
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Nov 4, 2013 10:35:37 GMT -5
I did get my hands on one of these during my travel guitar walkabout...
Not bad. Great neck, VERY similar to my '51's. Body seems too light (but both my Cortez and Blacktop Tele's are heavy). Body seems light compared to my '51 as well (even though it's the same material)... Could be the weight distribution. Standard Squier tuners in black, Bridge is black, and very similar to how my Blacktop bridge ended up (except with cast saddles on the squier). Neck pup is very Tele sounding, but very low output compared to the HB in the bridge... Which sounds very similar to the Stock HB in the '51.
Setup was poor (expected at GC).
I would say this is a Tele lovers '51.
A GREAT foundation for modding, even at the regular price of $119 ($99 for xmas I'm sure), worth it for the neck alone.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2013 10:42:13 GMT -5
I am starting to depart from the cheap mods idea. A cheap base will most probably end up in a poor result, no matter how much you invest. A little more expensive guitar might be a jem (not JEM LOL), but for 100 USD??? This is wayyyyy too low..
Heck, i am selling my partscaster tomorrow ...Never got the sustain, tone i wanted out of it, no matter the pups, bridges, other upgrades etc...
Anyways, i hope yours will be a jem, with good tone, and sustain!
|
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Nov 4, 2013 10:55:50 GMT -5
I didn't get one GD, just spent some time with one.
You know, as much as I like my "real" instruments... My '51 fits the bill for my playing style and "sound" 90% of the time. The only feature it lacks in compared to my "real" Fenders is a bit of sustain. The look on my buds faces when they play it is... Priceless.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
Likes:
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2013 11:06:24 GMT -5
I didn't get one GD, just spent some time with one. You know, as much as I like my "real" instruments... My '51 fits the bill for my playing style and "sound" 90% of the time. The only feature it lacks in compared to my "real" Fenders is a bit of sustain. The look on my buds faces when they play it is... Priceless. A! good to know! Sustain is like horsepower in cars. To increase it beyond a certain point it takes exponential cost, that makes any further mod meaningless and makes sense starting over from a different base. |
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Nov 4, 2013 18:34:31 GMT -5
Today I played a pawn shop '51 (the fender branded one, marked down to $499 (from $799) at Sam Ash), it FEELS similar, the neck is almost identical (except it's poly coated, not satin). It plays like mine does NOW, which is pretty good...though the E strings are a tad closer to the edges. But it does have way more sustain (heavier Alder body, and string through body hardtail bridge). Would I trade?? No. With my split. S-P options, and a tone control... I'd be itching to do the same in no time... Though admittedly, I'd only have to work in the control cavity...
|
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Nov 12, 2013 11:23:27 GMT -5
Heh... Hypocrite me.
Well... I didn't trade it...
|
|
|
|
Post by ux4484 on Feb 28, 2014 11:23:57 GMT -5
These are going fast at GC, they seem to be "grading" them, the ones with nicely dressed frets are firm at $129, and the ones with finger-slicer edges are $119. Wiggy, As they can be found online and a couple of stores for a few bucks less, CG will give you the difference +10% (total price) off. So it can be had walk-in for $108 for either. I think they figured out this snafu when I went in with that and a $10 coupon (for a survey) and walked out with a sunburst for $98 (yes, it's my travel guitar replacement).
Very light, just a few ounces short of having neck dive.
The nut is a cut above most squier nuts I've seen. It's gray, and very hard almost tusq-like. They seem to be cut a tad lightly (but that's better than too deeply). I just ran my string ends through it, filled it with some mechanical pencil lead, and the nut is a keeper. Tuners are just a black version of the ones on my '51, the main problem being they were almost all loose (at the insert, and on the knob screw). Small tweak to relief, and had to cut the saddle screw on the E string to allow for proper intonation (same as with the similar bridges from the '51 and the Blacktop Tele). As reported before, the HB is much hotter than the neck pup, though the neck pup really had a good Tele sound. A tweak of the neck higher, and the bridge lower helped, but when switching from n+b to the bridge, there is a significant volume jump.
The neck is routed for a HB, and has conductive paint in the cavity (and the control cavity as well), the bridge does not. This stuff is "softer" than the standard Fender stuff, and reads a lower resistance just touching the stuff as compared to digging in with the leads on the Standard gunk.
A couple of surprises: A bridge ground (something my Blacktop DIDN'T have), and a taped off lead to split the HB (3 wire, just like the '51's confirming my suspicion it's the same pup).
As reported before, the neck is a rosewood capped version of the '51's with a satin finish. Very familiar and comfortable. This guitar is surprisingly loud acoustically (though most Tele's are), and even with the Basswood body (I don't know, it's even lighter than the '51 was) has much more sustain than the '51 ever did.
I did run some copper tape on the pickguard around the neck pup and over the route channel (with a tab up from the cavity to complete it, it worked without requiring a screw to make the connection work like the Strat required).
I also reversed the control plate (a clean route in the cavity allowed me to do do).
Basswood (or maybe balsa???) is not pretty close-up in a sunburst (While smooth, and nicely sunburst, there are visible saw rips and fills in some places on every sunburst I saw).
Very comfortable standing or sitting, and with my iRig (or Roland micro-cube), a good, solid, easy to play... Travel guitar that is no worries if it breaks. Pics next week.
|
|
