Squier is a musical instrument brand name owned by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
History
Fender, under the ownership of
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
, acquired the Squier brand name in 1965 when it bought a USA based string making firm, but it lay dormant for many years . Before the Fender Squier series were introduced in 1982, Fender were making lower priced guitars such as the
Fender Lead seriesThe Fender Lead Series was produced by the Fender/Rogers/Rhodes Division of CBS Musical Instruments. The series comprised Lead I, Lead II and Lead III models.- General features :* Manufactured Fall 1979 through 1982....
at their Fullerton California plant. Until the introduction of the Fender Squier series, Fender had never produced lower priced guitars based on their main
StratocasterThe Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top horn for balance while standing...
and
TelecasterThe Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender. Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
designs and had always used different model designs for their lower priced guitars.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s Fender was facing competition from lower priced Japanese made guitars. The lower priced Fender guitars were made in America and could not compete with the lower prices of Japanese made
Fender copies"Strat copy" is a colloquialism that is used to label electric guitars that closely emulate the design and sound quality of the Stratocaster but are not manufactured by Fender or Squier. Stratocasters are popular and hence enjoy a large following, thus fueling a drive for cheaper editions of...
. In the early 1980s, Japanese labor and production costs were much lower than in America and to compete with the Japanese made guitars, Fender moved the lower priced Fender guitar production from America to Japan.
Fender were also losing sales in Japan to Japanese guitar brands such as Tōkai,
GrecoGreco are a brand of electric guitars produced by Kanda Shokai 神田商会. Kanda Shokai is a musical instrument wholesaler mostly known for being part of Fender Japan.-History:...
and
FernandesFernandes is a guitar and guitar accessory manufacturer. Their brand of guitars carry the same name. Fernandes originated in Japan in 1969 building flamenco guitars. As the company grew it expanded production to include more acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, and...
, and the establishment of
Fender JapanFender Japan is the Japanese division of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.-History:Fender Japan was officially created in March 1982 and consists of two Japanese Music companies that handle the ordering and distribution. The two companies are Yamano Gakki and Kanda Shokai...
would benefit Fender sales in Japan as well as overseas. Fender began negotiations with several Japanese musical instrument distributors and reached an agreement with
Yamano GakkiOrville by Gibson オービルbyギブソン was a brand of guitars that was managed by the Gibson Guitar Corporation for the Japanese market during the late 1980s and most of the 1990s.-History:...
and
Kanda ShokaiGreco are a brand of electric guitars produced by Kanda Shokai 神田商会. Kanda Shokai is a musical instrument wholesaler mostly known for being part of Fender Japan.-History:...
to establish Fender Japan. Yamano Gakki are also known for once being part of
Epiphone JapanOrville by Gibson オービルbyギブソン was a brand of guitars that was managed by the Gibson Guitar Corporation for the Japanese market during the late 1980s and most of the 1990s.-History:...
. Kanda Shokai own the Greco brand name and one of the conditions of the Fender Japan agreement was that Kanda Shokai cease production of its own Greco Fender copies.
This arrangement benefited Fender because it removed the Greco Fender copies from the Japanese market which were selling in Japan at much lower prices than the American made Fenders and it also benefited Kanda Shokai because Kanda Shokai could then distribute Japanese made Fender branded guitars in Japan. Further negotiations between Fender and Japanese guitar factories were done. Tokai was seriously considered to start building the first Japanese made Fenders but after a breakdown in negotiations,
FujiGenFujiGen Gakki フジゲン 楽器 is a musical instrument manufacturer based at Matsumoto in Japan and is named after the famous Mount Fuji. Gen means stringed instruments and Gakki means musical instrument manufacturer...
Gakki was chosen instead .
The first Squier series was launched on July/August 1982 and over time the Squier series has slowly evolved to include original model designs and production has moved from Japan to various other Asian countries such as Korea and China.
Initial Squier JV series
The first Fender Japan models introduced in May 1982, were the 1957 and 1962 series which were Fender Stratocaster models ST'57-115, ST'57-85, ST'57-65, ST'62-115, ST'62-85, ST'62-65 and the Precision Bass models PB'57-95, PB'57-70, PB'62-98, PB'62-75. These models were Fender models and not Squier models. They had Fender USA pickups installed and were made for the Japanese market only and not for export
http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/index.htm.
Fender soon added a less expensive export Squier series based on the Fender Japan 1957 and 1962 series in July/August 1982, which had a large Fender logo with a smaller Squier logo and had a zinc rather than a steel tremolo block and had Fender USA pickups installed. The Squier series were also made available for the Japanese market in October 1982, which incorporated small changes compared to the export Squier series. The large Fender logo of the export Squier series was soon changed to a large Squier logo.
The first Fender Japan guitars are known as the JV Fenders and JV Squiers, with JV standing for Japanese Vintage and were made by the
FujiGenFujiGen Gakki フジゲン 楽器 is a musical instrument manufacturer based at Matsumoto in Japan and is named after the famous Mount Fuji. Gen means stringed instruments and Gakki means musical instrument manufacturer...
Gakki factory in Japan, using technical support from Fender USA. The SQ Squier series was introduced in late 1983/early 1984. The SQ Squier series was based more on 1970s Fender models and also had Japanese made pickups installed.
Serial number tracing
As follows is an approximate method in which Squier dates the serial numbers of manufactured instruments
Japanese Squiers
For Japanese Squier serial number dating, see Fender's serial number dating service.
The Japanese MIJ (Made in Japan) Squiers were made by FujiGen up to 1997 and the Japanese CIJ (Crafted in Japan) Squiers were made by
Tokai, often referred as Tokai Guitars Company Ltd., is a Japanese guitar manufacturer founded in 1947 and situated in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka prefecture. Tokai have produced acoustic guitars, electric guitars, electric basses, autoharps, and melodicas...
and Dyna from 1997.
Mexican Squiers
MN: M = Mexico, N = Nineties (1990s), the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
For example
- "MN8" indicates that it was made at Ensenada, Mexico in 1998.
USA Squiers
Fender did not make many Squiers in the USA. Some USA made Squiers have a serial number with a E = Eighties (1980s) prefix, and some have a serial number with a N = Nineties (1990s) prefix. Some USA made Squiers also had a 000XXX serial stamp on the neckplate with no letter prefix and no serial number on the headstock.
USA Squiers were made for less than a year spanning 1989 and 1990 before production of Squiers went back to Mexico.
Korean Squiers
CN/VN: C =
Cor-Tek (Cort)Cort Guitars is a guitar manufacturer centered in South Korea. The company is one of the largest guitar makers in the world, and produces instruments for many other companies.- History :...
, V =
Saehan(Sunghan)Vester was a music instrument manufacturer specializing in guitars and guitar amplifiers. Formed as a part of the Samuel Music Company based in Effingham, Illinois, Vester is perhaps best known for their good quality Japanese and Korean import electric and acoustic guitars.The Samuel Music Company,...
, S was already taken by
SamickSamick is the name of a Korea-based musical instrument manufacturer, one of the largest in the world.The name refers to the entire Samick Music Corporation, which owns several manufacturers of pianos, guitars, and other instruments. The company started as 'Samick Pianos' in 1958, manufacturing...
so Saehan(Sunghan) used V instead (Saehan(Sunghan) made the Vester guitars), N = Nineties (1990s), the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
For example
- "CN5" = made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in 1995.
- "VN5" = made by Saehan(Sunghan) in 1995.
KC/KV: KC (Korean Cor-Tek (Cort)) and KV (Korean Saehan(Sunghan)), the serial number prefix is followed by a 2 number year.
For example
- "KC97" = made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in 1997.
- "KV97" = made by Saehan(Sunghan) in 1997.
KC and KV serial number prefixes are usually used on Crafted in Korea Squiers.
S/E: The S and E serial number prefix Korean Squiers are from the late 1980s/early 1990s.
S = Samick, E =
Young ChangYoung Chang is a Korean manufacturer of pianos and industrial wood working machinery, headquartered in Incheon, South Korea. Young Chang also currently holds 50% of the Korean piano market....
, E letter serial numbers were used on Young Chang's Fenix brand guitars .
The first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
For example
- "S9" = made by Samick in 1989.
- "E0" = made by Sung-Eum in 1990.
- "E1" = made by Sung-Eum in 1991.
There were also Korean Squier serials with no serial number prefix and 6 or 7 numbers and the first number is the year.
Chinese & Taiwanese Squiers
YN: Y = Yako (Taiwan), N = Nineties (1990s), the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
For example
- "YN5" = made by Yako in 1995.
CY: C = China, Y = Yako (Taiwan), the serial number prefix is followed by a 2 number year.
For example
- "CY97" = made by Yako in 1997.
CY serials are usually used on Crafted in China Squiers.
Some Chinese made Gretsch guitars also have a CY serial number.
Miscellaneous Chinese serials: CD, CT, CJ, NC: C = China, the first number following the serial number prefix is the year.
Probably made by Yako (Taiwan).
Some Squiers that are sold only in the Chinese and Asian markets are made by Axl in China.
Indonesian Squiers
IC: I = Indonesia, C = Cor-Tek (Cort), the serial number prefix is followed by a 2 number year.
IS: I = Indonesia, S = Samick, the serial number prefix is followed by a 2 number year.
Indian Squiers
Some Squier IIs were made in India around 1989-1990, as well as some more recent Squiers, including the Vintage Modified series (serial numbers starting with SH), introduced in 2007.
External links