Vintage Modified
The Vintage Modified Series already appeared on the 2003 catalog with the Squier '51, but the first Stratocasters of this series were introduced only in the 2007 catalog. They were guitars made in India able to merge the Stratocaster’s classic design with small innovations with which guitarists often customized their instruments, as Fender declared: «The Vintage Modified Series is comprised of guitars that feature modern twists on classic design, built with popular modifications from get-go». They had a vintage look but a “hot rodded" heart. Plus, they were low prices.
In the first years of production it was possible to choose between two typologies of Vintage Modified Stratocasters, both in Indian red cedar: the Vintage Modified Strat, with three single coils in Alnico V Duncan Designed SC-101, and the Vintage Modified Strat HSS, equipped with two stacked coil Duncan Designed SC-102 pickups and with one Duncan Designed HB-112; both distinguished themselves from almost all the Squiers of the period by their small headstock with Gold Logo and the gloss neck.
In the first years of production it was possible to choose between two typologies of Vintage Modified Stratocasters, both in Indian red cedar: the Vintage Modified Strat, with three single coils in Alnico V Duncan Designed SC-101, and the Vintage Modified Strat HSS, equipped with two stacked coil Duncan Designed SC-102 pickups and with one Duncan Designed HB-112; both distinguished themselves from almost all the Squiers of the period by their small headstock with Gold Logo and the gloss neck.
Vintage Modified Strat Made in India (Courtesy of Reverb)
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Headstock and decals of the Vintage Modified made In India (Reverb)
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In 2012, with the new Vintage Modified Stratocaster and Vintage Modified Stratocaster HSS, production was moved to Indonesia and the series was renewed both in its appearance, with the introduction of the big headstock (with Black logo with golden contours) and new finishes, and in its essence, for the basswood body and the new humbucker for the HSS version, the Duncan Designed HB-102.
Vintage Modified made in Indonesia (Courtesy of Sweetwater)
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'70s style headstock of the new Vintage Modified made in Indonesia (Sweetwater)
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To these were added the Vintage Modified '70s Stratocaster and the Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster: the first one was available in the “all-black” version, with black plastics and pickguard and maple fretboard, and in the Vintage White, with rosewood fretboard, white pickguard and black plastics, both equipped with big headstock, but strangely without bullet truss rod and the '70s style die-cast bridge, as you would expect from a guitar inspired by the CBS period; the second one distinguished itself by its small headstock, its tube style Duncan Designed LS-102 single coils and the white pearloid pickguard.
The Vintage Modified Surf Stratocaster had lipstick pickups and small headstock (Mercado Libre)
From 2018 rosewood was replaced, due to the new CITES regulations on its use, by the Indian Laurel in the whole series.
Classic Vibe
The Classic Vibe Series (Fender Catalog)
Introduced in 2008, this series made in China reproduced the Stratocasters of the '50s and '60s but at reasonable prices and without being too vintage correct. It was to be marketed in 2007, on the occasion of the Squier’s twenty-fifth anniversary, but a chain of setbacks in the development phase delayed its launch by a year.
The Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster was presented on the Fender catalog as a guitar with the unmistakable tone of the '50s. At first available in the 2-Color Sunburst finish with tortoise shell pickguard, it had a sound reminiscent of the golden years of Fender: authentic, clear and brilliant, with an incredible sustain that was made possible by a set of pickups in Alnico III custom staggered which provided a better balance of volume from string to string.
The Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster had to remind, thanks to its set of pickups in Alnico V custom staggered, the typical dense and strong attack sounds of the '60s. At first it was available in the 3-Color Sunburst with tortoise shell pickguard.
Both the models had an alder body, twenty-one frets neck with gloss finish, but, obviously, the '60s had a rosewood fretboard, replaced in 2018 by an Indian laurel one. The modern 9.5" radius kept them away from the typical characteristics of the '50s and '60s.
The series was renewed many times during the years with new finishes and some limited editions, including, in 2013, the FSR '50s Candy Apple Red and '60s Lake Placid Blue, both with matching headstock, and with the addition of the left handed in 2012.
The Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster was presented on the Fender catalog as a guitar with the unmistakable tone of the '50s. At first available in the 2-Color Sunburst finish with tortoise shell pickguard, it had a sound reminiscent of the golden years of Fender: authentic, clear and brilliant, with an incredible sustain that was made possible by a set of pickups in Alnico III custom staggered which provided a better balance of volume from string to string.
The Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster had to remind, thanks to its set of pickups in Alnico V custom staggered, the typical dense and strong attack sounds of the '60s. At first it was available in the 3-Color Sunburst with tortoise shell pickguard.
Both the models had an alder body, twenty-one frets neck with gloss finish, but, obviously, the '60s had a rosewood fretboard, replaced in 2018 by an Indian laurel one. The modern 9.5" radius kept them away from the typical characteristics of the '50s and '60s.
The series was renewed many times during the years with new finishes and some limited editions, including, in 2013, the FSR '50s Candy Apple Red and '60s Lake Placid Blue, both with matching headstock, and with the addition of the left handed in 2012.
FSR Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster Candy Apple Red
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FSR Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster Lake Placid Blue
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In 2014 the series celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Stratocaster with the 60th Anniversary Classic Vibe ‘50s Stratocaster, available in Aztec Gold finish and featuring a commemorative neck plate.
60th Anniversary Classic Vibe ’50s Stratocaster
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Classic Vibe 60th Anniversary neck plate
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With the shift of Classic Vibe production to Indonesia, in 2019, the Classic Vibe '70s, available both in the SSS and HSS models, was inaugurated, while the '50s and '60s were completely renewed. A new Squier logo, maybe more modern, appeared for the first time on these models: black on the '70s and gold on the others.
The feeling is that it is always an entry level series, whose hardware was not of the highest quality, despite the new pickups in Alnico Fender Designed and the bridge with the double engraving "SQUIER" new saddles. Also the woods used for the body stood out: apart from the '70s Classic Vibe Stratocaster that had an alder body, the '50s had a pine body, wood already widely used especially in the early days of Fender, and the '60s had a nato body; often referred to as "Eastern Mahogany", nato is a species which offers similar looks and similar characteristics to regular mahogany, but cheaper and with inferior mechanical-acoustic characteristics. The fretboards, available in maple or in indian laurel, had a 9.5" radius and were equipped with narrow tall frets, while the necks had a “C” profile. The large circular string tree present on the '50s was characteristic.
The feeling is that it is always an entry level series, whose hardware was not of the highest quality, despite the new pickups in Alnico Fender Designed and the bridge with the double engraving "SQUIER" new saddles. Also the woods used for the body stood out: apart from the '70s Classic Vibe Stratocaster that had an alder body, the '50s had a pine body, wood already widely used especially in the early days of Fender, and the '60s had a nato body; often referred to as "Eastern Mahogany", nato is a species which offers similar looks and similar characteristics to regular mahogany, but cheaper and with inferior mechanical-acoustic characteristics. The fretboards, available in maple or in indian laurel, had a 9.5" radius and were equipped with narrow tall frets, while the necks had a “C” profile. The large circular string tree present on the '50s was characteristic.
Antonio Calvosa
New Squier logo and big circular string tree of the Classic Vibe '50s (Courtesy of Fender)
