FENDER SQUIER SERIES Made in Mexico
Between 1993 and 1998 many Stratocasters characterized by a Black Logo were made in Mexico. They all belonged to the Fender Squier Series and differed from the Standard Stratocasters whose '70 style logo was silverish (at least until 2010 when it was replaced by the black one). The poplar bodies and the necks of These “black label” Stratocasters featured a tulip poplar body, Mexican pickups, and hardware and electronics of oriental origin.
There is the widespread conviction that the black label Stratocasters were assembled in Ensenada with less quality US leftovers, but they were made to plug a market gap where Fender was losing money. No “factory fire” or “less quality extra US parts”, just driven by money.
The quality of this series was lower than the Squier guitars made in Japan in the past and the Mexican Standard Stratocasters.
The very first Black Labels were Squier Branded and exhibited the “by Fender” decal on the ball of the headstock. There are few units of these Squier Classic Stratocasters (assembled in Mexico), probably introduced to raise the Squier brand after the Korean failure, and they are all dated 1993, because the exact same guitar was immediately renamed “Squier Series Standard Stratocaster”, Fender branded, thus relegating the Squier brand to the eastern regions only.
The subsequent Black Labels were all Fender branded.
The 1994 Fender Squier Series Standard Stratocaster (not to be confused with the Squier brand) and the 1996 Traditional Stratocaster were very similar guitars. The first ones featured, in addition to the black logo, a small "Squier SERIES" decal, instead of the classic "Original Contour Body" one on the headstock and a monolayer pickguard; the latter had no decal on the ball of the headstock and had a three-layer pickguard. The Traditional Fat Stratocaster variant had a humbucker instead of the single coil. It seems, however, in present times, there are some rare Squier Series which lack the “Squier Series” logo, as it would have been removed by the guitarists who felt the term Squier was synonymous with low quality.
There is the widespread conviction that the black label Stratocasters were assembled in Ensenada with less quality US leftovers, but they were made to plug a market gap where Fender was losing money. No “factory fire” or “less quality extra US parts”, just driven by money.
The quality of this series was lower than the Squier guitars made in Japan in the past and the Mexican Standard Stratocasters.
The very first Black Labels were Squier Branded and exhibited the “by Fender” decal on the ball of the headstock. There are few units of these Squier Classic Stratocasters (assembled in Mexico), probably introduced to raise the Squier brand after the Korean failure, and they are all dated 1993, because the exact same guitar was immediately renamed “Squier Series Standard Stratocaster”, Fender branded, thus relegating the Squier brand to the eastern regions only.
The subsequent Black Labels were all Fender branded.
The 1994 Fender Squier Series Standard Stratocaster (not to be confused with the Squier brand) and the 1996 Traditional Stratocaster were very similar guitars. The first ones featured, in addition to the black logo, a small "Squier SERIES" decal, instead of the classic "Original Contour Body" one on the headstock and a monolayer pickguard; the latter had no decal on the ball of the headstock and had a three-layer pickguard. The Traditional Fat Stratocaster variant had a humbucker instead of the single coil. It seems, however, in present times, there are some rare Squier Series which lack the “Squier Series” logo, as it would have been removed by the guitarists who felt the term Squier was synonymous with low quality.
Squier Classic Stratocaster assembled in Mexico (Courtesy of Claudio Lusi)
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1995 Squier Series Standard Stratocaster headstock
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1998 Traditional Stratocaster headstock (XysteR from strat-talk)
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1995 Squier Series Stratocaster (reverb.com)
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"Squier" stamp in the neck pocket of a Fender Squier Series Stratocaster body (spinditty.com)
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Squier Standard Stratocaster made in Mexico
It must be remembered that in 1998 the Squier Standard Stratocaster, which featured the Gold Squier Logo on the front of the headstock and the Made in Mexico decal with serial number on the back, was made in Mexico. This guitar had a poplar body and Mexican ceramic pickups. Probably only hardware and electronics were made in the East. Also the Squier Standard Fat Stratocaster and the Squier Standard Fat Stratocaster Floyd Rose versions were fabricated.
MIM Squier Standard Stratocaster headstock
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Fender American Traditional Series
In 1999 the Traditional Stratocaster was replaced by the American Traditional Stratocaster, intended for the non-US market, which did not differ much from the previous one, despite the Fender logo on the headstock not being black. However it featured the "MADE IN U.S.A." decal, besides the “American Traditional” one, which was deceptive, since it was only assembled in the US.
1999 American Traditional Stratocaster headstock, very different from the previous hybrid strats (Courtesy of Rosiario Migale)
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1999 American Traditional Stratocaster (Courtesy of Benbenben, seymourduncan.com forum)
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FENDER CALIFORNIA SERIES
The California Stratocaster and the California Fat Stratocaster, of the California Series, in production between 1997 and 1998, were certainly of superior quality. They were the result of intense collaboration between Corona and Ensenada: bodies and necks came from the American factory, but the finish was applied in the Mexican plant; finally the components returned to the Corona factory to be assembled together with the Mexican Tex-Mex single coils.
California Stratocaster headstock (Courtesy of StratMike from Strat Talk)
California Stratocaster (Courtesy of StratMike from strat talk)
SQUIER U.S. STANDARD STRATOCASTER
It almost seems like a paradox, but it also happened that between 1989 and 1992 some Squier guitars were made in the US! The Squier U.S. Standard Stratocasters are few and we know little about them. They were guitars assembled with warehouse leftovers that probably came from different factories and did not always have the same specs.
Antonio Calvosa
MIA Squier Strat headstock
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