The Squier in China
In the mid-90s, Fender Japan started to have problems since Japanese lutherie was by now no longer a bet, but a reality, placing itself to the same market level occupied at that time by the Mexican guitars (rather, the made in Japan was surely at a higher qualitative level). Obviously, Fender couldn’t lower MIJ’s prices, which began to lose market share compared to the new Chinese and Indian copies. But the company could not even put these guitars at the level of the MIM, thus making self-competition.
At the same time the Korean Squiers were turning out to be a big failure.
For these reasons Fender decided to produce low-budget guitars in China and subsequently also in Indonesia.
In order to enter this new business, Fender started negotiations with Reliance, a Taiwan-based company, born in 1979, that had opened many factories in China and that was responsible for supplying components to manufacturers of musical instruments.
Fender wanted however to recover the Squier logo for the new Chinese guitars, despite the aura of negativity that had been surrounding it since the use of plywood by the Korean Fenders.
The first Chinese factory in which Fender started to make the Squiers was that of Yako, located in Zhangzhou, in southeastern China, about 300 kilometers from Hong Kong, that became operational since 1995.
The first Squiers made in China were some Bullet Stratocasters identical to the previous Korean Bullets, with which they had in common the plywood body and the low-quality hardware, that in 1996 were replaced by the Squier Strats. In the following years other Bullets had been made, but, as had happened in the past, they were not always considered real Stratocasters, rather specific models.
Thanks to an idea of Joe Carducci, Squier’s marketing manager in the '90s, Squiers began to be sold in packages (Pak), characterized by the combination of guitars, amplifiers, strings, straps, cables, since 1996. The intention was to give a beginner all that was needed to start playing, obviously at bargain prices.
With the motto "Stop dreaming, start playing", Squier «wanted to create a phrase that reached people on an emotional level rather than leaving it to the specs or features», in the words of Justin Norvell. «Knowing that so many young people imagine themselves as rock stars in their bedroom in front of the mirror».
At the same time the Korean Squiers were turning out to be a big failure.
For these reasons Fender decided to produce low-budget guitars in China and subsequently also in Indonesia.
In order to enter this new business, Fender started negotiations with Reliance, a Taiwan-based company, born in 1979, that had opened many factories in China and that was responsible for supplying components to manufacturers of musical instruments.
Fender wanted however to recover the Squier logo for the new Chinese guitars, despite the aura of negativity that had been surrounding it since the use of plywood by the Korean Fenders.
The first Chinese factory in which Fender started to make the Squiers was that of Yako, located in Zhangzhou, in southeastern China, about 300 kilometers from Hong Kong, that became operational since 1995.
The first Squiers made in China were some Bullet Stratocasters identical to the previous Korean Bullets, with which they had in common the plywood body and the low-quality hardware, that in 1996 were replaced by the Squier Strats. In the following years other Bullets had been made, but, as had happened in the past, they were not always considered real Stratocasters, rather specific models.
Thanks to an idea of Joe Carducci, Squier’s marketing manager in the '90s, Squiers began to be sold in packages (Pak), characterized by the combination of guitars, amplifiers, strings, straps, cables, since 1996. The intention was to give a beginner all that was needed to start playing, obviously at bargain prices.
With the motto "Stop dreaming, start playing", Squier «wanted to create a phrase that reached people on an emotional level rather than leaving it to the specs or features», in the words of Justin Norvell. «Knowing that so many young people imagine themselves as rock stars in their bedroom in front of the mirror».
Fender considered the new oriental guitars fundamental for the company’s earnings, and in 2002 decided to celebrate the birth of the Squier with a commemorative neck plate bearing the engraving "20th Anniversary Squier BY FENDER Freedom of Expression Since 1982".
By now the Chinese lutherie had developed so much that at the end of 2011 the first Fender branded instruments made in China appeared on the list. The series Fender Modern Player included traditional models with small modernities destined for young and penniless "modern players": Telecaster with humbucker, Jaguar without pickguard, mahogany instruments, Stratocaster HSH, ect...
By now the Chinese lutherie had developed so much that at the end of 2011 the first Fender branded instruments made in China appeared on the list. The series Fender Modern Player included traditional models with small modernities destined for young and penniless "modern players": Telecaster with humbucker, Jaguar without pickguard, mahogany instruments, Stratocaster HSH, ect...
Antonio Calvosa
