What is the Rarest Squier Stratocaster?

[Lanaka]

Y'know, I have no idea what's really rare and what's not in the Squier Universe. But I reckon any old Squier with a Floyd has to be at least unusual!

1997 Pro Tone Fat Strat
Kulaʻeleʻele (Black Gold) / Keʻaila (Oil)


Ash, maple/maple. HSS routed / HSS pups. Currently Parallel Axis Original bridge trembucker + stock single coils. What I may do is actually opt for another pair of Fleor's alnico Dual Rails (@ ~ 8κΩ & 6κΩ) to be installed in the middle and neck, respectively.

2000 StageMaster HSH Deluxe
Hakuhinahina (Gray Lord) / Haku (Master)


Basswood body wings around a maple neck thru with rosewood fretboard. Reversed headstock, 24 frets. I'm seriously tempted to try Seymour Duncan's new Hot Rodding Rails set, which basically takes the venerable JB/Jazz set and make an A8 dual rails humbucker set out of them. Since SD don't have an alnico Dual Rail single-coil sized humbucker pickup I'm going to use the Fleor Alnico Dual Rail bridge S.C.S. humbucker in the middle (~12κΩ).

 

[Victor C Squier]

I watch eBay and Reverb every week and have for nearly a decade. Every Strat above I have seen many times (especially the Deluxe - I own one in white and they were made for like 17 years). I can't tell you what the rarest Squier Stratocaster production model is -- no one can. But I can tell you what I believe to be the rarest Classic Vibe Stratocaster. It's an FSR model that they made 150 of in 2012 and a further 150 in 2014. If you know how to use the Internet Archive's Wayback machine, you can still find the listings for them at MusiciansFriend and Sweetwater. It is a weird and wonderful CGS Classic Vibe that is based on an Indian artist model Squier (the Ehsaan Noorani). It is the Squier Classic Vibe Deluxe Stratocaster HSH. There are other posts about this guitar dating back over a decade, including some nonsense about how this was supposed to be a MIM guitar (which is ridiculous, given what model it was based on; it was always supposed to be a Squier).

Like the other Classic Vibe's of the glorious "CGS" era, it features ToneRider pickups -- the Alnico IV Classics (Vintage Voiced) in the neck and bridge, and the Surfari in the middle. It also has a superswitch, allowing the two humbuckers to be used in the mid position and split coils to be used with the middle pickup in the 2 and 4 positions.

It also features licensed Sperzel (as in Chinese copies) locking tuners and a flamed maple veneer. It's the best and most full-featured Classic Vibe Strat ever made and likely the rarest. Classic Vibe is for those who like traditional features, and 2 point trems, locking tuners, flamed maple top, and and an HSH configuration is anything but. This is likely why they didn't sell more. I may get rid of my other Strats some day, but I will always keep this one. And while there is actually an artist model Ehsaan Noorani up on Reverb right now with a hard case for a very reasonable price, it has been two years since I saw one of these on eBay or Reverb.

This is my actual guitar when it was still for sale in the guitar shop I bought it from. It's so beautiful that I can almost forgive it for not having a large CBS-era headstock.

 

[ericb7799]

These two are the rarest Squiers in my experience since they were only sold for a few months from April ‘82 until Summer of ‘82 only.

'57 Vintage Stratocaster "Squier Series" (MIJ)

Early "JV" Serial Fender branded '57 export Stratocaster ("Squier Series" Logo) specs.

www.fuzzfaced.net

'62 Vintage Stratocaster "Squier Series" (MIJ)

Early "JV" Serial Fender branded '62 export Stratocaster ("Squier Series" Logo) specs.

www.fuzzfaced.net

Followed shortly by these JV ‘57 & ‘62 Squiers once they started branding them as Squiers instead of “Squier Series” in summer of ‘82. Even these were only sold for less than 2 years.

Squier '57 Vintage Stratocaster (MIJ)

"JV" Serial Squier branded '57 export Stratocaster specs.

www.fuzzfaced.net

 

[ericb7799]

I watch eBay and Reverb every week and have for nearly a decade. Every Strat above I have seen many times (especially the Deluxe - I own one in white and they were made for like 17 years). I can't tell you what the rarest Squier Stratocaster production model is -- no one can. But I can tell you what I believe to be the rarest Classic Vibe Stratocaster. It's an FSR model that they made 150 of in 2012 and a further 150 in 2014. If you know how to use the Internet Archive's Wayback machine, you can still find the listings for them at MusiciansFriend and Sweetwater. It is a weird and wonderful CGS Classic Vibe that is based on an Indian artist model Squier (the Ehsaan Noorani). It is the Squier Classic Vibe Deluxe Stratocaster HSH. There are other posts about this guitar dating back over a decade, including some nonsense about how this was supposed to be a MIM guitar (which is ridiculous, given what model it was based on; it was always supposed to be a Squier).

Like the other Classic Vibe's of the glorious "CGS" era, it features ToneRider pickups -- the Alnico IV Classics (Vintage Voiced) in the neck and bridge, and the Surfari in the middle. It also has a superswitch, allowing the two humbuckers to be used in the mid position and split coils to be used with the middle pickup in the 2 and 4 positions.

It also features licensed Sperzel (as in Chinese copies) locking tuners and a flamed maple veneer. It's the best and most full-featured Classic Vibe Strat ever made and likely the rarest. Classic Vibe is for those who like traditional features, and 2 point trems, locking tuners, flamed maple top, and and an HSH configuration is anything but. This is likely why they didn't sell more. I may get rid of my other Strats some day, but I will always keep this one. And while there is actually an artist model Ehsaan Noorani up on Reverb right now with a hard case for a very reasonable price, it has been two years since I saw one of these on eBay or Reverb.

This is my actual guitar when it was still for sale in the guitar shop I bought it from. It's so beautiful that I can almost forgive it for not having a large CBS-era headstock.
View attachment 298509

So I used to work for Fender dealers at that time & I had some personal experience with that HSH Classic Vibe model. Yes, I agree with you that the story that it’s supposed to be be MIM model is incorrect but that’s probably only because this guy who runs the Squier wiki misunderstood & thought it was supposed to be a MIM Players model.

Stratocaster HSH FMT | Squier Wiki

Squier Wiki

www.squierwiki.com

The story as I always heard it was it was supposed to be a Modern Player Fender. Modern Player made in China at the Grand Reward factory. Not Players series or Made in Mexico. It was actually supposed to be another one of the Modern Player HSH models with CGF prefix. (China Grand-Reward Fender). All the Modern Players had Toneriders pickups (even though they never called them that in either MP or 1st Series CV specs).

Modern Player Stratocaster HSH (China)

A formidably modified classic, the Fender made in China Modern Player Stratocaster HSH gives you a singing Strat middle pickup flanked by the powerful voice of humbucking neck and bridge pickups. Other features include a mahogany body.

www.fuzzfaced.net

CV HSH FMT was supposed to be a Modern Player HSH FMT model which they ended up cancelling. They were all being made at the same Grand Reward factory from 2012-2014 at the same time. From what I heard the factory really did just screw up in branding them as Squier CV with CGS prefix (China Grand-Reward Squier) instead of MP Fender. That’s why we were told there were so few ever made. They were never planned as a Classic Vibe model. They just made up that whole CV Deluxe thing. Other than that one model there’s not another single CV model called CV Deluxe. They probably only added the locking tuners later as some way to justify calling it that.

 

[Victor C Squier]

Please don't try to correct me on this guitar. I know far more about it and its history than anyone in these forums and have spoken to the people involved in its development.

About a year after buying mine, I emailed Chris Gill, who was in charge of "Squier" product development at the time (and who knew Noorami long before he became a Bollywood star) and asked about this guitar. He asked for my phone number and we talked for about 20 minutes about this guitar. It was ALWAYS 100% of the time supposed to be a Squier. They had made this Squier guitar for Noorani that they were very pleased with and wanted to sell a non-artist version to in the West (like they later did with that red Squier Jazzmaster Deluxe that was otherwise a copy of the J Mascis Jazzmaster). And in fact the very prototype Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster Deluxe HSH that was sold over in here in Scottsdale (by a Fender employee that had won it at a company raffle) to a local Guitar Center (that someone in these forums bought 12 years ago) had "Squier" on the headstock because it was always supposed to be a Squier. Never, ever did Fender consider making it a "Fender" labelled product. And the Noorani model, which predates it by two years, already had the locking tuners, so they did NOT "add" them to justify calling it a "Deluxe."

You are wrong about just about everything on this guitar! They called it a "Deluxe" because they charged $100 more for it than any other Classic Vibe. The Grand Reward factory did NOT make a mistake, and you obviously don't know how Fender works with such factories: They send over a sample based on what Fender asks for. If the sample is approved, it goes into production. I know this because I got involved personally in the Vintage Modified 70s Strat tremolo fiasco and was given a lesson by a Fender rep in how that process works and why Fender wasn't going to fix that model -- it never did until the Classic Vibe model was introduced. (Instead, they gave me the choice of any other similarly priced guitar new for free in exchange for my VM Strat, which I took them up on which is how I received my white Squier Stratocaster Deluxe, which I drove to Scottsdale to pick up in person and got a brief tour of the facility and a free setup by their lead tech). It costs money for Fender to then ask for any changes after a guitar is approved. Fender APPROVED "Squier" being on the headstock because of course it was ALWAYS supposed to be a Squier. If Grand Reward had "screwed up" as you suggest, Fender would OBVIOUSLY have caught that before the order of them was made!

 

[Odieman]

I had that classic vibe. It was a gorgeous guitar, but sadly I had to sell it

 

[Michael7]

I don't know how rare this one is in the vast array of Squiers, but it is probably my rarest one. The single owner before me thoughtfully drilled a hole in the head stock so he could hang it on a nail! Short scale, black head stock. MIJ with A serial number.

Model is ST-331.

 

[Ray Silvertone]

Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen. Keep it civil or I will show you the door.

 

[Lonn]

Definitely.

 

[Bud Bremner]

Don't sell yourself short if you're interested in this topic. You probably have something pretty cool in it's own right. I know a little about collectable guitars, as I'm sure you do too. Is there a consensus on that holy grail aquisition though? I'm not the fella with the most expertise, but what is the holy grail squier strat?

I am very fortunate to have owned since new, a 1983 Squier JV '62 Strat RI.

Decades ago I had the head sanded down and re labeled to be as correct as I knew it to be for an American head.

The neck had been hand rolled 25 years ago and has become slightly scalloped along the edges because of wear.

There is little stock on it except the pickup covers and the jack ferrule. It is however the best Strat that many have claimed once they try it and it sees regular play time today!

 

[Lonn]

Decades ago I had the head sanded down and re labeled to be as correct as I knew it to be for an American head.

Why? It's not an American guitar.

 

[Bud Bremner]

Why? It's not an American guitar.

Because Lonn I was stupid in my 20's.

 

[Squier KO]

I do not know about the rarest, But I did find one other example than mine and it was here...

2003 Satin Black Blackout Double Fat Standard FSR...wish I knew how many were made... years ago(bout 2008) I ran the serial and wrote down the info but can not find it... I think it had it's own model number and was a Guitar Center only thing...

mine
https://www.squier-talk.com/threads...list-mine-03-black-headstock-hardware.206338/

the one I found here since joining ST...

Several guitars for sale

Getting several more out there for your consideration Squier Standard Double Fat Strat Flat Black with matching headstock Some fretwear Overall good condition with a few scrapes and dings but nothing thru the paint. One of my best playing Squiers - just does not get played enough $119...

www.squier-talk.com

 

[Byron0420]

They only made my Showmaster Rally for 3 years (03- 05). Have only ever seen one other in Black w red rally stripes. Love the 24 frets.

 

[Byron0420]

Not too many of the E7 MIK Contemporary Bullet squier 2nd version strats out there either. Love how the white turned to cream color. single volume and tone. Vintage style bridge only on the 1987.

 

[Best1989]

Man, that flamed X-155 is so gaudy. I kind of want one now, lol

Not enough to pay the $999 for the one on Reverb though.

 

[rodgerk1977]

4 screw bridge truss adjust at heel

 

[Lanaka]

4 screw bridge truss adjust at heel
View attachment 299737View attachment 299738

Wow! I reckon they were trying to experiment whether they can get away with trimming 2 screws on the trem to save a few coins. Few coins per trem across thousands of guitars could mean some serious change. But I reckon what nixed it in the long run is the added costs of running a separate parallel line of trem parts specifications outweighed the savings in eliminating those screws.

EDIT: I HAD tried running one of my Strats with just 4 screws (only because I lost two of the inner screws). I found the trem to be slightly less stable with just 4 unless it's one of those high mass bridge plate made of a thicker piece of metal. The flat side tends to buckle & warp under the strain during deep trem dives if there's less screws there to stabilize the entire width of the flat edge.

 

[DougMen]

I imagine the gold on gold 40th anniversary CV 50s Strat is pretty rare, since it was only made for a short time. I would have kept mine if gold hardware doesn't get destroyed so quickly here, and if it had a RW board. of the over half a dozen CV Strats I've had it was the best playing one. I imagine the BM 60s one is also quite rare, as it was also only made for a short time. I should have kept mine and replaced the neck with one that had a natural headstock.

 

[Woodsman]

Holy bejesus at the sheer awesomeness of the stuff you've guys have posted. It's not an answerable question, but my oh my. Thanks one and all for posting some of these extremely rare offerings that we might not otherwise see anywhere else.