Are Squier Guitars Good? Best Models + Comparison vs. Fender

Squier has been taking a little of the luck out of the beginner guitar equation, and it has helped create a hugely competitive entry-level guitar market. In the $100 to $500 electric guitar market, Squier is the name to beat.

But how good is Squier as a brand and how good are their guitars? Can you gig with them, or are they strictly meant for beginners? Let’s find out!

History of Squier

Starting as a string maker for violins, banjos, and guitars in the late 1800s, Squier’s direction changed course when Fender purchased it in 1965.

The budget guitar market can be traced back to the release of the Gibson Melody Maker in 1959. This guitar introduced the Gibson brand to a price range that had not previously been targeted.

Even then, this was not truly “budget-friendly”. The 1960 price tag was just shy of $100. Factoring in inflation, this prices it closer to $1,000 by today’s money.

There was an obvious gap in the market, and Asia had noticed.

What Has Prompted Squier’s Dominance?

The Squier phenomenon didn’t really happen until the ‘80s. It was Fender’s own success that came back to bite them at this point.

Everybody wanted a Fender. But not everybody could afford them.

Japanese-made copies, such as Tokai, were selling well, and they were offering excellent value at this price point.

The Beginning of the Squier Brand

Fender made a shrewd decision. They approached Tokai’s major competitor, Greco, and created an arrangement for Greco to build the “Squier Series” for Fender.

This move took one of their main Japanese imitators out of the market and had a ready-made platform to produce their range of low-budget Fender copies.

Having the Squier logo in the same font as Fender, with the Fender brand sitting subtly below it, created a new market leader for entry-level guitars. Since then, they have left every other manufacturer playing catch up.

Back when I started playing solid bodies in 1987, Squier was an option in a very empty marketplace. Today, on reflection, I see all my teenage guitar brand heroes offering overseas models that often compete with Squier. Names like Ibanez, Kramer, and Jackson now make excellent value sub $300 guitars.

Where Are Squier Guitars Made?

A lot of time has passed since Squier started production in Japan. Since the 1980s, the world has shrunk and managing manufacturing efforts across the globe is a regular business occurrence. Now Squier guitars are primarily manufactured in China and Indonesia.

Using modern management and quality control techniques has ensured that Squier can continue to offer their renowned guitars at the increased pace the modern world requires.

Is Squier a Good Brand?

Absolutely, Squier hits the mark! They have done an impressive job in crafting instruments that strike the right chord between affordability and quality.

Sure, jumping up on stage with a Squier might not give you the same bragging rights as swinging a high-end Fender, but you will still be the one up on stage getting gigs under your belt.

You are getting guitars that sound reasonable, won’t hinder your progress, and can absolutely hold their own in a gig setting. Even famous guitarists such as Mike Rutherford, Jeff Healey, John Mayall, and George Harrison have slung a Squier in some incredible live performances.

However, let’s keep it real here. These guitars will not compete with highly priced guitars. You will only get what you pay for.

Squier Guitars deliver excellent value, and to appreciate them, it is crucial to have your expectations aligned.

Squier’s Most Popular Models - Their Best-Selling Guitars

Squier’s cheapest offerings sell the most. It used to be the ‘Bullet’ series, but now it’s been succeeded by their new ‘Sonic’ series. At less than $200, these offer superb value for money.

For a bit more, you have the ‘Affinity’ series, offering slightly better-quality hardware and overall finish.

Their ‘Mini’ guitars are popular among kids and people with smaller hands.

Finally, there’s the ‘Classic Vibe’ series, which promise to get you close to the ‘vintage’ tones of renowned Fender guitars. They’re extremely popular in the sub $500 space. Apart from better quality pickups, strings and hardware, many of these models feature Nato and Pine bodies (instead of Poplar).

These are the most popular Squier guitars. But you still have other popular (but less mainstream) options like the ‘Paranormal’ series and the ‘Contemporary’ series.

How Do Squier Guitars Feel for a Professional?

I must start this section by acknowledging that there are common issues with guitars in the sub $500 price bracket. Most of these issues can be dealt with or represent no real problem for a beginner guitarist.

My opinions here are also my opinions about every “beginner/entry” level guitar.

Tonewoods

Starting with the fundamentals. Wood. You will not be finding Swamp Ash, Maple or Mahogany in these builds. It simply is not possible. The cheaper tonewoods used here will affect the capacity for building a decent tone.

Their cheaper models, such as the Sonic Stratocaster, are built from gloss polyurethane-coated Poplar. Compared with the Fender American Vintage II 1962 Stratocaster which is made with gloss nitrocellulose lacquered Alder. This gives the Fender a far stronger base for sustain and increased clarity across the tonal spectrum.

Being that wood is the component that everything else builds on, it is worth noting this from the beginning.

Electronics

Squier wiring can be poorly finished, because of the relatively unskilled labor and less detailed quality control involved in manufacturing. This can lead to issues with amplified sound and playability.

Meanwhile, the tone pots and switches feel cheaper and less accurate on Squier models when compared to Fender components.

If you find a Squier that exhibits electric noise when plugged into an amp, either move on or know that you can produce high-quality solder points yourself.

Pickups

You will not find true Fender, Seymour Duncan or Lollar pickups on your budget instrument. This is always the place where the budgets are cut to make instruments that fall into this bracket.

Squier guitars, like the Squier Affinity Telecaster use a single bar magnet under their pickup, compared to the standard individual pole pieces found in most brand-name pickups. This “muddies” the sound a little and reduces the capacity for fine control over tone.

By comparison, the Fender American Professional II Telecaster sports V-Mod II Tele Single-coil pickups that are custom made, by Fender, to produce that specific Telecaster twang.

The coiling quality of the wiring loom around the magnets have a profound effect on the overall tone of a guitar and this is a place where corners can be cut without disturbing the visuals.

Bridges & Nuts

When working with a guitar with a tremolo system, you will quickly discover how well made the parts are. On cheaper guitars, you can expect a lot of play in the tremolo arm. This often translates to a dead spot between pitching up and down with the bridge.

When comparing the top Squier Strat, the Squier Classic Vibe ‘60s Stratocaster, and the top American Strat, the Fender American Ultra Luxe Stratocaster, it is easy to see the quality difference on initial inspection.

One tremolo-heavy song later and we find the Fender still in tune, not something we can say about most Squiers.

Whilst the nut on the top range Squiers is bone, we find the superior Tusq, a man-made ivory substitute, offering longevity and that “feel good” factor that every premium purchase should bring.

Tuners

Not all tuning machine heads are equal and budget guitars really show their price here. Tuners on cheap guitars just don’t hold as well as their premium counterparts.

If you choose a guitar with a fixed bridge (i.e. no tremolo) you will find less room for complaint. If you choose a guitar with a tremolo, then you will find yourself tuning your guitar with alarming regularity.

Even at the top end of the Squier range, we find issues with this. The excellent Squier Paranormal Cyclone gets rave reviews, yet many people are talking about blocking the tremolo unit as it lets down this curious instrument.

Strings slip on poor tuners, whilst the mechanism itself does not hold the tuning as well as premium machine heads. While upgrading is something that people will talk about, I am less convinced. Sure, $100 might not seem a lot for solving this problem. Ask yourself whether you would have just done better raising your budget.

Add $100 to the price of the Paranormal and you have an Epiphone Les Paul, G&L Tribute ASAT Classic, or even an Ibanez Steve Vai JEMJR. All of these are serious instruments, with stronger pedigree, that offer higher quality and will probably still grace your collection in the years to come.

Finishing

This is an area that Squier, and other budget-friendly guitars, have improved. Gone are the days of regular poor finishes, yet still some issues slip through.

We still find reports of unfinished or improperly seated frets which will cause the instrument to be less playable. If you discover fret buzz, either move on or have the shop refinish the guitar prior to purchase.

Even with the body, there are sometimes dinks and scratches. Maybe these come post-production, maybe people in the shops handle $2,000 guitars differently than $200 guitars. Probably just more people play them.

Do give your intended purchase a quick once-over under a bright light. If you spot any imperfections, you might have some negotiating power.

Out-of-the-box Setup

This is such a potluck thing. Direct from the factory these guitars can feature an array of set-up issues including loose strings popping out of the saddle or nut, loose tremolo arms, rough frets with burred edges, and poor fretboard finishing.

The problem really comes in that you can play 5 of the same instrument side by side and find one that really shines. Maybe some kind soul had a quiet day in their guitar shop job and played around with the cheaper guitars to help some new guitarist on their journey?

As I mentioned at the start, all budget guitars have issues like these. You just have to do your homework and not stop on the first one you play. Pick up many. Don’t worry, this is good advice for advanced players too. Not all guitars are equal, even when they are supposed to be!

Squier vs. Fender: Understanding the Differences

We need to deal with the obvious comparison, Fender. It is hard not to, when that was the intention in the marketing. Has this simile caused any issues for Squier’s sales over time?

The look is not the only aspect where Fender has tried to shovel in some of their legendary guitar magic. The configurations and body shapes are very common between the two. That was the original plan, and they have been doing it well for over 40 years now.

Without price as a factor, there is no choice. Fender is simply a better guitar. Whether made in the US or Mexico, the quality of components, woods, finishing, setup, in fact, any aspect of what makes a guitar, Fender wins every time.

Yet, when you factor in the price, things become altogether a little blurrier. Squier Guitars play well enough, not as well as a Fender, but certainly well enough. Each brand looks the part. Guitarists really can gig with either brand too. Really, what needs to be compared here are the guitarists coming to these brands.

As a beginner, you are at a crucial stage of your guitar journey. If I play a poor guitar, I know I am playing a poor guitar and I recognize the limitations immediately. I can adjust my playing style and my expectations on-the-fly.

Yet, as a beginner, you will not know whether it is the guitar or you at fault. Does this point to buying a Fender as your first instrument? No, it really does not. You are going to make mistakes.

Maybe you will end up like Alex Van Halen and realize that the guitar just is not for you. Re-selling a Squier at a reasonable price will not take long. There’s always a beginner looking for a bargain. Selling a Fender? You will wait a little longer for that money to come back to you.

Comparing Squier and Fender only emphasizes why Fender made this move back in the ‘80s. The look is really where the comparisons have to stop. Cheaper materials sacrifice tone, playability, long-term ownership, and value. Yet, for a beginner, this is a balance that plays in their favor.

Comparing Squier to Other Budget Options

Squier is not alone in the sub $500 market. There are a lot of players, including Ibanez, Epiphone (Gibson’s Budget Brand), Yamaha and others.

Ibanez

Their Gio and miKro series, designed for beginners, indeed pack a punch, but sometimes, the Ibanez focus on metal and rock might leave those interested in softer genres feeling a tad overlooked.

Plus, the ultra-thin necks, while fast, might not suit everyone’s hands or playing style.

Jackson

The Chinese-made Jackson JS and Dinky series offer bang for the buck, but their aggressive aesthetics may not resonate with everyone.

Also, the heavier tones might not be ideal if you are into genres like jazz or blues.

Yamaha

I admire the Pacifica series for its build quality and diversity (read my full review of the PAC612). However, while these guitars are well-rounded, some might argue that they lack a bit of character.

The versatility is great, but it might not give you the specific tone you are looking for.

Kramer

Especially their Baretta Series has gained popularity in recent years in the sub $200 market.

If you’re looking for a heavier tone on a budget and don’t mind sacrificing versatility for that, then these would be an excellent choice.

Online No-Name Guitars

I have to come clean. I have owned one of these as an experienced guitarist. While waiting for my Hamer Centaura to arrive in Bangkok, I picked up a no-name Chinese made Telecaster.

It was HEAVY. Yet, it actually played really well. I was lucky enough to have been able to play several models side-by-side in a shop. I must have tried 5 or 6 before this one stood out.

Buying these online would be a tremendous gamble. Quality control is non-existent. I could have received 4 or 5 guitars that would have been almost unplayable, yet a beginner would be none the wiser.

Currently popular options include Donner, LyxPro and others. I’ve previously covered all about Donner guitars in this article. These are essentially clones of almost all popular guitar shapes (Strat, Tele, Les Paul & others), but some argue that they’re on par with Squier, if not better, while also costing less.

Many also prefer these for low budget upgrade projects over Squier and Epiphone. Many prominent YouTube reviewers have tried Donner guitars and the verdict was surprisingly positive.

Finishing Things Off

Ever since I can remember, Squier has existed. Sadly, this fact passed me by when I was purchasing my first solid body. I simply walked into the first shop on Denmark Street (Tin Pan Alley) in London and took their advice. I got lucky. The guitar was playable and helped me find my love.

After everything that we’ve discussed above, it is hard to remember where we started. Oh yes, is Squier a good brand? The answer is simple. Absolutely. Many other brands have moved into this price bracket over the years, for good reason, and yet Squier is the standard to beat.

Squier should be on every budding guitarist’s sub $300 shortlist. Yet, the introduction of Ibanez, Epiphone, Yamaha, and others really has mixed this sector up.

This plays beautifully into the hands of entry-level consumers. This level of competition can only push Squier to continue to improve its quality and range of offerings.