Alright, Squier

The story of Squier, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year (see cover feature, page 68) is one of unintended consequences. Firstly, when Fender first introduced solidbody electrics to a sceptical music industry in 1950, it was probably hoping just to get its upstart designs accepted in the US. How could the company have known that, 30 years later, one of its biggest problems would be competition from cheap Japanese-made clones of the now hugely popular Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster and so on?

In a strange way, Fender went from outsider to victim of its own global success in just three decades. But by creating an affordable sub‑brand, Squier, to take the heat off the flagship Fender guitars that were threatened by the creations of Tokai and others, the company created another unintended consequence. The new Japanese guitars were good – so good, in fact, that an army of buyers of Squier and Fender JV instruments thought they were better than the guitars being built in America at that time, meaning Fender ended up almost in competition with itself. I guess it’s a nice problem to have when, try as you might, you can’t seem to make a workaday budget guitar that dutifully stays in its lane and end up with a hit on your hands instead.

Since then, Squiers have acquired a cachet of their own – and I think I can see why. You get a sense that Fender feels freer to experiment with Squiers, to do imaginative and cool things with their guitar designs that might be derided as ‘messing with the classics’ if you did them to USAbuilt Fenders. That means Squiers are affordable, and a little different, but still very solid performers. Just ask Mike Rutherford who played one on tour with Genesis last year. Enjoy the issue and see you next time.