Squier '51
Encyclopedia
The Squier '51 was an electric guitar
made by Squier
, a subsidiary of Fender. The '51 is notable for being one of the few original designs made by Squier, which normally manufactures less expensive authorized copies of Fender's popular guitar
s and bass guitar
s.
, while the single-ply pickguard and the control plate is borrowed from the original incarnation of the Fender Precision Bass
. The neck and headstock design are reminiscent of a Fender Telecaster
.
The '51 uses a humbucker
in the bridge position and a Stratocaster-style single-coil pickup in the neck position. The bridge of the '51 is slightly narrower than most US-made Fender guitars in order to line up better with the polepieces of the humbucker
, which are designed for the narrower string spacing of Gibson
-style guitars. The bridge pickup has a coil split, activated by pulling out on the volume control knob, to switch between single-coil and humbucker configuration. The second control knob, which normally would operate as a tone control on a Telecaster or early Precision Bass, is a three-position pickup selector switch for choosing between the neck alone, combined neck/humbucker, or humbucker alone. It has a six-saddle hardtail top-loading bridge.
The guitar features a basswood body, with a maple neck and fretboard. Some rare specimens of the necks were constructed from two pieces, with a maple fingerboard laminated to a maple neck. Most were solid maple. Some specimens showed a significant amount of birds eye figuring.
The '51 was offered in three colors: 2-Tone Sunburst, Black, and Vintage Blonde. The blonde model has a cream-yellow hue and typically, a black pick guard. The sunburst and black models have a white pick guard. Although all Squier promotional pictures depict the Vintage Blonde model with a black pickguard, they were manufactured with both black and white pickguards.White pickguards were standard from the beginning of production until October 2004, during which month the color was switched to black until the end of production in January 2007. It has been rumored that the white pickguard was dropped because many seemed to be prone to warping. Because of the much smaller production and relative rarity of the blonde body/white pickguard '51, these have become the most sought-after and highly valued '51s according to many fans. See the Area 51 thread in the Squier section of the FDP (Fender Discussion Page) Forum website, for over 800 entries of information and comments, and the Squier 51 Modders Forum for detailed illustrated information on modifying the guitar.
and Sam Ash stores, as recently as July 2007. Its low price and unique style made it very popular with players who like to modify and upgrade their guitar components. The Squier '51 is now out of production and has developed a strong cult following because of its user-friendly neck and unique sound. Today used examples command a higher price than the guitar did when new; as of 2009 original examples in good condition sell for $150–$200 and up.
Hardware and electronic component differences aside, the configuration of the Fender variant was almost identical to that of the Squier, with the only notable differences being the use of a full thickness Stratocaster alder body instead of a slightly thinner (by approximately one quarter of an inch) basswood body, and a string-through-body hardtail Stratocaster bridge instead of a top-load bridge. The '51's signature features were all retained, including the Telecaster neck and headstock style, the Stratocaster body shape, and the original Precision Bass pickguard and control plate, humbucking bridge and single coil neck pickups, as well as the rotary pickup selector, single volume control with push-pull coil-tap switch, and absent tone control.
The Pawn Shop Series included another new model - the '72 - which was a variation of the '51 that utilized a semi-hollow body, a rosewood fingerboard, and dual humbucking pickups.
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
made by Squier
Squier
Squier is a musical instrument brand name owned by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.-History:Fender, under the ownership of CBS, acquired the Squier brand name in 1965 when it bought a USA based string making firm , but it lay dormant for many years...
, a subsidiary of Fender. The '51 is notable for being one of the few original designs made by Squier, which normally manufactures less expensive authorized copies of Fender's popular guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s.
Construction
The '51 combines aspects of several of Fender's best-known instruments. The body and neck pickup resemble that of the Fender StratocasterFender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
, while the single-ply pickguard and the control plate is borrowed from the original incarnation of the Fender Precision Bass
Fender Precision Bass
The Fender Precision Bass is an electric bass.Designed by Leo Fender as a prototype in 1950 and brought to market in 1951, the Precision was the first electric bass to earn widespread attention and use. A revolutionary instrument for the time, the Precision Bass has made an immeasurable impact on...
. The neck and headstock design are reminiscent of a Fender Telecaster
Fender Telecaster
The Fender Telecaster, colloquially known as the Tele , is typically a dual-pickup, solid-body electric guitar made by Fender.Its simple yet effective design and revolutionary sound broke ground and set trends in electric guitar manufacturing and popular music...
.
The '51 uses a humbucker
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
in the bridge position and a Stratocaster-style single-coil pickup in the neck position. The bridge of the '51 is slightly narrower than most US-made Fender guitars in order to line up better with the polepieces of the humbucker
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
, which are designed for the narrower string spacing of Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
-style guitars. The bridge pickup has a coil split, activated by pulling out on the volume control knob, to switch between single-coil and humbucker configuration. The second control knob, which normally would operate as a tone control on a Telecaster or early Precision Bass, is a three-position pickup selector switch for choosing between the neck alone, combined neck/humbucker, or humbucker alone. It has a six-saddle hardtail top-loading bridge.
The guitar features a basswood body, with a maple neck and fretboard. Some rare specimens of the necks were constructed from two pieces, with a maple fingerboard laminated to a maple neck. Most were solid maple. Some specimens showed a significant amount of birds eye figuring.
The '51 was offered in three colors: 2-Tone Sunburst, Black, and Vintage Blonde. The blonde model has a cream-yellow hue and typically, a black pick guard. The sunburst and black models have a white pick guard. Although all Squier promotional pictures depict the Vintage Blonde model with a black pickguard, they were manufactured with both black and white pickguards.White pickguards were standard from the beginning of production until October 2004, during which month the color was switched to black until the end of production in January 2007. It has been rumored that the white pickguard was dropped because many seemed to be prone to warping. Because of the much smaller production and relative rarity of the blonde body/white pickguard '51, these have become the most sought-after and highly valued '51s according to many fans. See the Area 51 thread in the Squier section of the FDP (Fender Discussion Page) Forum website, for over 800 entries of information and comments, and the Squier 51 Modders Forum for detailed illustrated information on modifying the guitar.
Sales
The Squier '51 originally sold for around US$150 through most large music retailers and catalog outlets, although various incentives and sales further reduced the sale price at times. In late 2004, several large music chains were selling the '51 for US$99.99, and even as low as US$69.99 in Guitar CenterGuitar Center
Guitar Center is the largest chain of musical instrument retailers in the world with 223 locations throughout the United States. Its headquarters is in Westlake Village, California....
and Sam Ash stores, as recently as July 2007. Its low price and unique style made it very popular with players who like to modify and upgrade their guitar components. The Squier '51 is now out of production and has developed a strong cult following because of its user-friendly neck and unique sound. Today used examples command a higher price than the guitar did when new; as of 2009 original examples in good condition sell for $150–$200 and up.
Reissues
In spring 2011, Fender introduced its own version of the Squier '51, also called a '51, under a new line of guitars called the Fender Pawn Shop Series. The Fender '51 had a MSRP of US$999 and was initially being advertised at popular online retailers for US$799. By mid-June of 2011, the MSRP had risen to US$1,099, although online retailer prices remained unchanged.Hardware and electronic component differences aside, the configuration of the Fender variant was almost identical to that of the Squier, with the only notable differences being the use of a full thickness Stratocaster alder body instead of a slightly thinner (by approximately one quarter of an inch) basswood body, and a string-through-body hardtail Stratocaster bridge instead of a top-load bridge. The '51's signature features were all retained, including the Telecaster neck and headstock style, the Stratocaster body shape, and the original Precision Bass pickguard and control plate, humbucking bridge and single coil neck pickups, as well as the rotary pickup selector, single volume control with push-pull coil-tap switch, and absent tone control.
The Pawn Shop Series included another new model - the '72 - which was a variation of the '51 that utilized a semi-hollow body, a rosewood fingerboard, and dual humbucking pickups.