Squier Super-Sonic
Encyclopedia
The Squier Super-Sonic was a guitar
manufactured and sold by Fender
for two years in the 1990s as part of Fender's 1997 Vista series. The guitar was designed by Joe Carducci, who was Fender's electric guitar product manager at the time. It is alleged that Carducci was a keen Jimi Hendrix
fan and that his design of the Super-Sonic was highly influenced by a picture of Hendrix playing a Fender Jaguar
'upside-down', or left-handed.
and 24-inch scale, 22-fret rosewood
fretboard and a 'skunk stripe' behind the maple neck http://www.harmony-central.com/Events/WNAMM97/Fender/Vista-Series.html. Like the Jagmaster and Fender Jaguar
, the body was crafted from basswood in Japan. The guitar came with a reversed headstock and a Stratocaster-style bridge with hardened steel-pressed saddles and a screwed-in tremolo arm
, which detuned the guitar over frequent use http://squiersupersonic.co.uk/?page_id=4. Kluson-style tuners similar to those found on many Fender Stratocaster
s were used on the headstock.
The Super-Sonic has two 'Duncan-Designed'
humbucking pickups - the name designed to tie the pickups to American made Seymour Duncan
, sadly, their performance is not so similar. These pickups are produced in South Korea
and can be prone to microphonic feedback when playing at high volumes. What made the Super-Sonic unique was that the guitar had no tone control, but instead utilized two volume controls with pickup switching controlled by a 3-way toggle switch. The volume controls were wired reverse from what most would expect, with the volume control closest to the bridge controlling the bridge pickup, and the volume control closest to the input jack working the rhythm pickup. As with many guitars, the stock pickups can be replaced with higher quality aftermarket ones.
Spare parts specific to the Super-Sonic are not commercially sold by Squier, although the bridges and tuners are similar to those in other Fender guitars and can thus be easily obtained, the pickup selector end cap can be replaced with either one from a Jagmaster, alternatively a Gibson Les Paul
switch can be used instead. Original replacement knobs are not sold commercially, but they can be replaced by knobs from different models.
of the bands At the Drive-In
and The Mars Volta
, who played a right handed model restrung left handed(although Rodriguez-Lopez stopped using the Super-Sonic after At the Drive-In broke up and currently uses Ibanez
guitars). This can partly be attributed to popularity of the Super-Sonic with players associated with hardcore punk
and post-punk
bands. Despite this it was used extensively by Tim McCall on Jarvis Cocker's second album Further Complications and on live performances.
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...
manufactured and sold by Fender
Fender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
for two years in the 1990s as part of Fender's 1997 Vista series. The guitar was designed by Joe Carducci, who was Fender's electric guitar product manager at the time. It is alleged that Carducci was a keen Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
fan and that his design of the Super-Sonic was highly influenced by a picture of Hendrix playing a Fender Jaguar
Fender Jaguar
The Fender Jaguar is an electric guitar introduced in 1962. A descendant of the Jazzmaster, the Jaguar quickly caught on in the emerging Surf music scene...
'upside-down', or left-handed.
Specifications
The Super-Sonic came into in 4 colours: Olympic White, Black http://www.strat-central.com/pics/other/supersonic/180413.jpg, Sparkle Silver and Sparkle Blue. All Squier Super-Sonics came with a white/black/white sandwich pickguard
Pickguard
A pickguard is a piece of plastic or other laminated material that is placed under the strings on the body of a guitar, mandolin or similar plucked string instrument...
and 24-inch scale, 22-fret rosewood
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
fretboard and a 'skunk stripe' behind the maple neck http://www.harmony-central.com/Events/WNAMM97/Fender/Vista-Series.html. Like the Jagmaster and Fender Jaguar
Fender Jaguar
The Fender Jaguar is an electric guitar introduced in 1962. A descendant of the Jazzmaster, the Jaguar quickly caught on in the emerging Surf music scene...
, the body was crafted from basswood in Japan. The guitar came with a reversed headstock and a Stratocaster-style bridge with hardened steel-pressed saddles and a screwed-in tremolo arm
Tremolo arm
A whammy bar, tremolo arm/bar, or vibrato arm/bar is a component of a guitar, used to add vibrato to the sound by changing the tension of the strings, typically at the bridge or tailpiece...
, which detuned the guitar over frequent use http://squiersupersonic.co.uk/?page_id=4. Kluson-style tuners similar to those found on many Fender Stratocaster
Fender 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...
s were used on the headstock.
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan is a company that is best known for manufacturing of guitar pickups, and currently has a line of effects pedals. The company was founded in 1976 by guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and his then-wife Cathy Carter Duncan in Goleta, California, USA...
humbucking pickups - the name designed to tie the pickups to American made Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan is a company that is best known for manufacturing of guitar pickups, and currently has a line of effects pedals. The company was founded in 1976 by guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and his then-wife Cathy Carter Duncan in Goleta, California, USA...
, sadly, their performance is not so similar. These pickups are produced in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and can be prone to microphonic feedback when playing at high volumes. What made the Super-Sonic unique was that the guitar had no tone control, but instead utilized two volume controls with pickup switching controlled by a 3-way toggle switch. The volume controls were wired reverse from what most would expect, with the volume control closest to the bridge controlling the bridge pickup, and the volume control closest to the input jack working the rhythm pickup. As with many guitars, the stock pickups can be replaced with higher quality aftermarket ones.
Spare parts specific to the Super-Sonic are not commercially sold by Squier, although the bridges and tuners are similar to those in other Fender guitars and can thus be easily obtained, the pickup selector end cap can be replaced with either one from a Jagmaster, alternatively a Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
switch can be used instead. Original replacement knobs are not sold commercially, but they can be replaced by knobs from different models.
Production and serial numbers
Production of the Vista series in Japan was halted in the late 1990s and although a new Squier Jagmaster has recently been released there is no new Super-Sonic, making these guitars increasingly rare and collectable http://squiersupersonic.co.uk/?page_id=4. Production dates can be estimated using the serial number on the reverse of the guitars neck. It is generall accepted that guitars produced between late 1996 and during 1997 have serial numbers beginning with 'V + 6 digits'. These earlier guitars were sometimes sold with a 'Fender 50th Anniversary' sticker on the reverse of the headstock. Slightly later guitars produced between late 1997 and 1998 have serial numbers beginning with 'A + 6 digits'. A date stamp can often be found when removing the neck of the guitar.Players
Arguably the most well known Super-Sonic player is Omar Rodríguez-LópezOmar Rodriguez-Lopez
Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director who was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico...
of the bands At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In
At the Drive-In was an American rock band from El Paso, Texas, considered part of the post-hardcore genre and active from 1993 to 2001. They were known for their extremely energetic stage shows which hearkened back to the 1980s hardcore scene...
and The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
, who played a right handed model restrung left handed(although Rodriguez-Lopez stopped using the Super-Sonic after At the Drive-In broke up and currently uses Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
guitars). This can partly be attributed to popularity of the Super-Sonic with players associated with hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
bands. Despite this it was used extensively by Tim McCall on Jarvis Cocker's second album Further Complications and on live performances.