Squier guitar price hikes - is it time to abandon the brand?
It might be time to stop buying Squier and start buying Rondo.
(This is a reader requested article. If you'd like to request something for me to write about, email me.)
This email came in. Jonathan writes:
Rich - would love to see a post discussing how good of a value you feel Squier is now that they've raised prices on many of their guitars.
I know you've touted the brand for many years and own a number of their guitars. I personally had a CV 50s Tele for a while and loved everything but the neck. Still a great buy with an inevitable price hike or look elsewhere?
Let's answer this question first:
Does the Squier brand follow the inflation rate?
Actually, they stay slightly ahead. Or at least in America they do.
The cost of a Squier Bullet Strat is listed by Fender as $149.99. You'll see the $149.99 has not been reflected just yet, but will shortly within the next few months. If you want a Bullet Strat cheap, GET IT NOW or you will pay more for it real soon. I'm not kidding.
When I bought a Squier Bullet Strat back in 2006, the cost was $119.99. The hike of the Bullet Strat guitar from $119.99 in 2006 to $149.99 in 2016 is about 9 bucks ahead of what inflation dictates what the guitar should sell for.
Do I agree with the price hike? No, but it does prove that Squier does follow the inflation curve and stays slightly ahead of it.
Does this mean guitar buyers should just grin and bear it?
No.
You do have alternatives, depending if you have the option to do so depending on preference. If you like Strats, Teles, Les Pauls and other common guitar shapes, there are plenty of alternative choices out there.
If on the other hand you like more specialized shapes such as Jaguar and Jazzmaster, you have fewer alternatives and will most likely have to remain with the Squier brand.
What about Rondo?
There is the possibility that I might buy an SX brand guitar this year. I'm feeling the urge to get a cheap all-maple neck Strat, and I can get that from Rondo for far less than Squier, and here's the kicker:
Rondo makes the better guitar. I've known this for a while now.
One thing I've never said about Squier is that all their guitars are great, because they're certainly not. I've sent back and/or traded out several Squiers because of problems. Electronics problems, neck problems, body problems, etc. Never have I said that Squier makes guitars perfect, because they certainly don't.
Rondo brands such as SX and Agile make far superior instruments that sell for less. The only reason I've not bought one is because there is literally no way to try it before buying it. Also, if I don't like the guitar and want to send it back, I'm stuck paying the return shipping fee for that, which is close to 15 USD.
However, with Squier's latest price hike, it's now worth the risk to buy Rondo because a $99 SX Strat is built better than a $300 Squier Vintage Modified Strat. So if I buy an SX Strat, the guitar + shipping is about $115. And if I try it and don't like it, that's a return cost of $15 that I lose. But like I said, it is worth the risk of losing 15 bucks, because otherwise I would be spending $320 (that's price of guitar + tax) for a Squier Vintage Modified Strat.
In other words, with Squier, it's now more true than ever I would be paying more for less compared to the SX brand from Rondo.
Is Squier worth it now?
Now as for what Jonathan asked about the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster '50s, is it worth the soon-to-be $400 price tag?
No.
And I'll tell you exactly why. That was the price of a FENDER BRANDED China-made Stratocaster, that being the Modern Player Series (no longer available). How do I know this? I owned one, and that was the price in 2012.
Granted, the Classic Vibe Series is Squier's top-of-the-line product for electrics. But now it's the price of a Fender model that existed barely 4 years ago? Sorry, no sale.
What about buying cheap used guitars to save a buck?
I don't recommend this unless you know how to work on a guitar neck. If you know how to level frets, replace frets, replace nuts and replace tuners and have the workspace for it, then go ahead and buy used.
When I wear out a guitar, I trade it out and just get another one. Other than my first guitar (the '89 Squier Strat), Squier guitars are not worth the effort to work on. It's better to just get rid of them and buy something else.
I mentioned above that I might be buying an SX Strat copy this year. I have a specific reason for this. I want all-maple neck Strat, but I don't want a Squier Affinity Stratocaster because that's now priced too high for what it is, and I know SX makes the better guitar for just 99 bucks.
If I decide to go SX, yes I will have to run the risk of buying-before-trying. I may hate the neck on it, and I may lose 15 bucks in shipping if I have to send it back for a refund. But maybe I will be pleasantly surprised and get something good. Time will tell.
Ultimately, you make the call
Having the accessible low-priced good guitar was Squier's game to lose.
Have they lost the game?
That's where you come in.
Your wallet does the talking here. If you think the price of a Squier electric is too expensive, then it is, and you seek out an alternative. It's your call.
Is the Casio F-91W the best wristwatch in the world?
It just might be.
From what I understand, the wristwatch industry absolutely hates the Casio F-91W, and for good reasons. But before I get into that, up until very recently I had, unbelievably, never owned an F-91W. I do now. And it very quickly became the best wristwatch I own.
Why?
Three reasons.
First, a genuine F-91W keeps time so well that you'd think it is secretly synchronizing with an atomic time server, but it doesn't. This thing doesn't even gain or lose so much as a second until more than a week has passed. I'm not kidding. Over the course of an entire year, an F-91W shouldn't gain or lose more than 3 minutes at most; that's some stellar performance right there.
Second, even though this watch is small, it's more readable than a watch twice its size. This is because the contrast of the LCD is near-perfect, meaning almost no discernible shadow from the segments. It is incredible how readable the little display is.
Third, the beep. I own other Casio digitals, but this one has an absolutely perfect beep sound. It's loud but strangely not obnoxious.
I like this watch so much that after owning it less than a week, I bought a second one as a backup. I don't suspect Casio will stop making the F-91W at any time soon, but if they ever do, at least I'm covered for the next, oh, 20 years. Heck, I might even buy a third just to make darned sure I'm not without one of these.
And yes, it typically takes the CR2016 battery about 7 to 10 years before it finally dies.
I finally understand why so many people love this watch
The F-91W is wristwatch perfection. Unbelievably accurate timekeeping, stupidly simple design, superior readability with near-perfect LCD contrast, all the function you need and nothing you don't.
Oh, and the best part. Cheap. Dirt cheap. This is why the wristwatch industry hates it so much.
From what I understand, Casio has been accused of trying to completely kill the wristwatch industry with its F-91W model along with other low-cost models. Prior to cheap plastic Casio digitals, a truly good and accurate wristwatch basically didn't exist.
There was a time when it was completely normal for wristwatches to gain or lose 5 to 10 minutes over the course of a week. In fact, to this day, it's still normal for even the most luxurious of mechanical movements to be +/- 5 to 10 minutes off per week even with the best of engineering. Quartz movement just can't be beat no matter what anyone says.
Accurate no matter where it's made, as long as it's genuine
What blows me away about the F-91W more than anything else is that you can totally depend on this thing. Whatever the F-91W states the time is, that is the time and you don't have to question it.
Something funny is that since this watch is so popular, there are many fakes out there. Fortunately, it's fairly easy to tell if you've got a fake or a real one.
The first and obvious thing is the LCD contrast. A genuine F-91W's display can be tilted almost flat and you will not see the display "shadow out" to 88:88. At any angle, it can be read easily.
Second is the "Easter egg". You hold down the right-side pusher for 2 seconds, and "CA510" appears on the display. Fake F-91Ws don't show this.
Third, the little "U" at bottom right, which is almost impossible to see without a magnifying glass, is printed just below the second S of RESIST at bottom right. On fakes, the "U" is larger and not aligned properly.
Fourth, the "WR" in the bottom middle has a very specific lean to both the W and the R. If you compare it to a fake, it's pretty easy to spot.
Now as far as where it's made, Casio has made this watch in 4 nations. Japan, Malaysia, China and Thailand. Mine is from Thailand, and I can assure you it is the genuine article.
Bad things about the F-91W?
There are only three.
First is the water resistance. Very low. You can splash it and submerge it for short periods of time, but that's about it. I wouldn't shower or swim with it on.
Second, the backlight for night viewing is very small and is not bright. Very dim, actually. It works, but just barely.
Third, the strap. It's Casio's infamous "resin" strap, meaning it will crumble apart after a few years. Fortunately, there are plenty of replacement straps out there and will continue to be for a long time.
An F-91W will probably outlast any technology you have right now
There's not much in the way of tech that can match the longevity of an F-91W. It will outlast smartphones, PCs, laptops, tablets, most microwave ovens and a whole bunch of other stuff. While everything else breaks, the F-91W will continue to work.
To have any piece of tech work perfectly for a decade for under 10 bucks new? That's a modern day miracle, and it's why the F-91W might just be the best wristwatch in the world.
Dean Zelinsky guitars review
This is a reader requested review.
(If there is a particular guitar or other piece of music gear you would like me to review, email me.)
Marc writes:
Could you review Dean Zelinsky guitars?
To be completely honest I am not necessarily shopping for guitars, I am happy with what I have for the time, but I am still incredibly curious about one guitar specifically (LaVoce) and the pick up he is promoting the "sidekick".
Before getting this email, I had never heard of Dean Zelinsky guitars. The photo above is the Tagliare model.
I describe Dean Zelinsky models as mid to upper-mid tier guitars, pricewise. They don't appear to have any super-boutique models, or at least not yet.
The "SideKick" pickup Marc stated in his email is supposedly a major selling point of Dean Zelinsky guitars, as it is touted to be the "first pickup to achieve true single-coil and true humbucking tones - all in a single pickup". That's their words, not mine.
Here's my take on the SideKick:
It's a good idea. I definitely like how the SideKick keeps the volume consistent whether using one coil or two. That is a genuine innovation in pickup tech. I'm also very appreciative of the fact it's a passive system and not active, because I personally can't stand guitars with batteries in them.
My favorite part of the SideKick in the Tagliare however has nothing to do with the pickup but actually the positioning of it. I really like the fact that in the way it's positioned, the rear coil matches that of a Fender Stratocaster traditional SSS layout. This means that yes, the positioning is correct and you can achieve true Strat-like tones out of the Tagliare with SideKick equipped in it.
Does position of a pickup mean everything? To me it does. If that SideKick were positioned even 2mm further back or forward, it simply wouldn't sound right in single-coil mode. Fortunately, it is positioned correct in the Tagliare model.
As for the LaVoce model, that's a single cutaway shape (sort of like a Les Paul), and I'm of the opinion that the sound of humbucker-to-single split or a tapped humbucker does not work on that body shape. If you're going to have singles on a single cutaway shape, P90 is the only one that really works for that real-deal single-coil tone there.
Guitars are bad investment pieces
There are certain things that are worth investing money in; guitars aren't one of them.
Take a Fender like the Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar. If you buy one of these for investment purposes, you're an idiot.
An example of something that would retain its value over time, provided it's properly cared for, is a Rolex Sea-Dweller wristwatch. You drop 9 or 10 grand on one of those, and it will retain its value plus gain value over time. In fact, it's almost a certainty it will because Rolexes are very, very good when acting as investment pieces. The same can be said for other certain wristwatch brands, but Rolex is an easy buy as long as you "keep it steel" (meaning not gold and not two-tone). Heck, even a Rolex Submariner will retain its value. If there is anything you want to dump money into as an investment that's not land, not a property and not a stock option, a wristwatch is actually pretty darned easy choice, provided you go Rolex.
Guitars are bad investment pieces. Really bad. Maybe not as bad as cars (if there were a top 5 "worst investments ever", cars would be in that list), but darned close.
Now to note: It is 100% okay to invest in yourself as player. If you drop 600 bucks on a Standard Strat and play the crap out of that thing, that is absolutely well and good because you're using the guitar for its intended purpose - TO PLAY IT.
But if you buy that guitar to have it do nothing but sit in a case and go unplayed, wow are you stupid. Why? Because there is absolutely no guarantee the guitar will gain value over time or even retain its existing value.
Take the bad investment option I mentioned above, cars. The reason cars are so stupid to invest in is because the depreciation value is so unbelievably high no matter which car you buy. Anyone in America knows that a brand new car with 0 miles on the clock loses 30% of its value the moment its driven off the lot. It doesn't matter if it's a Ford or a Ferrari. The moment you sign that dotted line and drive off the lot, whammo, that car just lost 30%.
Using that same scenario with new guitars, you lose 15% to 20% of its value after 30 days. This means for a brand new American Standard Strat, you lose between $195 to $260 the second the 30-day money back guarantee expires.
Will you ever make your money back? NO! That guitar, should you decide to sell it even just 3 months later, will be sold at a loss and there's not a thing you can do about it. It doesn't matter if it went unplayed, still has all its original stickers and doesn't have a scratch on it, you will lose.
And God help you if you dropped a few thousand on a more expensive guitar. The more you spend, the more you lose.
"How come I see other guitar players touting cheap axes as 'gem' or 'sleeper' guitar investments that I know are garbage from personal experience?"
GREAT QUESTION, and I'll give you a great answer:
To artificially inflate the value so it sells for more later.
I have seen several guitar players on YouTube - crappy ones, mind you - that purposely buy guitars that have no videos about them on the internet. These guys buy cheap guitars knowing they're junk, then record videos saying how great they are so they're #1 in a search result for that crappy axe. What that does is generate interest and, with any luck, inflates the value through good ol' hype. After a little while, they sell that junk guitar for a nice tidy profit.
Guys who do this are after one thing - your money. They're in the business of what's called "flipping" guitars. Buy cheap, hype up the axe, then sell for as high as possible. Happens all the time.
Are there any good investment opportunities with guitars?
There's only one way, and everyone has already beaten you to it:
Parts.
Guitar parts always sell better and faster than fully assembled instruments. An original set of vintage Fender Strat pickups, or knobs, or bridges, or string saddles or necks or whatever is actually much easier to sell than the actual guitar.
Guitar parts guys have been doing this on eBay for years, and in fact it's so profitable that several buy brand new guitars and purposely disassemble them just to "part them out". And oh yeah, they make money - EVEN WITH SQUIER PARTS! It's true.
But as I said above, everyone has beaten you to the punch. Don't get into the guitar parts business because there's a mountain of competition out there, and you will lose.
You want to invest in a thing that will pay you back later? Get a steel Rolex
Just pick a steel model you like. I mentioned the Sea-Dweller and Submariner above. Other models I'd recommend are the DateJust, Explorer, GMT and Daytona. Any one of those will pay you back over time.
Yes, a Rolex will cost you anywhere from $4,000 to even as high as $50,000 or greater, but it does retain and gain value. You can also choose to buy new or used with Rolex. Compared to guitars, it is okay to invest in a used Rolex piece in good condition. True, you have to look for things like over-polishing, re-dials (always avoid re-dials) and so on, but the point is you can get a good piece for a decent price and be comfortable with the purchase, provided it comes with the original box and papers.
Oh, and another thing. Obviously, a Rolex is far easier to store and care for compared to a guitar. Keep it in a safe at home or in a safety deposit box at the bank. If you keep it at home, you may want to get a watch winder so the gears stay moving and don't freeze up.
As for guitar investment pieces, there are none. Oh sure, there are expensive new and vintage guitars out there, to be sure, but they are ALL horrible investment pieces.
Buy a guitar for just one person. You. Don't buy it to keep in a case or hang on a wall just to sell it later. Buy it to play it, scratch it up, beat on it and make beautiful noise with the thing. Investing in a guitar to sell later is just plain stupid; you will lose your shirt.
I don't care if you spend $100 or $10,000 on a guitar as long as you never buy it as an investment piece. Buy it for the love of creating music.
You want an investment piece? Buy a Rolex. You want to make music? Buy a guitar.
Casio AE1200 mod hack thing to remove ladder bars
This hack/mod makes the Casio AE1200 watch much easier to get along with.
Yeah, another watch article. But you'll like this one, trust me.
I own a pair of Casio AE1200 watches. One which is all scratched up and definitely used, and the other sitting neatly in its box that has never been used.
A joke name for this watch is the "Casio Royale", named after the James Bond film Casino Royale. I don't know exactly why fans of this watch named it that, but they did.
Whether you get the watch with a steel bracelet, resin strap or nylon strap such as mine is, they all have the same face.
At the middle-to-upper right side of the face are those two stupid thin ladder bars that cast large shadows on the LCD. What a stupid design decision it was to do that. You would not believe how much these things get in the way when trying to read the date or the function indicators at top right.
Thankfully, the AE1200 is easy to take apart. Four little screws, take off the back plate, a little squeeze on the inner mechanism and the whole thing just pops right out.
I've got to hand it to Casio here, the AE1200 was designed well, as this thing is stupidly easy to take apart and service if necessary. It also allows for really easy modding.
All it takes to remove the bars is just to put the front plate face-down, then cut the bars with an Xacto knife.
After that, just put it back together and ta-da, done.
I said at the beginning that this makes the watch much easier to get along with, and I meant that. Without those stupid ladder bars, I can now see the weekday/month/day and top indicators much easier since they're small to begin with.
I've seen other mods of this watch where the "WORLD TIME" and "ILLUMINATOR" outer case text is removed, and some will even go so far as to remove "5 ALARMS" and "10 YEAR BATTERY" from the inner face as well using Goo Gone cleaner and some good ol' scraping. Will I remove that text? Maybe. I'll have to give it some thought.
Something that surprises me is how much more expensive the watch looks with those bars gone. It almost looks like an older ritzy Seiko digital.
As you can probably tell, I'm really happy with this mod. Very simple, very easy, took under 10 minutes to do, improves the readability of the face, looks great. It pretty much doesn't get any better than that.