My New (Used) Squier Strat...

Great news Mike.

Feeling great right out of the box is a bonus.

As far as the scratches go. If you can't feel them with your fingernail running across it then you might be able to use car care products, light application of polishing compound, followed up with wax might remove those scratches. Anything you can feel will require a bit more agressive proceedures. One thing to remember when "getting out scratches" is that you aren't filling the scratch you are actually taking the surrounding area down to the level of the depth of the scratch. So obviously the deeper the more problematic it becomes. Another thing to remember is that poly-urethanes can be difficult to fix while nitroceluous makes easier repairs, but the poly coatings stand up to wear better. Your guitar will be a poly coating. As you said, try anything on a small spot on the back first.

Best of luck with it.

Rock on,
Michael

Great news Mike.

Feeling great right out of the box is a bonus.

As far as the scratches go. If you can't feel them with your fingernail running across it then you might be able to use car care products, light application of polishing compound, followed up with wax might remove those scratches. Anything you can feel will require a bit more agressive proceedures. One thing to remember when "getting out scratches" is that you aren't filling the scratch you are actually taking the surrounding area down to the level of the depth of the scratch. So obviously the deeper the more problematic it becomes. Another thing to remember is that poly-urethanes can be difficult to fix while nitroceluous makes easier repairs, but the poly coatings stand up to wear better. Your guitar will be a poly coating. As you said, try anything on a small spot on the back first.

Best of luck with it.

Rock on,
Michael

Thanks for the advice mikey...the scratches are definitely surface scratches and look as if someone took a pencil eraser to make them (it's the only way to describe it). I usually detail every car I own so I have a few products laying around. The GS27 is the best I have seen for sctatches that are not deep.

I'll post pics tonight. By the time I got the strings and fixed the buzzing it was kind of late to even play the guitar. I didn't even get a practice in. I just tinkered with it a bit but it sounds great even tinkering! I now think I will get the Squier Tele I have wanted...

OH how these GAS pains hurt! :twisted: :roll: :lol:

Mike,
Sounds like you got a pretty good deal. I don't have any experience with Squires, but I have been looking at the Squire Tele also... GAS!
:D Dan

All the steps for a basic setup are on my web site. You can check things without making the adjustments. That way you know if it needs to be done or not.

No harm can be done in checking and it's easy and free.

OH I know something needed to be done by the buzzing. I think I got it now but I had to turn the screws almost 2 full turns to get it set. By the looks it seems about the same as my Agile now...I plan on taking it in and having it setup for .10's though...I thought about it and I wanted one electric with .10's just for a different sound/feel.
Man I can't count how many 9s I've broken. Don't use 'em any more.

Congrats Mike!

Sounds really nice. I am thinking of getting a Squire Tele someday, just to have one. I hear really good things about them. Beyond that I am developing an addiction to cheap guitars! :D

How are those pickups, by the way? Oh---and glad to hear you got the trem out of the jack easily! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Mike, two ting to check for on your string buzz. If it has a rose type trem make sure the string clamps blocks didn't fall out of the guide hole. This will make the clamps sit crooked and give an awful buzz or break the strings. Loosen the neck relief a 1/4 turn, that should give you some bow to the neck. You will probably have to adjust the bridge hieght just a touch after words but adjusting the neck is something you should learn to do. Trust me when I say you will have to reef on that bolt pretty hard to break the truss rod. Make your adjustments a little at a time and you will be fine.

I have to do the same on my new Jackson, matter of fact I had to guy a wrench this morning to do it. Not a big deal.

Mike

Congrats on the new guitar. :D

I own a Squier Standard Tele and it is a nice guitar. Squier is a good buy with very good quality for a very reasonable price.

I gotta disagree with Sid V on the neck relief though. Usually when the truss rod is overtightened, this causes the neck to be too straight or even convex (headstock bowed down). This will cause fret buzz usually between frets 1-5.

The opposite is too much relief (headstock bowed up). This will often result in fret buzz between frets 5-12. This COULD be what is happening. Or possibly the last owner just lowered the saddles so low that it caused buzz.

Imagine a string suspended over a bowl. As you press the string down over the center of the bowl, eventually it will touch the bowl's edge. This is what happens when you have too much relief. Your strings touch further up the neck.

Mr. Gearhead has good instructions for setup. It is not difficult if you take your time.

Mr. Gearhead

Click on "Squier Acoustic, Electric, Guitar and Bass Setup" below, PDF format.

Well I screwed EVERYTHING up now. The strings are VERY high and I STILL get buzzing! What do I do now!!!? I followed ALL your advice to the LETTER.

Thanks

...

Mike

Follow this order. Go slow and have fun.

1) Make sure your relief is correct. See the link I gave you for Mr. Gearhead above.

2) Make sure your bridge floats parallel to the body when guitar is tuned to pitch. This is done by adjusting the tension of the springs underneath. Take the plate off to get to the springs. Be patient, sometimes this takes 3 or 4 adjustments. :cry:

3) Adjust the action or string height by adjusting saddle height. See the Mr. Gearhead page for specs.

4) Check intonation and adjust if necessary. Use an electronic tuner. Tune each string to correct pitch. Then fret that string at the 12th fret. If the fretted note is sharp (normal), loosen the string (slack) and move the saddle back slightly. Retune string to pitch and check fretted note at 12th fret. Try to match pitch exactly or as close as possible. If fretted note is flat (rare), loosen string and move saddle slightly forward. Retune and compare open string with note fretted at 12th fret. Again, be patient, it takes a little while to get intonation right. :?

5) Check action again (intonation can change string height slightly). Make minor adjustments if necessary.

If you take your time, you should have a nicely set up guitar. :D

Mike. Start over

Before you do either of the following make sure the bridge (trem) is seated properly

First of all check the neck relief.

Put a capo on the first fret and fret the string at the 14th fret. Measure the distance between the bottom of the string and the top of the 6th or 7th fret wire. Should be about 5 to 15 thousandths or reoughly the thickness of a business card. Check the high and low E this way. If the gap is too big turn the truss rod clockwise looking down the neck. No more than 1/8 of a turn at a time. Obviously if it is too small turn it counter clockwise.

Now do the string height.

Don't fret anything but measure the distance between the bottom of the string and the top of the 12th fret. It should be about 5/64 for the low E and 3/64 for the high e.

You need to do both of these steps if just to verify the neck relief is OK. Which by the way I doubt right now.

If you want more detail on how to do this go to my site or MrGearhead. Your choice.

The saddles are up as high as they will go AND I made 3 full turns on the truss rod and I can't even play it now! Sorry guys but I am PISSED! I can't afford a setup!

Either follow Wes' instructions or my instructions and you will be fine.

Nils...I have NOTHING to measure with! You need a feeler gauge...I don't have one. As of now my guitar is useless

EDIT

I did follow Wes's instructions

Mike

Yes, it sounds like you went the wrong way on the truss rod. I believe you have loosened it. This causes the neck (headstock) to bow upward which will create very high action.

Tighten the truss rod until the neck almost looks straight if you do not have a ruler or feeler gauge. It should have just a very slight upturn around the 3rd fret. Look down the neck from the headstock to the body along the frets on the bass string side.

IF THE TRUSS ROD GETS VERY TIGHT, STOP. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE TRUSS ROD!

By the way, when making any adjustments (truss rod, action, intonation) first loosen the strings until they are very slack. But it is not necessary to take them off. Just turn back the tuners a few turns.

Mike

Yes, it sounds like you went the wrong way on the truss rod. I believe you have loosened it. This causes the neck (headstock) to bow upward which will create very high action.

Tighten the truss rod until the neck almost looks straight if you do not have a ruler for feeler gauge. It should have just a very slight upturn around the 3rd fret. Look down the neck from the headstock to the body along the frets on the bass string side.

IF THE TRUSS ROD GETS VERY TIGHT, STOP. DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN THE TRUSS ROD!

By the way, when making any adjustments (truss rod, action, intonation) first loosen the strings until they are very slack. But it is not necessary to take them off. Just turn back the tuners a few turns.

I am not messing with ANYTHING! I already screwed it up and now I can't play it! As far as I am concerned I wasted my time and money!