Squier Super-Sonic

Infobox Guitar model|title=Squier Super-Sonic


bgcolor=#FFFFFF
manufacturer=Fender
period=1996—1998
bodytype=Solid
necktype=Bolt-on
woodbody=Basswood
woodneck=Maple
woodfingerboard=Rosewood
bridge=Vintage strat style vibrato
pickups=2 Humbuckers, Duncan designed
colors= Olympic White, Black, Blue Sparkle, Silver Sparkle

The Squier Super-Sonic was a guitar manufactured and sold by Fender for two years in the 1990's. 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.

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pecifications

The Super-Sonic came in 4 colours: Olympic White, Blacks 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.

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 Rodriguez-Lopez of the bands At the Drive-In and The Mars Volta (although Roudriguez-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-hardcoresuch as Dann Hannah from I Wish I Was An Astronaut. As of recent Singer/Songwriter Jesse Lacey or the band Brand New has been playing a black Super-Sonic at recent shows and even on his solo tours with Kevin Devine.

References

cite web
last =
first = Harmony Central
title = The Squier Vista Series
url=http://www.harmony-central.com/Events/WNAMM97/Fender/Vista-Series.html
accessdate = 2007-04-02

cite web
last = Godwin
first = R
title = Information about the Squier Super-Sonic
url=http://squiersupersonic.co.uk/?page_id=4
accessdate = 2007-04-02

External links

* [http://www.squierguitars.com Squier Guitars]
* [http://www.fender.com Fender Guitars]
* [http://www.squiersupersonic.co.uk Squier Super Sonic Website]
* [http://www.harmony-central.com/Events/WNAMM97/Fender/Vista-Series.html Harmony Central: Squier Vista Series]
* [http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Fender/Squier+Super+Sonic/10/1 Harmony Central: User reviews]
* [http://www.shortscale.org Shortscale Forum]