Squier By Fender

Squier by Fender is the second-line brand of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The Squier Company was founded in Michigan by Victor Carroll Squier in 1890. The company’s early years were dedicated to producing strings for violins, banjos, and later guitars. It wasn’t until the year 1965 that Squier was acquired by Fender. Guitar players today classify Squier guitars under two categories of being the perfect budget/student instrument as well as being affordable yet identical looking versions of Fender’s models like the Stratocasters and Telecasters. Tom Lee Music is proud to carry a wide variety of Squier by Fender instruments like the telecaster affinity, bullet strat, classic vibe telecaster or Squier jazzmaster. Shop online or through our retail stores in Vancouver, Richmond, North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Langley and Victoria.

HISTORY OF SQUIER BY FENDER

When Squier first launched in Europe in the early 1980s, the company offered classic reproductions of Fender’s popular models like the iconic Stratocasters, Telecasters, Precision Basses and Jazz Basses. Most of the production and manufacturing of Squier guitars happened in Japan. In 1982, Fender Japan Ltd. was created, and it was generally acknowledged that the build quality of Fender instruments made in Japan equaled, or even succeeded their stateside counterparts. The company represents a global company dedicated both to manufacturing and marketing American music instruments, something that Leo Fender would have never imagined while working in his California radio shop with Doc Kauffman in the 1940s.

Squier and Fender Japan represent an important chapter in the history of one of the greatest manufacturers of electric guitars. While Fender was transitioning to new premises and management, a stopgap measure to fight foreign competition was implemented. Since then, this measure has become one of the biggest musical instrument manufacturing success stories in history. While Squier may have started out as a budget brand, their high quality yet economical instruments continue to find many fans. From the Squier Stratocaster to the Squier Telecaster, these affordable, yet quality instruments have helped many beginner guitarists offering prime medium-class models.