Squier CV 60s Strat LPB

I own three Fender guitars including this Squier, including an American made Telecaster (Performer series) and a Mexican made Strat (Roadhouse Deluxe), this classic vibe is the guitar that I keep on its stand, ready to pick up when I fancy playing, and its a wonderful guitar to play. It has a gloss neck, vintage style tuners, great sounding pickups, an amazing finish that is very similar to my lake placid blue Roadhouse strat. If you are a beginner this is a perfect starter guitar, if you are after a second guitar that doesn't need to be kept in a case this wont disappoint. Check out some videos for sound demos (especially the clean sounds). I use a Yamaha THR 10 and this sounds amazing through it. Great mix of vintage details for a very good value price if you don't mind missing the word Fender on the headstock!

Guitar in the picture is not what you'll get. The one you get will have proper 60s pickguard with that screw between neck and middle pickup. Everything else is pretty much the same. Thomann please change the pictures.

First of all I have more than 10 guitars which are all more pricey than this one and this one is made exceptionally well. From my perspective better than California made (there are no made in USA fender guitars any more) or Mexico made, not sure about Japan made because I don't have any. Yes you get probably better hardware on Made in Mexico and made in California but everything else is better made.

Pros:

Frets are miles ahead of the Mex and California made ones. Look at the pictures and pay attention to the fret ends and how they are not sticking on the sides.

Pickups are just marvel, alnico, well paired with 5,8 bridge, 6,2 reverse polarity mid and 6,5 bridge. Better sounding than the muddy ones in my vintera.

Perloid dots compared to clay or just plain plastic in more expensive models

Neck perfectly fits, compared to California made ones. You may even end up with shimed neck on AV II.

Better truss rod screw placement. (actually usable without need to unscrew your neck)

9,5 neck radius. (personal preference but if you want to play slide at all you'll know that 7,25 is a nightmare)

Body made of Nyatoh. Just great sounding. 3.3 kg guitar. Good luck finding that weight with fender.

Fantastic piece of laurel, dark as rosewood and if you check simillary hard as rosewood (so don't complain, because it's not like you gonna get authentic brazilian rosewood on more expensive "more authentic" models)

Bridge although not better is better designed. It has small groves beneath screws so saddles stay in place.

Cons:

Other than bridge not having massive vibrato block, if that's your thing not much.

vibrato arm is a bit wobbly (easy fix with the spring inside the vibrato arm hole)

Oh, yeah, it's not nitro! Well, sorry. It's 21st century, grow up.

Highly recommended instead of any pricier model if you're not nit picky person which has longing for the old days and still believes that American made products are better. Wait a second, there are no made in USA labeled fenders any more.

As I am a fanatic Squier collector I had to buy one, certainly after reading al the unbelievable good reviews e.g. here on the Thomann website.

Playability out of the box:

There was a quality control label attached to the neck with action hight measurements on different frets along the neck and a radius and intonation check was performed on the guitar like on a custom shop model before you pick it up in person at your guitar luthier.
In one word: amazing!

Strings:

They put Fender strings on it but these Fender regular 9’s string set do not get this guitar alive and kicking in the way she deserves. My advice is to simply spend 6 euro extra on your order for a set of good old Voodoo Child 10’s or D’Addario EXL 10’s.

Neck:

Smooth as butter, this is a triple winner neck, the 60’s slim C grip and 9,5 inch radius is done perfectly, the Indian Laurel fingerboard has a nice mellow accent to it, perfect fretwork with not one sharp end.

Hardware:

Comparing it with mij 1995 AM Strat there was a little difference in warmth on the neck pickup. After lifting the pickup up it became a little less glassy and wishfully fuzzier and warmer. Very good sound even clean these new Fender designed Alnico pickups.
The bridge has a real big boy’s block in a real resonating body and good saddles.
The volume and tone pots feel confident and reduce halfway down in a honest Fender way. The guitar has a good balance, fast neck, bone nut was in need of a little smoothening and graphite for better playability but was done correctly, the strings have no dead spots anywhere and no buzzing.

Overall conclusion:

On a 10 points scale this here Squier 60’s Classic Vibe deserves a 10.
I have had several Classic Vibes, all given them away because they were missing the Magic Sparkle which makes you want to play it over and over again.

This one certainly has the Magic Sparkle.
Fantastic! Thomann thanks for another perfect delivery and Fender, keep up the good work! Obviously you have not lost your Magic Touch.....