Alright, Squier
The story of Squier, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year (see cover feature, page 68) is one of unintended consequences. Firstly, when Fender first introduced solidbody electrics to a sceptical music industry in 1950, it was probably hoping just to get its upstart designs accepted in the US. How could the company have known that, 30 years later, one of its biggest problems would be competition from cheap Japanese-made clones of the now hugely popular Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster and so on? In a strange way, Fender went from outsider to victim of its own global success in just three decades. But by creating an affordable sub-brand, Squier, to take the heat off the flagship Fender guitars that were threatened by the creations of Tokai and others, the company created…