How To “Custom Shop” Your Squier 

I'm off to a bad start: I can't hear anything wrong with the stock Squier.

The main take away is that what really makes a guitar sound good is the person playing it.

Rhett, I am absolutely blown away dude. I don’t even know where to begin. You and Tilly becoming family so quickly is something I will cherish forever and this guitar and video will constantly remind me of these past few months and the beautiful moments we’ve shared from eating delicious ribeye with our hands in my kitchen to producing a live recording of 7 artists in 24 hours in my bike shop. Thank you just doesn’t seem to cut it. I’ve been so busy I didn’t get to watch the whole video until tonight and I literally had no idea you were sending me the Jazzmaster until it was at my home and in my hands. Love you and Tilly forever. Can’t wait to play this guitar with you soon. ❤ Now I got me a Jazzmaster!!! Thank you my friend. I’m speechless and that doesn’t happen ever.

I closed my eyes during the initial comparison and really listened. Before you did anything both sounded great in their own way anyway.

Just wanted to note for anyone who feels that the custom shop model sounds a little “warmer” than the upgraded squier… the custom shop has been using 250k pots in their jazzmasters as of late. It’s not true to the original design, but many people prefer the sound. So it’s another switch worth considering if you find your jazzmaster a touch too bright. All that said, great video on some truly transformative and affordable upgrades Rhett! Keep it up!

I closed my eyes while listening to the sound comparison and every time i preferred the squier

When I was touring, I used to do this to my Squiers. Obviously, money was always tight. So, finding quality guitars at affordable prices was impossible. You used to be able to find pawn shop deals and hotrod them to make useable stage instruments. I haven't been in a pawn shop in decades. So, I don't know if that is still true. My last "build" was a Squier standard Tele. I put in Custom Shop Texas Specials and added a middle Strat pup. I didn't have a router but careful use of a wood chisel worked just as well. I also replaced all of the wiring, pots, caps and replaced the 3 way switch with a 5 way. I could have installed a push/pull tone pot to get a ton of pickup selections but I chose to wire the 5 way with my own preferences of pickup combinations. Most of my pawn shop builds found homes with young and promising pickers that couldn't afford a decent guitar. My last Squier Tele build, I kept. I still drag it out occasionally. It still plays and sounds great. 😊😊😊

18:29 I did this trick with my 1998 Epiphone Les Paul. Every few years, I break out the 0000 steel wool and make about 4 passes over the back of the neck to make it less sticky! 😊

Getting the plastic wrap off in one piece - so satisfying

Hey Rhett, I am a guitar technician in Los Angeles Ca, this video solidifies what can be done to “most” less expensive guitars. I say most cause some cheaper guitars are cannot be deemed playable due to a severely warped neck, frets although frets can be serviced and be very good. All in all, with a little $$ even cheap guitars can be made to play and play very well.every once in a while one slips through and only needs pick ups and there are so many aftermarket pickup brands that you can purchase pickups south of $100.00 and you be hard pressed to hear the difference. Thanks Rhett. Tim Russell Guitar.

great sounding guitar.....also, gotta love the "pinche way" street sign behind Ben at 13:54 !!!!

100% what I do. Have a standard tele, an old Epiphone 335, and a player Strat that have all been “custom shopped”, and I always get tone compliments every show. Also, Ben is the 🐐

One of the great joys of my life now is what I've learned by slowly upgrading my Standard Tele that I got as a gift in 2011. What I haven't changed or fixed up is a very small list. I've really loved learning how to solder and sand and file and whatever else.

This is by far one of your best videos Rhett. Bravo!!! really great integration of guitar parts, other professionals and informative subject matter. Cheers!

Les Paul player detected at 22:26 :P The comparison in the end... I can keep listening to it for all day long, awesome!!! To me, low end is something I believe cannot be achieved in a cheaper guitar no matter which component is upgraded. This is what I noticed not only on this video, but on other similar ones. Cheers

Having built a few guitars with my Dad I'd take doing a custom job all day. You can make it EXACTLY what you want it to be. The bigger thing to me though is because you are doing all that stuff yourself, it really makes the guitar feel like it's yours. The ones we've built will never EVER be sold. The personal connection we have to them is something you just can't replicate and I love it.

I did this to Harley Benton TE-62 Telecaster. Replaced pickups with custom wound ones, replaced electronics, had a proper setup from a good luthier and some smaller neck adjustments. It sounds amazing and it is not as heavy weighted as everybody is saying. The biggest difference of course was in pickups, but the rest also does it's a part more or less. If you don't have a budget for expensive Fenders, Gibsons etc., try this. It definitely can work, you just need to find a cheaper guitar that "rings". In other words, that is made from decent piece of wood. If that is the case, these mods can take the instrument to a really good place. :)

I love all episodes with Ben!

Great job and killer gift for the Bike guy! I enjoyed watching you and Josh in the video of the gravel race and gig. The bike guy will definitely love this guitar.

I did a similar thing to my MIM strat, Texas special pickups, upgraded the harness, bone nut locking tuners. Very happy with the result. 😊

Cool upgrade and sound soo better and closer to the custom!

Dude this video is insanely good!! I am in the midst of this EXACT project!! Thank you so much for this! You rule!

I bought a Squier Stratocasters vintage 70s and it is the best feeling strat I ever owned. I did replace the pickups to the Cradle Rocks and the tuners to what is on Robin Trower strat. It is now a beast.

Love that street sign behind Ben. PINCHE way !! 😂🤣😂

I customized a 72' Squire Thinline and it is now one of my favorite guitars, (but I added a sick custom Warmoth neck too) and I have a Relic'ed 62' Custom Shop Strat. Nothing wrong with doing this and we all love a good project if it can become a cool toy later. Thanks again Rhett, another great vid.

To fix the shallow string angle, you just have to shim the neck. A shallow angle will always remain whether you change the saddles or not. New saddles will decrease the chance of strings popping out, but changing the angle of the neck will fully fix the issue.

My main guitar for years was a highly modded Squier ‘51 I bought at a pawnshop for $80. I put new pickups in it, Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and a single coil size Seymour Duncan ‘59 in the neck, string through mod, locking tuners, fretwork, fender string through bridge with 60s style saddles, custom paint job, and professional setup. It’s my favorite guitar with a lot of memories. I wish I could upload a photo in the comments…it’s beautiful…at least to me lol.

These more tech/mechanical videos are pretty cool. They’re all cool, but obviously I enjoy these ones. Thanks, dude.

These drums are so groovy on the jam part. Love it

Honestly, the stock Squier sounds pretty great.

Great job on this. Sounds great. Not as warm as the Fender but still holds its own. Fantastic luthier tips as well. Thanks Rhett.

As always I love your playing. Great feeling.

Such a great mod. You are a great friend Rhett, giving him a one of a kind top notch, better than new Squier. The tones were so so good from each of those JMs.

Perfect timing, I *just* bought a CME FSR Player Jazzmaster like last week with the intent of doing some upgrades! Definitely gonna be taking notes from this vid

Your content has really been next level lately man! 🔥🔥🔥

That screwdriver trick on the fretboard edges is great. Just transformed my unbound BFG Les Paul neck.

Thanks A lot Rhett! Now everyone gonna be a guitar tech:)

Great feel, great fingers, great amp is all you need to make great music.

Perfect friggin timing. Thanks, Rhett.

I just did this to my Jay Mascus Jazz But I also replaced the neck, put in Fralin hum canceling Jazz PU's, and soldered in all new electronics,put a bridge from an American professional Jag on it and a new tremolo Guitars spectacular now. Nice Video Rhett.

I love the video--lots of actionable insights. I got a great sound with a Mastery trem and bridge--lots of options these days for JMs.

Hell yeah! I just ordered a CV Strat and I'll be doing this exact thing with it!

My PRS ZM. Hot rodded to the 9s with Cremas, ratio tuners, rewired and switchcraft parts. Been my number 1 since 2018.

The clear pickguard was cool too.

About a month ago I had 30th St Guitars in Manhattan install Elvis Costello’s custom spec Lindy Fralin Noiseless Pickups on my CIJ Jazzmaster along with the Black Bobbin wiring harness swapped for 500k pots and I couldn’t be happier. The guitar is a machine now. I had the antiquities for a while but they just weren’t doing what I wanted.

Great video, Rhett! Always have been curious about those kinds of mods.

I customed my cheap gretsch ( the less paul version) everything other than the guitar body. ( neck stayed the same, but had fretwork and adjustments... My favorite guitar..my number 1

I did this exact same thing, only I used a Squier JMJM neck and a Fender Vintera JM body. Totally worth it.

Phenomenal tasty playing, Rhett!

I changed the electronics in a Squier Tele for an Obsidian Wire solderless kit with a treble bleed built in. It made a tremendous improvement in sound.

Great job, Rhett. Thank you so much. I've been thinking about getting a beater so I can start hot-rodding and approach my more expensive guitars with less intimidation when working on them. This vid definitely motivated me to get my a** in gear and start looking for a cool used guitar I can upgrade with parts and relic or repaint.

Im not a tech either Rhett but i do the same basic things to my guitars. Electronics and pots get replaced, fret board rolled the same way (its an old carpenter trick i learned buildings houses and cabinets). A new Graphtech nut, completely intonated and adjusted, and frets dressed. Saved me lots of money, and now i do it on my friends guitars too.

13:04 I spit my coffee on my hoodie. Thanks, Rhett!

Rocking the Mid South t-shirt 💪🏻

We need “today I AM a guitar technician” merch 😂

Recently I bought a cheap, used L5 knock off (1995 Samick) as I tried it in the store it floored me with it's tone. As soon as I took it out to really check set up, my grandson dropped a handful of picks in the f holes. When I pulled out the pup and found some real gibson pafs.

I got a Squier J mascis Put on a Mastery bridge Series switch instead of rhythm circuit Lots of fret work It’s one of the best playing guitars I own It plays and sounds great

Your playing is sounding great man

Ben is my hero! I wanna make him a living space in my home, feed him dinner, give him whatever he wants and ask him to tech all my guitars. LOL. Perfect vid for what I needed today. Thanks Rhett. 🎶🎶🌅🎶🎶

Great video. I've modded a few guitars, and in my opinion the nut is the main secret sauce of a good guitar. It is the hardest to get right and to have the skill to correct it. Everything else you can work around. But if the nut is not right, if the neck is not right... do not spend the money to buy and much less upgrade it. I've learned some cool tricks with this video, so thanks a lot.

I took a similar approach with my Epiphone Sheraton. Took the guts out of a 335 and swapped em in. Massive upgrade for a fraction of the cost.

I’ve done my custom version of Squier Tele. I love it

Rhett, get a MIJ Fender Strat 62 reissue from the 1980’s or 1990’s, change frets, pickups and electronics, give it a setup and you’re off to a huge surprise.

I “upgraded” my Squier Contemporary Jaguar HH with Graphtech tuner/nut, Babicz bridge, Fishman Fluence Classics and I absolutely love it. The neck is glorious and it’s a guitar I can’t currently buy from Fender with a roasted maple neck and sculpted heel. Plays amazing, sounds amazing and looks unreal!!

i haven´t seen the video yet, but i know that this is the kind of video that i needed.

Thanks for this - got my daughter a Squier & she plays out so we started upgrading by replacing the tuners and nut, but the bridge is an issue as well. Going to try these further recommendations.

I upgraded my Squier Jaguar. Fender locking tuners, Graphtec nut and saddles, USA pickups and Japanese tremolo. It’s great

Excellent vid, Rhett. I did a few similar modifications to my J. Mascis Squire Jazzmaster although I decided to keep the stock pickups because they actually sound pretty great. Swapped-out parts: Staytrem Bridge, TUSQ nut, Fender OEM Tremolo, 00 steel wool to the back of the neck, and added copper shielding tape in the control cavities for better noise rejection. Now, it's one of my favourite guitars and when you see my collection, that's saying something. Next, I'm going to try rolling the edges along with a few passes of 320 grit sandpaper and see how it feels. (Excellent tips, BTW). Cheers!

I just recently did a similar project with a Squier CV 50’s Tele. Duncan Alnico 2 Pro pickups, Hoagland Custom 5way wiring harness, and similar neck work I put into it.

Thinking about the overall quality of the Fender products that have been outsourced overseas, the quality has gotten a lot better ... over the years. I got a used 50th Anniversary Squire P-Bass (China Made) and it was VERY good. Great neck profile and feel. I knew that I could do better with some higher quality pickups ... and yes it was. I installed a hip-shot style bridge and that was an improvement. For what I have invested in that bass, I am very satisfied. I've played many new Squire Tele's and Strat's that were almost unplayable out of the box. To get those guitars into "playable "shape would have been a big project. Thanks for another great vid.

Squire sounded so good I had to switch tabs to see which one you were playing Great video!

This is right up my alley. I've been thinking about doing something similar to a JM for a while. I figure that I would at the very least change the tremolo, and possibly the bridge. Good to see that it can be done. I know it's out of scope for this vid, but it would be interesting to see how the replacement pups sound in the original wiring harness.

I was in the market for a Jazzmaster and after watching your earlier video, I went with the Squier (from Sweetwater). It looks and sounds great. Such a great value. I do need to knock the edges of the frets back a bit, and I love the steel wool-to-the-neck idea. I like the pickups through my set up, and I have no intention of "upgrading" them or the wiring. Maybe the bridge will get swapped out for a Mustang bridge if I have trouble with it, but so far, so good. And since I rarely even think about using the tremelo, that's going to stay Squier stock. But I've been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the "budget" instruments on the market these days. My Jazzmaster is light years better than the Squiers of my youth. Thanks Rhett. I've watched you sporadically for a while, but I'm now hitting subscribe!

I just put Lollars in mine. That's it. Amazing guitar.

A few months ago I bought a Squier Affinity Jazzmaster that had sat in my local store for over a year..I loved the burgundy mist finish and I knew I could do a little mod to improve the guitar. I swapped out the pick ups for Vintage Fender 65’s and swapped out the white pick guard for a tortoise shell..Didn’t upgrade the electronics..But I might look to do that later down the track. Also just treated the neck with Monty’s Instrument food which has made a vast difference! Had a good set up and I’ve had nothing but complements on the videos I’ve posted using it! Best thing I ever did for this guitar! 🤓🤘🏻

I did the exact same upgrade. Put in Antiquity IIs in a lefty antique white CV Jazzmaster. Got a Staytrem bar. Kept stock saddles and trim they work fine (lefty trim as an aftermarket part from Fender not available). Got frets leveled. Plays a dream. BIG THING NOT MENTIONED. Noticed the demos in video the CV sound was had more top end than CS. This is because the replacement wiring harness has 1 meg pots. That's the classic Jazzmaster sound but many players today are backing away from that much top end in a Jazzmaster, in the old days you'd reach for the tone control on the guitar to tame it. Today many Jazzmaster players either put in 500k (or as someone here said even 250K they believe to be standard in CS Jazzmasters today) OR buy Antiquity I pickups that have Alnico II magnets instead of the Alnico V in the Antiquity II. Rhett didn't say which Antiquities he put in his redo, that makes a world of difference. My advice is 500K pots with Alnico V Antiquity IIs it's the goldilocks zone of emphasized top you want in a Jazzmaster, plenty of nice bite and chime but you're not instantly and forever using the tone pot to tame it. If you want a mellower sound go with the Antiquity Is with Alnico II it's the sound of a late 50's Jazzmaster that is more mellow. Alnico II with 1 meg pots will sound in the zip code of the CS guitar in the demo. For jazz as designed :). But I suspect Fender may have moved to Alnico Vs in the 60's when they couldn't sell enough guitars to jazz players but the surf guys were buying them like hotcakes for "that sound." The key balance and interaction here is magnet type vs. pot spec. These two factors have the highest impact on the warm/bright characteristic of your guitar. Not going into body wood or fretboard here, but definitely pots and magnets are the key. For a brighter guitar use 1 meg pots or Alnico Vs. 1 meg + Alnico V will tear your head off but maybe that's what you're after. 250k + Alnico II will be the most warm mellow sound but IMHO doesn't sound like a Jazzmaster it sounds almost like a Tele to me. 500k + Alnico Vs to my ears is that "ah, that's better" moment where you stop managing the top end. And for the Squire CV Jazzmasters with poplar bodies which some say are snappier than Fender alder Jazzmasters this helps moderate that factor as well.

I'm actually in the process of doing a similar upgrade with my own classic vibe jazzmaster. So far I've done a bunch of setup, replacing the trem for the Fender AVRI trem, and I've sanded the back of the neck to remove the gloss. Planning on throwing some gotoh tuners in, replacing the bridge with a staytrem, and replacing the pickups with a set from Sunday Handwound

My favorite guitar is a Squier 70's Classic Vibe ($399) with a 920D loaded pickguard with the Seymour-Duncan Hot-Rodded Humbucker HH 4-wire pickup set ($259). The guitar is light, the neck is great, and it sounds great. The guitar had an HSS setup originally, so I just had to router out the neck pickup cavity. I did everything myself. I had looked and tried the Mexican Strats, but most of them had neck profiles that I didn't like, and were heavier.

Great video. The tip about using 0000 steel wool on the back of the neck was really helpful. I was going to chime in and say - why not get an MIM Jazzmaster, swap the pickups, and then do the setup. Then I checked the prices of new MIM Jazzmasters and realized the guitar alone is more than the Squier plus all the enhancements.

I did something similar to my Epiphone Les Pauls. My 1993 Korean Cherry Burst is a champ now. The Seymour Duncan Saturday Night Specials in it sound phenomenal through my Vox VTX 100. Gear doesn't have to be very expensive to sound great. A lot of the budget gear we have today is as good or better than a lot of the classic gear was in its day. Most problems with these budget guitars could be solved with a real set up and some fret & neck work. The rest is for those who are passionate enough to do it.

Great video. there is also a case to be made for doing the wiring loom before the pickups; the improved pots jack etc will show what your stock pickups are really like, they may be ok enough to live with while you take time to choose. If you aren't brave enough to go for wire wool(or you are heavy handed ) start with plain paper, it's a very mild abrasive

I know nothing about how Jazzmasters are "supposed" to sound, but being a Tele fan, I think I enjoyed the brighter sound of the Squier to the warmer sound of the custom shop. As others have mentioned.. that may have just been a difference in the pot values. Very interesting, thanks!

Love the complete wiring harness. What a great idea. I know fender offers a loaded pickguard but I don't think they have them for everything and you don't have a pickup brand option. You can do the mods one at a time to fit your budget.

I bought a new Squier Jazzmaster (but in dented or chipped condition on the body so it was cheaper) about a year ago because I liked the wide neck and thought it had P90 pickups and i liked the sound of them. Turns out, they look like P90s but are Jazzmaster specific pickups. I still like them. Thanks for the video---will have to play this guitar some more and determine what upgrades I can afford and will be valid in my situation! It definitely is a different guitar to play compared to Strat and hollow body guitar model styles I also play.

Great blues jam!

Hahaha I just did the same: compared my Epiphone '59 Les Paul reissue with eight mods including upgraded electronics and Faber bridge and tailpiece with the Gibson '59 LP reissue head-to-head. Numbers are also very similar: I have ~ $1050 into the Epiphone whereas the Gibson was tagged at $4750 used. Came out grinning like the Cheshire Cat. They look and sound identical, the only difference is a VERY slight difference in neck feel. This video offered me some suggestions on how to improve that, too. In addition to improving the tone, I buffed out the entire top with Maguire's automotive scratch remover and rubbed walnut stain into the Indian Laurel fretboard to make it look like rosewood, which worked well. I do NOT pine for a Gibson :o)

I custom shopped my 98 Mexican strat. The satisfaction of doing it is a big part of it, I think.

I did this exact process to my Squier FSR Silver Sparkle Jaguar. I installed an AVRI Vibrato and put in some EPCustom Jaguar pickups. This guitar can totally hang with my AVRI Jaguar and I actually like the EP Custom pickups better.

Really cool video!! Cheers

Good seeing you at Sea Otter.

I have both the Classic Vibe and the J Mascis Squier JM. With some upgrade (pickups, tremolo, bridge, neck shim) and the right setup these instruments are great touring and recording guitars, so they worth more than a 5K custom shop (for me at least). Great video Rhett, thanks.

Good call on the thread pitch, but it is also good to turn the screw counter-clockwise until it drops into the thread that is already in the wood before screwing it in.

Excellent video. Interestingly enough, I don’t thing anyone would have known with confidence which sound was the CS and which was the squire from a blind test prior to the mods.

Great video, but that’s probably some of the best playing I’ve heard from you! ✌️😎🎸🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶

Guitars sound sick, and your playing is so good! Difficult to get that Custom Shop feel, however, sonically its pretty close after upgrading the pickups.

Definitely in love with that custom shop… I followed your links and looked up the specs. It appears that that custom shop guitar modded the pots to 250k ones, which give it a darker tone. So that’s the difference we’re hearing between the CS and the upgraded Squier. I’m sure if you put in similar pots they would sound almost identical. As is, the Squier comes across brighter.

Ive been down this road so many times haha - It always works and it always doesn't work at the same time. Always works as in - it always makes the guitar better and punch higher value wise, Always doesn't work as in it never gets rid of the desire to have that custom shop or whatever it was your chasing.

Great work, I've been working on a Squier Jazzmaster some years ago for a similar project and tried the Antiquity pickups but wasn't satisfied. Still to bright and harsh in my opinion. I found the definitive answer in the Mojo UK pickups 58-64 (I bought from them the complete preassembled harness kit too, very good quality). Super amazing. Those pickups transformed the cheap Squier in one of my main guitars that I still play with my band every week.

I like the tone of the custom shop Fender. It’s mellow and yet sharper on the bridge pickup. But with that said, great price and you could tune the amp to get a similar tone. Thanks for the tips!

I'm a sucker for an upgraded guitar, so the Squire would be my choice. Word of advice for those thinking of using the 0000 wire wool treatment at home - tape up your pickups, those wire wool fragments get everywhere and getting them completely off of your pickups is a long, nigh on impossible task