The Squier Showmaster is officially my second but actually my first electric guitar – the one I learned to play on. It is also the only electric guitar I ever bought in a music shop.
Buying it in 2003
I bought it in 2003. It cost 820 zł (Polish złoty), but I got a small discount and for that price also took a cotton Fender strap, which is still with the guitar today. Squier is Fender’s budget brand.
The guitar isn’t entirely black – it is black metallic, sparkling with thousands of silver flecks. It looks great.
What it is made of
- Body: agathis
- Fingerboard: rosewood
- Neck: most likely maple
Agathis – really „cheap mahogany”?
Agathis is an exotic wood found mainly in Asia. A lot has been written about it: that it is „cheap mahogany”, a poor man’s wood, that it sounds dull and doesn’t resonate. You can read online that agathis guitars aren’t recommended for beginners.
So what’s wrong with that? Not everyone can afford a mahogany guitar or an instrument costing a lot of money right away. And it is still better than plywood. Listen to the video – the guitar is plugged into a Roland Cube 20 XL – and judge for yourself whether there is anything to be ashamed of. In my opinion agathis is perfectly fine.
Durability after 20 years
The guitar is about to turn 20, and apart from the output jack (replaced with a Neutrik) its electronics have never been touched. Everything works, and the pot and switch are quiet and precise. The hardware hardly corrodes and the tuners work.
The only weak spot was the quality of the frets – but after a quick levelling they are great, with low action.
Verdict
Squier guitars vary from one instrument to another: sometimes you get a badly assembled one, sometimes the same model turns out great. Still, if you want a cheap guitar to start learning on, the Showmaster is fine.
