General Information
Name: Squier Stratocaster 40th Anniversary – Lake Placid Blue
Type: Stratocaster / Vintage Style / SSS
Year: 2022 (Limited Edition)
Mods:
- Gotoh SD91-G-T Magnum Lock tuners (gold)
- Gotoh 510T-BS2 Tremolo bridge (gold, brass)
- Tusq XL Sleek String Trees
- Setup and adjustments performed personally with son
Historical Context & Relevance
Released in 2022, the Squier 40th Anniversary Stratocaster celebrates four decades of Fender’s budget-conscious brand. This model belongs to the Vintage Edition of the 40th Anniversary series and is part of a limited-run collection, now increasingly rare in the market. It honors Fender’s legacy with golden hardware, block inlays, vintage-style tuners, and a commemorative neck plate—all elements designed to echo 1970s aesthetics.
While it sits in the affordable segment of the market (originally priced around $450 USD), its collector appeal stems from its anniversary status and elegant cosmetic design—especially the Lake Placid Blue metallic finish and anodized pickguard. However, out of the box, the guitar reveals several budget-level compromises, especially in terms of hardware, fretwork, and tuning stability.
The guitar has gained a dual reputation: on one hand, as a charming vintage-styled collector’s piece, and on the other, as a modding platform—ideal for those willing to invest time and money into hardware upgrades. While its Alnico V pickups perform well for funk, blues, and jazz, the original tuners, tremolo, and frets leave room for improvement.
Its legacy may not be one of perfection, but rather of potential: this Squier stands out as a gateway guitar for players wanting a unique instrument they can personalize over time.
Story
I picked up this guitar in October 2024, two years after its limited run had ended—partly out of curiosity, partly out of aesthetic admiration. From the moment I saw the Lake Placid Blue finish paired with golden hardware and block inlays, I knew this guitar had to be part of my collection. But as beautiful as it looked, the playability left something to be desired.
Tuning was unstable. The tremolo was stiff and unpleasant. The frets were rough, and the glossy neck finish made fast playing tricky. Still, I saw its potential.
So I transformed it. I upgraded the bridge, tuners, and string trees with Gotoh and Tusq components, all in matching gold. With help from my youngest son, we made the changes ourselves—creating a fun, bonding experience. After the upgrades and a proper setup, it became an entirely different guitar. Tuning became rock solid. The tremolo was smooth and musical. And most importantly, it played like a dream. I kept the pickups stock because—surprisingly—they sounded great.
In the end, the project cost around $750 total. But now I have a customized, unique, and reliable instrument with real sentimental value—and one that looks and sounds far above its price point.
Image Gallery
Sound Samples
(Sound samples to be here.)
Specs
- Body: Nyatoh, gloss finish, double-cutaway Stratocaster shape
- Neck: Maple, bolt-on, C shape, gloss finish
- Fingerboard: Indian Laurel, 21 narrow-tall frets, Pearloid block inlays, 25.5″ scale
- Nut: Bone, 1.65″ (42 mm) width
- Truss Rod: Standard
- Bridge: Gotoh 510T-BS2 Tremolo (aftermarket, brass, gold), originally 6-point vintage-style tremolo
- Tuners: Gotoh SD91-G-T Magnum Lock (aftermarket, gold), originally vintage-style
- String Trees: Tusq XL Sleek (aftermarket)
- Pickups:
- Neck: Squier proprietary Alnico V single coil
- Middle: Squier proprietary Alnico V single coil
- Bridge: Squier proprietary Alnico V single coil
- Controls: Master volume, two tone knobs, 5-way selector
- Hardware: Gold finish, anodized aluminum pickguard, vintage-style components
- Weight: ~7.7 lbs (3.5 kg)
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