For sale is a 1996 Squier Vista Super-Sonic electric guitar in black. This is an earlier (and less common) “Made in Japan” V-serial number model from the original 1996 run manufactured in Fender’s FujiGen factory, not to be confused with the later alder-bodied “Crafted in Japan” or A-serial number guitars from the Tokai plant. This model is one of the earlier ’96 Super-Sonics that include a “Fender / Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence 1946-1996” sticker on the rear of the headstock below the serial number. Includes the pictured hardshell case.

Background: The Super-Sonic was the second of three guitars from Fender’s short-lived Vista Series of the 1990s, which were mainly original designs and “…unlike previous Squiers, were not created as budget guitars”. The Super-Sonic was inspired when Fender’s Joe Carducci saw a photo of Jimi Hendrix playing a right-handed Jaguar upside-down and wanted to recreate that vibe, but with modifications to the shape, size, and pickup configuration. He designed a reverse offset body with a reverse headstock, and canted bridge pickup to improve tone, and bullet truss rod. Additionally, MIJ Super-Sonics had no tone knob, utilizing two reverse-wired volume controls (top knob/bridge, lower knob/neck) and a three-way toggle switch for pickup selection.  

Condition: The guitar has a number of dings, scratches, and paint chips in the basswood body front and back – please see photos for detail. Some like when old guitars are legitimately relic’d, but your mileage may vary; this guitar is squarely in the ‘player’ category. The maple neck is thin and in good condition, with low action that pairs well with slightly heavier gauge strings i.e. .10s/.11s. Frets have light wear consistent with age.

Specifications:

• Body: Solid basswood
• Finish: Black
• Neck: 24” scale maple neck with skunk stripe
• Fretboard: Rosewood; 22 frets (9.5" radius)
• Pickups: 2 Seymour Duncan-designed humbuckers
• Hardware: Stratocaster-style bridge, saddles, and tremolo
• Pickguard: 3-ply white/black/white
• Tuners: Kluson-style
• Controls: 2 reverse-wired volume; 3-way pickup selector
• Weight: ≈7.5 lbs.