Squier mini for a little kid

brooom

My daughter got a present from a friend of mine... it's a pink Squier mini. The guitar is quite cool and although she's very little yet, she loves strumming it.

The guitar is surprisingly resonant but can't stay in tune. Also it has standard tuner which unfortunately means the string edge pokes out.

I'd like to replace the nut, with one that is properly cut and change the tuners to kluson vintage style.

Does anyone know if the tuner replacement should be ok in this guitar?

John_A

Got one of those for my nephew, it’s pretty good. No idea about the tuners, do you have a guitar you could borrow one from to test fit?

brooom

Hey John,

I don't... I'll have to buy the tuners, and find out probably. I agree they are surprisingly good, I think they're made of poplar. But it doesn't want to stay in tune.

It doesn't matter too much of course, she just wants to strum it. But I'm afraid she'll poke her fingers in the strings.

Gandalph

Hi mate - well done on the Pink mini Strat! I got one for my daughter  over the summer. One of those rare bargain finds on Facebook - someone was selling the guitar and a Fender Mustang Amp for LESS than the amp was worth. An hours drive away but it was worth it

Yup just like yours it won't stay in tune. I did a bit of research (haven't got around to actually doing anything about it yet - at  this point she is happy strumming and posing in the mirror with it!) 

Here are a couple of links I'd saved to other forums where people have changed the tuners.You might have to drill a small hole or two for the fixing screws but that should be all.

https://www.strat-talk.com/threads/squier-mini-tuner-upgrade.468489/

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/squier-mini-strat-mod-new-tuners-and-gave-it-a-nice-setup-wow.1591781/

I also read somewhere that these Wilkinson will  fit but can't for the life of me remember where...

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01FW11IK2?pf_rd_r=PFXQ0SYV36XQ2KHRYHMP&pf_rd_p=b4721ac4-3a58-4086-93ca-436516f2a16c

Like you I also realised the nut was probably a big factor too so I need to get round to changing that - something I'm probably not confidant enough to do myself so I'll have to find a decent tech.

brooom

Thanks @Gandalph, that's quite helpful. I'm going to risk doing it myself. The guitar is surprisingly nice in terms of resonance. I just don't understand why they would make a guitar for kids that doesn't even tune up, I mean surely that would be enough to put kids off. I reckon it's worth fixing up as it doesn't sound or play half bad.

Gandalph

Best of luck @broom, hopefully you can report on here to let us know how it goes. 

brooom

@Gandalph - will do so, I'll order the tuners this weekend. So I'll try to post a couple of photos when I do the upgrade.

John_A

If you get those Amazon ones and they don't fit you can always return them.

Might get one of these for my daughter too, it might stop her banging my Gretsch with a ruler!

brooom

John_A said:

If you get those Amazon ones and they don't fit you can always return them.

Might get one of these for my daughter too, it might stop her banging my Gretsch with a ruler!

  yep they're quite good, if the tuning issues are fixed at least. So eventually if she does decide to play, it will be a playable guitar, if it can keep tune.

SteveRobinson

Before you buy the tuners make sure the post spacing is correct. Some Squiers are not standard spacing.

The biggest factor I think is the string gauge. It's a very short scale so some 11s work quite well.