Guitar Buyer Features Spread on Biffy Clyro

The April issue of U.K.’s Guitar Buyer magazine features an extensive spread on Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro, covering the rock scene in Scotland, the recording of the band’s new album Only Revolutions and the Squier Simon Neil Signature Stratocaster® and Squier James Johnston Jazz Bass®, released fall 2009 in Europe.

“They had mentioned it a few years ago but we were kind of thinking that you have to be a big band to have signature guitars, and I don’t think we ever envisioned ourselves at the point of having signature guitars,” Neil told Guitar Buyer. “But basically Squier came in and said that they want to put it out and asked us what we wanted. Actually, they’ve been really, really supportive over the years. They were the first people to give us a free guitar and a free amp, and we’ve always been thankful for that because it was when we really couldn’t afford gear and it really helped us out.”

Neil went on to say that he and Johnston’s primary goal for their signature instruments was that they were affordable for beginners. According to the Scottish rocker, Squier accomplished that task without compromising its quality.

“For around £300 my signature model really stands up to my Relics, which are, I guess, a few grand, and I couldn’t believe that they made special pickups to make them like the pickups in my Relics,” said Neil in the article. “I think everyone who’s tried the guitar out or tested it has been pleasantly surprised. I didn’t have it in time for the record but I do use it for playing live. We have quite a few different tunings live, and to be honest it’s sounding better than my Relics at the moment! I think that those things are just totally gigged out – they have just been hit too hard for far too long.”

Based on his Fender® Custom Shop Time Machine™ '60s Stratocaster, Neil’s Squier model has an alder body finished in Fiesta Red, a vintage-tint gloss maple neck, three custom vintage-style single-coil pickups with a mix of alnico III and alnico V magnets, Neil's signature on the back of the headstock and Biffy Clyro logo on the front, a three-ply mint green pickguard, vintage-style tuning machines and aged white knobs, pickup covers and switch tip.

The James Johnston Jazz Bass also give the Biffy Clyro treatment to a Squier Classic Vibe instrument. Based on his Fender U.S.A. Jazz Bass, it has a Lake Placid Blue finish on a basswood body, vintage-tint gloss-maple neck with matching painted headstock, two custom single-coil Jazz Bass pickups, Johnston's signature on the back of the headstock and Biffy Clyro logo on the front, three-ply mint green pickguard and a high mass bridge with brass barrel saddles.

“I’m really proud of it and James is really proud of his bass as well, and we wouldn’t have done it unless we thought it would be worth someone’s time to check it out,” sums up Neil. “Of course, a signature guitar is a vanity thing, but it should also be good quality and sound great, and it should make people want to play guitar, hopefully.”