Squier Paranormal Super-Sonic review

It’s one of the most off-the-wall guitar designs you can buy right now, but is this oddball offset truly super?

Squier Paranormal
(Image: © Future / Olly Curtis)

Guitar World Verdict

A most approachable little oddball with a short 24" scale that makes an easy ride for beginners, the Super-Sonic has no shortage of charm. Size up on your strings and it'll be hours of fun for alternative styles.

Pros

  • +

    Short scale and low price make it a good shout for beginners.

  • +

    Offset body and finish looks very nice.

  • +

    Tones are an excellent platform for pedalboard experiments.

  • +

    Good news, Andy Summers fans – it takes the pain out of Add9s.

  • +

    Reverse headstock is very cool – and well executed.

Cons

  • -

    Ships with 0.009-gauge strings on a 24”.

  • -

    Middle position lacks oomph.

  • -

    Large-fingered players might find fretboard cramped.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Short-scale electric guitars are having a moment right now. Whether it’s because of the influx of new guitarists during the pandemic, or the raft of musicians playing guitar alongside other instruments, more accessibly proportioned models seem to be hitting the market now than ever before. 

But while the format lends itself to quirky-by-nature offset bodies, none are quite so bizarre as the late-’90s Squier Super-Sonic, which received a reissue this year as part of the Paranormal Series.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Michael Astley-Brown
Editor-in-Chief, GuitarWorld.com

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.