When I bench press I always tense the **** out of my core, I just don't know why it's letting me down with my squats.
The stiffness thing... so it's core, upper back, chest and glutes?
If I stay squatting light for now and focus purely on technique I will not find it that physically taxing. Would it be a good idea to throw in 2-3 sets on the leg press too?
I think you'll find that - if you squat properly and engage everything correctly - they'll be more taxing than you think. Also, if you concentrate, it won't take that long to build back up and surpass your previous best, so I wouldn't worry too much.
If you're really struggling to get some stimulation, do some deficit Bulgarian split squats. Or dumbell lunges or whatever...
Leg press is also not an atrocious thing