The very small difference in sound from the demos just goes to prove a fact most guitarists don't want to admit: your amp is more responsible for your sound than your guitar.
I’m surprised at how much I dig all the American vintage II specs actually. If the idea is for a guitar to get you to play differently then this does that for me.
Agreed, I equate the vintage frets the same way that driving a vintage muscle car with bias-ply tires, you're in for the full experience. That said, the vintage frets would most likely be a no-go for myself. Also of note, it appears Fender did an excellent job aging the clay dot fret markers, and even the correct inlay spacing at the 12th fret.
They're a surprise hit. I've heard on a few channels that it's Pro 2 necks that are superior to all others, even the Ultra series (You'll be waiting 8 months to get an Ultra in Canada - my town reports a Cobra Blue Ultra Strat HSS would be June '23. The Pro 2 'Dark Night' Tele Deluxe? Sept '23). I think it'd take less time to get a new kidney.
Are the frets on the AVII's really vintage frets, though? It seems like Fender has been using the phrase "Vintage Tall" to describe their version of 6105-height and width frets. Is that so, or are these something different?
I had the same problem with my Player MiM first but then used the little trick, which puts the neck perfectly in the neck pocket: I losened the neck screws maybe a bit less than a quarter while the strings had tension in E-standard tuning and then tightened them up again. This will fix the dead sound of a strat sometimes, cause the neck pops in perfectly and connects tight to the body, which will make it more resonate. Worked for me. Thanks for the great content Rhett (as always)! Best regards from Germany
I have a Fender Player Telecaster. I took the neck off in order to travel with it on my suitcase. When I put it back on, the guitar sounded way way better and way more resonant. So I can testify there could be a thing there, yes.
So you've done Les Paul, and Strat. Can you continue the series into 335s, Teles, Jazzmasters, and SG? I think it's the perfect format for people to get a gist of each type of guitar that may not know where to start.
Mexican stratocaster is an excellent instrument and will not hold you back. I use one and love it. It is all stock. Players series are worth checking out.
I actually just bought the squier last month and did the exact things you mentioned: new pickups, pots, 5-way switch, pickguard, had the frets polished & leveled, then properly setup and wow it’s amazing! I’m blown away that it’s even a squier. Looks and plays amazing! As an intermediate/late beginner, this guitar and upgrades for under $800 is totally worth it! Awesome video
@@maxpower6706 some people can't afford a great guitar right off. But they can get a good guitar and over time make it great. Now shut up and go make me a sandwich...
Great video. I like the Vintage II "as is". I'm a huge tinkerer and learned a bunch of luthier tricks in my time. For a few years, I started with craigslist bought Mexican Strats and upgraded quite a bit that you talked about. Sand the body to wood. Acrylic color, nitro clear. Level and crown the frets and round the finger board edges. Go with better alnico pickups. And the back of the neck gets sanded down then waxed well. A hint too is that old Deluxe Mexican strats (the serial number starts with a D) like a Jimmie Vaughan, a Powerhouse or the like have the wider, US string spacing and bridge with a much bigger block already. Going the extra mile on one of those doing only paint and neck work make them easily outplay a standard American Strat. Now, I'm not a vintage fan, so if I built one of these to take out and gig, I want the top of the neck truss rod, I add a roller string tree and the tuners become lockers. Pop on some 9's or 10's, lube the nut, saddles and let her rip.
Absolutely love my 59 custom shop strat, I would suggest paying slightly more and looking for a used custom shop rather than the vintage 2, but I love that this new series exists!
I have that exact classic vibe Squire and I swapped the electronics to Fender’s second nicest pre-wired pick guard. It made an insane difference and I actually prefer it over many Mexican & American Strats I’ve played.
I hated the 50’s vintera fender it was an awful playing a sounding guitar I went with the CV .cheaper ,played better and sounded better ..I tried it through 5 amps and not one did it sound good ..the fat 50’s pickups .didn’t sound like it was ever out of bridge and middle or neck and middle .even when it was on the other positions the selector .for 1200 quid here in the uk it was a big no for me when the CV was just over 300 quid and a fret polish which I did myself it plays better too ..
@@MaurizioFirmaniElectronics have gotten better on MX Strats, but the woods/builds are pretty average. The Classic Series are far better instruments than the Vinteras.....especially the late 90s and early 2000's models
Just a quick comment on the Classic Vibe. Most likely you don't need a fret level and crown etc. .Just a simple polish of the frets, maybe starting with 800 grit and working up to 4000 or 8000 will give you great frets. Tape off the fingerboard so you don't scratch it. Cut the "sand paper" into 0.5-1 inch wide strips and maybe use a big eraser to press the strips down against the frets. Or just buy a "fret-eraser" and give it a quick once-over and it will improve the feeling of the frets immensely.
Have to give you props for such a great channel. Your audio/visual is pro level. I appreciate how thorough your reviews are. And your guitar playing is always tasteful, I especially liked the intro you created in this video. Keep up the great work!
I signed up for Rhett's basic guitar theory course...I write music books...he did a super job. I enjoy seeing how others cover material. Rhett makes it easy.
Holy Toledo Rhett. I was just researching strats to pick one up because I have never owned one. Was leaning towards the pro II, but now you’ve made me reconsider the vintage. Heck. Great video, thanks for sharing your experience with us all.
I think a major factor in choosing a guitar is whether it has been properly setup, some receive a ton of fret work while others might just be right out of the box, a good service by a top luthier can completely change a guitar.
yeah most guitarist think the perfect guitar usually come right out of the box, but in reality you gotta put some work into making that good guitar great. My number 1 guitar is my pro 2 strat, and i had to fight that guitar for over a month before i dialed it in! Now the guitar is bullet proof!
My dad gifted me his ‘62 reissue. Never took it to his luthier he’s been going to for the past 20+ years. I took it in to get it set up and my god what a difference. I do plan on working my way around my own guitars, but your comment does seem to fit more newer guitars that are more manufactured than hand crafted. I may be wrong on that but that’s just my perception
I began my guitar journey 3 months ago with a Squier Affinity Strat, $279 at my local music shop. My teacher shows up with a Squier Bullet, $179 at the same shop. I'm a long way from being able to justify a Made in Mexico, much less a Custom Shop. For now, I'm happy to spend money on lessons and maybe a couple of upgrades on the Squier in the next year or so.
Do as I did many years ago... when you come to a proficient level you want, then go for a new and better guitar. And if you end up being a pro guitar player like Rhett, then you can also afford a custom one. During your learning years, you will find different kinds of guitars with different feels, and your music style will also evolve. Rock your Squier!! when I was starting to play the guitar (in the 80s/90s I wish low priced guitars where as good as they are today). Heck... I played/practiced 2 years (in my room), before I knew what a distortion pedal was!!, today you can get a myriad of effects on your pc or even mobile for the cost (or less) than just one pedal back in the day... just crazy!
You don't necessarily need to change pickups, but there are excellent options for under $100/set. First determine what about the sound you would change. Also great noiseless for under $200. Changing pots and wires won't affect the sound, but you might like the feel of certain pots.
David Gilmour has hands like mine , like a stone mason and he uses a 7.25 C neck as far as I know still yet, like BB King asked him once “Boy You sure you wasn’t born in Mississippi?”
@@mattier3030 No, I did a lot of manual labor and my hands are pretty big and well used. Before I destroyed my shoulder I had to have a C neck with a 7.25 radius. Gilmour preferred the 57 V 7.25. I have played both and the 61 is more comfortable. I may never play again. I have a Silvertone with a pretty decent neck and a 9.5 radius and practice is hard. I just have beat up hands that’s all I was saying, but I am getting discouraged with the nerve in my thumb.
@@mattier3030 No, I did a lot of manual labor and my hands are pretty big and well used. Before I destroyed my shoulder I had to have a C neck with a 7.25 radius. Gilmour preferred the 57 V 7.25. I have played both and the 61 is more comfortable. I may never play again. I have a Silvertone with a pretty decent neck and a 9.5 radius and practice is hard. I just have beat up hands that’s all I was saying, but I am getting discouraged with the nerve in my thumb.
The vintage II model is to die for if you have the budget. Nicely made, sounds great out of the box, and has much of what I would upgrade a lesser instrument to be.
The black one. The Professional II. I like the clarity. I thought it sounded terrific, very expressive and versatile. I like the 2 point trem. I do not like the lack of easy adjustability on the neck for the Vintage pair. I really liked the way you can blend neck and bridge pickup. That had a sound to it I really liked.
Obviously the Custom Shop sounded great - but that Vintage strat sounded killer too! A noticeable difference from the lesser expensive versions. Great opener to this video, Rhett! Your content is always solid!
Rhett’s content is the best no bull channel here. I love the way that we can see true worth. A $150 guitar may need $800 before it is fit to record or even play for a saloon. Intonation is important, setup has to be right. You learn about this,when he plecked his LesPaul and had it set up. It was a wow, something was not completely right, but my mind settled afterwards, slight unease was gone. I had no complete thought about it, Rhett sounded really good, but after the plek and setup he was magical! I am a Fender guy I have to admit, Gibsons always sounded a little out of tune for some reason. But seeing that was wow he got to see how it is really done! The truth comes out on any guitar when you play beyond the 12 th fret. If it all goes to heck beyond the 12 th we heard it here… the intonation needs attention. But what if your Epiphone or Gibson LesPaul Special with just the lightning bar wraptail bridge, you can move it around, but you need to have a pro do it who has done SGs to get it close enough. I put a intonatable bridge on the Epiphone with saddles. It is perfect. Too bad that the neck makes my left hand go numb because of the skinny neck profile. My son said that it felt good for him so I will give it to him and he can take lessons.
This is where I landed too. I "watched" the beginning without opening my eyes to see if I had a preference. Strongly preferred the custom shop and vintage, but neither really spoke to me. There are better sounding custom shops out there for sure.
I love the show, especially this one! I have an American Pro 2 strat, you mentioned that it has a synthetic nut but I bought mine with the understanding that it is bone. Bone is also listed in the specs for a new one. Thanks for letting me be a guitar nerd!
My favorite was the American Vintage 2. It has the right sound and vibe and the price, while out of my reach completely, isn’t ridiculous. As for which one I’d buy, the Squier. The price is right and I’d have fun tinkering and upgrading it. I’d be more likely to get the 70’s one though.
The frets coming out from Squier really do desperately need some polishing, or even crowning. But that's pretty easy for a luthier to do, and once they're properly set up (which, yes, they should do in the factory), they're quite wonderful guitars
That’s kind of disappointing, the Affinity Strat I bought my godson back in what, maybe ‘05 or ‘06 was an outstanding value for a beginner guitar. Good level, better than fair fret ends, and fair polish. I went ahead and polished them up bit, but I didnt’ do much. I actually just did a clean and tune up on it for him recently, it still plays darned good.
@@corneliuscrewe677 I tend to agree with that perspective. None of the guitars I have really needed anything more than a play in. The whole point of buying a new guitar is to get new frets. A new guitar shouldn't need fret level crown & polish, but if there is a grittiness for a Squier Bullet/Affinity level brand guitar it's a set of strings or two away from that being smoothed off from the strings themselves. June & October 2021 I bought a couple of Monoprice Telecasters and they had that brand new gritty fret feel to them. I played them and now they feel & sound fine. Metal on metal is going to sound like you're scraping metal on metal. The two ways that is handled, one can gab a polish or play it in. I can't imagine the resonant claims being valid in the video. Once again, every guitar I have is resonant, more or less than each other and that's more to do with the weight of the guitar, the fixed vs tremolo bridge for a body route, string thru vs top loader. The neck is always going to be more vibrational than the body as the strings are attached at the tuners, the contact of the nut or wherever fretted. All my Strats are basswood which is softer than Alder (Poplar in some cases). If Basswood being softer wood is resonantly responsive, without dampening the vibrations, I can't imagine any of these guitars, polyurethane or lacquer, not being more resonant than what I have. The feel differences, I get that, but even a $ 100 Chinese guitar has a very playable feel to it, once they are set up to preference especially. All of these guitars sounded fine to me, tone being a preference & what each territory they cover. The thing that bothers me, every knock on these new guitars, is the same knock on any brand's lineup update. Crappy electronics & pickups. gritty & rough frets & ends. Really, the fret polish how long would that take for any new guitar. I don't even bother, knowing in the first few days or weeks the fret grit is gone as played in. At worst would it take a year if the guitar wasn't played as often ?
And what you pay someone to do all this work you can just buy a better guitar. A little polishing I can do but leveling and crowning is going to cost you
Sitting here and listening to you play they all sound good! I do believe that the sound is in the hands more than anything. That old say Is " A bad guitar player can't make a good guitar sound good, But a Good guitar player can make a bad guitar sound Great!" It is in the hands and then when you get the guitar player/guitar/amp, magic can happen! Stats are beautiful pieces of art. Thank you, B
I’ve played and owned so many strats. I even had the guy who made the SRV number 1 replicas make me a special LPB Strat with an upside down tremolo. The great vintage strats are in a class of their own - at high volumes they get creamier and creamier whereas newer guitars sound harsh. But finding that great vintage Strat is a very costly experience.
11:38 The nut on the American Pro II is bone, not synthetic. Edit: 19:30 Gritty frets don’t necessarily need to be crowned and leveled. They’re often the result of skipping the final step of polishing the frets after they’ve already been leveled. If you’re on a tight budget and have DIY skills, polishing frets is easy and would make those frets feel fine.
The American Pro II also has a satin finish on the back of the neck. Surprised he didn’t mention it cause he seems to prefer it in the LP videos. Instead he acted like the gloss was a downside lol
I love guitars of all types, but the Stratocaster is beyond my favorite. Buddy Holly, Hendrix, Cobain, Gilmour, Clapton, SRV. And many others. Such a beautiful instrument.
I watched a SRV tribute concert his brother Jimmy put together that featured all the top blues guitarists on the planet 10 years after SRVs death. I believe Jimmy actually got up on stage with each of them if memory serves me correctly. With the exception of BB King, every single one of them played a Fender Strat. That should tell you something.
Great video. Just a bit to note, the American Professional II Strat does in fact have a bone nut per Fender specifications. Perhaps they switched over to them sometime after this video was made? That is one of the main features that attracted me to that particular model. In addition to the fact that I personally think it sounds and feels absolutely phenomenal! Even up against a 1974 hardtail Strat that I also own.
Cool! I’m thinking of nabbing the roasted pine version of the Am Pro II, but was flummoxed how the series ranked within the 180 odd models that Fender produces.
I so agree with his reasoning for spending the extra money on the custom shop. I own a 59 american vintage I and a custom shop. The feel is just on another level with the custom shop and you really feel the quality holding it in your hand. Mine is a relic too which I love especially the worn in neck.
Love strats! Your melodies are so good and really captures every character of the strat. My favourite is still the vintage road worn relics Customs. Looks and sounds amazing. But it's really about the feeling of the guitar which means....we all have to go to the local guitar shops to try the best one
Rhett your rapid-fire articulations of super specific differences throughout the range of these guitars is excellent. You always state then refine and finally clarify your points. You just do such a great job throughout. It's not the editing (which is excellent) or the camera work (ditto). It's the way you keep viewers engaged. I play a 1984 Hondo H-700 MR/R that every time I'm in the basement doing laundry I pick it up it sounds excellent. But this video gives me some insight on what I might upgrade to some day.
Great review, Rhett! I purchased a Squier Classic Vibes as a project guitar. I updated to Alnico 5 pickups, Orange Caps, Wiring, and Rolled in the frets. around $75 out of pocket upgrades. Definitely a great starter guitar.
Out……standing into! You’re easily one of the best creators right now…Musical or otherwise. Great job Rhett. Your commitment to sound quality, quality videography/photography, and presentation is very evident and does not go unnoticed. I feel like I get a full and professional production to view and enjoy every time I click on a Rhett vid.
Love Strats. They are my guitars of choice for what and how I play. The only thing that is a deal breaker for me is the truss rod adjustment at the heel of the neck. I’ve had every level of Strat throughout the years and with a little work and some time, you can get even the most affordable Strat to sound and feel amazing. Great video man. Really love these types. Keep it up.
Excellent comparison video. The only thing missing was including the nut widths, fret radius specs, and weight. I know we could maybe dig these specs off Fender site, but these 3 things are super important to nerds like me. Keep up the good work!
Except for the custom shop ones, for which they pick light woods, the weight of the others wouldn’t mean much, as you could get a light MIM and a heavy AV II, or the other way around. And Fender doesn’t publish weights for that reason.
I've got a Fender Player from 2019 that i changed out all the hardware and electronics in, but the guitar itself feels and plays wonderfully. It's super resonant. It's too bad the one you got sent felt bad. Mine is my all time favorite, and I wouldn't sell it for the world
When I got mine, I had the advantage of being able to go to my LMS (Local Music Store), which is a pretty big one, and try out all the Players on the floor. I narrowed it down to the two that felt/played best unplugged, then put them through an amp. The one I chose has worked out pretty well.
I had an "American Series" 2003 or so, as body and thick gloss paint, beautiful guitar but... the Player I have now is way resonant than that USA. Is a step down in certain things but is a really good guitar. I was in shock when Rett put the player in last place. Regards!
Fender are on another level right now. Almost every single offer at any price point is spot on on quality and tone delivery (based on the money you pay), and the finishes are stunning.
Great video, Rhett! Especially since I’m in the market for a Strat. However, you forgot to include the “Performer” line! I was hoping for some compare/contrast between that and the AmPro II.
I've been a beginning guitar player for twenty years and.... Actually, there's no substantial difference in tone if you plunk more down on a good amplifier. However, these ease of use is substantial, just like anything you invest in, the real payoff is consistency. You'll notice, they are more consistent in performance and quality than the lower end. Thank you for sharing this video.
I have a strat by a brand I've never heard of called Crescent. I think its one of those brands that you can find on places like ebay or something. I got it for 30 bucks used from a pawn shop. Its currently my main guitar lol. I love it. Some of it might be sentimental tho because it was my first guitar. it has surprisingly good action. Main things that could be upgraded are The Pickups and the nut and tuners. It's still really playable even with what it has
I like the articulation regarding the dead feeling of a guitar (MIM). That is a thing. I actually love the S1 switch on the Am Pro ii. With the modern bright tone of these pups, you can get away with a decent Jazzmaster tone in 5/1 position. Plus, brightness can easily be accommodated wit eq. Its a bit easier to fatten up a bright pup than brighten up a darker pup.
I agree with everything said here, espcially around 17:50. You don't notice that a Strat body vibrates--until you play one that doesn't. There is nothing wrong with Mexican Fender per se, but I had one (supposedly alder) that was so dense that it made no sound at all when played without an amp, and no sustain, even with an amp. Even with a swimming pool rout, it was heavy and dead. The engineers out there will tell you none of this makes any difference, but oh boy, did it ever! I replaced the pickups with Lollars and then Fralins but the guitar was just dead. Speaking of wood, the stuff they're using for Classic Vibe bodies makes them sound just a little thinner and brighter. It's pretty subtle, but if you switch to a Strat made from alder or ash, you suddenly notice what was missing. But that's hair splitting. I think the real difference besides price, is labor. Rolling the edges and properly smoothing fret ends is work. But if you don't mind or don't notice these things, a Classic Vibe is fine. Even the Chinese switch will work if you're not too hard on it. So I think it is true to say that more expensive Fenders are usually better, and...that many players won't notice much difference. There's something for everybody, and you can pay a lot and still get a dog. That's the problem with mail order.
Great points. I completely agree with everything you mentioned; particularly poor quality wood -i.e. heavy, dense, alder and ash-leading to a guitar sounding dead. I’ve even experienced that with a Suhr antique S (the body was made with a dreadful piece of Alder; no change in pickups could’ve saved that) so one has to be careful buying a guitar without first feeling the weight and playing it unplugged at any price point. It’s a shame that Fender CS Strats and Teles cost so much but the quality of the materials used is worth it most of the time.
I own the American Pro v1 and I must say I do really dig the v-mod pickups. They are bright and articulate, but they don't sound harsh and have a real shimmer and depth to them. You can also tame them with the tone pots too which I regularly do. I usually set my bridge pickup around 6 on the tone knob and my neck around 7 or 8, then tweak a bit according to venue. The only thing with the Pro that might not be to everyone's taste is the slightly chunkier neck profile (my hand is used to something a bit slimmer).
When I was taking lessons at a guitar store 20 something years ago, I casually asked the guy at the store what guitar he thought was "the best" and he said- The one you'll play every day. I see these vids all the time on "The BEST One" and I am reminded of 2 legends- Prince and Eddie Van Halen. Prince's #1 Tele from Purple Rain was an off brand Tele knock off. Eddie Van Halen's famous Frankenstrat was a parts guitar that he made himself from Charvel parts. A $3,000 Fender won't make you play any better than a $100 student guitar. Lessons and practice will.
To a certain degree that’s correct, but there’s a point where it’s not. If you play a 100 dollar guitar, it’s likely not setup very well and will have sharp frets. To someone just starting out that doesn’t understand how to fix those issues, it seems like guitar is an insurmountable challenge to learn. However, a well setup guitar with decent enough fretwork, that same beginner wouldn’t give up because suddenly it’s playable. As long as the guitar can be setup well, there will be no difference in ability from the player between a 100 dollar and 3000 dollar guitar. The playability matters the most, you get the most bang for your buck around 250-300 dollars.
Rhett, just getting into your content as new guitarist. As im starting to watch this video, just wanted to say that the intro you put together sounded incredible. Very cool and looking forward to watching and hearing more.
You totally left out Fender's most modern strat. The American ultra series. It falls in between the vintage and the custom shop. I would say this is hands down their most unique non-custom shop guitar that they make. It comes with several options that you won't find on other models, including rolled edges, a compound radius fretboard, strap locks, locking tuners, the two point floating tremolo, an amazingly contoured body, and the S2 switch so you can add the neck pick up into any position you're playing. If you're looking for a modern strat, this is the way to go. Especially with the 5th generation noiseless vintage pickups in them.
Really cool comparison! I actually own that exact model of the Classic Vibe and absolutely love it! Maybe I just got lucky but my pickup switch is shockingly good and the frets felt like like had been played in for years from the day I got it. Those budget guitars can be real hit or miss but when you find a good one, they can be an unbelievable deal!
Same....experience...was in a guitar center the other night looking for a cheapo electric just to have for alternate tunings and picked up a Squier telecaster cause I thought the finish looked nice and the thing played like a it was 500 dollars more. New tuners and New pickups it would been a beast.
Hi Rhett, Wonderful video as always. I am personally hoping that you can do a breakdown of your intro compositions for these comparison videos. It would be awesome to see your creative process from start to finish in terms of composition - even as far as going within your chosen DAW and nerding out with routing, sound finding, etc. Wishing you the best!
What you say about actually getting the different guitars in your hands and playing them to tell the difference is the most honest truth about how to choose a guitar. RUclips can not replace getting your hands on the instrument and feel you get when you know this guitar is special and the one I can’t live without. 👍🎸
One likes to look for the little things. How's the balance on the lap? Good? Stay in place? Or does it want to neck or butt dive? How does it react to a strap? Does it spin awkwardly when you touch the body with your picking hand because of how the strap is placed? Does it balance and lean at a funny angle? Or does it sit where it's supposed to, and stay pretty much in place without you having to hang onto the neck all the time? How's the neck? Good feel? Fit your hand the way you want? Sticky in the back? Can that be solved with scotchbrite and a bit of wax? But finally, and most importantly, how does it ring? It's almost more important unplugged, because a guitar with a dead ring and no resonance unplugged isn't going to suddenly come alive through an amp. I spend time playing unplugged before I flip the on switch on the amp. I find it helps.
@@seanbaines Sean, good analysis, the only thing you left out was the price and that doesn’t really matter if it is the magical one in a million guitar you are looking for. Heck, you covered that about like Bubba did on how many ways there are to cook shrimp. LOL 😂
I own two Japanese aerodine strats. I think they are as good as the American ones. Or very dang close. The only thing I have done is put locking tuners on them. And, both have had a really good setup on them.I would highly recomend one. If you can find one.
@@DS-nw4eq The point is Rhett is a top notch player, and he probably has more musical success than most of us in the comments, so I thought your comment was arrogant
The classic vibe is crazy good for the money. 2 hours spent on the frets and it's awesome. liked the American vintage tone wise but there's nothing major to pick between them on that front. Great video again!
Rhett, after you released this I put it to the test and walked out the store with a 57' custom shop. You hit the nail on the head, the sound is definitely better in the custom shop, but get it in your hands and its obvious. I didn't plug it infor 20 minutes because of how well it played. And yes, another nail on the head....NONE of the other videos mention that. Its always a straight comparison Of course amp will color most of your tone and of course in the hnads of a professional guitarist (that has the skill to compensate for hardware drawbacks) the difference is minimized
I just got a Vintage II Telecaster from Sweetwater, and also had to do a major truss rod adjustment. Original relief was .018", and took a lot of force to get to under .010". Plus the neck was not parallel to the strings, and had to be reset to keep the high e string from sliding off the fret board. The pickups sound great, but somewhat disappointed in build quality. For a Strat, I found a killer combination of a cheap EART Strat from Amazon and premium Kinman pickups which eliminate the single coil hum plus sound even better. The EART features a premium grade neck, but poor pickups. I now have a EART/Kinman Strat that sounds and plays better than my real vintage 1965 Strat.
Taking a left turn here to say that I found the best Strat for me wasn't a Fender, but rather an LsL Custom Saticoy. I tried everything from Squier through Fender Custom Shop but it wasn't until I started looking at other brands (Musicman, PRS Silver Sky, LsL, Suhr etc.) that I found the one that really spoke to me. Hope this may help someone on their Strat journey, as there are many great brands to consider :D
The custom shop Fenders are phenomenal, very resonate, and the playability is off the charts. I'm not a huge fan of the reliced guitars but the custom shop are flat out the best
Nah. I own one because they were “the coolest” at the moment and needed a pro luthier to make the stupid thing playable. The builders just seem to focus on making it look cool.
Proud to say I built my own - Fender Neck and body but then added Vega-Trem and upgraded everything. Came in about the same price as the highish end jobs (2k) but after spending a while to set it up it is just amazing and a similar guitar from custom shop would probably hit 4k if you could actually spec it. I don't intend to ever sell it, so I know it probably is not 'economical' - but it was so much fun and I learnt a lot. If you aint tried it, then think about giving it a go.... take your time and create your own :)
I was fortunate to see Glen Campbell in his prime. He was playing a custom made Strat Plus with lace sensor pickups...and the sound was just stunning (as was his playing). The next day I started looking for one....found it, and still own it to this day.
I recently played a 2014 anniversary Strat where the pickups had been replaced with lace sensors . The maple neck was unbelievably smooth and the guitar sounded great . I wondered if the anniversary Strats were subject to higher quality control as it it felt so great -also had an unusual case which had like a central section that the neck sits in . Another gem is the Edge signature Strat , dimarzio in the bridge !
I saw Glen as well; what a guitar player!!! I have a 90s Clapton Strat with Lace Sensors. Very quiet and sounds great... I believe these were way before their time in noiseless pickups. I don't know what is sold now, but the gold versions were standard in the EC strat which had a nice strat expected tone, but I also bought blue versions (good humbucker blues sound) and red (hotter driving sound like a hot rail). A Strat Plus was another good guitar back in the day with Lace Sensors.
I am constantly surprised about how I convince myself of one spec over another until I play an instrument and it just feels great. I thought I loved thick necks because I loved my Tele, but then I played a much thinner strat neck and loved it too 😅 Same with radius 🤷
I got a Fender Player Series “Blackie” new this year on sale for $600 through Pro Audio Star/Reverb! So I grabbed one quick while the sale was on early this year!#🎸❤️🔥🤘🏻@shretzy5356
Hi Rhett, great demo of the five strats! Your comments on the switch/ pots quality of the Squier is particularly relevant. On a guitar costing nearly £400 there's no reason to use very cheap electrics. A Fender 5 way switch and three cts pots can be bought for about £20, probably costs Fender a tenner or less! Cheers and keep up thegreat work! Stephen from Scotland
I started building guitars from kits about 3 years ago, and I quickly learned the better difference using a bone nut, and after my 2nd build, almost ALL my axes built have bone nuts. I have long been a Les Paul fan, but to be fair, Strats have a great sound and do well from Jazz to heavy metal and even Country, so I built one for my oldest daughter, and one for me as well. I can appreciate the Squier series of late, but I made sure all my Strat builds are either Alder or Ash - Ash if I get a choice. As to answer your request at the end, how about Les Pauls or 335s?? There are some great for the money $200 range guitars that are a good beginner value, of course, Epiphone, and other brands that swing lower in price than Gibson for a good value, good player. Would love to hear your thoughts on this! 🙂
I bit the bullet and bought a Custom Shop relic. I would absolutely do it again. How it feels in your hands is amazing and it is the most resonant Strat I have. You can feel the notes resonate through the neck and body. I understand this probably does not affect the tone but it sure feels alive when you play it and that matters.
Not quite on your level haha, but recently got the highly controversial (lol) Silver Sky after playing an 07 mexi strat for over half my life (that still plays amazingly, just very rough around the edges) and noticed the exact same thing when I played it for the first time. The sound is great, but the feel and resonance is the most noticeable part that initially made me go "ok this is different". Strumming a chord vibrates your whole chest and you can feel the "thwack" of individual notes while playing lead on the PRS compared to my cheaper standard strat. Still love my strat though, just wanted a Silver Sky before they stop making em, and definitely don't regret it.
@@asiagobagel8293 I’m in almost the same boat. I’ve had American strats. Highway 1 and Standards. They were all sold at some point, even though I loved them. Then I got a Mexican Player 60’s which became my main guitar for a couple of years. Just fantastic for the price. Then I heard the Silver Sky played at a concert. Mind was blown. So I had to get one. Managed to score a nebula one, and never looked back. I was gonna sell it for a profit. But no. That guitar instantly connected with me. It is unbelivable how good it plays and sounds. And at a cheaper price than the Fender Custom Shop. Though I love the feel of a reliced guitar. But I Cannot justify the price at this point in my life.
@@kjellodnebreitebakk I f you love Custom Shop relic jobs you should see RoryGallaghers dedication Strat. Donal brought the real one down and the duplicated everything including modifications!
Back in the late 80's, I owned a Squier that was built in Japan that was an awesome workhorse. I played it on stage for 4 years and never had to have it repaired. I did a couple mods on it myself but it never had to visit the repair shop. Wish I'd have kept that one. Today, my Strat is a 2014 US/ Guitar Center limited edition (guitar center specs). It has a solid rosewood neck and Custom Shop Fat 50's. I swapped out the stock bent saddles for saddles from a Strat Plus, added a mini-toggle to turn on the bridge pup any time, swapped the pickguard for one of my choosing and installed rosewood pot knobs and switch knob. This guitar quickly became my main player. Great tone and resonance. I'm a bit puzzled that these GC Strats haven't become highly sought-after. I highly recommend trying a solid rosewood neck. And if you never use a trem, try a hardtail version. Those hardtails just seem to have a little extra "mojo". 😊😊😊
![Blox Fruits Dragon Rework Update [Full Stream]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqDAp8udhm0/mqdefault.jpg)
Best sound: American Vintage II
Best look: Custom shop
Best guitar: ... SQUIER BABY THAT THING SOUNDS SWEET
Shut your trap Tyler
Inb4 Tyler's new video titled "Guitars you think are great (but are not)"
Was hoping to see you here in the comments.
Nope. Player Strat sounds better and better bang for the buck. 🎸🤓
@@NytronX link to that video?
The very small difference in sound from the demos just goes to prove a fact most guitarists don't want to admit: your amp is more responsible for your sound than your guitar.
I couldn't agree more!
Yip, $700 guitar and $2500 amp will always sound better than a 4000 dollar guitar and $250 ss amp…
@@Notorious_cgc Thats the point man
Noooo! Let me stay with my boss katana and my 40 guitars in peace!
What u dont talk about is the feel of the neck.
I’m surprised at how much I dig all the American vintage II specs actually. If the idea is for a guitar to get you to play differently then this does that for me.
Agreed, I equate the vintage frets the same way that driving a vintage muscle car with bias-ply tires, you're in for the full experience.
That said, the vintage frets would most likely be a no-go for myself.
Also of note, it appears Fender did an excellent job aging the clay dot fret markers, and even the correct inlay spacing at the 12th fret.
I love my 2009 Road Worn strat but I need one of those American Vintage IIs
@@ryangunwitch-black Ditto
They're a surprise hit. I've heard on a few channels that it's Pro 2 necks that are superior to all others, even the Ultra series (You'll be waiting 8 months to get an Ultra in Canada - my town reports a Cobra Blue Ultra Strat HSS would be June '23. The Pro 2 'Dark Night' Tele Deluxe? Sept '23).
I think it'd take less time to get a new kidney.
Are the frets on the AVII's really vintage frets, though? It seems like Fender has been using the phrase "Vintage Tall" to describe their version of 6105-height and width frets. Is that so, or are these something different?
I had the same problem with my Player MiM first but then used the little trick, which puts the neck perfectly in the neck pocket: I losened the neck screws maybe a bit less than a quarter while the strings had tension in E-standard tuning and then tightened them up again. This will fix the dead sound of a strat sometimes, cause the neck pops in perfectly and connects tight to the body, which will make it more resonate. Worked for me. Thanks for the great content Rhett (as always)! Best regards from Germany
I have read about it. But on my case I had no results
Can you just replace the neck and the problem will be resolved?
For me, i took the neck off and add a piece of toothpick. That brought all resonance to my squire.
I have a Fender Player Telecaster. I took the neck off in order to travel with it on my suitcase. When I put it back on, the guitar sounded way way better and way more resonant. So I can testify there could be a thing there, yes.
I swap all my fenders to a 50s boat neck anyway
So you've done Les Paul, and Strat. Can you continue the series into 335s, Teles, Jazzmasters, and SG? I think it's the perfect format for people to get a gist of each type of guitar that may not know where to start.
I support this!
This.
Yes, that would definitely be dope, if any kind of promotion or fundage/help permits, Rhett!
would love to see an SG vid like this!!!
That intro was amazing Rhett....salute
It was the scenery that did it I think…
It was flowing on the clouds
Facts.
Yeah that was quality!
It sounds a lot like The War on Drugs. Killer!
Mexican stratocaster is an excellent instrument and will not hold you back. I use one and love it. It is all stock. Players series are worth checking out.
I love the pickups on it, gives me Hendrix vibes
I agree the player plus MIM is an excellent guitar
Your title tracks get better and better every week. That octave fuzz ripped!!
I love those inversions and the light touch! That is a great intro!
I'm starting to really like this guy, excellent content and he's cool to listen to.
I actually just bought the squier last month and did the exact things you mentioned: new pickups, pots, 5-way switch, pickguard, had the frets polished & leveled, then properly setup and wow it’s amazing! I’m blown away that it’s even a squier. Looks and plays amazing! As an intermediate/late beginner, this guitar and upgrades for under $800 is totally worth it! Awesome video
I did the same thing! All because of the colour. Turned out to be a great guitar.
It was a squier.. you swapped out half the guitar hah
@@maxpower6706 , got a point Homer?
@@onlyfromadistance7326 I think I made it there pingu
@@maxpower6706 some people can't afford a great guitar right off. But they can get a good guitar and over time make it great. Now shut up and go make me a sandwich...
Great video. I like the Vintage II "as is". I'm a huge tinkerer and learned a bunch of luthier tricks in my time. For a few years, I started with craigslist bought Mexican Strats and upgraded quite a bit that you talked about. Sand the body to wood. Acrylic color, nitro clear. Level and crown the frets and round the finger board edges. Go with better alnico pickups. And the back of the neck gets sanded down then waxed well. A hint too is that old Deluxe Mexican strats (the serial number starts with a D) like a Jimmie Vaughan, a Powerhouse or the like have the wider, US string spacing and bridge with a much bigger block already. Going the extra mile on one of those doing only paint and neck work make them easily outplay a standard American Strat. Now, I'm not a vintage fan, so if I built one of these to take out and gig, I want the top of the neck truss rod, I add a roller string tree and the tuners become lockers. Pop on some 9's or 10's, lube the nut, saddles and let her rip.
Absolutely love my 59 custom shop strat, I would suggest paying slightly more and looking for a used custom shop rather than the vintage 2, but I love that this new series exists!
I have that exact classic vibe Squire and I swapped the electronics to Fender’s second nicest pre-wired pick guard. It made an insane difference and I actually prefer it over many Mexican & American Strats I’ve played.
Nice. Might do some day.
I hated the 50’s vintera fender it was an awful playing a sounding guitar I went with the CV .cheaper ,played better and sounded better ..I tried it through 5 amps and not one did it sound good ..the fat 50’s pickups .didn’t sound like it was ever out of bridge and middle or neck and middle .even when it was on the other positions the selector .for 1200 quid here in the uk it was a big no for me when the CV was just over 300 quid and a fret polish which I did myself it plays better too ..
@@craigpimlott204 same here, but I think the Vintera I tested had something bad. Other Vinteras I heard weren't so awful.
@@MaurizioFirmaniElectronics have gotten better on MX Strats, but the woods/builds are pretty average. The Classic Series are far better instruments than the Vinteras.....especially the late 90s and early 2000's models
Rhett seems to be the only youtuber shitting on the Squire Classic Vibe
Just a quick comment on the Classic Vibe.
Most likely you don't need a fret level and crown etc. .Just a simple polish of the frets, maybe starting with 800 grit and working up to 4000 or 8000 will give you great frets. Tape off the fingerboard so you don't scratch it. Cut the "sand paper" into 0.5-1 inch wide strips and maybe use a big eraser to press the strips down against the frets. Or just buy a "fret-eraser" and give it a quick once-over and it will improve the feeling of the frets immensely.
Have to give you props for such a great channel. Your audio/visual is pro level. I appreciate how thorough your reviews are. And your guitar playing is always tasteful, I especially liked the intro you created in this video. Keep up the great work!
IMO the Pro 2 sounded the best. Something about the crunchiness and brittleness of the tone. Just great.
That intro though ❤ Footage, playing, everything top notch! I also appreciate all the details you mentioned as to what you’d upgrade.
The playing on this video is out of this world. Excellent work, sir!
I signed up for Rhett's basic guitar theory course...I write music books...he did a super job. I enjoy seeing how others cover material. Rhett makes it easy.
Holy Toledo Rhett. I was just researching strats to pick one up because I have never owned one. Was leaning towards the pro II, but now you’ve made me reconsider the vintage. Heck. Great video, thanks for sharing your experience with us all.
legend mic man
I think a major factor in choosing a guitar is whether it has been properly setup, some receive a ton of fret work while others might just be right out of the box, a good service by a top luthier can completely change a guitar.
Totally agree, a good setup and some TLC makes a big difference.
yeah most guitarist think the perfect guitar usually come right out of the box, but in reality you gotta put some work into making that good guitar great. My number 1 guitar is my pro 2 strat, and i had to fight that guitar for over a month before i dialed it in! Now the guitar is bullet proof!
@@justaburgscousin My Amer Pro I HSS is my favorite Strat by far. Super versatile and it's just an amazing guitar.
It’s funny you say that but on the flip side a bad luthier will ruin a great guitar
My dad gifted me his ‘62 reissue. Never took it to his luthier he’s been going to for the past 20+ years. I took it in to get it set up and my god what a difference. I do plan on working my way around my own guitars, but your comment does seem to fit more newer guitars that are more manufactured than hand crafted. I may be wrong on that but that’s just my perception
I began my guitar journey 3 months ago with a Squier Affinity Strat, $279 at my local music shop. My teacher shows up with a Squier Bullet, $179 at the same shop. I'm a long way from being able to justify a Made in Mexico, much less a Custom Shop. For now, I'm happy to spend money on lessons and maybe a couple of upgrades on the Squier in the next year or so.
Do as I did many years ago... when you come to a proficient level you want, then go for a new and better guitar. And if you end up being a pro guitar player like Rhett, then you can also afford a custom one. During your learning years, you will find different kinds of guitars with different feels, and your music style will also evolve.
Rock your Squier!! when I was starting to play the guitar (in the 80s/90s I wish low priced guitars where as good as they are today). Heck... I played/practiced 2 years (in my room), before I knew what a distortion pedal was!!, today you can get a myriad of effects on your pc or even mobile for the cost (or less) than just one pedal back in the day... just crazy!
buy the custom shop heavy relic...you wont regret it ... i have 3, they are amazing
@@rv6205 Maybe as an investment, but you'd have to keep it from harm to retain its value. There are arguably better things to invest in than guitars.
You don't necessarily need to change pickups, but there are excellent options for under $100/set. First determine what about the sound you would change. Also great noiseless for under $200. Changing pots and wires won't affect the sound, but you might like the feel of certain pots.
@@rv6205 Hehe, Maybe so. Ya' never now what's going to happen in the market.
you really nailed that David Gilmore / Pink Floyd sound on the intro! With a next level feel with the last notes of the solo. Kudos!
David Gilmour has hands like mine , like a stone mason and he uses a 7.25 C neck as far as I know still yet, like BB King asked him once
“Boy You sure you wasn’t born in Mississippi?”
Funny thing about Gilmour and these modern "premium" 2-point trems - he prefers a 6-point.
@@Bbbbad724 wait your thought about this is your 😄hands are like David’s? That is such a creepy comment for some reason.
@@mattier3030 No, I did a lot of manual labor and my hands are pretty big and well used. Before I destroyed my shoulder I had to have a C neck with a 7.25 radius. Gilmour preferred the 57 V 7.25. I have played both and the 61 is more comfortable. I may never play again. I have a Silvertone with a pretty decent neck and a 9.5 radius and practice is hard. I just have beat up hands that’s all I was saying, but I am getting discouraged with the nerve in my thumb.
@@mattier3030 No, I did a lot of manual labor and my hands are pretty big and well used. Before I destroyed my shoulder I had to have a C neck with a 7.25 radius. Gilmour preferred the 57 V 7.25. I have played both and the 61 is more comfortable. I may never play again. I have a Silvertone with a pretty decent neck and a 9.5 radius and practice is hard. I just have beat up hands that’s all I was saying, but I am getting discouraged with the nerve in my thumb.
The intro tracks just keep getting better. Your use of octave fuzz is insane 🫡
Thanks Rhett. The Player Plus also seems like a good option that comes with rolled edges, locking tuners, and noiseless pickups at around $999.
The vintage II model is to die for if you have the budget. Nicely made, sounds great out of the box, and has much of what I would upgrade a lesser instrument to be.
My 2018 player series strat, same colour as the one you play in the video, resonates a lot!! I love to play it even unplugged due to this!!
The black one. The Professional II. I like the clarity. I thought it sounded terrific, very expressive and versatile. I like the 2 point trem. I do not like the lack of easy adjustability on the neck for the Vintage pair. I really liked the way you can blend neck and bridge pickup. That had a sound to it I really liked.
I so love my America Pro II. I feel naked without it.
Pro II sounded like shit. Harsh on all positions.
My favorite too.
The custom shop and vintage series sounded the best, not necessarily one better then other just a bit different voicing
@@gffg387 yep, but he has very bright hands too
Obviously the Custom Shop sounded great - but that Vintage strat sounded killer too! A noticeable difference from the lesser expensive versions. Great opener to this video, Rhett! Your content is always solid!
Rhett’s content is the best no bull channel here. I love the way that we can see true worth. A $150 guitar may need $800 before it is fit to record or even play for a saloon. Intonation is important, setup has to be right. You learn about this,when he plecked his LesPaul and had it set up. It was a wow, something was not completely right, but my mind settled afterwards, slight unease was gone. I had no complete thought about it, Rhett sounded really good, but after the plek and setup he was magical! I am a Fender guy I have to admit, Gibsons always sounded a little out of tune for some reason. But seeing that was wow he got to see how it is really done! The truth comes out on any guitar when you play beyond the 12 th fret. If it all goes to heck beyond the 12 th we heard it here… the intonation needs attention. But what if your Epiphone or Gibson LesPaul Special with just the lightning bar wraptail bridge, you can move it around, but you need to have a pro do it who has done SGs to get it close enough. I put a intonatable bridge on the Epiphone with saddles. It is perfect. Too bad that the neck makes my left hand go numb because of the skinny neck profile. My son said that it felt good for him so I will give it to him and he can take lessons.
This is where I landed too. I "watched" the beginning without opening my eyes to see if I had a preference. Strongly preferred the custom shop and vintage, but neither really spoke to me. There are better sounding custom shops out there for sure.
Has the winner of the giveaway been announced? Entry site says a winner hasn’t been chosen yet?!
That Custom Shop sounds above and beyond. Pricey, but worth the money in my eyes (and ears)
I love the show, especially this one! I have an American Pro 2 strat, you mentioned that it has a synthetic nut but I bought mine with the understanding that it is bone. Bone is also listed in the specs for a new one. Thanks for letting me be a guitar nerd!
It's bone.
Thank you for confirming!
Its bond indeed.
My favorite was the American Vintage 2. It has the right sound and vibe and the price, while out of my reach completely, isn’t ridiculous. As for which one I’d buy, the Squier. The price is right and I’d have fun tinkering and upgrading it. I’d be more likely to get the 70’s one though.
The frets coming out from Squier really do desperately need some polishing, or even crowning. But that's pretty easy for a luthier to do, and once they're properly set up (which, yes, they should do in the factory), they're quite wonderful guitars
That’s kind of disappointing, the Affinity Strat I bought my godson back in what, maybe ‘05 or ‘06 was an outstanding value for a beginner guitar. Good level, better than fair fret ends, and fair polish. I went ahead and polished them up bit, but I didnt’ do much. I actually just did a clean and tune up on it for him recently, it still plays darned good.
@@corneliuscrewe677 I tend to agree with that perspective. None of the guitars I have really needed anything more than a play in. The whole point of buying a new guitar is to get new frets. A new guitar shouldn't need fret level crown & polish, but if there is a grittiness for a Squier Bullet/Affinity level brand guitar it's a set of strings or two away from that being smoothed off from the strings themselves. June & October 2021 I bought a couple of Monoprice Telecasters and they had that brand new gritty fret feel to them. I played them and now they feel & sound fine. Metal on metal is going to sound like you're scraping metal on metal. The two ways that is handled, one can gab a polish or play it in.
I can't imagine the resonant claims being valid in the video. Once again, every guitar I have is resonant, more or less than each other and that's more to do with the weight of the guitar, the fixed vs tremolo bridge for a body route, string thru vs top loader. The neck is always going to be more vibrational than the body as the strings are attached at the tuners, the contact of the nut or wherever fretted. All my Strats are basswood which is softer than Alder (Poplar in some cases). If Basswood being softer wood is resonantly responsive, without dampening the vibrations, I can't imagine any of these guitars, polyurethane or lacquer, not being more resonant than what I have. The feel differences, I get that, but even a $ 100 Chinese guitar has a very playable feel to it, once they are set up to preference especially.
All of these guitars sounded fine to me, tone being a preference & what each territory they cover. The thing that bothers me, every knock on these new guitars, is the same knock on any brand's lineup update. Crappy electronics & pickups. gritty & rough frets & ends. Really, the fret polish how long would that take for any new guitar. I don't even bother, knowing in the first few days or weeks the fret grit is gone as played in. At worst would it take a year if the guitar wasn't played as often ?
That often goes for the cheapest ones. I have compared Classic Vibe to Player series in store a couple times and the Squiers had better frets.
And what you pay someone to do all this work you can just buy a better guitar. A little polishing I can do but leveling and crowning is going to cost you
Yeah the cost of getting a luthier to do that is way more than just paying the difference for a better guitar
Sitting here and listening to you play they all sound good! I do believe that the sound is in the hands more than anything. That old say Is " A bad guitar player can't make a good guitar sound good, But a Good guitar player can make a bad guitar sound Great!"
It is in the hands and then when you get the guitar player/guitar/amp, magic can happen!
Stats are beautiful pieces of art.
Thank you,
B
I’ve played and owned so many strats. I even had the guy who made the SRV number 1 replicas make me a special LPB Strat with an upside down tremolo. The great vintage strats are in a class of their own - at high volumes they get creamier and creamier whereas newer guitars sound harsh. But finding that great vintage Strat is a very costly experience.
I've played vintage guitars, Fender included, that were nothing special at all. They all aren't winners for sure.
11:38 The nut on the American Pro II is bone, not synthetic. Edit: 19:30 Gritty frets don’t necessarily need to be crowned and leveled. They’re often the result of skipping the final step of polishing the frets after they’ve already been leveled. If you’re on a tight budget and have DIY skills, polishing frets is easy and would make those frets feel fine.
The American Pro II also has a satin finish on the back of the neck. Surprised he didn’t mention it cause he seems to prefer it in the LP videos. Instead he acted like the gloss was a downside lol
That American Vintage II sounds like absolute perfection to me. The custom shop also has a lot going for it. But for the price, Vintage II for sure.
Definitely
I love guitars of all types, but the Stratocaster is beyond my favorite. Buddy Holly, Hendrix, Cobain, Gilmour, Clapton, SRV. And many others. Such a beautiful instrument.
Those are some great instruments you listed
I watched a SRV tribute concert his brother Jimmy put together that featured all the top blues guitarists on the planet 10 years after SRVs death. I believe Jimmy actually got up on stage with each of them if memory serves me correctly. With the exception of BB King, every single one of them played a Fender Strat. That should tell you something.
RoryGallagher used a C neck 7.25 . It makes a difference! And Rhett you nailed it.
Cobain played a jaguar
Great video. Just a bit to note, the American Professional II Strat does in fact have a bone nut per Fender specifications. Perhaps they switched over to them sometime after this video was made? That is one of the main features that attracted me to that particular model. In addition to the fact that I personally think it sounds and feels absolutely phenomenal! Even up against a 1974 hardtail Strat that I also own.
Mine is an earlier one and the nut is bone. I think he just got mixed up for a moment while filming.
Cool! I’m thinking of nabbing the roasted pine version of the Am Pro II, but was flummoxed how the series ranked within the 180 odd models that Fender produces.
I so agree with his reasoning for spending the extra money on the custom shop. I own a 59 american vintage I and a custom shop. The feel is just on another level with the custom shop and you really feel the quality holding it in your hand. Mine is a relic too which I love especially the worn in neck.
Love strats! Your melodies are so good and really captures every character of the strat. My favourite is still the vintage road worn relics Customs. Looks and sounds amazing. But it's really about the feeling of the guitar which means....we all have to go to the local guitar shops to try the best one
I have the American Pro2 and it has amazing clean tones. I'm thinking of switching the bridge pickup to a tele style and it should be perfect.
Rhett your rapid-fire articulations of super specific differences throughout the range of these guitars is excellent. You always state then refine and finally clarify your points. You just do such a great job throughout. It's not the editing (which is excellent) or the camera work (ditto). It's the way you keep viewers engaged. I play a 1984 Hondo H-700 MR/R that every time I'm in the basement doing laundry I pick it up it sounds excellent. But this video gives me some insight on what I might upgrade to some day.
Great review, Rhett! I purchased a Squier Classic Vibes as a project guitar. I updated to Alnico 5 pickups, Orange Caps, Wiring, and Rolled in the frets. around $75 out of pocket upgrades. Definitely a great starter guitar.
👆 chat me up🎉🎉
Out……standing into! You’re easily one of the best creators right now…Musical or otherwise. Great job Rhett. Your commitment to sound quality, quality videography/photography, and presentation is very evident and does not go unnoticed. I feel like I get a full and professional production to view and enjoy every time I click on a Rhett vid.
Love Strats. They are my guitars of choice for what and how I play. The only thing that is a deal breaker for me is the truss rod adjustment at the heel of the neck. I’ve had every level of Strat throughout the years and with a little work and some time, you can get even the most affordable Strat to sound and feel amazing. Great video man. Really love these types. Keep it up.
This is a great series for us guitar nerds, I love it! I hope you keep doing this with other popular models 🙂🤘
Excellent comparison video. The only thing missing was including the nut widths, fret radius specs, and weight. I know we could maybe dig these specs off Fender site, but these 3 things are super important to nerds like me. Keep up the good work!
Except for the custom shop ones, for which they pick light woods, the weight of the others wouldn’t mean much, as you could get a light MIM and a heavy AV II, or the other way around. And Fender doesn’t publish weights for that reason.
Rhett..Loved the song at the beginning . …The Edge during Rattle and Hum mixed with Clapton and a touch of Satriani🤘
I've got a Fender Player from 2019 that i changed out all the hardware and electronics in, but the guitar itself feels and plays wonderfully. It's super resonant. It's too bad the one you got sent felt bad. Mine is my all time favorite, and I wouldn't sell it for the world
@@retiredguyadventures6211 I sold my american Fenders because I liked my Player better 🤷♂️
When I got mine, I had the advantage of being able to go to my LMS (Local Music Store), which is a pretty big one, and try out all the Players on the floor. I narrowed it down to the two that felt/played best unplugged, then put them through an amp. The one I chose has worked out pretty well.
I had an "American Series" 2003 or so, as body and thick gloss paint, beautiful guitar but... the Player I have now is way resonant than that USA. Is a step down in certain things but is a really good guitar. I was in shock when Rett put the player in last place. Regards!
Fender are on another level right now. Almost every single offer at any price point is spot on on quality and tone delivery (based on the money you pay), and the finishes are stunning.
I have an Am Pro II and it’s fantastic. I love the pickups and neck. And TBH, Miami Blue is one of my favorite guitar colors Fender has ever done.
Me 2. I thought the Nut was Bone?
Is it?
Me too, I have the Dark Knight finish and it’s amazing.
@@danabiondo9243 so did I, but he said it wasn’t. 🤷🏼♂️
the nut is bone! that’s the only thing he got wrong in this video
Such an honest review. Most people would never say get the one that you connect with. They would push their favorite one and call it a review
Great video, Rhett! Especially since I’m in the market for a Strat. However, you forgot to include the “Performer” line! I was hoping for some compare/contrast between that and the AmPro II.
Fender killed it with this new vintage reissue series, they sound great in every youtuber video
That run at 2:20 was sweet! A highlight reel moment for sure
Have you heard of Stevie Ray Vaughn? lol
Best production video you’ve done yet. The intro, the shots, the edit, the content. You’ve reached an elite level here.
Thanks again, Rhett and Fender! The '61 Strat arrived yesterday. It was worth the five month wait!
20:40 You can locate the threads by turning the bar (or screws) counter clockwise until you feel it click into place. Then you can tighten it.
I've been a beginning guitar player for twenty years and....
Actually, there's no substantial difference in tone if you plunk more down on a good amplifier. However, these ease of use is substantial, just like anything you invest in, the real payoff is consistency.
You'll notice, they are more consistent in performance and quality than the lower end.
Thank you for sharing this video.
I’ve never related more to a phrase than “a beginning player for twenty years” 🤣🤣🤣
Cool intro! What a great vibe your music has. Love your channel! Keep up the great work.
I have a strat by a brand I've never heard of called Crescent. I think its one of those brands that you can find on places like ebay or something. I got it for 30 bucks used from a pawn shop. Its currently my main guitar lol. I love it. Some of it might be sentimental tho because it was my first guitar. it has surprisingly good action. Main things that could be upgraded are The Pickups and the nut and tuners. It's still really playable even with what it has
I like the articulation regarding the dead feeling of a guitar (MIM). That is a thing. I actually love the S1 switch on the Am Pro ii. With the modern bright tone of these pups, you can get away with a decent Jazzmaster tone in 5/1 position. Plus, brightness can easily be accommodated wit eq. Its a bit easier to fatten up a bright pup than brighten up a darker pup.
I agree with everything said here, espcially around 17:50. You don't notice that a Strat body vibrates--until you play one that doesn't. There is nothing wrong with Mexican Fender per se, but I had one (supposedly alder) that was so dense that it made no sound at all when played without an amp, and no sustain, even with an amp. Even with a swimming pool rout, it was heavy and dead. The engineers out there will tell you none of this makes any difference, but oh boy, did it ever! I replaced the pickups with Lollars and then Fralins but the guitar was just dead.
Speaking of wood, the stuff they're using for Classic Vibe bodies makes them sound just a little thinner and brighter. It's pretty subtle, but if you switch to a Strat made from alder or ash, you suddenly notice what was missing. But that's hair splitting. I think the real difference besides price, is labor. Rolling the edges and properly smoothing fret ends is work. But if you don't mind or don't notice these things, a Classic Vibe is fine. Even the Chinese switch will work if you're not too hard on it. So I think it is true to say that more expensive Fenders are usually better, and...that many players won't notice much difference. There's something for everybody, and you can pay a lot and still get a dog. That's the problem with mail order.
Great points. I completely agree with everything you mentioned; particularly poor quality wood -i.e. heavy, dense, alder and ash-leading to a guitar sounding dead. I’ve even experienced that with a Suhr antique S (the body was made with a dreadful piece of Alder; no change in pickups could’ve saved that) so one has to be careful buying a guitar without first feeling the weight and playing it unplugged at any price point. It’s a shame that Fender CS Strats and Teles cost so much but the quality of the materials used is worth it most of the time.
I just love the American Pro II 's actual sound. I has the dry to glassy clean twang. I tend to like the modern features more.
I own the American Pro v1 and I must say I do really dig the v-mod pickups. They are bright and articulate, but they don't sound harsh and have a real shimmer and depth to them. You can also tame them with the tone pots too which I regularly do. I usually set my bridge pickup around 6 on the tone knob and my neck around 7 or 8, then tweak a bit according to venue. The only thing with the Pro that might not be to everyone's taste is the slightly chunkier neck profile (my hand is used to something a bit slimmer).
I basically turned an 2000s starcaster into an AmPro2 and I love it. Highly recommend
There’s never been another video that has made me wanna go pick up my strat 👍🏼
When I was taking lessons at a guitar store 20 something years ago, I casually asked the guy at the store what guitar he thought was "the best" and he said- The one you'll play every day. I see these vids all the time on "The BEST One" and I am reminded of 2 legends- Prince and Eddie Van Halen. Prince's #1 Tele from Purple Rain was an off brand Tele knock off. Eddie Van Halen's famous Frankenstrat was a parts guitar that he made himself from Charvel parts. A $3,000 Fender won't make you play any better than a $100 student guitar. Lessons and practice will.
Great post!
To a certain degree that’s correct, but there’s a point where it’s not. If you play a 100 dollar guitar, it’s likely not setup very well and will have sharp frets. To someone just starting out that doesn’t understand how to fix those issues, it seems like guitar is an insurmountable challenge to learn. However, a well setup guitar with decent enough fretwork, that same beginner wouldn’t give up because suddenly it’s playable. As long as the guitar can be setup well, there will be no difference in ability from the player between a 100 dollar and 3000 dollar guitar. The playability matters the most, you get the most bang for your buck around 250-300 dollars.
Rhett, just getting into your content as new guitarist. As im starting to watch this video, just wanted to say that the intro you put together sounded incredible. Very cool and looking forward to watching and hearing more.
Hello, great video !!! Question about American vintage 1961 II strat - have you been satisfied with the neck pocket on that strat?
The Clapton signature strat is great. The soft V neck feels best to me. All other necks are nice, but the soft V is king.
Agreed, I have a Custom Shop Clapton strat, it is incomparable to anything short of Elites/Ultras, maybe.
You totally left out Fender's most modern strat. The American ultra series. It falls in between the vintage and the custom shop. I would say this is hands down their most unique non-custom shop guitar that they make. It comes with several options that you won't find on other models, including rolled edges, a compound radius fretboard, strap locks, locking tuners, the two point floating tremolo, an amazingly contoured body, and the S2 switch so you can add the neck pick up into any position you're playing. If you're looking for a modern strat, this is the way to go. Especially with the 5th generation noiseless vintage pickups in them.
I was thinking of getting the HSS ultra
I tried those noiseless pick ups but they felt extremely weak they lack that rich glassy tone it seemed.
Really cool comparison! I actually own that exact model of the Classic Vibe and absolutely love it! Maybe I just got lucky but my pickup switch is shockingly good and the frets felt like like had been played in for years from the day I got it. Those budget guitars can be real hit or miss but when you find a good one, they can be an unbelievable deal!
A setup/tidying up and perhaps some pickups - all the start you need
Same....experience...was in a guitar center the other night looking for a cheapo electric just to have for alternate tunings and picked up a Squier telecaster cause I thought the finish looked nice and the thing played like a it was 500 dollars more. New tuners and New pickups it would been a beast.
Hi there man! great video, question, how you guys deal with the noise that comes from single coils, your tone is very clean and without noise. Thanks
Hi Rhett,
Wonderful video as always. I am personally hoping that you can do a breakdown of your intro compositions for these comparison videos. It would be awesome to see your creative process from start to finish in terms of composition - even as far as going within your chosen DAW and nerding out with routing, sound finding, etc.
Wishing you the best!
Beautiful track! Really love the vibe and all the guitar layers. Great work man!
What you say about actually getting the different guitars in your hands and playing them to tell the difference is the most honest truth about how to choose a guitar. RUclips can not replace getting your hands on the instrument and feel you get when you know this guitar is special and the one I can’t live without. 👍🎸
One likes to look for the little things. How's the balance on the lap? Good? Stay in place? Or does it want to neck or butt dive? How does it react to a strap? Does it spin awkwardly when you touch the body with your picking hand because of how the strap is placed? Does it balance and lean at a funny angle? Or does it sit where it's supposed to, and stay pretty much in place without you having to hang onto the neck all the time? How's the neck? Good feel? Fit your hand the way you want? Sticky in the back? Can that be solved with scotchbrite and a bit of wax?
But finally, and most importantly, how does it ring? It's almost more important unplugged, because a guitar with a dead ring and no resonance unplugged isn't going to suddenly come alive through an amp. I spend time playing unplugged before I flip the on switch on the amp. I find it helps.
@@seanbaines Sean, good analysis, the only thing you left out was the price and that doesn’t really matter if it is the magical one in a million guitar you are looking for. Heck, you covered that about like Bubba did on how many ways there are to cook shrimp. LOL 😂
@@VonBluesman I just got back from trying out a new guitar. Fresh in my mind. :)
I own two Japanese aerodine strats. I think they are as good as the American ones. Or very dang close. The only thing I have done is put locking tuners on them. And, both have had a really good setup on them.I would highly recomend one. If you can find one.
I have a 2004 Aerodyne. For some silly reason sold it and 15 years later ive just found another and nabbed it. Superb strat!
We don’t care how the Hell they do it in Japan😂. 🍻🇺🇸 🎸
I already have an AmPro II and I'm waiting on my Vintage 2 so I can decide which one becomes my main. Great video man.
Rhett, one thing I love about your playing is how much reverb you use. You use a TON of reverb and I am HERE FOR IT.
👆 chat me up🎉🎉
Rhett you are one of the standout players of our time. Incredible!
Thank you!
😆
@@DS-nw4eq How many gigs you playing this year?
Yea ridiculous statement I agree, go check out some real talented dudes out there you boomer
@@DS-nw4eq The point is Rhett is a top notch player, and he probably has more musical success than most of us in the comments, so I thought your comment was arrogant
You forgot to announce the winner, it was supposed to be on November 24th, it's the 28th now
The classic vibe is crazy good for the money. 2 hours spent on the frets and it's awesome. liked the American vintage tone wise but there's nothing major to pick between them on that front. Great video again!
Rhett, after you released this I put it to the test and walked out the store with a 57' custom shop. You hit the nail on the head, the sound is definitely better in the custom shop, but get it in your hands and its obvious. I didn't plug it infor 20 minutes because of how well it played. And yes, another nail on the head....NONE of the other videos mention that. Its always a straight comparison
Of course amp will color most of your tone and of course in the hnads of a professional guitarist (that has the skill to compensate for hardware drawbacks) the difference is minimized
I just got a Vintage II Telecaster from Sweetwater, and also had to do a major truss rod adjustment. Original relief was .018", and took a lot of force to get to under .010". Plus the neck was not parallel to the strings, and had to be reset to keep the high e string from sliding off the fret board. The pickups sound great, but somewhat disappointed in build quality.
For a Strat, I found a killer combination of a cheap EART Strat from Amazon and premium Kinman pickups which eliminate the single coil hum plus sound even better. The EART features a premium grade neck, but poor pickups. I now have a EART/Kinman Strat that sounds and plays better than my real vintage 1965 Strat.
Did I miss the announcement or has he just not announced the winner for the strat giveaway?
No he didn’t, yet.
Taking a left turn here to say that I found the best Strat for me wasn't a Fender, but rather an LsL Custom Saticoy. I tried everything from Squier through Fender Custom Shop but it wasn't until I started looking at other brands (Musicman, PRS Silver Sky, LsL, Suhr etc.) that I found the one that really spoke to me. Hope this may help someone on their Strat journey, as there are many great brands to consider :D
Great reviews!! It’s the American Pro 2 for me. I love the tone, feel and modern touches on it.
The custom shop Fenders are phenomenal, very resonate, and the playability is off the charts. I'm not a huge fan of the reliced guitars but the custom shop are flat out the best
Nah. I own one because they were “the coolest” at the moment and needed a pro luthier to make the stupid thing playable. The builders just seem to focus on making it look cool.
I have a player strat and I absolutely love it. So much so that I have no inclination to get the professional. Truly great for me
Proud to say I built my own - Fender Neck and body but then added Vega-Trem and upgraded everything. Came in about the same price as the highish end jobs (2k) but after spending a while to set it up it is just amazing and a similar guitar from custom shop would probably hit 4k if you could actually spec it. I don't intend to ever sell it, so I know it probably is not 'economical' - but it was so much fun and I learnt a lot. If you aint tried it, then think about giving it a go.... take your time and create your own :)
I was fortunate to see Glen Campbell in his prime. He was playing a custom made Strat Plus with lace sensor pickups...and the sound was just stunning (as was his playing). The next day I started looking for one....found it, and still own it to this day.
I recently played a 2014 anniversary Strat where the pickups had been replaced with lace sensors . The maple neck was unbelievably smooth and the guitar sounded great . I wondered if the anniversary Strats were subject to higher quality control as it it felt so great -also had an unusual case which had like a central section that the neck sits in . Another gem is the Edge signature Strat , dimarzio in the bridge !
I saw Glen as well; what a guitar player!!!
I have a 90s Clapton Strat with Lace Sensors. Very quiet and sounds great... I believe these were way before their time in noiseless pickups. I don't know what is sold now, but the gold versions were standard in the EC strat which had a nice strat expected tone, but I also bought blue versions (good humbucker blues sound) and red (hotter driving sound like a hot rail). A Strat Plus was another good guitar back in the day with Lace Sensors.
I wish they still offered the lace sensor pickups as a factory option
I am constantly surprised about how I convince myself of one spec over another until I play an instrument and it just feels great. I thought I loved thick necks because I loved my Tele, but then I played a much thinner strat neck and loved it too 😅 Same with radius 🤷
remember when the mexican strat was $600 ish
I got a Fender Player Series “Blackie” new this year on sale for $600 through Pro Audio Star/Reverb! So I grabbed one quick while the sale was on early this year!#🎸❤️🔥🤘🏻@shretzy5356
I paid $425 back in the mid 90’s
Hi Rhett, great demo of the five strats! Your comments on the switch/ pots quality of the Squier is particularly relevant. On a guitar costing nearly £400 there's no reason to use very cheap electrics. A Fender 5 way switch and three cts pots can be bought for about £20, probably costs Fender a tenner or less! Cheers and keep up thegreat work! Stephen from Scotland
I started building guitars from kits about 3 years ago, and I quickly learned the better difference using a bone nut, and after my 2nd build, almost ALL my axes built have bone nuts. I have long been a Les Paul fan, but to be fair, Strats have a great sound and do well from Jazz to heavy metal and even Country, so I built one for my oldest daughter, and one for me as well. I can appreciate the Squier series of late, but I made sure all my Strat builds are either Alder or Ash - Ash if I get a choice.
As to answer your request at the end, how about Les Pauls or 335s?? There are some great for the money $200 range guitars that are a good beginner value, of course, Epiphone, and other brands that swing lower in price than Gibson for a good value, good player. Would love to hear your thoughts on this! 🙂
I bit the bullet and bought a Custom Shop relic. I would absolutely do it again. How it feels in your hands is amazing and it is the most resonant Strat I have. You can feel the notes resonate through the neck and body. I understand this probably does not affect the tone but it sure feels alive when you play it and that matters.
Not quite on your level haha, but recently got the highly controversial (lol) Silver Sky after playing an 07 mexi strat for over half my life (that still plays amazingly, just very rough around the edges) and noticed the exact same thing when I played it for the first time. The sound is great, but the feel and resonance is the most noticeable part that initially made me go "ok this is different". Strumming a chord vibrates your whole chest and you can feel the "thwack" of individual notes while playing lead on the PRS compared to my cheaper standard strat. Still love my strat though, just wanted a Silver Sky before they stop making em, and definitely don't regret it.
@@asiagobagel8293 I’m in almost the same boat. I’ve had American strats. Highway 1 and Standards. They were all sold at some point, even though I loved them. Then I got a Mexican Player 60’s which became my main guitar for a couple of years. Just fantastic for the price. Then I heard the Silver Sky played at a concert. Mind was blown. So I had to get one. Managed to score a nebula one, and never looked back. I was gonna sell it for a profit. But no. That guitar instantly connected with me. It is unbelivable how good it plays and sounds. And at a cheaper price than the Fender Custom Shop. Though I love the feel of a reliced guitar. But I Cannot justify the price at this point in my life.
A reliced Custom Shop Strat is as good as it gets. I love the way they feel. Wish I can afford to spec my own someday.
@@kjellodnebreitebakk I f you love Custom Shop relic jobs you should see RoryGallaghers dedication Strat. Donal brought the real one down and the duplicated everything including modifications!
@@Bbbbad724 I’ve tried one actually! Great axe.
Well there is no guitar giveaway mr rhet shull... what did really happened?
this giveaway is already overdued
Back in the late 80's, I owned a Squier that was built in Japan that was an awesome workhorse. I played it on stage for 4 years and never had to have it repaired. I did a couple mods on it myself but it never had to visit the repair shop. Wish I'd have kept that one.
Today, my Strat is a 2014 US/ Guitar Center limited edition (guitar center specs). It has a solid rosewood neck and Custom Shop Fat 50's. I swapped out the stock bent saddles for saddles from a Strat Plus, added a mini-toggle to turn on the bridge pup any time, swapped the pickguard for one of my choosing and installed rosewood pot knobs and switch knob. This guitar quickly became my main player. Great tone and resonance. I'm a bit puzzled that these GC Strats haven't become highly sought-after.
I highly recommend trying a solid rosewood neck. And if you never use a trem, try a hardtail version. Those hardtails just seem to have a little extra "mojo".
😊😊😊
sweet playing dude, i’m interested in buying the 60’s jv stratocaster in olympic white and you just sold it to me even more.