Dude, i swear i said the same thing when a couple of months ago, jackson released those soloists made in usa and put a price tag for about 2500 dolars on them. Literally you can get a mexican Charvel dk24 with the same specs for half the price
Nice. I purchased my first American Strat earlier this year. I absolutely love it. It's a professional II series with a roasted pine body. It's the perfect electric guitar for me. Congrats on your new instrument.
I own a 2011 American deluxe v-neck strat . It is definitely a proper guitar hands down. Tones achieved with a hot rod deluxe IV and a few pedals has overwhelmingly surpassed any combination I’ve owned before.
The biggest factor I look for in buying a guitar is "How is it different than everything I already have?" I'm looking for not even necessarily "better" experiences, but DIFFERENT experiences. The feel of a guitar and even your impression of it I think have a lot to do with the kinds of things you wanna play on it and I like variety, both in listening and playing music. Now I'm not so good at the playing part, but I still wanna have guitars that feel and sound different from each other.
I started Gretsch semihollow, now what’s the opposite - a tele. Then a full hollow kingmaker since I can’t play loud anyway. Next is a strat. I feel you, cover the range
Love your channel. I’ve played hard rock and metal most of my life until I picked up a used 2001 MM strat at a antique store and it’s become my favorite guitar out of my collection. I’ve put down my Ibanez 8 string and have been chasing John Mayer and other classic strat tones. Keep up the good content
I have both the Fender Pro II strat and the American Vintage II strat. I love them both, but I will say this, after playing many many Mexican strats, the first time I sat down to really session the Pro II, I was blown away. Something about it just made it far better for me personally. Not that Mexican strats can't be good, many of them are in fact great. But the Pro II are really special.
I got myself a Pro II strat because I had the same experience. It's gotta be the neck for me - the Pro II neck is perfect IMO. The tones weren't any better than my vintera 50s, but that neck just makes you want to play it more. The contoured heel joint was the cherry on top.
I think both American and Mexican strats are basically identical. I also think the fact that it's an American strat, a "proper" strat gives us a different view in the guitar, thus makes us play better. We feel like it's a better guitar, even tho it's not that different. I'm guilty of this, I tried a 74 strat once because I saw it on the shelf, but I didn't even consider buying it, it was too expensive. I left the guitar store and felt like I just lived my wildest dream, like I never played better than I did on this guitar, I even dreamt about it the next night. I checked my saving account and bought that thing the next day lol. I compared it to my Mexican strat and I think an untrained listener would barely be able to tell a difference in sound only. I love this guitar so much I will keep it forever, but objectively speaking it isn't obviously better than an average Mexican strat. Just the connection I pictured with it makes it special.
Agreed that they are pretty much identical. The only difference I've seen between the two is quality control, but only on older Mexican strats. I've owned and played a few Mexican strats and they each had their own minute flaws, things like an overfinished neck, a weirdly heavy body, slight fret bumps on neck, etc etc. Newer Mexican strats that I've played have a lot less of these issues - I think the two older Mexicans that I tried were '94 and '03. But that's not to say they are bad by any means. A few years later my friend got a 60th anniversary American and it played better than any strat I'd ever put my hands on. That put me on the hunt to get one myself. The American strat that I bought was also absolutely flawless. Absolutely not a single thing wrong with it and it made me think this is my number one guitar for the rest of my life. There was definitely that feeling of playing a "proper" strat but in the end if it makes you want to pick up your guitar more, there's no reason to not want one. In my opinion, if you are willing to spend ~$800 on a new Mexican strat, it is worth it to save that extra $200-$400 for a nice American one but in the end all that matters is how it plays when you try it out. Try before you buy!
American Strats sound better every time. Also, the all around quality of a USA vs Mexican can be night and day! Some Mexican ones can be amazing, and some USA ones can be bad. But in most circumstances USA is just better, simple as that. Definitely far from identical. Although the new Squier 40th anniversary guitars are pretty awesome, better then some of the Mexican Fenders I've played.
I have an older Mexican strat and you can tell it's a big step down from the US models. Cheap! Newer MX Strats have come a long way and are almost equivalent to US models. Fender has to keep differences in models so the US Strats get the minor finish upgrades.
In some ways yes, and others...not so much, small details here and there are probably the main difference. Things like fret ends (which yes, will wear in over about 10 years) are noticibly better straight out of the box on American made instruments. You'd have to judge for yourself if these details are worth the difference in spend.
This just simply isn’t true. Sounds maybe, but a strat is more than a couple pieces of wood and metal put together. That’s a tele. There are too many variables that go into making a a good Strat that plays and feels good and will stay in tune and intonation is in tack. There needs to have more hands on it for it to be just right. You don’t get that with an Mexican strat
Recently bought an American Vintage ii. I'm still in awe of it and being overly cautious about storing and playing it, as I've never owned a nitro finish before. For me, it's a real treat to get that guitar out and play it. I will make the time to spend an hour or two, then give the guitar a wipe-down before it goes back into the case. On the other hand, my battered and abused 94 MIJ gets picked up and played whenever I walk past the stand, it has a charm and comfort all of its own.
Great video Mike! After owning Squires and Mexican Strats over the years, I made the investment and bought two Am Pro Strats (I in Sienna burst then a few years laster I bought a II in Dark Night with hum bucker in bridge). What made me instantly love them was the neck shape/carve. That deep C neck is perfect for my hands and style of playing. So much so, I call these guitars "dangerous". I've been known to pick them up at 10pm and play until sunrise without even realizing the time fly. They are just that comfortable in my hands. I have an Am Tele with a Modern C neck and after a couple hours of playing, my fretting hand does feel cramped. A sign that I need to stop. So there's something to be said about the neck on the AM Pro Strats. Specially the II series with the rolled fingerboard edges. It just feels worn in and very comfortable. I'm looking to replace my Tele with an AM Pro II Tele deluxe HH. That way I'll have a well known neck on a tele with humbuckers. These are well made, great sounding guitars. And if the neck profile suits your needs, it's a win win guitar for sure.
Dude for what a great player you are at your age I love that here lately you’ve been putting up the stuff from when you were learning. It’s fun, your commentary is funny and it’s got to be encouraging to so many others. Thanks man, great job! Oh and other than the different pickups, it’s taken me a long time to admit but I’ve got Mexican strats and teles that are superior to a lot of my other guitars! But I agree with the different horses for different courses kind of thing. Lots of different features out there besides just playability and pickups.
Opening the case and looking at the Strat brings back memories...of opening the case and looking at my first great guitar--a '65 sunburst Mosrite Ventures Model. Still have one.
I want an American strat years back, been saving up for one. Trying every USA strat in stores, they are really good. Til I came across with a Japanese Fender every Japanese Fender I played felt and sounds really nice. And for the price used, you'll still have enough money to make it even nicer.
That gasp of joy at about 28 seconds into the video nails it for me lol. I've really only ever owned inexpensive strat copies until I bought my pro 2, I can relate to the unbridled joy, I spent the first week feeling like it's rightful owner was going to show up and take it back lol. I've tried the performer and player series strats, they're good, great even, but I can honestly say I've never been tempted to buy another strat since I bought my pro 2, so, in that sense it cured gear aquisition syndrome. That said, I did tweak a few things here and there, shielding installation, locking tuners, and a (purely cosmetic) custom scratch plate. Given how nice the fret-work is, it'd be nice to have stainless steel frets at that price point, at least as an optional extra. I've managed to streamline from a sordid collection of budget guitars to one strat, one tele (both pro 2) and a Taylor accoustic, couple of amps and a fairly well stocked pedalboard, this absolutely keeps my gear aquiring craving at bay, and ultimately, keeps impulse buying in check because as I see it, there's nothing to upgrade to.
You can always upgrade MIM and Player series strats with MIA pickups and pots to get that premium sound. To me, neck shape makes more difference in my playing than anything.
My friends only guitar is an American Strat....trouble is its had the neck,tuners tremolo and pickups changed over the years...Its a freaking awsome instrument for it
I wanted an American Fender so bad and finally found a good deal for a used American Original Strat. It feels and sounds great and I play it all the time - but everytime I pick up my Squier Classic Vibe Tele after some time, I‘m kind of disappointed, that it doesn‘t sound that bad compared to the AO… 😄
Loving these long form videos that go into your journeys as a player and addressing different “metas” within the larger guitar community. Really has made me think differently about how to get the sounds I want and to learn more about my own guitars and playing. I’d be very curious to hear your thoughts/experiences with PRS guitars. I currently own an SE Standard, a Mexican strat and a les Paul studio deluxe, and the PRS is my favorite, with the strat coming in a close second. The PRS just does everything very well and is so easy to play. Anyways, thanks for the excellent content, keep doing what you’re doing man
Blew my mind, man. I like the way you present stuff in a "not over the top - lemme show ya how smart I am" sort of way. And I only found your channel last week. Appreciate it, man! Now on the spot that blew my mind... you pulled out the very guitar I bought about six months ago. It's not like it's rare or anything. I just normally figure the RUclipsrs will drain their Patreon accounts and go to some rare or vintage shop and plunk down a BUNCH of coin! Your guitar ain't cheap... but you don't need a second mortgage to own it, either. Thanks again for the great channel!
Have a Mexi Deluxe strat I purchased used with many of the US appointments such as locking tuners, carved neck heal, noiseless pickups. etc. For its price point its comparable if not better then a lot of US strats. Recently picked it up again and fell back in love
I recently bought an American Ultra. I almost bought a Mexican Player plus but there was something about the American version that just had an edge I couldn’t quite explain but the feel was just worlds apart.
The Mexi's can be very good but the American Ultras are truly amazing. I have a 2020 Ultra and it's the best strat I've ever played and one of the best electric guitars I've ever played. Ever. And I'm old.
Hello, Awesome video. The sound and tone was amazing w the USA Strat. Cool Strat you picked out.. Yes the humbucker pickup is quieter but the clean crisp single coils really stood out.
I have a 2011 G&L Legacy Fullerton strat. It is very well made. Then I built one of my own… using wood from trees and old barn on my land. Also sexy and absolutely American especially the 1830s American chestnut
Feel. I played multiple guitars over about a month before I purchased any of my guitars. I have 3 guitars, a 2000 Fender Fat Strat Texas Special, a PRS SE 245, and a Cordoba C5-CE. Over the years I bought and sold quite a few till I found the ones.
I have American Pro II Tele & Strat (SSS). They are great guitars. I also have a 2010 Standard Strat (SSS) & I a 2018 Player Strat (HSS). The Pros by far have the best & balanced pickups. Switching between pickups very balanced. The Player HSS - the H is 1 1/2 points louder on volume numbers. I really like theTrem handle on the Pros. I highly recommend the Pros over the others.
My 2005 american deluxe strat with scn pickups is just right and proper. The metallic parts are quality and the wood is amazing. The guitar plays effortlessly and you never think of the instrument but you focus at your music, this is it.
I play a Squier strat adjusted by a guitarist of 40 years, the only flaw is with every fret past the 12th on the high E string it sounds more and more flat, otherwise everything is perfect
Hi Mike, About a month ago I was moving my small cabinet shop and I was bitten by a Black Widow several times above my beltline. I drove to the ER and while I was being treated my truck was stolen out of the parking lot. What makes it really bad is I didn't have theft insurance on my truck and my G&L Strat and Fender reverb amp along with many other personal things I had in my office were in the back seat. Anyway since I'm searching for another guitar I'm glad I ran across your videos on your Mexican Strat review and of coarse this one. I can't afford to replace my guitar that was stolen but I can afford a used MM Strat. Thanks for helping me make my decision.
I'm a PRS snob..... Love them..... I also adored the feel of a Squier classic vibe. Vastly different prices. 10x in fact. Get a good setup and listen to how loud they ring unplugged. After that mod the nut and pickup/electronics to taste. Quality of build and fretwork/neck feel is the FIRST thing I look for. The only other reason to spend the extra money is resale. Guitars of higher value tend to hold their value.
Without being specific, I would say when buying a more expensive guitar, regardless of where it's made, I'm looking at primarily 2 things: neck/body feel and pickup dynamics. If I'm dropping $1k+ on a guitar, the neck has to have some body to it so it sits well in my hand, the finish has to allow my hand to slide up and down the neck naturally whether it's a satin or gloss finish, and the frets have to feel smooth when bending notes. I've had less expensive guitars and, almost without fail, it's either got a a thin neck that's uncomfortable in my hand, a sticky finish, gritty frets, and/or a heavy vibration absorbing body. I've also found that inexpensive guitar pickups can be a little 1-dimensional. Some manufacturers either go for really hot pickups that make edge of breakup tones hard to achieve, or neck pickups that are too dark/bridge pickups with an overly nasal quality. I've also found that the electrical components on cheap instruments (especially pots) can behave abnormally compared to a guitar with nice electrical components. I had a Korean made Gibson ES175 clone that had a really wonky volume range where practically nothing would change between 10-2 on the pot sweep and all of the volume drop would happen in the last 20% of the pot range. That being said, a lot of those issues can be resolved with a fret dressing and a change of electronics which can end up being less expensive than a guitar that comes with those so when all is said and done, a comfortable neck and weight/balance/resonance are really the most important aspects to consider when buying a guitar in my opinion.
@Mike Cole It all depends on the individual in question. Some people want an actual USA made stratocaster / other and I think that is great as there is always collector value that can go up over the years in regards to that. If you can afford it, and want that USA made guitar.. Go for it, and you'll have it for life. I write and record commercially licensed music as a songwriter/composer (PRO: BMI,Inc). The majority is instrumental music that I write and record, for certain large music libraries. I've owned Squier (Fender) guitars before and I can tell you there are great ones out there, no matter if they are made in China, Mexico or Indonesia.. I actually have a great Squier Telecaster Bullet that is made in Indonesia, that I can write and record music in any genre that I need to and it's one of the best electric guitars that I've ever played. In the past, I've even used other brands as in VERY cheap Strat-copies and have landed direct payouts and other royalties using those types of guitars. I come from a line of guitarists in my family and one of my favorite sayings that I pickup from my family is as true today as it was way back: "It's not the guitar, it's the player behind it." Happy Holidays, all the best to you and everyone out there - MrTom - SongWriter-Composer/Self-Administered Publisher (PRO: BMI Inc. / Pub: The MLC) CAE/IPI #: 833986399 / Publisher Number: P135OQ
My first proper guitar bought used in ‘82 was a ‘70 strat… obviously American. After 20 years of playing it realized it was a pretty expensive guitar to take to gigs so I played a few different things before settling on a Hamer SS which I played for the next 10-15 years. Had always wondered about the hype surrounding Teles so bought a MIM roadworn Fender and I love that guitar so much!! Maybe I just got lucky with a magic guitar from their factory but it’s absolutely amazing in every way. I did change the tuners and pick guard but everything else is original. I don’t worry about it getting scratched up either. I do agree the American made Fenders use top of the line ‘everything’… while the MIM has somewhat second rate components, but I know a great guitar player can always make a decent guitar sound spectacular while a great guitar won’t make a decent guitar sound any better than the decent guitar player they are.
It’s just an axe at the end of the day. It’s up to the axe man to utilize the tool effectively (my deluxe tele tho is simply unbelievable, it just emanates creative energy)
Bought a pro 2 a few weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. The guitar sounds incredible and coming from 8 years in a Les Paul studio it was completely different a tone. It made me play until my fingers gave up on me each day in the past few weeks. I recommend to every player to try the pro 2
Funny you put this up today, just got my first Fender, a '79 Strat that ticks all my boxes, those being: Alpine white, all single coils, maple fretboard, and of course the 70s headstock. The price was too good to pass up, it's my Christmas present to myself. Great playing, keep the videos up!
So I have an American Professional (not a II). I have some opinions about the Pro II line, but I'll get to those. My American Pro is a Guitar Center Exclusive Daphne Blue with a Rosewood neck. One of the best playing guitars I've ever held. Seriously, it is a fantastic instrument. I love the Tim Shaw pickups (probably the first stock pickups in a strat I haven't wanted to swap out), and the super slick feel of the neck. Overall 10/10 would buy again. The American Pro II guitars are great looking instruments. But I have one major gripe. My American Pro was $1400 for a special edition in 2019. I played a few standard line American Pros that were $1200. This was MSRP. MSRP for an American Pro II is $1700. Which is just a bit much. The American Standard/Pro was in a good place at $1200-$1500, but with an American Vintage II being only a few hundred more... It's feels mispriced. Not overpriced, they are definitely competitive in that price bracket, but Fender pricing as of late seems a bit inflated at the lower end of each line and spot on at the top end.
My strat is a 1993 American Standard that I've modded pretty heavily. I got it because it looked cool and was a good price. Seller said it was a 2013 so I was pleasantly surprised to see it was old
I don't mean this to sound cheeky or mean, but why do you wear a strap while you sit? Should I do that as well? Sorry for asking such weird question, but I'm genuinely curious.
I do it to keep the bass or guitar in place on my lap, and also so I can leave it sitting there in position and use my hands to type or whatever and not worry about the instrument slipping and falling
for me, I always use a strap. My bigger than I'd like belly puts the guitar body on an angle, strap stops it sliding. Also, I play V shaped guitars, and the strap helps when seated.
most important things about a guitar to me , #1 sound #2 playability #3 looks #4 weight , i look at these things like an equalizer on a stereo to gauge how good a guitar is as a hole ... i try not to here with my eyes or lineage of a brad or style , but can be hard to do ...
Are you sure you got your subtitles right? on the distortion section, didn't you get it mixed up? At least to my ears what you titled "single" sounded more humbuckery that the second one... On 6:24 anything to say about the set up... there is an abrupt ending into the moral of the story.
I can say i dig what you are doing here. And thank you for sharing. I currently play a cheap modified version made somewhere other than US.. using heavy flat wound to avoid a bit of the treble known for in strats.. plus some Texas style upgrade to pickup s.. if you feel good about where your fingers lay and play on strings then either version will work out nicely
I learned how to play on an American strat, and I never once regretted getting it. There was never a time when I had to wonder if my inability to play something was because of the guitar. It never was lol.
I started playing in May. I have a Ibanez Gio that I payed $80 for 4-5 years ago and never enjoyed it, and safe to say at that price it wasn’t very good. So I gravitated towards a player series 2 Fender Strat (Mexi) and I really have no complaints with it. For $850 you get a solid guitar and it’s plenty for me because this isn’t my career
Biggest thing I look for is Stainless steel frets... IT'S A MUST NOW. Biggest red flag is either a bad version of a FR bridge or anything with more than 6 strings XD
Haven't really tried American strats. Always figured that they were forever beyond my financial reach and that the Mexicans and even high end Squiers were good enough, albeit with some minor modifications. My Godfather did give me a SRV signature model, but other than that, haven't really had much of an interest in getting an American one. Also, as much as I love strats, have you considered trying out superstrats as well? They have the classic outline of the strat, but also have sharpened edges, bold colors, always come with bridge humbuckers, can have either 22 or 24 frets, and, above all, have awesome trem systems like the Ibanez Edge and Floyd Rose. My recommendations are Jackson X series Soloist, Kramer Striker, Ibanez RG, and Squier Contemporary Strat with Floyd Rose.
I've played about 20 American strats over the years, some from the hey day of fenders, and some more modern. Only 2 have felt and played better than my 94 Mexican strat. A 1977 natural wood Strat, and a 1965 reissue.
with me, the main thing that stands out is how headstock looks, body and the neck feels. if the neck is too fat i dont want it, if its thin, plays well and looks pleasing to me then ill buy it.
I got an Amp Pro ii and had it for 6 months, but could never bond with it, went back to my vintera 60s and got a Silver Sky SE those are my main guitars for studio recording and Live shows!
Your mind can make you believe something is better when its really not. You can make yourself believe anything. Because you desire it so much you make it be.
I have the same American Professional II, same color, HSS, everything. I mostly play rock stuff, and it’s amazing but I found that the stock humbucker just sounded like a beefed up single coil, still kinda stratty if you know that I mean, you can clearly hear it when you play both in the video. I ended up swapping out the stock one for a Seymour Duncan ‘59 trembucker and I couldn’t be happier, I get all the amazing cleans and bluesy goodness out of the single coils, and when I get dirty with the SD I get all the warmth, saturation, harmonics, and RocknRoll that I want. Definitely recommend that you or anyone else that has this guitar swap out the stock fender humbucker to a better humbucker, it really makes all the difference and a guitar that plays and feels that high quality deserves a higher quality humbucker.
I come from a time when American made guitars were the best in the world and, in my mind, they represent that you've made it. I actually made a detailed list of what my ultimate Stratocaster would be. I thought I'd have to buy through Fender's mod shop. Then I discovered the American Performer HSS. I found one that had been used as a display model at a reduced price and bought it. And now it's my number 1. Although the Mexican guitars are very good I've yet to find one that's as good as my Performer or my Hwy1 for that matter.
@@ItsRevival Besides my Am Prof I've had two Am Pros and a15 year old Hwy1. The Pref and Hwy1 are closer to my ideal guitar than the Pros or any other model of Stratocaster.
I don’t know. I’m a Gibson enthusiast myself but one time a friend of mine who had just bought one loaned one to me he just bought when he went on vacation with his lady. I did play it and it was nice but in the end I was not the kind of player who exponentially benefited from an expensive instrument. He ended up giving me an old early 2000s Epi SG Standard with the 66 batwing pick guard and bolt on neck that was in a state. I didn’t even replace the guts, I just bought new pot dials polished it up, set it up adjusted the intonation and the truss rod and gave it to my brother since I already had a G400 I bought a couple of years earlier. There’s so much more to instruments that you put yourself into. The US Strat is awesome and if you’re a Fender guy and you have money to burn go ahead but it’s not a panacea.
Congrats on the new whip. If you put in about 4~5 hours daily, it should last about 4~5 years before a refret. You really need to ride it for a year until your hands and the fretboard become partners. It takes miles. I have a number of guitars and I have found the American models have a bit better finish and "feel" better in your hands. They don't spend the money on the Mexican models and keep the finish time down. Both US and MX guitars can make similar sounds, but the US model should feel more like home. Of course, all your tone is in the pedals, so...
So, I own 3 srats at the moment. I've owned others, including a 1987 American standard that was a main guitar for a while. My main axe for the past 21 years is my refinished 1964 seafoam green strat with a replacement late 1968 Maple neck. Loaded with Rio Grande pickups. I also have my very first strat which is a 1988 MIJ '57 Reissue with the EMG setup and a 1993 Mexican strat. All of which I would describe as not Being "Better" than each other, but being different. My mexican strat I should add has Seymour Duncan Alnico II's in it. My favorite, is the '64/'68 strat. Not because it's obviously American or even that it's vintage... But because it lends it's self to my style and it inspired a lot of my songwriting. There's just an apparent connection with me and that guitar. That's why I bought it 21 years ago, and why it quickly became my go to guitar. No, it being "all original" or not never occurred to me. I just instantly fell in love with that guitar. That being said, my red '57 reissue was also my main guitar for many years. I still use it today. it also inspired many songs and helped me evolve into the musician I am today. My black '93 Mexican strat I acquired a few years ago and I enjoy it every bit as much as the other two strats, and other strats I've had before it. I look for how a strat resonates unplugged, how it sounds acoustically and how it makes me feel when I'm trying to create something. I'm kinda old school and usually frown on a bucker in the bridge, then again I've owned strats with a bucker in the bridge and found them to be musically adaptable to what I was doing. I've played some bad Mexican strats, I've played bad American Strats. I've played bad Japanese Strats... and so on. I've played good Strats of every origin including squiers. At the end of the day, if it Stays in Tune, it resonates in a positive way, It just doesn't matter. A good relatable guitar that inspires you, is just that. regardless of it's age or origin. Those are my thoughts. I've found in any guitar, if it you pluck the open B string and you feel it vibrate behind the nut and at the body towards the Jack area, that usually means you have a really good guitar. All 3 of my Strats have that in common. the '64 you can literally fell resonate through the entire guitar. The MIJ '88 '57 reissue is very similar. My black Mexican strat is very close as well. I owned other MIM strats back in the day, but I'd say this Mexican '93 strat is one of the best MIM strat's I've ever played or heard. It comes down to the guitar it's self. not where it was made. So, when I've bought guitars, the resonation factor, the "staying in tune" factor and feel factor were what made me buy them. Also, if they inspired me to write songs. those are things that mattered the most to me.
That HSS American Strat is a beauty Mike. I know how you feel though, when I got my hands on my 89 Japanese Strat I had that same vibe. I think I'd like to get an American Tele at some point in the future.
I mean, not all guitar players care that much about strats, don't get me wrong, they're an awesome guitar, but you ask, what do I look for in a guitar? well, I look for a guitar that suits my playing style, generally that means 24 frets or more, it means floating floyd roses with locking system, and it means an entirely custom pickup setup to suit my sound, generally a strat just doesn't tick all the boxes for me, at least not a stock one, it can definitely tick some of them, and if I had the spare cash to blow on one, I'd buy it just because they're good guitars and they're an icon of guitar history, but there's a lot of guitar brands out there, some doing some really amazing stuff, If I could just choose any guitar, I'd go with a Sago Seed kotetsu, but that guitar might not suit everyone. I've been playing guitar for 30+ years at this point, brands are cool and all, but more than anything, if I'm going to spend a decent amount of cash on a guitar, the MOST important thing to me now is playability, sound is obviously high on the list too, but there's a lot of ways to make a guitar sound the way you want, most aren't too hard or bank breaking, however it's a whole extra expense to have a guitar entirely refretted, reintonated, etc. etc., plus I've got all the electronics I use and like that I can install into anything I buy, so for me, super low action and as close to perfect intonation as possible is key, the rest is easy.
I've got an Am Pro II Strat like yours, except in an SSS configuration. I love the look and feel of the neck and body but I didn't love the pickups for what I do. After some experimentation I settled on the DiMarzio Paul Gilbert set (Injector Bridge, Area 67 Neck, Injector Neck) and I couldn't be happier. I also threw some strap locks and locking tuners on there. It's easily my go-to, number 1 guitar.
I just got a 1957 Vintage II blonde ash body strat. I liked the nitro finish showing the wood grain in the ash body and the overall light color with the maple neck. Flawless setup and finish and with beautiful vintage strat tone. I've been playing it like a madman possessed since I got it. My only other strat is a 1992 Japanese Fender with a humbucker so it is different but nice too in it's own way. But my Mexican Tele is also very nice and less than half the price of the Vintage II.
As somebody whose first strat was an 06 Mexican Standard and earlier this year FINALLY got my Player Series Strat (after a 9 month wait for the finish i wanted... life is not easy as a lefty) At the least, the sound and quality is MUCH better than it used to be. Although back then a Mexican Standard was... $500? So I guess it checks out.
Hey mike I like your content a lot but I feel like something is missing in your tone. Maybe try laying off the compression a bit for some of the less funky stuff. I hope this comes off as constructive cuz I think you are a good player, it just seems like your dynamics are getting cut off sometimes. Again, not hating, just commenting cuz sometimes us guitar players get lost in our favorite effects. I know I've definitely gone down the distortion/fuzz deep-end before and switching to light boost really helped me expand on my clean playing.
ill be honest with you, in brazil (where i live) Fender and squier are very expansive, when you have the oportunity to buy you dont think where it was build, nice vid tbw
A few years back (maybe 10), I purchased a brand new Jeff Beck Strat that had 2 dead pickups and the case it came in was too big for the guitar. It looked worn out when it showed up. The tip of the headstock even had a worn spot from rubbing. I called Fender and they wanted me to take it to a podunk town 100 miles away to prove the pups were bad. Their response on the case was they needed to be bigger because the older cases were a little tight. I even called G&G to ask them about that and they said that was what Fender wanted. The Fender rep was disrespectful and I hung up on him and returned the garbage. I really wanted that guitar but I’ll never buy another Fender. The China Strats were worth the money if you replace the bridge, tuners and pups and do a proper setup. I even put a roller nut on one (had to file a little off the edges but it worked good). I did that for a couple friends and they like them. For the price of an American Strat you can do better with another brand.
Just found your channel and I'm a new guitar player. Started in 2020 (covid hobby). Just a suggestion, when you cringe at your younger self I think its off putting. That little snippet shows you at your peak level.... at the time. You will look back at this video in 5 years and then cringe at yourself more, based on the dozen videos I've watched thus far. Guitar, I've found, is a journey. Each step should be celebrated. I don't know how to articulate this better. I really do love your channel. Just something to think about. I'll be back for more for sure!
I don't know what it is but I don't really find traditional strats particularly appealing. It's a good starting point but there's the rub. there's other iterations that are more appealing by comparison, my personal favorite so far being the Soloist. It just has a certain feel to it
I have an American and a Mexican and about 80-90% of the time I'm online looking at new strats even though I've never been a strat player and would likely record with a tele and a PRS for humbuckers (if needed), but probably not a strat and I wouldn't likely play one live. But something about Strats make me chase tones, chase a feeling, and keep looking. I honestly feel like I might keep my Mexican Strat over my American because it's Road Worn and I won't notice dings, and because it's Mexican I feel OK swapping pickups and tweaking it. The American I left set up as is because it's gonna hold more value. I will admit, while I love the 50's Road Worn soft V neck (Mex), I also love the more modern C with a flatter compound radius and locking tuners. It's almost like steak and burgers: they're both good. One is more expensive and one is cheaper but I'm happy with either.
When i think about buying another instrument (bass it strat type) feel. Tone, intonation rule the decision. Made in America is a massive bonus. If it does not feel good, and great tone, and good intonation, it is not worth a penny.
I have 2 American Stratocasters. Over the years i've owned others. I also have one of the Japanese FujiGen Stratocaster from the early 1980's (Quite a quality guitar and a collector's item these days) I have a few franken-strats that are fun for recording and bang-around back-up guitars. I owned, and sold a couple Mexican Strats and they did the trick, but American Stratocasters just seem to settle-in and let you feel how they like to be played. It's like they have their own personalty, and they way they sound makes you play differently. It's not like they were made at a factory where workers are just doing a job... and more like they were made with the hands of people who take some pride in what they're doing. I know it's a bit romantic - but I like to feel that the American fenders are special. A mexican Stratocaster is a tool to make music on. A USA stratocaster holds a bit of status. Depending on the year - they can be a piece of history and/or a work of art.
The main reason I bought an American Strat was that the construction and components are just better than those used in the mim instruments. But whatever....ultimately it comes down to what you like and what you are able to coax out of an instrument. You could have handed Hendrix a broomstick with a couple of wires fastened to it and he would have made it sound like Heaven.
For me, feel is the number one thing followed by sound because sound is upgradable to a large extent. Looks come in third. My main axe for the last ten years is a MIM. I went into the store with the money and intention of getting an American but the MIM Roadhouse Strat went home with me.
I had a 2020 arctic white player series that was mint and it was an amazing guitar truly. I traded it and paid an additional $700 after about 1 week for a 2022 American professional ll in Olympic white with a tortoise pick guard. All stock components. It was “used” but only by a time period of 3 months and since it wasn’t technically new it realistically was. Anyway it is definitely superior to the MIM player. That said I would still buy a new player series Strat over most any newer guitar from most other brands these days. The MIM Strats have come a long long way and are actually damn nice in my opinion.
American strat vs. Mexican strat. Do you want a strat made in Mexico by Mexicans, or do you want a strat made in America by Mexicans?
I spit out my drink, thank you 😂😂😂
Lmao
@@Guitarkwondo Me too!
made by Mexican-Americans...just sayin'....but amusing none the less :p
Dude, i swear i said the same thing when a couple of months ago, jackson released those soloists made in usa and put a price tag for about 2500 dolars on them. Literally you can get a mexican Charvel dk24 with the same specs for half the price
Nice. I purchased my first American Strat earlier this year. I absolutely love it. It's a professional II series with a roasted pine body. It's the perfect electric guitar for me. Congrats on your new instrument.
Roasted pine body, awesome!
The Pro/Pro ii series has a really great neck.
I own a 2011 American deluxe v-neck strat . It is definitely a proper guitar hands down. Tones achieved with a hot rod deluxe IV and a few pedals has overwhelmingly surpassed any combination I’ve owned before.
I own an American Deluxe too, it’s a 2009 and sounds incredible.
Oh that V-neck sweet thing.....yes!
@@tns4421 PO
The biggest factor I look for in buying a guitar is "How is it different than everything I already have?" I'm looking for not even necessarily "better" experiences, but DIFFERENT experiences. The feel of a guitar and even your impression of it I think have a lot to do with the kinds of things you wanna play on it and I like variety, both in listening and playing music. Now I'm not so good at the playing part, but I still wanna have guitars that feel and sound different from each other.
You nailed it.
I started Gretsch semihollow, now what’s the opposite - a tele. Then a full hollow kingmaker since I can’t play loud anyway. Next is a strat. I feel you, cover the range
The way you articulate yourself is brilliant, you tell a story so well no hanging around, no bs love the vids
Your channel is such a joy to watch, keep it coming!
Love your channel. I’ve played hard rock and metal most of my life until I picked up a used 2001 MM strat at a antique store and it’s become my favorite guitar out of my collection. I’ve put down my Ibanez 8 string and have been chasing John Mayer and other classic strat tones. Keep up the good content
I have both the Fender Pro II strat and the American Vintage II strat. I love them both, but I will say this, after playing many many Mexican strats, the first time I sat down to really session the Pro II, I was blown away. Something about it just made it far better for me personally.
Not that Mexican strats can't be good, many of them are in fact great. But the Pro II are really special.
I got myself a Pro II strat because I had the same experience. It's gotta be the neck for me - the Pro II neck is perfect IMO. The tones weren't any better than my vintera 50s, but that neck just makes you want to play it more. The contoured heel joint was the cherry on top.
I love the pro II. The heel contour and gilmour mod were the big selling points for me!
@@garydunham335 i just add my own gilmour mod to my own stuff. Its just a toggle switch and like 30 seconds of time
The pickups! The pickups give the sound
Totally agree. Tried Mims in store then the AM pro 2. Night and day difference. I bought the AM. Amazing guitar.
So dope that you have those old videos to show how far you’ve come
I think both American and Mexican strats are basically identical. I also think the fact that it's an American strat, a "proper" strat gives us a different view in the guitar, thus makes us play better. We feel like it's a better guitar, even tho it's not that different.
I'm guilty of this, I tried a 74 strat once because I saw it on the shelf, but I didn't even consider buying it, it was too expensive. I left the guitar store and felt like I just lived my wildest dream, like I never played better than I did on this guitar, I even dreamt about it the next night. I checked my saving account and bought that thing the next day lol. I compared it to my Mexican strat and I think an untrained listener would barely be able to tell a difference in sound only. I love this guitar so much I will keep it forever, but objectively speaking it isn't obviously better than an average Mexican strat. Just the connection I pictured with it makes it special.
Agreed that they are pretty much identical. The only difference I've seen between the two is quality control, but only on older Mexican strats. I've owned and played a few Mexican strats and they each had their own minute flaws, things like an overfinished neck, a weirdly heavy body, slight fret bumps on neck, etc etc. Newer Mexican strats that I've played have a lot less of these issues - I think the two older Mexicans that I tried were '94 and '03. But that's not to say they are bad by any means.
A few years later my friend got a 60th anniversary American and it played better than any strat I'd ever put my hands on. That put me on the hunt to get one myself. The American strat that I bought was also absolutely flawless. Absolutely not a single thing wrong with it and it made me think this is my number one guitar for the rest of my life. There was definitely that feeling of playing a "proper" strat but in the end if it makes you want to pick up your guitar more, there's no reason to not want one.
In my opinion, if you are willing to spend ~$800 on a new Mexican strat, it is worth it to save that extra $200-$400 for a nice American one but in the end all that matters is how it plays when you try it out. Try before you buy!
American Strats sound better every time. Also, the all around quality of a USA vs Mexican can be night and day! Some Mexican ones can be amazing, and some USA ones can be bad. But in most circumstances USA is just better, simple as that. Definitely far from identical. Although the new Squier 40th anniversary guitars are pretty awesome, better then some of the Mexican Fenders I've played.
I have an older Mexican strat and you can tell it's a big step down from the US models. Cheap! Newer MX Strats have come a long way and are almost equivalent to US models. Fender has to keep differences in models so the US Strats get the minor finish upgrades.
In some ways yes, and others...not so much, small details here and there are probably the main difference. Things like fret ends (which yes, will wear in over about 10 years) are noticibly better straight out of the box on American made instruments. You'd have to judge for yourself if these details are worth the difference in spend.
This just simply isn’t true. Sounds maybe, but a strat is more than a couple pieces of wood and metal put together. That’s a tele. There are too many variables that go into making a a good Strat that plays and feels good and will stay in tune and intonation is in tack. There needs to have more hands on it for it to be just right. You don’t get that with an Mexican strat
Recently bought an American Vintage ii. I'm still in awe of it and being overly cautious about storing and playing it, as I've never owned a nitro finish before. For me, it's a real treat to get that guitar out and play it. I will make the time to spend an hour or two, then give the guitar a wipe-down before it goes back into the case. On the other hand, my battered and abused 94 MIJ gets picked up and played whenever I walk past the stand, it has a charm and comfort all of its own.
Great video Mike! After owning Squires and Mexican Strats over the years, I made the investment and bought two Am Pro Strats (I in Sienna burst then a few years laster I bought a II in Dark Night with hum bucker in bridge). What made me instantly love them was the neck shape/carve. That deep C neck is perfect for my hands and style of playing. So much so, I call these guitars "dangerous". I've been known to pick them up at 10pm and play until sunrise without even realizing the time fly. They are just that comfortable in my hands. I have an Am Tele with a Modern C neck and after a couple hours of playing, my fretting hand does feel cramped. A sign that I need to stop. So there's something to be said about the neck on the AM Pro Strats. Specially the II series with the rolled fingerboard edges. It just feels worn in and very comfortable. I'm looking to replace my Tele with an AM Pro II Tele deluxe HH. That way I'll have a well known neck on a tele with humbuckers. These are well made, great sounding guitars. And if the neck profile suits your needs, it's a win win guitar for sure.
I own a 1994 Mexican Standard Stratocaster 3 tone sunburst with a Seymour Duncan humbucker at the bridge. It’s amazing, I love it.
Dude for what a great player you are at your age I love that here lately you’ve been putting up the stuff from when you were learning. It’s fun, your commentary is funny and it’s got to be encouraging to so many others.
Thanks man, great job!
Oh and other than the different pickups, it’s taken me a long time to admit but I’ve got Mexican strats and teles that are superior to a lot of my other guitars! But I agree with the different horses for different courses kind of thing. Lots of different features out there besides just playability and pickups.
Opening the case and looking at the Strat brings back memories...of opening the case and looking at my first great guitar--a '65 sunburst Mosrite Ventures Model. Still have one.
That era Mosrite and Baldwin/Burns guitars were extraordinary.
Bro! That's my "dream" guitar. The Am Pro II Strat HSS sunburst with rosewood fretboard. I am getting one this December for Xmas
I want an American strat years back, been saving up for one. Trying every USA strat in stores, they are really good. Til I came across with a Japanese Fender every Japanese Fender I played felt and sounds really nice. And for the price used, you'll still have enough money to make it even nicer.
That gasp of joy at about 28 seconds into the video nails it for me lol. I've really only ever owned inexpensive strat copies until I bought my pro 2, I can relate to the unbridled joy, I spent the first week feeling like it's rightful owner was going to show up and take it back lol.
I've tried the performer and player series strats, they're good, great even, but I can honestly say I've never been tempted to buy another strat since I bought my pro 2, so, in that sense it cured gear aquisition syndrome. That said, I did tweak a few things here and there, shielding installation, locking tuners, and a (purely cosmetic) custom scratch plate. Given how nice the fret-work is, it'd be nice to have stainless steel frets at that price point, at least as an optional extra. I've managed to streamline from a sordid collection of budget guitars to one strat, one tele (both pro 2) and a Taylor accoustic, couple of amps and a fairly well stocked pedalboard, this absolutely keeps my gear aquiring craving at bay, and ultimately, keeps impulse buying in check because as I see it, there's nothing to upgrade to.
You can always upgrade MIM and Player series strats with MIA pickups and pots to get that premium sound. To me, neck shape makes more difference in my playing than anything.
Yes! You hit it on the head. The neck feel, to me, is everything. As you said, upgrade electronics...if necessary 😀
Would love to see you do a video on the MIJ Fenders from the 80's! Nice video!
Biggest factor: the FEEL (primarily of the neck, secondarily the body & arm contact). Everything else can be modified or dialed in with relative ease.
My friends only guitar is an American Strat....trouble is its had the neck,tuners tremolo and pickups changed over the years...Its a freaking awsome instrument for it
I wanted an American Fender so bad and finally found a good deal for a used American Original Strat. It feels and sounds great and I play it all the time - but everytime I pick up my Squier Classic Vibe Tele after some time, I‘m kind of disappointed, that it doesn‘t sound that bad compared to the AO… 😄
It’s the law of diminishing returns
I don't know about the later offerings, but the first Classic Vibes were ridiculous! Hard to put down. Looks, tone, playability; they had it all.
the pro II series have the nicest feeling necks in my humble opinion
Yeah...they're pretty ridiculous.
Loving these long form videos that go into your journeys as a player and addressing different “metas” within the larger guitar community. Really has made me think differently about how to get the sounds I want and to learn more about my own guitars and playing. I’d be very curious to hear your thoughts/experiences with PRS guitars. I currently own an SE Standard, a Mexican strat and a les Paul studio deluxe, and the PRS is my favorite, with the strat coming in a close second. The PRS just does everything very well and is so easy to play. Anyways, thanks for the excellent content, keep doing what you’re doing man
Don’t know about the current American Strats but I have a 09 American Deluxe and it sounds amazing.
Blew my mind, man. I like the way you present stuff in a "not over the top - lemme show ya how smart I am" sort of way. And I only found your channel last week. Appreciate it, man!
Now on the spot that blew my mind... you pulled out the very guitar I bought about six months ago. It's not like it's rare or anything. I just normally figure the RUclipsrs will drain their Patreon accounts and go to some rare or vintage shop and plunk down a BUNCH of coin! Your guitar ain't cheap... but you don't need a second mortgage to own it, either.
Thanks again for the great channel!
I actually smiled when you started playing
0:45 Now I'm hearing Jeff Beck's Guitar Shop - "just feel those frets!"
Have a Mexi Deluxe strat I purchased used with many of the US appointments such as locking tuners, carved neck heal, noiseless pickups. etc. For its price point its comparable if not better then a lot of US strats. Recently picked it up again and fell back in love
I recently bought an American Ultra. I almost bought a Mexican Player plus but there was something about the American version that just had an edge I couldn’t quite explain but the feel was just worlds apart.
The Mexi's can be very good but the American Ultras are truly amazing. I have a 2020 Ultra and it's the best strat I've ever played and one of the best electric guitars I've ever played. Ever. And I'm old.
Hello, Awesome video. The sound and tone was amazing w the USA Strat. Cool Strat you picked out.. Yes the humbucker pickup is quieter but the clean crisp single coils really stood out.
I have a 2011 G&L Legacy Fullerton strat. It is very well made. Then I built one of my own… using wood from trees and old barn on my land. Also sexy and absolutely American especially the 1830s American chestnut
Feel. I played multiple guitars over about a month before I purchased any of my guitars. I have 3 guitars, a 2000 Fender Fat Strat Texas Special, a PRS SE 245, and a Cordoba C5-CE. Over the years I bought and sold quite a few till I found the ones.
I have American Pro II Tele & Strat (SSS). They are great guitars. I also have a 2010 Standard Strat (SSS) & I a 2018 Player Strat (HSS). The Pros by far have the best & balanced pickups. Switching between pickups very balanced. The Player HSS - the H is 1 1/2 points louder on volume numbers. I really like theTrem handle on the Pros. I highly recommend the Pros over the others.
My 2005 american deluxe strat with scn pickups is just right and proper. The metallic parts are quality and the wood is amazing. The guitar plays effortlessly and you never think of the instrument but you focus at your music, this is it.
I play a Squier strat adjusted by a guitarist of 40 years, the only flaw is with every fret past the 12th on the high E string it sounds more and more flat, otherwise everything is perfect
You may want to check the intonation of that high E
Hi Mike, About a month ago I was moving my small cabinet shop and I was bitten by a Black Widow several times above my beltline.
I drove to the ER and while I was being treated my truck was stolen out of the parking lot. What makes it really bad is I didn't have theft insurance on my truck and my G&L Strat and Fender reverb amp along with many other personal things I had in my office were in the back seat.
Anyway since I'm searching for another guitar I'm glad I ran across your videos on your Mexican Strat review and of coarse this one. I can't afford to replace my guitar that was stolen but I can afford a used MM Strat.
Thanks for helping me make my decision.
I'm a PRS snob..... Love them..... I also adored the feel of a Squier classic vibe. Vastly different prices. 10x in fact.
Get a good setup and listen to how loud they ring unplugged. After that mod the nut and pickup/electronics to taste.
Quality of build and fretwork/neck feel is the FIRST thing I look for.
The only other reason to spend the extra money is resale. Guitars of higher value tend to hold their value.
Without being specific, I would say when buying a more expensive guitar, regardless of where it's made, I'm looking at primarily 2 things: neck/body feel and pickup dynamics. If I'm dropping $1k+ on a guitar, the neck has to have some body to it so it sits well in my hand, the finish has to allow my hand to slide up and down the neck naturally whether it's a satin or gloss finish, and the frets have to feel smooth when bending notes. I've had less expensive guitars and, almost without fail, it's either got a a thin neck that's uncomfortable in my hand, a sticky finish, gritty frets, and/or a heavy vibration absorbing body. I've also found that inexpensive guitar pickups can be a little 1-dimensional. Some manufacturers either go for really hot pickups that make edge of breakup tones hard to achieve, or neck pickups that are too dark/bridge pickups with an overly nasal quality. I've also found that the electrical components on cheap instruments (especially pots) can behave abnormally compared to a guitar with nice electrical components. I had a Korean made Gibson ES175 clone that had a really wonky volume range where practically nothing would change between 10-2 on the pot sweep and all of the volume drop would happen in the last 20% of the pot range. That being said, a lot of those issues can be resolved with a fret dressing and a change of electronics which can end up being less expensive than a guitar that comes with those so when all is said and done, a comfortable neck and weight/balance/resonance are really the most important aspects to consider when buying a guitar in my opinion.
@Mike Cole It all depends on the individual in question. Some people want an actual USA made stratocaster / other and I think that is great as there is always collector value that can go up over the years in regards to that. If you can afford it, and want that USA made guitar.. Go for it, and you'll have it for life. I write and record commercially licensed music as a songwriter/composer (PRO: BMI,Inc). The majority is instrumental music that I write and record, for certain large music libraries. I've owned Squier (Fender) guitars before and I can tell you there are great ones out there, no matter if they are made in China, Mexico or Indonesia.. I actually have a great Squier Telecaster Bullet that is made in Indonesia, that I can write and record music in any genre that I need to and it's one of the best electric guitars that I've ever played. In the past, I've even used other brands as in VERY cheap Strat-copies and have landed direct payouts and other royalties using those types of guitars. I come from a line of guitarists in my family and one of my favorite sayings that I pickup from my family is as true today as it was way back: "It's not the guitar, it's the player behind it." Happy Holidays, all the best to you and everyone out there -
MrTom - SongWriter-Composer/Self-Administered Publisher (PRO: BMI Inc. / Pub: The MLC)
CAE/IPI #: 833986399 / Publisher Number: P135OQ
Really edging us with that slow dancing lick at 3:31
My first proper guitar bought used in ‘82 was a ‘70 strat… obviously American. After 20 years of playing it realized it was a pretty expensive guitar to take to gigs so I played a few different things before settling on a Hamer SS which I played for the next 10-15 years. Had always wondered about the hype surrounding Teles so bought a MIM roadworn Fender and I love that guitar so much!! Maybe I just got lucky with a magic guitar from their factory but it’s absolutely amazing in every way. I did change the tuners and pick guard but everything else is original. I don’t worry about it getting scratched up either. I do agree the American made Fenders use top of the line ‘everything’… while the MIM has somewhat second rate components, but I know a great guitar player can always make a decent guitar sound spectacular while a great guitar won’t make a decent guitar sound any better than the decent guitar player they are.
It’s just an axe at the end of the day. It’s up to the axe man to utilize the tool effectively (my deluxe tele tho is simply unbelievable, it just emanates creative energy)
Bought a pro 2 a few weeks ago and I couldn't be happier. The guitar sounds incredible and coming from 8 years in a Les Paul studio it was completely different a tone. It made me play until my fingers gave up on me each day in the past few weeks. I recommend to every player to try the pro 2
Hey man! I like your channel. You've got great videos and a nice approach.
Mike, keep doing what your doing. Your passion for the guitar makes me smile. I like your presentation too. :)
From 1987 , 1993 fender Stratocaster usa deluxe plus Wilkinson nut it's my favorite
Funny you put this up today, just got my first Fender, a '79 Strat that ticks all my boxes, those being: Alpine white, all single coils, maple fretboard, and of course the 70s headstock. The price was too good to pass up, it's my Christmas present to myself. Great playing, keep the videos up!
THATS 1 ABSOLUTELY....... BEAUTIFUL AMAZING LOOKIN AXE! WOW! CONGRATULATIONS 👍
So I have an American Professional (not a II). I have some opinions about the Pro II line, but I'll get to those.
My American Pro is a Guitar Center Exclusive Daphne Blue with a Rosewood neck. One of the best playing guitars I've ever held. Seriously, it is a fantastic instrument. I love the Tim Shaw pickups (probably the first stock pickups in a strat I haven't wanted to swap out), and the super slick feel of the neck.
Overall 10/10 would buy again.
The American Pro II guitars are great looking instruments. But I have one major gripe. My American Pro was $1400 for a special edition in 2019. I played a few standard line American Pros that were $1200. This was MSRP.
MSRP for an American Pro II is $1700. Which is just a bit much. The American Standard/Pro was in a good place at $1200-$1500, but with an American Vintage II being only a few hundred more... It's feels mispriced. Not overpriced, they are definitely competitive in that price bracket, but Fender pricing as of late seems a bit inflated at the lower end of each line and spot on at the top end.
My strat is a 1993 American Standard that I've modded pretty heavily. I got it because it looked cool and was a good price. Seller said it was a 2013 so I was pleasantly surprised to see it was old
I don't mean this to sound cheeky or mean, but why do you wear a strap while you sit? Should I do that as well? Sorry for asking such weird question, but I'm genuinely curious.
I guess he plays standing as well but lazy to remove it all the time
I do it to keep the bass or guitar in place on my lap, and also so I can leave it sitting there in position and use my hands to type or whatever and not worry about the instrument slipping and falling
@@Minnevan Ah yeah, that makes sense. At first I thought that he’s feeling it so much sometimes he has to get up and play or something.
for me, I always use a strap. My bigger than I'd like belly puts the guitar body on an angle, strap stops it sliding. Also, I play V shaped guitars, and the strap helps when seated.
most important things about a guitar to me , #1 sound #2 playability #3 looks #4 weight , i look at these things like an equalizer on a stereo to gauge how good a guitar is as a hole ... i try not to here with my eyes or lineage of a brad or style , but can be hard to do ...
Are you sure you got your subtitles right? on the distortion section, didn't you get it mixed up? At least to my ears what you titled "single" sounded more humbuckery that the second one... On 6:24 anything to say about the set up... there is an abrupt ending into the moral of the story.
I thought the same :)
I’ve got an American Pro with an all rosewood neck. It’s so nice.
I can say i dig what you are doing here. And thank you for sharing. I currently play a cheap modified version made somewhere other than US.. using heavy flat wound to avoid a bit of the treble known for in strats.. plus some Texas style upgrade to pickup s.. if you feel good about where your fingers lay and play on strings then either version will work out nicely
I learned how to play on an American strat, and I never once regretted getting it. There was never a time when I had to wonder if my inability to play something was because of the guitar. It never was lol.
Mike makes it to 115 k subs and we get TAG Watch commercials throughout! Waiting for the guitar rack in the background.
I started playing in May. I have a Ibanez Gio that I payed $80 for 4-5 years ago and never enjoyed it, and safe to say at that price it wasn’t very good. So I gravitated towards a player series 2 Fender Strat (Mexi) and I really have no complaints with it. For $850 you get a solid guitar and it’s plenty for me because this isn’t my career
Biggest thing I look for is Stainless steel frets... IT'S A MUST NOW. Biggest red flag is either a bad version of a FR bridge or anything with more than 6 strings XD
Haven't really tried American strats. Always figured that they were forever beyond my financial reach and that the Mexicans and even high end Squiers were good enough, albeit with some minor modifications. My Godfather did give me a SRV signature model, but other than that, haven't really had much of an interest in getting an American one.
Also, as much as I love strats, have you considered trying out superstrats as well? They have the classic outline of the strat, but also have sharpened edges, bold colors, always come with bridge humbuckers, can have either 22 or 24 frets, and, above all, have awesome trem systems like the Ibanez Edge and Floyd Rose. My recommendations are Jackson X series Soloist, Kramer Striker, Ibanez RG, and Squier Contemporary Strat with Floyd Rose.
i love superstrats. one of my guitars is an Ibanez RG with Seymour Duncan Nazgul/Sentient pups in it, and it's surprisingly versatile.
@@officialflannelweek I have a Jackson Soloist with a JB/SH-1 combo and a satin red paint job. I’m hoping to get one of the new Kramer Strikers soon…
Dog, the engagement you get from these HATE videos is insane. Kudos on all your recent success, loving the content.
I have a MIJ ST-57 re-issue, which I love, and am looking to get an APII in the near future.
I've played about 20 American strats over the years, some from the hey day of fenders, and some more modern. Only 2 have felt and played better than my 94 Mexican strat. A 1977 natural wood Strat, and a 1965 reissue.
with me, the main thing that stands out is how headstock looks, body and the neck feels. if the neck is too fat i dont want it, if its thin, plays well and looks pleasing to me then ill buy it.
the best strat ? a partscaster !
I’m building one! Should be very comparable to MIMs and American Strats.
My number 1 is a 1996 American Strat sunburst/maple and my very close number 2 is my 70's roadworn Mexican tele deluxe in Daphne blue/maple.
I got an Amp Pro ii and had it for 6 months, but could never bond with it, went back to my vintera 60s and got a Silver Sky SE those are my main guitars for studio recording and
Live shows!
Your mind can make you believe something is better when its really not. You can make yourself believe anything. Because you desire it so much you make it be.
I have the same American Professional II, same color, HSS, everything. I mostly play rock stuff, and it’s amazing but I found that the stock humbucker just sounded like a beefed up single coil, still kinda stratty if you know that I mean, you can clearly hear it when you play both in the video. I ended up swapping out the stock one for a Seymour Duncan ‘59 trembucker and I couldn’t be happier, I get all the amazing cleans and bluesy goodness out of the single coils, and when I get dirty with the SD I get all the warmth, saturation, harmonics, and RocknRoll that I want. Definitely recommend that you or anyone else that has this guitar swap out the stock fender humbucker to a better humbucker, it really makes all the difference and a guitar that plays and feels that high quality deserves a higher quality humbucker.
Mike Cole, you are right on time. Keep being honest and truthful.
I come from a time when American made guitars were the best in the world and, in my mind, they represent that you've made it. I actually made a detailed list of what my ultimate Stratocaster would be. I thought I'd have to buy through Fender's mod shop. Then I discovered the American Performer HSS. I found one that had been used as a display model at a reduced price and bought it. And now it's my number 1. Although the Mexican guitars are very good I've yet to find one that's as good as my Performer or my Hwy1 for that matter.
I have an American Performer as well! They're great guitars, especially as the "entry level" American Strat
@@ItsRevival Besides my Am Prof I've had two Am Pros and a15 year old Hwy1. The Pref and Hwy1 are closer to my ideal guitar than the Pros or any other model of Stratocaster.
I don’t know. I’m a Gibson enthusiast myself but one time a friend of mine who had just bought one loaned one to me he just bought when he went on vacation with his lady. I did play it and it was nice but in the end I was not the kind of player who exponentially benefited from an expensive instrument. He ended up giving me an old early 2000s Epi SG Standard with the 66 batwing pick guard and bolt on neck that was in a state. I didn’t even replace the guts, I just bought new pot dials polished it up, set it up adjusted the intonation and the truss rod and gave it to my brother since I already had a G400 I bought a couple of years earlier.
There’s so much more to instruments that you put yourself into. The US Strat is awesome and if you’re a Fender guy and you have money to burn go ahead but it’s not a panacea.
Congrats on the new whip. If you put in about 4~5 hours daily, it should last about 4~5 years before a refret. You really need to ride it for a year until your hands and the fretboard become partners. It takes miles. I have a number of guitars and I have found the American models have a bit better finish and "feel" better in your hands. They don't spend the money on the Mexican models and keep the finish time down. Both US and MX guitars can make similar sounds, but the US model should feel more like home. Of course, all your tone is in the pedals, so...
So, I own 3 srats at the moment. I've owned others, including a 1987 American standard that was a main guitar for a while. My main axe for the past 21 years is my refinished 1964 seafoam green strat with a replacement late 1968 Maple neck. Loaded with Rio Grande pickups. I also have my very first strat which is a 1988 MIJ '57 Reissue with the EMG setup and a 1993 Mexican strat. All of which I would describe as not Being "Better" than each other, but being different. My mexican strat I should add has Seymour Duncan Alnico II's in it. My favorite, is the '64/'68 strat. Not because it's obviously American or even that it's vintage... But because it lends it's self to my style and it inspired a lot of my songwriting. There's just an apparent connection with me and that guitar. That's why I bought it 21 years ago, and why it quickly became my go to guitar. No, it being "all original" or not never occurred to me. I just instantly fell in love with that guitar. That being said, my red '57 reissue was also my main guitar for many years. I still use it today. it also inspired many songs and helped me evolve into the musician I am today. My black '93 Mexican strat I acquired a few years ago and I enjoy it every bit as much as the other two strats, and other strats I've had before it. I look for how a strat resonates unplugged, how it sounds acoustically and how it makes me feel when I'm trying to create something. I'm kinda old school and usually frown on a bucker in the bridge, then again I've owned strats with a bucker in the bridge and found them to be musically adaptable to what I was doing. I've played some bad Mexican strats, I've played bad American Strats. I've played bad Japanese Strats... and so on. I've played good Strats of every origin including squiers. At the end of the day, if it Stays in Tune, it resonates in a positive way, It just doesn't matter. A good relatable guitar that inspires you, is just that. regardless of it's age or origin. Those are my thoughts. I've found in any guitar, if it you pluck the open B string and you feel it vibrate behind the nut and at the body towards the Jack area, that usually means you have a really good guitar. All 3 of my Strats have that in common. the '64 you can literally fell resonate through the entire guitar. The MIJ '88 '57 reissue is very similar. My black Mexican strat is very close as well. I owned other MIM strats back in the day, but I'd say this Mexican '93 strat is one of the best MIM strat's I've ever played or heard. It comes down to the guitar it's self. not where it was made. So, when I've bought guitars, the resonation factor, the "staying in tune" factor and feel factor were what made me buy them. Also, if they inspired me to write songs. those are things that mattered the most to me.
That HSS American Strat is a beauty Mike. I know how you feel though, when I got my hands on my 89 Japanese Strat I had that same vibe. I think I'd like to get an American Tele at some point in the future.
I mean, not all guitar players care that much about strats, don't get me wrong, they're an awesome guitar, but you ask, what do I look for in a guitar? well, I look for a guitar that suits my playing style, generally that means 24 frets or more, it means floating floyd roses with locking system, and it means an entirely custom pickup setup to suit my sound, generally a strat just doesn't tick all the boxes for me, at least not a stock one, it can definitely tick some of them, and if I had the spare cash to blow on one, I'd buy it just because they're good guitars and they're an icon of guitar history, but there's a lot of guitar brands out there, some doing some really amazing stuff, If I could just choose any guitar, I'd go with a Sago Seed kotetsu, but that guitar might not suit everyone.
I've been playing guitar for 30+ years at this point, brands are cool and all, but more than anything, if I'm going to spend a decent amount of cash on a guitar, the MOST important thing to me now is playability, sound is obviously high on the list too, but there's a lot of ways to make a guitar sound the way you want, most aren't too hard or bank breaking, however it's a whole extra expense to have a guitar entirely refretted, reintonated, etc. etc., plus I've got all the electronics I use and like that I can install into anything I buy, so for me, super low action and as close to perfect intonation as possible is key, the rest is easy.
I've got an Am Pro II Strat like yours, except in an SSS configuration. I love the look and feel of the neck and body but I didn't love the pickups for what I do. After some experimentation I settled on the DiMarzio Paul Gilbert set (Injector Bridge, Area 67 Neck, Injector Neck) and I couldn't be happier. I also threw some strap locks and locking tuners on there. It's easily my go-to, number 1 guitar.
I just got a 1957 Vintage II blonde ash body strat. I liked the nitro finish showing the wood grain in the ash body and the overall light color with the maple neck. Flawless setup and finish and with beautiful vintage strat tone. I've been playing it like a madman possessed since I got it. My only other strat is a 1992 Japanese Fender with a humbucker so it is different but nice too in it's own way. But my Mexican Tele is also very nice and less than half the price of the Vintage II.
Fret wire size and stainless steel frets, professionally hand wound wax dipped pickups, neck shape, fret board radius and wood, tuning stability. 35+ years axe man.
As somebody whose first strat was an 06 Mexican Standard and earlier this year FINALLY got my Player Series Strat (after a 9 month wait for the finish i wanted... life is not easy as a lefty)
At the least, the sound and quality is MUCH better than it used to be.
Although back then a Mexican Standard was... $500? So I guess it checks out.
Hey mike I like your content a lot but I feel like something is missing in your tone. Maybe try laying off the compression a bit for some of the less funky stuff. I hope this comes off as constructive cuz I think you are a good player, it just seems like your dynamics are getting cut off sometimes. Again, not hating, just commenting cuz sometimes us guitar players get lost in our favorite effects. I know I've definitely gone down the distortion/fuzz deep-end before and switching to light boost really helped me expand on my clean playing.
ill be honest with you, in brazil (where i live) Fender and squier are very expansive, when you have the oportunity to buy you dont think where it was build, nice vid tbw
A few years back (maybe 10), I purchased a brand new Jeff Beck Strat that had 2 dead pickups and the case it came in was too big for the guitar. It looked worn out when it showed up. The tip of the headstock even had a worn spot from rubbing. I called Fender and they wanted me to take it to a podunk town 100 miles away to prove the pups were bad. Their response on the case was they needed to be bigger because the older cases were a little tight. I even called G&G to ask them about that and they said that was what Fender wanted. The Fender rep was disrespectful and I hung up on him and returned the garbage. I really wanted that guitar but I’ll never buy another Fender. The China Strats were worth the money if you replace the bridge, tuners and pups and do a proper setup. I even put a roller nut on one (had to file a little off the edges but it worked good). I did that for a couple friends and they like them. For the price of an American Strat you can do better with another brand.
Just found your channel and I'm a new guitar player. Started in 2020 (covid hobby).
Just a suggestion, when you cringe at your younger self I think its off putting. That little snippet shows you at your peak level.... at the time.
You will look back at this video in 5 years and then cringe at yourself more, based on the dozen videos I've watched thus far.
Guitar, I've found, is a journey. Each step should be celebrated. I don't know how to articulate this better. I really do love your channel. Just something to think about.
I'll be back for more for sure!
I don't know what it is but I don't really find traditional strats particularly appealing. It's a good starting point but there's the rub. there's other iterations that are more appealing by comparison, my personal favorite so far being the Soloist. It just has a certain feel to it
I have an American and a Mexican and about 80-90% of the time I'm online looking at new strats even though I've never been a strat player and would likely record with a tele and a PRS for humbuckers (if needed), but probably not a strat and I wouldn't likely play one live.
But something about Strats make me chase tones, chase a feeling, and keep looking.
I honestly feel like I might keep my Mexican Strat over my American because it's Road Worn and I won't notice dings, and because it's Mexican I feel OK swapping pickups and tweaking it. The American I left set up as is because it's gonna hold more value.
I will admit, while I love the 50's Road Worn soft V neck (Mex), I also love the more modern C with a flatter compound radius and locking tuners.
It's almost like steak and burgers: they're both good. One is more expensive and one is cheaper but I'm happy with either.
When i think about buying another instrument (bass it strat type) feel. Tone, intonation rule the decision. Made in America is a massive bonus. If it does not feel good, and great tone, and good intonation, it is not worth a penny.
I'm an ESP/V-body fanboi at heart, but when the Yngwie mood kicks in I do absolutely love my Pro II Strat. The Vmod II p'ups in them are very nice 👌
I have 2 American Stratocasters. Over the years i've owned others. I also have one of the Japanese FujiGen Stratocaster from the early 1980's (Quite a quality guitar and a collector's item these days) I have a few franken-strats that are fun for recording and bang-around back-up guitars. I owned, and sold a couple Mexican Strats and they did the trick, but American Stratocasters just seem to settle-in and let you feel how they like to be played. It's like they have their own personalty, and they way they sound makes you play differently. It's not like they were made at a factory where workers are just doing a job... and more like they were made with the hands of people who take some pride in what they're doing. I know it's a bit romantic - but I like to feel that the American fenders are special. A mexican Stratocaster is a tool to make music on. A USA stratocaster holds a bit of status. Depending on the year - they can be a piece of history and/or a work of art.
Biggest factor for me is good neck and good frets. My American pro 1 tele has the best neck of any guitar I’ve played
I got a silver sky. Wish I would have gotten a strat…
i'm well aware this video is about the guitar in itself, but my man really got them tasty licks
The main reason I bought an American Strat was that the construction and components are just better than those used in the mim instruments.
But whatever....ultimately it comes down to what you like and what you are able to coax out of an instrument.
You could have handed Hendrix a broomstick with a couple of wires fastened to it and he would have made it sound like Heaven.
Him in childhood plays better than me present...
Its hard to go back once you've played a fretboard with rolled edges
For me, feel is the number one thing followed by sound because sound is upgradable to a large extent. Looks come in third. My main axe for the last ten years is a MIM. I went into the store with the money and intention of getting an American but the MIM Roadhouse Strat went home with me.
Some of the best Fenders ever made were the ones made in Japan in the 80s after the Fullerton plant shuttered.
I had a 2020 arctic white player series that was mint and it was an amazing guitar truly. I traded it and paid an additional $700 after about 1 week for a 2022 American professional ll in Olympic white with a tortoise pick guard. All stock components. It was “used” but only by a time period of 3 months and since it wasn’t technically new it realistically was. Anyway it is definitely superior to the MIM player.
That said I would still buy a new player series Strat over most any newer guitar from most other brands these days. The MIM Strats have come a long long way and are actually damn nice in my opinion.
What I look for in a guitar is the look and the tone of the pickups Red flag is sharp frets