After a month off playing, it's great to be easing back into playing with this great guitar. Let me know what you think of these Strats! Check it out here. 🛒 Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/5bWQon 🛒 Fender - bit.ly/3fZiRMF 🛒 Guitar Center -guitar-center.pxf.io/kjy3YM 🛒 Thomann - bit.ly/39OL3J7 🛒 Sky Music - alnk.to/60X7qOd (affiliate links)
Sounds great and your playing was tasty mate ! Hard to believe how much Fender prices have gone up, what was it two or three years ago these were $550. US ? Anyway I enjoyed this demo !!
I have a lefty Player Strat as well. Love it. What I don't like are the pots. On mine, the drop off of volume (or tone) as you roll off is practically nothing for the first two thirds of rotation and then very dramatic once you go beyond that. I'm sure it's because they just use A-taper pots wired for lefty rotation. But then I see you roll off the volume in this demo with no problem. Did I see that right! Wonder if Fender changed this design since I picked mine up in 2020.
Recently bought myself a second hand sunburst MiM 2011 strat. What a great instrument, what a sound. I’m in love with that instrument. And man, I love your channel and how you play the blues.
The Player Series Stratocaster can be considered a premium guitar in this day and age. Similar to its American counterpart, these guitars are made well and play great! In my experience, the weight is the most noticeable difference between a MIM and a MIA Strat. If you’re in the market for a Stratocaster, save some money and get a Player Series and put that extra money you would have spent on an American Strat towards a good amp!! 🎸🎸🎸🎸😎😎😎
@@Ottophil HOW? I’m interest in getting used Am Pro II P bass and Strat from Reverb but damn including shipping and tax imma have to drop about $3k!!! Of course I’d rather try out the guitars first in person but nearest guitar store near me is a 20 min drive to a crap GC that rip off their customers.
True! I have an American Pro II and the same Player model in the video. I find myself reaching for this one most often. It's been great straight out of the box. Great guitar!
@@andersonjose6764 I owned both and it is definitely the tone. I've owned two American Pros. A Strat and Tele Deluxe. I realized I am not a fan of Tim Shaw's pickups. The American Pro has nicer electronics maybe and nice rounded necks and well dressed frets. Other than that the Player sounded more Stratty. I also owned a Player Tele and the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster. The Indonesian Squier sounded more like a "Tele" so I kept the Squier and returned the Player.
I absolutely love this guitar. Plays and feels really nice. I put a hot rails in the bridge so I can get everything from Hendrix, SRV, Clapton and Iron Maiden.
I have a Player's Series Stratocaster too (GC exclusive black with black pickguard and cream plastics). I got mine for a ridiculously good price, and quite honestly, it does everything that I could want a Strat to do. Great video, as always, Shane.
I have two, one I got in 2019, and the fiesta red special run last summer. I looked at American's this summer, but after playing I decided another player series was fit the bill perfectly. It's my favorite guitar - but the Revstar is due next week - so we'll see :) Amazing solo by the way!
It costs much but it is the Mexican we should have years and years ago, not to mention the real useful tone for the bridge ! Very high quality these days, thank you!!
Shane! you should do more slow blues reviews. Easier to hear how the notes ring and how thick the tone is when distortion doesn't hide the flaws. Great job!
Totally happy with the squier CV 70's natural.... pickups are great but I am so used to my tex-mex I had to put them on with all new wiring and electronics, blender circuit and treble bleed.
I own a 23 year old Mexican strat and to this day it sounds amazing. For wide verity of Tele sounds I use a Godin Winchester brown slightly more versatile than my telecaster and a PRS 245 has replaced my Les Paul. That stratocaster is all 99% of what any player would need. Especially if you could own only one guitar 🎸. Good video Shane....
Another fab , honest review without any 'trendy' edits that i can't stand. I'd love one of these , have a Vintage v6 which i love , just wonder of the draw of the official fender is worth the extra couple of hundred. Great channel , pls don't change anything!!
Great video Shane. I have one with pau ferro fretboard. It's honestly as good as the American ones. The neck profile is comfortable, two way tremolo feels great and tuning stability is no issue at all. I usually change the pickups on MIM Fenders but never needed to change it on this one.
Nice review. I've two Player Strats and one Am Std. All needed some work. But I felt a lot less nervous working on the Players. After all had been "tuned up" (fret work, nut, action, etc...) I reach for my Players much more often. There are a few things I like about them more. They feel better under my hand and I may have grown to like their PUPs sound a bit better. The Players sound a bit less "chimey" and that's something I think I like. On a side note, I think its time for Fender to release a Player hardtail Strat.
Just got one, first strat ever in my 20 years of playing. Really impressed. Going to gig it in a few weeks, hoping its not too noisy 😅 but that particular band doesnt use a lot of gain so I think I’ll be alright
Also follow up been gigging it regularly it’s great for what I need. I gate the noise lightly and switch to position 2/4 if it’s particularly bad. Taking it on tour next month!
I recognize that jam track! The Stapleton 62' Fender Princeton is still one of my favorite reviews of yours. Lovely playing as always, thank you for making great videos
I really enjoyed the video Shane and your playing is incredible. I had always wanted a Strat and about a year ago I ventured away from my tried and true ESP’s. I bought a very similar Strat to the one your playing in this video. It really turned me onto Fender’s Players series Strats. We’ll so much so that I bought a tri color sunburst about 6 months ago ( looks just like Mike McCreedy’s Strat ). Anyways I’m playing my Strat through a Fender Champion 100 ( thanks for influencing my purchase with one of reviews ) and couldn’t be happier. Thank you for all these reviews and know that they truly do help people when buying their next guitar or amp. Keep jam man and looking forward to the next video.
Man, for someone that never focuses on his own playing in his videos, you play very very good. I'm lefty and have a sunburst 1990 American Standard Strat and love it. Now I want a white one though. 🤠👍👍
Couldn't agree with you more about the Mexican stratocaster, I have owned so many of them over the years and still keep several in different configuration and colors. I look at the Fender Custom Shop (played a bunch of them) but that price tag is ridiculous. The Fender Road Worn series also has been my vote if you prefer that broken-in vibe. Cheers!
I have the same guitar in sunburst with a maple neck. It's perfect as far as I'm concerned. I have played many american strats and never felt like they were worth the price jump.
My first guitar was a candy apple red Stratocaster and it’s the one I will never sell. Played it so much that after two years, I had to have it refretted. Went stainless for longevity. If these came with stainless frets, they’d be and even better buy. I really prefer gloss necks like the one on my red Strat. Great playing btw.
I dig a white Strat so much, especially with a maple fingerboard. Reminds me of Hendrix and Jimmie Vaughan. 22 Frets, alnico pickups and the tone is on the bridge pickup. Definitely jonein' for one of these.
Great review man on a really nice guitar! So glad Fender now has the tone control connected to the bridge pick up! I did that easy modification to my 2016 MIM Strat years ago and it just completes all of the fantastic tones you can get from this workhorse of an instrument! ✌🏻🎸
got a second hand 2011 MIM white Strat, swapped the pickups for a preloaded '69 custom shop set, made all the necessary adjustments and it's been my favourite guitar ever since. Got to play a few American Strats since, and I genuinely believe they don't rival the MIM.
I have played probably a dozen of these player series strats and honestly I have never played one that felt like it was quality. Everyone one I ever played had quality control issues, heavy, fret ends were sharp etc. I guess you got a good one.
It’s hard to understand you tube reviews. I’ve bought on recommendations and ended up disappointed. It may be subjective but something is off when you hear great reviews, spend lots of money, and the quality is sketch.
As much as these cost now I agree the QC could be better, but after some TLC these guitars play great. They just dont get the fret ends right on these, but the actual frets are butter smooth
I bought this guitar for my son, just as he was heading to music school. He’s also lefty! So he has limited access to a wide model of guitars. He teaches himself to play right hand guitars, so he can jam a little. But his left handed collection needed a Strat. This was a great budget option! He has the Tidal pool one. Great playing and review! ⚡️
Hey Shane, Congrats on 200k subscribers! That guitar looks AWESOME! And based on what you are saying about it it has what it takes to back up the look. I want one! Thanks for sharing.
Awesome Sauce! Lefty as well!. I've tried the American Strats, but I always prefer the feel of the made in Mexico for some reason. Great playing as always, Shane! ✌
I have a player strat in buttercream and a player tele in tidepool. They both needed a setup and some fret levelling out the box, but once that was done, wow! I wouldn't "upgrade" them even if i won the lottery.
@@craig.encinitasi want one that is player series. Not noventa. Or robert cray, or nile rogers. Or tom delong, or jim roots. But one i can have and afford
I got myself the Player Series Strat in Buttercream last year after having a Classic Vibe Squier..I was also lucky enough to have a PLEK set up done on it..And it’s by far my fav guitar I own..Always the first one I pick up out of the rack!
Great video which finally inspired me to try and get one Strat of the Player series. And man what can I say? You were absolutely right with your review. Great sound, great feel and a lot of fun to play it. Thank you!
It's a great guitar for a beginner like me, and for professionals. I liked my orange Fender Player Strat so much that I bought another one, polar white, and I put a mint green pickguard on it. It's become my Go-To guitar that I find myself grabbing in 9 out 10 times. Great review and fantastic cover of Tennessee Whiskey!
Had one used from 2018 for 390euros a bit more than 2 years ago. Plenty of QC issues. Frets,bad plastic nut,neck edges a bit sharp,string tree that was causing an annoying noise even after I've replaced it and added a second one to prevent that so I guess the neck was just a bit bad. Other than that the pickups and trem were ok. Didn't mind the issues because I've bought it as a mod platform and practically changed everything. I think it's ok as it is with a proper setup from a luthier even if I'd recommend to buy it used as a mod platform as I did. For a thousand bucks I have a killer that follows me everywhere and I'm still waiting for a strat that sound better for that amount of money. However nowadays when you watch the prices in 2023 and you don't mind the brand I think a squier CV is a much better bang for your buck. Same applies to the revstar line. Good video and awesome demo though 😉
I bought a B- stock players plus for the same price as a player and the upgrades are a huge bonus. Nicer- rolled satin neck/pickups/bridge/switches/pots/locking tuners
Shane, listing your and, if can be honest this intro I think that you are be in some happy place when you play it, fantastic and lush. Salute from 🇭🇷 Croatia.
Apparently, the only Stratocaster I’LL ever need is the one I already own (and have since 1992), according to my wife. 1987 MIJ 57 reissue - which my mate Paul relic’ed by dropping it on its end on a concrete floor…
I like the middle position on a Strat, I do use mine, but I mainly use the neck pickup. I have Bare Knuckle Irish tours in one of my Strats, and it has a Holy Diver bridge humbucker, so it can get a bit hot. I really like that Strat, it looks good, I'd love to get a maple fingerboard Strat, as both of mine have rosewood.
Have Player Series Lead III and Tele. Had to replace pots and switches after about a year to a year and 1/2. On the other hand, my Strat Pro 1 is still going strong after several years.
I have a shell pink maple neck, I want to love it! But the pickups kind of drive me nuts. They are hot and really have a lot of bass. I play a lot of classic vibes and I’m always grabbing the 50’s strat more. Idk but the quality is top notch. Great video!
I love mine. 2022 model. It's very close to being an American Standard. And being a lefty, it's nice to be able to buy a great Strat without paying a ridiculous price. And yes, the middle pickup is very usable by itself.
I've got 2 limited edition player series, one strat and one tele (my profile pic), and I love'em both. The roasted maple necks are ridiculously smooth to play.
I traded this in (and some change) for an American Pro II w/ a humbucker in the bridge about a year ago, and I always kick myself for not keeping this one because i really loved this strat... felt better in my hands than my American Pro II in all honesty. New one sounds better w/ my playing style but the white mex strat was just so comfortable and versatile for the price
Hey Shane. What a great video and review. You demo-ed everything I'd want to see, and answered all of my questions. Very thorough, and clear. Too many review videos have strumming and noodling, and it's impossible to hear how each note sounds, or the attack of the guitar. This was great. I do have one question though. The song you played near the beginning with the backing track- was that a rif on Tennessee Whiskey, or a different song? Thanks Shane.
I've got one of these (left-handed). Although it is a very nice guitar, there are some things that are very annoying about it (ie. plastic nut). But my biggest gripe is the wiring and electronics they've used. The pots aren't proper left-handed/reversed taper but they are regular right-handed just wired differently to make them work as left-handed ones. Unfortunately such a cheap solution results in the fact that these pots are pretty much unusable. A noticeable volume/tone change happens at the very end of the spin ratio (probably in about the last 10%). What even makes it worse is the fact that they put on right-handed knobs(!) so the numbers on them are just irrelevant (ie. when you roll the pot all the way down and the knob number will suggest that you are on 4/5 instead of 0). To make it worse, Fender doesn't even make left-handed knobs in other color than aged white. But apart from that it is a nice guitar with a decent value (especially if you buy it at discounted price, or second-hand in great condition.
Thanks again Shane on another great review. I don't have a Strat but I have to agree about the Player series. I have a Player Series Tele and it sounds like a Tele should. The Bridge PU has the right sound, but for me the Neck PU on mine is so so usable. Cheers
I had to deck the bridge and have locking tuners and a bone nut put on mine just to keep it in tune for more than 5 seconds. After a proper setup and some fret work it's now an awesome guitar that keeps perfect tune and sounds great, but it damn sure didn't come that way from Fender. Oh, and nearly every screw hole under the pickguard plus one on the input jack plate was stripped so this guitar's body is now partially made of toothpicks. If you know, you know. 😆
Bought mine in TPL with MN back in August, changed the strings (the guitar was in the storage for months and months before it got to me :'D those strings were so bad), the nut to a bone nut (the plastic one was squeaking so much), had the luthier set it up to what I like, now it plays like a dream. Got a champion 100 amp, time to start getting pedals. 😄
Some tasty playing there, I recognised a dip into mark knopfler with a bit of artistic licence, but at 8:27 there's a six second lick from when I used to get guitar techniques in the 90s that was in it. Can't remember what it is for the life of me, I wasn't that into blues at the time, but I always liked that lick.
Excellent work and beautiful playing (again) Shane. But... How could anyone possibly live on just one Strat? Can't get my head round that particular concept... Cheers!
I recently compared a CV with one of the performer series. There was a pretty big difference in tone. The performer had way more body etc etc, but they felt almost identical to play.
I finally have mine back, Black with Pao Ferro Board, actually bought it from Sky Music however got home and dead middle pickup. Just got it back and I haven't put it down. The tones are great. Only downside for me is the volume pot is only really functional at between 7-10. Other then that. I think it's one of the best strats I've played.
Some people say they like the Squier Classic Vibe better than the Fender Players. I haven`t tried the Player series, I do own 2 Vintera Strats and a Nashville Tele from `99 (all 3 made in Mexico) and love those. Great content, keep it up!
After checking out reviews I got a black one just this am..haven't even plugged it in yet...this is a squier affinity made in indonesia...I may have to polish frets and put a humbucker it it but doesn't even need a setup...gonna put some quality strings in it...only cost me 250 im very happy so far...
Great playing! I have one of the, I think slightly older, Classic Player Series 60s Strats, and it's outstanding. They were mostly light blue, but mine's red. I'm sure the US ones are splendid, but I find those noiseless pickups a bit generic-sounding. Really liked the opening piece tonight.
After a month off playing, it's great to be easing back into playing with this great guitar. Let me know what you think of these Strats! Check it out here.
🛒 Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/5bWQon
🛒 Fender - bit.ly/3fZiRMF
🛒 Guitar Center -guitar-center.pxf.io/kjy3YM
🛒 Thomann - bit.ly/39OL3J7
🛒 Sky Music - alnk.to/60X7qOd
(affiliate links)
Good Lord...who would ever still shop at Guitar Center when SWEETWATER exists?!?!?!
Sounds great and your playing was tasty mate ! Hard to believe how much Fender prices have gone up, what was it two or three years ago these were $550. US ?
Anyway I enjoyed this demo !!
I have a lefty Player Strat as well. Love it. What I don't like are the pots. On mine, the drop off of volume (or tone) as you roll off is practically nothing for the first two thirds of rotation and then very dramatic once you go beyond that. I'm sure it's because they just use A-taper pots wired for lefty rotation. But then I see you roll off the volume in this demo with no problem. Did I see that right! Wonder if Fender changed this design since I picked mine up in 2020.
Recently bought myself a second hand sunburst MiM 2011 strat. What a great instrument, what a sound. I’m in love with that instrument. And man, I love your channel and how you play the blues.
I got one of these in surf pearl (mint green), I love it. My first guitar over $250
The Player Series Stratocaster can be considered a premium guitar in this day and age. Similar to its American counterpart, these guitars are made well and play great! In my experience, the weight is the most noticeable difference between a MIM and a MIA Strat. If you’re in the market for a Stratocaster, save some money and get a Player Series and put that extra money you would have spent on an American Strat towards a good amp!! 🎸🎸🎸🎸😎😎😎
Or look for deals. I paid 750 and 1000 for my american strats used Not much more than a player new
@@Ottophil HOW? I’m interest in getting used Am Pro II P bass and Strat from Reverb but damn including shipping and tax imma have to drop about $3k!!! Of course I’d rather try out the guitars first in person but nearest guitar store near me is a 20 min drive to a crap GC that rip off their customers.
@@joshL28I wish I had a guitar store only 20 mins away. It's over an hour for me.
I prefer the Mexican Strat over the USA. However if you want a thicker neck, the USA might be better.
@@Ottophil Yes the used market is always a great place to get a MIA Strat and pay Player series price for it!
That tone control for the bridge pickup is just brilliant. It is the pickup that needs tone control the most!
Congratulations on 200K!!! Killer playing Shane. Very cool looking Strat with tone to match. Thanks for the treat.
True! I have an American Pro II and the same Player model in the video. I find myself reaching for this one most often. It's been great straight out of the box. Great guitar!
I can vouche for this! I also have an Am Pro and player series. Always reaching for that player strat
Why do you prefere The player? Could you tell me? Sound, neck?
@@andersonjose6764 I owned both and it is definitely the tone. I've owned two American Pros. A Strat and Tele Deluxe. I realized I am not a fan of Tim Shaw's pickups. The American Pro has nicer electronics maybe and nice rounded necks and well dressed frets. Other than that the Player sounded more Stratty. I also owned a Player Tele and the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster. The Indonesian Squier sounded more like a "Tele" so I kept the Squier and returned the Player.
I absolutely love this guitar. Plays and feels really nice. I put a hot rails in the bridge so I can get everything from Hendrix, SRV, Clapton and Iron Maiden.
Been thinking of getting this with a hot rail in bridge, how does it go guys?
I have a Player's Series Stratocaster too (GC exclusive black with black pickguard and cream plastics). I got mine for a ridiculously good price, and quite honestly, it does everything that I could want a Strat to do. Great video, as always, Shane.
I have two, one I got in 2019, and the fiesta red special run last summer. I looked at American's this summer, but after playing I decided another player series was fit the bill perfectly. It's my favorite guitar - but the Revstar is due next week - so we'll see :)
Amazing solo by the way!
It costs much but it is the Mexican we should have years and years ago, not to mention the real useful tone for the bridge ! Very high quality these days, thank you!!
Shane! you should do more slow blues reviews. Easier to hear how the notes ring and how thick the tone is when distortion doesn't hide the flaws. Great job!
Hello from Sweden🇸🇪 I love your videos! And I own a Fender Player Strat in buttercream and this guitar is a great guitar. Have a lovely day, Shane!
By the way, I've been a fan of this channel for years now. You always do a fantastic job! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind words and support, Eric! Thanks man.
thank you for playing actual music when testing the guitars and not just random shredding !!!
When Shane plays like this it means he's in love😍
Shane and a stratocaster sittin' in a tree, p-i-c-k-i-n-g!
Shane, I felt every note of your fantastic solo, to the core of my soul. Simply majestic, 😎 brother.
Uh cringe... 😷
Really tasteful playing loved it
I think the only strat (or tele, jazzmaster, etc) players REALLY ever need, are the classic vibes!
Every Classic Vibe I’ve touched has been a monumental disappointment.
@@czechplastik how so?
@@czechplastik You have monumental bad luck. Sorry, buddy...
The best tele by Fender is the Antigua. But there are teles made by other makers that as good if not better than Fender teles, like the Asat
Yes!!! Check out my red fiesta classic vibe at my Chanel
Totally happy with the squier CV 70's natural.... pickups are great but I am so used to my tex-mex I had to put them on with all new wiring and electronics, blender circuit and treble bleed.
I own a 23 year old Mexican strat and to this day it sounds amazing. For wide verity of Tele sounds I use a Godin Winchester brown slightly more versatile than my telecaster and a PRS 245 has replaced my Les Paul. That stratocaster is all 99% of what any player would need. Especially if you could own only one guitar 🎸. Good video Shane....
Another fab , honest review without any 'trendy' edits that i can't stand. I'd love one of these , have a Vintage v6 which i love , just wonder of the draw of the official fender is worth the extra couple of hundred. Great channel , pls don't change anything!!
Great video Shane. I have one with pau ferro fretboard. It's honestly as good as the American ones. The neck profile is comfortable, two way tremolo feels great and tuning stability is no issue at all. I usually change the pickups on MIM Fenders but never needed to change it on this one.
Nice review. I've two Player Strats and one Am Std. All needed some work. But I felt a lot less nervous working on the Players. After all had been "tuned up" (fret work, nut, action, etc...) I reach for my Players much more often. There are a few things I like about them more. They feel better under my hand and I may have grown to like their PUPs sound a bit better. The Players sound a bit less "chimey" and that's something I think I like. On a side note, I think its time for Fender to release a Player hardtail Strat.
Given how simple it is to hardtail yourself they probably won't bother.
Did your neck have fret sprout? Mine has it bad. Did you fix it yourself or did you have a guy do it?
@@matthewdotson2186 yes and yes.
Just got one, first strat ever in my 20 years of playing. Really impressed. Going to gig it in a few weeks, hoping its not too noisy 😅 but that particular band doesnt use a lot of gain so I think I’ll be alright
Does it stay in tune, with tremolo use.
@@accentontheoff surprisingly yes
@@bobbyadamson2333 That’s good to know, thanks!
Also follow up been gigging it regularly it’s great for what I need. I gate the noise lightly and switch to position 2/4 if it’s particularly bad. Taking it on tour next month!
@@bobbyadamson2333 Cool. Did you need to do some special set up type things with the guitar.
What a fantastic intro. You sound amazing.
I've owned several guitars over the last 28 years, and I'm currently playing 2 player series Strats. Punk, grunge, blues, etc....they do it all!
great sound, got my tele's and 50's les pauls. this is making me want a strat. every guitar has it's place. you need them all.
I recognize that jam track! The Stapleton 62' Fender Princeton is still one of my favorite reviews of yours. Lovely playing as always, thank you for making great videos
I really enjoyed the video Shane and your playing is incredible. I had always wanted a Strat and about a year ago I ventured away from my tried and true ESP’s. I bought a very similar Strat to the one your playing in this video. It really turned me onto Fender’s Players series Strats. We’ll so much so that I bought a tri color sunburst about 6 months ago ( looks just like Mike McCreedy’s Strat ). Anyways I’m playing my Strat through a Fender Champion 100 ( thanks for influencing my purchase with one of reviews ) and couldn’t be happier. Thank you for all these reviews and know that they truly do help people when buying their next guitar or amp. Keep jam man and looking forward to the next video.
Mine is a Buttercream HSS, favorite guitar I’ve ever played.
Man, for someone that never focuses on his own playing in his videos, you play very very good.
I'm lefty and have a sunburst 1990 American Standard Strat and love it. Now I want a white one though.
🤠👍👍
That intro jam track was beautiful! Reminded me of Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton! Smashed it👌🏻
Couldn't agree with you more about the Mexican stratocaster, I have owned so many of them over the years and still keep several in different configuration and colors. I look at the Fender Custom Shop (played a bunch of them) but that price tag is ridiculous. The Fender Road Worn series also has been my vote if you prefer that broken-in vibe. Cheers!
Absolutely feel the same way about the MIM ash-body Telecasters - hard to beat the quality and sound for the price point.
I really hope we see an update to the player series this year particularly the teles. Been waiting ages for something with colour!
I have the same guitar in sunburst with a maple neck. It's perfect as far as I'm concerned. I have played many american strats and never felt like they were worth the price jump.
That intro was so good. It really touched me. Great playing!
Thanks 🙏
My first guitar was a candy apple red Stratocaster and it’s the one I will never sell. Played it so much that after two years, I had to have it refretted. Went stainless for longevity. If these came with stainless frets, they’d be and even better buy. I really prefer gloss necks like the one on my red Strat. Great playing btw.
I dig a white Strat so much, especially with a maple fingerboard. Reminds me of Hendrix and Jimmie Vaughan. 22 Frets, alnico pickups and the tone is on the bridge pickup. Definitely jonein' for one of these.
Great review man on a really nice guitar! So glad Fender now has the tone control connected to the bridge pick up! I did that easy modification to my 2016 MIM Strat years ago and it just completes all of the fantastic tones you can get from this workhorse of an instrument! ✌🏻🎸
Especially since you almost *never* need two separate tone settings on the Middle and Neck pickups!
I have the RH of this guy and it is my #1.
Also: those bends were amazing
got a second hand 2011 MIM white Strat, swapped the pickups for a preloaded '69 custom shop set, made all the necessary adjustments and it's been my favourite guitar ever since. Got to play a few American Strats since, and I genuinely believe they don't rival the MIM.
I have played probably a dozen of these player series strats and honestly I have never played one that felt like it was quality. Everyone one I ever played had quality control issues, heavy, fret ends were sharp etc. I guess you got a good one.
It’s hard to understand you tube reviews. I’ve bought on recommendations and ended up disappointed. It may be subjective but something is off when you hear great reviews, spend lots of money, and the quality is sketch.
As much as these cost now I agree the QC could be better, but after some TLC these guitars play great. They just dont get the fret ends right on these, but the actual frets are butter smooth
I have a polar white one with maple neck. It has a really nice sound especially when the selector is at 4th (neck-middle) position.
I bought this guitar for my son, just as he was heading to music school. He’s also lefty! So he has limited access to a wide model of guitars. He teaches himself to play right hand guitars, so he can jam a little. But his left handed collection needed a Strat. This was a great budget option! He has the Tidal pool one. Great playing and review! ⚡️
I have an 1981 "the STRAT" which I love, had it for 35 years, but this player series sound brilliant.
Hey Shane, Congrats on 200k subscribers! That guitar looks AWESOME! And based on what you are saying about it it has what it takes to back up the look. I want one! Thanks for sharing.
Awesome Sauce! Lefty as well!. I've tried the American Strats, but I always prefer the feel of the made in Mexico for some reason. Great playing as always, Shane! ✌
Good morning from the North Carolina, Shane. Always tuned in for your superb reviews.💎💎💎💎💎
I have a player strat in buttercream and a player tele in tidepool. They both needed a setup and some fret levelling out the box, but once that was done, wow! I wouldn't "upgrade" them even if i won the lottery.
I’m the 1% that just wants a strat with a hard tail.
I put a Tremol-no on my player series strat, works great.
Me too !!
@@Malediction99stop telling me this. I know how to block a strat I’m sick of these solutions. I want one with a real hard tail. No springs!
@@craig.encinitasi want one that is player series. Not noventa. Or robert cray, or nile rogers. Or tom delong, or jim roots. But one i can have and afford
What's funny is I never see anyone playing a strat with the trem bar attached. Saw a string through strat on casino guitars channel and it's amazing.
I got myself the Player Series Strat in Buttercream last year after having a Classic Vibe Squier..I was also lucky enough to have a PLEK set up done on it..And it’s by far my fav guitar I own..Always the first one I pick up out of the rack!
How did they compare?
@@db.5811 Player Series far out ways the Classic Vibe for me 😎
@@KateSkorski That’s good to know, thank you. I’m glad your enjoying it!
❤hard tail with a mahogany body rules aluminum or brass pic guard 😂 shielding go-to bridge easy install.hotrails .or noiseless pickups .with clapton preamp.or DiMarzio. Pre...shielded wire.
Great video, Shane. Always a pleasure to hear you play. I appreciate your fair and honest reviews. Keep it up.
that bridge pickup sounds blazing hot i love it
Excellent guitar playing with great tone
The mim Strat and Tele are fantastic and a good value
I picked up a player telecaster based off of your past review, a beautiful limited edition silverburst HH one. thanks for such a good demo.
Great video which finally inspired me to try and get one Strat of the Player series. And man what can I say? You were absolutely right with your review. Great sound, great feel and a lot of fun to play it. Thank you!
It's a great guitar for a beginner like me, and for professionals. I liked my orange Fender Player Strat so much that I bought another one, polar white, and I put a mint green pickguard on it. It's become my Go-To guitar that I find myself grabbing in 9 out 10 times.
Great review and fantastic cover of Tennessee Whiskey!
Had one used from 2018 for 390euros a bit more than 2 years ago.
Plenty of QC issues.
Frets,bad plastic nut,neck edges a bit sharp,string tree that was causing an annoying noise even after I've replaced it and added a second one to prevent that so I guess the neck was just a bit bad.
Other than that the pickups and trem were ok.
Didn't mind the issues because I've bought it as a mod platform and practically changed everything.
I think it's ok as it is with a proper setup from a luthier even if I'd recommend to buy it used as a mod platform as I did.
For a thousand bucks I have a killer that follows me everywhere and I'm still waiting for a strat that sound better for that amount of money.
However nowadays when you watch the prices in 2023 and you don't mind the brand I think a squier CV is a much better bang for your buck.
Same applies to the revstar line.
Good video and awesome demo though 😉
I bought a B- stock players plus for the same price as a player and the upgrades are a huge bonus. Nicer- rolled satin neck/pickups/bridge/switches/pots/locking tuners
These are great guitars. I use them all the time. No mods needed. Great job Fender!!!!
Shane, listing your and, if can be honest this intro I think that you are be in some happy place when you play it, fantastic and lush. Salute from 🇭🇷 Croatia.
Yes indeed.A fine guitar.I love my mine!
75th anniversary ,sunburst, maple fingerboard.
Just received the white hss version of this today from Sweetwater. 🙂
Got the HSS version of the Player strat in aged cherry a couple of years ago and love it!
I got mine. Amazing instrument. Went with the Andy Timmons configuration on the pickups. Dimarzio cruisers and a Chopper on the bridge. 500k pots.
Apparently, the only Stratocaster I’LL ever need is the one I already own (and have since 1992), according to my wife. 1987 MIJ 57 reissue - which my mate Paul relic’ed by dropping it on its end on a concrete floor…
love the intro song, sounds exactly like Tennesee Whisky by Chris Stapelton. And you did a great job with the layers of the guitar parts.
I like the middle position on a Strat, I do use mine, but I mainly use the neck pickup. I have Bare Knuckle Irish tours in one of my Strats, and it has a Holy Diver bridge humbucker, so it can get a bit hot. I really like that Strat, it looks good, I'd love to get a maple fingerboard Strat, as both of mine have rosewood.
what's the holy diver hb like been considering it
Have Player Series Lead III and Tele. Had to replace pots and switches after about a year to a year and 1/2. On the other hand, my Strat Pro 1 is still going strong after several years.
I have a shell pink maple neck, I want to love it! But the pickups kind of drive me nuts. They are hot and really have a lot of bass. I play a lot of classic vibes and I’m always grabbing the 50’s strat more. Idk but the quality is top notch. Great video!
Try lowering the pickups if you havent already, especially the bridge pickup is extremely sensitive to small changes in height
I love mine. 2022 model. It's very close to being an American Standard. And being a lefty, it's nice to be able to buy a great Strat without paying a ridiculous price. And yes, the middle pickup is very usable by itself.
I just got the same guitar, left handed. It's a beauty! 👍
I've got 2 limited edition player series, one strat and one tele (my profile pic), and I love'em both. The roasted maple necks are ridiculously smooth to play.
I traded this in (and some change) for an American Pro II w/ a humbucker in the bridge about a year ago, and I always kick myself for not keeping this one because i really loved this strat... felt better in my hands than my American Pro II in all honesty. New one sounds better w/ my playing style but the white mex strat was just so comfortable and versatile for the price
Hey Shane. What a great video and review. You demo-ed everything I'd want to see, and answered all of my questions. Very thorough, and clear.
Too many review videos have strumming and noodling, and it's impossible to hear how each note sounds, or the attack of the guitar. This was great. I do have one question though. The song you played near the beginning with the backing track- was that a rif on Tennessee Whiskey, or a different song?
Thanks Shane.
I got the surf green with painted headstock limited èdition. I love the hell out of it.
I've got one of these (left-handed). Although it is a very nice guitar, there are some things that are very annoying about it (ie. plastic nut). But my biggest gripe is the wiring and electronics they've used. The pots aren't proper left-handed/reversed taper but they are regular right-handed just wired differently to make them work as left-handed ones. Unfortunately such a cheap solution results in the fact that these pots are pretty much unusable. A noticeable volume/tone change happens at the very end of the spin ratio (probably in about the last 10%). What even makes it worse is the fact that they put on right-handed knobs(!) so the numbers on them are just irrelevant (ie. when you roll the pot all the way down and the knob number will suggest that you are on 4/5 instead of 0). To make it worse, Fender doesn't even make left-handed knobs in other color than aged white. But apart from that it is a nice guitar with a decent value (especially if you buy it at discounted price, or second-hand in great condition.
I bought the exact model and color 2 months ago, brand new on sale for $650 and love it!
Great guitar I got one in Buttercream. Amazing playing you’re making that thing sing!
Just ordered one. The tone control for the bridge pickup is a real no brainer. Its the pickup most needing some controlling 😅
Thanks again Shane on another great review.
I don't have a Strat but I have to agree about the Player series.
I have a Player Series Tele and it sounds like a Tele should.
The Bridge PU has the right sound, but for me the Neck PU on mine is so so usable.
Cheers
I had to deck the bridge and have locking tuners and a bone nut put on mine just to keep it in tune for more than 5 seconds. After a proper setup and some fret work it's now an awesome guitar that keeps perfect tune and sounds great, but it damn sure didn't come that way from Fender. Oh, and nearly every screw hole under the pickguard plus one on the input jack plate was stripped so this guitar's body is now partially made of toothpicks. If you know, you know. 😆
I got the player strat blue burst flame. Absolutely love it!
Great no nonsense review. Would be good to hear your thoughts on the Players Plus strat, the one with the noiseless pickups.
Bought mine in TPL with MN back in August, changed the strings (the guitar was in the storage for months and months before it got to me :'D those strings were so bad), the nut to a bone nut (the plastic one was squeaking so much), had the luthier set it up to what I like, now it plays like a dream. Got a champion 100 amp, time to start getting pedals. 😄
Some tasty playing there, I recognised a dip into mark knopfler with a bit of artistic licence, but at 8:27 there's a six second lick from when I used to get guitar techniques in the 90s that was in it. Can't remember what it is for the life of me, I wasn't that into blues at the time, but I always liked that lick.
The saddles on these are always scratchy. That’s my main gripe about ‘em. Great pickups for sure.
I agree. You get used to it but I prefer the comfort of my Affinity over my MIM Stratocaster.
Excellent work and beautiful playing (again) Shane. But...
How could anyone possibly live on just one Strat? Can't get my head round that particular concept...
Cheers!
Nice review! How do you compare the Player Series to the Player Plus Series? Is the Plus worth the additional cost?
fantastic playing! Well done on the 200k!
Great demo and playing! Stay cool Mate!
A Classic Vibe would also fall into this category and be even better value, I have two strats and can't really tell difference in quality from my USA
I recently compared a CV with one of the performer series. There was a pretty big difference in tone. The performer had way more body etc etc, but they felt almost identical to play.
Liked the demo Shane and the drum track worked particularly well.
Have got to say if you can stretch to the player plus get it - fantastic bit of kit - fab video as always 🏴
❤ I got this one (but back from 2019), i only gave her some locking tuners as upgrade)
You're take on tennesse whiskey? It was great playing, loved it
I finally have mine back, Black with Pao Ferro Board, actually bought it from Sky Music however got home and dead middle pickup. Just got it back and I haven't put it down. The tones are great. Only downside for me is the volume pot is only really functional at between 7-10. Other then that. I think it's one of the best strats I've played.
Great composition at the beginning Shane.
Oh my Lord, so beautiful !!!!
I wish I could learn how to play like you !!!
Some people say they like the Squier Classic Vibe better than the Fender Players. I haven`t tried the Player series, I do own 2 Vintera Strats and a Nashville Tele from `99 (all 3 made in Mexico) and love those. Great content, keep it up!
After checking out reviews I got a black one just this am..haven't even plugged it in yet...this is a squier affinity made in indonesia...I may have to polish frets and put a humbucker it it but doesn't even need a setup...gonna put some quality strings in it...only cost me 250 im very happy so far...
Great playing! I have one of the, I think slightly older, Classic Player Series 60s Strats, and it's outstanding. They were mostly light blue, but mine's red. I'm sure the US ones are splendid, but I find those noiseless pickups a bit generic-sounding. Really liked the opening piece tonight.