Bought one of these in cream for $450 brand new. Pros: Neck feels great, this neck shape is more like my LP's than strats. Roasted maple and mine has a good bit of figure to it as well, very nice. Locking tuners. Finish is flawless. No fret sprout. Pickups are fine for what they are and the pots have a nice taper to them. I also like the 4x2 headstock design on these, not only is alignment better, but cosmetically I like the look better, ymmv. Trem stays in tune pretty well, after a new set of strings in took a day for them to stretch but they are pretty solid now. Action is set at a smidge below 4/64 on the bass side and 3.5 on the treble side. This was as low as I could take it on the treble side and not have string bending issues. Lots of adjustment in the pickup height. Cons: Needed a slight truss rod adjustment, which is one of the easiest TR adjustments you'll ever make. I really like double truss rod wheel adjusters at the bottom of the neck. It is not only easier to access and turn, but you get the full length of the neck adjustment and it helps prevent neck humps at the 18th+ frets and beyond. Saddles needed to be almost bottomed out which makes the hex screws stick up too high. Frets were a little gritty in a few spots, two of the fret ends needed a little dressing. Other than a little polishing and those two fret ends, the fretwork on these is pretty high quality for a budget guitar, that is usually the biggest drawback for these under $500 axes. I've had to do full on fret leveling on some of these budget guitars, not this one. I set it up, polished the frets with my fret erasers, changed to block saddles, filed down two fret ends, oiled the rosewood finger board. I also backed out the trem adjustment screws a bit as they were in there pretty tight. It was ready to play and you get very nice stratty sounds with the signle coils and decent to good overdrive with the HB. I ordered some new pickups for this from Bootstrap, but this is something I've done on three other HSS MIM strats, so I wouldn't put this in the con category, more whatever your taste in pups. If you are looking for a lower cost MIM strat alternative, they have nailed it on this one IMO.
Bought this guitar in Rosegold (hss setup). Absolutely in love. The neck feels great in the hands. Feels different than other guitars I’ve held but not in a bad way. For $500 it plays like a dream. I dare say I like it more than my friends Player Plus they spent $850 getting 🤷♂️
I want to learn these kind of riffs. That funk/ neo soul sound. Can anyone point me in a direction to learn some of this. I’ve been playing a while, but I haven’t really seen any lessons in this type of playing. Cheers!
Hm I like these a lot based on demos and specs. Rolled fretboars edges too. I think the pickups sound a bit too midrangy to me, probably not the best ever to my taste. Unfortunately the price here has an noticeable uplift compared to the US. Maybe I'll order an HSS.
totally. i dont know where you are but in Mexico it was the same (easily 50% more, plus our exchange rate, plus our 16% tax)... currently they must have done something to compensate, as now the price is only 10% over the price in the USA. but only high selling brands are imported. and ernie ball-sterling ain't one if them 😢
Your assessment of the pick ups tone is very accurate. I've had the HSS in firemist silver for a couple months now. TBH the singles are fine for clean tones but the humbucker is quacky in a weird way I don't care for. Any dirt just makes it worse. I'm moding the piss outta mine so I'll have a total of 9 different tones. Seymour Duncan TB14 bridge, SD Custom 5 flat strats in the neck and middle. DiMarzio 5way superswitch and 500k custom taper pots with push pull tone, microswitch for phase of middle pup. Wired for (neck,neck+middle,neck+bridge,middle+bridge,bridge).
Hi. I am seriously considering adding a Sterling CT50HSS to my collection of guitars. I've not been able to get a couple specifications that I'd like to know before I make my purchase. First question: What kind of HSS pickups are used ? I suspect they're are an in house design but I'd like to know specifically what their design is... ID: Ceramic?/ Alnico 5?/ Alnico 2? etc... Question two also has to do with the pots and wiring. Does Sterling use full size pots in this mid range guitar and do they shield beneath the pickguard and inside where the pots/five way switch and wiring are.Copper sheeting would be preferable but I'd be satisfied with a good job done using shielding paint. I look forward tomyour response.
I've been watching review videos of these guitars and one did a tear down too. The pickups are Alnicos but it didn't reveal if they were 5s or 2s or whatever. They are not ceramic, however. The pickup cavities have shielding paint, however the pickguard and the cavity for the five way did not have paint or foil. The pots are small.
Bobby BoThanks.. I actually got a response from Sterling.. everything you've said is correct and Sterling indicated that the pickups are Alnico 5's... I've placed my order for a Firemist Silver HSS. I can shield the P/U guard myself...
@@REBELSCL Hey, glad to hear you got all the info you needed. Ironically, I have the same guitar in Firemist due for delivery today. I also sent an order out for shielding tape to do the pickguard myself. Hope you enjoy it if you decide to get one. All indications are that it's a no brainer.
Robert Bonar Congrats! I'm just waiting for mine to be delivered... This will be my first Maple fingerboard..all of my others are either Rosewood or Ebony. I'm looking forward to hearing a tiny bit more "snap" in my tone...
Very nice guitars. I have a peavey with the same pick guard and hate it, imo it doesn't suit the guitar. Otherwise an awesome guitar! The silver is a beauty!
Has anyone noticed a difference in the neck feel between the different colors? I tried a few at Guitar Center and the Rose Gold one seemed to have a smaller neck profile
Didn't play overdriven on the humbucker bridge in this video which is strange. It's like, the one thing that configuration does best. It's almost like you don't want to sell it or something. Bizarre omission for video content.
Bought one of these in cream for $450 brand new.
Pros: Neck feels great, this neck shape is more like my LP's than strats. Roasted maple and mine has a good bit of figure to it as well, very nice. Locking tuners. Finish is flawless. No fret sprout. Pickups are fine for what they are and the pots have a nice taper to them. I also like the 4x2 headstock design on these, not only is alignment better, but cosmetically I like the look better, ymmv. Trem stays in tune pretty well, after a new set of strings in took a day for them to stretch but they are pretty solid now. Action is set at a smidge below 4/64 on the bass side and 3.5 on the treble side. This was as low as I could take it on the treble side and not have string bending issues. Lots of adjustment in the pickup height.
Cons: Needed a slight truss rod adjustment, which is one of the easiest TR adjustments you'll ever make. I really like double truss rod wheel adjusters at the bottom of the neck. It is not only easier to access and turn, but you get the full length of the neck adjustment and it helps prevent neck humps at the 18th+ frets and beyond. Saddles needed to be almost bottomed out which makes the hex screws stick up too high. Frets were a little gritty in a few spots, two of the fret ends needed a little dressing. Other than a little polishing and those two fret ends, the fretwork on these is pretty high quality for a budget guitar, that is usually the biggest drawback for these under $500 axes. I've had to do full on fret leveling on some of these budget guitars, not this one.
I set it up, polished the frets with my fret erasers, changed to block saddles, filed down two fret ends, oiled the rosewood finger board. I also backed out the trem adjustment screws a bit as they were in there pretty tight. It was ready to play and you get very nice stratty sounds with the signle coils and decent to good overdrive with the HB.
I ordered some new pickups for this from Bootstrap, but this is something I've done on three other HSS MIM strats, so I wouldn't put this in the con category, more whatever your taste in pups.
If you are looking for a lower cost MIM strat alternative, they have nailed it on this one IMO.
oh wow so the neck feels more like a LP than a strat? I too felt it was a bit thick. I had a Pacifica which had very thin neck
Bought this guitar in Rosegold (hss setup).
Absolutely in love. The neck feels great in the hands. Feels different than other guitars I’ve held but not in a bad way.
For $500 it plays like a dream. I dare say I like it more than my friends Player Plus they spent $850 getting 🤷♂️
Thank you for the video. The videography is very good and the playing is amazing.
nicolas tesla plays sooo well!!!
Color is the last deciding factor for me
These are some of the best guitars on the market.
exactly the kind of response we were waiting when fender added roasted maple necks to squiers 😍
btw thank you RUclips Algorithm
Nice playing. Sounds like a very nice guitar for the price. That drop Cooper got me.I don't own a strat. This could be my first 1.
The lightweight poplar bodies are a selling point for me.
Squier contemporary as well, also poplar with roasted maple necks, cool colors and Jumbo frets, which these lack
Very nice sounding guitars!
im not letting this man get away with what he played at 0:50 . your going to jail for that!
I want to learn these kind of riffs. That funk/ neo soul sound. Can anyone point me in a direction to learn some of this. I’ve been playing a while, but I haven’t really seen any lessons in this type of playing. Cheers!
Sure, check out Berklee school of music if you want to play like this guy ;)
Kerry 2 smooth on RUclips
Hm I like these a lot based on demos and specs. Rolled fretboars edges too. I think the pickups sound a bit too midrangy to me, probably not the best ever to my taste. Unfortunately the price here has an noticeable uplift compared to the US. Maybe I'll order an HSS.
totally. i dont know where you are but in Mexico it was the same (easily 50% more, plus our exchange rate, plus our 16% tax)...
currently they must have done something to compensate, as now the price is only 10% over the price in the USA. but only high selling brands are imported. and ernie ball-sterling ain't one if them 😢
Your assessment of the pick ups tone is very accurate. I've had the HSS in firemist silver for a couple months now. TBH the singles are fine for clean tones but the humbucker is quacky in a weird way I don't care for. Any dirt just makes it worse. I'm moding the piss outta mine so I'll have a total of 9 different tones. Seymour Duncan TB14 bridge, SD Custom 5 flat strats in the neck and middle. DiMarzio 5way superswitch and 500k custom taper pots with push pull tone, microswitch for phase of middle pup. Wired for (neck,neck+middle,neck+bridge,middle+bridge,bridge).
Just received the firemist silver. Feels solid and sounds great for stock pickups around $500 usd. Will definitely be using this guitar in my mixes.
Hi. I am seriously considering adding a Sterling CT50HSS to my collection of guitars. I've not been able to get a couple specifications that I'd like to know before I make my purchase. First question: What kind of HSS pickups are used ? I suspect they're are an in house design but I'd like to know specifically what their design is... ID: Ceramic?/ Alnico 5?/ Alnico 2? etc... Question two also has to do with the pots and wiring. Does Sterling use full size pots in this mid range guitar and do they shield beneath the pickguard and inside where the pots/five way switch and wiring are.Copper sheeting would be preferable but I'd be satisfied with a good job done using shielding paint. I look forward tomyour response.
I've been watching review videos of these guitars and one did a tear down too. The pickups are Alnicos but it didn't reveal if they were 5s or 2s or whatever. They are not ceramic, however. The pickup cavities have shielding paint, however the pickguard and the cavity for the five way did not have paint or foil. The pots are small.
Bobby BoThanks.. I actually got a response from Sterling.. everything you've said is correct and Sterling indicated that the pickups are Alnico 5's... I've placed my order for a Firemist Silver HSS. I can shield the P/U guard myself...
@@REBELSCL Hey, glad to hear you got all the info you needed. Ironically, I have the same guitar in Firemist due for delivery today. I also sent an order out for shielding tape to do the pickguard myself. Hope you enjoy it if you decide to get one. All indications are that it's a no brainer.
Robert Bonar Congrats! I'm just waiting for mine to be delivered... This will be my first Maple fingerboard..all of my others are either Rosewood or Ebony. I'm looking forward to hearing a tiny bit more "snap" in my tone...
Very nice guitars. I have a peavey with the same pick guard and hate it, imo it doesn't suit the guitar. Otherwise an awesome guitar! The silver is a beauty!
All their colors are nice except the burst one
GAS is kicking in
How do you buy them? I can’t find them new in Canada.
How do these compare to the new roasted maple squier contemporaries?
Clem Fandango's co-worker?
I’m finding the medium frets a bit small and the bridge doesn’t stay in tune on mine very well.
These look so great, but why are they so much more expensive in Europe compared to the U.S?
hello!
Has anyone noticed a difference in the neck feel between the different colors? I tried a few at Guitar Center and the Rose Gold one seemed to have a smaller neck profile
Yes I definitely felt the difference today.
HSS or SSS?
What kind of music do you play?
HSS = versatile beast if you're a genre hopper like me
Didn't play overdriven on the humbucker bridge in this video which is strange. It's like, the one thing that configuration does best. It's almost like you don't want to sell it or something. Bizarre omission for video content.