This is the gold standard of comparison. The best thing about this is you switch between two inside a riff/licks by dividing them into smaller pockets and that makes it much much easier to pick up the differences. Your channel inspired me to get a Mexican strat as my first electric guitar. Thank you for your time and effort Darrell.
I'm definitely into the bluesy stuff. My wife screams at me every time I buy a new guitar and makes me feel bad. Thanks for the review. Keep them coming👍
Darren, even if you hear this a lot, man you rock !!! I love that you use a lot of common sense on your videos, (like using standard no fancy amps, no fx or processing tone and mostly no distortion, EQ knobs of amps in the middle possitions, same riffs, same pressure, etc), your content is very organized and in great order, keep on the great job, please Keep on the: "improving tone tips topics" mechanical, electrical and playing habits I am sure is finally the most important and priority content, Congratulations man, I hope you can get good sponsors who value you efforts, we (all followers do appreciate it), I just can not stop watching the next and the next, thanks man
Always good presentations, clear, concise, GOOD information. Yes I would be interested in your comparison: MZ strat vs AM Strat. Thank you for your time and efforts, compiling these wonderful videos
GuitarPlayerOK Absolutely! I love how you explain things so clearly and then don't talk in between demos so that we can compare them back to back. I'd love to sea comparison between the Mexican and the American, as well as the American Standard and the American Professional. I don't know how feasible it would be for you to compare all of the models of a given series across a few different videos, like all the different Squier models, then the Mexican models, then the American models. That would be interesting if you could swing it. Of course, I'd really be interested in any model comparison, as long as Darrell is the one playing. :)
Same for me... you re demos are awesome! =D And I also wanna buy my first strat the next weeks... so i'd love to see a comparison between the MIM and MIA =) Thanks so much advance... love your channel =)
Alot of it is also the fact that squiers have 500k pots (more treble), and fenders have 250k (less treble). 500k pots are usually for humbuckers. and single coils are already bright so.
Thank you Darrell for uploading your videos. You do a great job of presenting the facts, busting myths, and keeping it real and getting down to what us guitarists really want to know. Just wanna give you a general "thumbs up" on all your videos. Keep up the good work! I always enjoy your content.
yeah when it comes to comparisons like this you could hear the differences. nice video i know im way too late but i'm now im looking for this thanks bro. squier seems a little bit more "harsh" i think like you can hear "noises" in their tune. the fender seems so clean yes
I thought the differences were pretty stark. The Squier seemed to be thin in the low end and, you're right, quite ice-picky at the top. Kinda like they voiced the pickups with a huge bump in the 2.5kHz range or something. It does indeed sound like it could be dialed out like in the melodic passages. The MIM Strat sounded a lot closer to what a Strat sounds like albeit warmth for days. Actually, I'm surprised that those ceramic pickups sounded as warm as they did because one usually thinks of alnico magnets as being warmer sounding. Another fabulous review/comparison!
to my ears, ceramic has a more punchy midrange which makes single coils sound more balanced, but more harsh on humbuckers. lower output pickups also tend to keep their stringy sound more
I'm very glad that you did this video. My baby is my Surf Green 57 AVRI where I kept the original pickups (57/62 best stock pups on the planet), but I also have a MIM Daphne Blue 50 Classic Series where I replaced the pickups with Lollar Blondes. In my opinion with that replacement, my MIM almost stacks up to my 57 AVRI as far as tone and playability. My point: I'm glad that you demonstrated the vast difference between Squire and MIM Fender. I think that as entry guitars go, MIM Strats (even with original pups) are the way to go. You make great videos and I always learn a lot, I'm really glad that Ernie Ball hooked you up! Look forward to the next video....
I am from Indonesia and I acknowledge that squire guitar is sold everywhere very cheap (Around Retail price USD 120-220) in every guitar shop in my country that Mexican made fender is also sold in my country with retail price around USD 700-950 (imported directly)
Another excellent review showing us the guitars and tones. I preferred the Mexican but at my limited ability the Indonesian one would be absolutely fine.
I was thinking of getting a MIM Strat as my second guitar, and I think this video helped me realize that is the best choice. Thanks, Darrel! Awesome video!
Squier: 22 great frets, 2 point bridge that is stable and easy to tweak, decent tuners and very good alnico pickups that have potential. The neck is a thin C and feels too thin and wide for my tastes. The ice pick tone on the Squier Standard are due to the 500k pots - switch them out to 250k pots and a .047 cap and you have a more mellow tone. MIM: 21 frets, vintage bridge (zinc block, better with steel), good tuners, ceramic pickups that actually sound great depending on what kind of music you play. It has a C profile neck and is quite comfortable, with good frets - these guitars get better every year and I think with a pickup change, they are very capable guitars. I would throw on some vintage tuners, vintage alnico pickups with a steel tremolo block and bridge/saddles and call it a day.
Darrel, thanks for your videos man! I've never been pro Fender until a few weeks ago when I did a setup for a friend... I fell in love and I'm now ready to pursue the purchase :) These videos helps A LOT! Thanks
I had a gentleman bet with a friend and put together a Squier Affinity with locking tuners,bone nut, and a full kinda drop in with more work then i expected with hot pickups,a 7 way switch,floating trem with a hipshot tremsetter.Dumped it off at my friends shop and had em give it the entire set up.Needless to say I won the bet for almost $800.00 less then his "Fender Strat" and he tried to buy mine but had to say no because it's a keeper.He is now building one of his own exactly like the one I built with a bit of help. ;)
Oh yeah.I forgot to finish my statement with a quote. Tone is not just a knob it's sound advice.Don't be a name snob unless you just have money to toss away to try and impress someone other then yourself! They are all just a piece of wood and some electrical stuff.Put some good work into it and make it your own.It's much more satisfying and you can have 2 really good ones for the price of one okay one with a label. ;)
Omg i really love your videos. I dont even have money to buy a guitar, but the sound and the way you organize the thoughts are amazing. Congratulations for such a good job
It feels like the Fender Strat has more richness to its bass, while the Squier feels like one applied EQ and deleted some basses, but in the end has definitely more clarity. overall it’s not a difference of good and bad, it’s a matter of sound preference, I’d probably go for a Squier due to my preferences.
Nicely done, as usual, Darrell. My Japanese Squier (1986) sounds somewhere in between the Mexican and Squier strats you played for this video, keeping in mind that I don't have your playing skills. Since I've had my Squier for quite a while, one thing I did notice is that my Squier's headstock features a pair of "roller" string trees, as opposed to the pair of "slider" (??) string trees on the Squier you played for this video, and the single "slider" string tree on the Mexican Strat. I'm inclined to agree that the Squier played here definitely sounded "brighter" (I usually think of it in terms of "thinner," with less power behind the tones and more of an edge) than the Mexican Strat. Yes, I'd like to hear a comparison between either a Mexican Strat or a Squier vs. an American Standard Strat.
Great video Darrell. The Mexican Strat sounds much warmer and definitely gets my vote. I found the Squier a bit tinny, though I'm sure it could be tweaked to sound better. However, you'd probably end up paying as much to tweak it as you would for a Mexican Strat so why bother. Definitely looking forward to the MIM v MIA video.
Loved the video man, and yes please I'd love to see your US Vs Mex standards. I know there are other channels who have done it but your side by sides are the best!
Huge difference, in my opinion. The Mexican model sounds warm, full and with a woody quality to the tone, whereas the Squier sounds thin, way too trebly and cheap in comparison with the Fender. So, is it worth twice as much as the Squier? In my opinon, yes! Another great video from Darrell Braun. It´s always such a pleasure to see well researched, well presented and well prepared videos like this. Great production value, a nice pace to the proceedings and a nicely informative video overall. You the man, Darrell!
Fantastic guitar playing man, very emotional, soulful. I enhanced my Indonesian Standard with 2 Pig iron and 1 Texas Loco pick up and that made a big difference, I find the Squier very comfortable and the neck is very pleasing to the touch, but then I never held a Mex or US Strat. Great video, subscribed.
There is a huge difference between the two pickups set, and to me the ones on the Mexican strat sounds better, but I think that whit a pickups upgrade the Squier will sound much better.
Great vid. Thank you for posting this. I have 2 Squires, a 20th Anniversary Fat Tele and a Jagmaster. Both say 'standard'. Never knew what it meant. I wanted to buy a Mexi Strat back in the mid '90s but the best example at the shop was a renter and they wouldn't sell it'. Cruised by my old stomping grounds (manor music) and bought a 'Crafted In America' Peavey Predator Deluxe for $199. Yes, the 5 way switch is finally failing but its solid poplar with 22 frets and a 2 SC bridge pup that has its own switching (turbo switch). Might be nasally like the Squire but i love this axe anyway.
Hi Darrell. Good video as usual. I've watched a lot of similar guitar comparison vids, but nobody mentions the quality of the amp that the viewers may be playing through. I only have low budget Squier Strats, including 2 Japanese ones. I also have two Yamahas, one is a Tele copy, the other is a Strat copy. But I have good quality amps, including Marshall, Laney (valve) and an Orange. These lower budget guitars all sound good played through these amps. The quality of the guitar is only part of the story.
The squire pickup doesnt seems strong enough to channel sounds. Try to switch the pickups between them and see how they sounds. I'd really love to see.
My first guitar was a Squier Tele. It felt awesome to play but it sounded awful with even the slightest bit of gain. To be fair it was a bottom of the range Affinity and I am assured that the quality of the pickups has improved since then but it has poisoned me against Squier for life. I just couldn't bring myself to waste my money on another, even though I know that my experience is probably not the most common. IN this comparison the Mexican sounded much better to me. However it occurs to me that you could get the Squier and swap out the pickups to get a really good guitar if you were on a budget.
I'm a complete beginner and I bought last week a MIM strat (candy apple red). Its my first guitar! Glad I made a good choice :D Also your lessons are very helpfull for me, thanks!
Let me know which strat you preferred! Did you think the Mexican Strat was worth twice as much? Squier Strats: imp.i114863.net/3Q9VK MIM Strats: imp.i114863.net/2DQnz
Darrell Braun Guitar Hello ! great comparison. The MIM sounds way better than the Squier (to be honest, the Squier sounds dreadful to my ears) Cheers from.Buenos Aires !
Great video I own an old squier Korean and although it's supposed to be plywood (m serial) i replaced the tuners and added a single coil humbucker from DiMarzio and even after so many years it still sounds awesome. I would blindly go for a good squier and replace the pickups. Love how it plays.
i've never owned an actual Stratocaster, but I have a SQUIER Vintage Modified Stratocaster, and I love the tones it gives off. I'm a new player and I don't know much about guitars, but I know that I love how it sounds! LOL :)
Nice comparison and nice playing. Good tone on both [for what you had to work with]. I don't know who does your video editing but some fine work there for sure.
Mark seems to have a very selective memory when it comes to what he actually played and who made it... That memory seems to somewhat money-related... He doesn't mention Schecter, he doesn't mention John Suhr... no, we all should turn to Fender and Rudi Penza when we want to sound like Mark. In fact we should be Mark if we want to sound like Mark, but there is no manufacturer or shop who will tell us that...
Lovely playing again & great demo man, I love the look of old maple fretboards & I've wanted one for ages but for some reason I've never found one that sounds close to as good as my '69 Strat with a rosewood board. Hopefully one day I'll find one.
First of all, as always, Excellent Video! I really enjoy your videos 'cos they show the reality, with no strings attached (only the strings). Just one thing, that price difference is different in some locations. Here in Brazil, with the amount of taxes, the difference between a Squier and a Mexican Fender is thirty per cent, tops, what makes your argument much more valuable.
My first guitar was a Squier Bullet Strat. Great guitar for the price. In fact, I still have it, and am currently re-painting it! I've been to many guitar shops, and have played many Squier and MIM Strats. My personal conclusion: Squier Strats (negatives): Definitely the cheapest-feeling and sounding guitars of the Fender lineup, and the price tag reflects that. Bulky hardware, (although it varies with each model), uncomfortable string tension, (can be slightly adjusted), cheaper woods and finishes, and cheap pickups and electronics. (Positives): They stay in tune pretty well, and sound better than most guitars in their price range. I would recommend a Squier to most beginning guitarists. Mexican Strats (negatives): Not as polished or as high-quality as American Strats, but still great quality for the price. (Positives): Definitely higher-quality instruments than Squiers. More comfortable necks and string tension, better electronics and tone, and higher-quality finishes. Feel much more natural to play. Mexican Strats are also closer to American Fender quality than they are to Squier quality, in my opinion.
Great video! My amateur comment... I pretty much agree with most of the comments, the MIM has a "warm tone but the Squier though it has a "thinner" sound to it, I think is more detailed and crisp. Not necessarily sure if one is better than the other as far as sound, just different. Position 2 with Dire Straits did it for me, I'll take the Fender.
MIM every time. I love mine! I have a Squier as well for tonal comparison. I roll back the tone to get it warmer on the Squier. I think a truly good comparison on which would be worth the $$ would be an American Standard versus Custom Shop. Great video! Thanks! 👍🏻🎸
great comparison. i didnt like how the squire sounded at all. a good comparison imo would be mim strat with american pups vs mia strat. same type of neck either maple or rosewood i have a 90s mim with custom '54s and i love it
You actually got me wanting to buy this Squier now for that Crystal sound it has. I still love my other strats I own but now I'm thinking of adding the Squier standard to my collection.
I thought the difference was pretty big, and I haven’t even been playing guitar for that long to have fully developed my “guitar ear”. The MiM sounded so much more full and had much more character.
They both have their different bright spots of tone and crispness, You get a little more sustain and volume from the MIM , I sold a Squire Stratocaster - Standard series - Made in Indonesia - they have that late 70's style emblem where the Stratocaster is in a arc - The Standard Series is definitely worth putting money into . I have a Korean Squire that I put 500 k pots in ,put a Mexican Fender Strat bridge, they are very heavy duty and Fender original tuners, it actually has a plywood body that is 27 years old, I think guitar plywood that has been aged can really have great tone, no one has proven me wrong yet , I love this guitar and do a lot of my recording with it. By the way - great video and comparison Darrell . Glad I subscribed to you a while back. I also have a Squire Stratocaster - Made in India , very well made , The only thing different is the truss rod adjustment is at the body end of the neck, the neck is a little smaller at the nut , making it hard for me to play chords with my big hands.
To my ear the Squier sounded a bit brighter. I really appreciate that you do the same rifs on both when you make a comparison. Thanks for this good stuff!
"Maybe some other models I'm forgetting..." Maybe the Deluxe hanging on the wall behind you? Like, the same one you used for some reviews, hehehe. Great review man, as always you put out high quality reviews - the guitar community is grateful for them! ps nice funk playing.
Great video and good info as always. The Squier sounded thinner or more brittle to me in this video, yet I liked the look of that one better. I prefer the made in Mexico strat in this comparison. I would love to see the comparison of made in mexico standard vs American standard.
You should have used a Squier classic vibe 60's strat.....I have one . It has alnico 5 pickups that are really powerful and warm. Classic vibe is the top of the line Squier. I've had fender american made strats in the 70's and 80's and got rid of them. Took a chance on the Squier because I did miss having a strat and was really surprised how nice it is. I think the mex was warmer but muddier when you begin to use high gain stuff... you can dial in some warmth to the squier but not so much with the mex.. just my opinion after playing for almost 40 years. .. BTW .. I really like your channel...I've subscribed awhile ago.
+godwillhunting2 👍 The Classic Vibe series are excellent guitars! For this video I wanted to compare Standard vs Standard. Hopefully in the future I can do a Classic Vibe vs MIM or MIA ☺ Thanks for subbing to the channel! 😀
Big difference. Yes the Fender is fuller. But is not that straight forward. What guitar are the amp. set to the most ? If you give me the Squire I will automatically start to tune the amp. in to make it a bit fuller. The truth is that the Squire has a lot to its tone that I really like. Guitars are like the human voice of different characters. Who do you prefer, Freddy or Pavarotti ? It is a matter of choice not necessarily better or worse. I have np problem with using the Sqire in a pro.setting at all. The vid. are real good by the way
Great answer. Tone can be adjusted, sound can be changed completely with new pickups, so for me its always about feel. Do Fenders feel better than squiers? Yes, but Squiers dont feel bad, and I would say that the difference isnt really worth the price different in my opinion. (That being said I do own a Fender strat 😂)
Love the Rush riff in the bridge position. I had a Squier Standard but it in no way sounded as glassy as this. Maybe with a little tweaking on the amp that one is using, a warmer tone can be achieved. The Squier is an awesome guitar.
I liked the MIM Strat... I have played a Squier Strat, and the MIM Strat IS worth twice as much and IS more than twice the instrument.. Mexican Strats are really great instruments. I have three MIM strats and one American Strat. While the American Strat is by far a superior instrument, its not eight times the instrument compared to the MIM strats.... but its 8 times the price... I'll be buying another MIM any day now.
Thank you Darrell for the video and the expert advise, you are always so precise . Yes, I would love to see the Mexico and American standard comparison.
MIM Fender sounded great. Missing infomation about body thickness and neck width. Maybe you should add this info later. And I'm longing to see MIM vs MIA battle.
+Cláudio Pinheiro Both bodies were the same thickness (I believe only the affinity is thinner) and neck profiles were the same too 😀👍
7 лет назад
Ah, nice! I had the impression all Squiers were thinner (except the Classic Vibes, perhaps). I have an Indonesian Squier Affinity Strat here (with MIM pickups) and despite loving it, I miss the extra 0.5cm of thickness, and the extra 1-2mm in the neck. :)
Can't choose between the classic vibe and the MIM Standard Strat. Maybe you can compare it next? Maybe both rosewood fingerboard please. Thanks you. :)
Xhevit Xhindoli Fender, up until about 2000, always had two. At that point, early 2000's, They added staggered profile tuning machines which created greater break angle over the nut which eliminated the need for 2 string trees.
I remove the trees all together. They cause friction and binding on the strings and that causes tuning stability issues. Take the trees off, then when winding the strings around the tuning posts, just be sure to start the wind at the top of the post then wind downwards to the "very bottom" of the posts. In most cases this will create enough break angle coming over the nut to keep the strings from jumping out of the nut slots. When I do this to my fender's it works out very well. Then I wonder, why the hell do they put trees on them in the first place? I see no need for the trees...
Kellie Conn Thanks for the info. I have a g&l and I've been starting to realize that my e string doesn't seem to sound out as loud as my other strings unless I move the string tree.
The fingering showed the difference more than the chords. I like the sound of Mexican. If would be possible to test an American Special (closer in price) to a Mexican. It would be interesting to see the Texas special pickups, which I think sound best compared to Mexican or STD. Even a 3 way shoot out between Mex. Tex. & STD. might be a good.
I am a Shadows / Hank Marvin fan for the past 50 years. Always my ambition to get the Shadows tone but could not afford a Strat. Now I have a left handed Squier Standard ( I'm a leftie ) a decent amp and a echo/ delay. Now I almost get that sound I yearned for. I'm terribly happy with my Squier.
For my two cents, the Squier was better suited for the bright, scratchy picking you hear so much in funk rhythm guitar. (Think Niles Rodgers.) And, yeah, you were killing it in this demo
I prefer the squire too! It fits the play style that I’m going for, which is Grunge/punk and maybe a bit of metal and it definitely sounds muddy which I also like
This is the gold standard of comparison. The best thing about this is you switch between two inside a riff/licks by dividing them into smaller pockets and that makes it much much easier to pick up the differences.
Your channel inspired me to get a Mexican strat as my first electric guitar. Thank you for your time and effort Darrell.
+Debmalya Sinha I'm glad you found the comparison helpful! I hope you enjoy the Strat! ☺
Debmalya..how much you paid and from where u got this?
mexican strats are good as pros
I'm definitely into the bluesy stuff. My wife screams at me every time I buy a new guitar and makes me feel bad. Thanks for the review. Keep them coming👍
+Scott S 😄😄😄
Time to get a new wife :P
bananaknot123 hmm nei probably his wifes magnests are little rusty u know
Little secret .. Just buy all of them the same color.. If your wife is an average wife she wouldn't notice the difference..
Scott S tell your wife your buying guitar for her... good idea huh!, but don't let her choose the color😁
Darren, even if you hear this a lot, man you rock !!! I love that you use a lot of common sense on your videos, (like using standard no fancy amps, no fx or processing tone and mostly no distortion, EQ knobs of amps in the middle possitions, same riffs, same pressure, etc), your content is very organized and in great order, keep on the great job, please Keep on the: "improving tone tips topics" mechanical, electrical and playing habits I am sure is finally the most important and priority content, Congratulations man, I hope you can get good sponsors who value you efforts, we (all followers do appreciate it), I just can not stop watching the next and the next, thanks man
Always good presentations, clear, concise, GOOD information. Yes I would be interested in your comparison: MZ strat vs AM Strat.
Thank you for your time and efforts, compiling these wonderful videos
+GuitarPlayerOK Anytime! ☺👍
GuitarPlayerOK Absolutely! I love how you explain things so clearly and then don't talk in between demos so that we can compare them back to back.
I'd love to sea comparison between the Mexican and the American, as well as the American Standard and the American Professional.
I don't know how feasible it would be for you to compare all of the models of a given series across a few different videos, like all the different Squier models, then the Mexican models, then the American models. That would be interesting if you could swing it. Of course, I'd really be interested in any model comparison, as long as Darrell is the one playing. :)
+Chris Sun Thanks Chris!
I'll see what I can do ☺
+1977xc I'll see what I can do!
Same for me... you re demos are awesome! =D
And I also wanna buy my first strat the next weeks... so i'd love to see a comparison between the MIM and MIA =)
Thanks so much advance... love your channel =)
So much talent with so much simplicity and humility. Best guitar review channel i've ever seen ! Thank you for those helpful and beautiful videos !
+Sarobidy Dimbimisandratra I really appreciate the encouraging words! Thanks so much! ☺
Mexican sounds better. Probably just better pickups though.
ADDICTED TO GEAR squire seems a bit chinked. I like that. For the money Squier is great
@@ronhoffman7941 ??
Alot of it is also the fact that squiers have 500k pots (more treble), and fenders have 250k (less treble). 500k pots are usually for humbuckers. and single coils are already bright so.
@@natetheguitarkid Funnily I checked my Affinity Squier and it has 250k A for both tones and 250k B for volume. No 500k
@@shannow95 Yeah. The standards i should say are 500k. like the one in the video....
“Corporate wants you to find the difference between these two pictures”
“They’re the same picture”
Jason Teqja “I already see two” - Creed
Just one of the best guitar channels. Always interesting, never boring or too long in speeches and always something new. Thank u.
Thank you Darrell for uploading your videos. You do a great job of presenting the facts, busting myths, and keeping it real and getting down to what us guitarists really want to know. Just wanna give you a general "thumbs up" on all your videos. Keep up the good work! I always enjoy your content.
on the squier it sounded like "peeeeeeeeeewwww"
on the fender like "aaaaaaaaaawww".
shorely fender sounds way more deeper.
😀😀😀😀
Agree
Love the Stevie Ray Vaughan riff! The Mexican strat has a much warmer tone.
+Dylan See 😎👍
Darrell Braun Guitar The SRV riff sounded like Life by the drop opening Riff
+Elias Ulrich 😀👍
it sounded too muffled to me
Tbh I think this is just typical of the maple fretboard. That and the different pickups
yeah when it comes to comparisons like this you could hear the differences. nice video i know im way too late but i'm now im looking for this thanks bro. squier seems a little bit more "harsh" i think like you can hear "noises" in their tune. the fender seems so clean yes
I thought the differences were pretty stark. The Squier seemed to be thin in the low end and, you're right, quite ice-picky at the top. Kinda like they voiced the pickups with a huge bump in the 2.5kHz range or something. It does indeed sound like it could be dialed out like in the melodic passages. The MIM Strat sounded a lot closer to what a Strat sounds like albeit warmth for days. Actually, I'm surprised that those ceramic pickups sounded as warm as they did because one usually thinks of alnico magnets as being warmer sounding.
Another fabulous review/comparison!
+Ionian Blue Thanks IB! ☺
to my ears, ceramic has a more punchy midrange which makes single coils sound more balanced, but more harsh on humbuckers. lower output pickups also tend to keep their stringy sound more
Actually, it seems one usually thinks of ceramic magnets as being warmer sounding than alnico.
The Mexico pickups almost sound like P-90s.
I'm very glad that you did this video. My baby is my Surf Green 57 AVRI where I kept the original pickups (57/62 best stock pups on the planet), but I also have a MIM Daphne Blue 50 Classic Series where I replaced the pickups with Lollar Blondes. In my opinion with that replacement, my MIM almost stacks up to my 57 AVRI as far as tone and playability. My point: I'm glad that you demonstrated the vast difference between Squire and MIM Fender. I think that as entry guitars go, MIM Strats (even with original pups) are the way to go. You make great videos and I always learn a lot, I'm really glad that Ernie Ball hooked you up! Look forward to the next video....
+Constable 1976 Thanks!
Those are some sweet axes you have!
Surf green, and Daphne blue - clearly you have good taste 😀
Darrell Braun Guitar Daphne Blue and Surf Green are my absolute favorite finishes, so thanks!
I am from Indonesia and I acknowledge that squire guitar is sold everywhere very cheap (Around Retail price USD 120-220) in every guitar shop in my country
that Mexican made fender is also sold in my country with retail price around USD 700-950 (imported directly)
Squier standard that r made from your country sounds great in my opinion
Another excellent review showing us the guitars and tones. I preferred the Mexican but at my limited ability the Indonesian one would be absolutely fine.
Great overview as usual Darrell and super playing as always !
I was debating the Fender / Squier differences - thank you for posting
I was thinking of getting a MIM Strat as my second guitar, and I think this video helped me realize that is the best choice. Thanks, Darrel! Awesome video!
+Murilo Escher Glad to help! ☺
Squier: 22 great frets, 2 point bridge that is stable and easy to tweak, decent tuners and very good alnico pickups that have potential. The neck is a thin C and feels too thin and wide for my tastes. The ice pick tone on the Squier Standard are due to the 500k pots - switch them out to 250k pots and a .047 cap and you have a more mellow tone.
MIM: 21 frets, vintage bridge (zinc block, better with steel), good tuners, ceramic pickups that actually sound great depending on what kind of music you play. It has a C profile neck and is quite comfortable, with good frets - these guitars get better every year and I think with a pickup change, they are very capable guitars. I would throw on some vintage tuners, vintage alnico pickups with a steel tremolo block and bridge/saddles and call it a day.
Darrel, thanks for your videos man! I've never been pro Fender until a few weeks ago when I did a setup for a friend... I fell in love and I'm now ready to pursue the purchase :) These videos helps A LOT! Thanks
+Ryno van der Merwe Glad to hear it!
Let me know what you decide to purchase :)
I had a gentleman bet with a friend and put together a Squier Affinity with locking tuners,bone nut, and a full kinda drop in with more work then i expected with hot pickups,a 7 way switch,floating trem with a hipshot tremsetter.Dumped it off at my friends shop and had em give it the entire set up.Needless to say I won the bet for almost $800.00 less then his "Fender Strat" and he tried to buy mine but had to say no because it's a keeper.He is now building one of his own exactly like the one I built with a bit of help. ;)
Oh yeah.I forgot to finish my statement with a quote. Tone is not just a knob it's sound advice.Don't be a name snob unless you just have money to toss away to try and impress someone other then yourself! They are all just a piece of wood and some electrical stuff.Put some good work into it and make it your own.It's much more satisfying and you can have 2 really good ones for the price of one okay one with a label. ;)
+Patrick Teto Nice! Sounds like a sweet build. Squiers are fun to mod! 👍
What was the total cost invested? Guitar + addings
OMG Darrell those solos were beautiful !
Definitely prefer the Mexican Strat over Squire, and yes please do a MIM vs American. Another great video, thanks Darrell!!
+Dave Crider 👍😀
Omg i really love your videos. I dont even have money to buy a guitar, but the sound and the way you organize the thoughts are amazing. Congratulations for such a good job
+Matheus Castro Thanks Matheus! I appreciate the kind words!
It feels like the Fender Strat has more richness to its bass, while the Squier feels like one applied EQ and deleted some basses, but in the end has definitely more clarity.
overall it’s not a difference of good and bad, it’s a matter of sound preference, I’d probably go for a Squier due to my preferences.
I like the fender more but my wallet doesn't 😢😢
Nicely done, as usual, Darrell. My Japanese Squier (1986) sounds somewhere in between the Mexican and Squier strats you played for this video, keeping in mind that I don't have your playing skills. Since I've had my Squier for quite a while, one thing I did notice is that my Squier's headstock features a pair of "roller" string trees, as opposed to the pair of "slider" (??) string trees on the Squier you played for this video, and the single "slider" string tree on the Mexican Strat. I'm inclined to agree that the Squier played here definitely sounded "brighter" (I usually think of it in terms of "thinner," with less power behind the tones and more of an edge) than the Mexican Strat. Yes, I'd like to hear a comparison between either a Mexican Strat or a Squier vs. an American Standard Strat.
Great video Darrell. The Mexican Strat sounds much warmer and definitely gets my vote. I found the Squier a bit tinny, though I'm sure it could be tweaked to sound better. However, you'd probably end up paying as much to tweak it as you would for a Mexican Strat so why bother. Definitely looking forward to the MIM v MIA video.
The best and most informative guitar videos I have seen. You are great and thanks for the great vids
+Harry. S. S Thanks Harry! I appreciate the kind words ☺
Very cool comparison! Especially liked the Rush “ Tom Sawyer” riff.
James Duckworth fr😂
Loved the video man, and yes please I'd love to see your US Vs Mex standards. I know there are other channels who have done it but your side by sides are the best!
+y2kcurran Thanks! ☺
Huge difference, in my opinion. The Mexican model sounds warm, full and with a woody quality to the tone, whereas the Squier sounds thin, way too trebly and cheap in comparison with the Fender. So, is it worth twice as much as the Squier? In my opinon, yes!
Another great video from Darrell Braun. It´s always such a pleasure to see well researched, well presented and well prepared videos like this. Great production value, a nice pace to the proceedings and a nicely informative video overall. You the man, Darrell!
+MetalMan73100 Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the comparison, and I appreciate the kind words ☺
Then again, if you want a warmer tone: there are effects, pedals, and plugins that do that.
Great vid! Nice to see a good thorough review on different Strats.
Dude them teeth are super bright!
+Axe Thrash 😀😀😀
It's the studio lights!
and, a good dentist
Probably fake lol.
Your name is one letter away from acne acme
Fantastic guitar playing man, very emotional, soulful. I enhanced my Indonesian Standard with 2 Pig iron and 1 Texas Loco pick up and that made a big difference, I find the Squier very comfortable and the neck is very pleasing to the touch, but then I never held a Mex or US Strat. Great video, subscribed.
+soozikins Thanks!
Welcome to the channel 😀👍
Sounds like a killer setup on your Strat
There is a huge difference between the two pickups set, and to me the ones on the Mexican strat sounds better, but I think that whit a pickups upgrade the Squier will sound much better.
Nice shootout, and very nice guitar playing. Absolutely more of these types of video comparisons, please!
+razzledingle Thanks!
Will do ☺
Another great video! The Mexican Strat sounds much warmer to me with a fuller tone. Worth the extra cash in my humble opinion.
oh I can not waittt until I can afford a strat 😍 I've been staring at it on my GuitarCenter cart for a few weeks now and I'm so excited.
Now I have to have a red strat w maple fretboard 😮
John fr
I've got one, an American Special, and it's completely sexy
Great vid. Thank you for posting this.
I have 2 Squires, a 20th Anniversary Fat Tele and a Jagmaster. Both say 'standard'. Never knew what it meant.
I wanted to buy a Mexi Strat back in the mid '90s but the best example at the shop was a renter and they wouldn't sell it'.
Cruised by my old stomping grounds (manor music) and bought a 'Crafted In America' Peavey Predator Deluxe for $199.
Yes, the 5 way switch is finally failing but its solid poplar with 22 frets and a 2 SC bridge pup that has its own switching (turbo switch).
Might be nasally like the Squire but i love this axe anyway.
What about that squier deluxe back there? i'd love to here mim strat compared to the squier deluxe.
+Tsubasa Kabuki I'll add it to my list! ☺
Tsubasa Kabuki yup... that deluxe in the back would have been a better/closer comparison. 2 pt trem and a better neck
+John Bianchi 😄 Yeah, total brain-fart on that one!
Love ur account and its awesome to see u actually connecting with ur subscribers to!!
+Ima Edit That Out Thanks man!
I do love chattin' guitars with other musicians ☺
Awesome video Darrell! I'd love to see a comparison between a Mexican strat and the newest American Professional strat. Thanks!
+leonedantonio I'll see what I can do :)
One of your best videos yet; superb production values and extremely informative! Thank you. Props to Ernie Ball too!
+arsbadmojo Thanks man!👍
Listening to Squier I'm like eeeww :P
Checking Fender's price: Well Squier is actually pretty good you know!
A
Hi Darrell. Good video as usual. I've watched a lot of similar guitar comparison vids, but nobody mentions the quality of the amp that the viewers may be playing through. I only have low budget Squier Strats, including 2 Japanese ones. I also have two Yamahas, one is a Tele copy, the other is a Strat copy. But I have good quality amps, including Marshall, Laney (valve) and an Orange.
These lower budget guitars all sound good played through these amps. The quality of the guitar is only part of the story.
+Robin Seward Very true!
I did a video on the subject called "expensive guitar or expensive amp" Feel free to check it out ☺
The squire pickup doesnt seems strong enough to channel sounds. Try to switch the pickups between them and see how they sounds. I'd really love to see.
That would be interesting, but, somehow, I don't really see him going through the trouble.
Nice comparison. Agree with prior comments. Changing out the pickups on my Squire made a huge difference.
My first guitar was a Squier Tele. It felt awesome to play but it sounded awful with even the slightest bit of gain. To be fair it was a bottom of the range Affinity and I am assured that the quality of the pickups has improved since then but it has poisoned me against Squier for life. I just couldn't bring myself to waste my money on another, even though I know that my experience is probably not the most common.
IN this comparison the Mexican sounded much better to me. However it occurs to me that you could get the Squier and swap out the pickups to get a really good guitar if you were on a budget.
I have an affinity tele that I got a little while ago and sounds and plays great
Sounds to me like you amp was the problem.
I'm a complete beginner and I bought last week a MIM strat (candy apple red). Its my first guitar! Glad I made a good choice :D
Also your lessons are very helpfull for me, thanks!
+Niels Wouters Congratulations on the new guitar!
Let me know which strat you preferred!
Did you think the Mexican Strat was worth twice as much?
Squier Strats: imp.i114863.net/3Q9VK
MIM Strats: imp.i114863.net/2DQnz
Darrell Braun Guitar Squire is worth only 1/3 the MIM.
Darrell Braun Guitar Hello ! great comparison. The MIM sounds way better than the Squier (to be honest, the Squier sounds dreadful to my ears) Cheers from.Buenos Aires !
+Marcelo The Eyeman Thanks!
next time yamaha pacifica 112 review please....................
Yes, it was.
Great video
I own an old squier Korean and although it's supposed to be plywood (m serial) i replaced the tuners and added a single coil humbucker from DiMarzio and even after so many years it still sounds awesome.
I would blindly go for a good squier and replace the pickups. Love how it plays.
i've never owned an actual Stratocaster, but I have a SQUIER Vintage Modified Stratocaster, and I love the tones it gives off. I'm a new player and I don't know much about guitars, but I know that I love how it sounds! LOL :)
Nice comparison and nice playing.
Good tone on both [for what you had to work with].
I don't know who does your video editing but some fine work there for sure.
How bout a classic vibe vs a fender MIM standard? Oh and great song choice with Tom Sawyer!!!! 😁🎶🎸✌
+Joseph Etherton That would be interesting!
Can't go wrong with Rush! 😀😀😀
Darrell Braun Guitar with that comment you're now my favorite RUclipsr..
rush is my favorite of all time
Choosing Dire Straits was perfect too. Knopfler used to play a Schecter with Candy Apple Red paint
Mark seems to have a very selective memory when it comes to what he actually played and who made it...
That memory seems to somewhat money-related...
He doesn't mention Schecter, he doesn't mention John Suhr...
no, we all should turn to Fender and Rudi Penza when we want to sound like Mark.
In fact we should be Mark if we want to sound like Mark, but there is no manufacturer or shop who will tell us that...
It's impossible to go wrong with Rush!
Tom Sawyer would be a great pick!
Lovely playing again & great demo man, I love the look of old maple fretboards & I've wanted one for ages but for some reason I've never found one that sounds close to as good as my '69 Strat with a rosewood board. Hopefully one day I'll find one.
Diggin that MIM sound, I'd pay more for it
First of all, as always, Excellent Video! I really enjoy your videos 'cos they show the reality, with no strings attached (only the strings).
Just one thing, that price difference is different in some locations. Here in Brazil, with the amount of taxes, the difference between a Squier and a Mexican Fender is thirty per cent, tops, what makes your argument much more valuable.
+Daniel do Nascimento Thanks Daniel!
Good point ☺
My first guitar was a Squier Bullet Strat. Great guitar for the price. In fact, I still have it, and am currently re-painting it!
I've been to many guitar shops, and have played many Squier and MIM Strats.
My personal conclusion:
Squier Strats (negatives): Definitely the cheapest-feeling and sounding guitars of the Fender lineup, and the price tag reflects that. Bulky hardware, (although it varies with each model), uncomfortable string tension, (can be slightly adjusted), cheaper woods and finishes, and cheap pickups and electronics. (Positives): They stay in tune pretty well, and sound better than most guitars in their price range. I would recommend a Squier to most beginning guitarists.
Mexican Strats (negatives): Not as polished or as high-quality as American Strats, but still great quality for the price.
(Positives): Definitely higher-quality instruments than Squiers. More comfortable necks and string tension, better electronics and tone, and higher-quality finishes. Feel much more natural to play. Mexican Strats are also closer to American Fender quality than they are to Squier quality, in my opinion.
Great video! My amateur comment... I pretty much agree with most of the comments, the MIM has a "warm tone but the Squier though it has a "thinner" sound to it, I think is more detailed and crisp. Not necessarily sure if one is better than the other as far as sound, just different. Position 2 with Dire Straits did it for me, I'll take the Fender.
The squier is a lot of guitar for the money 💰 and sounds good. The MIM definitely has way more umph and fullness on a different level in my opinion
Always nice to see other folks appreciate srv
MIM every time. I love mine! I have a Squier as well for tonal comparison. I roll back the tone to get it warmer on the Squier. I think a truly good comparison on which would be worth the $$ would be an American Standard versus Custom Shop. Great video! Thanks! 👍🏻🎸
I was a little worried when you didn't upload last week on Monday but glad to see your back Darrell! 😄👍
+Ian Gonzalez 😄 Just out on a few holidays!
great comparison. i didnt like how the squire sounded at all. a good comparison imo would be mim strat with american pups vs mia strat. same type of neck either maple or rosewood
i have a 90s mim with custom '54s and i love it
+Oscar De La O Thanks!
You actually got me wanting to buy this Squier now for that Crystal sound it has. I still love my other strats I own but now I'm thinking of adding the Squier standard to my collection.
I thought the difference was pretty big, and I haven’t even been playing guitar for that long to have fully developed my “guitar ear”. The MiM sounded so much more full and had much more character.
Right?? And the squire sounds so tangy and the tone is just off
They both have their different bright spots of tone and crispness, You get a little more sustain and volume from the MIM , I sold a Squire Stratocaster - Standard series - Made in Indonesia - they have that late 70's style emblem where the Stratocaster is in a arc - The Standard Series is definitely worth putting money into . I have a Korean Squire that I put 500 k pots in ,put a Mexican Fender Strat bridge, they are very heavy duty and Fender original tuners, it actually has a plywood body that is 27 years old, I think guitar plywood that has been aged can really have great tone, no one has proven me wrong yet , I love this guitar and do a lot of my recording with it. By the way - great video and comparison Darrell . Glad I subscribed to you a while back. I also have a Squire Stratocaster - Made in India , very well made , The only thing different is the truss rod adjustment is at the body end of the neck, the neck is a little smaller at the nut , making it hard for me to play chords with my big hands.
I think the Strat is one of the few guitars you can get away with buying a cheapie then investing a bit more into upgrades (or not)
+Syrup Sucker For sure!
There are an overwhelming array of upgrades for Strats and Teles 👍👍👍
To my ear the Squier sounded a bit brighter. I really appreciate that you do the same rifs on both when you make a comparison. Thanks for this good stuff!
+mylemon blue 👍 Anytime!
Funny how the rosewood Strat is brighter than the maple, haha
Anyways, great video Darrell, you can make any guitar sound incredible!
+Chromatic Swing Thanks, I appreciate the kind words!
Yeah, it's all about the pickups when it comes to tone 👍😀
"Maybe some other models I'm forgetting..."
Maybe the Deluxe hanging on the wall behind you? Like, the same one you used for some reviews, hehehe.
Great review man, as always you put out high quality reviews - the guitar community is grateful for them!
ps nice funk playing.
+socialdef3 😄😄😄 Yup!
The squire is great for modifications! Especially for the beginner "modifier"
I vote Viva la Mexico. Great video again Darrell. Yes I would love to see an American Strat vs Mexican Strat. I have a 2006 American Strat Deluxe..
+Scott K Nice axe! 🎸👍
Great video and good info as always. The Squier sounded thinner or more brittle to me in this video, yet I liked the look of that one better. I prefer the made in Mexico strat in this comparison. I would love to see the comparison of made in mexico standard vs American standard.
You should have used a Squier classic vibe 60's strat.....I have one . It has alnico 5 pickups that are really powerful and warm. Classic vibe is the top of the line Squier. I've had fender american made strats in the 70's and 80's and got rid of them. Took a chance on the Squier because I did miss having a strat and was really surprised how nice it is. I think the mex was warmer but muddier when you begin to use high gain stuff... you can dial in some warmth to the squier but not so much with the mex.. just my opinion after playing for almost 40 years. .. BTW .. I really like your channel...I've subscribed awhile ago.
+godwillhunting2 👍 The Classic Vibe series are excellent guitars!
For this video I wanted to compare Standard vs Standard. Hopefully in the future I can do a Classic Vibe vs MIM or MIA ☺
Thanks for subbing to the channel! 😀
Another great video! I'd love to see the comparison between the MIM Standard and American Standard.
This vid was really informative.
just saw your channel, very helpful man. Keep up the good work!!
Big difference. Yes the Fender is fuller. But is not that straight forward. What guitar are the amp. set to the most ? If you give me the Squire I will automatically start to tune the amp. in to make it a bit fuller. The truth is that the Squire has a lot to its tone that I really like. Guitars are like the human voice of different characters. Who do you prefer, Freddy or Pavarotti ? It is a matter of choice not necessarily better or worse.
I have np problem with using the Sqire in a pro.setting at all.
The vid. are real good by the way
Great answer. Tone can be adjusted, sound can be changed completely with new pickups, so for me its always about feel. Do Fenders feel better than squiers? Yes, but Squiers dont feel bad, and I would say that the difference isnt really worth the price different in my opinion. (That being said I do own a Fender strat 😂)
Love the Rush riff in the bridge position. I had a Squier Standard but it in no way sounded as glassy as this. Maybe with a little tweaking on the amp that one is using, a warmer tone can be achieved. The Squier is an awesome guitar.
I liked the MIM Strat... I have played a Squier Strat, and the MIM Strat IS worth twice as much and IS more than twice the instrument.. Mexican Strats are really great instruments. I have three MIM strats and one American Strat. While the American Strat is by far a superior instrument, its not eight times the instrument compared to the MIM strats.... but its 8 times the price... I'll be buying another MIM any day now.
Thank you Darrell for the video and the expert advise, you are always so precise . Yes, I would love to see the Mexico and American standard comparison.
+homer_23 Anytime!
MIM Fender sounded great. Missing infomation about body thickness and neck width. Maybe you should add this info later. And I'm longing to see MIM vs MIA battle.
+Cláudio Pinheiro Both bodies were the same thickness (I believe only the affinity is thinner) and neck profiles were the same too 😀👍
Ah, nice! I had the impression all Squiers were thinner (except the Classic Vibes, perhaps). I have an Indonesian Squier Affinity Strat here (with MIM pickups) and despite loving it, I miss the extra 0.5cm of thickness, and the extra 1-2mm in the neck. :)
Already was gonna say I love your videos man and then you just happen to play Sultans with a red Strat. You sir are the best.
+masamosotin 😄 Thanks!
I was wondering if anyone would notice 😀😎
Can't choose between the classic vibe and the MIM Standard Strat. Maybe you can compare it next? Maybe both rosewood fingerboard please. Thanks you. :)
+Jayrold Villacrusis That's a tough choice!
I'll see what I can do!
I'll look forward to it! Thank you. :)
Great Video Darrell. Perfer the Mim, so much warmer. Really enjoyed your playing!
+Russell Lucas Thanks Russell!
Just a quick question why do some guitars have two string trees whiles others have one. Is their a difference?
+Xhevit Xhindoli Good question!
If the manufacturer thinks they need more downward string pressure on the nut they will add string trees :)
Xhevit Xhindoli Fender, up until about 2000, always had two. At that point, early 2000's, They added staggered profile tuning machines which created greater break angle over the nut which eliminated the need for 2 string trees.
I remove the trees all together. They cause friction and binding on the strings and that causes tuning stability issues. Take the trees off, then when winding the strings around the tuning posts, just be sure to start the wind at the top of the post then wind downwards to the "very bottom" of the posts. In most cases this will create enough break angle coming over the nut to keep the strings from jumping out of the nut slots. When I do this to my fender's it works out very well. Then I wonder, why the hell do they put trees on them in the first place? I see no need for the trees...
Kellie Conn Thanks for the info. I have a g&l and I've been starting to realize that my e string doesn't seem to sound out as loud as my other strings unless I move the string tree.
With that technique both sounds incredible !
The fingering showed the difference more than the chords. I like the sound of Mexican.
If would be possible to test an American Special (closer in price) to a Mexican. It would be interesting to see the Texas special pickups, which I think sound best compared to Mexican or STD. Even a 3 way shoot out between Mex. Tex. & STD. might be a good.
I have both but what I really, really like about the Fender MIM Standard is the neck. Super comfortable and easy to play.
I actually prefer the sound of the squier. I love how much brighter it is
It sounds awful
I am a Shadows / Hank Marvin fan for the past 50 years. Always my ambition to get the Shadows tone but could not afford a Strat. Now I have a left handed Squier Standard ( I'm a leftie ) a decent amp and a echo/ delay. Now I almost get that sound I yearned for. I'm terribly happy with my Squier.
The Squier sounds too thin.I have a MIM Strat myself and it's sounds very good.
Man, few guys can pull off funk. Funktastic!
I love this channel. :D
+Fredy Sandoval 😄 Thanks Fredy! 😎😎😎
For my two cents, the Squier was better suited for the bright, scratchy picking you hear so much in funk rhythm guitar. (Think Niles Rodgers.) And, yeah, you were killing it in this demo
Squier Standard sounds too thin than it actually is...strange!!
it's all about standard series comparison... great video
7:00 "Tom Sawyer" by Rush! 😀
Awesome playing my friend! 🙌
+Jean Agosto Thanks Jean! 😀
I actually like the sound of the squirt more. It sounds a lot brighter. Mim sounded muddy
It just doesnt seems to sustain well
squirt? =))))))))))))))))))))))))
I prefer the squire too! It fits the play style that I’m going for, which is Grunge/punk and maybe a bit of metal and it definitely sounds muddy which I also like
squirt... 🤔😂
squirt... 🤔😂