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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewmanufacturer: Fender date: 11/09/2012 category: Electric Guitars

The Standard Strat HSS guitar featuresspecial switching for its humbuckingbridge pickup and two single-coilpickups in the neck and middlepositions.

Sound: 9.2 Overall Impression: 9.1 Reliability & Durability: 8.8 Action, Fit & Finish: 8.4 Features: 9

Overall rating: 8.8 Reviewer rating: 8.9 Users rating: 8.6 Votes: 301

reviews (14) vote for this gear: Vote1Like pictures (1) 74 comments

REVIEWS

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overall: 10

reviews (14) vote for this gear: Vote

Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 400

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: Mines a Mexican made HSS Strat. 21 frets, Fenders signature neck, rosewood... Igot a sunburst Strat. It's got the stock bridge, I took out the trem bar because I never useit. It has 1 Volume, 2 Tone, and a 5 way Pup Switch. It's an HSS config of course, withstock pups. I've never felt the need to change them, they're very nice. The guitar as awhole is very solid, I've never felt the need to exchange any hardware yet. It still holdsgreat tune and everything so no new tuners needed. I kept the stock strings for a whileFender Super Bullets. They were very nice until the high E broke. Instead of replacing themwith Super Bullets I put in D'addrio .10s which are my original strings of choice on all guitarsuntil I got this one with SB. I'm trying to think of at least one downside, but I literally can't.I don't know if I got lucky or theyr'e all like this, but this is a great guitar. I got aRoadrunner hardshell case and strap bargained in with it along with the 30 doller price cutthanks to my sales guy at GC. // 10

Sound: I play everything. I play blues, the full spectrum of rock from surf to hard, anddabble in jazz, funk, and classical. It's an extremely versatile guitar, I can get great tonesfrom the HB, then neck pick up is awesome. I never really use the mid, but it sounds niceas well. I can get a surprisingly nice acoustic-like tone in the mid/bridge position. My rig ispretty complicated. Not techniqully, but I have a lot of effects. I run it through a TwinReverb (Fender+Fender is orgasmic), with a Chorus Ensamble, Phase 100, Screamin Blues,Super OD, Blues Driver, Distortion, Mega Distortion, Dynamic Wah, OCD Octave, and BigMuff. The pedals color my tone slightly, but not much. It's a great sounding guitar. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I kept this guitar stock everything. It really wasn't as bad as I thought.I was planning on exchanging pups and tuners, but this is an extremely solid guitar.Everything was set up coreectly, action perfect to my liking. The guy at GC made sure

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FoolOnThePlanet

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overall: 8.8

everything was great with it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It is my top guitar. It definately withstands Live playing. It seems likea solid guitar. The strap buttons are great. I've jumped around with it and nothings wrong.I've yet to get straplocks, but I don't know if I'll need them. I could deffinately play thiswithout a backup, but I won't simply becuase I need other guitars for specific songs. Itcould deffinately be my all around guitar though. // 10

Overall Impression: As said before, I am a very varried musician Who needed a very versatileguitar. I got what I asked for. I've been playing for about 2 and a half years now and own 7or 8 guitars. In my house between my dad, brother, and I, there are about 15-20guitars/basses. So I've been brought up on a lot of different instruments. This is deffinatelymy favorite. I deliberated long and hard before getting this between about 15 guitars. Inarrowed it down to an Epi LP, this, a SSS Strat, or a Mustang. When I went to GC, theydidn't have the Mustang anymore, and I liked this more than the SSS, so I was stuckbetween the Epi LP and the HSS for about a half hour. I finally decided on this. I'm glad Idid. Not only is this a great guitar, but now I know about Agiles and am getting an Agile LPinstead soon. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 383.15

Purchased from: Guitar Works

Features: This guitar is a 2006 model made in Mexico. The neck has 21 medium-jumbo frets,and is a one-piece maple neck with walnut skunk stripe down the back. The body is alder,and is finished in Arctic white. Very cool looking. There is a Vintage syncronized tremolowith stamped saddles. I might upgrade the saddles to something heavier for better sustain.The electronics are passive, so they don't need batteries. Like most Strats, you get theStandard Volume/Tone/Tone controls, as well as a 5-way selector Switch. None of the

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NoFX_Fan182

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controls are noisy, and they feel solid. Because this is an HSS Strat, the bridge pickup is ahumbucker. The pickups are machine-wound by Fender in Mexico I believe. The tuners areFender/Ping Standard tuners, and stay in tune very well, even when dive-bombing. Theguitar came with a durable Fender Standard gig-bag, tremolo arm, manual, Fender bumpersticker, warranty card, registration card, and two hex wrenches for adjusting the truss rodand saddle height. The only reason this didn't get a 10 is because of the cheap saddles,however that doesn't mean the sustain is bad. It just could be better. // 9

Sound: I play mainly punk and pop-punk music and the humbucker pickup really gets the jobdone for that. The single coils also work well for classic rock and blues. I think the pickupssound just as good as the ones on the American HSS, although a bit hotter. I use a little 15watt practice amp, and this guitar still sounds awesome! As I said before, the controlsdon't make any noise at all. The neck pickup has a very warm sound (for a single coil). Themiddle pickup is bright, but not too bright. The humbucker doesn't sound too bad clean, butit really sings distorted. Over all, a wide variety of sounds can be made. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Honestly, the factory setup was pretty bad, but it wasn't anything thatcouldn't be fixed with a few tools. The truss rod needed to be adjusted to get rid of fretbuzz, and the saddles needed to be raised a bit. Luckily the guitar came with the tools tomake these adjustments. The pickups needed to be raised slightly, but they still sounded okat the factory height. The neck itself has no flaws whatsoever, but the frets sticked outand made it hard to play. The guitar store offered to file them down though, and it playsgreat now. Intonation was setup fine except for the high E string, which needed just asmall turn to get perfect. The body also has no obvious flaws, but the tremolo routing isslightly too big at one corner where the hole for the tremolo arm is. Not too noticableunless you look carefully. The screws for the pickup selector Switch were loose and neededto be tightened, and one of the screws for the tremolo cavity cover was half-way out! Nottoo big of a deal to tighten, it was just kind of annoying. None of the hardware is rusted oranything, and the tuners were tightly secured to the headstock. The neck wood has astraight grain, so it leads me to believe that it is high quality wood. The nut was cutperfectly. There were no flaws in the finish on the neck or body. Nothing here that couldn'tbe fixed (except for the tremolo route, but it doesn't bother me), but I expect better froma company like Fender. // 6

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overall: 9.4

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is solid as a rock. The hardware definately looks like it willlast (although I don't think using stainless steel strings on the Vintage saddles are a goodidea). The strap buttons looked solid, but I imediately replaced them with Schaller straplocks so I don't know for sure. By the way, for anyone Who plans on putting Schaller straplocks on this guitar, the screws that came on the guitar will work with the strap locks, soyou won't need to drill or plug the strap button holes. I would totally use this guitar for agig without a backup, it's that strong. The finish looks thick enough that it won't wear off,but it's not so thick that it prevents the wood from creating nice tone. Over all, thedurability is awesome. The only bad thing are the strings. They're pretty wimpy, like 9's orsomething. That's ok, I plan on changing them with a heavier gauge soon. These ones looklike they'll break soon with some hard playing. // 10

Overall Impression: This guitar is awesome for punk music and pop-punk music. It's alsogreat for modern rock, classic rock, and electric blues. I've been playing for about 4 years,and despite the fact that my previous guitar is a Squier Bullet, I know how a good guitarplays and feels. I think this one feels and sounds better then my Dad's '77 Stratocaster. Myfavorite feature is the humbucker. It really sounds great with distortion; it makes a thick,heavy sound. Despite the poor factory setup, the only thing I don't like about it is thattremolo cover is solid (1 ply) white, but the pickguard is 3 ply (W/B/W). Not that it makestoo much of a difference anyways, Who really looks at the tremolo cover? If this guitar wasstolen or lost, I would definately buy it again if I had the money. It's not like I have a tonof cash though, I'm only 14 years old and don't have a job. I would totally do everything Icould to get it back though. This guitar deserves a 9/10. If it wasn't for the poor setup, itwould get a 10. This is a great guitar for the money. You may have better luck with thesetup. And even if you don't remember that it's all fixable with the tools that come with theguitar and a phillips screwdriver. Buy it! // 9

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 1 of 4 people found this review helpful

Features: This 2006 Fender guitar was made in Mexico I think, it is a Standard. It was a

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unregistered

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Factory Special Run, so it has so special features. Has a 21 jumbo-medium fret 9.5" radiusC-shaped maple (satin finish) neck & fretboard w/black dot inlays and a black paintedheadstock w/silver Fender and Stratocaster logos. Solid alder body w/black satin finish anda machined metal pickguard sets this Strat apart from most. Fender Vintage-stylesynchronized tremolo bridge and Fender/Ping sealed tuners. S/S/H pickup configurationw/Tex-Mex single coils in neck/middle and a humbucker w/coil tapping in the bridge. Passiveelectronics, 2 tone knobs & 1 volume, 5-way switching. 2 allen wrenches included for trussrod & saddles. // 10

Sound: I play mostly rock, classic rock, blues, and this guitar sounds great for that style.The single coils growl out power chords and barre chords Shine on clean. For leads, thehumbucker gives this axe some added power and less noise on overdrive. I use it through a10-watt practice amp and it sounds pretty good on the clean channel and the overdrivegives it a blues sound through the single coils and a classic rock sound on the humbucker. Ialso sometimes use a Electro-Harmonix Doctor Q envelope follower on the clean channel forfunky or melodic playing and it sounds great. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was great when I got it. The strings they put on it are kindarusting, so I'm gonna put some elixirs on it soon. The pickups were situated at goodheights, they don't really get feedback unless I get really close to the amp on overdrive.The bridge seems fine, and it doesn't seem to go out of tune when I use the tremolo. Therewere no flaws with this guitar yet, but I have only had it for a month or so. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I don't really play gigs, but I would totally use this guitar for a show.It looks great and the metal pickguard would look awesome under lights. The tuners seemsto work pretty well and the tremolo doesn't seem to cause to many problems as long asyou don't abuse it. I wouldn't use it without a backup b/c that's not really a good idea. Thefinish seems pretty solid, I've hit it a few times and it doesn't scratch. // 9

Overall Impression: I think I fell in love with this guitar. It sounds good, but I might switchout the humbucker for something with more power. I've been playing for 2 years, and Ihave a bass and an acoustic. If this were stolen I would kill the person who stole it and

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overall: 9.4

take it back. I would also take his wallet. I love the pickup configuration, b/c it gives me agood variety of sounds to choose from. The neck is good and it looks awesome. The knobs,tips and pickups are black giving it a different look from most strats. My favorite featurehas to be the pickguard, though. It is the most interesting flashy feature and it neverceases to catch my eye. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Features: My second guitar, a Mexican made Fender Stratocaster HSS. I don't know theexact year but I got it Brand New in 2005, so it could be either an 04 or an 05 (it was thestore's demo model, so they knocked $150.00 of the price). The body is solid alder paintedin wine red. It has a polyester finish. The 25.5" scale length neck is maple with a walnutskunk stripe, I believe the neck is also finished with polyester, nonetheless it feels greatand plays fast. The fretboard is unfinished rosewood with 21 medium jumbo frets. Thebridge is a genuine licensed Floyd Rose II. The Strat's humbucker and two single coils aremade by Fender. I found this guitar's bridge humbucker sounds great for blues and heavier,dark metal styles, but lacks, in my opinion, a little output, and a tad bit of sustain,nonetheless it still has enough output and sustain for lead legato lines. The two single coilsin the neck and middle are great for playing blues rythmn in both clean and dirty tones, butlack a ton of output and sustain for legato playing. As on most Strats, there is a singlefive-way selector Switch. There is one master volume control, a tone control for the neckpickup, and a tone control for the middle pickup. The tuners are none-locking, Fendertuners. This guitar comes out of the box with a set of 9-42 Fender nickleplated steelstrings. // 9

Sound: This guitar somewhat fills the requirements of my music style. I play mainly 80'sstyle shred (Vai, Van Halen etc.)as well as rock (AC/DC, Kiss, Led Zeppelin etc.)and just atouch of Clapton style Blues. This Strat fills my requirements for the blues and rock, butlacks a touch of sustain and bite when it comes to the shred style (a Duncan Custom wouldprobably fix that). I play this Strat through a Fender G-DEC 15 watt amp and use variouseffects including Flange, Phaser, Wah, and stereo/tape delay, I can almost get the VH

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B_Man4949

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signature sound out of this Strat. There is not much variety of sounds from this guitarbecause the two single coil pickups are the same, so it is very hard to tell the difference insound between the two. This guitar, as far as I know, Makes little to no noise when thehumbucker is switched on, depending on the amp's settings. The single coils make a lttlemore noise than the humbuckers as they aren't hum-cancelling. Overall, this is one greatsounding blues and rock guitar. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Since this guitar was a demo model, it probably had countless peopleadjust things to suit them in the 5 minutes they were playing it for. So it would be veryhard to determine Who well the factory set it up. There were no routing errors, allthoughthere is a scratch on the underside of the headstock, and a miniscual dent just above thepickguard, but this could just have been from it's life as a demo model. The guy at thestore said to bring it back in a month to get it set up. Before I got it set up, It playedbeautifully, no buzz or anything. After I got it back from being set up, the low E-string keptrattling in the nut slot, even through my amp, unless I maxed out distortion, which madesongs like "Stairway to Heaven" Sound like crap. I took the guitar back to the store severaltimes (which isn't easy since I Live an hour and a half away from it), and they said nothingwas wrong. Only when I actually stayed there and watched the guy fix it, It got doneproperly, I have since never stepped a foot near that place. Other than that little problem,The guitar's fit and finish is excellent. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is rock solid, except the strap buttons, the one on theupper horn keeps working loose after having the strap on a while. I would most definatelyuse this guitar at a gig whitout a backup, as long as the strap buttons were changed first.This is one guitar the will last for several years of hard playing, if it is well taken care of. Ialso had a slight problem with my high e-string breaking at the saddle with extremewhammy bar use (it is a Floyd-Rose after all). After tuning my guitar a half step down, Ihaven't broke a single high e-string yet and I have had my guitar tuned a half-step downfor almost six months now. // 9

Overall Impression: I have been playing for about 2 years now and this is my favouriteguitar. I also own an early '80s Yamaha G-231 accoustic guitar, which is an awesome guitarto learn on because of the wide neck and huge gut strings. If someone stole my Strat, I'd

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overall: 9.8

spend the rest of my life tracking the theif down so I can beat the crap out of them. Thebest part about this guitar has to be the Floyd Rose. The worst part about this guitar is thelow-output single coil pickups. I tested a Yamaha Strat copy(about 25% less money thanthe Strat) before buying my Strat and in comparisson, the Strat won hands down. I woulddefinately recomend this guitar to anyone looking to buy an excellent guitar for under athousand dollars. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 640.5

Purchased from: www.soundlive.com

Features: The Fender Standard Stratocaster H/S/S is made in mexico. It has 21 Jumbo Frets.I personally have a maple fretboard (which is extremly confortable. The body uses alderwood and has a maple neck. It has one volume and two tone knobs and a five was selecterto pick between the 2 single coils pickups and the humbucker at the bridge. // 9

Sound: I play every style of music really from blues to metal to jazz and the guitar is soversitile. I run it through a Boss GT-8 and a Bos ME-50 and a Electro-Harmonics Big Muff Piinto a Fender FM212R and this allows me to play any style want. I can get a very nice hightone sound out of the humbucker and that really jazzy sound out of the single coils. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Well it's a Femder. You no when you get a Fender the quality of thefinish is going to be brilliant and this was no different. The pickups on the guitar camenicely set but I raised the neck pickup a bit to give it a bit more heat. The action on theguitar was really nice and really confortable. Over all extremely good. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is very well built and will last. I would easily use it at a gigwithout a backup. It says in tune very well. The hardware looks like it will last and so far I

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partsimpson

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overall: 8.2

haven't had any problems with it in that area. I give my Strat a bit of abuse and the finishhas lasted without chipping which I really like. // 10

Overall Impression: This guitar is a great buy for the price and I would definately buyanother if I lost it or got it stolen. I like the playing the blues with this guitar if you put iton the neck pick up and put through a bif muff with the tone turned down it is a really nicesound. Igave mine in Artic White and to look at it it is a beautiful guitar. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 450

Purchased from: Singapore

Features: This Strat is made in Mexico in 2002. 21 medium jumbo frets on a rosewoodfingerboard on a C-shape neck finished with satin polyurethane finish. Alder body with 2single coil pickups on the neck and middle positions, and a humbucker on the bridgeposition. Passive electronics. Bridge is a Vintage style synchronized tremolo 1 volume knob,2 tone knobs for the single coil pickups only, and 5-way selector switch. Machine heads areFender/Ping Standard cast/sealed tuning machines. // 8

Sound: I play music along the lines of rock, hard rock, alternative rock, blues and metal. TheStrat, in stock form, is not very good compared with my Jaguar, but it is pretty decent. It'sHSS configuration makes it extremely versatile. It allows me to play what I want to play,but there's a but of a problem for metal. The Strat's not really a metal guitar. There's abright sound overall due to it's alder body. The stock humbucker sounds pretty thin andweak. I like the neck pickup, but it can get a little muddy sounding. I don't really use themiddle pickup, but it sounds pretty decent too. I'm currently using it with a Laneey LC15R,and it sounds awesome. To my suprise, there is not much noise with this Strat. With apickup change, this guitar has tremendous potential. // 9

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lithium26

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overall: 9.2

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was set up really really really badly. The action was too lowand there was a lot of buzz. There was also newspaper stuffed into the guitar. However,that's the only major problem. I'm not liking the feel of the finish of the neck. I like thenitrocellulose finish on my Jaguar, and the polyurethane finish feels rough compared to thenitrocellulose finish on my Jaguar. // 7

Reliability & Durability: A few months after I got the Strat, there was signs of rusting on thebridge especially, and some oxidation on the pickup pole pieces and tuning pegs. This ismainly due to the extremely humid climate in Singapore. I can use it on a gig without anybackup, as the Strat can keep in tune really well. I don't use the trem much so it's allgreat. I haven't changed the strap buttons actually, and I just bought the locking strapbuttons. I'm going to install them soon. The finish seems reasonable. I don't think it wouldwear off in the near future. // 8

Overall Impression: Overall, I like this guitar. However, I do have certain problems with theguitar. Such as the weak sounding pickups and the neck. I don't play as much metal as Iused to play, so it's fine as of now. Unfortunately, when I bought the guitar (2.5 yearsago), I didn't know much about electric guitars (I haven't joined UG yet), and I wished Ibought the SSS Strat instead, or perhaps a higher-end Strat. Such as the deluxe or thehighway one. Compared to my MIA Fender '62 Jaguar, it sounds pretty weak, but with apickup change, I believe I will love this guitar much more. // 9

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 430

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: I bought a 2008 (? I believe, the product dating on the Fender website isn'treally up to date) Mexican made Standard HSS Strat. 21 medium jumbo frets. I got the

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tjcoleman95

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maple neck with a brown sunburst. It's absolutely gorgeous Passive electronics. 2 Standardsingle coils. Came with a free gig bag. 5 way selector switch which allows sooo manydifferent tones. blah this is all stuff you can read on Fender's website. The big highlighthere in the humbucker that's been placed ever so graciously by Fender in the bridgeposition. For a stock, it's actually a very good sounding pickup. It dramatically increasesthe versatility of the guitar. // 9

Sound: I play anything from classic rock to blues to grunge to hair metal, but its pretty rarethat I play any type of metal without the prefix "hair" or "glam". I am playing through aFender Hot Rod Deville 2 12 and straight into the amp this guitar sounds . The single coilson this guitar are honestly not too noisy at all, and the humbucker is just absolutelyorgasmic. It really beefs up the Strat. For heavier distortions I use this guitar through a bigmuff. They fit hand in hand perfectly. Then when I really wanna get different, I throw inthe wah, which sounds awesome... Duh. The guitar is bright, which is a nice change overthe Les Paul I played for a while. The humbucker in the bridge is still plenty twangy whenplayed clean. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action is a little higher than waht I'm used to, and yes, I would liketo lower, but I have absolutely no clue how I would ever go about that. The pickups are atseemingly the perfect height to me. Everything sounds wonderful. The finish was donewonderfully on this thing. Exactly how it looked online. No complaints. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I haven't really "tested" it yet. But this guitar seems pretty durable,so long as your not carless with it, I think it will last a while. One of strap buttons is prettyloose, but I've been meaning to get around and fix that. I would say yes to using it at a gigwithout a backup, but I would have said that about my Les Paul too. And I tried, and thetuning machine snapped off right before we played... sad face. So no, never again will Iplay with a backup. The finish seems pretty thin, but I don't know. Isn't that a good thingthough? I like having my "own" guitar. With "my" wear markings on it. // 8

Overall Impression: This guitar is pretty damn close to perfect for everything I've everwanted. The versatility of this guitar allows you to play and sound great with so many

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overall: 7.6

different styles. If it were stolen, no I would not buy another one. Well, instantly. It takesme a while to save up money to buy these things. And before you think I'm some joblesshobo, no, I'm 14. Lol. My favorite feature is by far the humbucker, but isn't that the reasonyou buy this one anyways? If I could wish for one thing this guitar had, it would be a case.So it never gets beaten up. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 350

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: Not sure when mine was made but it was made in Mexico by the finest ofmexicans. It has 21 medium jumbo frets that seem prett good all through out the neck. Oneof them isn't filed very well but it's on the low e side and it's at the 19th fret so you don'treally realize it. it's alder body is nice, keeping it fairly lightweight but still with a fairamount of punch. The Strat body has nice curves to fit your body where the guitar wouldmeet your stomach and where your right arm curves over to strum the strings. I have the"Elctron Blue" Finish which I like but I realize I should have gone with white. I got the maplefretboard mainly because of looks but it's also smoother than the rosewood. It has afloating trem and mine stays in tune very well. I don't really use the trem very much buteven if I don't tune it for a week, it's only a few ticks off on my tuner. Being an HSS Strat,it has passive single coils in the neck and middle with a humbucker in the bridge. it's notthat great but I'll get to that. It has a master volume and two tone knobs for the twosingle coils. I wish it had one for the humbucker as I like to use that more. It also has a fiveway pickup selector to chose between the 3 and mix the middle and neck or the middle andbridge. The tuners are fine, nothing special and it came with a very simple gigbag and toolsto adjust the truss rod. It would be nice if the gigbag was better and the humbucker had acoil tap but you can't always get what you want. // 8

Sound: I play mostly clean and classic rock. Right now I am trying to learn Black Dog whichis classic rock and I can get this well. The humbucker adds quite a bit of versatility in this

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dzaerpoor

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guitar. It's a little higher output so when you Switch to it, the volume gets louder but it'snot by that much. The only problem with this was that when I got it, the humbucker wassuper trebly, and chord sounded very harsh and mean and it made me hate the guitar for awhile as I bought it intending to use the humbucker quite a bit. I later turned the screwanext to it a few times and the problem was fixed completely. Now I love my guitar. With mysolid state amp on full blast with distortion it get only a little hum from the humbucker anda noticable amount with the single coils. it's wierd though that when I use the middle andbridge pickups I get the least amount of hum. Anyways, great guitar, the neck pickup isvery smooth and the tone and volume knobs give even more possibilities. By the way, Thepick up selector makes almost no noise. don't get this guitar expecting the humbucker to begreat though because as this body is light and alder, it lacks the punch and low endnormally associated on les pauls and humbuckers on those. don't think you will get thatwith this. Also, I had a ton of fret buzz on the low E string but I changed strings and itwent away. 7 before the alterations, 8 after. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was set up great for me. I don't really know what perfectaction is as I haven't delt with any guitars with bad action so I couldnt say. The pickups asI said before sounded harsh but it's probably the easiest adjustment you can do on a guitarand it changes the sound a lot. The intonation is almost perfect as I checked it with atuner and the bridge is just right for my needs. If you are using the vibrato arm a lot, Isuggest looking at a guitar with a locking bridge as too much use will make this guitar goout of tune. Everything is good on this guitar. The middle pickup tone knob is a little stiffcompared to the others but I barely use the tone knob or middle pickup any ways. I havebumped and dinged this guitar on various walls and door ways but I have yet to find asingle scratch on it. Very durable finish. I give it an 8 because it's not the prettiest guitarand there's always better. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will last. plain and simple. The pickups may not be thebest and wou may get them changed but it is dependable. I once caught my strap about tocome of my my strap is the worst I have ever seen. I usually play sitting down but I wouldrecommend getting straplocks if you move around on stage a lot. I would never use a guitaron a gig without a backup as it never works out well not to do so. You need to have somesort of thing to fall back on when you break a string or something. Like I said about it has agreat finish. // 8

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overall: 9.8

Overall Impression: This guitar is a great match to any sort of music. I would only say it'snot good for metal but overall I have no like for metal and I find that it's only teens whoreally like it. Trust me you'll grow out of it. I've been playing for a while. Ignore the onfo inmy profile as that is my brother. he's the fifteen year old. I'm writing a review of his guitaras he's too lazy to do so. I own a few tube amps and I've realized, it's better to have onething that does one thing great than have one that does everything ok. that's how I feelabout this guitar. I lean more towards humbucking guitars as I like a more warm and fullsound that I feel most strats do not provide due to the weight and shape of the guitar. Iwould not buy this guitar again because there are so many better and I would just save toget a better one. it's no fun getting the same guitar again and not expecting anything new.My favorite feature is probably the humbucker now that I adjusted it. I hated it before.Thanks for reading this and I hoped it helps. I give it a seven not because it's bad butbecause there's much better. For the price range I say it's in the top three along with Agileand possibly Hamer. // 7

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Price paid: A$ 800

Purchased from: Guitar Centre at the Gabba

Features: This particular guitar was made in 1999 and is a Mexican Standard Stratocaster.The guitar is finished in a beautiful wine red with a rosewood 'board and maple neck. it'sbody is made of alder, which has a nice tone for the styles that I play with this particularguitar. The bridge is a Standard Stratocaster Vibrato, which is great for dive bombing andall those freaky effects. Pickups are passive American single coils (they had been upgradedby the previous owner) and are controlled by a pickup selector, two tone controls and avolume control. Tuners are Standard Fender-made tuners. I knew the guys I bought this offand bargained a case and cable out of them (I was also buying an amp at the time, so theywere happy to throw them in as freeies), but with new Strats you get a gig bag asStandard. // 10

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The_Teleblaster

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Sound: I bought this guitar as my first electric, as I wanted a guitar that would be able tohandle my my penchant for blues rock, as well as fitting my unhealthy obsession with PinkFloyd and The Stones. Tonally the USA pickups sound fantastic and emulate those classicSRV and Hendrix moments. As is with all Stratocasters the guitar has a nice bright soundthat shimmers on clean settings and dirtys up for a crunchy overdrive. Overall a veryversatile guitar that suits many styles and has a timeless tone. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar had been set up by the guys at the store I bought it. I amleft handed so they only had a few lefty Strats in store and although the others were goodthis one stood out in terms of both tone and playability. The action was just right and allthe hardware was in good order, although some of the screws were rusted (not a big dealbut a bit annoying). The pickups were also adjusted to a great sounding height. Apart fromthe screws I am completely happy with this guitar. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have gigged with this guitar on numerous occassions and it hasn'tlet me down. All the hardware has stayed in good order and the strap buttons are nice andsolid. I would have no hesitations in using it in Live performances again and would have noproblems using it without a backup (but I have other guitars that I use Live as well so therewould always be one on hand anyway). The finish has lasted extremely well since 1999 so Idon't think I'll be having any problems with it. Certainly a very well built, reliable guitar.// 10

Overall Impression: I mainly play blues, blues rock, rock, classic rock, hard rock, prog rockand all those kinds of genres and this guitar suits these styles perfectly. I have beenplaying guitar for over 5 years and use this mainly with a Peavey Bandit 112 and DigiTechRP250 multi-effects pedal. If it were stolen or lost I would have absolutely no hesitationwith buying another, it simply suits me perfectly. I love it's fantastic neck and beautifulpickups, as well as it's finish. Of course I could go on about the Saga of the rusted screwsbut it is really not a big issue. I knew that I wanted a Strat but did try a few other guitarsincluding American Standard Strats, but I honestly liked this one best. Although single coilsdo have that annoying buzz it is not a big issue, it is barely audible in a Live situationanyway. Overall a timeless design and a well-built, beauiful sounding instrument. // 10

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overall: 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Price paid: £ 400

Purchased from: soundslive.co.uk

Features: Mine is a mexican Standard strat, HSS, I think it was made in 2008.2009. 21 frets,rosewood fretboard. Arctic white finish. It has a 5-way selector between the humbuckerand two single coil pickups, and has one volume and two tone controls, the same as anyStandard fat strat. The guitar came with a Standard Fender gigbag and accessories, suchas whammy bar and allen keys, etc. // 10

Sound: I mainly play pop-punk music, but will also play a whole range of harder and softergenres. I use a Marshall ma50h head with a Marshall 4x12, and the humbucker helps toproduce a deep sounds, with as much gain as you need for any genre. I also own a Gibsonles paul with p90s, and a Jackson with EMG HZs, and I would say the Fender humbuckercan produce a more 'metal' tone than the Jackson even. While the humbucker can be a bitharsh on clean tones with the volume on 10, the neck single coil pickup produces anextremely mellow and deep sounding clean tone. The humbucker also responds well to thevolume control, and will clean up nicely to produce a crunch sound just by turning it downslightly. Overall, this guitar will play almost anything. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was set up perfectly at the factory, and arrived in perfectcondition, both aesthetically and function wise. The action was just right for the 9 gaugestrings supplied, and the intonation was set correctly. The only problem I had setting upwas that I found the bridge to be to high from the body and had to adjust the claw.However this is persoal preference and doesn't reflect the guitar or whoever set it up. Irecently replaced the 9 gauge strings with some ernie ball, heavy bottom skinny tops,which are 52-10s. Theses required another spring to be put in (it comes with three), andthe claw to be heavily adjusted, however the guitar play extremely well with these strings

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overall: 8.8

after these changes. Also the arctic white finish is about as white as fenders come. It isnot pure white, but in most light it looks it. It is usually only noticably creamish in un-natural light. I have had this guitar around 18 months and there is not a mark on it, I haveonly lightly caught it a few times, and it hasn't even been scratched. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar is extremely reliable, I have gigged with it numeroustimes, and usually without a backup. The only problem I've ever encountered playing livewas a broken string, nothing else. The hardware is the same solid plastic you get on mostfenders and is built to last. The strap buttons feel extremely solid and my strap never feelsas if it can fall off. After gigging with probably between 10-15 times, there is still not amark on it, which says a lot about the finish and durability. // 10

Overall Impression: Overall I feel this guitar is perfect for any type of genre. Also do not beput off by the fact it's made in mexico, as it plays and sounds amazing. I have a USA madeGibson les paul aswell, and I honestly prefer the sound and feel of the fender. It is wellworth the price and if it were lost, stolen or broken, I would definetely want to buy anotherone. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 300

Purchased from: Private Seller

Features: It's an '07 model. Dark blue metallic finish with a white pickguard. Maple neck,with an Alder body. 5 way selector, 2 single coil Fender pickups and 1 humbucking Fenderpickup. Fender tuners. Came with a gig bag and a quick lock stand. The guy got it as apresent. It was pretty much a brand new Strat I got for $300. Couldn't pass it up. // 9

Sound: I play mostly blues and rock music. Perfect for that genre. Strats can fit into almost

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91chevywt

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overall: 10

anything in my opinion. It sounds like a Stratocaster which is what I wanted. Humbuckingpickup sounds great..like it should. Single coil pickups could sound better in my opinion. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Action was good from the factory. My issue is with the bridge. One ofthe pieces was stripped out from the factory. By clamping it down with some plyers aftertaking it out, the screw had something to grab onto and I could adjust the bridge forintonation purposes. Not something that should happen on a brand new guitar. Also, theplastic piece on the back of the guitar DOES NOT line up with the bridge...so every time Iwant to change strings this piece will have to come off. Something that could have easilybeen avoided during assembly. // 7

Reliability & Durability: Electronics and hardware seems sturdy. It stays in tune. It's my mainguitar. Other than the fit/finish issues it's a very nice guitar.. // 10

Overall Impression: It's a good match for me. The Stratocaster is the ideal guitar for me. Ilike the way they feel. I played quite a few guitars over the last couple years trying to findwhat fits me best, and the Stratocaster is it. Absolutely hated any Gibson I played. Thisone has its flaws, but I expected some flaws on a made in mexico strat. Only guitar I thinkI would want over a Strat is a thinline telecaster..but I didn't feel like dropping $1000 on aguitar at this point in my life. This was an excellent deal in my mind. Very good soundingguitar for the money. // 9

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 350

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: My fat Strat was made in late 2003, purchased in early 2004. Standard frets(whatever, I never bothered to count 'em). Maple fret board, alder body, non-locking

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adox26

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overall: 6.6

Vintage Fender tuners, Vintage tremolo. I never made any alterations, so it's all originalStandard stuff, okay? // 10

Sound: This guitar suits my style of play, blues-based rock, very well. I play it through aFender FM212 amp with a DigiTech GNX3 guitar workstation. Not noisy at all, has a rich fullsound. I typically only play on the humbucker setting, though sometimes I will use thesingle coils when I I'm looking for a more "twangy" sound. I love the sound of this guitar, itis fantastic for almost any kind of rock and roll or blues sound. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything was perfect, and still perfect, I haven't had it set up since Ibought it. One minor paint flaw on the back, and for that reason, Guitar Center sold me thisguitar for the price of a Standard single coil strat. The action was nice and low, and madeit easy to play. It has a beautiful Midnight wine finish, I love to polish it and look at it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I've played this guitar on numerous gigs, one of which was on arainey day in Wisconsin with a chilly wind blowing in my face. The guitar performedflawlessly, and stayed in tune. I've read some other reviews where the reviewer hascomplained that the guitar does not stay in tune when using the tremolo. I am doing thisreview to state categorically that this is NOT TRUE! If this guitar is going out of tune, it isbecause YOU ARE USING THE WRONG STRINGS! The Fender Vintage Tremolo is designed towork with Fender Bullet strings. Get 'em use 'em or quit complaining. // 10

Overall Impression: Hands down the best value in Electric guitars today. Gibson makes thebest quality guitars overall, but for the price Fender guitars are the best value! A qualityinstrument for a decent price. I've been playing for 33 years, and I own four other guitars.This one is the best overall. I can use it for Rock, blues, country, funk, anything I feel likeplaying. It may not be as warm as my Gretsch, or Twangy as my Tele, but it is close inboth areas. I could only have one guitar for the rest of my life, this would be the one. // 10

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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Benjirob

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Price paid: £ 339

Purchased from: www.gak.co.uk

Features: I have a 2006 Mexican made, 60th anniversary, Fender HSS Stratocaster. It hasall the regular features you'd expect with this guitar; a rosewood neck, 21 frets, stock pickups (one being a humbucker), volume and tone knobs, a 5 way pick up switch, Fender/Pingstandard tuning peg and some cheap slightly padded Fender case, supposedly a deluxe butI wouldn't call it that. Having had this guitar for a while I swapped the bridge humbucker toa Seymour Duncan SH4 JB. I also fitted in some Schaller strap locks since my strap wouldalways fall off and I prefer the extra security. // 7

Sound: Well I play a lot of different types of music ranging from Indie music such as theLibertines, Radiohead and Bloc Party through to heavier stuff like Boxcar Racer and FooFighters and pop punky stuff like Weezer, Paramore and Blink-182. The guitar has a fairlylarge variety of tonal varieties and is good for both cleans and dirty sounds. However, IHAD TO CHANGE the humbucker pick up since when played through a high quality amp itsounds terrible!!! I changed it to a Seymour Duncan SH4 JB and this guitar now soundsunreal when played through this pick up. It sounds more like a high end American madeFender than a cheap Mexican one with poor pick ups. I run it through an Orange ThunderHead and Orange Cab along with a lot of pedals but when plugged straight into the head isgood for overdriven sounds and clean twangy playing. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The set up was very very poor. There was a lot of fret buzz due to apoor action and the gutiar would go out of tune a lot when the strings were bended. Havinghad a guitar tech sort it out, since I don't really know what I'm doing it now plays a lotbetter, nicer in fact than my Gibson Les Paul JR. However, the input jack gives me a lot ofgrief, it frequently needs repairing and often disconnects whilst playing. Everything else,the paint finish, tuning pegs etc seems nice and having been set up properly, plays nice.However, the out of the box condition was poor. // 4

Reliability & Durability: The guitar has and will withstand live playing. However, I would

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overall: 6.8

definitely gig with a back up as the aforementioned input jack causes a fair few problems. Ido however prefer this guitar to my Gibson. The paint job is of a high quality if not aparticularly interesting dark blue colour. // 6

Overall Impression: For the style of music I play, this guitar is pretty good. I have beenplaying for around five years now and this is my favourite electric guitar I own and haveplayed (I haven't played a huge amount of rare vintages). If this guitar were stolen, I'd beannoyed at losing primarily the Seymour Duncan pick up and would buy either a betterquality Strat or a Telecaster (serious GAS for one of those right now!!!). I wouldn't buy thesame, stock issue Mexican made Fender HSS Stratocaster. However, for when I got thisguitar almost four years ago it was perfect for me. If the hardware and quality were betterto go with the improved tone it has since changing the bridge pick up, it would be a verygood guitar as of now. I will base my overall impression score of how it was when it was init's stock configuration and that would be a seven. // 7

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Standard Stratocaster HSS Reviewed by: , on november 09, 2012 0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 449

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Features: The "Standard Stratocaster" model is a Made in Mexico version and is differentthan the "American Standard Stratocaster" model. They had two options for this MIMmodel, HSS & SSS. This review is about the HSS version. I bought mine in December of2008 in "Electron Blue", which was replaced with the lighter tint "Lake Placid Blue".

Features include a one humbucking/two single-coil pickup configuration, synchronizedtremolo with high-mass bridge block, shielded body cavities & medium jumbo frets. Theguitar does not come with a hard shell case or gig bag.

SPECS:

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richardlpalmer

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- Neck Shape: Modern "C" Shape- Number of Frets: 21- Fret Size: Medium Jumbo- Position Inlays: White Dot Position Inlays- Fretboard Radius: 9.5" (24.1 cm)- Fretboard: Rosewood- Neck Material: Maple- Neck Finish: Satin Finish on Back & Headstock Front with Buffed Fingerboard- Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm)- Scale Length: 25.5" (64.8 cm)- Neck Plate: Standard 4 Bolt- Truss Rod Nut: 3/16" Hex Adjustment- Pickup Configuration: H/S/S- Bridge Pickup: Standard Humbucking Pickup- Middle Pickup: Standard Single-Coil Strat Middle Pickup- Neck Pickup: Standard Single-Coil Strat Neck Pickup- Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade, Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Front Coil ofBridge Pickup and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle/Neck Pickups,Position 5. Neck Pickup- Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Bridge/Middle Pickup)- Hardware: Chrome- Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo- String Nut: Synthetic Bone- Switch Tip: Plastic- Tremolo Arm/Handle: Vintage Style Tremolo Arm- Strings: Fender USA Super Bullets 3250L, NPS, (.009-.042 Gauges)

Considering what you get for your money, I think Fender has done a very good job withthis Stratocaster. They don't include a gig bag or case, but instead give plenty of featureselsewhere. I don't know what else they could have done other than a coil tap. I guess theycould have included accessories with it, but for the price I don't see how they could. // 8

Sound: I play a variety of things from blues to metal. The HSS configuration is excellent forthis with so many switching options. I played this through a few amps. A Line 6 Spider III15, Vox AD30VT-XL, Vox VT30 & Blackstar HT-5H with a Carvin G212 open back cabinet.

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The humbucker is extremely quiet (as you'd expect) but I was surprised how well the singlecoils dealt with noise. The higher the gain, the more noise - sure. But at moderate gain orclean, they were very quiet.

With the switch on the neck &/or middle positions you can get a nice bluesy tone. It cando spanky country or glassy funk. But with it set to the bridge position you can get nicehard rock & metal. The pickups are relatively hot. I'm not sure of the actual specs but Isuspect they're Texas Special clones. The quality of sound is nothing special or inspiringout of these pickups. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came set up very well (or at least Guitar Center set it upwell). Action was medium-low (which is my preference) and the intonation was good. Theneck wasn't bowed and there was no fret buzz. The humbucker was adjusted well but thesingle coils needed to be raised a bit - this may have been more about taste rather thananything. If you're use to 2 humbuckers, the single coils will naturally sound more quiet. ButI wasn't use to 2 humbuckers and still thought they were too quiet and needed to beraised.

The neck felt great. It looked perfectly seated in the pocket. The fretboard, fretwire, inlays& nut were all installed properly. There was no glue or rough edges, etc. The body finishwas pristine. The paint and top coat (polyester) were flawless. The knobs moved fluidly andthe switch felt solid. Nothing loose or rattly. Same goes for the 1/4" jack. Solid. The strapbuttons were nice and tight and needed no attention either. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I think this guitar could easily handle live playing, but you'd probablywant to address some things if you were planning on seriously gigging with it. The body &neck are solid as a rock, so that's not the area you'd need to worry about - it's thehardware. Within a short amount of time the bridge started to become a bit loose/sloppy.The trem bar is the typical screw-in style. Unfortunately, if you want the bar to be looseand dangle you're sort of out of luck. The bar will rattle around. Screwing it in tighter willget it to stop rattling, but then you have it sort of "stuck" in one position. And each timeyou screw/unscrew it, the condition seems to worsen.

The tuning pegs are "alright" but I felt these would need to be changed soon, too. Not

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More Fender reviews rating category latest review+ Deluxe Active Jazz Bass 8.9 Bass Guitars 07/31/2015+ Dee Dee Ramone Precision Bass 8.7 Bass Guitars 07/17/2015+ Rumble 200 V3 8.5 Bass Amplifiers 07/16/2015+ Pawn Shop Mustang Special 9.2 Electric Guitars 07/10/2015+ "Special Series" Standard Stratocaster 8.8 Electric Guitars 07/03/2015

+

nearly as bad as the bridge, though. They did stay in tune pretty well, but not as well asyou'd expect. They're non-locking and just don't hold the strings well. The other parts ofthe guitar - great! Had no concerns about the finish, the neck staying true, electronicsholding up, strap buttons, etc. But not feeling confident because of what's holding bothends of the strings is pretty significant to me. // 5

Overall Impression: This guitar is potentially an excellent guitar. It can play all sorts ofdifferent genres and will appeal to an awful lot of players. It's a huge upgrade from lessexpensive guitars and is built well. It's held back by some low quality components though.And this is where the rubber meets the road. These things can hurt your confidence if notaddressed or taken into consideration.

When I bought this guitar I was at the limit of my budget. Knowing what I know now (isn'thind sight wonderful?) I should have gotten a cheap guitar to start learning on and savedup for the "American Standard Stratocaster". I can understand someone not wanting tomake that leap at the beginning - it's about twice the cost. I'd been looking at (andpricing) what it would take to upgrade the bridge, change to better tuners & upgrade thepickups. When all is said and done I'd have paid the same as a USA made Strat - but wouldhave still had a MIM one.

This Strat is filling the middle ground of cheap, mass-produced guitars and higher-end USA-made versions. I don't think it does enough to justify the added expense over the cheapones. That being said, it's been about 3 years since I bought mine. Maybe they've improvedthese things... One big plus of having the MIM version is I was able to sell it for a decentamount - it wasn't a big loss like a cheap guitar might have been. // 6

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comments policy 74 comments posted

Correct me if I'm wrong, but i believe that is the Fender Standard Fat Strat?

posted on Dec 18, 2006 09:34 am #lithium26

That's it. HSS-Strats are called Fat Strats.

posted on Dec 18, 2006 09:43 am #.executable

wots the differarce can u tell me

posted on Dec 18, 2006 10:59 am #set.me-free

... the diff is one has a humbucker...

posted on Dec 18, 2006 11:57 am #seek_&_destroy

i also think the newer ones have a switch in one of the knobs so the single coils sound like humbuckers?something about stacked humbucks and switches. check the fender site.

posted on Dec 18, 2006 12:58 pm #deportivo

Deportivo, is that the S-1 switch you're talking about? I think it's also on some Telecasters.

posted on Dec 18, 2006 03:18 pm #E V H 5150

I have one of these. It is one of the most versatile guitars on the planet. When I first got it, I thought iwas simply just getting a beginner guitar, but now that I have gotten more experienced and have playeddozens of other guitars, I realize that my Fat Strat is really an amazing guitar. I am glad that I have myown, and I would whole-heartedly recommend this to any intermediate player who wants an extremelysatisfying piece of equipment for an unbelievable price.

posted on Dec 18, 2006 03:46 pm #StratSlinger421

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i have one and it is pretty good, much better than the epi les paul i played. and the s-1 isnt on anystandards just on american mades.

posted on Dec 18, 2006 05:04 pm #freebyrd32

to clear up some of the confusion fat strats are now called hss strats and the s1 switching system is onthe american deluxe models. this article is about the standard mexican series. i have mexican standaedhss strat an di love it! so versatile

posted on Dec 18, 2006 06:00 pm #red star

the single coils are reversed so when set with both of them on they cut out some noise, but still not asmuch as the humbucker

posted on Dec 18, 2006 07:42 pm #jhjps

i have a guitar similar to this with a humbucker at the bridge, and that's all i ever used to keep thepickup selector on because it had such a great sound. then, sadly, when trying to spin my guitar on stagethe strap snapped and it fell.... ever since then my humbucker has been broken, but the ****in singlecoils work fine...

posted on Dec 18, 2006 08:02 pm #scarfacesuit

dude that sux about your guitar. The s-1 switching is on american hss too, i just bought one and when iwas playin it i thought it was a deluxe because of the s-1 but then i looked at the tag.

posted on Dec 18, 2006 08:10 pm #freebyrd32

its pretty damn good i think...although ive never been on one

posted on Dec 19, 2006 06:12 am #SonOfOsiris

^I like the sounds of that black headstock and metal scrath plate... ALOT.

posted on Dec 19, 2006 06:18 am #santhony1987

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This guitar needs 22 frets though... that's all its missing i think.

posted on Dec 19, 2006 06:18 am #santhony1987

I own a Standard Double Fat Strat, which has a hummer at the neck aswell as the bridge, but itscurrently being modified to a Tom DeLonge setup concerning the pickup. Seymour Duncan Invader at thebridge. my fat strat has 22 frets, why does this, and all the other strat reviews, have only 21? its kind ofodd. in my opinion, stratocaster's are the best quality guitar in the world for its price. hands down, topnotch guitar. peace out

posted on Dec 19, 2006 06:33 am #Fender_For_Life

freebyrd32 wrote:

dude that sux about your guitar. The s-1 switching is on american hss too, i just bought one and when iwas playin it i thought it was a deluxe because of the s-1 but then i looked at the tag.

they have S-1 on the Fender Hwy 1 models as well as the deluxe guitars. it uses a special capacitator touse the pickups in series connections rather than parallel, turning your guitar into one of the mostversatile instruments on the planet

posted on Dec 19, 2006 10:03 am #bluesblaster

first of all, the american hss is not made in mexico....if it was it wouldnt be $1200....itd be $400....secondoff...im sittin next to mine right now....and it has 22 frets....the difference between a mexican made stratand american is great....not only in price but in durability and quality....and the 2006 american standardstrat, american deluxe, and teles all have the s1 switchable pickup which wen activitated, gives a warmkind of humbucker sound....almost imitates a les....in my opinion....

posted on Dec 19, 2006 12:31 pm #lamofbodom

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every stratocaster to me is the same. dont see the point y they bring out new ones

posted on Dec 19, 2006 12:59 pm #Goldy93

@Fender_for_life : if you have 22 frets you have a squier or a usa fat strat

posted on Dec 19, 2006 01:15 pm #Thunderstrucked

Goldy93 wrote:

every stratocaster to me is the same. dont see the point y they bring out new ones

And that's why you know zero about guitars.

posted on Dec 19, 2006 04:04 pm # +1StratRat13

I love this guitar, the range of tone is awesome for the price range and it's a Fender so it plays smoothas silk. And as I was told by the guy at guitar center "it's great for metal", psh, ok. Maybe not metal, butjazz, blues, rock, prog, and yes if you put it through the right effects...metal...fine.

posted on Dec 19, 2006 04:31 pm #drmbdrummer

Never a big fan of fenders... dont like the feel of them, but i have had a play of this one.. and although istill didnt like it much atleast it had a humbucker to give it some power.. even clean... i dunno i say ifyour gonna play clean guitar go buy a semi acoustic. I guess im just more of a Gibson man. Not sayingthat this guitar is bad, just personally the feel and sound of it doesnt appeal to me. And no im not a metalhead or a shredder, hell i even play some Ska music, but i play everything from soft rock to hard rock,that includes jazz... and i'd still say my semi acoustic sounds better clean... and dirty than this strat dideven if it is a cheapo one i picked up for 200 bucks and needs some work. But thats my opinion so dontbag me just coz i personally dont like fenders.

posted on Dec 19, 2006 05:58 pm #doommaker

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how much would this cost?

posted on Dec 19, 2006 06:10 pm #Metaphysics

$400 for $500 you can get the 60th anniversary standard, it has upgraded pickups but it doesnt have ahumbucker

posted on Dec 19, 2006 07:02 pm #freebyrd32

I got this exact same guitar

Except its a baricudaIts blueit has a maple neck and a rosewood fretboard

posted on Dec 19, 2006 09:44 pm #Shib

B I U :)