Does the Squier Standard Stratocaster live up to expectations? Can you enjoy playing nice a Strat without having to spend over a grand? Find out in our expert review!
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Squier by Fender Standard Stratocaster Review – What You Need To Know Before Buying
The Squire Standard Strat at a Glance:
How would you like to be able to enjoy playing on a Fender Stratocaster, without having to spend over a grand to get one? Just because it isn’t a regular Strat, don’t dismiss the Squier until you have had a chance to check it out.
Sure, it’s not a true American-made Strat, but it is a Strat none the less, and it’s manufactured by Fender.
Fender is an international manufacturer that leverages production facilities around the globe. Because of this diversity, you can find incredible value in certain products – is the Squier Standard Strat one of those?
The fact is Squiers are produced overseas with less expensive parts, and those savings are passed on to you, the lucky customer.
Let’s take an in-depth look at the Squier by Fender Standard Stratocaster electric guitar. It may be a less expensive version of the original Stratocaster, but still a quality guitar.
Overview – Great for beginners
Everyone who is just starting out playing the guitar has dreams of becoming great. Unfortunately, some people make the mistake of going out and buying an expensive guitar, and then they end up barely using it.
If you’re a beginner, it is best to stick with something that can offer a quality sound and great playability, and something that’s budget friendly.
That’s exactly what you get when you buy a Squier Stratocaster. Similar in price point to it’s cousin, the Squier Deluxe Stratocaster, it looks and feels just like the real thing, and it essentially is a Strat for all intents and purposes. It just costs a whole lot less, but it plays just as well.
Another thing that makes this a terrific beginner guitar is the fact that it has a low action (the height of the strings from the neck).
The lower the action, the closer the strings are to the neck, and the easier it is to press down and actually play notes instead of making sounds that sort of sound like notes, but just aren’t quite there.
When one is first starting out this is good news. Beginner guitar players can find it pretty difficult to press down on the strings really hard until they’ve built up calluses on their fingertips. With this guitar, there will be less pain, but lots of gain.
Features of the Squier Standard Strat
- This guitar not only plays well, it looks great too. The attractive sunburst pattern has an antique-like finish, with a rosewood fingerboard. It is also available in other colors, including Candy Apple Red, as well as black and chrome
- The maple neck has a 9.5-inch radius, and the rosewood fingerboard has 22 medium jumbo frets that make it easy to play without getting cramped hands, both because the frets are large, and the neck is big enough, but not too big, even for smaller hands
- The body is made from Agathis wood, which is a less expensive alternative to mahogany. It looks just as nice, and it still offers a quality sound. It has a high gloss finish, thanks to the polyurethane gloss
- This guitar has a synchronous twin-pivot tremolo bridge, along with a master control volume knob, two tone controls, and a five-position pickup selector switch, so no matter what style you are playing, you can get the sound you want
Pros and Cons
Squier Standard Stratocaster Electric Guitar Review
What We Like
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- The die cast tuners are lubricated for a lifetime, so you never have to worry about it, and tuning is always going to be easy and stable, and it is going to stay in tune while you are playing, unlike guitars with other tuning systems
- Enjoy smooth tremolo action thanks to the twin-pivot bridge that has satin-anodized saddles.
- Single-coil alnico pickups that make this a really great sounding guitar. The electronics are produced overseas, with quality, inexpensive parts that make this a low-cost instrument
- This is not a knock-off. This is a true Fender guitar, so you know that even at such a low price, you’re going to be getting a quality instrument that you will likely be playing on for many years to come
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What We Don’t Like
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- This is basically a low-end version of a Fender Stratocaster, and we really can’t find any issues with it. It looks great, has awesome playability, and it has that Strat feel that many musicians have come to know and love.
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What are Squier Standard Stratocaster Players Saying? >>
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Final Thoughts – Is the Squier Standard Strat Worth Your Investment?
If you have always dreamed of owning a Fender Stratocaster, but you are just a beginner on a small budget, you really do need to check out the line of Squier guitars, including the Squier Standard Strat.
There are many other versions from other manufacturers, but they don’t have the genuine Fender parts that make it a real Fender guitar. This is your chance to own a really cool guitar that sounds awesome, without having to spend a lot of money.
Check Squire Standard Strat Availability! >>
- Build Quality
- Sound Quality
- Value Factor
Summary
Overall Score:
Manufacturer Info:
Website: http://www.squierguitars.com/
About: Fender acquired U.S. guitar string manufacturer the V.C. Squier Company in 1965; by 1982 the Squier name had resurfaced as a low-cost “value brand” alternative initially manufactured and distributed in the Japanese domestic market and soon offered to Europe, North America and the rest of the world.
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