Beginer for Strat, Enter to Fender

This would be a good choice for those who want to try the Strat for the first time. Of course, since it has "Fender" written on the neck, it can be considered alongside alternatives at the same price. I would never say it's a bad guitar.

plays like an american

bridge pickup is slightly harsh and it does work best when you install some locking tuners, but I cannot tell this mexican strat apart from any american made one, it is truly the best value for the money you can get

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very good quality overall

No dealbreaker QC issues often found on my 2nd (first Fender) guitar.

The satin neck I just couldn't put it down compared with Guitars with Polyurethane necks. I wish the shape was a little more flat on the back as the thumb can slip, and the thickness makes thumb technique slightly harder for smaller fingers. Ideally half way between where it is, and say a Gibson/American Fender/Custom shop Fender neck radius and shape to meet the needs of young beginners and budget friendly serious musicians

It wasn't perfect though.

Stays in tune once tuned much better than Gibson's Cheaper Sibling, if you get one of their bad ones like I did as your first guitar - lesson don't spend much on your first guitar.

Back to the Fender Player Strat:

Nut material wore down faster than I would expect on the G string, it wasn't cut very well, slots seemed to be cut for 10's even though 9's are stock.

Even with a new genuine bone nut, the luthier didn't trust my warning G needed special treatment, after I managed a bodge by over-winding the string so the break angle on the G is down towards the wood. I wish the non-expert luthiers, for those of us who just have to trust a local shop, would listen when a guitarist tells them there is a problem and it IS the NUT SLOT, and that a guitar might need adjustment, it it isn't just your playing not being the touch of a feather, otherwise Johnny Greenwood would be in a pickle.

This was the only defect. Frets are even in height, nice and high, though may need lifting and trimming of the edges in 10 years if the wood shrinks at all. its a minor set of issues at this price.

Its common to need to put 10's the G/B/E strings to eliminate fret buzz if you want a flat bridge like I did too, and it works.

This is the cost of increased sustain and some extra resonance, and ability to play with other tunings if you cannot afford something like a telecaster or an other branded guitar.

The bridge pickup needs to be hotter, is the real disappointment, I think my model might fit a humbucker with the guard off, or a just a simple like for like hot single coil for simplicity.

Superior to Epiphone guitar I received in every way (had faults everywhere at a similar price). Is a great instrument though with the nut fix.

Some might miss the humbuckers, and maybe an even faster thin modern neck brand used for rapid passages and even easier fret access for small hands. I can't recommend Epiphone ever again.

Beautiful

I love the way it looks and the feel of the fingerboard. It is very versatile and produces the exact tones I look for. Best guitar ever.

Meaningful updates to an iconic guitar

This was my first Strat and I did a lot of research leading up to deciding on purchasing it. And... it's a Strat! The updates that Fender has made to this Player series is fantastic, my favorite being the 5-position switch and the fact that they wired a dedicated tone knob to the bridge pickup. Super cool! The neck feels amazing and the build quality is solid. It's such a great guitar for gigging and recording without being financially out of the reach of most musicians.

A brilliant guitar for beginners

I got my first guitar, which is this Stratocaster, when I was about 18 years old. I just walked into a Guitar Center just to look around and walk out with a Strat and a Laney amp. I have many fond memories of playing this thing for hours, and I still play it quite frequently even though I now have an SG. I highly recommend the Fender Stratocaster whether you're a beginner who can barely play Smoke On The Water or someone who's been playing for decades.

I still haven't changed the freakin strings since 2018.

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Very good!

What can I say? It’s a beautiful fender with great specs! I got mine from a raffle at a guitar store and it plays like a charm.

Fender Player Series Stratocaster

My second real guitar, also my first Fender (besides a Squier). It's a different one, with a black pickguard with no humbucker, it was also limited edition. But yeah, I definitely think this is a perfect Fender to begin with. Mine is currently in crap mode right now, and it needs some bridge work done ( A piece of the tremolo arm is stuck inside the bridge ) and it's very hard to tune. I'm getting it fixed after this COVID-19 thing passes, but besides that, this is an AMAZING guitar, and I highly recommend it.

Absolutely fantastic with a small pickup upgrade

Out of the box, this is a solid guitar that even a mid-level player can enjoy. Lightweight, easy to play, and sounds lovely. I opted to add the latest Fender noiseless pickups and this absolutely transformed the guitar. Played side-by-side with an American Performer I can't tell the difference. Upgrade was totally worth it.

It's a Strat!

For the guitar player who wants that classic strat sound without blowing the budget! I had the tremolo setup to float with Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings. Stays in tune pretty well. Does everything a strat should do! Mine's in butter cream and I absolutely love it!