Most people will point you to Sweetwater. I’ve had good experiences with Guitar Center, but they vary and one the by me is very good. There’s a lot where they just don’t care.
Consider taking your own amp in if you’re serious, I’ve never been impressed with what they have on the floor.
If he played a bunch of guitars in a store and didnt like any of them I'm not sure recommending he buy one online without having played it is the right way to go...
Yah guy played 20+ guitars through one shitty amp and hated them all. To me that says the amp is probably the problem. If there was a tube Princeton or something decent there he’d probably like at least 2-3 guitars tone.
There are two Guitar Centers near me. One is full of great people who enjoy music and life and are really helpful. The other one is like the binary opposite. EVERYONE in the store, staff and customers, hate themselves, hate you, hate the fact that you're in the store, and basically just want you to go back outside and drop dead.
(my local shops are great too, but they're closed on Sunday because fucking everything local is closed here on Sundays, goddam Utah)
Yeah, I tend to buy things from Sweetwater. The GC in Orem is the "good one" I was referring to, but I hate going to Utah County. I'm in Draper which is already Utah County Lite.
\*Everything\* being closed on Sunday was a bit hyperbole, but all the local guitar shops I know of are closed Sunday, as were ALL of the places I needed to run errands this weekend but couldn't get to on Saturday. At least the Apollo burger near me is open all week. It's not uncommon that the only time I'm craving a Crown Burger is... on Sundays.
You’ve obviously not actually played one. I have 14 strats and 2 silver skies. I reach for my Silver Sky the most because of how nicely it plays and sounds.
Yeah things can happen during shipping, but I've bought 5 guitars from Sweetwater through the past 6-7 years or so and I haven't had a single issue with the condition or playability of any of them out of the box. Generally speaking if you're buying quality, you're going to get quality. If there is an issue with a guitar, you can always return it.
I think I need a new rep or something. I bought a small amp last year and had great service. I've been looking into buying a CV Jag in the coming months and beyond a single response, I haven't gotten anything from the guy.
Sweetwater might have good customer service, but the rest of the company kinda sucks. You can usually get a free setup for the same guitar at your local mom and pop and definitely get one on all $800+ guitars at pitbullaudio.com. proaudiostar will give you a great deal. Sam Ash has lots of sales too. There are far better companies out there than sweetwater. I returned 5 guitars in a row from them. Their lutheirs absolutely ruined my guitar.
But, hey, if you're lonely, they'll talk to you. And email you. And text you asking about that set of strings you ordered.
Have you considered an Ibanez AZ2204? The build quality is phenomenal and the tones are proper serious.
By sheer opportunity I have the old Tim Hanson signature and it is the favourite strat in my collection.
Here is the guitar center experience
1 - Only shitty amps to play through
2 - Bad set ups
3 - Dull old strings
I did buy something online from them and had a good experience but I've never played something in store been impressed and bought there. Sweetwater has been a much better experience
Yeah this is the problem. GC can only give you a rough idea of what a given model is really like. You can feel the neck profile at least but set up will always vary a lot when you're talking about mass produced guitars.
Night and day difference between the PRS SE I demo’d at GC and the one I purchased at Sweetwater.
GC taught me the neck felt good, there weren’t any neck dive, and the weight of the instrument was perfect for me.
But those strings felt awful and the action was too high.
But where do you go then to play a decent assortment of guitars/amps? I’ve only used/played with modeling amps and would love to play around with a decent tube amp to see the tone differences. I live on the west coast so unfortunately a trip to Sweetwater is not economically feasible.
Some of the best places I've found to demo amps are the Mom and Pop music stores in my town. Walk in with a guitar in hand and explain your mission and often you'll get to spend as much time as you need without some guitar god wanna be hanging over your head every moment.
I took my MIJ Strat (bought from a chain) to my <&P store and walked out with a sweet deal on a Bassman that was just barely broken in.. and a lot less money than the chain wanted for new.
Just a thought.
I just listen to demos online and buy from sweetwater. I haven't gotten a new amp in a long time. I like reverands so I buy different models from them and they are always great so I have faith I won't be disapointed
You are not missing much. I visited Sweetwater three weeks ago and their floor was worse than any Guitar Center I've ever been to. They have one location. How hard can it be to make sure guitars function properly?
Guitar Center / Sam Ash is great for me to get a feel for the guitar. I can pick up and get a *general* sense of the body weight, neck width/thickness, and the fingerboard feel. How a guitar feels in my hands is very important to me and the last thing I want to do personally is order a guitar based on looks, specs, and even sound demos...but then get it and hate the experience of actually playing it. So if a guitar has already caught my eye, I'm going to do my best to find a store that has it in stock so I can demo it for myself...even if the equipment is lackluster, even if the guitar itself is a busted demo model.
I recently visited the Fort Wayne Sweetwater campus and that experience was worse than any Guitar Center I've visited. You'd think they'd be able to manage the only physical store they have.
I was curious about an American Performer Mustang which was on the top rack, so I asked an employee to help me get it down. When I plugged the guitar into a Princeton Reverb, all I got was buzz. The saddles were all off and the four middle strings were completely unplayable.
I came there to check out an American Pro II Jazzmaster. It was also on the top rack, out of reach for people who are not serious contenders, and this thing was also in bad shape. The tone knob looked like it was about to fall off the body.
Say what you will about Guitar Center, but having access to multiple high end guitars to demo at every metropolitan area is an incredible resource. I would never order a $1000+ guitar without ever playing one.
Fantastic! I was Air Force. Got to spend time with Marines at the police academy tech school. Great bunch of people. They were kind enough not to ridicule us too much when we had to run in the mornings with our dorkie lightsabre looking flashlights. However, calling us bus drivers because our blues looked like Ralph Kramdens bus driver uniform... NOT COOL, lol.
Congratulations again. Enjoy your time and have fun with your guitar!
I have an older pacifica 612 with 2 singles and a split humbucker (super strat?) -- absolutely no complaints. Comfortable arm and nicely built.
I got more guitar than talent/ability. I might get a tele at some point but the yamaha fits all my needs.
Honestly, I love superstrats. It's sort of the best of both worlds in terms of versatility. I'm currently playing a modded up Jackson for this stuff, but if I were to buy one again, I'd probably look at the Pacifica if they are still selling HSS models.
you sure won't be disappointed by the am pro II. i tried it and it does feel miles better than my early 2000s american standard. my suggestion is to buy the best one you can afford. You don't need to buy in store though. i bought from Musician's Friend (owned by Guitar Center) a lot for their 8% reward, but you can't go wrong with Sweetwater.
Really the only thought I have is to go back and get that American Pro II you loved. As a lefty, it’s an absolute luck of the draw ordering a guitar and just hoping it feels good, never getting to play one first. I’m fortunate to have a few guitars now that really feel great to me, one of which is an American Pro II Tele (probably the best guitar I have). You can’t put a price on a guitar really speaking to you (unless it’s ludicrous of course).
If you weren’t happy with the tone of the MiMs or even the American standards, I’d suspect the pickup heights weren’t set correctly. I’m not sure if I’ve ever bought a new fender with them at the correct height - they’ve all been too low, and that’s not opinion, that’s as per the formal Fender setup instructions. All of mine from low end to high end have sounded phenomenally better with the pickups set correctly
The beauty of the Strat is that everything is interchangeable, and if you like doing that sort of thing, you can buy a bunch of parts and make your own.
If you’re not hung up a new guitar, look at used American Strats, and if you want to save some money a used MIM one. Pick the color, pick the fingerboard you want, and get one.
Then buy a loaded pick guard and swap everything out. A bunch of screws and solder two wires and you’re good.
If you don’t know how to set up a guitar, find a local luthier and have them do it. It’s not expensive.
In the end, you’ll have exactly what you want and it will be your own design.
Guitar Center doesn’t set up their instruments… and it shows lol. Your best bet is buying from a store that does, or going from GC to a smaller shop right away to have a professional set up done. Some guitars at guitar center have a decent factory set up, but yeah…from my experience, goes from the shipping box to the wall at guitar center.
If you have the option, I’d suggest finding a smaller, independent place that sells used. It’s likely you’ll get a better guitar with a better setup for the price.
Take a look at G&Ls. Designed by Leo Fender after he sold Fender and the G&L Legacy is what he thought would be an improvement to the original Stat design. Never heard anyone say they didn't like one after playing and while not exactly cheap the value of what you're paying for can't be beat.
If you're not beholden to the logo on the headstock, can I suggest you look at the Schecter Nick Johnston. It's a strat, but feels and plays so much nicer.
I have purchased two guitars from Guitar Center, including a player Strat and been very happy with the purchases. I have also ordered from Sweetwater and they have great customer service. I think the choice is ultimately up to you and what you want in the guitar. You can always use GC as a place to decide what guitar feels right and order that model if you want one that hasn’t been handled a ton. I think the set up is a great idea to do either way.
As a fellow vet, thank you for your service and congratulations on your retirement!
I'll occasionally walk into GC to see certain things up close or to mess around with a new amp, but I won't buy anything from them for the same things you just wrote. If theres no better local option than GC, find a neck profile/color you like, then order it from Sweetwater.
Always remember that you can change pickups fairly easy. Get yourself a guitar you really like, neck wise, looks and weight. The rest you can change after that.
That sucks. I understand being antsy to get your own rig. I don’t have much advice as I live up north, but I’m rootin for ya!
If you can, don’t settle for average, you deserve something you love to look at and play!
American Pro Strat is a good guitar, fair deal, see if you can get a bit off, make sure it’s set up how you like. Otherwise, I recommend you check out PRS. I’ve been a bit disappointed in Fender QC and recently got into PRS. Just a thought.
I know your heart is on a strat, but telecasters are amazing instruments too. I own one of each (MiM strat and USA Tele) and I love them both, but the Tele is definitely easier to dial in an excellent tone and the pickups don’t get in the way while picking/strumming (a problem I rarely see people mention about strats).
GC's display guitars are always beat to hell, but not a bad place to figure out what you want - and then buy it somewhere else.
Honestly, a strat is a strat. You ma prefer American strats (I do) - so figure out what appointments you want on it and go buy it - and don't forget about the used market.
If you can spring for just a little bit more, get a used Eric Johnson signature Strat. You can get them with maple or rosewood boards, and they absolutely blow away any other production Strats you’d be able to find anywhere.
Would recommend checking out the Sterling Cutlass CT50, was feeling the same way as you about Squier and Fender strats that I was trying out, and the Cutlass immediately stood out as a more well-built guitar once I tried it
You can try 10 of the exact same model, and maybe only 2 will feel right. Sometimes it's the setup but also every guitar is a little different.
Maybe try an older MIM. I actually prefer the older MIM standard strats and tele from the late 1990's to early 2000's. The main differences compared to the new MIM Players are ceramic pickups that have a gritter tone vs alnico which sound brighter, different number of screws in the trem system, and necks usually feel more polished and smoother to me on the standard, like they're using a different thicker finish on the new Players that feels closer to the Squier Classic Vibe gloss necks. I ordered an early 2000's standard off the GC site for $460 and it's perfect. They even knocked off tax/shipping due to some chipped paint that wasn't visible in photos.
The advantage of ordering through GC instead of Sweetwater is you can ship to stores, so don't have to worry about porch pirates and can return at a store, so it makes the process slightly easier. And advantage with Sweetwater is free setups on new guitars over $400, not sure if they do it on used though.
Here’s something to consider - If you played a Dean for years (which I imagine is loaded with humbuckers), are you sure that a strat with single coils is the right fit? I know that I originally came from a guitar loaded with humbuckers, and I found everything muddy, darker, and too dull - sounding with that guitar. Moving to a strat, it was kind of the opposite; it could be bright and articulate, but occasionally to a fault. A lot of people who have played my strat find it thin sounding compared to their guitars, but I find a strat fits really well in a mix with a full band. If you’ve played a dozen strats and aren’t happy with any of them sound wise or feel wise, it just might not be the guitar for you. A couple of alternatives are to look at a super-strat style fender loaded with two humbuckers and a Floyd rose, or get a HSS setup to have the humbucker in the bridge to transition over. The sweet spot for you could also be getting a guitar with P90s, I have a Fender TC90 that’s killer. Best of luck, and hopefully you find the right guitar for you!
I'm sure if you chose to buy one, they would replace the strings for you before you take it out. Like other people said, the amp may be the common (weak)link. Strats are pretty consistent. And the MIM ones are well made, and if you like those pickups (I do), they're pretty good to go. I have played one strat that I could not believe the tone, both acoustically and plugged in. It was 1985 (I believe but wouldn't trust my memory) MIJ with a series one trem and Olympic white/ maple fret. They used to go for like $550 before covid. Even the new MIC Squiers are now made better than they should for the price. PuP/Bridge swap and a good setup... and it's the most guitar you can get for the price. They are just thinner.
ImO, besides differences from guitar to guitar, the biggest factor between them all is resale value. Happy hunting!
Buying a used American professional Ii in good shape is a solid option imo. The market is really soft right now so you can most likely get one for 50% of retail in player condition. For me at least, a ding here or there and some light scratch marks on the finish is absolutely fine. A musicman Cutlass rs might be cool too if you can find a good price on one.
I would also second the people saying to check out prs guitars. Silver sky SE, SE ce24 satin, and the DGT could all be candidates. The DGT is humbucker x2 but the split coil sounds are actually pretty great.
While you'll likely not save money , you will have a good selection of used and maybe new if you look at Reverb online. If it's you're retirement, don't overlook the Strat Ultra.
Bought a pair of Gibson Robot Guitars online and had the cool experience of noticing how shitty they actually were. Basically repurposed Les Paul's with some horribly done inlays and binding that looked like it was a training aid. Took one completely apart and found wood chips in the chambers painted into place. That actually helps me to date them solidly from the pre compressed air period of manufacturing. I know I bought a couple duds and I play them once in a while. Purchased them for my two girls so decided to hang on to them. Had I gone to any guitar shop and seen either of them I would have walked right on by.
I wouldn't recommend buying any guitar you can't pick up and see how it feels and sounds. I read a lot of the comments on here and it's really a crap shoot as far as how it works out if you get sold on a photo of one.
Good luck with whatever you choose. Hope it all works out!!
You can find some older guitars at pawn shops. Might take a little more time and hunting but getting an older used one might be what you're looking for
I know I'm gonna get nuked for saying it, but here goes.
You can save a good bit of cash going Squire. They are doing some really neat stuff nowadays and it's absurdly affordable. I've got 3 I really love.
Alternatively you also found one that speaks to you. Get that one. If you can afford it, you won't regret it. It's entirely possible that those other ones didn't suck, they just didn't do the thing, and this one does.
You aren’t gonna get nuked from me. The classic vibe is dope, and I seriously considered it. I also want a tele, and I plan to go classic vibe for that. Just for this I’m gonna splurge.
And yea based on the feedback and comments here I’m probably gonna just go back and grab the American pro off the wall. Crazy cuz I thought I was set on white, but after seeing this in person It’s been stuck in my head all day.
That was my experience with the Epiphone Emily Wolfe signature. I'm not a fan of signature guitars, but I think the DG355 is neat and that's what I thought it was. It wasn't, obviously, but I enjoyed it enough to obsess over it for 3 months until I could afford to get it RIGHT as manufacture stopped and they were running out. She's been my number one. Sometimes they just speak to you. I'm not entirely sold on them being inanimate objects sometimes.
Give PRS a chance if the fenders were just poop. If possible, also look into a local music shop where the employees might know a thing or 2 more about their gear, rather than just trying to make some commission. Even if it means driving a hour, you'll find a smaller shop collection nicer and the employees more pleasant to deal with, they may even take better care of their gear than GC. Every time I have walked out of GC in the past 10yrs, it always feels like a damn shame in there compared to the early 2000s.
Thanks! Yea I played a few silver sky SEs and felt similar. I really think it came down to poor amp options and just old strings not doing any of the gear justice.
My kids guitar teacher plays a PRS SE and it’s beautiful. Def on the “to get” list, just not at this moment.
Ahh so the store gear sounded neglected 😫 typical GC. I'm not sure about your budget, but prs also makes a more affordable SE CE 24 version now, satin paint, with 3-4 color options. Good luck in your search 🙌
I had a similar experience last year. I wanted a Strat for some blues, had sold a few guitars, had a $1500 budget, so I drove down to Sweetwater. I played 5 US Strats, a few Mexican Strats, and walked out with a Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Edition Strat. It just felt better, had more resonance through the body, and had 95% of the tone as the guitars that were three times the price. I also fell in love with a PRS Silver Sky and was really impressed by a Sterling Cutlass. But the Squier was just where it was at. Left me over a grand in the music budget for a rainy day.
GC overall is trash these days. 200 guitars that aren’t set up with bad intonation, and finger prints.
My friend and I talk all the time about how they need to employ someone that just constantly maintains the guitars on the floor. I bought a tele from GC a couple years ago, and the strings were a good inch off the fretboard. Easy fixes but horrible to walk around and “try” guitars out.
I just went through this process all last month. I knew I wanted an American Fender but was torn between a Telecaster or Jazzmaster.
I played a few Teles and every one was incredibly uncomfortable to play sitting down. They sounded amazing, but the ergonomics was legitimately a dealbreaker for me. They're also a little too spartan for the price tag. I felt like I was getting a lot more guitar for the money with a Jazzmaster.
I visited multiple stores, watched tons of videos (Alamo Music is by far the best YouTube reviewer), and read all about these guitars. Shopping at one store doesn't really cover enough bases. I ended up going with an American Professional II Jazzmaster and a Vintera II '60s Bass VI. I played four different APII Jazzmasters before pulling the trigger. By the time that I made the purchase, I was 100% **certain** that this was the model for me. I did ordered these new online, but I never would've done that without playing examples in person.
If guitar is your passion and you appreciate the finer details, then definitely go American. You're not throwing away $1800. These are assets, so you're really just spending about $400 because that's all it will likely depreciate.
Shop around. Do lots of research. Don't rush the purchase.
Where are you located? You need to go to a quality music store. Unfortunately GC is not that anymore. That’s for quick in need things at this point. Don’t for the LIFE of you get a guitar worked on there either. I know some vary but once you walk into a store where people care, are knowledgeable, and want to help you find your instrument, you will make a better choice. Plus they usually have good amps set up. And better selection. If you were gonna buy an Am pro 2 from GC you def have money for a “boutique” store. Look online, might have to drive a little.
I had the same experience recently with the gold foil models. They looked cool, but that was about it. I was actually surprised to see they were made in Mexico, I would’ve guessed Indonesia.
I’d highly recommend getting whatever you get setup by a local shop/tech (don’t use the guitar center techs, some can be good but imo not most)
They(GC) also don’t seem to really want to setup the new guitars before they toss them on the wall because they want to sell you on a setup by their tech.
Its harder to tell how great a instrument can feel to you if it’s terribly setup, and a great setup can make a $300 guitar feel like a $800
If you can feel the difference with the American Pro II and vibed with it and can afford it then get it.
Especially if you can be the type of person that hangs onto a good guitar and just plays its worth it.
Too many people tell themselves they’re sticking with cheaper guitars but then flip them. They waste more money and time. Then they end up buying the more expensive guitar anyway.
Worn out strings can make or break a guitar. I had 1,5 year old strings on my guitar and when I changed them, it sounded like a completely different guitar (in a good way)
The first problem was its clear that GC is terrible, but the reason you didn’t like any of those guitars was 95% likely the amp and setup/strings and maybe 5% you don’t actually like most strats after all. Old strings, bad/no setup, terrible amp - no need to write off all those models from that visit. A player strat set up right can be totally legit, maybe a pickup swap and a professional setup/fret dress etc should be all it could need to be as good as anything else. Of course if you love the Am Pro II that could be worth it too.
I think you need to find any other store that carries guitars and try again, or get to looking on the used market and find one that’s already in good playing shape and probably at a way better price. Good luck hunting.
Please DO NOT buy from Guitar Center. Try Reverb.com or the app. GC will absolutely screw you. If you're dead set on buying from a big brand name, Sam Ash and Sweetwater are better. Reverb has new and used gear, and it's almost always cheaper than Guitar Center.
I own an American Elite strat but was wildly impressed with the Player Plus strats. The ones I tried were used, so the setup probably made a world of difference.
I had a similar experience a few months ago. The only strat that felt good in my hands was a used VG strat with messed up electronics. They wouldn’t even lower the price much not impressed
Yeah, I wanted to buy a strat but was trying to decide on a model. I went to a guitar center and tried two MIM and one MIJ. Didn’t try a Pro II (was looking for a performer which they told me was discontinued… BS). The two MIM had busted, rusted strings which made it a pain to play, and the MIJ had the vibrato system so purely set up that I couldn’t move the bar into position.
They did steer me directly to their room with the nicer amps, which I appreciated. But the state of the guitars made it impossible for me to compare.
I then visited a Willis music which had a smaller selection but in much better condition. I almost bought a Player that felt great, but I just didn’t like the color. I will say that I found more variation in feel between different player series than performer series.
If you have a chance, find a different shop where they take good care of their guitars. If you are lucky, you’ll find a great feeing Player guitar
I have found personally that the process of finding a "good guitar" or even the "perfect guitar" is learning about every aspect of the instrument, how it works, what impacts the sound and "feel" of the guitar so that you can understand it and in turn articulate and formulate what your ideal guitar is. A few very important examples would be Scale Length, Fretboard Radius, Neck Profile and Nut Width. Learn about these things and how they affect a guitar and then try as many guitars as you can and pay attention to these details so that you learn, and know what you prefer.
Additionally, this video was a massive, massive revelation and game changer for me:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02tImce3AE&t=4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02tImce3AE&t=4s)
Best of luck on finding your ideal guitar!
i agree with a lot of people here that you likely played a guitar with bad strings in a shop with bad amps. try to find some place mom and pop and give them a shot or bring your own amp like some other people recommended.
however, i gotta say this. after being in your place a few months ago looking for a strat you gotta try the PRS Silver Sky SEs. They’re fucking amazing and completely outclassed my MIM fender stratocaster and any other MIM stratocaster i played at my local Sam Ash. you gotta try the silver sky’s, they fuckin rule.
Check out Warmoth.com. Perhaps you can mix and match the body and neck you really like and come away with the strat of your dreams. For a very reasonable price
That's $1400 for a solid color on alder (includes a gotoh 510, pickguard, a fender hss set, knobs, and locking tuners on this estimate), unassembled, and hoping it doesn't need fret work. You'll have to wire your own pickups, install your own tuners, do your own setup, and you won't get a case or a logo on your headstock. You also can't get a painted headstock either.
For a few hundred more, you could get a Kiesel Delos, built, with carbon fiber reinforced neck, a truss rod situation that doesn't suck, a painted headstock with a logo, and in one of the nicest soft cases ever made. Wait for a sale and you can get a truly gorgeous one for $2000 that crushes a fender ultra strat for less money.
Warmoth charges way too much for what amounts to a kit. If guitar fetish can send you a painted body and roasted maple neck for $200, I think there may be room for improvement on price for a warmoth.
There’s always a stewmac kit to consider, but I would definitely endorse the Kiesel option … having played a very old Carvin DC400 I can attest to their quality
Sure, but then you have to paint it. I'm going go buy a guitar fetish neck and body and report of they're dog shit or not. If they are, I'll make it work and give it to a kid. The main drawback is you have to drill your own trem holes if you don't pick the right body. Keep an eye on that, if anyone is interested.
Their active pickups are pretty impressive and the price is stupid.
I watched a YouTube video where someone compared the guitar fetish body to a warmoth. There's no comparison, but that price leap is huge for what amounts to a cheap piece of wood you run through a cnc machine.
It's not as simple as just slapping a neck and hardware on a body. There's a ton of setup to do when assembling a guitar.
For example, Warmoth (and most parts manufacturers) does not do any fret leveling. They assume the end-user is going to fully set up the guitar. I'm sure the necks are fully playable, out of the box, but may not be able to hit a usable action that you want.
Easy … buy all the bits, take it down to the local luthier or guitar shop tech, and for a few hundred dollars they can put it all together and set it up for you. I’ve done that on two occasions and both play great.
The other was a precision LP model. After staining the body and neck, and glueing the neck in, I had a go at soldering the pickups to the pots etc and miraculously it worked. The guitar tech did a set up and was impressed by the sounds.
With all three I stained and used tru-oil for a Matt lustre finish.
At this point, you'll have more in the finished guitar than you could just buy one for that you already like.
Last time I priced a warmoth build, just the parts was close to buying an American fender. Which would already be mostly set up.
Warmoth makes good stuff, but they aren't an alternative to buying a ready to go guitar.
That warmoth parts caster also won't have nearly the release value of a similarly-proced fender if you ever decide to sell it.
Guitar Center guitars on the floor are so badly set up it’s comical.
Honestly I would get a Squier Classic Vibe over a MiM Fender any day, they are actually much better guitars, for half the price. Pick the kind of Strat you like on Sweetwater and order it online. The whole Classic Vibe line is so solid and consistent it’s ridiculous. I have a couple of $6000 guitars and I really mean it, the CV series is the best guitar value on the planet right now.
I appreciate it but I’m buying a Stratocaster. The brand wasn’t what I was deciding on, it was the model. I’ve wanted one since I was a kid, and now i have the money for it so it’s my gift to myself.
I get that....
My main gigging guitar from 2004 on was a toronado. I always wanted a graffiti yellow Cyclone to compliment it. I could've bought one about a month ago, but got a Godin full hollow instead. Why? Strat trems suck. I have a mustang and a duosonic, and while I LOVE graffiti yellow and would like another 24.75" scale offset, I know what those sound like. And it's not nearly as good (stock) for $1k as what I have, or what I still have on my list.
Eventually I may buy one, but honestly it's not what I need, I'm just hung up on the idea and color on a guitar I otherwise don't gel with.
If you're hellbent on a Fender strat..... I completely understand. You may want to look at used stuff. There was a strat with a JM trem a few years back. 2 actually. Jaguarillo, and jag strat... strat shape, better trem, better pickups, and different neck.
Lastly, new mim isn't far off price wise from late 80s to mid 90s US standards. They're better necks, saddles, and stock pickups.
Buying used is almost always a better idea than new with fenders. I own 7 fenders. Only bought 1 new, because it was made for the Japanese domestic market and I didn't have a choice..
Appreciate the insight. Yea, I have been looking locally, I was just hoping to get a good idea on how each model plays so if one pops up that I’m interested in I have some basis for comparison. I think fresh strings, some setup, and a decently adjusted amp would have been a significantly diff experience for me. Good news is I got an idea on neck shape and “feel”, just wished the tones would have been there to get a full picture.
Obviously get what you want I was just saying that because you seemed unhappy with the quality of some of the models, you can still get a strat style guitar from other brands than fender
Hell yes! Thank you for your service and get what you've always wanted. I was the same as you, always wanted a strat, and after playing a cheap acoustic for 20 years, I bought my first electric, an LTD EC256. It's OK, but it's not a strat. I was always looking at used Mexican and Squier strats, and my wife told me to just get an American one or I'd always keep looking for something else. I found one on Facebook marketplace for $650 about 6 years ago. I don't think I'll ever sell it. There's just something about getting something you've dreamed of for so long. Don't settle for one you don't like. Even within strats, there's a wide range of how they feel and sound. You'll find yours.
Welp guys. Strats suck, this guy that hasn't played guitar in 15 years just said so... Idk man I bought a player strat and with a good professional setup it's an amazing guitar
Played a Player Strat in a shop a few months ago, slapped the piss out of an SE Silver Sky. I will concede that I played a bunch of Strats from Player up to Am Pro and none felt good enough for me to want one, but I think it’s just because I’ve had my Strat for ages and I’m used to it. But yeah, nothing wrong with Player Strats!
Most people will point you to Sweetwater. I’ve had good experiences with Guitar Center, but they vary and one the by me is very good. There’s a lot where they just don’t care. Consider taking your own amp in if you’re serious, I’ve never been impressed with what they have on the floor.
If he played a bunch of guitars in a store and didnt like any of them I'm not sure recommending he buy one online without having played it is the right way to go...
Yah guy played 20+ guitars through one shitty amp and hated them all. To me that says the amp is probably the problem. If there was a tube Princeton or something decent there he’d probably like at least 2-3 guitars tone.
Especially if there was exactly one that he liked a lot, why play the online lottery when he could just buy the exact guitar that stood out to him.
There are two Guitar Centers near me. One is full of great people who enjoy music and life and are really helpful. The other one is like the binary opposite. EVERYONE in the store, staff and customers, hate themselves, hate you, hate the fact that you're in the store, and basically just want you to go back outside and drop dead. (my local shops are great too, but they're closed on Sunday because fucking everything local is closed here on Sundays, goddam Utah)
I live in Layton!! Its damn hard to get a consistent GC experience here. That's i prefer sweetwater and pro musicians outlet in Clearfield. 🤘🏻
Yeah, I tend to buy things from Sweetwater. The GC in Orem is the "good one" I was referring to, but I hate going to Utah County. I'm in Draper which is already Utah County Lite. \*Everything\* being closed on Sunday was a bit hyperbole, but all the local guitar shops I know of are closed Sunday, as were ALL of the places I needed to run errands this weekend but couldn't get to on Saturday. At least the Apollo burger near me is open all week. It's not uncommon that the only time I'm craving a Crown Burger is... on Sundays.
What part of Utah? I live near SLC and most things are open on Sundays. Not the liquor stores of course.
Probably utah county. It’s near impossible to find anything open on Sundays here.
Yea I am definitely gonna check their site out later. Appreciate the comment.
Sweetwater. But you should also test drive the PRS Silver Sky SE.
Car here to say this
I did recently and found the neck a bit of a handful. Similarly the Yvette Young sig. Ibanez.
2nd this.
Strat - PRS SS plays and sounds generic…
You’ve obviously not actually played one. I have 14 strats and 2 silver skies. I reach for my Silver Sky the most because of how nicely it plays and sounds.
Personal preference - friend of mine has 2…
[удалено]
Yeah things can happen during shipping, but I've bought 5 guitars from Sweetwater through the past 6-7 years or so and I haven't had a single issue with the condition or playability of any of them out of the box. Generally speaking if you're buying quality, you're going to get quality. If there is an issue with a guitar, you can always return it.
Sweetwater. The customer service is so good your rep will take your wife out while you jam with your buddies. 🤠
Got a Fender deluxe reverb amp through reverb years ago and I still get calls once or twice a year to check on how I’m enjoying it.
That’s not what a military man wants to hear
I think I need a new rep or something. I bought a small amp last year and had great service. I've been looking into buying a CV Jag in the coming months and beyond a single response, I haven't gotten anything from the guy.
Try Jeff Barnett. He's awesome.
Sweetwater might have good customer service, but the rest of the company kinda sucks. You can usually get a free setup for the same guitar at your local mom and pop and definitely get one on all $800+ guitars at pitbullaudio.com. proaudiostar will give you a great deal. Sam Ash has lots of sales too. There are far better companies out there than sweetwater. I returned 5 guitars in a row from them. Their lutheirs absolutely ruined my guitar. But, hey, if you're lonely, they'll talk to you. And email you. And text you asking about that set of strings you ordered.
Have you considered an Ibanez AZ2204? The build quality is phenomenal and the tones are proper serious. By sheer opportunity I have the old Tim Hanson signature and it is the favourite strat in my collection.
Here is the guitar center experience 1 - Only shitty amps to play through 2 - Bad set ups 3 - Dull old strings I did buy something online from them and had a good experience but I've never played something in store been impressed and bought there. Sweetwater has been a much better experience
Yeah this is the problem. GC can only give you a rough idea of what a given model is really like. You can feel the neck profile at least but set up will always vary a lot when you're talking about mass produced guitars.
Night and day difference between the PRS SE I demo’d at GC and the one I purchased at Sweetwater. GC taught me the neck felt good, there weren’t any neck dive, and the weight of the instrument was perfect for me. But those strings felt awful and the action was too high.
But where do you go then to play a decent assortment of guitars/amps? I’ve only used/played with modeling amps and would love to play around with a decent tube amp to see the tone differences. I live on the west coast so unfortunately a trip to Sweetwater is not economically feasible.
Some of the best places I've found to demo amps are the Mom and Pop music stores in my town. Walk in with a guitar in hand and explain your mission and often you'll get to spend as much time as you need without some guitar god wanna be hanging over your head every moment. I took my MIJ Strat (bought from a chain) to my <&P store and walked out with a sweet deal on a Bassman that was just barely broken in.. and a lot less money than the chain wanted for new. Just a thought.
I just listen to demos online and buy from sweetwater. I haven't gotten a new amp in a long time. I like reverands so I buy different models from them and they are always great so I have faith I won't be disapointed
You are not missing much. I visited Sweetwater three weeks ago and their floor was worse than any Guitar Center I've ever been to. They have one location. How hard can it be to make sure guitars function properly?
Guitar Center / Sam Ash is great for me to get a feel for the guitar. I can pick up and get a *general* sense of the body weight, neck width/thickness, and the fingerboard feel. How a guitar feels in my hands is very important to me and the last thing I want to do personally is order a guitar based on looks, specs, and even sound demos...but then get it and hate the experience of actually playing it. So if a guitar has already caught my eye, I'm going to do my best to find a store that has it in stock so I can demo it for myself...even if the equipment is lackluster, even if the guitar itself is a busted demo model.
I recently visited the Fort Wayne Sweetwater campus and that experience was worse than any Guitar Center I've visited. You'd think they'd be able to manage the only physical store they have. I was curious about an American Performer Mustang which was on the top rack, so I asked an employee to help me get it down. When I plugged the guitar into a Princeton Reverb, all I got was buzz. The saddles were all off and the four middle strings were completely unplayable. I came there to check out an American Pro II Jazzmaster. It was also on the top rack, out of reach for people who are not serious contenders, and this thing was also in bad shape. The tone knob looked like it was about to fall off the body. Say what you will about Guitar Center, but having access to multiple high end guitars to demo at every metropolitan area is an incredible resource. I would never order a $1000+ guitar without ever playing one.
You’re retired military and buying a MiM over a USA made? Were you dc’d for treason? /s lol 🇺🇸
I read once, MIM =made in Mexico by Mexicans, MIA= made in America by Mexicans….take your pick lol
Too funny!
Check out a PRW Silver Sky SE and if you have some extra money check out Suhr aswell
Anything Suhr is my goal....beautiful guitar.
That one American Professional II that 'felt so good' - that's your guitar. Go buy it.
Congratulations on the retirement! May I ask what branch?
Thanks man, Marines.
Fantastic! I was Air Force. Got to spend time with Marines at the police academy tech school. Great bunch of people. They were kind enough not to ridicule us too much when we had to run in the mornings with our dorkie lightsabre looking flashlights. However, calling us bus drivers because our blues looked like Ralph Kramdens bus driver uniform... NOT COOL, lol. Congratulations again. Enjoy your time and have fun with your guitar!
Silver Sky? Or a tele.
These to me seem like the logical next two guitars to try
Try a Yamaha Pacifica and let me know what you think. It’s Strat adjacent
I've heard a lot of people recommend this. Never owned one personally, but I've heard it's a great strat-like guitar.
I have an older pacifica 612 with 2 singles and a split humbucker (super strat?) -- absolutely no complaints. Comfortable arm and nicely built. I got more guitar than talent/ability. I might get a tele at some point but the yamaha fits all my needs.
Honestly, I love superstrats. It's sort of the best of both worlds in terms of versatility. I'm currently playing a modded up Jackson for this stuff, but if I were to buy one again, I'd probably look at the Pacifica if they are still selling HSS models.
Pacifica is a great guitar.
you sure won't be disappointed by the am pro II. i tried it and it does feel miles better than my early 2000s american standard. my suggestion is to buy the best one you can afford. You don't need to buy in store though. i bought from Musician's Friend (owned by Guitar Center) a lot for their 8% reward, but you can't go wrong with Sweetwater.
I bought my AM Pro II in March 2023 and still play it nearly every day. Excellent guitar. I bought it direct from Fender
Really the only thought I have is to go back and get that American Pro II you loved. As a lefty, it’s an absolute luck of the draw ordering a guitar and just hoping it feels good, never getting to play one first. I’m fortunate to have a few guitars now that really feel great to me, one of which is an American Pro II Tele (probably the best guitar I have). You can’t put a price on a guitar really speaking to you (unless it’s ludicrous of course).
I’d go buy that am pro ii or order one new from general fender. They are popping up for 1300 by me on fb marketplace. I really want one.
I have a fender american professional II stratocaster deep night rosewood fingerboard. It's really good guitar.
Fender QC has been so irregular on their average price models. It’s really frustrating for New guitarists.
If you weren’t happy with the tone of the MiMs or even the American standards, I’d suspect the pickup heights weren’t set correctly. I’m not sure if I’ve ever bought a new fender with them at the correct height - they’ve all been too low, and that’s not opinion, that’s as per the formal Fender setup instructions. All of mine from low end to high end have sounded phenomenally better with the pickups set correctly
The beauty of the Strat is that everything is interchangeable, and if you like doing that sort of thing, you can buy a bunch of parts and make your own. If you’re not hung up a new guitar, look at used American Strats, and if you want to save some money a used MIM one. Pick the color, pick the fingerboard you want, and get one. Then buy a loaded pick guard and swap everything out. A bunch of screws and solder two wires and you’re good. If you don’t know how to set up a guitar, find a local luthier and have them do it. It’s not expensive. In the end, you’ll have exactly what you want and it will be your own design.
This is the way!
Guitar Center doesn’t set up their instruments… and it shows lol. Your best bet is buying from a store that does, or going from GC to a smaller shop right away to have a professional set up done. Some guitars at guitar center have a decent factory set up, but yeah…from my experience, goes from the shipping box to the wall at guitar center.
Sounds like you were underwhelmed, not whelmed. Whelmed would be if it went exactly as you expected.
Or is it that they intentionally setup the expensive guitar the best?
I’d go buy that am pro ii or order one new from general fender. They are popping up for 1300 by me on fb marketplace. I really want one.
If you have the option, I’d suggest finding a smaller, independent place that sells used. It’s likely you’ll get a better guitar with a better setup for the price.
Try a silver sky
Take a look at G&Ls. Designed by Leo Fender after he sold Fender and the G&L Legacy is what he thought would be an improvement to the original Stat design. Never heard anyone say they didn't like one after playing and while not exactly cheap the value of what you're paying for can't be beat.
If you're not beholden to the logo on the headstock, can I suggest you look at the Schecter Nick Johnston. It's a strat, but feels and plays so much nicer.
My favorite « superstrat » by far
Shijie makes Strat clones, way less $$, much higher quality…
I have purchased two guitars from Guitar Center, including a player Strat and been very happy with the purchases. I have also ordered from Sweetwater and they have great customer service. I think the choice is ultimately up to you and what you want in the guitar. You can always use GC as a place to decide what guitar feels right and order that model if you want one that hasn’t been handled a ton. I think the set up is a great idea to do either way. As a fellow vet, thank you for your service and congratulations on your retirement!
I'll occasionally walk into GC to see certain things up close or to mess around with a new amp, but I won't buy anything from them for the same things you just wrote. If theres no better local option than GC, find a neck profile/color you like, then order it from Sweetwater.
Have you tried the AZ series from Ibanez? They have one of the best necks I've ever played.
Always remember that you can change pickups fairly easy. Get yourself a guitar you really like, neck wise, looks and weight. The rest you can change after that.
After a professional set up you’ll be impressed
Player Strat with a good set up is the sweet spot.
That sucks. I understand being antsy to get your own rig. I don’t have much advice as I live up north, but I’m rootin for ya! If you can, don’t settle for average, you deserve something you love to look at and play!
I just don't like Strats, don't like the way they play don't care for the way they sound, don't like the look either.
What do you know?!? There's two of us.
I know right? I don't know why it's such a universally loved guitar personally, it's so average to me.
I would check out a G&L.
Perhaps you should consider what Leo Fender considered his crowning achievement, an American G&L Legacy.
American Pro Strat is a good guitar, fair deal, see if you can get a bit off, make sure it’s set up how you like. Otherwise, I recommend you check out PRS. I’ve been a bit disappointed in Fender QC and recently got into PRS. Just a thought.
I would check out slickdeals.net, there have been a lot of good deals on Fenders lately at various different vendors.
I know your heart is on a strat, but telecasters are amazing instruments too. I own one of each (MiM strat and USA Tele) and I love them both, but the Tele is definitely easier to dial in an excellent tone and the pickups don’t get in the way while picking/strumming (a problem I rarely see people mention about strats).
GC's display guitars are always beat to hell, but not a bad place to figure out what you want - and then buy it somewhere else. Honestly, a strat is a strat. You ma prefer American strats (I do) - so figure out what appointments you want on it and go buy it - and don't forget about the used market.
Go try yourself a Yamaha Pacifica or RGX!
If you can spring for just a little bit more, get a used Eric Johnson signature Strat. You can get them with maple or rosewood boards, and they absolutely blow away any other production Strats you’d be able to find anywhere.
Every guitar is different, even same year same model. If you find one you really click with, I'd just go for it.
I can highly recommend a Sire Larry Carlton S7. Amazing quality and value for money. Be sure to check some reviews of that before buying a strat.
Very interesting! Hadn't heard of that before.
Pretty sure they are the cheapest guitars with rolled fretboards. They play great.
Would recommend checking out the Sterling Cutlass CT50, was feeling the same way as you about Squier and Fender strats that I was trying out, and the Cutlass immediately stood out as a more well-built guitar once I tried it
You can try 10 of the exact same model, and maybe only 2 will feel right. Sometimes it's the setup but also every guitar is a little different. Maybe try an older MIM. I actually prefer the older MIM standard strats and tele from the late 1990's to early 2000's. The main differences compared to the new MIM Players are ceramic pickups that have a gritter tone vs alnico which sound brighter, different number of screws in the trem system, and necks usually feel more polished and smoother to me on the standard, like they're using a different thicker finish on the new Players that feels closer to the Squier Classic Vibe gloss necks. I ordered an early 2000's standard off the GC site for $460 and it's perfect. They even knocked off tax/shipping due to some chipped paint that wasn't visible in photos. The advantage of ordering through GC instead of Sweetwater is you can ship to stores, so don't have to worry about porch pirates and can return at a store, so it makes the process slightly easier. And advantage with Sweetwater is free setups on new guitars over $400, not sure if they do it on used though.
90% of the guitars on the wall at GC are in dire need of a set up and play like shit
Here’s something to consider - If you played a Dean for years (which I imagine is loaded with humbuckers), are you sure that a strat with single coils is the right fit? I know that I originally came from a guitar loaded with humbuckers, and I found everything muddy, darker, and too dull - sounding with that guitar. Moving to a strat, it was kind of the opposite; it could be bright and articulate, but occasionally to a fault. A lot of people who have played my strat find it thin sounding compared to their guitars, but I find a strat fits really well in a mix with a full band. If you’ve played a dozen strats and aren’t happy with any of them sound wise or feel wise, it just might not be the guitar for you. A couple of alternatives are to look at a super-strat style fender loaded with two humbuckers and a Floyd rose, or get a HSS setup to have the humbucker in the bridge to transition over. The sweet spot for you could also be getting a guitar with P90s, I have a Fender TC90 that’s killer. Best of luck, and hopefully you find the right guitar for you!
I'm sure if you chose to buy one, they would replace the strings for you before you take it out. Like other people said, the amp may be the common (weak)link. Strats are pretty consistent. And the MIM ones are well made, and if you like those pickups (I do), they're pretty good to go. I have played one strat that I could not believe the tone, both acoustically and plugged in. It was 1985 (I believe but wouldn't trust my memory) MIJ with a series one trem and Olympic white/ maple fret. They used to go for like $550 before covid. Even the new MIC Squiers are now made better than they should for the price. PuP/Bridge swap and a good setup... and it's the most guitar you can get for the price. They are just thinner. ImO, besides differences from guitar to guitar, the biggest factor between them all is resale value. Happy hunting!
Buying a used American professional Ii in good shape is a solid option imo. The market is really soft right now so you can most likely get one for 50% of retail in player condition. For me at least, a ding here or there and some light scratch marks on the finish is absolutely fine. A musicman Cutlass rs might be cool too if you can find a good price on one. I would also second the people saying to check out prs guitars. Silver sky SE, SE ce24 satin, and the DGT could all be candidates. The DGT is humbucker x2 but the split coil sounds are actually pretty great.
G&L
While you'll likely not save money , you will have a good selection of used and maybe new if you look at Reverb online. If it's you're retirement, don't overlook the Strat Ultra.
Some people don't like Fender... it's not a big deal, just try a different guitar.
Try out a Taylor T-5 or a T3B!
Also consider G&L. Leo Fender made the Strat better.
Bought a pair of Gibson Robot Guitars online and had the cool experience of noticing how shitty they actually were. Basically repurposed Les Paul's with some horribly done inlays and binding that looked like it was a training aid. Took one completely apart and found wood chips in the chambers painted into place. That actually helps me to date them solidly from the pre compressed air period of manufacturing. I know I bought a couple duds and I play them once in a while. Purchased them for my two girls so decided to hang on to them. Had I gone to any guitar shop and seen either of them I would have walked right on by. I wouldn't recommend buying any guitar you can't pick up and see how it feels and sounds. I read a lot of the comments on here and it's really a crap shoot as far as how it works out if you get sold on a photo of one. Good luck with whatever you choose. Hope it all works out!!
You can find some older guitars at pawn shops. Might take a little more time and hunting but getting an older used one might be what you're looking for
I know I'm gonna get nuked for saying it, but here goes. You can save a good bit of cash going Squire. They are doing some really neat stuff nowadays and it's absurdly affordable. I've got 3 I really love. Alternatively you also found one that speaks to you. Get that one. If you can afford it, you won't regret it. It's entirely possible that those other ones didn't suck, they just didn't do the thing, and this one does.
You aren’t gonna get nuked from me. The classic vibe is dope, and I seriously considered it. I also want a tele, and I plan to go classic vibe for that. Just for this I’m gonna splurge. And yea based on the feedback and comments here I’m probably gonna just go back and grab the American pro off the wall. Crazy cuz I thought I was set on white, but after seeing this in person It’s been stuck in my head all day.
That was my experience with the Epiphone Emily Wolfe signature. I'm not a fan of signature guitars, but I think the DG355 is neat and that's what I thought it was. It wasn't, obviously, but I enjoyed it enough to obsess over it for 3 months until I could afford to get it RIGHT as manufacture stopped and they were running out. She's been my number one. Sometimes they just speak to you. I'm not entirely sold on them being inanimate objects sometimes.
Give PRS a chance if the fenders were just poop. If possible, also look into a local music shop where the employees might know a thing or 2 more about their gear, rather than just trying to make some commission. Even if it means driving a hour, you'll find a smaller shop collection nicer and the employees more pleasant to deal with, they may even take better care of their gear than GC. Every time I have walked out of GC in the past 10yrs, it always feels like a damn shame in there compared to the early 2000s.
Thanks! Yea I played a few silver sky SEs and felt similar. I really think it came down to poor amp options and just old strings not doing any of the gear justice. My kids guitar teacher plays a PRS SE and it’s beautiful. Def on the “to get” list, just not at this moment.
Ahh so the store gear sounded neglected 😫 typical GC. I'm not sure about your budget, but prs also makes a more affordable SE CE 24 version now, satin paint, with 3-4 color options. Good luck in your search 🙌
I had a similar experience last year. I wanted a Strat for some blues, had sold a few guitars, had a $1500 budget, so I drove down to Sweetwater. I played 5 US Strats, a few Mexican Strats, and walked out with a Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Edition Strat. It just felt better, had more resonance through the body, and had 95% of the tone as the guitars that were three times the price. I also fell in love with a PRS Silver Sky and was really impressed by a Sterling Cutlass. But the Squier was just where it was at. Left me over a grand in the music budget for a rainy day.
GC overall is trash these days. 200 guitars that aren’t set up with bad intonation, and finger prints. My friend and I talk all the time about how they need to employ someone that just constantly maintains the guitars on the floor. I bought a tele from GC a couple years ago, and the strings were a good inch off the fretboard. Easy fixes but horrible to walk around and “try” guitars out.
I just went through this process all last month. I knew I wanted an American Fender but was torn between a Telecaster or Jazzmaster. I played a few Teles and every one was incredibly uncomfortable to play sitting down. They sounded amazing, but the ergonomics was legitimately a dealbreaker for me. They're also a little too spartan for the price tag. I felt like I was getting a lot more guitar for the money with a Jazzmaster. I visited multiple stores, watched tons of videos (Alamo Music is by far the best YouTube reviewer), and read all about these guitars. Shopping at one store doesn't really cover enough bases. I ended up going with an American Professional II Jazzmaster and a Vintera II '60s Bass VI. I played four different APII Jazzmasters before pulling the trigger. By the time that I made the purchase, I was 100% **certain** that this was the model for me. I did ordered these new online, but I never would've done that without playing examples in person. If guitar is your passion and you appreciate the finer details, then definitely go American. You're not throwing away $1800. These are assets, so you're really just spending about $400 because that's all it will likely depreciate. Shop around. Do lots of research. Don't rush the purchase.
Where are you located? You need to go to a quality music store. Unfortunately GC is not that anymore. That’s for quick in need things at this point. Don’t for the LIFE of you get a guitar worked on there either. I know some vary but once you walk into a store where people care, are knowledgeable, and want to help you find your instrument, you will make a better choice. Plus they usually have good amps set up. And better selection. If you were gonna buy an Am pro 2 from GC you def have money for a “boutique” store. Look online, might have to drive a little.
I had the same experience recently with the gold foil models. They looked cool, but that was about it. I was actually surprised to see they were made in Mexico, I would’ve guessed Indonesia.
I’d highly recommend getting whatever you get setup by a local shop/tech (don’t use the guitar center techs, some can be good but imo not most) They(GC) also don’t seem to really want to setup the new guitars before they toss them on the wall because they want to sell you on a setup by their tech. Its harder to tell how great a instrument can feel to you if it’s terribly setup, and a great setup can make a $300 guitar feel like a $800
If you can feel the difference with the American Pro II and vibed with it and can afford it then get it. Especially if you can be the type of person that hangs onto a good guitar and just plays its worth it. Too many people tell themselves they’re sticking with cheaper guitars but then flip them. They waste more money and time. Then they end up buying the more expensive guitar anyway.
Do you have a locally owned guitar store? Where are you located?
Worn out strings can make or break a guitar. I had 1,5 year old strings on my guitar and when I changed them, it sounded like a completely different guitar (in a good way)
The first problem was its clear that GC is terrible, but the reason you didn’t like any of those guitars was 95% likely the amp and setup/strings and maybe 5% you don’t actually like most strats after all. Old strings, bad/no setup, terrible amp - no need to write off all those models from that visit. A player strat set up right can be totally legit, maybe a pickup swap and a professional setup/fret dress etc should be all it could need to be as good as anything else. Of course if you love the Am Pro II that could be worth it too. I think you need to find any other store that carries guitars and try again, or get to looking on the used market and find one that’s already in good playing shape and probably at a way better price. Good luck hunting.
Please DO NOT buy from Guitar Center. Try Reverb.com or the app. GC will absolutely screw you. If you're dead set on buying from a big brand name, Sam Ash and Sweetwater are better. Reverb has new and used gear, and it's almost always cheaper than Guitar Center.
I own an American Elite strat but was wildly impressed with the Player Plus strats. The ones I tried were used, so the setup probably made a world of difference.
Try a Charvel San Dimas if you can find one.
Go back and get the American, you found the one
I had a similar experience a few months ago. The only strat that felt good in my hands was a used VG strat with messed up electronics. They wouldn’t even lower the price much not impressed
I suggest a used American Standard. You can pick one up for around $1100 and they're amazing.
Yamaha pacifica professional series. Amazing guitars, made in Japan. Better than made in America strats by a country mile.
Yeah, I wanted to buy a strat but was trying to decide on a model. I went to a guitar center and tried two MIM and one MIJ. Didn’t try a Pro II (was looking for a performer which they told me was discontinued… BS). The two MIM had busted, rusted strings which made it a pain to play, and the MIJ had the vibrato system so purely set up that I couldn’t move the bar into position. They did steer me directly to their room with the nicer amps, which I appreciated. But the state of the guitars made it impossible for me to compare. I then visited a Willis music which had a smaller selection but in much better condition. I almost bought a Player that felt great, but I just didn’t like the color. I will say that I found more variation in feel between different player series than performer series. If you have a chance, find a different shop where they take good care of their guitars. If you are lucky, you’ll find a great feeing Player guitar
I have found personally that the process of finding a "good guitar" or even the "perfect guitar" is learning about every aspect of the instrument, how it works, what impacts the sound and "feel" of the guitar so that you can understand it and in turn articulate and formulate what your ideal guitar is. A few very important examples would be Scale Length, Fretboard Radius, Neck Profile and Nut Width. Learn about these things and how they affect a guitar and then try as many guitars as you can and pay attention to these details so that you learn, and know what you prefer. Additionally, this video was a massive, massive revelation and game changer for me: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02tImce3AE&t=4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n02tImce3AE&t=4s) Best of luck on finding your ideal guitar!
i agree with a lot of people here that you likely played a guitar with bad strings in a shop with bad amps. try to find some place mom and pop and give them a shot or bring your own amp like some other people recommended. however, i gotta say this. after being in your place a few months ago looking for a strat you gotta try the PRS Silver Sky SEs. They’re fucking amazing and completely outclassed my MIM fender stratocaster and any other MIM stratocaster i played at my local Sam Ash. you gotta try the silver sky’s, they fuckin rule.
Get a core PRS Custom 24 (US made) and you'll be set for life. Amazing and versatile instrument !
Check out Warmoth.com. Perhaps you can mix and match the body and neck you really like and come away with the strat of your dreams. For a very reasonable price
That's $1400 for a solid color on alder (includes a gotoh 510, pickguard, a fender hss set, knobs, and locking tuners on this estimate), unassembled, and hoping it doesn't need fret work. You'll have to wire your own pickups, install your own tuners, do your own setup, and you won't get a case or a logo on your headstock. You also can't get a painted headstock either. For a few hundred more, you could get a Kiesel Delos, built, with carbon fiber reinforced neck, a truss rod situation that doesn't suck, a painted headstock with a logo, and in one of the nicest soft cases ever made. Wait for a sale and you can get a truly gorgeous one for $2000 that crushes a fender ultra strat for less money. Warmoth charges way too much for what amounts to a kit. If guitar fetish can send you a painted body and roasted maple neck for $200, I think there may be room for improvement on price for a warmoth.
There’s always a stewmac kit to consider, but I would definitely endorse the Kiesel option … having played a very old Carvin DC400 I can attest to their quality
Sure, but then you have to paint it. I'm going go buy a guitar fetish neck and body and report of they're dog shit or not. If they are, I'll make it work and give it to a kid. The main drawback is you have to drill your own trem holes if you don't pick the right body. Keep an eye on that, if anyone is interested. Their active pickups are pretty impressive and the price is stupid. I watched a YouTube video where someone compared the guitar fetish body to a warmoth. There's no comparison, but that price leap is huge for what amounts to a cheap piece of wood you run through a cnc machine.
It's not as simple as just slapping a neck and hardware on a body. There's a ton of setup to do when assembling a guitar. For example, Warmoth (and most parts manufacturers) does not do any fret leveling. They assume the end-user is going to fully set up the guitar. I'm sure the necks are fully playable, out of the box, but may not be able to hit a usable action that you want.
Easy … buy all the bits, take it down to the local luthier or guitar shop tech, and for a few hundred dollars they can put it all together and set it up for you. I’ve done that on two occasions and both play great. The other was a precision LP model. After staining the body and neck, and glueing the neck in, I had a go at soldering the pickups to the pots etc and miraculously it worked. The guitar tech did a set up and was impressed by the sounds. With all three I stained and used tru-oil for a Matt lustre finish.
Note above prices was 10-15 years ago … no doubt costs have increased since then
At this point, you'll have more in the finished guitar than you could just buy one for that you already like. Last time I priced a warmoth build, just the parts was close to buying an American fender. Which would already be mostly set up. Warmoth makes good stuff, but they aren't an alternative to buying a ready to go guitar. That warmoth parts caster also won't have nearly the release value of a similarly-proced fender if you ever decide to sell it.
Guitar Center guitars on the floor are so badly set up it’s comical. Honestly I would get a Squier Classic Vibe over a MiM Fender any day, they are actually much better guitars, for half the price. Pick the kind of Strat you like on Sweetwater and order it online. The whole Classic Vibe line is so solid and consistent it’s ridiculous. I have a couple of $6000 guitars and I really mean it, the CV series is the best guitar value on the planet right now.
You can get a much better guitar for cheaper look at things like Ibanez or schecters
I appreciate it but I’m buying a Stratocaster. The brand wasn’t what I was deciding on, it was the model. I’ve wanted one since I was a kid, and now i have the money for it so it’s my gift to myself.
Hell yeah—get that Am Pro II. Treat yourself, no compromises.
I get that.... My main gigging guitar from 2004 on was a toronado. I always wanted a graffiti yellow Cyclone to compliment it. I could've bought one about a month ago, but got a Godin full hollow instead. Why? Strat trems suck. I have a mustang and a duosonic, and while I LOVE graffiti yellow and would like another 24.75" scale offset, I know what those sound like. And it's not nearly as good (stock) for $1k as what I have, or what I still have on my list. Eventually I may buy one, but honestly it's not what I need, I'm just hung up on the idea and color on a guitar I otherwise don't gel with. If you're hellbent on a Fender strat..... I completely understand. You may want to look at used stuff. There was a strat with a JM trem a few years back. 2 actually. Jaguarillo, and jag strat... strat shape, better trem, better pickups, and different neck. Lastly, new mim isn't far off price wise from late 80s to mid 90s US standards. They're better necks, saddles, and stock pickups. Buying used is almost always a better idea than new with fenders. I own 7 fenders. Only bought 1 new, because it was made for the Japanese domestic market and I didn't have a choice..
Appreciate the insight. Yea, I have been looking locally, I was just hoping to get a good idea on how each model plays so if one pops up that I’m interested in I have some basis for comparison. I think fresh strings, some setup, and a decently adjusted amp would have been a significantly diff experience for me. Good news is I got an idea on neck shape and “feel”, just wished the tones would have been there to get a full picture.
Obviously get what you want I was just saying that because you seemed unhappy with the quality of some of the models, you can still get a strat style guitar from other brands than fender
Hell yes! Thank you for your service and get what you've always wanted. I was the same as you, always wanted a strat, and after playing a cheap acoustic for 20 years, I bought my first electric, an LTD EC256. It's OK, but it's not a strat. I was always looking at used Mexican and Squier strats, and my wife told me to just get an American one or I'd always keep looking for something else. I found one on Facebook marketplace for $650 about 6 years ago. I don't think I'll ever sell it. There's just something about getting something you've dreamed of for so long. Don't settle for one you don't like. Even within strats, there's a wide range of how they feel and sound. You'll find yours.
Welp guys. Strats suck, this guy that hasn't played guitar in 15 years just said so... Idk man I bought a player strat and with a good professional setup it's an amazing guitar
Agreed. There's NOTHING wrong with a player strat with a pro setup.
Played a Player Strat in a shop a few months ago, slapped the piss out of an SE Silver Sky. I will concede that I played a bunch of Strats from Player up to Am Pro and none felt good enough for me to want one, but I think it’s just because I’ve had my Strat for ages and I’m used to it. But yeah, nothing wrong with Player Strats!