Blindfold Fender Strat Challenge - Can We Tell a £300 Guitar from a £3000 one?!?

[@TheHerpieDerpies]

I would get 4 identical strats and sit around and laugh while they point out differences.

[@icedbear]

You could just give them the same guitar four times.

[@JesusChrist-be9uz]

oh my god they should do that

[@TheHerpieDerpies]

Toxic Potato They wouldn't really feel different, as the guitars would have the same finish, the same frets, the same woods (although wood density can change) and they would have gone through the same quality control and setup before being shipped. There is not much room for differences when a big company like fender make, let's say, 10000 guitars.

[@lentil5176]

+Dan Friedman However, all pickups sound different. No matter what, any and all pickups even of the same model will not sound 100% the same

[@francisjrn01]

Evil but clever. Clever still. Haha.

[@walkerharris2662]

"the problem with cheap strats is that they are made so well" -Rob Chapman

[@designerguitar]

Then there is no problem with cheap strats !

[@newthrash1221]

Mike Wood That’s the joke.

[@panzerlieb]

Mike Wood very few. And nothing that isn’t correctable

[@GsNoBs]

Mike Wood woosh

[@jake2355]

Classic Vibe + Grover tuners + New pickups or loaded pickguard by CustomShop, Vintage reissue, Lollar, BareKnuckle or Dimarzio. You now have a guitar that will match or beat any CustomShop in a blind test for a fraction of the price.

[@ericy4522]

Video definitely needed some caption graphics. Here's my rough summary: Stratocasters - Gloss Neck, No Frills, No relic-ing, single coil 1) Japanese “Texas Special” in Candy Apple Red (Lee thinks maybe Deluxe Line from Fender?) £699 - similar smooth lacquer to gloss neck similar to 50’s Classic Vibe:- Heavy?? Good sounding, not noiseless, vintagey pickups. Skinny frets. Rob guesses £600 to £700, but changes to £1000 to £1200 later. Lee guesses black 70’s Strat and £800 to £900. 2) New Old Stock (NOS) “Standard American” Custom Shop - Sunburst Brown - pearl tuners £2207:-Much lighter weight. Warmer & louder acoustically. Rob guesses cheaper. Maybe Mexican standard? £500-ish? Lee says nice rolled edges. Unusual pickup wiring. Lee prefers sound, not necessarily better. Different. Similar price, or cheaper than first guitar? £600 to 700? 3) Artisan Okoume - subtle sunburst Dark Brown body, neck & head - Custom Shop £2717 Gloss Neck. - Lighterweight - might feel like the Squier:- Very bright. Rob likes feel. Thinks most expensive. ~£3K custom shop. Unusual tone. Lee likes nicest knobs, and the nicest sound. Doesn’t think any of guitars are custom shops so far! Mid-pricey £700 to 800? 4) Squier 3-tone Sunburst Brown - John Mayer inspired “60’s Classic Vibe” Gloss Neck £374:- Rob thinks custom shop! Lee least rolled edges, and heaviest most frictiony knobs by some distance. Quite noisy pickups. Quite bright even on neck pickup. Rob - Feels nicest, sounds cheapest. Lee - Nice to play. None of the guitars felt rank or cheap cheap. Rob thinks sounds cheapest, most affordable. Lee says sounds thinnest. But great to play. Nice & light weight wise though. Correct descending price order 3, 2, 1, 4 Lee went 2, 1, 3, 4 Rob got it right 3, 2, 1, 4 Both got price of 2 way wrong. Rob got price of 3 right, and Lee got price of 3 way wrong. Rob got price of 1 wrong on second guess. Lee was close.

[@Bramble451]

So Lee only got one out of order. I think the important takeaway is how much trouble they had distinguishing expensive from cheap. I guess the only significant difference is the quality of the parts rather than the quality of the sound.

[@LiveMusicOntario]

Yeah. For the love of God, just hang some extra large "The Price Is Right" tags on the necks once the goggles are off with 3 parameters - TRUE PRICE / RANKING Punter A / RANKING Punter B and you save 5 minutes of noodling who picked which for what confusion

[@caahacky]

Thanks Eric

[@Ervin-1190]

Exactly, great comment. I made the same list by price and what they picked while watching and noticed Rob got it right. The best thing would be if the editor put it in there himself, it would make the vid easier to follow. Could have added the prices in there too, so we wouldn't have to skip back and forth to check them when they were being picked. I think this is good advice for next videos (even though this is an older vid).

[@Pimp-Master]

I hope the next time they do a video like this it’s half the running time and full of graphics.

[@nicolasbascunan4013]

25:55 plays Squier: "This is a custom shop"

[@flippy7035]

Nicolás Bascuñán that shows you how much quality you can get for not too much money

[@StratMatt777]

@@flippy7035 And you could put some affordable, fantastic sounding, Fender Original '57/'62 pickups in that Squire.

[@zac1002]

I almost cried when he said that 🤣

[@macmuggo5459]

StratMatt777 that’s what I might do now unless I get a g&l

[@dannypickering9138]

@@StratMatt777 Why bother when the stock Pickups sound better! I've owned guitars with both 57/62 and stick toneriders in the CV's and they honestly sound and feel better...

[@jamie1234591]

Hats off to Rabea for his thoughtful prep - made all the difference!

[@TomBarnesmediathink]

Set-up tech gets nowhere near the credit they deserve

[@renatonteixeira]

Rob on the Squier, "This is a custom shop" xD

[@TMmodify]

he did the same with Teles a while ago.

[@GogiRegion]

And that is why I chose a 60s Classic Vibe (Not because of this video, but it's quality).

[@arschflugkoerper007]

The CV series is really really good. They dont compare to any squier bullet or affinity strat.

[@weaselamy8047]

renatonteixeira Exactly XD

[@davehilling3944]

yeah but then at the end he said it was the cheapest.

[@Metal-Possum]

If I remember correctly, Mexican strats are made in Mexico, and American strats are made in America, by Mexicans.

[@blueworm2341]

LOL

[@shaggisthrum]

I had a family friend who worked at the Fender shop in RI. He's Dutch, and a hell of a carpenter/technician. He also built archtop jazz guitars. They gave him the option of going to MX to teach them how to do his job ...

[@dolphouselbanouranus8470]

If the Mexican is a high end carpenter sure. Quality is what matters

[@SnakeHouseExotics]

Matt Mitchell hey Matt pleased to meet another Matt Mitchell, especially one with interests in guitar. By the way I am a high end carpenter and cabinet maker and also guitar builder ;-)

[@martijnkemperman7689]

In corona arizona, which is practically mexico

[@casual35]

Would be interesting if he kept handing them the same guitar.

[@MASTER3XPL0D3R7]

Please do this next time. Tell them you're testing out 4 guitars and actually only give them 3, and repeat one of them. Would be jokes if they don't notice.

[@woolgum]

😂

[@joaopaco9825]

They would know

[@nsc217]

😂😂

[@chivalryalive]

João Paçó -- Yeah... I think THEY would know as well! Guitarists and pianists amaze me! I grew up playing trumpet, marching trombone and euphonium... Each of which is b-flat, three valved brass instrument. The 'hand work' is simple or child-like compared to how these men, or others, can handle a guitar. The only difference for the wind instruments is that the 'magic' is in your mouth or your lips. -- Which is fine and dandy... Until you get blasted in the mouth by something solid! (I had just beat a young woman out of first-chair euphonium, got to sit there for only one concert performance before I injured my mouth in an accident.) :-(

[@Sc0teeBe318]

I love how when Rob plays the Squier he immediately shouts out that it's a custom shop! That just goes to show how well the Squiers are made now. If you put some Fender Texas Special pickups or something in there I bet it would've thrown them off even more. I bet you could upgrade the electronics and hardware and get a trusted luthier to roll the edges more and you'd have a custom shop for a lot less!

[@donharmuth776]

That's what I'm doing with my squier mustang. I love the feel of the body so I'm just getting some fret work done and adding my pickups of choice. Down the line I could get a custom neck for $300 and it would be a damn neat perfect guitar for under a grand

[@LeelandCopeland]

Should have had a secret "Hello Kitty" Strat shipped in just to make them play it on video....

[@franklindumago4923]

I like hello kitty acoustics much more.

[@moleman1961]

Jerry Mitchell I love my Hello Kitty!

[@xTREMEZY]

give them the same strat 4 times, say it's 4 different guitars grab some popcorn and enjoy :D

[@resisaputra269]

lol.. that will be fun

[@blainemorin]

i bet they would know they were all the same by the end of it.

[@resisaputra269]

+Blaine Morin to be honest i can only tell good guitars (for me) by the shape of the neck.. squier classic vibe and fender american standard sounds the same to me lol..

[@xTREMEZY]

Resi Saputra the standard sounds a bit warmer to me, well I'd still use the classic vibe, especially when I run it through my pedalboard lol

[@MrNalettinho]

Most of the perception of quality comes from the name, if you play the same instrument 4 times in a blind test to an audition of listeners and tell them that one is a cheap chinese strat, one is a squier, one is a fender standard MIM and 1 is a custom shop and ask them to grade the sounds from 0 - 10, they will probably grade better by quality, even though they're all the same guitar.

[@ScottPC]

When they pick up each guitar could you put the model and price so us less smart viewers know? ;)

[@gregworden7538]

seconded

[@mmieskon]

Yeah, that would be really nice!

[@Kasparow]

or just watch the first 9 minutes attentive

[@ScottPC]

Kasparow I did. I just don't have a notepad to jot down what one is what so I know. It would be a million times easier with quick editing for everyone!

[@94nolo]

Kasparow Not all of us have a half an hour in our days to blow on one video and must skip to the chase.

[@Mitchnagel58]

I bought Bobby one of those Fender Stratocasters last week, it said Bullet on the headstock so you know it's gotta be good. Boy can't even play the first Van Halen album front to back. That boy ain't right, I'll tell ya what.

[@ddelopkwapn5985]

How do you comment on everything so fast and like all the time ?

[@jaumecasanova551]

Man you are everywhere...

[@owenhu9465]

yes! hank is fucking everywhere i swear

[@Mitchnagel58]

Hank Hill​ You're a phony, a big damn phony!

[@Mitchnagel58]

Jay Ward​ Bobby introduced me to the Mountain Dew and this here Internet. Now I sleep 3 hours a day and never leave my house. I just scour the Internet and I have many opinions.

[@eric_4723]

Did Chappers just assume my fender

[@bendelaughter]

Eric_472 44444 Not enough Upvotes

[@SG-_-245]

Benjamin DeLaughter called likes u dumbass

[@tehking23]

I’m triggered!

[@m00plank90]

I'm fenderfluid. I'm not defined by one particular fender. Today, I'm a stratocaster. Yesterday I was a 57 tele

[@walkerharris2662]

Good one

[@Phoenix-ox2jr]

Plays squire for a good 15 seconds "this is a custom shop"

[@FullMetalGuitar]

Lmao

[@hansolo5206]

That third guitar is absolutely beautiful.

[@Leonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn]

Second one for me

[@pssed]

OK! For all the viewers out there (and for science), I've listed the actual price and their guesses. These are the guesses they've made right after they've put the guitars down. The lists they made right before they took their blindfolds off were quite different :) It goes: actual price / chappers / captain SPOILERS AHEAD------------------- 1) texas special 699£ / 1000-1200£ / 800-900£ 2) NOS 2207£ / 500-600£ / 600-700£ 3)artisan okoume 2717£ / around 3000£ / 700-800£ 4) squier 374£ / both said it was the most affordable

[@simon_patterson]

Thank you kind sir!

[@holliswebb]

Hero. Thank you

[@MalcolmPowder]

Great video, made doubly great by Rabea picking such a clever selection of Strats.

[@marklowe7431]

I just see Brian May laughing him ass off and grinning as he remembers building his guitar out of furniture and old motorbike parts. I think his career did ok with it too.

[@gagequinn1438]

"Good quality feeling knobs"- Lee Anderton

[@AndrewAHayes]

He must have felt a fair few Knobs to able to tell a good knob from a bad knob Fnar...Fnar!!!.... LOL

[@knownuser0815]

plays a Squier "It's a custom shop" :D

[@TheBradminer]

Hungry Hungarian I've now decided to never buy a guitar over $600

[@tobiastk5391]

That artisan strat is FANTASTIC looking!

[@gregworden7538]

+sasafraz15 more like prettiest anything I've ever seen

[@mattsnyder4754]

+Greg Worden it's a close race between that one and the all rosewood tele that they put out a couple months ago.

[@guilhermeb.2964]

Agreed!

[@cerulean--]

What's it called? I can't seem to find it on the artisan section.

[@cerulean--]

Got it. It's an Okoume.

[@lawrenceoliver9827]

now take the cheapest strat and upgrade it with store bought parts so it plays like a custom shop then vs it against the most expensive

[@src248]

They've done a mod a cheap guitar video

[@soofitnsexy]

yeah but as soon as you change things up it starts to get more and more expensive

[@danieldoenut]

+Rocco Astoria true, but buying the parts over time doesn't end up being as expensive and also, the value of the guitar would not go up very much since it's custom and no one wants a guitar that was custom made for you unless you're some sort of legend everyone tries to imitate.

[@soofitnsexy]

Daniel Cano exactly just buy what you love and can afford....I have a les paul that was 6000 dollars and have a mexican strat as well!

[@oisinmcphillips2090]

upgrades rarely affect playability. except scallops or neck RE-finishing

[@freerkottema]

You ‘ll hear the difference.......until the drummer kicks in....

[@camerondarnell3399]

Video starts at 0:00

[@3GCMusic]

Cameron Darnell 😂😂😂

[@ashtondeakin72]

Thank you so much, you da real MVP

[@wilhelmtheconquerer6214]

Oh really?! I honestly thought it started at 36:50😅 Oh well, the more you know...

[@kabirbhattacharya]

Thanks man!!! You saved me so much time

[@lizzdonaldson6958]

Cameron Darnell I s xz hhhg

[@hansolo5206]

Goals: being so familiar with guitars that you can play blindfolded.

[@damenhebblethwaite9812]

Fr?

[@Jremi95]

Guitar playing is completely muscle memory. Once youve been playing a while it isn't hard to do at all

[@gaineyproductions2725]

This is hard for people? I play with eyes closed or my eyes on bandmates always.

[@chasefrancis1947]

Han Solo it’s not hard, most playing is relative to the last note

[@Gr8Layks]

​@@gaineyproductions2725 Good for you, douchebag. Enjoy your only superpower.

[@ChandelierLeBlair]

"this is a custom shop" 1 Min later "yes this is the most affordable one"

[@alexnelson8]

Blair Corbett that’s because he listened instead of played.

[@Thirdgen83]

Yeah, he couldn't tell by feel, but the sound gave it away.

[@shanekeat7473]

I made my own one and put genuine fender custom shop '54s and blindfolded my mate, he picked it as an expensive fender, it cost me 200usd to make. Its all in the pickups

[@lowpricedpaint]

The neck plate gives it away. All you have to do is feel it, and you know.

[@brolldaily]

rule nr 2

[@FlourescentPotato]

Lol, you clearly have no clue how good a £300 guitar can be.

[@lowpricedpaint]

FlourescentPotato It's not that hard to figure out. This whole thing is a sham. They try to get you believe that there's not much difference, but there is a huge difference between a Squire and a custom shop.

[@Frodo7241]

again check out their video about law of diminishing returns. It states that as price increases, the amount of change in quality decreases. and yes you are right though that the differences between a squire and a custom shop are noticeable but did they not pick out the squire from the custom shop. All they said was that for the price tag it had it was a very good guitar and I would tend to agree that squires are not bad but they could still tell the difference

[@Altroante]

If it was that easy, they would be able to tell the difference between all guitars (except maybe two custom shops) right away. You seem to have never played a good affordable guitar. I have a 300$ guitar and it feels better than some of the 600$+ guitars I've played, and certainly doesn't fall in any of the 'cheap guitar categories' you've described here.

[@nonyabusiness665]

Third one was the best. Simply beautiful guitar.

[@GenosGlory]

AwpitheAwper I liked the first one as well

[@jto541]

Rob was right on the 3rd one. It was too harsh, but it could have sounded much better with some tone shaping. Aesthetically though it looked beautiful.

[@shorerocks]

I love it when the Captain (as the Brits do) says "To be completely honest with you". So the conclusion is the rest of the day speaking something truthfull is kinda... optional? ;-) Seriously, love your vids guys! Cheers from Germany.

[@3.k]

The rest may or may not contain "alternative facts." ;)

[@jcsk8]

"a vintage correct expensivve guitar or it´s just a Squier"... Just saying...

[@devs3720]

Gert Visser For example?

[@devs3720]

Gert Visser bro against what

[@Julianjahbless]

25:58 *plays the classic vibe* "This is a custom shop" lmao that proves how well made are those guitars

[@TheEchelon]

Later he could hear the difference and Lee could obviously feel the difference.

[@purebluejapan-]

I have no idea why I watched this video. I dont know how to play guitar. I don't even know what type of guitars these are called. I want to say electric but with all the fancy words used in this video I'm not sure lol. Either way, interesting video.

[@MostLikelyMortal]

Welcome to the guitar nerds' world, where we live, breathe, and eat guitar gear

[@killmeh4124]

the type in this Video is an Electric Fender stratocaster with Single coil pickups need more fancy words? p.s strat is short for stratocaster

[@walterkersting9922]

Potential go buy Strat, your cool quotient will skyrocket.

[@ravenjames3873]

you can't be that dumb, of course there electric guitars what else would they be.

[@MattJoyce01]

Same, came by accident, no subject knowledge, watched the whole thing and enjoyed it.

[@Saltee]

CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE FROM A 2,999 POUND GUITAR AND A 3,000 POUND GUITAR

[@AtariForeva]

Yes, it's exactly one pound.

[@nickreyes6718]

Salt_e yeah one's a bit heavier than the other but they're both pretty heavy

[@rebellane]

But can u tell a difference between an exactly same guitar lol

[@cheroberts8958]

Fuck those are heavy

[@TheBSideDJ]

not if you have to pick it up with your car in another shop, and you have to take the consumption of your gaz in account.

[@Gixer750pilot]

“It’s so bright it has to be some custom woods”. That’s solved the does wood matter argument !!!!

[@REVVINGRODNEY]

Can you put the guitar model on screen for us to see ! Not up on Fenders so didn't know which one was which lol

[@fearzzgistoz]

Description.

[@FraserHealVideo]

They're not in order though. It gets a bit repetitive when you don't know what they are actually playing. A simple on screen title will solve it.

[@fearzzgistoz]

Fraser Heal Look at the images, you can clearly see which guitar is which.

[@REVVINGRODNEY]

+Zhaynt just saying that giving on screen guitar models would make the vid more enjoyable !

[@fearzzgistoz]

Yes of course it's easier that way, but it will take a lot more time for them to edit the video. It's easier to just put the guitars in the description. :)

[@fritsvanzanten3573]

Apparently: as for Strats, playing one takes 400 quid, a very good sound another 300 and the rest you pay is for looks and the feeling of the knobs.

[@TMmodify]

that sums it up pretty well.

[@alphajames33]

Do more like this, please. Next video, do the same with Ibabez or Gibson and Epiphone. Cheers.

[@maxmelo329]

They already did Gibson and epiphone

[@alphajames33]

+The Brainiac I know. I wanna see a new one. Don't you?

[@JohnJohnson-op4gq]

They should do Ibanez and PRS

[@leehodge2415]

nah man, i wanna see them on craigslist with a budget of $1000 to get a rig for a gig. if they change anything in epi or gibi then yeah, lets do another. artist tone pedal matchup. 5 pedals to match the tone of.... stuff like that would be cool i would like to see them take 4 crappy 90's guitars and upgrade with modern pig iron roller stuff and locking tuners, neck reprofile or scallop. then wait like check back in from year to year to see how they hold up.

[@alphajames33]

+Austin Washington PRS. I'm in for that, too. Also, they can compare let's say a Gibson 50's or 60's tribute, which are almost entry level, with an expensive custom standart with Koa wood, or something...Or with a signature expensive one like Gary Moore's or something like that.

[@DrummerDanVa]

Being a drummer I found this interesting. I think the difference in quality between the cheaper musical instrument and the much more expensive instrument is much less than 30 - 40 years ago. Better instruments use better parts and will last longer, but the manufacturing process is probably getting close. A lot of really spending a lot on an instrument is kind of a bragging rights thing. And do you really want to take a really expensive instrument to a gig in a smoky bar with a bunch of drunks? Most drummers don't.

[@thedominator4796]

DrummerDanVa Amen

[@markjaeckel2633]

agreed!

[@beanie3483]

Damn I really learned something from this video! When I’m buying guitars and gear I go straight to the most expensive, thinking that’s the best. Clearly I was wrong! Never judge a book by its cover! Great video🤟🏻

[@gnstallientood5007]

theres a cool video on a guy who reviews a 100$ monoprice guitar, indio classic. check it

[@owenhu9465]

Please get pete and bea to do a blind fold challenge!

[@mikes062]

Yes, that's a good idea!! Could use mick too!

[@leehodge2415]

the b team? nah great as is. bea is my fav and i love that we go behind the scenes with him.

[@MatthewHolland1]

make them do ES-335s

[@acoustic1688]

they should SGs or Explorers

[@slvsq]

who's pete ?

[@DannySykess]

Mate you got to do Epiphone SG vs Gibson SG

[@musicunicorn4368]

Yes

[@OnDaBeatBoy]

That is so easy, like night and day when it comes to playability. Maybe just for sound it would be interesting

[@yesto9676]

too ez lmao

[@frego16]

They already did. I think this is the easiest guitar to find out which one is the Gibson and wich one is the Epiphone. I tested it blinded by my self.

[@StevenCryar]

Danny Sykes yeah it's a lot easier to tell the difference between a Gibson and an Epiphone than it is with the different qualities of fenders and Squires

[@lennart3445]

!CHALLENGE! Try to relic a cheap Fender strat to make it look like an expensive customshop!

[@DavidRFIT]

Tonewood warning at 23:05

[@roughpuppies1690]

you mean when hits the guitar on the nail by judging from the kind of wood?

[@cosmocalypse3708]

I think that part was staged. It's a ploy. Get Rob to sell you on tone woods AND to claim the Squier feels like a Custom.

[@johndeeregreen4592]

Any idiot can understand how the tones do get reinforced or attenuated within the wood and the strings can have these tones canceled or improved via this process. But, I guess, you're not any idiot; you're a special kind of stupid.

[@cosmocalypse3708]

John Green Do electromagnetic pickups pickup the sound of wood? Idiot...

[@nitrobw1]

Why would they stage the idea that squiers are as good as custom shops? That would mean they sell fewer custom shops.

[@anthonyc1883]

Love it, guys. I apologize if I missed it---or if others in this very large comments section have already said it--but some basic on-screen graphic/wording from time-to-time during the course of the video would really help the viewer keep track of which is which. Thank you.

[@SassyPantsy]

this just comes to prove that Japanese strats are the best

[@TMmodify]

yes they are

[@NicholasMedrek]

As a teen, that's good to know! Now I know what to keep my eyes on! Thanks man!

[@RobThunder42]

They are great for sure! When I was in Japan I played a strat that was priced around $500 and I sounded just as good as the $1200 American Standards here.

[@ofensywnyrondel8610]

The first one is my favourite to :)

[@JimSlimjimCassi]

I own a 84 MIJ, and love it. To me, the neck feels a bit flatter, and it's a thin D shape, more of a shredder type of neck.

[@joelhoo3226]

I'm glad Rob picked the Jap Strat as his favorite. I have a Texas Special 62 re-issue Crafted in Japan(1988) Candy Apple Red. It was my first ever Electric guitar and even though I now have a Gibson SG Angus Sig and an ESP LTD Kirk Hammett Sig.. My Jap Strat is the one I keep going back to. Although it could just be the hours I've put into it.

[@Tuukkis]

Joel Hoo So you have 2 heavier rock oriented guitars and 1 all rounder. Why did you get the heavy style sticks if you keep going back to the nice Fender? 😂

[@davids.816]

Why didn't you do Squier, Mex, American, and custom?

[@Esraug9012]

David S. Mexican and American fenders are basically the same. The two factories get all the same parts. They’re essentially the same guitar, IMHO

[@aaronthomas5021]

@@Esraug9012 not true, the build quality is completely different. I played a Mexican for the past 5 years and upon transitioning to the American, I could really feel the difference. The tone is just so much better and the playability is unmatched. Also they are not made of the same materials, if you do your research, you can see that Mexicans use cheaper wood and have cheaper pickup quality, it is a great starting guitar but incomparable to a proper American standard.

[@StratMatt777]

@@aaronthomas5021 I would bet that the tone is better because of the pickups, volume and tone potentiometer quality and the tremelo tone block material (weight) and probably also the quality/density of the bridge and saddles. Do you think that makes sense or do you think the difference is primarily the wood?

[@aaronthomas5021]

@@StratMatt777 Definitely, but the wood will also play a huge factor in the uniqueness of the guitar.

[@Bramble451]

I think the whole point is how much of it is mental and how much can you really hear the difference. From what I've seen, experts in musical instruments and wine, once blindfolded, can rarely tell the difference between expensive and cheap.

[@51MontyPython]

1st Guitar (Texas Special MIJ -- 2nd least (and 3rd most) expensive; about 450 quid): Rob: 10:56, 11:11 Bridge; 11:17 2nd; 11:20 middle; 11:21 4th; 11:23 neck; 11:26 bridge Captain: 12:45 neck; 12:48 4th (or middle?); 12:50 2nd? (or middle? or bridge? ...can't tell); 12:57 neck; 13:11 bridge >> 13:13, 13:16 neck Guitar 2 (Standard American Custom -- 2nd most expensive, ): Rob: 15:19 neck; 15:21 bridge; 15:44 neck; 16:03 4th; 16:10 middle Captain: 17:57 4th; 18:21 neck; 19:03, 19:10 bridge; 19:12, 19:23, 19:35 neck Guitar 3 (Artisan -- most expensive, 2,717 quid): Rob: 20:34, 20:52 4th; 20:39 middle; 21:10 bridge Captain: 21:49 neck; 22:09, 22:47 4th; 22:58, 23:08 bridge; 23:25 2nd Guitar 4 (Classic Vibe Squier -- Cheapest): Rob: 25:31 bridge; 25:35 25:53, 26:08 neck; 26:21 bridge Captain: 26:55, 28:00 neck;

[@chefmark1751]

I want them to throw up the info when they play!

[@grabber_blu_angel]

I'd like to see a PRS SE 245, SC 245, and SC 250 comparison.

[@LlamaCam23]

Same here that would be an interesting comparison

[@Twuntt]

yess! PRS range comparison!

[@geecen]

Shame you didn't iclude the Mexican one too - it seems just the sweet spot in price for a lot of people and many would be interested about where it sits vs American and Classic vibe. Good video though, thanks.

[@duct.q.4402]

geecen I agree with you, but if I had a budget for a new mex std. i'd buy a used japanese or american strat.

[@geecen]

True. There are so many nice Japanese guitars on ebay. I saw a Blade S type for like £450. These are over a grand new, and apparently super nice if that's your thing.

[@GuyIncognito486]

Is the Mexican available with a lacquered neck? I mean the Mexican standard, not the Player's series.

[@sonicwingnut]

"It feels expensive but it sounds cheap" So there's your answer - buy a Squier and put some expensive pickups in it. I'm left handed so Fender actually physically hate me, so been buying Revelations, getting the setup right and customising the shit out of them.

[@vladi7441]

9:03 my heart skipped a beat when the captain almost knocked that customshop strat off the stand!

[@KrumpusPlunk]

Man I could just sit here and listen to these guys all day long. Wait, that's exactly what i`m doing!

[@damez-tv1fj]

Do Epiphone and Gibson next!

[@Checkyoselfb4]

They already did

[@damez-tv1fj]

+RossHouston oops sorry

[@DerEchteBold]

They also did this one before, so maybe they think about a remake of the Gibson challenge as well.

[@StepOnLegos1]

+donepearce well do it again

[@Tcrumpen]

They've done that already

[@iwillnevergetone5]

if even for a second one of the more expensive guits feel "cheaper" to them than one that actually costs less, that instantly delegitimizes having such high costing guitars. Like the part where Rob mistook the 2,207 quid Custom strat for a MIM standard.. that's such a slap in the face haha what does that say about actual quality vs. price points. They both pretty much agreed that based on blind feel and sound, the one that cost 2,207 was in no way, worth the expensive price ..yikes.. haha and he called the squier a custom shop. that's part of the very reason my main guit is a squier. simply put, price does not equal quality.

[@furbymetal83]

Yeap. When he said "this is a custom shop" when he picked up the 4th one, I was like fuck it, I m getting a squier.

[@DavidTopazDaddy91]

Hahaha, good points :p It's generally agreed by most that the gap in quality isn't exactly equal to the gap in price, and that gap closes the higher in prices you go. The biggest difference is between Squier and MiM guitars. Once you get to MiM - MiA - CS, that gap is very small, and the price gap is unjustified Difference between MiA and CS? Almost none- Slightly better QC, more attention to detail, maybe unique pickups. Difference between MiM and MiA? Very small- Maybe slightly better QC, standard single coil / CS pickups. Difference between Squier and MiM? Significant- Pickup quality, woods, hardware, attention to detail

[@Tcflohr]

It just shoes how powerful the power of suggestion is and how difficult it can be to be objective. Also just in the vacuum of 4 guitars only, and they were clearly expecting a mim somewhere in the line so they rationalized their experience to fit within their expectations.

[@iwillnevergetone5]

Everyone is making good points here. for the last two years, my #1 that i play weekly shows with has been my J. Mascis squier. it was already nearly perfect, and the only upgrades i made were cosmetic & i still spent less than i would've on another upscale model

[@Tcflohr]

Darrien Day love the j mascis Squier. I can't find anything that comes close to my gibby lp Jr playability wise. I paid around 475 for it and haven't need anything since. I'm still dying for an excuse to get the j mascis.

[@adsensedd]

The guy on the right gets a much better tone out of every guitar. All in the hands.

[@DeathByOstrich]

I upvoted you because I thought the same thing. Even though the Squire did sound thin, he still made it sound better.

[@RMoore-zt7zs]

Exactly... I think hands are just as important as tone woods and components...

[@artwizardsam3238]

Right from our side or from their side? I think you're talking about Lee.

[@IFIXATVS]

What we are hearing is Rob Chapman’s heavy playing style while Lee is gentler and more of a “finesse” type player.

[@Uliavandid]

...Where can I get a good pair of them? Hehe

[@Pantha51]

The fella who picked these guitars for the test did an amazing job, knowing if the necks wern't the right feel he didn't pick them, a very fair and enjoyable test.

[@Dgnine]

He is an amazing guitarist as well actually with his on youtubr channel.

[@MegatonDan]

These vids are awesome... BUT Chappers should not be allowed to give his verdict before Lee has played.

[@getpickin]

True.

[@RT804]

These new $100 Indonesian made Squier's, if you get a good one (not that a blem is even that bad), feel amazing. They have been doing luthier woodwork for a long time there. You just need to spend maybe another $100-200 to upgrade the electronics (most of which will be for the pickups). Which is okay. It helps you learn and develop a personal connection with the guitar. That's worth spending what you paid for it, or more, in upgrades. For $200-300 you can absolutely end up with a brilliant guitar that you had a hand in finishing, that was born in a place that has a history of wood instrument making.

[@xandermeadows2792]

1:43 I love Bea's laughing face so much hahah

[@ufeelX]

A Blindfold PRS Challenge would be awesomee!

[@daveywiles6412]

They do it

[@jhendricks02]

that classic vibe is way better looking than any other guitar in the lineup honestly

[@tajolariffin6147]

hahahaha Rabea really know what his doing to trick both Rob and the Captain 😆 good job man!

[@davidsteinart]

Pretty good evidence for tone wood making a difference that Rob called out #3 as having a unique tone and having a weird wood.

[@davesuddreth3749]

David Stein and pigs can fly. Tone wood. What a farce

[@dragons_red]

@BeTheDeathOfMe You argue wood makes a difference in a video about electrics and then you say acoustics are proof. Clearly he meant the wood in an electric.

[@daw162]

The idea of any stratocaster being equivalent to $4000 US is really bizarre. They are an intentionally cheap modular design that I'd bet Fender can make in the US (the american standard) for a production cost of about $400. and made well overseas for a quarter of that.

[@Iheartdgd]

That doesn’t mean there couldn’t or shouldn’t be a really nice high quality fender Stratocaster available for someone who wants one

[@dragons_red]

Then you don't fully understand where market values come from. It often has nothing to do with practically or rationality.

[@VukMujovic]

The difference between something like the American Performer and the Fender Player may be almost negligible, but the production costs are not. For those hundred miles of distance between the Mexico factory and the US factory, labor costs jump about fifteen-fold. But still, some people want the ''Made in the US'' label, and that makes the guitar much more expensive.

[@gnstallientood5007]

the parts are different

[@woodyh4650]

With all of the back and forth in the "Tone-wood" debate. I want to see a blindfold challenge on that. Same make and model of guitar with only difference being Rosewood vs Maple Board. Swamp Ash vs Alder vs Mahogany bodies etc. Since this would be a sound only challenge, someone else plays the guitars, while you two listen, and choose. Let's see REALLY how much difference Tonewood truly makes. Ha! :)

[@matthewlong7246]

they did a similar video to that a while back

[@brutalbeetle]

You can't really do that because you have to control for electronics by using the same eletronics on each guitar - not the same model, literally the exact pickup needs to be taken out of one and put in the next because there's variances in wiring and wrapping between the same two pickups, the tolerances of the solder job done on each connection etc.

[@CaptAnderton]

Been there, done that, bored of arguing about it!! Have come to the conclusion that its all down to the individual. If you've actually tried a few guitars (actually tried them - not read about them or watched a video on them) & you absolutely can't hear any difference when the guitar is made of different materials, then absolutely don't worry about it & just ignore what the guitar is made from. However, if you've tried a few & you're convinced you can hear/feel a difference, then don't let anyone tell you that they saw a video once where it was all scientifically impossible!! (I'm in camp B by the way!!)

[@paulk.5767]

+CaptAnderton I suggest you watch Will's Easy Guitar's video where he tests the same neck, electronics, hardware on a basswood and a maple body (ironically for him that's the best proof I found that wood makes a difference in tone)

[@woodyh4650]

+CaptAnderton I think it does make a difference in body and neck woods. Where I personally can't here much of a difference is in the fretboard material. Always enjoy the videos. Thanks... That's "Yank Speak" for Cheers.

[@OCnStiggs]

What a GREAT bunch of guys. REALLY enjoyed this video. (1 Malmsteen original, 1 American 40th Anniversary, and two gorgeous Japanese Strats right behind me...)

[@cratecruncher6687]

Very entertaining video guys! Really refreshing to hear the Captain being so candid about guitar values. I wish more retailers could be so honest.

[@Christophe_L]

Video should be called: Two guys inadvertently unmask big brand guitar manufacturer's business model.

[@musicpower7535]

Right? Great observation. Same basic product with varying degrees of lipstick and powder. Lee even said the he (who I assume basically lives at what must be his family's business), says that the beauty of the guitar makes him feel it's worth more.

[@MattySawcheck]

Please do a Gibson 1275 double neck guitar review!!!

[@dannymccaffs8483]

I agree with you sir!! That would be amazing to see

[@arekb5951]

Pretty sure that EVHs stripe series are made in Mexico in Fender plant, so it wouldn't be cruel at all :)

[@1097jad]

not at all, they're basicalllllllllllllly fender's with evh's wolfgang stamped on them, and cooler designs/bodies

[@ElMamuco]

+1097jad Exactly and that's what gives it away.

[@1097jad]

+GDM _ I meant to add to why it wouldn't have been cruel :p

[@mandarin7728]

But it's different to Strats - is has only one humbucker pickup, Floyd Rose, jumbo frets, different neck profile, and only one tone knob - they would know for sure.

[@arekb5951]

Mandarin Yup, definietly. I think Fender made strats with Floyd, but still they would have to add new rules: Just listen and play, don't touch anything other than strings and neck :)

[@Joker-yw9hl]

This was great fun. I'd love to see more videos like this from you guys. Maybe a telecaster one next? Anything really....So many nice strats!

[@cten1407]

Does anyone else watch these old vids and get a little bit nostalgic?

[@cowboygeorge5056]

Rob: *gets every one right* Also Rob: *Plays squire* "tHiS iS a CuStOm ShOp"

[@williampryor9742]

"I'm pretty sure I haven't played a custom shop strat yet" lol

[@Gonboo]

Strats and Teles are guitars that are as a hole unnecessary to spend a whole lot of money on. A $3000 strat will not be x10 better than a $300 strat. Once you get past the American Standard/Elites there's not much of a point to shelling out the big bucks. If you want a fancy strat from a custom shop go G&L or used Fender Custom.

[@mikes062]

This is true, the expensive ones sound really good, but they're not worth that to me. at the same time something you feel really connected to is going to make more of a difference to someone. It makes you want to play more, even if all that you have into it is $100. And that's more important than anything else. If I spent $3000 I'd get something vintage that really is beat up and road worn!

[@mattsnyder4754]

I'm with you. Unless you want some of the really funky woods or something, the way to go is to get an American something Strat and drop custom shop pickups in it. Although, if you wanted something relic'd, the custom shop does do substantially better relics than the normal fender range.

[@roof2093]

have you not seen Dr Drew Bypass' video on the law of diminishing returns??

[@dustylense]

LOL! My Elite is far superior to my Mex. I love them both, but the Elite is a much nicer guitar.

[@jmcinnes95]

I'm not so sure, i have a custom shop that to me is the best strat I have ever played, i had to play a few different custom shop models until i found the right one but I would in my opinion say that it is 10x a £300 strat :)

[@zato318]

you guys are having fun with us, you know everything about the guitars.

[@SpedSpedding]

That’s mad. You guys still smashed it.

[@jordankomsky7564]

Argh shit, now I'm even more confused. I am an acoustic fingerstyle guitar player usually and own 4 guitars, one classic and three acoustic (2 quite expensive ones); but I know nothing about electric guitars. As I'm thinking of buying one soon, mostly to play around with, I thought this video would help me decide, but they're are so different from my other guitars, I'm just lost. This video just confused me more. From my perspective I thought the third guitar sounded best and looked the nicest, but that may be because it reminded my of one of my acoustics and the whole point of getting an electric is to try something different, so I don't know, also it was frighteningly expensive considering I don't even know how much I would play it. Help please, any advice from electric guitar players on how to choose would be appreciated.

[@jacebeleren1703]

For me, the list of priorities when choosing an electric guitar, is, in their respective level of importance: 1) Does it look good to me? Do i wanna pick it up and play as soon as i see it? 2) Does it feel good to me? Do i like the action, neck width, and body weight? 3) Do i like the sound of it? (Though this is the least important one for electric guitar, most of the sound can be changed, and it depends on your amp) Also keep in mind what kind of music you wanna play. A Stratocaster (aka one with 3 single coil pickups) is the most versatile of them all, can do almost any kind of music well. A les paul/SG/ something with humbuckers, is better for metal,hard rock, anything with a lot of gain n distortion. If you just wanna try electric out, i'd say spend no more than 300-400$, max. Squier classic vibes and epiphone les pauls are quite good in that price range. Also, check out tanglewood and career guitars, if available, amazing things at this price point.

[@CrispyRice454]

I won't try to rehash what's already been said. Narrow down the sound you're looking for by pickup type, then go and play some guitars that fit that criteria. It is all about your preference. I have several high end electrics and thought I had my bases covered until a buddy let me gig with a 2017 Fender Custom Shop '51 reissue Nocaster. I thought about that guitar non-stop for weeks. Sometimes you just know...

[@jasonsampler9023]

Coming from the acoustic/fingerstyle world you would probably enjoy a hollow body electric like a Sheraton, es33x, or even an ibanez artcore or a gretsch.

[@Dan-ms4oq]

I'd live to give them my Encore Blaster E6

[@Hamatabo]

#qualityknobs

[@NGarcia]

why the hell I am enjoying so much seeing this guys testing the guitars blindfolded!!!

[@raceface_m2579]

The ultimate blind test showdown: Squier classic vibe strat (stock); fender in the $700 range; a custom shop; a Squier classic vibe that's had a really great set up with rolled fretboard and upgraded wirings and pots. Either that or use the classic vibe pickups in one of the customs. All of them should have a great set up similar to each other.

[@onekidneystan4330]

They can still play better than me while blindfolded

[@danielbelosic3112]

Sack Of Potatoes you need to FEEL the guitar

[@bobbydrex5268]

I like this, do this with other brands and models

[@bobbydrex5268]

Also this video is incredibly frustrating because I've been playing for a few years and these guys are miles past me with blindfolds on...

[@fruitlessworship]

these guys have been playing for a long time, you'll get there if you try they did one with gibson aswell

[@polishbroadcast]

What you need is a Fender Custom Shop blindfold. They have the mojo and your playing increases tenfold. :)

[@flattusmaximus]

they have done one

[@1969atam]

All I can see today is guys buying Squiers and upgrading them or the universal debate about USA Fender vs Mexican. You get what you pay for at the end of the day. Save hard and buy the US guitar because the Squier will always nag you if you feel it should be better. Then again a good player that's into learning and playing well can make a Squier sound great. Tone is in your hands. Having a Clapton signature won't make you better if you are not a great player in the first place, but it will be a very fine tuned instrument made of high quality parts. It's like the difference between a €10,000 Dacia Sandero vs a €50,000 BMW 5 series, and while both cars will get you from A to B the Dacia will never have the comfort and power of the BMW. So like guitars, the more you pay, within reason the better the quality. A Mexican Strat is cheaper as the wood is not the same grade, the electronics not as good and wages are less than the US. It's made to offer a mid range price to people considering a Fender that cam't make the €1000 mark. It's pretty simple really. Why buy a cheap guitar only to complain that the neck is crap and the pups are poor. Upgrading costs money you could spend on a better guitar. It's just common sense. And I myself have cheap guitars and expensive ones, the expensive ones do play and sound better. No point in kidding yourself that a €100 guitar sounds brilliant because it doesn't. As Frank Zappa said "shut up and play yer guitar"!!!!!

[@ModernGolfer]

Respectfully, I'll dissent. Particularly so if waiting means the person isn't playing because they don't have a guitar. This video clip, essentially, proves that the 'best' choice is to buy what one TRULY can afford, and get to playing. No great guitarist / artist, ever, stalled their 'journey' by waiting for 'just the right gear'. Just ask Brian May, Eddie Van Halen, or a ton of others.

[@johnnyconner4184]

Guys, I found your video very amusing and enlightening as well. Entertaining AND educating! Thanks!

[@MickeythaPleb]

I honestly love that they have so much trouble telling the difference, says a lot about how good the affordable guitars are for their price. I wish I had seen more videos like this when I was a kid, because I think that's a lesson kids especially need to learn, even more so when they're looking to buy their first guitar. My Mom bought me a Squire as part of a set, probably 15 years ago, I can't play for shit but I still have it and it's in quite good condition, considering it cost probably $150AUD when I got it. That Okoume Strat is absolutely stunning by the way.

[@relicboxing]

Buy Rocksmith,& use cdlc & put that guitar to use.

[@Ausrasten2k]

No one mentioning the fact that the guys play the guitars blindfolded?! As someone who has just recently began learning the guitar, that is astounding. Granted, I have played bass before (the big wooden thing, and just short of 2 years and electric one), I could hear differences, but could've never guessed the price tag on those. This goes to show how much we rely on our eyes to figure stuff out :)

[@Txthrashking]

Just realized Lee owns andertons 😱

[@ranga8038]

R Luster nice one columbo

[@pauldigga5419]

Lmao. How many videos deep are you?

[@Steaminlidz]

What? Lee Anderton owns Anderton’s? You shit me..

[@GregRickard]

Yeah I thought they were just guys that hung out in the shop all the time and the owners are like, "Yeah, demo anything you want whenever..."

[@SoWhat.BigDeal.]

Does he know?

[@imanaxbert6620]

LMAO, what does black sound like?

[@ianlenn5408]

Iman Axbert Kevin Hart

[@saltynoodle4101]

Doctor Infallible lol your reply got likes then the actual comment 😂

[@jacktheriffermaskedguitari3037]

Metallica

[@fiightmilk]

Welfare

[@wesnorthcutt639]

It sounds like E to me, red=A B=baby blue, C= strong, like an oak tree, D= pink, a love note for a love song, E=black, all colors combined, F=white nvr fond of F, F# is cool tho, G=green, B=bored as hell right now...

[@ModernGolfer]

Personal takeaway, 2 things: 1) If someone is on a tight budget, or wants to buy something inexpensive to get into playing guitar and see if it's something they want to pursue, the Squier is an excellent choice. Say, a parent buying a first guitar for their aspiring guitarist. 2) For others, buy a Fender Strat in the (Christmas 2018) $500 - $600 (or GBP) range, and you'll buy about 'all the Strat' you're ever gonna get, or need. Above that, it's more about 'bling' and / or 'eye candy'. Well done, Rob & Lee. 👍

[@NofreedomofspeechonYouTube]

I think Rob Chapman spend his whole life listing to the tone of guitars such an amazing person with great hearing abilities to detect sounds.

[@csharpminorseven]

Useful video, but how about captions with model & price while the guitars are being tried out, and btw Chappers, good players don't play all over someone else's solo - how about not talking all over your colleaugue' s comments? That way we all miss out on their conclusions and take away from the usefulness of the whole exercise.

[@josiahluck4385]

I'd have done squire classic vibe 50s, Mexican, Japanese, Gilmour

[@josiahluck4385]

Nah bad decisions

[@I6074]

+Xiolablu3 dude you can juste erase your comment

[@Saimeren]

It would have been nice if you had put the name and price on the top of the screen while they were playing each one. That way the less knowledgeable of us could still follow along.

[@wezzlyn]

60s CV Strat owner here, and yes, it feels pretty close to a custom shop, and sounds excellent. I know these guys are selling stuff, but I vouch the CV series hard

[@Dgnine]

I bought a CV today...and blown away by the feel of it. I owned a bunch of expansive guitars up to 5 k and the squier shocked me on how good it is for the price.

[@ModernGolfer]

Buy what ya TRULY can afford right now, and get to playing! Ya can always upgrade later. 👍 Your commitment to being a musician is in the hands and the heart, not the wallet.