Squier Classic Vibe vs American Professional Stratocaster! - Guitar Tone Comparison!

[@DarrellBraunGuitar]

What do you guys think? Did you like the tone of the CV or the American Professional better? Enjoy :)

[@mikkywhalan]

Hate to say it, but squier’s more clearer so my choice is squier

[@nate_d376]

@@mikkywhalan yeah, it sounded brighter to me. Edit: wrote this before hearing his evaluation. And I'd have to agree with Darrell.

[@michaelbrohl1625]

The CV is a great deal and a fantastic guitar but the Fender did sound better. At least through headphones on my computer it did.

[@mikkywhalan]

@@michaelbrohl1625 I only really listened through my iPad, just listened through headphones, fender won. But for the price the CV is great.

[@michaelbrohl1625]

@@mikkywhalan I agree.

[@KeganVanSickle]

I think the Strat sounded great compared to the Strat. But then again the Strat sounds great too.

[@BadBoy-mv8lz]

So..at the end..the strat wins.....lol

[@sergioalvarez5949]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@siltom1962]

You folks are crazy, any fool could see that the best one is the...STRAT.

[@mrkiks32]

You mean the stratocaster right…😂

[@Keithrrr]

Yes, the Strat wins

[@Stratocus]

It's worth mentioning that the Squier is a third of the price of the American Professional.

[@Hickeroar]

Add locking tuners, new pickups, new wiring harness, and a new trem, and you've got an amazing, fully comparable guitar still at less than half. 👍👍

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

If you like to mod, then you’ve got 2/3rds headroom to spend. If you don’t, you’ll likely be wishing your Squire was the Fender.

[@Stratocus]

@@Hickeroar Personally, I wouldn't bother with upgrading the tuners or pickups (I like vintage tuners and these alnico pickups sounded fine to me); just the trem, pots, switch and capacitor. It could be turned into a killer Strat for less than $50.

[@carlitobrigante330]

And given that difference, I would damn well expect the American-made model to be objectively better.

[@BayleyDon]

@@Hickeroar I've got a 2013 Chinese-made Classic Vibe that's all original. No failure of anything in seven years of pretty regular use, tuners work fine, and I like the way it sounds. And I can bash it into things without wincing.

[@BenjaminRoethig]

There's one other advantage to the CV: the lack of resale value makes it attractive as a mod platform. My 70s has lockers, a Obsidianwire harness, custom planet tone pickups, and a huge brass block. It's exactly my guitar. I wouldn't dream of doing that to an American strat.

[@elwoodlodge7764]

I've done that with a cheap(Glarry?) unbranded Strat style. It's beautiful and I've picked and choose new hardware and electronics as I saw fit. It's light and sounds good and is easy to play. I have about $200 in the guitar(It was a gift) and I have done all of the work myself. My point is that I grasp your meaning.🙂

[@guitarnist]

My CV 50’s is modded with EMG Alnico pickups with a mid-boost.

[@joetspaulding]

why do you say lack of resale value? I just sold a Squier bass I bought new a year ago for $230 for $200 in ONE DAY. no resale value? try to get that percentage out of a 1500 fender...

[@manuele.itriagom.728]

@@joetspaulding You got lucky, trust me. Normally that's not easy, even if the instrument is near mint

[@Mr.Goldbar]

I'd do it to even the most expensive custom shop in the world lol

[@carlor.s.4742]

Gotta say, I definitely preferred the Squire. I loved that bright, punchy sound a lot. Darrell, I'd love for you to do a comparison of the Squire CVs 50s, 60s & 70s because I can't decide which one I want to buy.

[@twenty3electronics]

They all have the same pickups and hardware, with the exception of the 70’s HSS, which has a humbucker in the bridge. The differences are cosmetic

[@ChocolatMudBaby]

I own a candy apple 60s CV. Love it

[@evansmith1284]

I have a Lake Placid blue 60's CV and it is comfortable and that blue is sweet. I went with the 60's because I don't particularly like most maple fretboards and the 60's isn't maple. PF, I think.

[@stratman9449]

get one each.....and you still have spend only halv the money for a fender pro thingmachiggy one

[@oza8578]

@@evansmith1284 Indian Laurel

[@mmccartney6579]

I don't know if there was a true "winner", but there definitely wasn't a "loser," so, for me, considering the cost, I'd go with the Squier, because that's the way my wallet rolls. lol :)

[@tylercole5218]

Classic vibes are the absolute best bang for the buck when it comes to just guitars in general to me

[@ronniboi312]

Bought my Squier Strat (made in Japan) over 30 years ago... it's still the one I play the most of all the guitars I own and I've got Gibson L/P , PRS and a Fender USA Tele hanging on the wall in my studio. If (god forbid) I had a fire, it's the one I'd grab because It's irreplaceable. TBH it's been modded over the years... Evans pups, new pots and switch, shielding, so it's quieter for recording, but I just love this guitar for how it plays and feels... and that's what matters. Think I preferred the tonality of the American professional over the CV, but that's just personal taste.

[@fantomas9240]

Japan Sqier are now collector and no comparable to the current production. Keep it safe ! :)

[@dingdong6069]

I've got a 1983 Japanese Squier Strat and I love it too. But then again it does have 'stock' Fender hardware (inc Fender stamped saddles) and, we're 99% sure, Fender pickups so it came 'pre-upgraded' as it were. Totally get why its your irreplaceable fave. My Squier along with my now very battered '92 US Strat Plus are the only electrics I play/use these days. Everything else, just like you, sits unused in its case.

[@Apache49]

I have an 86 Squier MIJ, just great quality. I changed the pups 30 years ago to Fender custom shop jobs to replace the ceramics. Blocked off the trem, but other than that it’s original. Wouldn’t sell it.

[@louiscyfer2176]

yup, I have an 84 squier. awesome guitar.

[@drumheadbob]

I've had many Squiers over the years and still do. I've lowered the pickups to balance between them and round out the sound. It's standard practice to lower the pickups on a guitar with hotter pickups, as you have shown us in previous videos.

[@rtimestwo1907]

Great video Darrell. I have a vintage modified 70s Squier and love it. A well respected luthier in my area said “just leave it as it is”. No need to upgrade if you’re not a professional musician. Duncan Designed pickups sound great. Love the guitar.

[@natethompson1257]

Man, that Classic Vibe Strat really holds it own against the American Professional model. I think if I was blindfolded, I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell a difference tone wise! Great demo as always Darrell! Keep up the fantastic work.

[@jameslewis2635]

Well, that was unexpected. I had thought that the Fender would win out in terms of sound quality but in most of the positions I found the Classic Vibe was brighter and had a livelier tone with the exception of the position 1 sound which is where I really preferred the Fender. There are areas where I think the Fender wins such as the trem design, the tuner quality and the quality of woods (visually speaking) along with having the rosewood fingerboard and a neck finish that looks like it is less likely to create extra finish when you want to slide your hand up the neck. Do I think that those features are worth the price difference? No way. There are some Squire models I think that are more competitive with the Fender (matching most of the features) but this one is doing a pretty good job as it is.

[@skyline2601]

When it comes to pickups, while I love the sound of the Classic Vibe Squier, the Fender has a much more balanced sound.

[@peik5569]

As someone commented already, the Squier is a third of the price of that Fender. A V-Mod bridge pickup might cost, what, up to $50 used? Then a good switch (Oak Grisby for $15) and pots (cts ~$25 for the whole guitar) and maybe better caps and with less than $100 that will be on par with that Fender tonewise

[@kirkscobey3031]

Never had the strat cv but have 4-5 of the telescope both 50&60 styles. Couldn’t ask for a more solid platform to mod on!

[@sqidvishus]

Exact same boat as me. I only preferred the Fender in position 1. It's nice seeing these sort of comparisons. My first "good" American made instrument was a 1994 American Standard Jazz Bass. When I bought a new bass in 2019, it was a MiM Fender Player Jaguar (just the PJ, not with the true Jag switches) and the modern bass was at least the equal to my old bass out of the box as far as build quality, tone, etc. guitars have come a very long way in 25 years. I love to think a kid starting out could walk into a music store and walk out with a guitar that they could afford and will last a lifetime.

[@janeobrien9324]

The classic vibe has a bone nut per Sweetwater specs. Good video!

[@joetspaulding]

yep and the cheaper fenders have plastic

[@sgtmac62]

Darrell, this is one of the best, most honest, comparison I've encountered on the internet- period. Thank you very, very much.

[@FranciscoGarcia-sk8sy]

Love your reviews! Always fair and balanced in a way I can rely on to refer to when I'm looking at guitars! Plus you always have interesting comparisons that try things I have wanted to try but for some reason or another I have not! Great insights, keep it up!!!

[@vaibanez17]

I own a 2021 60s Squier Classic Vibe Strat the new way they make them and I absolutely love everything about it. Even the color (Lake Placid Blue) looks awesome. I dont need a more costly Strat, this Squier Strat kills.

[@tragedician]

Wow, the classic vibe really holds its own for a fraction of the price. Solid playing technique certainly helps even the playing field though! ;-) Darrell, do you find the Fender sets up easier? Neck more stable and requires fewer truss rod adjustments as the seasons change?

[@earhornjones]

That's nuts. I play Stratocasters in position 5 about 95% of the time. That Squier sounded better to me than the American Pro. I own a USA Strat, and a couple of Mexicans, and they're beautifully made instruments, but my Squier Jaguar is awfully nice, too.

[@earhornjones]

@Јаков Лазовић I bought the Jaguar Squier on a whim (which I never do), and frankly, it was a little shocking. It's an absolutely beautiful instrument that plays and sounds great. I replaced the trem unit with a Fender one because I wanted the "lock" feature. I didn't need it. The factory trem was fine. My uncle, who was a working musician in the 60's and 70's recently saw it on my wall, pulled it down and marveled at it. He said it played better than some of the actual vintage Fenders he played back in the day. Anyway, I highly recommend the Jaguar. That said, there's a reason everyone and his brother plays a Strat. I have never owned a Squier Strat, but the ones that I have seen/played seemed really good. You cannot beat a Stratocaster for versatility and upgradeability, IMO. If you can, go to a store and try both. If you have smaller hands, or just like a shorter scale length, go with the Jag. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a Strat.

[@gahangore111]

I picked up a 50's classic vibe new for about $420 CDN. Unbelievable value, great guitar.

[@norman2999]

gahangore111: Nice addition to the family!! Question: why did you prefer the 50's vibe to the 60's? What made you choose the 50's over the 60's? Was the 60's vibe even a consideration at all? Thanks in advance, Norman in Montreal, CANADA.

[@stratman9449]

good choice....:-)

[@gahangore111]

@@norman2999 i didn't really think about the 60's at the time, but now that I've looked into it more the maple fretboard on the 50's would have clinched it for me. I'm a sucker for maple fretboards and this one plays so well.

[@norman2999]

@@gahangore111 : Thanks a lot for your answer!! I find they sound very different. It'd be nice to have both!!!! Take care, be safe, Norman.

[@toddkennedy5714]

Great video, Darrell! I’ve played for many years. I own a ‘57 Classic Vibe reissue with locking tuners and lace sensor pickups. This thing plays and sound great. I would definitely gig with it. I can’t justify the additional cost of the American Fender.

[@lawrencet.mcguilicutty7447]

I have the classic vibe tele, love it. All my other strats and teles are Mexican made. Love them too. One Japanese tele, great guitar. My contention is that a good guitarist can make a shoe box and rubber bands sound good. Good vid. Thank you

[@davidburns9219]

I have a CV 60. It plays like a dream. I changed the tuners for locking ones, just for quickness of string changes, and plan changing trem for a modern 2 screw one. Apart from that, its all good.

[@scottgallagher6095]

Excellent comparison, love this channel for this, it helps everyone, amateur player-intermediate-professional Great vid again!

[@candrabalimirage]

For my ear... squier cv is more "original strat-tone" that we're all familiar with. It's all about Sound not the price :)

[@Gregabalese]

You can tell, just a slight difference. The American sounds warmer, slightly better-but not by a whole lot! The Classic Vibe is one of the best deals in guitars to be had. I bought a Classic Vibe Thin line. I put Hipshot locking tuners on it, and a Wilkinson steel bridge with brass compensated saddle and I can't put that sucker down..(lol) My Classic Vibe sounds and plays great! Thanks for the video.

[@TheDarknessBane]

4:50 I thought you were about to play Tifa's theme from FFVII lol. Great vid! Makes me want to pick up a classic vibe strat to be honest :)

[@tonyjones7731]

If you are on a budget, a Classic Vibe plus a Fender Deluxe Reverb for about the same money as an American Professional is very tempting.

[@christophercloudstrider5877]

While sound preference is subjective, I prefer the warmer sound from the fender.

[@caseylee12]

Aha! I'm first in! Thanks for the video, DB!...Pretty cheap to replace the pots and switch and output jack on the Squier, and Fender standard tuners are only about $45. Along with a bone nut, that can really bring the Squier up to par. Even the Affinity series had come a long way.

[@ConditionZero76]

That squire doesn't have a plastic nut unless you replaced it with one? I have a 2022 CV 60 they come stock with a Bone nut

[@dlux703]

Classic vibe sounded like it is the choice in a band mix. Fender's more for recording or isolated situations. Most players aspire to being in a band mix as often as possible. Being a neck pickup addict, I found the Squire more articulate and you can't get that to happen with the tone control if it's not there to begin with. I would take a "Skotchbrite" green pad to the back of the neck 1st thing if I bought one. Or even some 220 grit paper, followed by the green pad. I always mask off a stinger transition at each end and then go for the satin finish.

[@dotmars]

You described it perfectly! Something with the Squier sounded better to my ears. I play in a band 9 times out of 10 and it felt like it would sit in a mix better

[@paulya1269]

For the hobbyist/amateur band member you can’t go wrong with the Squier CV. Great value for the money. I have a CV Tele and it’s a great sounding and playing guitar. I do use an EQ pedal on my board to round out the tone.

[@angeldelvax7219]

I actually prefer the tone of the Squier in this case! It's closer to the Fender Player series as far as I heard from other comparisons, so it's not specific Squier, but still ;)

[@andrewlaw188]

Excellent review, Darrell. Thanks. I'm currently looking at getting a CV, and was also drawn to the new Fender Player series. So.... with a CV at £320 and a Player at £895 I think you've made my mind up for me!! Ta.

[@brandonroberts7357]

When the playability and price (and appearance?) are so good, adjusting the tone with some new pickups is still MILES cheaper than buying an American Pro. I put Seymours in my Squier CV Tele (thinline!) and it’s a dream for me, for half the price.

[@quentinhunter8785]

The brightness may partially be due to the maple fretboard of the CV. Some say that dosent make a difference but I believe it does

[@DavidRFIT]

the pickups are different. you can't even begin to put into play the woods when the pickup specs are quite different.

[@carlitobrigante330]

It does indeed.

[@keithhenson9788]

I scored my 60s classic Vibe for 190 bucks I plan on some upgrades, but for now don't fix it if it ain't broke. I absolutely love my classic vibe. I own about 15 electric guitars and it has become one my favorite guitars to play out of my collection.

[@pierrepaul7342]

Always complete and honest. Thank you Darrel.

[@RomainG6409]

Great video, thanks ! You've just demonstrated, and this is true for most brands and guitar kind, that the differences between high and low prices are absolutely no longer justified. For the price of a single Fender ultra you have 5 Squire CV ... Why on earth buying a Fender then ?

[@sublyme2157]

Play them each and let your hands decide :) If you're unable to tell a difference between them, or don't think the difference justifies the cost difference, then Squier it is!

[@chuckvt5196]

Great comparison. I just picked up the Gold 40th Anniversary Squier Strat, and they even put a bone nut on it! Can't beat them for the price, as you have pointed out!

[@diogo.músico]

How good is that bone nut setup ? I'd rather have a well cut cheap plastic nut than a incorrect cut bone one

[@thehelluvaparty563]

Got my 50s CV from Fdnder direct on sale for $259. Best deal in history.

[@Anton_the_Vampire]

They both sound great to me. What I'd be interested in, if you could do it, is a comparison between the classic vibe and a Fender American Standard. I have a 2000 lefthanded model and I'm considering the classic vibe 60s as a second instrument. What do you think?

[@ThrashMetalAJM]

I appreciate this video as I just recently got the squier fiesta red. Loved the look but loved it even more when I played it.

[@jasonswanson5630]

Great video! I’m looking at getting a squier 70s because, well the hss looks awesome. What studio monitors are you using in the background? Thanks!

[@Ashthebully]

I just bought mine yesterday, CV 70's. I'm blown away!

[@billydworrell8259]

Both sounded great imho. I have a Squier CV 6:03 Telecaster and absolutely love it. The Fender with the Rosewood fret board probably felt great. Im a Maple neck guy and love the Skunk stripe. Those are just my personal preferences. Great Job as always.

[@adisolar]

Thanks for the video! Isn't Ultra the flagship and not the American Professional? Did you omit it on purpose because of some properties? P.S. In position 3 the CV eats the AP for breakfast

[@chancemiller9340]

WELL, that was a good comparison. I would have liked for you to mention the listed nut widths vs your measurements for the nut widths, SO I will dock you a point there. And WELL, a mention of the difference of the trems being 2 point vs 6 point would have been helpful too (because some of us are watching this video on our phones), SO that would have been helpful. I bought an Player Strat new, but on sale for US$539 last year SO, I feel like I got close to an American Player for just over a Classic Vibe price and WELL, sometimes people get lucky. SO, I’m not going to buy either one, but WELL it is always nice to hear an expert’s opinion. SO, keep up the good work work and… WELL, prepare for winter!

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

Nice! Great demo. What do you think of the Squire Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster?

[@duckfluff]

I'm tele guy but each time I hear a strat I'm like I need one of those

[@MrJlc93]

I have an 80s squire strat and I adore it, it's now my main guitar when I never thought anything would replace my jaguar, but it's soooo smooth and sweet. 🕺

[@Footygodsarewatching]

I have a Indonesian squier standard stratocaster 22 frets, alnico pups. In my opinion better than the classic vibe and sometimes I think I'm actually playing a USA FENDER. However I also have a squier bullet strat 21 frets which I have actually installed a classic vibe fully loaded scratch plate. And I must say it is amazing that upgrading that one thing has made this Chinese bullet strat sound like a real deal stratocaster. Obviously there are quality differences but getting back to the the squier standard stratocaster with the 2 point tremolo I am gob smacked it is phenomenal and better than some USA Strats that I have played. I guess I just got lucky and picked up one that was quality controlled from Indonesia. But the classic vibe is a brilliant guitar for the money all the same. Good on you Darren for letting people know that it's not always about the price. And a seasoned player will have no regrets with a classic vibe. I just prefer the 2 point trem, therefore I am stating that the squier standard stratocaster for me is the ultimate squier. Thanks mate.

[@SaxJockey]

I also have an Indonesian Squier Standard Strat, two point trem; great guitar. It plays really well and the fit and finish is really nice. I bought it used at a ridiculously low price. Consequently I have no desire to buy a CV. In fact I bought a second brand new Standard for alternate tuning. Second one is Chinese built, the fit and finish is not quite as good, but it plays equally well.

[@tompelham7035]

Thanks Derrel! You do a solid and fair review of these instruments. A believe a person could by a guitar based on your results

[@augustclandestine9896]

Great comparison, Darren!! Can you do an in depth comparison between an Epiphone Les Paul Standard (2021) vs a Gibson Les Paul? I'm curious if the current epis can keep up.

[@agateenchantmentrockwizard5969]

Overall I like the tone of the CV & it's arguably a bit different than the standard but...keep this in mind. After I bought my CV (exactly like the one Darrell presented here) I was so discouraged by the overall workmanship. The bad: The setup was awful, the low E tuning machine wouldn't hold a tune, the neck needed adjustment, the block/tremolo Fender used was not any better than you'd find on a Glarry (less than a $100 guitar) lastly the fretting was uneven in the 1st position quite badly and the strings we're crap. Okay now the good: After replacing the tuners (with vintage style locking tuners), leveled and crowned the frets, set the neck, replaced the block & bridge, tightened the 1/4 output jack, added some D'Addario NYXL strings, set the string and new saddles height and lastly the intonation and now I have a very playable Fender that sounds good. Overall cost was $120ish. Overall time, way to much! to get it dialed in to my liking. My 2 cents: if your going to buy the CV, be prepared for what appears to be a wide variation in factory set ups! If I'd paid to have this work done it could of easily hit the $250 price mark, so keep this in mind. You may get one from the factory like Darrell that's reasonably set up with no issues and then you may not. If you know your way around setting guitars up, no worries. If you don't consider the cost of having a guitar tech, setting it up for you. You'll still be way under the cost of a standard.

[@larryburwell8550]

ill take the vibe, i have one in burst it weighs 9 lbs even nice and heavy and i like that. position 2 and 4 is where i play mine. love the maple fretboard

[@jeremyb8370]

What amp, pedals, etc. are you using in this video? I love the tone.

[@sirlost94]

I have a classic vibe and a Mexican strat. I have to say, the classic vibe is phenomenal for the price, but playing both back to back, there’s no question the Mexican one is more guitar

[@garygosse5747]

I agree i have a cv strat and a mexican tele.Both nice but the tele is better.

[@sirlost94]

It’s hard to put into words isn’t it? Like they’re both great quality, but there’s something more balanced and more finely finished with the Mexican. Little details that unmistakingly sets them apart. Is it twice better (at twice the price)? Maybe not, but unmistakingly better

[@DavidRFIT]

Squiers are mostly praised by people who can't afford Fenders. MiM Players (entry level Fenders) are much better than CVs in any possible way.

[@sirlost94]

@@DavidRFIT I mostly agree. I’d say for a beginner, the squier thinner neck will be more enjoyable. And if you’re on a budget they will give you the most bang fir your buck. But if money isn’t too tight, the MiM is definitely a worthwhile upgrade

[@johnrasmussen4144]

@@DavidRFIT I can afford American Fenders. I have a high end custom shop Les Paul too. But the guitar I have taken on stage the last ten years? A Chinese Fender modern player tele I got new for $399. Bone stock. So, like, you're kinda wrong, man.

[@drsumitrai]

More than the guitars, I loved the clean riffs you played Daryll. Thanks for the rundown bhai...

[@mjallenuk]

Solid comparison ... really enjoyed this one!

[@StratBurst92]

I have a Squire Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster coming in fiesta red. It will be interesting to compare it to my 2011 American Standard in Olympic White.

[@SilverWatcher.]

Your the man for bringing it to us. Thanks bro

[@saeedmaddahi886]

i have never seen an uneven movement from you.even your smile is beautiful.we are proud.

[@brrblack497]

Man Squier is killing it . Played an Affinity series Jazzmaster at the local guitar shop - super sweet .

[@BassWhoopinFishingTeam]

They both sound good in their own regard. At the end of the day people buy what they can afford. Are guitars a "buy once, cry once" purchase? It's hard to say. Sound is subjective. The important thing is you buy what suits your fancy and you play the guitar.

[@michaelw6277]

Man… despite the fact that it’s labelled and been said over and over again for some reason it was stuck in my head that the Fender was a Player series… after listening to the demos I think I’d happily just pick up a used CV and drop in whatever pickups I like. Add some lube to the trem hinge screws and it should be good to go.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

I’d rather the Squier because it has vintage 6 screw bridge and saddles, 21 frets and none of that 2 point bridge, 22 fret nonsense! Okay the USA is better quality but the tone is in your fingers. I know people upgrade Squiers but there’s no point really, for the price they’re fantastic. The USA will lose the price the Squier costs once you buy it!

[@allendean9807]

Fender definitely have differing levels of value. I bought a player strat in 2019. And just got a mod shop strat a couple months ago. I was blown away at the increased quality of the mod shop guitar. And at more than double the price, it makes sense. I’ve also played 400.00 squires that melted my face. But they still didn’t feel at comfortable in the hands as the mod shop. Out of the case, that guitar became a constant companion. Even to the point it’s replaced my Schecter, a constant companion, and the guitar i played most live since 2012. I can’t say enough about the mod shop.

[@elzafir]

Here's my go to budget mods for any Squier: Gotoh locking tuners, Wilkinson bridge with steel block, CTS pots, CRL/Oak Grigsby super switch, Switchcraft jack, GraphTech TUSQ or bone nut, Seymour Duncan SSL or GuitarFetish FitsStrat pickups set. And copper/aluminium shielding tape for good measure.

[@sjlBoise54]

Classic vibe Squiers all come with bone nuts, just sayin'. But a bone nut helps the Affinity and Bullet Squiers.

[@elzafir]

@@sjlBoise54 Yeah, Classic Vibe comes with bone nuts

[@malicoek7396]

If you just lower the pickup height on a CV, you will get pretty same sound as on Am Pro.

[@fanwizard]

Does the glossy neck make it sticky for a wet hand?

[@thetattedpharmacist3215]

I prefer the slightly "glassier" (to my ear anyway) tone of the classic Vibe. But I am a huge Buddy Holly fan so that 50s Strat chimey, glassy sound pleases my ears.

[@carlitobrigante330]

Me too! I play almost always through the bridge pickup, straight into a vintage tube amp, with nothing else and nothing in between.

[@garymcaleer6112]

Always like your comparisons, Darrell. Happy holidays, bro. When able, get the Helix from monoprice @ $152. Of all my 'bargain' guitars, which I have some good ones out of 27, this one tops them all. Aesthetics; playing ability & tone I can listen to w/o any fatigue. It's like a great Steinway where Middle C caresses the acoustic nerve.

[@ahmeddebeiky5877]

Will I feel the nice tone of the CV if I plug it on a computer through an audio interface?

[@richardwhitehead4684]

IMHO, the squire sounded more like a ‘Strat’. ‘Balanced’ and ‘sweet’ are rarely adjectives I use to describe classic fender tones. And that’s a good thing…..for me. Having said that, I can see where the am pro is prob much less fussy about getting even string tone (I guess that’s what he meant by ‘balanced’). For me, The ‘bright’, ‘brash’ sound is what makes a strat a strat. My 80’s Japan strat is very finicky about finding it’s sweet spot. I’d love to be able to ‘borrow’ an am pro for a week or two. I might wind up being converted..😊. They both sounded great, IMO.

[@K-CHOMA]

It's not a big deal to replace tremolo bridge. Not really expensive :) Great comparasion. I want to buy this Squier now. Any chance to comparasion between CV 50's, 60's and 70's classic vibe stratocasters? U use 50's right?

[@drock2611]

Nothing like a vibe 50 or 60 fender strat. Beautiful sound. An for the Price you can't go wrong

[@josephbrewer7026]

Definitely brighter and punchier tone on all positions with the Classic Vibe and there are times when that would be a good thing. Still, very classic Fender sound from the CV as well as the AP. The one thing I noticed is a noticeable lack of sustain on the CV. The American Professional rang on quite nicely. In the end I was very impressed with the CV. I have a MIM HSS that I like on all points better than the 80s American Standard I used to own. Long live the Strat! Thanks for making this video.

[@jinbyun]

few years ago most guitar under 500 were horrible. But now? There are so many great guitars to choose in that range. I envy those who start learning guitar now.

[@danedearmond4905]

It's real easy to hear the tone difference, especially in position 4. The Fender has a lot more "range" in the tone. But considering the price difference, the Vibe did not sound too inferior. It still sounded "good", just not quite as "full bodied". Neither are Bad guitars. It's all about what you need vs. what you can afford.

[@pb25193]

You can replace the electronics

[@michaelroberts1904]

The American strat did have a fuller sound, but it’s supposed to. Now the CV didn’t sound bad at all. I like the sound of the CV because it has that strat quack that I love. I would change the pots and selected switch and go with it. Besides I would buy a used CV for less than $300 and have money to upgrade. I prefer the CV over the American strat. Great comparison

[@MHK_79]

the US pro definitely sounds more defined in the lower frequency.. but that squier is worth every cent it costs, and more!

[@underrated5006]

America Professional II goes costs around $2,500 to $3000 in Australia. A 50s Classic Vibe costs around $700. Some of us prefer how the Squier CVs play and pickups are not overly expensive to replace. I am a huge Fender fan but sometimes "American" Fenders are overrated.

[@iamlato]

surprising how different they sound

[@MrSJPowell]

The biggest thing putting me off a Classic Vibe is the gloss neck. That said, it sounds great.

[@pjo1964]

Just fine sand it.

[@Boosuf]

quick question, do you think its worth upgrading to a fender neck from a classic vibe. i find the pickups are great on mine, but would maybe want to upgrade the neck. do you think thats a good ide?

[@gregolson5089]

Thats the best thing about less expensive guitars, custom mod to your hearts desire without worrying about resale value.

[@dingdong6069]

By all means swap the neck - as the other replier says that's the fun/advantage of modding a 'cheaper' guitar. However, be prepared that the neck pocket may be different to your neck of choice so you might need the services of a luthier if you're not au fait with undertaking such work yourself. For what its worth my take/experience of modding Squiers has been to just change the machineheads as that is where they really do save money (i.e. quality) and you might want to look at upgrading the trem (unless you hardtail it) too but, as you've already said, the pickups are fine so don't really need swapping. Can always lower them if they're a bit bright or hot (like Darrell's) if need be. Hope that helps!

[@Boosuf]

@@dingdong6069 thanks both of you, I’ll probably do that in a few months. Ive got a telecaster, so I’ll probably fit a bigsby as well! Ive read that the classic vibe bodies fit with fender professional or MiM necks too, so it should be good!

[@colinkhan2936]

Another informative and fun vid Darrell! How about a CV 50s vs CV 60s? That might be a better compare and contrast for the budget players or the modders!

[@DaveDeLerch]

My fav strat since I bought it in 2011. Finish is unbelievable well done and the pups are also cool. Put in SSL1's and couldn't be happier...

[@0riole11]

I'd say that the pickups in the Fender sound way better, not so much that you'd notice in a bar gig, but if you're recording, you will. Two other things to mention about that the Sienna Sunburst in the American Professional it's an ash body and has a treble bleed on the volume pot. I have one hanging on my wall, mainly used for recording and love it. I also have some cheap Strat Shapes Objects that have an unrefined sound with ceramic pickups that work great at times.

[@LanceJordan]

I always love your A/B comparison videos and this one is also very good. I have an older Squire CV 50s and with stock trem floated, the thing stays in tune very well. I think perhaps the springs need to be more broken in or do a better job of pre-stretching the strings? Unless you strung the guitars up yourself, that alone could be the difference. Otherwise it's gotta be the nut needs better cut and/or lube. Nearly all vintage locking tuners I have had work better than standard Fender tuners for stability, all other things being equal. I suggest a little touch up on the nut, some lube, and a good string stretch, float that trems, then give em a good work out and let's see! Thanks

[@Tony-js5hd]

Awesome I liked the American better. Now let’s see the tele comparison!

[@spencermorris7027]

One thing that you might check for us Darrell is how the neck pocket was routed in the Classic Vibe? Reason being, a lot of people will use the Classic Vibe as a modding platform (which I agree, it does make a solid one) but for example, I have an old Squier that I really liked, but the frets finally wore out, and a new fret job was more than the guitar, so I tried a warmoth neck (which have always worked great for me) and the neck pocket in the Squier was just unusable. It wasn't deep enough and the screw holes were slightly off center. I think it'd be great to see if the Classic Vibes have remedied that and a new Fender Roasted Maple neck would fit for example! That can be a reason to get an actual Fender versus the Classic Vibe if you plan to keep it and play it the rest of your life

[@carloscamargo1195]

I prefer the brighter cleaner tone of the squier

[@MijailRC]

I would love to see you comparing Sterling's vs Music Man's Majesty!

[@mickstick5112]

The Classic Vibe has a thinner sound, but has more quack in positions 2&4. Using a Nobels ODR fattens it right up when I need it.

[@robsonkingstrat]

I know you really like locking tuners Darrell, is that mainly for how you use the trem? I know you like to get the trem floating, whereas I like my strat bridge bolted down.

[@MrBiggordy]

Sorry, Darrell, I totally disagree. I think the CV had treble tone when it needed to, and mellow tone when needed. The CV's p'ups were more balanced, and, to be honest, sounded more like a Strat tone than the 'Pro's' did. SOLD!!

[@ULOVEKYLE]

no

[@kingstumble]

@@ULOVEKYLE I agree. Squier too bright for me. The Fender had greater depth of tone.

[@georgefreeman7271]

Well I suppose at the end of the day it’s personal opinion, I prefer a brighter and high treble strat, from personal experience, I’ve had American standards but always ended up selling them Bcus I couldn’t get the tone I was aiming for and I always kept going back to my CV so really it’s personal preference really

[@daveyrock6521]

I agree with Gordon. Singles coils are meant to be bright. And plus, it’s far better to have brightness and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Plus, single coils are very easy to eq with the amp itself especially with a band eq pedal. With an eq pedal, you can make a single coil sound like a humbucker. But you can’t make a humbucker sound like a single coil.

[@SomeoneCalledRob]

Good video. Would like to see a comparison between Fender Player or Squire CV and Vintage V6.

[@customconcern1]

I play my squire classic vibe Jaguar more than any other guitar. It has 65 pickups in it tho. But it has such a great range of sounds.

[@josephrice5502]

I have a 2013 CV stratocaster in Fiesta red...added tex mex pickups and gold hardware...bet it sounds as good as the American Professional now