Every Level Of Stratocaster

[@jimmyfranklin]

Let me know your favorite BELOW!!

[@ST_brian]

i was thinking the G&L and the classic vibes was gonna be on the same level but ya forget one section of squier jimmy. overall great video though my favorite is mexican made fenders so far

[@Davidlovesmusic311]

Yeah the fender Mexican player Strat is a good guitar I had one

[@pete-g8c]

I found a Strat squire in the garbage. Put new strings on it and gave it a set up and it became one of my favorite guitars!! Love it!

[@tinest6485]

A man’s garbage really is another man’s treasure

[@_lemonny]

Mind telling me where this garbage was? ;)

[@ocr3012]

When i was in music school, and i remember this dude in one of my classes rocking a squire strat. I don't know which one though. But it was his first and only guitar, and he's been playing for at least a decade. The back of the neck was turning black from years of playing. I tired his guitar and honestly, the neck felt sooo good. Honestly his old squire top 10 best playing starts I ever played.

[@davidgunther1282]

I will say, Sweetwater IS the best. I just bought my daughter a bass, and noticed from the pics they sent me of it, a color blemish on the back of it. I asked them about it and they started a return/exchange and I haven’t even gotten/seen it yet.

[@tedjohnson5210]

I have the Am Pro II. Amazing guitar. The push-push actually adds the neck pickup to positions 1 and 2, so you can have bridge-neck like a tele in position 1 or all 3 pickups in position 2. Awesome video, I own several levels and enjoyed seeing where they landed 👍.

[@elproff007]

I have a 2012 MIM Standard I’ve had for ten years and a 2023 Am Pro II. Very different necks and pickups and yes the workmanship and finish on the Am is much better. They are a decade apart though. The Player IIs are very nice. Love that Aerodyne. 🙏🎸💜

[@jo6026]

I have a vintera 60s strat and I am in love everytime I pick it up

[@julioalex922]

I have an Epiphone Strat that I so very much love. I got it for like $50 bucks and found some guy selling a John Mayer strat for parts, I bought the big dipper pickups and put them on the strat. Not only it sounds amazing! The action is low and the neck is small so it almost plays itself. Whenever I go to GC I try all kinds of guitars. The expensive fenders feel nothing like my epi, it's just lovely

[@a.j.garrett9639]

There's an Epiphone Strat? I'm curious

[@gringogreen4719]

​@@a.j.garrett9639 Yeah, Samick made them back in the 1990s. It's a Strat body with a Batwing headstock. They used to be $50 Pawn Shop guitars all day long back in the 2000s. Try one and see if it does it for you.

[@gringogreen4719]

I'm an older player and what I have seen is that for the majority of players out there, basically a Stratocaster from the Squier Affinity (more on that) to a MIM Fender Strat would be ideal guitars either "as is" or for modding platforms for either workhorse guitars or a main player guitar. For the cheaper Mini and Bronco, I see those more as gateway guitars that wont be able to keep up when you get better (most aftermarket parts will probably not fit). Going back to me saying I am older, the least expensive model that I saw local artists and touring musicians play was a Squier Standard guitar (I have a few and owned other before and these are PERFECT mod platforms), usually it was a MIM Fender guitar that was the tour workhorse. Based on what I have seen the Squier Standard line was discontinued back in the 2010s (the Classic Vibes was the newer line and Squier discontinued multiple lines when these came out) and the quality difference from an Affinity (most I played were more like the Bronco line of today) to a Standard was pushed down to the Affinity. The issue with older Affinity (I'm talking like the year 2000 and older) is that some (depends on year, manufacturer, and spec) WILL NOT take aftermarket parts without having to remove material from the body of the guitar or pickguard. Some are not "drop in" compatible with something more like a MIM Fender or a higher tiered Squier. So many of the cheaper Squiers are pretty much "as is" and swapping out parts to make them better might not be in the cards. As far as buying a Strat as a main player guitar, if you are looking to mod, the Squier Standard (discontinued), the Squier Classic Vibe, and the MIM Fenders are all fantastic to mod. There you can mix and match parts, they will most likely take MANY (although not all) aftermarket parts to really allow you dial in what you want the guitar to do for you. They are also GREAT guitars "as is" to be played too. The important thing to remember is that guitars made overseas MAY OR MAY NOT take Standard sized (US and Mexican guitars) parts. Import guitars may have tighter control cavities so parts like a Grigsby switch might be too tall to fit. Full sized pots may not work because you have to remove wood on the side of the cavity (I HIGHLY suggest Bournes Mini pots here because they definitely feel like a CTS pot with the "throw" of the pot) if you want to make a cheaper Squier act more like a US specced model. If money is an issue consider buying Used "Player's Grade" or non working guitars to maximize your budget. Buy parts used (even new electrics like pots, capacitors, switches, and output jacks are relatively inexpensive and will help you get the most out of an abused or non working guitar) and use what you have to bring it up to being playable. Buy used pickups, tuners, and bridges (that's tricky as depending on the guitar some will work and others will not) to keep the overall cost low. Also the more work YOU can do, the less the final cost will be. Even on say a used Squier Affinity Strat, you could "dumb it down" and toss one good pickup (lets say a Hot Rails knockoff pickup) and have a screamer of a guitar that looks like it shouldn't fuction for well under $50.😳 Once you get to US made Fenders, the issue really isn't "should you mod or customize it?" and its more that doing so will negatively impact the value of the guitar down the line. I did this with several US Standard Fenders and it really bottomed the resale price at the time. I would say they are more "Rock 'em Stock" players. If you REALLY feel the need for a higher quality guitar that has your specs, either out together a Warmouth Partscater or have a private builder make you a guitar before you hit "Custom Shop" prices. You could also buy a seperate Fender body and a Fender neck but still you have a Partscaster that at best is the sum of it's "used parts." I LOVE Partscasters and putting one together for a concept is definitely a great idea before either having a private Luthier build you a costomized guitar or having Fender Custom Shop make you one. Now at any level, if a guitar speaks to you as you play it... BUY THAT GUITAR! Those guitars are rarer and rarer the longer you play. 😎👍✨

[@InGovWeMistrust]

My favorite strat type guitar I’ve ever played/owned is my Schecter Nick Johnston traditional HSS. Love the roasted maple neck and the jumbo frets.

[@metalhead7181]

I have 3 Mexican players series and the American Pro 2. I love all of them equally. Oh and a Jackson with a Floyd rose.

[@grotto5812]

Is American Pro 2 it worth the extra money? Or mexican strat gets the job done 100%- I will prefer to have a guitar for life, I will probably never sell it

[@metalhead7181]

@@grotto5812 The American Pro 2 is a great guitar, but the Mexican made strat will get the job done plus you can always up grade it too. I personally think the Pro 2 is a little over priced though.

[@Davidlovesmusic311]

Yeah Jackson American made guitars are great

[@wallyjezus6499]

My first guitar its a Squier Affinity blue metallic my dad gave me . I modified the pickguard with a black opaque one,with black knobs and vintage tuners. You're right,its a little bit heavy compared to a bullet but the affinity its more stable.

[@gratefulmusicsound8337]

Time stamps would be cool

[@EricA-w9r]

Re G&L Guitars: I met Leo and his wife Gloria at the original Fender guitar 🎸 factory on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, CA. I’m reasonably sure the G in G&L is for his wife Gloria, a very kind and charming lady who worked there daily in the front office. They were a very sweet couple. When they moved to Corona, per Gloria’s invitation, I visited them in Corona just to see the new larger place and new equipment she was clearly very proud of. The same guys from Fullerton remembered me. (And now they had three new guys out back loading/unloading at a dock.). Again, I don’t recall meeting a “George Fullerton” affiliated with the Fender operations. And highly unlikely the name of the two new Hispanic guys or the new Caucasian warehouse guy. Lol!

[@stratolestele7611]

George Fullerton is as responsible for the Strat turning out to what it did in '54 as Leo is. He is indeed the "G" in G&L. That's very cool that you got to meet Leo and his wife.

[@yusukelee9590]

I usually played my dad’s epiphone Les Paul’s , beautiful guitars and sound great , but heavy ,dig into your ribs,and had super thick necks , he got an sg and I played that one the most out his that ,and the 335 I believe, but with the sg neck dive aside it was the most comfortable Gibson made guitar to me then for Christmas I got my first electric the squire bullet mustang hh that thing was beast I love that guitar so comfortable but it broke and it would’ve been cheaper to get a new guitar than to pay to have it fixed , so I went back to playing my dads guitars for years but then I moved out and only had my acoustic guitars , I recently got my second electric guitar a squire affinity strat and I love that guitar I always wanted a single coil guitar and the strat is by far the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played it was only 123 dollars used and i technically got for free with credits I had at the store came with a nice bag too it was a steal I really want to play a prs though from what I’ve heard it’s kind of the best of both worlds with the comfort of a strat maybe the neck like an Ibanez and the looks of a Gibson bit idk I’ve never actually played one

[@kunkunpow-vn3gi]

that john mayer song sounds truly great on affinity

[@QGSantiago]

I was waiting to see a Squier Classic vibe in the mid range before the fender player. It is a great guitar

[@stratolestele7611]

They're easily, most definitely, Squier's best Strats, and excellent Strats overall.

[@jakevizcarra4072]

I like to practice on my Player American Strat because it's clean tone. I can hear all my mistakes. 😅

[@FrancoAlcudia]

I do own an affinity series from 2021 but the HH variant, and I'm gonna say I like it a lot, I recently started to play guitar again after like 6 years of not really playing, and, with just a little bit of love, my guitar has become so nice to play, it came with some details, like on the fret edges, but it was so easy to set up that I did it, and now it's just perfect for what it is, I have played guitars more expensive than that, and man, mine is so close to them that I'm impressed, nice video. 😸😸😸

[@Voxguitarsrock]

My 1st Strat I purchased was a Squier VM 70's version. It's so good that after swapping the Saddles I have no desire to buy another Strat. And I've tried a # of American versions. Cheers!

[@a.j.garrett9639]

That sounds like a really good feeling 👍😁

[@knightsonofjack]

I got a vintage ii 57, it has an aura about it when you play unplugged even

[@notmyrealname2516]

You know what fender wont build? a tele with a humbucker bridge and a lipstick neck.

[@Davidlovesmusic311]

You are a convincing salesman though I'll give you that but not all cheap strats stay in tune

[@bluwng]

When setup correctly and super light neck sand on the Affinity it plays and feels premium.

[@aminahmed2220]

What a fantastic video have a wonderful weekend Jimmy also my personal favorite is the pre cbs fender stratocaster to be honest from the 1950s ❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@Lateral032]

Should touch upon the player plus series Strat. Rolled edges, locking tuners, block saddles, noiseless pups. It’s a nice choice for the issues you brought up. Also I put a player plus maple neck on my Silverburst Strat and it resembles the ultra luxe minus the Floyd rose. Good watch still.

[@Vooni.]

man u deserve recognition the editing and video quality, overall good

[@your_loud_guitarist_neighbor]

fr when i saw the vid i thought it had millions of views and hundreds of thousands likes

[@a.j.garrett9639]

I bought a Squier mini Strat used for $100. And I also bought and prefer the Jazz master. I got the limited edition black one with the pearloid pickguard, and it is pretty damn sweet! The first Squire I bought was the mini P bass. My only real complaint about that is that the E is floppy, you can't get a really tight sound. And I really had to drop the pick up. But yeah I'm a fan of the square minis. super fun😊

[@a.j.garrett9639]

Dude you're rocking that Squier affinity! Sounds like a Stratocaster to me.

[@humzatebai]

I played an Ibanez GIO and jumped straight to a Fender American Ultra... I literally cannot put it down when I pick it up, It feels like a Bentley compared to a primitive bike.

[@josephmckenna7645]

Awesome video dude

[@jimmyfranklin]

Thank you very much!

[@robertclarkguitar]

Man I dig all from the MIM up. Classic Vibes are missing. But, hey. Lol

[@jimmyfranklin]

Dude. I know and I wasn’t sure where that fit in here. Where would it have gone?? In between what??

[@elcompadre1283]

@@jimmyfranklinright before the fender player

[@handel1111]

I enjoy playing my cheap Chinese Strat copy more than my Strat Player

[@jimmyfranklin]

😲😲😲 really?? Why??

[@feltyash6484]

@@jimmyfranklin Because he doesn't actually have a player strat and he's just coping with his knockoff😭

[@jaydenfreak]

@@jimmyfranklinhonestly i think its just the feel. like for me, i don’t have a fender, but i have a squier. i’ve had it for years and modded it, but i bought a thrift store strat for $30 and fixed the frets and it was on the same level of my squier. granted, squiers obviously arent the BEST guitar brand, however i cannot afford anything else lol

[@Ethan-e4b]

I envy you

[@harrytowers6850]

@@jaydenfreakfelt

[@MrDaBo94]

After I watched the Les Paul video I was wondering if you were going to do one for the Strats. Thank you.

[@jimmyfranklin]

I knew after the lesson Paul video that I had to do the strat video! And I was never a major strat fan and now I totally am!

[@davidqueen5098]

Dude rad dive bombs 💣

[@eljefeguapobarbon]

Enjoying as I play my Fender Buttercream MIM strat! Nice video!

[@jimmyfranklin]

Such a great guitar! Thank you!!

[@toystoryjohn8457]

I have the same guitar it is fucking tits

[@JoviMusicAndCars]

@@jimmyfranklinhi

[@christopheraaron8299]

Gonna have to do a new one with the Debut Strat.

[@Littlebear57]

I’ve always wanted to like the Stratocaster, I love the sound, loads of amazing players use them but whenever I’ve played one I’ve hated playing them. I think a big part of why is the position of the volume knob and how I rest my hand on the bridge. A few years ago I decided to dedicate myself to finding one I liked, looked around guitar stores, tried loads and ended up settling on a Jackson soloist SL4X which while a super strat isn’t exactly strat like especially because of its pickups lol, Nevermind, I’ll continue to listen, enjoy and not play

[@Lomoholga2]

KZbin is 95% infomercials

[@jimmyfranklin]

How is this an infomercial? . I feel like it’s infotainment

[@a.j.garrett9639]

​Call it what you want. I'm into it. I love guitar videos!​@@jimmyfranklin

[@FingalPersson]

Ibanez RG550 would be the mnost elegant neck to play on, but as one that has a Squier Affinity Telecaster, Player Series Stratocaster and a Fender Fretless J-Bass, i still think RG550 has a better playability and more frets to play on as well :)

[@robertmitchell5205]

Awesome video! I gotta say you're a great salesman, nice guitars and playing as well ! 🎸

[@krishnabordoloi2338]

I like my fender player plus fender

[@obbor4]

No Classic Vibe level rated?

[@willjones8801]

i've got the classic vibe 70s strat and it's incredible but i haven't played any actual fenders lol so i have no idea how it compares

[@Carboneye7]

This channel is absolutely marvelous

[@voiceofexperience]

My guilty pleasure is the sound of the new Squier Affinity pups (yep, I bought one, & play it far too much 😂)

[@MarkNealJr]

This was an awesome video! Have you tried the Squier Debut?

[@jimmyfranklin]

SOOOO I found out about the Debut the day AFTER I finished this video. So don’t worry. I’m gonna get one and I’m gonna try it and I’m gonna do a video haha Thank you!!

[@MarkNealJr]

@@jimmyfranklin I’m gonna check that video out when it drops! I got the red one because of the matte color thinking it would age better than the shiny ones but I read that the matte would just turn shiny where it wears. I’m really happy with it but I’m not very good so I’m curious to see what you have to say about it.

[@erikotto6728]

Love the vid great playing and to the point

[@Derikbandad]

gotta do one for teles

[@jimmyfranklin]

I know!!!

[@edwinstovall3334]

I have an idea why your G&L Tribute Legacy doesn't feel like a Fender Strat. I think it's the fretboard radius. Most (or at least many) modern-day Strats have a fretboard radius of 9.5 inches. I looked up the radius of the Legacy; it was given as 12 inches. That's a considerable difference, and one I'm familiar with as well. I have one Stratoid with a 12 inch fretboard and two with 9.5 inch fretboards. Overall, I tend to prefer the flatter 12 inch fretboard since it allows easy bending. I'm a bluesy player whose most often used vibrato is to pull the string toward the treble side of the fretboard. Naturally, the flatter fretboard favors this type of play. The rounder radius may make chording a little more easy.

[@haithamannaji4790]

I bought a 95 stratocaster for under 500 $ I can't believe my life anymore 😂 Edit : American

[@fredericdobbelaere7725]

😊😊every time you play you makes faces😂 ! I love it😜🤘i love your videos. I send you " bonjour de la France "🇨🇵

[@Hululu23]

Do a SG levels video

[@DBroce]

No one ever plays stuff off John’s album Niandra LaDes? The Track-Untitled Song #6 is pure genius. Or was it Untitled Song #12?

[@Davidlovesmusic311]

Yeah a few upgrades on a squier can be a decent little guitar

[@Sm00thR0ckS]

Great comparison! What's the tune that you were playing at 22:00?

[@JohnnyBoy-ym5ct]

John Mayer - Slow dancing in a burning room

[@Sm00thR0ckS]

@@JohnnyBoy-ym5ct Wow! Thank you! When it comes to some of the artists from the last twenty some years, sadly John Mayer included, I feel like I've been sleeping under a rock.

[@sleepingvortex]

My Chinese strat is doing gods work tbh

[@ericovalle4453]

When will he do every level of Telecaster?

[@piotrek-_-2029]

Where do you buy squier affinity strat all white?

[@brian_0a]

8:28 what's that riff called?

[@jimmyfranklin]

Slow dancing in a burning room. John mayer

[@DasOmen02]

Okay real quick I just wanna say: you don't have to go so hard on the sfx every time the subtitles change LOL I'm eager to watch the video, you seem genuinely passionate about what you talk about, but we are kind of nearing Johnny Test whip crack level of effects here 😆

[@edwinstovall3334]

In my view, there are 3 levels of Strat and Stratoid, and I've assigned numbers to them. I'm into computers and they count starting at the number zero, so I likewise start with Level 0, aka Vintage Strat. This is the Fender Stratocaster as introduced in 1954. I will never own one of these as they have deal-breaking flaws in them (in my opinion and for my money). I won't buy guitars with only 21 frets (anymore), with 6-screw vibratos, with truss rod adjustment access BURIED in the neck joint, or with 3-way pickup selector blade switches that don't allow the pickups to blend sounds without jumping through ridiculous hoops. Level 1, or Modern Strat, has (at least) the 5-way pickup selector, headstock truss rod access, 2-point or Floyd Rose locking vibratos and 22 frets or more. Then, of course, there's Level 2, the Super Strat. You know what I'm talking about -- alternative pickup schemes, 24 frets (often jumbo or larger😎), Floyds or at least a really good 2-point, suitable pickup switching (which depends on the pickups, of course) and headstock or spoke wheel truss rod adjusting access. (I've never had that last, but it's probably cool.) I have guitars that are reasonably Fender-like or better in all three levels. I confess to one variation; my one Level 0 guitar has headstock truss rod access instead of buried. I don't know how important that is to anyone besides myself, but I would not have bought that guitar had it been saddled with that buried adjustment access. I say all of this with pleasure that there is someone else who has thought about this stuff besides ME! Thanks for the video!

[@wailordzp6363]

The squid Classic vibe, contemporary, and paranormal guitars are crying in the corner

[@SunnySuzu_]

What about Squier classic vibe?

[@ELIMM-wg5ky]

Ur facial expressions are quite enjoyable. 😅

[@dominicpraydis6213]

nailed that Polyphia riff

[@titogoody]

i think i can you the same with my squier cv70s the same as the pro ii

[@ViviVAL141]

how about the sonic?

[@Dante_Seth]

came for the guitars, left with a crush on Jimmy

[@muan_tea]

First one looks like player series 2nd looks like amrican pro ii Edit : checked out ur vid i was right🤭

[@DJPLAYNICE]

Which one is $100?

[@Aaron_harrower]

Strat mini

[@anjanethhernandez7274]

Is he the singer of the band called Chelsea Grin? Hahaha just kidding

[@stratolestele7611]

35:12 "adjustable height post tuners". Lol, slow down a bit. They're staggered height, not adjustable. Only time I've ever heard of tuners w/adjustable post height are Gotohs.

[@AlexisSimon-o6r]

[@strangledwithascarf6967]

Classic vibe?

[@jaroslavdulik1439]

This is not level 1. Level 1 is mcGrey strat😂

[@SLEEPYDEADBRAIN]

5 levels of the most overrated guitar and that guitar cannot play blues it can only play funk reggae punk metal ska and rock I love funk reggae punk metal and rock and I am ok with ska but I don’t like solid body guitars

[@stratolestele7611]

Sorry, there's a reason the Strat is far and away, the world's #1 selling guitar, and has been pretty much since it was released. Nothing at all "overrated" about it. You don't like solid body guitars, fine. But don't allow that to tell you it's overrated. It can be so many different things, it's truly hard to beat.

[@Перекресток-ц8ж]

Зачем кривляешся? Смотроть противно

[@predigr]

Charvel is not a strato in any sense lol

[@jimmyfranklin]

It’s a super strat. That is made by fender.

[@predigr]

@@jimmyfranklin you can call it super or mega strat. It is not a strat in any sense.

[@bluwng]

@@predigrdefine sense. You just dense and hard headed. Same body , similar neck, same body shape, same company many of the same components, so define sense you Nancy.

[@charlespatterson9138]

I have a bunch of budget guitars nothing too pricey naybe my subzero bass 6 or 12 string fender accoustic squir jazz bass but the rest are even cheaper but i have tge 20th anniversery squire affinity and fir some reason it pkays really nice best 50 iv spent on guitars with the exception of a 40 dollar ltd i play diff style there so also i say too much always buhbye

[@charlespatterson9138]

Cant find the mini cheaper than the squire bullet nut i could be talking premature maybe ur not dokng squires