Is The Stratocaster Too Expensive?

Baxter and Jonathan discuss the price of the Stratocaster when it first came out in 1954 and what that would cost in todays dollars.

[@StephenSpelman]

Love my Custom Shop Strat and Tele, but I'm still gigging with my '68 Strat that I paid $210 for, brand new (without case) from money I earned picking cucumbers. It had been hanging on the wall for a year or so in our local music shop, in a community where no one (except teenage me) would think of paying that kind of crazy money, so I got it at a discount. Still enjoy playing it every day

[@chipcaronte]

How many working days did that take?

[@StephenSpelman]

@@chipcaronte At least a whole summer, as I recall. We got paid for each bushel of cucumbers we picked. You picked down a row, and when your bushel basket was full, you brought it to the straw boss for inspection (to make sure you'd only picked good cukes). At the end of the summer I was able to buy the Strat, but I couldn't afford the case, which my mom helped me buy later

[@chipcaronte]

@@StephenSpelman man! That's a terrific and inspiring story! Thanks for sharing!

[@chipcaronte]

Also... Keep on rocking!!!

[@Funkybassuk]

As a young Brit visiting NYC as a 15-year old in the mid-90s, buying a Fender Jazz Bass Standard in Manny’s Music was a dream come true. I was a bit disappointed for a while later to learn that it had been made in Mexico. All these years later, I still have it and it still plays and sounds great!

[@ashleympg]

I got my first Custom Shop Strat in 2002 with my dad who is no longer with us. I know a lot of players have "the one that got away" and that one is mine. I've been shopping around for something that "calls to me", but deep down I know I can't replace the memory that was tied to the one my dad helped me pick out. Hoping to build new music memories with my family now though! Thank you guys for the content.

[@cleagymeen9465]

Hi, 5 months later... maybe build one with your family imput on it, like each person picks something they like on it

[@MJScrivens89]

I bought a Mexican standard in 2008 and they were going for £349 at the time. That’s still the bench mark for entry level Fenders in my head, but as the player series is now double that in Great British Pounds, I can’t help feel like Skinner saying “am Inso out of touch? No… it’s the children who are wrong”. I definitely feel like I’m venturing into old man yells at cloud territory, but I do find it hard to wrap my head around the price doubling in just 14 years or so, even with the apocalypse of 2020-present.

[@kimmorgan379]

Inflation means that £349 would now be £501.26 and the cheapest Mexican standard I just found was £569 so.... I mean... yes, they've increased but .... not by much.

[@DeirdreSM]

When I was a kid, people valued high-ticket handmade items produced in the US. But they don’t now, and that is partly why people are underpaid relative to that time period (when one person working full-time, even as a grocery store clerk, could afford to live alone or be the family provider). We do not value fine work *as a culture*, and that’s a shame. Focusing on price has cost us so much.

[@michaeljoyce3286]

I have two challenges one for what you pay the quality isn’t really there and to the moment you play a custom shop or a high-end PRS or a boutique build guitar when you go down in range, you truly feel a difference I don’t wanna call it coffee snob in a weird way but if I was gonna spend eight to $900, I would rather look at PRS versus vendor or try to go into the used market and get more for my dollar

[@honkytonkinson9787]

Fender guitars were extremely obtainable in the 90s and early 2000s, though the Mexican guitars weren’t as good then. I feel like Gibson was always expensive and I’ve been paying attention since the mid 90s. I feel like Fender has increased so much in price in the last 10 years that I can’t wrap my head around it! I got an Ibanez AZ last year for $300 and it’s pretty good; it’ll be fantastic once I’m done upgrading, though it’ll have more than $300 in upgraded parts. Orchestra talk: I got a scholarship for playing bassoon. I don’t play bassoon anymore because a cheap student horn is $4000. I always joked about how many awesome guitars I could buy for a mediocre pro model bassoon

[@jambajoby32]

Right!!? Symphony instruments are extremely expensive

[@Megarobotsquadron]

I work in classical music and I'm always amazed that these musicians spend a ton on a single instrument. But then, that's it. The rest is about their skills. They don't have a wall of them

[@honkytonkinson9787]

@@Megarobotsquadron guitar is unique in that it is so collectible, compared to vintage Selmer saxophones for example. I realize that I succumb to the marketing to own a bunch of guitars and amps and I wish I wasn’t such a sucker for it, but electric guitar gear is so interesting: aesthetically, audibly, and historically! What other instrument affected so much change all over the world and so quickly! Maybe the electronic keyboard but not nearly as cool looking!

[@omniton4106]

I would love to play Oboe but I don’t want to take out a mortgage.

[@dougnasty99]

For what it actually is yes, at best it is an industrial grade instrument. You can build a nicer strat than you can buy, and get better quality wood and hardware, and still keep it under a grand.

[@24avenged24]

I find it interesting that people, not just on this video, seem to only use the Silversky SE as a price comparison, never the regular Silversky that's almost $700 more than a Clapton or Beck Strat, and still $250 more than an Ultra Luxe strat. Has it just been accpeted that the USA silversky is overpriced?

[@tomperkins6389]

In 1954 guitars were made with more human hands perhaps using old growth wood. Now there is much more mass production and automation. Custom shop instruments are possibly closer to production quality from the 50s so maybe it's more fair to compare those prices to original instruments? If that's so, then the common modern Strats are priced far higher.

[@eljefeguapobarbon]

My trips to NAMM ruined me when I played Xotics, Freidman and Fender Road Worn guitars! Then comes along the Custom Shop guitars and man I was blown away!

[@mojo6778]

Back in the mid 60's, I remember working in the summer as was excited to get minimum wage which was $1.60 per hour so on a 40 hour week I would make $64.00, you need to compare that to todays min wages when comparing prices of guitars. Just a little fun fact 🙂 I couldn't afford a Mustang much less a Strat because I had other expenses I had to use money on as well, so I bought a Maier electric guitar at the Fed Mart discount store for around $54.00, my first electric.

[@davidcotton6999]

I can tell you that here in the UK the price of Fender Custom Shop Strats is now pretty crazy. I bought my last Fender Custom Shop Strat in 2018, just 4 years ago brand new from a top UK dealer and it cost £2,750. The same Fender Custom Shop Strats at the dealers are now £4,400!!!! In just 4 years!!!! Mental!!!!

[@JJ-nq3ll]

Amazing how people don't take into account the work and craftsmanship of others into the cost of the instrument. No one wants to works for free, but everyone need to get paid. From a blank piece of wood to a guitar in your hands is a lengthy process for a final product. Question is, How much you value the labor of your hands as well of others? The sound of Music, guitars, etc. is priceless! 🎸🎸

[@THEItchybruddah]

Gentlemen! It’s always a treat to start my day with you two. Thanks for dropping the MST3K reference. In my noggin you are both going to be perceived as the Tom Servo & Crow of the twang-verse. As always, thanks for the insight and chuckles!

[@LarryHollis]

I love the fact that you two are such huge nerds on so many different topics.

[@sgt.gruhnn]

In the 80’s Strats we’re 500-600, about a weeks pay for me, today, they’re 1500-1700, still a weeks pay for me

[@0megalul309]

Its fundamentally the second easiest and cheapest guitar to build in terms of raw material and skill. Partscasters are so huge for this reason, vs set neck gibson designs. Paying 2500++ usd for a strat to me is like paying more than 20 usd for a chipotle burrito.

[@Dr.Lee.Guitar]

The first Fender Custom Shop I played, I bought on the spot way back in 1996. 1996 color wall limited edition Strat (on the right in my avatar pic). I still have that guitar and play it all the time. I now have three custom shop Strats. They are by far my favorite guitars. Starting to think about ordering a master build Strat....

[@yankeepeters2270]

1974. My first Stratocaster. White with maple neck and ohsc. Detroit area. $ 330.00.

[@johnreagan4162]

I’m a hack player but the American Ultra blew me away so much I had to buy one. It’s quite possibly the best electric guitar I’ve ever played. Players that don’t like strats have just never got their hands on a really good one; when you do it’ll make a believer out of you. Thanks everyone!

[@michaelgreen5206]

American Vintage ii 61 Strat gets my endorsement as an excellent sounding Strat and is now my #1 axe in my arsenal! Also have a Fender Tele Ultra and this guitar is amazing, too!!! Btw, these guitars were purchased directly from Fender and were delivered in perfect condition for my playing style, with action, intonation and cosmetics perfect on 1st shot. The main takeaway here is that Fender’s quality of their American manufactured guitars is legit!!!

[@TheWelhaven]

I actually sold my Ultra last year (and my EBMM Cutlass), only because my modded MIM is my favourite strat.

[@Fugettaboutit]

American Vintage Fenders in the 90's were like $1200, and that seemed ludicrous for a Fender.

[@derekwright5564]

My top 3 guitars are stratocasters. #1 is a custom ordered warmoth parts caster. #2 is a squier strat with fender pickups, Evo gold frets and locking tuners. #3 is 40th anniversary seafoam green squier strat body with warmoth neck, emg pickups, locking tuners. Absolutely love my strats!! To picky to buy a fender unless I had the money for a custom shop.

[@bripslag]

My first good electric guitar was a used '68 Les Paul Custom, purchased in 1975 for $500. It was stolen from me a few years later (along with a '78 ES-335). I replaced it with a used BC Rich Mockingbird that was one of the early prototypes of the Mockingbird line. (Koa and maple, handmade by Bernie Rico himself.) I paid $500 for that one too. The replacement cost of any of those three guitars in today's dollars would be astronomical. I didn't own a Les Paul again until last year. These days I gig with MIM Strats and PRS SEs, and even those have nearly doubled in price over the past few years.

[@DJClassicAuto]

On December 3rd of 1994 I paid $566.42 for my brand new American Standard Stratocaster at a sho' nuff music store here in Houston, TX. The guitar had a sticker price of $499.00. The $566.42 figure included sales tax and a gig bag. I still have that guitar, and the receipt, but, not the gig bag.

[@smelltheglove2038]

It’s the most perfectly designed single coil guitar ever made. They’re amazing guitars. Probably my favorite guitar. I love them.

[@TheLochs]

Its the only guitar I play. love em

[@MichaelMyers-zf5nu]

Some people know the cost of everything but the value of nothing. My ultra strat was not cheap, but I don't have to monkey with it at all. Stays in tune, a must. Noiseless pick-ups a dream at low practice volumes. Neck relief stays true. Rolled edges a must for me now! Almost got turned off from playing guitar many years ago because of the inexpensive cheese grater I started out on. Very uncomfortable to play, almost hurt. Played through a Princeton, that ultra is glass! Love your show, keep it going!

[@jeremythornton433]

I get it. However, both my cheap Strats have great fret ends. Maybe I just got lucky though.

[@algorithm007ify]

As great as the ultra is, the noiseless pickups are uninspiring and missing a lot of "air"..

[@_rafael_b]

Hi guys! Great video and great point. When you account for inflation, Fenders are actually cheaper on average than they were back in the day. A decent cover gig can bring in at least $100 a night if not more. If a person with a steady gig were to buy a Player's Strat for $850 to $900 to play those gigs, that guitar would pay for itself in a relatively short amount of time. Also, if you decide to build a partscaster, the sum total of money spent on parts will be comparable to an already built strat from the factory with similar materials and parts after everything is accounted for.

[@blueeyephil]

Just a couple of days ago in a Les Paul Facebook group there were comments about how the wine red Les Paul Studio at $1699 was so over priced. I have one I got back 15 years ago. I looked up inflation from then to now and calculated todays cost from back then. Guess what, pretty close. I'm sure I bought during a sale, so probable equivilant. What is amazing is how good of a guitar you can get at several price points.

[@LakesideWeldingJerry]

In the 80s, my neighbor had an original, real deal , '53 tele. Even had the original ashtray cover! Tragically, he tried "restoring" it himself, shellacking... brush marks and all! Back thenz it was just an old guitar!

[@AllanGildea]

Nice wee hang out lads, enjoyed the chat. It's only too expensive depending on whether you can afford it or not - your inights on the relative costs adjusted for inflation were really interesting, as well as the reminder of how good things are now in terms of choice and bang for yer buck. Thank you.

[@stephensauer6002]

Although, all the vintage Strats had more of a hands on production/build mode, which I think counts for something. Wouldn't that kind of workmanship be compared to more of the “custom shop” prices? So, in effect, the older guitars were cheaper. The CNC production has brought the prices down relative to the older ones.

[@derrickdean7224]

The Fender custom shop is currently using some of the same tooling and is constructing using methods that are similar to the 1950's. A basic Custom Shop charges roughly $4,500 which is about $430 in 1955. However, the AP II are probably more similar in the consistency of the product, so that gets you down to $240ish. I think they can be too expensive or a bargain based on your perspective.

[@bensepulveda71]

Yesterday I paid over $8 for two dozen eggs and in total about $68 for two freaking bags of groceries. No, Strats are not “overpriced”, everything is just expensive AF.

[@thesmellycatjazz]

Even discount stores are charging the moon for eggs. I know there's an avian flu going around but I had to look the up after I saw the prices

[@banditsbikeco3439]

Truth! I just got 3 bags of grocery’s and a small rack of TP and paid just shy of $100…eggs are now $6 a dozen 😮

[@chipcaronte]

Damn... Well... In Nicaragua those eggs cost about $2.2 and it already feels expensive... Talk about a Startocaster...

[@sooparticular]

are u joking 8 dollars for 24 eggs is dirt cheap!!

[@Yakomoe]

My chickens laid so many eggs..... :)

[@michaelprieshoff2002]

I just got a new Fender Player Strat on sale for $625 (on Amazon from Fender’s store) just before Christmas. They’re back up to $850 now though. Never would have considered buying a guitar on Amazon before but I had to do it when I saw the price. Finally got it this week. UPS lost the first one that was shipped. Haha

[@khillsy4489]

I've got a 2005 master built Squire set neck telecaster. Two humbuckers, two volume two tone nobs. Adjustamatic bridge and stop bar tailpiece. All in brushed platinum. Picked it up four four and a quarter Canadian. Still have it and still love it.

[@gkott78]

Although Fender's might not be overpriced in relation to inflation, it was the quick price increases over the past 2 years that shocked everyone. I remember picking up a used 2001 MIM Standard for like 300 bucks in mint condition circa 2009. I think new ones were about 450 or 500 then, and they were solid guitars. So jump to 2019, they are still obtainable at like 500 to 600 dollars. Pandemic hits, chaos ensues, and them bam, MIM "standards" aka player series jump to 850. There are now MIM guitars hitting 1599. If Fender would have slow rolled some of these price increases over a longer period of time, we probably wouldn't be seeing this video. I own custom shop Fenders, and a US Silver Sky, so I'm willing to spend money.... but I still have a hard time seeing the $1000 dollar plus price tags on MIM guitars, it just doesn't seem the value is really there anymore. I also saw Fender pump out some really poorly crafted guitars over the past 2 years, with terrible fit and finish. If the price goes up, I think most would expect a jump in quality and QC. I personally saw inconsistency especially coming out of Mexico. Felt like a cash grab a bit to me.

[@elbib2446]

kind of feel the same,im still thinking pre covid prices,i have 2 mims,a 2009 standard tele,paid 260 quid used,and a classic player strat for 300,which was a bargain,as i think the cp series are the best ensenada have made,included the highly praised baja tele,both now discontunued replaced by the vintera series,but then if i sold both now,average for the standard would be 400/450 used,and 8/700 for the classic player.its the swift nature of the price increases now.mim are now fender japan prices,fender japan are now usa prices,and usa is through the roof.i personally wouldnt pay what they are asking for the mims these days,i would look for a used japan made guitar fender/tokai/fernandes etc i also have a usa g and l legacy,just as good as a fender american pro,some say better,and g and l prices arent too different than they were a few years back,then you have the fact that the usa fender now contains so many outsourced parts,they can no longer put made in usa on them now,assembled in corona,but much of the bits not made there,both mim and usa fenders have used ping tuners made in taiwan since 2010,and other bits and pieces,further blurring the usa/mim difference.also my 2006 mim strat has a rosewood board,not the pau ferro used on all mims these days,actually the top end squiers classic vibes etc are now at old mim price level.kind of glad i have enough guitars allready,and price increases have kind of stopped me buying anything new

[@roywarriner8441]

That sounds like Canadian pricing for Player Plus.

[@RunningWithScissors765]

I bought a 1991 USA strat with a maple neck in 2005… I found it randomly walking through a flea market. No joke it had a 150$ price tag on it.. I snatched it right away and it’s been my favorite guitar ever since. It’s the only time I’ve ever came across a “steal” piece of gear. Right place, right time 😅

[@mknewlan67]

So I’m a guitar noob. Is there a fender with a flat fingerboard? One reason I like Epiphone, Gibson etc is the 12 inch fingerboard. I’ve got nerve damage in my left hand and wider is better. I’ve got a squier that I love but have problems chording because it seems the strings are way closer together than my acoustic.

[@marcotonetti]

That John Cruz Custom ST in the middle of the screen is amazing!

[@mileswatkinson8135]

One thing you haven't talked about here is scale. When you compare instrument prices from the 50's with current prices you have to reckon in how many are produced and sold comparatively, anything built on a huge scale is much cheaper to produce, and the scale of guitar production today is huge. That also factors in with the comparison of orchestral instruments. If they were selling millions of cellos a year, the economics of scale would bring the cost for the consumer down quite a bit.

[@richardmerriam7044]

I bought a new Bullet HT Strat for $161 direct from Fender. There was an added discount from a credit card company. Regular sale price was $179. Pretty good deal. This was about two months ago.

[@johnhruby6205]

They are actually cheaper today. $250 in 1954 is the equivalent to $2,769.61 today.

[@zacharywatson885]

I think there is definitely a place for an $800 - $950 Mexican Fender. The problem with the current Player’s Series is that they just aren’t very good. They all seem to be heavy, stiff kind of blah guitars. If they made them with the quality of most the other Mexican or even Squier guitars, they could worth it. At present, it really does seem like your just paying for the Fender sticker on the headstock and, for context, I don’t feel that way about any other guitar in their current line up.

[@peterrebhahn1113]

What the good-to-great quality of inexpensive import guitars has made painfully obvious is that there really is such a thing as a headstock tax. Looking right at you Fender and Gibson. As usual, Phil McKnight has the best, common-sense take on this issue. To quote him (roughly) from an answer to a recent livestream question along the lines of, ‘Should I buy [insert expensive brand-name guitar here] or a cheaper [insert alternative purchase here]’ Mr. McKnight offered this advice: “You have to decide whether you want the brand or the sound. If it’s the sound you want there are lots of ways to get it. If it’s the brand you want there’s only one way to get it. If you want the brand, that’s OK. Just don’t kid yourself about what you’re buying and why.” Yep. Exactly. Phil isn’t the most polished presenter in the KZbin guitarverse but he has a way of cutting to the heart of issues others like to make complicated.

[@satinwhip]

I always enjoy Phil's perspective on things. He makes an excellent point but one that is only valid if you view the guitar as a tool. It's not simply about brand or headstock. His point basically obliterates every fancy 10 top that PRS has ever released. That adds nothing to the function of the guitar. To many players they are not simply tools. A Honda Civic will get you from point A to Point B just like a Corvette will.

[@startrekmike]

While I don't dislike McKnight's content, I do always ask myself after watching his videos if I agree with him because he is actually objectively correct of if what he is saying feels correct because I agree with him. It is just something that comes to mind whenever I see someone mention how a KZbinr has a "best, common sense take" on a particular topic. It reads an awful lot like the fans of blowhard guitar pundits like Scott Grove, Will Gelvin, or even Ed Roman who think that just because their favorite KZbinr tells them what they want to hear, they must be correct. Not saying that it is exactly the same in your case but it is kinda in the same ballpark. Suffice it to say, I don't exactly trust a lot of KZbinrs. I tend to try and double check whatever I see on KZbin to see if it is as true as I would like it to be.

[@kootenaystringworks1765]

We are basing our opinion that it isn't overpriced on the original 1954 price. The question should be " Has the Stratocaster always been overpriced". Hahahaha!!!!

[@danrunnoft6642]

Would a $4000, twenty five inch color TV be overpriced? They were about $600 back in the 70's.

[@roywarriner8441]

A Player Plus SSS Strat is at the top of my wish list.

[@benlogan430]

My Squier 50’s CV strat was $224 open box new for the holidays. But the cost of instruments has increased starting around 2014.

[@jambajoby32]

Found a 60’s cv for 180 online direct from a dealer a website! Open box but it was 210 on reverb so I didn’t mind saving an extra 10% lol

[@jamespowers8826]

From an old guy who grew up in the 50's and 60's, inflation isn't the only factor to consider here. Yes, $250 dollars was a lot back in that time; but, as a percentage of middle class income and how far it would go, it was far more doable then than $2,300 now. Everyone factors in inflation to come up with the numbers; but, doesn't take into consideration how tremendously less expensive things like rent, food, electricity was. The cost of those three things alone now exceed substantially the rate of inflation. In 1960, my parents built a three bedroom, two bath brick home on a large corner lot in a new housing development. They paid $19,000 for it. The last time it sold, which was last year, it sold for $450,000 dollars. The note was $127 a month, well within my dad's refinery job income.

[@mattsmitchger259]

Yes. I always compare guitar prices to other instruments or other hobbies. Guns, restoring cars, motorcycles, sports memorabilia, all sorts of things can be way more expensive than guitar stuff.

[@TheWelhaven]

Yeah, my friend used $10k on a new bike. Tell my significant other that that’s all my guitars combined.

[@wadeguidry6675]

And guitars are much safer to collect than motorcycles, ask me how I know.

[@dustinburwell7693]

I forget the guys name, but he does the rig rundowns now on PG, and he made a video on his 1979 Strat and he was talking about how he “doesn’t like relics because you have to earn your wear, like this strat” he then proceeded to talk about how he purchased that guitar the week prior with the previous owners wear.

[@TommyGunzzz]

But at those prices though, I'd start looking at a Strandberg

[@cosmolean]

My first electric guitar was a 1987 Mexican Fender Telecaster that cost around $300.00 with tax. I couldn't afford the American made Leo Fender signature version selling for $750.00.

[@richardfeldkamp1707]

I saw a strat selling for $600 in 1978. In today's dollars that's about $2400. They're actually a better deal today.

[@seanhoward5562]

You were saying $250 dollars for Strat in 1954 was dirt cheap. Not when you're making $0.75/hour.

[@goeldner87]

I played a custom shop Strat in a shop about 10years ago and it was the best guitar I had ever played. About 7 years later I had enough to buy my own and now that’s my Favourite guitar. Feels the best! I have a bunch of Mexican and American strats and they just don’t come close

[@23kyd49]

I believe you. The jump from an American to a Player series is noticeable. Not horrible but noticeable. Don’t have a custom shop but I could see myself selling them all for just one guitar. I suspect when my inner musician catches up to the justification of their cost. It’s funny you do sometimes just bond to one. Motorcycles are the same. Once you know how to ride a bike you can operate any of them, but your bike is your bike and someone else’s feels foreign.

[@jasonconerty2214]

I bought a custom shop strat 16 years ago. I had been driving around to various stores playing every strat I could get my hands on. I wanted maple fretboard and a v neck. V necks were either not available on standards or difficult to find. Anyway one day a custom shop strat was just sitting there in a store. Had the maple fretboard and v neck and I was sold. This strat along with my HD28 are the only guitars I've ever owned that have been absolutely perfect out of the box.

[@ADAM_COLLECTS]

My first strat was a Richie Sambora sig with floyd and boost switch and everything that isn’t traditional and it was awesome but it wasn’t getting used. sold it, did well on that sale, bought an 89 strat plus and it’s freakin sweet. Has all the playability of the richie , tones are close and it doesn’t have the annoying floyd

[@timnewman1172]

Player Series Fenders are probably the best value out there for anybody looking for a "workhorse" guitar... The old Mex Standard instruments were a great platform to build upon, swap pickups and go. I have an 01 P-Bass that I put Custom Shop pickups in which I gigged for years!

[@ruminantmelanoid5444]

Same here. I had a 99 Standard Jazz Bass that I put Custom Shop pickups in and I gigged (and recorded) that for almost a decade. I sold it, and it is still in service.

[@timnewman1172]

@@ruminantmelanoid5444 I bought a fretless Standard Jazz and put An Am Standard Precision neck on it(because I like P necks better!)...

[@ruminantmelanoid5444]

@@timnewman1172 Interesting. I usually hear of the reverse. I also have a Am. Std. Tele and a Player Plus Strat. I like the Tele neck better. It keeps me from noodling as much. Is that true for you?👍

[@rickmiller7884]

In 1992, I paid 600.00 for brand new American Standard strat at GC. I wonder how much that would be in today's dollars.

[@jamesburge1983]

Two things: One, I instinctively was wanting to go 'Yeah Strats are too expensive!' Well after thinking about it, yeah you can get a better 'S' type for less money, but sometimes it really is not about objectively better. Sometimes the better guitar does not 'fit', looking at you PRS. Plus right now, we have some really good wood out there and it should be more expensive. ( It is all about the wood. Why is a vintage mustang better than a new one? Old growth wood. IMO ) Two: I hate 'relicing' stupid. But there is one really awesome thing about it. Go out drop a ton of bucks on a custom shop then play it. Take it out and use it. Your drunk singer drops a mic stand on it, no biggie. Time to sell it, and the buyer asks about 'that gouge'. The answer is, 'It is a relic model, came from the factory like that' Try that with a 'new' model and you will dropping the price a couple hundred bucks. So I guess the smart guys are buying the relics, even though I still hate them.

[@paulgordon6949]

Just about everything is too expensive really. But as far as things go, strats are not hugely overpriced, I suppose. Ŕight through the range, they are relatively reasonably priced. From squier to Mexican to USA, they are competitively priced, at least.

[@gwynbleiddroach2589]

I just look at almost any other instruments prices for a great professional grade instrument and count my lucky stars that I’m a guitarist. I’m also a pianist, and buying a nice grand piano would blow my wallet into pieces.

[@stratosexual1329]

I think the MIA middle to lower stuff is the sweet spot and the MIM entry level stuff. The custom shop stuff is usually Amazing but some are not. You are paying about 4 times the price for about a 10-15% better(better is relative)guitar.

[@rickmiller7884]

So what you're saying is, I should buy the vintage II strat, '57 ash blonde, because it's at least as good of a deal as if I had bought it new back then. Thanks, I will try and explain it that way to my wife. I really want it because that's my birth year guitar.

[@EdHeinzelman]

I am a guitar player and have had guitars at all levels up to mid-price. But yes, as my son progressed from starter to professional flute player...oh my goodness!!! My first Telecaster was naturally relic'd. I bought it used. The neck was worked in perfectly, the body was nicked and worn, and that was all fine for the price. the only thing I couldn't deal with was the previous owners name written on the body above the bridge in black magic marker. The dealer and I never got it all off.

[@rickmoore52]

As a teen learning guitar in the 60's, then I could not afford a Strat so I got a used Mustang. Finally 50 years later I bought a gorgeous Strat neck and body from Warmoth along with the best hardware money can buy, and put together the best Strat style guitar that I've ever played for total cost of $1,100. It's my dream Strat and has almost zero resale value. Haha!

[@23centrifuge]

I had an opportunity to spend a week building a strat style guitar and after that experience, I will never, ever question why they are priced the way they are. Mad respect for the people who build these things every day and if you want a nice guitar then the people who build them deserve to be compensated for their work, dedication, and time.

[@Angel-fz8dr]

I’m sure the CNC machine deserves appreciation for her work.

[@3Torts]

Gets easier after the first time..

[@23centrifuge]

@@Angel-fz8dr the CNC only takes you so far… I mean its a computer driven pin router. When a piece comes out of a CNC it still requires an a enormous amount of time sanding and finessing for woodwork alone. That doesn’t even consider the effort put into fret work (esp if they are hemispherical with blind fret slots), finishing, and a really great set up. If its reliced, that is done on a guitar that was perfectly finished first. Everything players really value about a well built guitar is the ‘hand time’ Johnathan and Baxter referenced. I guess my point is the CNC gets a very small amount of credit in terms of time spent on the piece.

[@23centrifuge]

@@3Torts 100% but we are paying for the time the luthier/builder put into perfecting their craft in a way that makes them able to do all of this amazing work quickly.

[@23kyd49]

I love my player strat but I needed to do some minor guitar tech work. My American telecaster was perfect straight out of the box.🤷‍♂️Good takes.

[@alangreenway6695]

I grew up thinking Gibsons were more than Fenders because these neck, curved top, nitro finish, pickups, and general bling extra. Now American Pro 2’s are floating around just under £2K, which is about the price you can buy a Les Paul for in the UK, and is more than the SG, V and Explorer- and that’s not even comparing it to Schecter and Ibanez. Fender is pricing new in comparison to what happened to the used market in covid, and apparently ignoring the competition now.

[@jeremythornton433]

I have 2 Strats. A late 90s MIM and a Squire for about 10 years ago. They both play great, sound great although different from each other, look great and were cheap. They hold their tuning well too. I don't see the point in spending a lot of money these days on a Strat unless you have enough that it just doesn't matter.

[@Mitch1977]

I like that 59 master built that you guys played through the magna m80.. that one suits me fine

[@edwardrichard5665]

If you can’t afford one buy a $100 strat from Glarry or Silvertone and modify it. Or a used Squier. or you could buy a Fender Strat on credit and make minimum payments and busk in the park till you get your money back.

[@imacmadman22]

The first Stratocaster I bought was in 1984, it was a 1983 two-knob Stratocaster, I paid $325 for it. It had been in the shop for some time unsold so I got a break on the price. It's not really considered a collectible these days in the same sense that some earlier or even some later models are. I later bought a Mexican Stratocaster for $399 new. I now have four Strats and each one is a little different but they are all pretty good guitars. The most I've ever paid was $399 and the least was $40 at Goodwill for a Squier Bullet Strat, it's actually a pretty good one too. I'd like to have a Mod Shop Stratocaster made to order, but that's about the most I'd pay for one. For some perspective, my son played tuba in high school and college, he bought two tubas. One was $8000, the other was $12,400. After he stopped playing, he sold both for a considerable profit.

[@TracyHall_DreamsAndLogic]

Think of it in terms of "Minimum Wage Man Hours" (MH for short) In mid-1950's, minimum wage was about $1.25 So the '50 Strat was about 200 MH. (About 5 weeks wages) At today's minimum wage ($10.25), that would be *priced* at $2,050. 80 MH *now* is $820 - so 2 weeks wages.

[@TheLochs]

I'm a Strat guy, exclusively. I just got a new Strat Ultra. Love it.

[@raytorvalds3699]

$2600.. "Is that even a real guitar?!" That was a good one and made me chuckle.

[@waitin4winter]

Didn’t Phil McKnight say in a recent video that Fender custom shop was not worth it?

[@Ronsat]

Given the amount of differing versions there are in the world, maybe it is. There are so many around too. If Fender keep on this way there will be a whole archaeological layer of Stratocasters covering the Earth !

[@andrewbullard3274]

Love the channel guys! Just have to say Avatar was released in 2009.

[@stratjed]

The Fender Stratocaster is one of the greatest fully realized inventions in the history of the world . Not just musical instruments. The availability to every budget is not now or was ever the issue.

[@f3uibeghardt522]

I got my American Standard Strat for $949 new out the door from Musician's Friend back in 2007. Charcoal Frost Metallic with a maple board. No stupid push-pull pots or S1 switches. Truly a Standard, which is exactly what I like in any guitar.

[@jjdillon2007]

In 1993, I bought a brand new '93 Fender Deluxe Strat Plus (Wilkinson Roller Nut and Lace Sensors), with hardshell case, for $700.

[@buddylobos5277]

My old Squires from the '90's all have 12" radius and Made in Korea. Great buys & great guitars. None over $240. I have 6 and all have recently doubled in price. Way, way better then the Squire stuff today and that includes their Vintage lines. All of the brand new stuff requires almost weekly tweaking before they're sold.

[@Markleford]

I've played my HM-1 Squier Strat (Korea) since 1989. No reason to move on from it, really. Love that neck.

[@thecrossroadcafe7291]

I bought a MIM Fender Precision, with hardshell Fender case at Woodsy's Music in Kent Ohio for $425 out the door. I bought the same bass, used, 4-5 years ago for $110.00!

[@thecrossroadcafe7291]

1992

[@eastbaytray1642]

How do you guys feel about EBMM and G&L?

[@benjaminboyle7329]

That john cruz strat in the middle of your wall make me drool.

[@wadeguidry6675]

Look at it this way: I've never owned a good quality American guitar for less than 20 years. If you divide a $2600 Strat by 20 years= that 130 dollars a year or a little more than $10 a month. Definitely worth it as a long term investment in happiness!

[@CauseWiredVideo]

I wouldn't diss Fender by comparing it to Tesla. More like Ford...or Detroit itself.

[@Mr.Owl9]

Player series is the new MIM and yes at 849.00 they are over priced, when they were first made they priced them at 649.00, and that was maybe a reasonable price for what they are, and yes I do own one...

[@MrAnt1V1rus]

A new Stratocaster in 1954 would have cost you $249. Indexed for inflation that would be about $2500-2700 in today's dollars, so no., American Made Stratocasters are a smoking deal vs history still. Now personally I just bought a Squire 50's Classic Vibe as my second guitar, and I feel like I just robbed a bank at $270 out the door.

[@joeydisco]

Value is an interesting concept. It's personal. I think the Classic Vibe is by far the best value "budget" guitar. I'd take the CV over the Player based purely on a value proposition. I also think the American Originals are pretty good value too and I'll be saving up a little longer to get an AO rather than getting a Vintera right now for my own next purchase. But there are plenty of cool "mid range" fenders out there that also offer decent value - the Road Worn series in particular is really tempting (and if they added a Jazzmaster to that line I'd almost definitely bite).

[@thesmellycatjazz]

Used Player is what I'd go for

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

I thought Player series wasn’t too special until I played a really, really good one at GC.

[@Jesse615]

I was a Gibson guy until I bought my mid-90s MIJ '57 Reissue about 15 years ago for $400. I'm looking to add an American Pro II because I love 'em so much! I get it, Strat fans -- you really can't have just one :) And the $1200-1400 a gently-used one costs, in my mind, for the quality, is a very fair price.

[@ferox965]

I had a strat years ago and hated it. Stuck with my Les Pauls. They're right for me. But I just got the Player Plus telecaster in silver smoke. Only one I liked, even over the premium American ones. My bases are covered.

[@JiminTennessee]

In 2001, I purchased a American HSS Fat Strat with a custom wound pearly gates humbucker in the bridge and texas specials in the other two positions for $899 and a Blues Jr for $499. Still own the axe. Today this would be over $3k out the door. It was a lot of money then and is still. I sure wish I had the Blues Jr.

[@derred723]

I bought a MIM strat in 2010 from Guitar Center in Lawndale, CA for $299 brand new in the box. Inflation is absurd because i actually don't make more money now than i did in 2010. But all of my expensive are like 50% more at least.

[@billjones8542]

didnt expect to hear "the golden path" mentioned in this vid LOL

[@1HYB]

Don't forget the Ibanez AZ strat guitars. Popular new age shreddy guitarists who play clean tones are using them.

[@redscarlet9011]

I think priced now definitely should cheaper compared to the old times. Because in the past everything basically hand made. Nowadays most part of guitar making process was done using machine. That will reduce cost and improve speed of guitar production.

[@fortunatejeremy]

I'm an advocate for buying second-hand to save some cash. I recently bought a used 2007 Fender Deluxe Lonestar Strat (MIM) for $500 and its pretty sweet. I may have paid a bit too much but I like it.

[@GuyInnagorillasuit]

Anything with the Fender logo on it is too expensive unless you're just in love with the brand.