Unbiased Review: Squier Deluxe Hot Rails Strat | Features, Sound, and Playability

Thinking about adding the Squier Deluxe Hot Rails Strat to your collection? In this in-depth review, we dive into everything you need to know about this versatile guitar. From its powerful Hot Rails pickups to its sleek design, this Stratocaster delivers on both style and substance. Whether you're into rock, blues, or metal, this guitar is built to handle it all.
We'll cover the key features, including the solid basswood body, comfortable C-shaped neck, and high-output pickups that offer a wide range of tones. Listen as we demonstrate the Squier Deluxe Hot Rails Strat through various playing styles, giving you a clear idea of its capabilities. Plus, we’ll discuss how it stacks up against other guitars in its price range and whether it’s the right fit for your sound.
Perfect for both beginners and seasoned players, this review will help you decide if the Squier Deluxe Hot Rails Strat is worth your investment. Don't miss out on our honest opinions, sound tests, and pro tips for getting the most out of this instrument.
If you found this review helpful, be sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more guitar reviews, demos, and tutorials!"
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#SquierDeluxeHotRailsStrat #GuitarReview #SquierStrat #ElectricGuitar #GuitarGear #HotRailsPickups #Stratocaster #FenderSquier #GuitarTone #MusicGear #GuitarDemo #RockGuitar #BluesGuitar #MetalGuitar #GuitarFeatures #GuitarPlayability

[@noahsianez1119]

I like the hot rail pickups to be more oval shaped and not so rectangle shaped. Like the Billy Corgan Dimarzio's

[@spaceace41]

I just bought this guitar, I have gibson, ibanez, homemade strats, your review is spot on. It's a great guitar for the price.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

You are too kind. Drop us a line when your bad shit is viewable. Love to see what you do.

[@angusorvid8840]

I heard that Spinal Tap! I'm not normally a fan of Duncan Designed and prefer the real thing, but these Duncan Designed Rails sound terrific. Very impressed.

[@MRJ6450]

Hey great video!! I liked how you brought the epiphone in the mix just to show the comparison. Also, everything was very professional. Keep up the good work!!

[@MCman5123]

i have one of these and it sounds so much better than the normal ones, with the hot rail pickups it give a much more precise sound and is awesome, definitely buy one guys there mad, look heaps good, and sound amazing

[@4eyedCyclopes]

I got a much better sound out of my squier strat by moving the higher gain neck pickup to the bridge position...then it got even better when i carved out the pickguard to make room for another pickup right beside it and wiring both together to the volume...and i swear it sounds better than any real humbucker ive ever heard.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@TexasBarBQ Time. I try to keep all my videos under 5 minutes.It depends on what sounds you need in your toolbox. MOST important is the feel of the guitar. Make sure you like the neck. Play it unplugged. If you like the sound unamplified it's way easier to make the sound with the amp.

[@daddski1]

just bought the same guitar with duncan designed hot rails pickups... lol awesome sound for sure.... i know its not really a strat with humbuckers but man is the sound amazing and for less than 300 ... awesome!

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@camlpg I've tried a Squire with Duncan designed pick ups; sounds a little different than Fender pick ups, but still good, single coil sound. The song at 2:00 was me messing up the rhythm of China Grove by the Doobie Bros; DOH!

[@abfaria83]

yeah, it's some information. thank you. I went to seymour's website and there is a fairly good description of the SC pickups, but for the HR, they only say it's a version of SHR, nothing more. I would like to go deeper about the specs and how different they are!

[@MoreThanGuitar]

I think you're a person who knows what they like! I like the bridge on this better than the classic because the saddles are flat and easier on the hand when I palm mute. I'll have to look into the Tusq nut, sounds like a great idea on any guitar.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

SC 101 is a Duncan Designed single coil. The HR 101 is a humbucker designed to fit in a single coil slot. As far as sound, I've never played the SC 101 against the HR 101, but looking at the specs it would be a typical single coil/humbucker comparison. Does that help?

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@TheStripeyCarpets Easiest way is to add 2 more springs to the tremolo under the back plate.

[@christianboddum8783]

The DLHR is a great platform for mods because of the routing. I ditched the trem for a Wilkinson WVC, Axes'r'us locking tuners and a HSS setup and it it is a great player :-) I wish the body had a solid maple ½" top then it would be perfect.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@VikingOfAsgaard Yup, no single coil phase switch pull pot on this one. It always sounds kinda like a humbucker.

[@sarinapaparone]

NIce review. As you can tell by videos, I am a big fan of this guitar. Nice work.

[@jimllfaxit]

Thanks.I also want a Peavey Classic 30 to go with it.I better get saving

[@TheHumbuckerboy]

One main failing concerning Strats is the fact that there is no tone control for the bridge pickup ! Another thing that I dislike is the fact that the volume control sits so close to the high E string .Apart from these considerations they are one of my favourite guitars.

[@furbyunicejafisher]

@MoreThanGuitar Yeah.. but can't rly do nothing now.. bought it online and to a foreign store.. so it'd be such a mess, if things go 2 bad i'll try.. i got 2 years warranty for somethin i guess.

[@heartywhistler]

@MoreThanGuitar Excellent! I was worried about getting electrocuted. Alright then.. yeah, I agree.. time to crank it up!! Thanks again for the assistance and the excellent review. Comparing and contrasting the sounds of the different guitars was especially helpful.

[@365Avalon]

@SeawolfPirateMetal Pinch harmonics are very easy on this model because of the high output pickups.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@aDAMPis1913 There are several Strats that have a humbucker in he bridge position. If you want two and have the money, Fenders custom shop will make anything you can dream up. If you're crafty you could rout out the spaces but personally I'd try it on a beater guitar first.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

HOLY CRAP! I think you play metal just fine. Great solo and great demo of how to pull metal tones out of Hot Rails. Does your guitar have the HR 101 pickups or the SHR 1 Hot Rails?

[@MalcNedd62]

I've just bought one of these, and I'd read about the higher output bridge pickup being wired in the middle position. Just taken a look under the hood, and guess what? Mine's the same! I'm getting it rewired this weekend so that I can make a proper judgement call on this guitar.

[@carloscastro3536]

dude, did the tone change or something? I just got one guitar like this and i think it is wired wrong too!

[@vonsnitchzel735]

I think they realized it's too good for the price and had to compensate...

[@SeawolfPirateMetal]

I have a Peavey Tracer Custom, Poplar Body Maple Neck, Rosewood fretboard. its HSS. i want to put a SSL-1 in the bridge, but i also want that great heavy/power metal sound. sooo what if i put that SSL-1 in bridge on inner coil and maybe hot rails on outer coil then have the Coil tap mini switch switch between which one is on? Do you think this Hot Rail Pickup could cover my Lead needs? i'm talking like SCREAMING pinch harmonics. i hate it when i have to work to get my pinch harmonics.

[@camlpg]

I'm looking at purchasing a Squier Deluxe Strat with the standard duncan designed S pick-ups. Do you think they will generate a quality strat sound? Or would it be a good idea to get geniune fender S pick-ups? What is that song at 2:00? BTO, 'Four Wheel Drive'???

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Just like when I was teaching high school; it's never my best lesson that sticks with them but that weird thing I said and immediately forgot.

[@furbyunicejafisher]

It's a nice guitar but the bridge pivots are weak and cheap. On my deluxe strat hr the left bridge pivot stripped, makin the hole bigger and also tore apart some of the wood and finish around the hole.. Now the bridge is unbalanced n leanin more to one side, doesnt sound 2 bad thou, maybe mine was faulty or squiers hr Made in 2010 are lower quality, who knows..

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@furbyunicejafisher Send it back now! Call the place you bought it, tell them what happened and ask about their return/replacement procedure. Follow it to the letter and expect full replacement or a refund.

[@topdog2328]

lol i like the guitar and its price a lol, but i dont like that Squire name on the headstock so i think if i bought one i would just get a Fender neck

[@365Avalon]

@skylorz The floating 2 point trem is good on these.

[@metalspeaker2]

One of the best guitar reviews

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Can't recall playing either one so I can't compare, sorry. If you get a chance to try them side by side let me know.

[@christineayres5339]

Looks like Squier tried to do a Blackmore tribute with this guitar but the pickups are wrong put in Seymour Duncan Quarter pound pickups more authentic

[@YaskoCrue]

yeah. i actually got attention to thi guitar cause of Janick Gers's strat

[@heartywhistler]

Most helpful review of this guitar that I've found, thanks! I just ordered one of these. I am wondering if aftermarket pickguards will fit, or if the rails pickups are too wide?

[@heartywhistler]

@MoreThanGuitar I have the black version of this instrument. I was thinking either a mirror pickguard or diamond plate. Just got the guitar in mail yesterday though, and it looks good enough as it is. I have a small concern, though. The ribbon wrapping the bridge pickup leaves just a tiny bit of copper or whatever it is showing. Is this a major problem? Thanks for your replies.

[@abfaria83]

nice comparison idea! Very useful review. But now one question has come up. Please, would you know the difference between these pickups, HR101, and the SC101, found in the other model of deluxe squier? tks a lot

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@NirvanaSmokes Yes and yes!

[@365Avalon]

Good review. I have one of these myself.

[@cristianomiranda7274]

Fellow, great demonstration, great tip and thank you for helping me choose a good thing for my bad shit! ;-)

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Wow! Sounds like a worth while mod. Did you use any instructions or wiring schematics you can recommend to us or did you wing it?

[@SirEnVo]

Sounds really warm compared to the other 2

[@luiz6cordas]

Hello, one doubts. potentiometers for tone regulates pikup the bridge? thank you

[@MrRaggamuffinrambo]

Thank you for this good review, very helpful

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@heartywhistler Would be easy to shave the pick guard either way. What pick guard you getting?

[@EmilioGarra]

Very elucidative, great review!

[@Rossdink]

So are those hot rails pickups the same as the hot rails you’d buy for 200 bucks or are they somehow cheaper

[@Rossdink]

Oh nevermind you answered my question

[@RodrigoRockChannel]

Between this one and the vintage modified, which is your best choice?

[@NirvanaSmokes]

hey, would this guitar be good for rock music? and is it a good price?

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Ooh! That would be a good combination!

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Not that I know of. I guess it's an inexpensive model of a custom axe.

[@zerogreenred]

Like I have read elsewhere, the pickups were wired wrong; the 22K ohm middle pickup should be in the bridge position and the 11 K ohm bridge pickup should be in the middle position. I can't imagine how they screwed up the pickup placement. No big deal; just aggravating. I got my HR for $229.00 blemished and put about $250.00 in a fret dressing, pro-setup, locking tuners, Tremolo Stopper and neck shaving at the pocket for better upper fret access. That's $480.00 total for what turned out to be a very nice instrument; just as good as my Brother's $1200.00 American Stratocaster or my $1000.00 Carvin Bolt.

[@aussierule]

I'm sure the extent of their training in Indonesia might not cover all the finer details of guitar making so it would be easy to assume someone with little training would just think all pickups were the same until told otherwise. Pretty sure it's an understandable human error as mine is wired up correctly

[@squierjoshyt]

But ALL of them were like that for a while. I have a 2017 model and it was wired correctly, so I assume they fixed the production issue.

[@xXSilverSnakex]

Uhg I cant stand basswood bodies, too fragile of a wood IMO considering my first guitars (Squier Strat) body broke at the bridge after just 3 months. I cant stand those tremolos either because I think that played a role in the guitar breaking too, so now I have a mahogany body Strat with a stop-tail bridge.

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

Hey great comparison based on what I hear I like the Epiphone sound. What model Epiphone is that you're playing? It sounds cool..

[@squierjoshyt]

Epiphone Special GT. Pretty cheap Epi, actually.

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Any strat is good for Gilmour. Just put in the practice time!

[@YaskoCrue]

Is this better than an Epihone G400? or a epi g310

[@camlpg]

@MoreThanGuitar Thanks for the help. I am going to make a move to get a Squier Deluxe Strat. Yeah, that song, I was thinking it was Doobie bros but couldn't name that tune.

[@ArgentWind]

tre mO lO

[@davidozab2753]

Actually a vi-BRAY-to

[@danieljohns6737]

you know that hot rails sounded better than the epiphone lol. I used to have that Les Paul II GT midnight and it did have some tone for $200. yeah rock on bitches

[@nicolamontoro]

Who doesn’t like a nice even tre mo lo sound. Lol

[@thektalks190]

Yay he plays the Trooper =) I was attracted to the hot rails after watching Janick Gers play one =)

[@benbrown2535]

Lists for around $300, one of the main selling points!

[@JustinChiang]

it comes in white and black

[@furbyunicejafisher]

@MoreThanGuitar Thing is trickier as it was done to a foreign country.. I've read terrible things about the place, in terms of returns.. I also have to pay the shipping from my pocket and they will probably add some glue to the bridge part rather than sendin me a new one.. Havin paid the shipment, the guitar could be goin around for 2 months and they could be no aswering the phone.. Never ever again buyin guitars on internet

[@judeodom2428]

Are you using a boss OD 3 or an SD 1

[@Elcuartodelheavygame]

how much it cost?

[@ralfcaetano]

i found this guitar really good compared to an mim...

[@noi5emaker]

2:12 Little girl, it's a great big world but there's only one of.... .MEEEEEE! Spinal Tap FTW!

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@SharingonMadara I don't name trees, dang it, I just teach guitar! LOL

[@MoreThanGuitar]

thanks!

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@OhrlyGabe Nobody ever hurt their sound by installing a more expensive pickup, so have at it. I confess I've never made a study of Green Day's guitar tone. Sounds to me like the usual punk ideal of of a cheap guitar with the amp turned up all the way. : )

[@jimllfaxit]

Sorry,didn't meen any offence.Thanks for the review anyway,i am really considering getting one of these.

[@ankurkedia2126]

I am planning to buy my first electric guitar and here are the two I have nailed down: Fender Squier 0300510505 Deluxe Stratocaster(Hot Railed just shown in the video) and Fender Squier 0321602537 Standard Stratocaster(Another fender shown in the video). Now as for a beginner, can you please help me to choose between these two? Like you said in the video one is standard Strat pickup while other is Duncan.

[@liamkeavney4227]

What genres of music do you plan on playing? I have a seymour duncan hot rail in the bridge of a bullet strat ( I have changed everything electrical on it so don't really sound like a £90 guitar) Personally I'd go for the deluxe hotrail strat if you play say harder rock styles, metal etc or in my case quite heavy alternative lol. but both are very good guitars

[@calebchitumbo4620]

Hi! I wanna get this guitar to use in a professional level. Do you recommend it for pro levels? A reply will be greatly appreciated. And how does it feel ? Does it feel like a real fender like the classic vibe or it feels cheap?

[@simseven4967]

This guitar is pretty good for a pro level, it is well made, I am glad that I have it

[@Ghost_of_Parmenides]

46 seconds appearently there is wood made out of fish.

[@spoonsandguitars3142]

70's head stock

[@ngjonah6435]

Hi...Would you recommend this for beginners? Excuse me if this sounds stupid Thanks for the review anyway...You are awesome

[@MoreThanGuitar]

No, YOU are awesome! No prob for a beginner. Leave the tremolo bar off till you play something that needs it. Play it daily and rock on!

[@ngjonah6435]

MoreThanGuitar thx for the reply!!...subscribed!!

[@lar57jsy]

Thank you! Interesting :-)

[@f.o.o.dforgedoutofdustdavi3876]

I just want to know where this model as shown on the screen Squier Deluxe Hot Rails Strat is made. Is it USA, Mexico, Japan, China or other Asian nation??

[@luuk9954]

i have one my self and it says that it's made in indonesia

[@gbcr09]

Nice review :)

[@MoreThanGuitar]

None taken! I just can't help responding to funny comments. Send me a video of you playing your guitar when you get it.

[@ethandakota5648]

Is this guitar good for soloing?

[@noi5emaker]

Definitely! If you want a hotter sound for soloing, that bridge humbucker will work great. Of course, you can solo with any sound, really....

[@MoreThanGuitar]

Hells Yeah!!!!!!

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@furbyunicejafisher WOW! Sounds like you got a bad one. Even the cheapest guitar shouldn't just fall apart!

[@maxipads1441]

I have the same Les Paul I HATE IT lol

[@MoreThanGuitar]

@heartywhistler Cosmetic problem only, shouldn't effect sound or playability. Now get out there and make some ears bleed! LOL

[@gprice1978]

Tremolo! Lol

[@SaveClanPMT]

Gareth Price wtf!!

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

What epiphone guitar is that?

[@majorschollian5376]

Les paul special

[@LoganRoxby]

it says on the trussplate

[@JohnBarrow1961]

Interesting that you chose to play Iron Maiden since Dave Murray has always and continues to use a single-coil-equipped Strat to record all I.M. material. Point being, the idea that single coils aren't good for hard rock/metal is a fallacy.

[@vonsnitchzel735]

Murray used humbuckers in his strat. And I'm quite sure his using Duncan rails nowadays.

[@vonsnitchzel735]

But you're right that the idea that single coils aren't good for hard rock or metal is fallacy. Blackmore, for instance...

[@actsantarosa]

A gig? Okkkaaay.

[@ralfcaetano]

not tuning the guitars did it no justice

[@MoreThanGuitar]

You two need to get out more. : )

[@jimllfaxit]

LoL Neither can i !!!!

[@sarinapaparone]

By my videos, I should say.

[@BitByAnthonyKedis]

baahs wood

[@rodrigoferreira5796]

2:04 fail!

[@AeolianSeventh]

Man, three minutes in and I can't stop thinking about the super-weird way you say "tremolo." :( It's not remotely important and yet I can't...get it...out...of...my...head...