Fender Player Strat BETTER than Squier? HIDDEN DEFECTS

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Fender Player Series Stratocaster VS. Squier Classic Vibe 50's Stratocaster
John and Zach compare, talk specs, and play both the Fender Player Series Strat in beautiful Tidepool and the Squier Classic Vibe 50's Strat to find out which one is the best. Is there a hidden FACTORY DEFECT?
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[@PlayandTradeGuitars]

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[@ParaBellum2024]

This review hits the nail on the head: Strat buyers will want to compare the CV against the Player. That's what I did in 2019, over a couple of hours in my local music shop. I'm an experienced gigging guitarist, so whatever I chose would have to be good enough for that purpose. Spoiler: I went for the Squier. I found that the CV 50s (identical to the one in this video) was considerably lighter than the Player, which was a good thing. The trem was locked down, but the claw was screwed in properly, so I think they send them all out like that to save on setup costs. The Squier was less well-screened than the Player, so I lined the cavity with aluminium foil (from the kitchen, stuck down with Pritt-stick) and solved that problem easily. I also swapped the pickguard for a pearloid one, and upgraded the pots and switch, so I can't comment on the longevity of the originals. Setting the trem up, it became apparent that the bridge and saddle quality are definitely budget. It's a toss-up whether I should buy a pricier guitar or upgrade the bridge. It took a while to set up, but I've got used to it. Also, the trem arm is a little wobbly, but a wrap of PTFE tape provides a temporary ongoing fix. Incidentally, at 4:12 the saddles are pressed steel, not pot metal, and most importantly, at 4:40 it is _essential_ to loosen the six bridge screws, otherwise there's a risk of damaging the guitar. On the subject of trem setup, the information at 9:00 isn't quite right. The balance between string tension and trem springs is determined by the strength and number of springs, versus the string tension pulling in the opposite direction. Tightening the trem claw screws only alters the bridge position, not the overall system tension. To change this, you'd need more or fewer springs, or stronger/weaker springs, or a change of string gauge. On my CV 50s I use 9s and have two springs. When I compared the guitars in the shop, I found that the CV fret ends were finished better than the Player, which went in its favour. Also, out of the box both guitars were set up with a low, easy action, as I assume they were in this video. Testament to Indonesian quality control that this didn't come up short against the Mexican factory. Regarding the tone of the guitars, I've long felt that six-screw tremolo bridges sound better than those with two posts. It's definitely a subjective prejudice, but that made me think more highly of the Squier when I compared them. Longer term: I've had the Squier for three years, played most days, but done very few gigs since covid. Even so, the fret wire is showing signs of wear that indicate it's pretty cheap and soft. A sign of cost-cutting that isn't apparent when the guitar's new, and which we must expect to have been applied to every aspect of the production. Is the Squier good enough to gig? Out of the box, just about. It definitely needed screening, and the trem took some getting used to. If I was gigging three times a week I'd look at either the Player or a US model, and maybe have the Squier as a backup. One final comment: while online reviews and posts from people like me are useful, there's no substitute for taking the time to visit a music shop and trying some guitars out until you find the one that suits you.

[@arturopeterblavis1972]

Excellent post. Fender could make a difference by offering Players with stainless frets. If Eart can do it, surely they could at the current price point.

[@ParaBellum2024]

@@arturopeterblavis1972 Thank you. I suspect Fender keep stainless frets for their more expensive models, so they can offer something for every pocket, with the snob-value of the Fender brand forcing buyers who want stainless frets to spend more. Lesser/newer brands may have a much smaller range, and they offer high-spec components at a lower price point, to help them to stand out. The Fender snob (and I don't mean that unkindly) wouldn't buy such a guitar, so Fender don't need to compete by fitting stainless frets to their lower models.

[@marinoviskovic7083]

thanks for the very informative lines

[@xrdbnk]

why is this not the top comment or at least pinned by the channel? this is the most helpful one here by far

[@0000song0000]

Bro, how do you keep the trem with only two springs? 😯 I tried (have 9s to 46s) and the trem would float a bit too much, i got scared and went back to 3 springs but relatively loose ☺️

[@Juno58]

I sold my cv Squier and bought a Fender Player Strat - guess why... not because of the headstock logo, but because of the Players better / warmer sound and better metal parts. Especially the Squiers bridge looks a bit cheap compared to the Players bridge.

[@dewayne5628]

On the Squire floating tremelo issue, instead of loosening the screws so far out, remove a spring to lessen the amount of screw adjustment. Also, there are springs available that have various amount of tension- so, softer springs could be used or a combination of various springs to get the desired tension. As with most electric solid body guitars, many hardware features can be modified to preference, so the most important factor to a player is the neck. If the guitar plays/feels perfect for you, that's it. The rest can be modified a lot easier than reworking a neck.

[@Stratmanable]

I have two CV Strats, a 50s and a 60s, and I prefer them to my two MIMs.

[@Jeremy-rg3bg]

​@@StratmanableI would to if I paid twice the amount

[@russlee5500]

I’m a Gibson fan but fancied buying a Strat, I bought the Mexico player strat ,same colour as the one in the video last year from Peach guitars for £550 and it’s fantastic, I’ve been playing for over 30 years and it’s the best value and most versatile guitar I’ve had.

[@amalio103]

fender effect

[@jasonstacey8577]

Great they are good guitars but that mug in the comments thinks USA is the be all and end all it's probably his first ever us guitar😂😂😂😂

[@user-hc8cl2ez9m]

Try a players tele. Great guitar also

[@Themsheetz]

The one thing I think you should have made clear is that not all the squiers are going to have that trem issue. This was one assembler trying to get something past the inspector at the end of the day. I’ve seen US strats where they drilled in the screws at such a bad angle that they came through the pickup cavities. As someone who works at a music store I’m sure you’re aware QC is all over the place with Fender and Squier. Yeah you’re probably more than likely to find an issue with a squier but as someone who worked in a music store myself I’ve seen more issues back in the day with our MIM stock. You’re definitely paying some name brand tax on the player series though in this particular comparison. Other than that I think your presentation was on point.

[@PlayandTradeGuitars]

You’re right it’s just this guitar in particular, but I suspect you’ll see more/similar issues like this at this price point. The best thing about buying new is…if there’s a problem, send it back until you get one that is right! Overall it felt and sounded good even with the trem screw issue I appreciate the comment, thanks for watching!

[@luisliramG]

I had the same problem with Mu Squier. Sadddddd

[@iused2bfast153]

Is the player series not a post-2008 American Standard with a 1.65" nut?

[@thecentralscrutinizerr]

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO to make the Squier Classic Vibe neck into a Satin finish is take some steel wool and go over the back of the neck with it. Takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Another option is to take some mineral spirits and put in just a splash of boiled linseed oil and wet sand the back of the neck with a 1200 grit sandpaper. Just make sure you use boiled linseed oil and not regular linseed oil and all you need is just a splash of it with the mineral spirits. Takes about 20 minutes.

[@vonzoomtunes9847]

I ended up with the Squier CV, because after playing several Fender and Squiers, I really liked the feel of the Squier better. I was still on the fence, when Fender had a huge sale on Squiers, I ended up buying the CV 50s for only 275. Had to do it for that price...and I'm happy that I did!

[@carlosalves4444]

Wow $275 us is a steal compared to Australian prices. We get so ripped off in this country. Think about it, Indonesia is our a near by close neighbour, so you can't say it's shipping costs. We are getting robbed in terms of prices here.

[@ishworpoudel7305]

We have 630usd for cv 70 in kathmandu is that the fair price?

[@flyingv7161]

@@carlosalves4444 the MIM Fenders cost more in Mex than in the US, because they ship to the US then ship back to Mexico. I don't know but I guess that they may ship the Made in Indonesia to the US then ship them to Australia

[@underrated5006]

I have a few MIM Fenders which are great but I also prefer the feel of the Squire CVs. I have found that MIM guitars can be quite heavy and I am not a fan of the satin necks...prefer the lacquer.

[@davescupper5789]

Pickups in that squire sound lovely

[@ciaranocraobhach]

I have a Squier Strat Affinity Series and upgraded to a Fender Tex-Mex pickup set and installed Fender Schaller Locking Tuners. Obviously, the upgrades were equivalent to the cost of the Affinity itself, but I still saved myself a few hundred dollars overall. Honestly, it sounds and plays better than the stock Player Series MIMs I've played over the years. If you put some effort into these guitars, you will get have a quality instrument in your hands. On that note, Mike Rutherford (Genesis) toured with a $200 Squier Bullet (albeit with noiseless pickups), so anything possible.

[@randomlyrancannabis7020]

One thing you can't upgrade is the narrower nut width, the tremolo and squires should be noiseless in the 2/4 position.

[@ScottDreyfus]

I'm all about elbow greasing a cheaper guitar with decent bones and make it an awesome instrument. I just went through a squier 40th vintage strat today and holy shit what I great axe for 300$. I can't believe you can get this quality of guitar under 800$ all day. I'm going to gut it just haven't made my mind up which way to go with my build. I own 5 squiers. All custom and I got rid of my fender shortly after getting a contemporary squier tele. The neck was so good I sold my fender and bought two more squiers. Same deal work out the frets gut the electronics and put in some good hardware and you have a reliable beast of a player well under 650$. You can't even get a payer series fender off the wall let alone setup for that.

[@ciaranocraobhach]

​@@ScottDreyfus That's awesome man. Yeah, it's crazy how good a guitar you can get for the price. You are paying for marketing costs most of the time IMO. I always think back to Leo's goal which was cheap, affordable, reliable instruments. That's well and truly been lost in modern Fender's "entry" ranges.

[@019bc3]

@@randomlyrancannabis7020 Narrower nut width is a thing of the past. It's 42 mm since 2021 on squier affinity guitars.

[@jasonstacey8577]

Quality control can happen anywhere, I've got the Fender player ,exactly the same one on the video and the Fret ends were terrible. But my 50s classic Vibe tele is perfect.

[@dennisssnider]

You do get what you pay for. Fender custom shop blows away a Mexico Player series, but for most that is overkill. Be discriminating and feel free to pass on a bad build. If you are a new guitar player go to a shop you can trust and don't feel like you have to buy something every time you walk in the door. For the new player buy the guitar you will play, the best accessory is a guitar stand and leave the guitar out where you can pick it up and play it at a moments notice. Also an expensive guitar does not make you a good guitar player. Playing a guitar makes you a good guitar player.

[@TheRealxVincent]

You can spend about an hour with a MIM strat and have it playing just as nice as a USA model. Most of what you're paying for after the player series is the location of assembly and time spent on details. And the USA bridge and electronics can be purchased and dropped into a MIM for $300-400. With the player series being around $675 now, you could be at custom shop level for under $1000. But that's the difference between players and collectors, I guess.

[@brojajacra]

I already recently bought a Fender player series in all white for £599 and its outstanding for the price, I love the satin neck and the finish overall is great as is the superb sound. The only thing Im going to change is to replace the string tree with the roller string tree. A nice cheap modification but a good one I think. I have to say I think the Squier is excellent value for money and its a very nice guitar. and not all will have the same flaws you found. it sounds nice and I had no qualms in buying my son a 3/4 size Squier mini strat for his first guitar and that one has great sounds and a satin neck costing me the mini price of £130. You can be fairly confident buying a squier. So if you want a cheap Fender then a Squier is definitely worth it.

[@Magik1369]

I bought my Squier Classic Vibe 50's Strat 12 years ago ($279.00) and have never felt a need for another one. Mine came with Tonerider pickups which sound amazing. I did have to do a fret job on the Squier. It had some high frets and some fret sprout. I've gigged many times with it and it always gets the job done. I do like the Player series and I am tempted but trying to hold off a GAS attack!

[@joequintana5546]

I liked the sound of the pickups on the Squier so much more.

[@LovinMusic1965]

They are the best pickups fender has for a strat. Period. Two much hype on American stuff or Mex. It's magnets and wire just like the 50s.

[@booshting3520]

They lacked tonal depth and any real character

[@booshting3520]

​@@LovinMusic1965"best pickups Fender has for a strat". Good lord 😅

[@shocko77]

​​@@booshting3520the pickups on the player are overly bright and glassy even the neck pickup sounds thin But its a matter of preference if you want the thin spanky tones of the fender or the more mellow full tones of the squire

[@boblabahh4893]

⁠@@booshting3520there was actually significant character and depth for days.

[@millcrafters]

Couldn't hear hardly any discernible difference between the two. Upon your discovery of the Squier Classic Vibe tremolo problem I took out my newly purchased CV Strat in Lake Placid Blue, and I tried the trem, and yes it was tightened to the point where it would not move thereby eliminating the usual out of tune problems. Then I opened the rear cover and saw the trem claw/bar was well below the flush line with the body of the back of the guitar so no problem there. Obviously, the person who did the assembly line install on the one you have drilled the screw holes at the wrong angle, and yes they covered it up by tightening it all the way. A redrill would solve the problem, but we don't buy new guitars to have to do functional redo's. Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@fortunatejeremy]

I think that even though there are some good quality things about the CV Squier, it's the little details that make it lose out to a MIM Fender in the long run. Sure you could upgrade everything on a Squier but is it worth it in the end? Probably not. If you want a Strat that you are going to be satisfied with for the long haul I'd recommend going for at least a Mexican Strat. If you don't mind upgrading after a year or two buy a Squier.

[@robertsguitarsandgear]

I’ve had multiples of each. Once you fix the problems with the CVs and set them up properly the performance is quite similar. The Players have better hardware and electronics so likely will be more durable in the long-term. You can get a great guitar with the CV much cheaper.

[@doneriksen5599]

I have a Classic Vibe 60's Strat in candy apple red and love it. Like you said, the Squier neck is so comfortable and and easy to play and the pickups sound great. Great comparison video.

[@bluwng]

Your pickguard should have 11 screws, he was wrong about the 8 screws, only the 50s has that to be period correct.

[@mikeaitken5253]

I've had several CV 50s Strats and Teles. I settled on the Player Strat though because of the neck finish and feel, the better quality switch and pots and the two-point vibrato mount. That being said, the CV 50s Strats sound great, are lighter and have those wonderful string-through slotted tuners which are easily my favourite turners (no sharp string ends to poke your fingers and scratch your gig bag).

[@Ry_Valz]

Best budget strat: Squire Classice Vibe. If you do upgrades, it will cost close to a Fender Player Series, and another upgrade will cost close to a Player PLUS series which is, to me, THE BEST guitar when it comes to feel with it's rolled edge neck, faster restring with locking tuners and good balanced noiseless pickups. I suggest copper- shielding it because the shield paint they sometimes put a non-conductive paint like mine which is wierd. Having noiseless pickups doesn't mean they are fully noiseless. If not shielded properly the ground noise is still there.

[@steves12strings]

I was just about to say the best is the Player Plus. It's legitimately the only Fender that I didn't immediately smh at for the price point.

[@EHou01]

I have several of both. Yes, the Fender Player Series is a cut above, but not twice the cost. Then again, nothing wrong with getting both to feed the GAS.

[@Peepeestorm]

Honestly, I have fenders from all over, Japan, US, Korea, Mexico and I’ve owned tons of Squiers over the years. There were some Squiers I had that just sucked and I still own the ones that are phenomenal. Same with Fender. I think people should just try out what they want and go from there. everyone’s taste and feel is different

[@davidchelazzi1544]

great vid. I've had the squier cv 50's for a year now, and it's great to play. The neck feels great, the pus sound great. The bridge is cheap, but acceptable. Compared to my fender mim classic 60s: surprisingly good but the classic 60s is definitely better (should compare with current vintera series I guess, but costed me back in 2015-16 as a current player model)

[@kelalamusic9258]

That was a great review. Best I’ve see on KZbin. Well, which one would I choose. I would go with the Squire. Just more bang for the buck. Yes, there was a blame, but don’t let me go into my issues with Made in USA guitars. The only reason I would go with the MIM model is it’s nice having the Fender logo on the head stock , but why spend double for that. Yep, the Squire is fine with me.

[@MrCaptpike]

I've been around the block a few times. I've owned several, all Made in US and just recently MIM (road worn). Price was just one of my deciding factors of my MIM. The screws on the claw of the Squire should not have gone out like that but from a practical point, I don't know anyone who leaves the back cover on. Nice review!

[@weldchip]

the incorrectly drilled trem claw screws isnt just a squire problem my 22 player with a floyd rose had the same issue, it had to go back it also had cracks in the finish around the neck and a chip around the pocket for the floyd rose, on the other hand my solid bridge squire was spot on out the box and played well with minimal setup, in the end i put some tex-mex pickups, nice pick plate/pots and switch gear, locking tuners and polished the frets (didn't need leveling). it took a decent budget guitar up to a good guitar for very little money, if you don't care what it says on the head there is some serious value picking up a really cheap squire and dressing it up a bit, its also a very cheap safe way to learn to work on guitars without worrying about messing up an expensive guitar.

[@DrJeebles]

With my headphones and KZbin the Squier sounded okay. It definitely sounded different from the Fender, but not terrible. At this point I wouldn't expect to see those factory defects that were on the Squier. Definitely on the $200, but not up there around $500. Nice one, guys!

[@citizen_d]

The trem and the lacquer issue is just on this one you had. Normally the trem is just as it should be and on the Squiers I had there were not lacquer issues at all. The only thing that has to be upgraded on every Squier strat is the trem block, which is too narrow and hence too light and makes the strings vibrate a bit different, like a hollowbody guitar. The pickups are a matter of taste, so if you don't like the sound, you can exchange them. But this applies to the player strat too.

[@dougrobbins5367]

Just bought a Player Strat, lovely in polar white, manufactured January 2024. Can't find any flaws, and it's a joy to play it, it's got a vibe. Sighting the neck it is a perfect fair curve, frets are polished and well done, tuners and bridge are fine, these supposedly newly designed Alnico 5 pickups are outstanding. Incredible bang for the buck. I also have a 40th anniversary Squier strat, which differs from the classic vibe series only in cosmetics, apparently. It was a lesser guitar until I put in a fishman fluence loaded pickguard in it, and now they are both excellent. Roughly the same total cost.

[@Tool0GT92]

I have the same guitar got it about a year ago. Just put on some Custom Shop fat 50s pickups (prewired pick guard) and a new nut its a real performer.

[@garymiller79]

Best overall value (bang for the buck) , in my opinion, is the classic vibe 60s Strat. Great sound and playability at a price point that makes it easy to upgrade, if you want to.

[@mickeymessstudios109]

Squier all the way here ! Just love gloss necks so much more than satin. Also agree on the unique, special feel of that Squier neck which I just could not find on the MIM Strats and I played and compared at least 50 Fenders MIM at the store over the course of a few weeks - like you said, just can't figure it out why, but that Squier neck is insanely good and comfy. For 400 $, if you need to, you can upgrade pickups, have the shop fix the screws, upgrade the bridge components or bridge if so desired and then you have the best feeling neck with your totally personal touch modded config still less than the Fender :-) BTW, the Squier has a BONE nut, but you need to replace the string guard for a roller or graphtec... I actually got a Squire like this in Daphne Blue for 300$ used and modded it to the max with the Fender TEXAS SPECIAL loaded pickguard (269 $), GraphTec Ferra-Glide saddles - it's insane how good this feels and plays. To me - the Fender MIM lacks the luster of and quality of an american Fender PRO II or Eric Johnson Model but is too much money to justify for MODD platform 🙂 As far as getting guitars with a flaw, Fender, Gibson, Squier etc.. I've seen it all and there appears to be no QC that could catch em all. But when you buy a new Squier, the shop will take it back usually no questions asked (like Thoman here in Europe).

[@daveperrin9408]

I've owned 2 Fender player series Strats and recently I sold my Fender. Decided to buy a Harley Benton CST 24 but which is built beautifully. Only issue I have is the weight of it. It's very heavy. So I decided to buy a Jet JS300 strat style guitar 🎸 and the finish is way better than the Fender. Roasted maple neck the frets are finished off better and the nice cut out at the bottom of the body near the neck is a bonus. This is by far the best feeling and playing guitar that I've owned. It's amazing. It's quarter the price of the Fender and after owning 2 player series Strats it's better in my opinion.

[@williamrehm1313]

I love my player strat. I had a pro setup and had a bone nut put on it. A great price with zero complaints

[@mr.astrophysics9115]

Until christone Kingfish was given his own signature fender he played the Fender player series stratocasters stock so if there good enough for him they are good enough for anyone

[@Bliggick]

Straighten out the springs on the CV Strat and that will loosen the tension a bit so you can screw in the clamp screws to get the bridge float you want and just maybe there will be enough clearance to mount the back plate properly. Then again might not make enough difference to fix the problem.

[@DougMen1]

The 8 PG screws is period correct for 50s specs. The CV 60s and 70s Strats have 11 screw PG mounting.

[@davidburns9219]

I went for a CV60s strat. It has the best neck ever. And that beautiful sunburst finish, really is high quality for the price. The pick-ups are nice and bright, giving the classic strat sound. It also sounds great with my BD2, TS9 and wah going full throttle on it.

[@LovinMusic1965]

The classic vibe is as good as the original designs. Its abiut as raw as it gets.

[@dragan4658]

Most often than not we get what we pay for therefore we can generally expect the higher priced product from the same manufacturer to be better, there can be exceptions however. Both good guitars.

[@mrseaweed88]

For someone who's budget conscious I'd say it's a good idea to buy a more expensive squire around the 250-300 price point to get a good guitar. Of course the fender is amazing but I own an affinity strat from squire and it does everything I want with near to no issues.

[@larsfocken3456]

Here is reason number 5 to buy the Squier: It is an excellent platform for modifications. I bought my CV 50s Squier in Fiesta Red in March 22 and it doesn't have any qualitiy issues. However the metal parts especially the trem system feel and look quite cheap so I probably will replace the tremolo. The neck is very good and overall the guitar can easily compete with the Fender Classic Player 50s Strat from 2003 that I own as well. I had the EMG David Gilmour Pickguard with active PUs and high quality electronis lying around so I purchased the Squier and mounted it in there. The guitar sounds excellent now and has become one of my favourite Strats (I have 4 Fenders, USA, 2 MIM and Japan).

[@jamesrx4514]

So you bought a $200 guitar and planted like $700 worth the gear in it? Could’ve just used a fancy log and done the same thing. Plus the log doesn’t support communism.

[@peterdebad1]

Love my mim strat over my squire. Thanks for the vid. Peace!

[@jasonclark9963]

My players series strat is my primary guitar. It sounds like gold

[@cc5053]

I bought a Player Strat a couple of years ago and it was absolutely unplayable due to tuning instability. I added locking tuners, a real bone nut, plus a pro setup and now it holds tuning better than any other guitar I own. I can't stress enough how much the bone nut improved tuning. It got me into a Gilmour vibe, which of course includes lot's of bending, and it just stays in tune no matter what I do. The only bad part is the body is now full of toothpicks because over 50% of the screw holes were stripped from the factory. They need to hand tighten the screws or use an electric tool with only a fraction of the torque. 😆

[@Meylan191083]

The better build quality on the Player Series did not surprise me. What did however, was that I preferred the sound of the Squier. Great video.

[@rick00770]

I like the player series , great value, the classic vibe is great too. Hard choice, I’m hooked on the Strat with floating tremolo. Never used it much before but since listening to Jeff Beck it’s so much fun. Zzounds is really great for good buys, I’m on my second guitar from them, bought a PRs silver sky se stone blue then an affinity Strat hh in artic white, the affinity was great out of the box , perfect for what I liked, all I had to do is tune it. Thanks for the great review. They help a lot in making decisions. Great job guys.

[@BobSperber]

I disagree with your assumption on the correct bridge float and tuning stability. Factory spec, at least for my Strat Plus, if you have 1/8 inch float above the body and that feels just right for me. Tuning stability has always been amazing but again, that’s on the Strat Plus.

[@fongy200]

CTS = Chicago Telephone services, i think. Just in case anyone was wondering. I have a left handed MiM Strat in Tiodepool, it's a 2017. I have a 50's CV Squire Tele and they are pretty much the same in terms of electronics, budget, Pot's, switch besides that the husk of the Guitar is great, they usually are. What always put's me off Squire's and this was no exception, the crappy pot metal Trem block, instant replacement for a full size steel or Brass one. Besides that i don't have a problem concurring with your review. Thanks for taking the time.

[@dvsreed]

I picked up a player series Stratocaster from guitar center on sale .....less than $700 for one of their exclusive plus too in dark blue. Great guitar so far.....wish it came with a big bag

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

I did the same thing about 1,1/2 years ago. Got a Player plus top aged cherry HSS strat for $675 and it's msrp was $808. Paired it with a Katana 50 mkII and could not be happier!

[@willistaylor4077]

In terms of the Clean Tone, I loved the Spankiness of the Classic Vibe Strat pickups. ❤️🎸👍

[@mrskint55]

I have a HSS player series strat first thing I didn’t like were the pickups ,I thought they were a bit dead ,I swapped them out for Seymour Duncan’s and it plays and sounds much much better now .That is the only downfall of buying guitars online without playing. A lesson learnt .

[@metalhead_1996]

Love my mex strat all the same, can’t go wrong with some good electronics, no issues with the springs and bridge assembly whatsoever

[@sgtpilko5428]

Never owned a squire but did buy three player series telecaster's all of which were returned due to poor build quality and faulty components. Ended up keeping a performer series telecaster instead. Nice honest review.

[@TREVORJB101]

I had two Classic Vibe 70s Strats and both were kick ass! Same can be said for the Fender, can't go wrong with either! However, that particular CV in the video, should not have passed QC and doesn't reflect the modern Squier guitar.

[@taz4965]

I've only just bought my first ever strat (I'm a gibson guy and have been for years) player series H/S/S in capri orange. On unboxing it was dreadful. Set up was so bad I had to send it back. No way an inexperienced player could have sorted it. Next one is sweet. Plays nice and is lightweight too. Not sure I'll get another anytime soon, but its okay for the price so far.

[@nomadman123]

Holy cow, I just bought the Squier CV 50's and while it plays beautifully and has the 100% Strat feel and sound, but mine weighs 9lbs 3 ozs.

[@neese415]

Great review! That's a killer lick at 13:27

[@LovinMusic1965]

The bridge, floating or not if you look the front blade must be top even with the pickguard. Do not adjust the springs first, check the front first. It's the part that floats. The front 6 screws are always ignored and normally to high or tightened down by others.

[@daleturner3507]

I just purchased a CV Tele Esquire from CME. Double bound, Lake Placid Blue, perfectly set up. Amazing guitar. Single pickup guitars is where it’s at!

[@philsequeira3180]

I’m interested in a Classic Vibe 60’s Telecaster and a Paranormal Telecaster.

[@kestutisbagusauskas8323]

There is no excuse for quality defects. Quatily control and training is what is needed. You can justify all kinds of defects because of price but the real issue is that product should meet certain standards and not rough enough is geed enough!

[@roywarriner8441]

I bought a Player Plus Meteora several months ago, the build quality is excellent. I got the silver burst, it looks amazing and plays great. A Player Plus SSS Strat is at the top of my want list.

[@brandonjackson5865]

The necks on those classic vibes are pretty awesome at least the aged gloss maple ones. I agree that jacked up trem spring screw isn’t good but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was part of the work instructions to lock those bridges down because of tuning issues and less experienced players squier is marketed towards. I don’t know if they locked it down to hide the screw or if it just happened ?

[@sallevadorradman1938]

The squire strat sounded to have a rounder sound than the fender. I have a Squire Telecaster in competition orange. I went fo my local Guitar center and say a Mexican Fender telecaster in Capri orange. Just as gorgeous as my squire. If i had the money that Tele would have gone home with me on color alone. The down side was Mexican necks are like baseball bats. Really thick and hard for me to play. My mom's partner had the same issue I'm having with the squire and that is the out put jack is starting to get loose. Long term buyers beware. Finally since the squire is significant cheaper, if you don't like the pickups get new pickups or a loaded pick gaurd. I'm personally think about getting a loaded nashville special pick gaurd for my Tele.

[@blakespurlock5322]

I’ve heard these classic vibes are an insane value for the money

[@DBTL3278]

The neck pickup on that squier is so rich. Definitely would take the squier

[@corylink3329]

Really informative. I play a lot of squires and they get the job done for me. I do modify though. But I like to see how they perform next to a fender. Thanks!

[@tmmuscics2753]

The player has more spank to it and sounds like it would be great for bluesy soloing

[@nomojo1110]

The string separation on the Player was so much better. Also, the Squier had the old 'blanket over the speaker' thing happening. I'd purchase a MIJ as in Australia at least, they're similar prices to the Player series. Cheers mate!

[@Prajnana]

I thought the CV neck PU was a bit muddy sounding compared to the Player.

[@djizzah]

The player is an outstanding guitar for half the price of a similarly specced USA model, its really cool and good value,if you're a hobby guy playing in the becroom jamming with friends or professional the player will work, but if i was professional i would get an expensive strat but you could do it no probs with the mexican

[@Stratmanable]

I have a 50s CV Strat and a 60s CV Strat, alongside 96 and 2006 Mexican strats. I prefer the CVs.

[@LovinMusic1965]

On the two point again, the front if you look is too low. Lay a pick on each end or? And adjust til its touching the pic. Thats why your fighting the issues

[@manofthepeople2165]

If a new guitar player or a parent buying a guitar for their child asked me which one to buy, and money was not a concern, I would tell them go for the player series. I understand a lot of people think the Squier is just as good, especially if you just add some copper tape to the pick guard and pay a luthier to replace the cheap pots and switch with CTS pots that are relatively inexpensive, but I would not recommend you do that unless you are comfortable with voiding the warranty and potentially damaging the guitar. Also modded guitars always have worse resell value. The Player Strat is almost 1:1 identical spec to the Fender American Standard Stratocaster from 2008-2016 (predecessor to the American Professional). The hardware, pickups, electronic components, wood, paint, are all the same spec as the American standard, just it's made in Mexico so it's able to be offered at a much lower price point. That's why if you see a used American Strat for $1000 or even $900, it's not necessarily worth it to buy over a $799 Player Strat. So it's really a guitar meant for "Players", people who take them around and play them at shows. Literally nothing wrong with the guitar, neck is comfortable and highly playable, guitar has good electromagnetic shielding to reduce a little bit of hum, Trem bridge is very high-quality and stays in tune pretty well, pickups are Alnico 5 and although they are more neutral sounding and not as icepick, Fender-sounding as Vintage pickups, I would argue that's a good thing because it makes the instrument more versatile rather than specialized. The guitars come out of the factory with a pretty low action, just overall there's nothing wrong with the Player guitars.

[@lfaf9509]

My thoughts... are its complicated honestly. On one hand you have a guitar that is designed to be classic, and on the other you have a guitar that is designed to be modern. So the pickups will sound different anyhow, as one will have a set that is intended to sound classic while the other set are intended to sound modern.... Even the finish on the neck, one is classic and the other is modern.. These two guitars are not just targeting different price brackets but also targeting different types of players with different sets of needs.... I am more of a modern guy myself when it comes to features, so I dislike the 6 point trem on the classic vibe, and I like the two point trem on the Player. I don't much buy the hype on the whole bone nut thing, so that is basically a wash outside of my personal belief that any guitar above 300 dollars should come with a bone nut. I like the old tuners in this case, because they are easier to string up, but I prefer locking tuners, and I believe any guitar over 400 dollars should come with locking tuners. I hate with the burning passion dime size pots, they don't last as long and they hurt the tone more than the price savings is worth. Any, and I mean Any guitar above 100 dollars should come with full size pots, and I am willing to fight anyone on that issue. Seriously, on the consumer end the price difference between the two sizes of pots may be a few dollars, but on the manufacturer's end the price difference is penny's, so its just down right dumb to screw the customer just to save a few cents... So, I would pick a Squire for me, but not this one, I lean more too the Contemporary Series over the Classic Vibe series myself.. I would take that over the Fender any day of the week, not just because of the price but for the modern appointments which are better all the way around in my book... When it comes to QC, I have seen American Fenders with QC issues, so that is going to be hit or miss no matter if you go with Squire or Fender branded guitars.. In fact, that can be a issue no matter the brand or company or country its made, so that is a wash for me. .. The bridge issue can be solved by just taking the springs off and taking out the screws and filling the holes with toothpicks and glue and drilling a couple new holes, but if you are not into doing the work yourself, I would send it in for replacement or take it to where ever I bought it and have it replaced.. The thing about new guitars is, everywhere you buy one will be able to replace them for you, no matter if you ordered them online or if you bought them in a store..

[@peskypesky]

Big fan of Squiers here...I own several...but I did prefer the tone of the Fender in this comparison.

[@user-eu3mn6ss5l]

Great video. The Classic Vibe series has always been good for the money, but the MIMs are better. That trem issue is terrible, I agree.

[@christoguichard4311]

Mmmm...the last 5 MIM Player Series that have been through my hands have been BAD. Terrible fret jobs.

[@user-eu3mn6ss5l]

@@christoguichard4311 I've not had that experience - in what way were the frets bad? Was it just the fret ends, or were some of the frets different heights, or was it a crown issue? Was there excessive string buzz on certain notes? Were they new, or used? I will say that Fender doesn't use the hardest fret wire, do they? I've had a lot of fret wear on my Strats. Seems like I have to level/recrown them more often than other guitars.

[@benallmark9671]

MIM since 2019 have been exceptional , sure ya get the odd shitty one but all n all they punch above their weight class.

[@christoguichard4311]

@@benallmark9671 What?!?!? 🤣 It's well known in the industry that Fender Mexico's QC has nosedived, because they lost a lot of the older, skilled, workforce, to covid, and had to take on a lot of younger, unskilled, staff to replace them.

[@benallmark9671]

@@christoguichard4311 maybe so , I can only tell ya from what I’ve had in my hands and ya there’s been a couple shitty ones. That Joe Strummer tele relic job is laughable but the 21 roadworns are great.

[@WindRider1]

I have a MIM Strat and a 90s Korean Squier. The Squier has Custom Shop 1965 pickups, bone nut, American Strat bridge and block, CTS 250k pots, Grigsby switch, and Fender locking tuners. Even with all the upgrades I still have about $500 in the guitar. I'll let y'all guess which one gets the most playing time. The Squiers are perfect for modding. Both have maple fretboards which I prefer.

[@delscoville]

I love my Classic Vibe, mine doesn't have the trem locked down tight, and the screws are parallel, so no getting in the way of the cover. I did have to add a little spring under the the whammy bar, though, so it wouldn't flop around. I don't use it much, so could have left the bar off, I suppose. My guess, is the spring was lost when it was being set up before shipping it to me. A little service they do if a guitar costs more than $300.

[@chriss2452]

Squier is priced in a way Fender should be, you get much more bang for the buck with Squier

[@humplucker2445]

3:13 that hair came all the way from Indonesia. Gives the guitar it’s mojo.

[@jimcamp2423]

The Squier is a send back defect for the Trem adjustment & plastic cover alone. That nut width at 1.6 inches (40.6 mm) is a Squier Bullet skinny neck. That's gotta be at least 42-43 mm for either guitar at either price point. Le's not give Fender/Squier a pass on that for both guitars. Not when the current Affinity/Sonic are 42 mm nut widths for specs. I bet even Fender's website specs these guitar necks at least 1.65 inches (42 mm).

[@chrishammonds72]

Owned both and still own the player series. Was really impressed with the CV 50’s but after a few months a few frets lifted and the high E was getting stuck under the frets. Sent it back and got the 50’s Tele as a replacement haven’t had any issues with it in 2 years and after putting in better electronics I actually prefer it to the player series now and it still come out cheaper with $120 spent in upgrades.

[@Bloosee]

I remember about 15 years go the Squiers were about $249 and the Mexi strat were $499. At the at time the mexican strats were much closer to the Squier of today. The mexi strat today is much closer to the USA strats. So the prices doubled but the quality has been much improved as well. Actually back then neither of the guitars featured alnico pickups. I recently bought a Mexi P-bass and a Squier vintage series P-bass, there is almost no difference in quality. The Fender had better tuners and pots, other than that, I can't find any differenes. The fretwork was better on the Squier!

[@robertvarner8195]

Great video! I have a Squier Affinity Stratocaster and it has satin neck and a two point tremolo that actually floats and the back plate fits right so though less expensive I think it may be better than the Classic Vibe. I like the ceramic pickups on mine and only thing that it really might need upgrading is the nut.

[@allanramusiewicz996]

Agreed 110% 🎶‼️‼️‼️

[@davidthompson7445]

Really enjoyed this review , you certainly crammed in a lot . Question , with all new stock , how much time do you spend upon each guitar for inspection and playability reasons ? Did you send the Squier back ?

[@mamo9389]

This review made me tend more toward the Player Series. However, I wonder wether you ever found intonation problems coming from incorrect fret positioning at the factory?

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

The pickups are a night and day difference. Fender player is where it's at.

[@jimmy5634]

I don’t pay any attention to the haters. I’ve owned a variety of Strats over the years, American, Japanese and Mexican. They were all good guitars. My new Squier CV 50 is a great Strat and fun to play. I like the Alnico 5 pickups. They sound very 50’s authentic.These are built in Indonesia now…oh no sacrilege! The overall quality is very good considering the price point. I could upgrade the tuners and the bridge plate, probably won’t…it stays in tune. For those who prefer to buy a more expensive version, good for you!

[@DJBuglip]

I got the Squier for $50 at a pawn shop. I honestly haven't played it much so far, I dismantled it in prep for a different finish, so I'll let ya know whenever I put it back together, lol. Thanks for the demo, it was informative.

[@MadGunny]

I have that exact fender Strat in tidepool blue, it’s my favorite guitar of all my guitars. Up until a couple years it was around $649 which I think was a great price and I got it from a shop so I got to choose one with really nice patterns in the neck wood and it came with a professional set up. Can’t believe they jumped to $849 though

[@ThelittledirtyMcNasty1683]

I honestly think the squire sounds better on the clean tones. Though the Mexican handles distortion better.

[@bennywijaksana9480]

I have 2013 Squier 60s Classic Vibes. I bought brand new old stock. In my opinion, it's very awesome guitar, it's alder body, rosewood fingerboard. And i upgrade the pots to CTS pots, also vintage cloth AWG cable. The pickup, i upgrade to Seymour Duncan STK 10 YJM fury and it sounds very good, perfect in my opinion. I also change the trem block to vintage fender 2 1/16 string space and it fits well. I upgrade the tuning machine to Gotoh SD91. Overall i like my squier, it is perfect in my opinion even though it's not squier anymore. In the future, i want to refret using Jescar Stainless Steel Narrow Tall. It will very awesome.. I think squier is good but in old days, before 2019, it's still made in china, i think it's better than made in Indonesia, although i am indonesian, LOL..

[@the-LeoKnightus]

Call me stupid, but I like the pickups in the Classic Vibe. I might even swap the pick guards if they were both mine.

[@calvinevans6347]

Listen folks. If you're going to buy a Squier, be sure to get it from Sweetwater in Ft. Wayne, IN. I bought a total of 5 Squiers from Sweetwater and all were flawless and set up right. No fret issues, blemishes or anything wrong with them!!!

[@ronniefrown3458]

Nobody noticed the "USA" stamp on the neck at 2:28 on the Squier?

[@greenslider]

I agonised over this one for a liong time. I love the pickups on the CV. I plumped for the player, which is nice with a lovely trem. Im not a natural strat guy so the neck radius and buzzy g bothered me. Add to that the magnetic pull of the pups and I was fiddling for a while. Finally got there but the CV had a more traditional strat spank to her. The player alnico 5s are a nice tone but not something Id say is classic. Still, the build quality is good. Worth 200 quid more..maybe not.

[@thoott3952]

I really enjoyed watching the video. I have a Classic Vibe 50s Tele and aside from sounding a little thin, I absolutely love it as does anyone who plays it. I’m surprised that the spring tension screws were drilled in an angle like that. I hope that’s not a design flaw, thank you for pointing that out. I’m also happy to hear both those strays side by side like that but I did notice the MIM sounded a little more clear at times. And did you send the Squire back?

[@milankotevski1663]

Player strat is an overall winner, easily. I know there are a lot of Squier fanbois lurking on the internet, but Player strat is simply a better guitar in every respect.

[@gumpymcbarfbag3884]

Cv squier 70's natural....great guitar, got the shiny stuff off the neck, new wires, switches, pots, tex mex pickups changed back to original pickups and blocked off whammy.