Squier Classic Vibe Strat Vs Fender Strat | Alnico Pickups Vs Ceramic

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

EPISODE BREAKDOWN: 0:00 - Intro / What Are We Doing Today 1:12 - #1 Neck Pickup Open Chord Sustain Test 1:40 - #2 Neck Pickup Open Chord Sustain Test 2:02 - #1 Bridge Pickup Barre Chord Sustain Test 2:20 - #2 Bridge Pickup Barre Chord Sustain Test 2:38 - #1 Neck Pickup Clean Lead Tone Test 2:51 - #2 Neck Pickup Clean Lead Tone Test 3:06 - #1 Neck/Middle Pickups Clean Lead Tone Test 3:29 - #2 Neck/Middle Pickups Clean Lead Tone Test 3:53 - #1 Middle Pickup Clean Lead Tone Test 4:06 - #2 Middle Pickup Clean Lead Tone Test 4:18 - #1 Middle/Bridge Pickups Clean Lead Tone Test 4:34 - #2 Middle/Bridge Pickups Clean Lead Tone Test 4:52 - #1 Bridge Pickup Clean Lead Tone Test 5:25 - #2 Bridge Pickup Clean Lead Tone Test 5:56 - #1 Neck Pickup Gain Lead Tone Test 6:09 - #2 Neck Pickup Gain Lead Tone Test 6:21 - #1 Neck/Middle Pickups Gain Lead Tone Test 6:37 - #2 Neck/Middle Pickups Gain Lead Tone Test 6:51 - #1 Middle Pickup Gain Lead Tone Test 7:03 - #2 Middle Pickup Gain Lead Tone Test 7:14 - #1 Middle/Bridge Pickups Fuzz Lead Tone Test 7:35 - #2 Middle/Bridge Pickups Fuzz Lead Tone Test 7:57 - #1 Bridge Pickup Fuzz Lead Tone Test 8:16 - #2 Bridge Pickup Fuzz Lead Tone Test 8:35 - Guitar Reveal / Conclusion

[@silvansky]

Yep, I guessed right. Japanese strat has more "bassy" sound, especially on bridge pickup. But the CV's sound seems more bright and clear sometimes. Dunno which is better.

[@Saganite]

As someone who spends too much time watching gear demos/comparisons, I have to say you've nailed the right way to do it here! Blind test, A/B'd with each setting, clean drive AND fuzz (yes!), and large clear descriptions that can be read on the small popup window while looking ahead. Thanks for this To me the CV with the alnico pickups provides clearer note definition. Makes me wonder how the MIJ would sound with alnicos!

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Thank you! I do like blind testing these, cuz even I’m bias when I see certain name brands haha. And yessss I do love me a good Fuzz Face ;) Yea the plan one day is to work on the MIJ’s pups a bit. Still searching for choices. And wiring. I’d like to have a tone knob for the bridge pup.

[@GeorgiDelev]

Fender MIJ with alnicos? Good question! Probably little bit clearer and colder ... like Squier CV. ;) hehe More interesting for me is if CV would sounds wormer like MIJ with ceramics? ;) Cheers C(_)

[@robbrady4649]

Have to confess I was watching the TV while listening to the demo and couldn't hear an obvious difference between the 2 guitars. But another excellent video Joey 👍

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Nothing wrong with that haha. Thanks Rob!

[@Jamzocd]

I liked #1 best of the two. Which I’m glad because I recently bought a MIM 2015 Strat that was a bargain and is beautiful with a real rosewood fretboard and was curious about the ceramic vs alnico which the current Player Series. This just reinforced my thoughts on my purchase.

[@JimmyParagalloGuitar]

Nice work on this one bro! Looks and sounds great

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Thanks my man!

[@windandsea6237]

Great review man! Awesome playing!

[@ConvexSpade]

Great demonstation. Thanks for putting this together.

[@serdar.saglam]

CV is more bright but thinner. But i like it’s bridge pickup. MIJ is amazing. Fatter, warmer, more clear sound and more dynamic range. Awesome!

[@Jaysthename]

I'm two years late to the discussion but thanks for the blind comparison. I preferred the sharper sound of #2 on the bridge and neck comparisons, but the middle pups were a toss up. That said, I think a listener's favorite will likely be determined by their musical preferences. I've been leaning heavily into 70s and 80s post-punk rock recently, and as those frequently feature the sharp bite of Jaguars instead of Strats, it makes sense that I'd be into the alnico pups here for their icy attributes. I'd guess that when I'm into my Gilmour and Clapton moods I'd prefer your #1 instead.

[@telecastersRthebest]

Isolated, I liked #1 more because of the low end. However, #2 might be better in a mix. Maybe a suggestion for future comparisons is to include them in a mix.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Yea that is a good idea! I’ll prob do that in the next shootout on the books. Thanks

[@enriquemendoza866]

Excellent test! Thank You!

[@robertclarkguitar]

Joey this is amazing. Had to watch it again. I may do MIM ceramic which is my FSR Gilmour vibe strat vs Classic Vibe 2015 60s with it's player series loaded pickguard. I'm wondering if I'd be happier putting the player series Guard in the fsr as it would then be more of a player series guitar minus the 2point trem and extra fret. Hahahaha. Love your channel. Excellent player brother.

[@ravendemo4980]

Alnico to me are clearer, while ceramic pickups have a tad more low end. I guessed right.

[@raceface_m2579]

The CV sounded warmer. The MIJ sounded a bit ice picky, but you could hear how nice the sound traveled/ flowed if that makes sense. The dynamics are better on the MIJ, but prefer the warmth of the CV. Perhaps putting the MIJ up against a 50s CV would be a bit closer since the 50s pickups run with a bit more treble than the 60s.

[@claudiosuarez1256]

And the winner is... your great playing ! xD , great guitar sounds on both guitars, more sustain and more bass in the MiJ , but the CV sounded great too (i prefered it clean sounds on neck ,n/m , mid ,m/b ) on the bridge clean i guess the bass of the japanesse won but depends on your taste. With overdrive and fuzz i think blth guitars sounded pretty close.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Thank you for your compliments my friend! Yea I agree def little more low end in the MIJ

[@gwEmbassy]

Guitar 2 was more chimey so I could tell it was the Alnico Classic vibe. But both sounded nice

[@24MusicCarats]

Ceramics they just have this soothing warming punchy tone that feels like a warm blanket to tue hear resonating with the ear drum. Alnicos are good but are times they can feel thin

[@masarukamada]

I guessed right, too! AlNiCo sounded twangy.

[@MrUniverse]

I guessed right. The first had a fuller warmer sound, whereas the second was a bit thinner, slightly more cheap sounding lol

[@bluwng]

Stay away from Tele bridge pickups if you think brighter is cheap

[@jamiedoerfler3693]

@@bluwng there are lots of different Tele Bridge pickups dude. They have different tones depending on the wire, number of winds, magnets and baseplates. Do some research. Not all Tele pickups are bright.

[@bluwng]

@@jamiedoerfler3693 I was being felicitous, that should have been clear

[@dragan4658]

Both are very nice guitars Joey. I got it backwards though, I thought the Squier was the more expensive guitar as I preferred its sound.

[@Ares14]

Ceramic starts are my favorite. So much better for blues/rock imo.

[@DominusMonk33]

Night and day...Fender cuts thru so much better and smoother sound too... Other sounds tinny.... Wow great job...

[@aLoudSi1ence]

I guessed it right. Fat clean sound is my litmus test. Driven sounds can mask.

[@ghumphrey85]

I’m still in the middle of this video as I write this. But #1 sounds so good. Some might say it even sounds sexy, it’s a full body blues type sound. #2 just didn’t have the sound I’m after. It lacked gain and body if that makes any sense. I guess I’m trying to say #2 sounded like a cheap guitar.

[@TheCamo9217]

For me this is the most great video about alnico vs ceramic. Very nice sounding. In this moment I have a Fender Standard MIM with ceramics and I don't know if I will trying to change it's pickups for alnico. Do you listen some difference on "cleaning" when you play with overdrive or dist and you moves the volume pot? On the internet the people say than ceramics are more "harder" and alnicos are more "dynamic". That"cleaning with volume" is very important to me right now.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

I’m learning that they both clean up, just in slightly different ways. And a lot depends on the quality of your pots/switch/wiring too. How well does your MIM clean up right now?

[@TheCamo9217]

@Joey Anthony Guitar well, I think my MIM cleans well but lost some bright. I don't have alnico for compare, but I listen on videos where strats with alnico maybe lost some bright too but don't sound muddy and maintains the strats attack and its characteristic sound.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Yea my MIJ does darken very quickly when i lower the volume pot. Which i like, i just wish it wasnt so immediate. I wish it was more gradual. Like you said could be because the MIJ has ceramic mags.

[@TheCamo9217]

​ @Joey Anthony Guitar Right, I supose if we have a pickup than already is bright when we put down a volume pot the brigthness mainteins a little better... a lot of people like so much a ceramic pickups because it's more gain and more middle, but for me, the p-90 check that point. Is a tricky bussines and depends of individual taste. Thanks for your good answers.

[@void0094]

Can you please review the squier classic vibe 60s Telecaster custom? There are no good reviews on youtube for the 2020 model.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Yes I’d love to! Trying to track one down but experiencing a lot of items on back order at the moment. But yes! 50s and 60s CV Teles are on the list :) Thanks!

[@jspic4907]

Liked #1 better. Very good content, Joey... Cheers.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Thanks! Blind tests are always fun to do

[@markknight6445]

Great comparison and playing , thanks. No 1 sounded like it might be suffering from a touch of "stratitis"(even though it sustained better). Are the pickups closer than on the C.V. ?

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Thanks Mark. Not too sure sorry. The black strat has since had a pickup upgrade.

[@markknight6445]

@@joeytheguitarplayer Thanks for the speedy reply.

[@bluwng]

My old classic vibe has the tremolo cavity painted and the pickup cavity shielded. I think the made in China ones are like mine and the Indonesian ones do not have this. This is not a countries fault, the requirement and QC comes from Fender. Funny as my old one was only $300. New ones cost more and they do less.

[@0000song0000]

since there is no more mij fenders, any Japanese oem or brand youd recommend?

[@dawoud8013]

If you want more nervous sound, use ceramics, otherwise alnico 5. Have to keep 2 strats to have this 2 kind of sound under the hand at all times.

[@carstenfunk6075]

My guess has been right. But booth are good and the Chinese would bei equal or even better with a pickup upgrade.

[@dante_ele]

Where can I find those MIJ ceramic pickups?

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Good question... I don't think I have ever seen them for sale separately

[@jlane3333]

I liked the CV much better, way more chimey and clean

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Chimey’s a good word there. Crazy what Squier is putting out these days!

[@jameswebster8105]

50/50 i thought both sounded good. the problem is a percentage of listeners already have the mindset squire products suck. so, of course they nay say them. A good guitar player can make both sound great.

[@Healcraft]

I guessed it just due to the first one having higher output

[@bluwng]

CV had higher output and better articulation. I expected the opposite.

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

Volume was a post-edit on my end. The CV was a little softer and it was really obvious, so I just bumped the level up a hair before rendering. That way they were more on even playing fields. But yea the top end was a lot more sparkly on the CV for sure.

[@jamiedoerfler3693]

The ceramics are muddy and mid-range oriented with a lack of clarity. I never liked them in any Fender guitar and replaced them immediately.

[@trstarving9708]

#1 = Fender ?

[@joeytheguitarplayer]

You got it!

[@prannnn4938]

Superb #2

[@Cannibal_Actual]

One is better to me.

[@ildar717]

0:32 Poly poly poly...poly what? Polyurethane? Polyester? Pollywantacracker? Prove to me there is any difference between finishes, but do it the right way-strip your Nitrocellulose finished instrument, refinish it with poly poly poly, and see if there is any difference. And iirc, many 60's Fenders didn't have pure nitro finishes anyway, so...

[@silviaboz1342]

For me japanese win

[@jamesgarci]

First guitar too much better