@@roimodestenope because these are ISF serial numbers not ICF Several lower end squiers come from ISS. It’s crazy they didn’t even make these in the Cort factory when they make higher end squiers and other fenders like fmt at the Cort factory.
My prediction, they will have to slash the prices, and if they are smart, trash the whole line and cut their losses. Then fire the people responsible for this debacle. SMH!
I do have a hunch they're going to be the Fender series that is constantly on sale at retailers and be the main attraction for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. It's going to probably be something like $450 on a doorbuster.
@@seanpellegrino2989 I think this is as much them testing the market as it is responding to increased costs. For sure they will end up discounting or offering something like a package with gig bag and a branded strap or something. What will the used market for these be if they discount under $500?
You can buy 4 - 7 used Squiers that are better than this for the same price, and still have money left over for strings, picks, a tuner, and used amplifier. 😂
Thank you for taking this one for the team. After watching this and Phillip McKnights tear down of the tele as well, I can’t see anyone who actually does their research buying these. Sad because I thought I was excited to see a reasonable priced fender but it’s not reasonably priced at all. Fender is insulting our intelligence.
I’m sorry but this is just a squire with a fender logo! For that price, me buying this IS NOT going to happen! Not when I could get a good used MIM or a a few hundred more and get an American!
I had a 2013 USA standard on marketplace for 3 months at 750 and just sold it a week ago at 700. For a hundred bucks more you could have had my USA standard lol how f’d is the guitar market. Expenses are up so companies are charging more but the market is so flooded that used prices are plummeting.
Not one neck measurement is the same as the Squier, None of the electronics inside are the same as the Squire. If anything this resembles the early 2000s Mexican strat. Before speaking you have to examine the guitar not just look at a video, The nut width The radius nothing is Squire. The tuners Are the same as the mexican standard. Very Weird opinion when nothing resembles Squier... It's still a piece of garbage, but it's not a squire, nothing about it is.
Subscribed!!! Wow.... You have surpassed all other guitar reviewers on UA-cam...you are now my go-to guitar reviewers. You are a way better player than all of 'em. Thank you for standing up when you play.... I hear you playing with your own style...nice. You ROCK!
@019bc3 would you rather me smile and shoot out sunshine and rainbows while discussing a brand betrayal and inexcusable, insulting behavior by a previously beloved brand?
I can't believe they put a plain neck plate on it as if it costs a load more to stamp the logo into. My four Squiers are all stamped Squier even my super inexpensive Bullet Mustang and they all have the skunk stripe on the neck. The only thing the Fender standard series has done is make me feel better about owning Squiers. LOL Cool videos Jake! 👍
👍🏻Exactly. My '03 Chi-Squier backplate is engraved, '70s Headstock, did a few mods, the whole thing cost $125. SMOKES this guitar. The neck looks over laqured and even the Fender decal looks cheap. I could print one out on the wife's Crikut to look spot on for free. Only thing I like is the color. It's Beautiful.
Cheaping out for sure, I’ve got an anniversary affinity squire that is proudly emblazoned with such, the only thing that sets it apart actually. It seems every year the big brands take a little bit away whilst adding cost. I’m no longer stressed about the name on the headstock.
Do yourself a favor and look for a Squier classic vibe telecaster and stratocaster guitar from China. Especially the early ones that have the Tone Rider pickups in them, you won't be disappointed.
Same hear. I have a Pro Tone Tele thinline from the mid 90’s that back in the day was taking sales from their American series, so they killed the line off after only 2 years. My favorite guitar, I love and cherish it and the best part was I only bought it for $125 off marketplace because someone else thought it was just another Squier and the pots were scratchy. All I did is spray them with contact cleaner and they were like new.
You don't get it. They don't make those neck plates. Those are plates that the factory they contracted already uses on every other Strat knockoff they make. Fender isn't going to send them a special shipment of stamped logo plates. That would cost money. That is the level of cost cutting here. This is a $400 guitar Fender is charging $600, which has been the modus operandi for decades.
That bridge looks very familiar. I bought a knock off Fender American bridge on Amazon for $30 for a partscaster. It was labeled as Musiclily. Looks identical.
That fender has the cheapest ceramic pickups that used to be reserved for the cheapest squier bullet strat when they could have used Classic Vibe alnico pickups😮
This is Fenders scam to make it sound different to a real strat. You need alnico pickups for the single coil spank to really shine. Even cheap alnicos sound way better in a guitar like that. The ceramics just don't work well as singles, gotta be alnico. But that's Fender trying to make noobs think they have to buy a way more expensive guitar for that Strat spank, so scammy.
@ I found MIM strats to have a pretty weak tone in the pickups. I have compared them directly to Japan and USA Strats, in my hands, running into the same amp with the same amp settings, and it's no contest, the alnico's in the Japan and USA strats sound way better than the Mexican's I've tried. You can even see people getting the same result in videos online. That said, it was several years ago when I did my tests, I don't know if Fender has improved the MIM's to sound better, I don't bother looking at them any more, because by the time you buy another set of pickups and pay to put them in, you may as well have bought the better Japan/USA strat - but what I do know is - if you want a strat to really sound like a strat, they've gotta be alnico, because that's what strats use, and every time I've tried ceramics, it's not that they sound bad, but they don't really sound like a real strat - and that is the reason Fender puts them into the cheaper guitars. They don't want their cheaper guitars to sound like a real strat, because they're in it for the money, and they want you to spend more and buy the Japan/USA strat.
The reason I watch your channel is because you are allways honest. And you don't feed us a bunch of B.S.. thx. I also enjoy watching you band live on Saturday nights.
This seems like a decent upper-Squire level guitar with a much better neck at a decent price; ideal to update, customize and set up exactly how you like. Hopefully the negative reception drops the price soon and these become much cheaper
I've been enjoying these videos and your unvarnished opinions. I'm not upset by what Fender's done, because I already know I'm not going to buy one of these guitars, but I understand why you feel the way you do. You've got nothing to apologize for - it's your channel and you should say whatever you want to say.
The bar today in the lowest tier is so competitive with Jet, Harley Benton, lower line Sire, lower line Yamaha, and even Firefly, all so good for $200-$300, so yeah, point well taken. Today, at $450-$500, it needs to be a pretty darn great guitar. Competition is fierce for sure.
And Fender, being owned by VC scum, can't just NOT put out a trash-tier instrument with their name slapped on it. The marketing droids demand it be done!
@ Yeah if you want a super strat but this is meant to be the Standard' of Stratocaster's by those who invented it in the first place. Personally I can't get on with the concept of this series be interesting to see how it unfolds peace!
I completely agree with about 80% of what you're saying here. My one lone not really 'disagreement' is regarding the making of these guitars in Indonesia simply because of the fact the Fender Mexico plant started off making Squier guitars, then switched to Fender Standard in the mid 90s. IMO had they used better materials, it wouldn't be so egregious. Where I do totally agree is the Poplar body material with Chinese hardware makes that thing sound hollow & kinda lifeless. Your playing skills aren't the problem tho.. IDC what the 'new norm' for prices in today's economy are, charging $600 for a guitar that's no better than a Squier is them spitting in the people's face.. especially when you can buy guitars from Harley Benton, Firefly & other Asian manufacturers that meet or exceed what Fender claims as 'the standard is set'- and those companies do it for literally half of what Fender is charging. That said, to say anything except the fact the customer is expected by Fender to pay the inflated price for the name & the trademarked headstock shapes associated with it is disingenuous at best. Thank you for speaking the truth in the face of what I'm sure will be a sizeable amount of push back.. this isn't the Fender I knew growing up learning to play guitar, this is an entity we could argue that has Gibson beat for becoming a modern day laughing stock of the electric guitar industry! Cheers
@@StevenVincentSingsI don’t see how they would because cost of living will go up as-well which means American made goods will need to be priced higher. It’s just going to cause inflation.
@@StevenVincentSings Except those tariffs also apply to the foreign made components on the fucking USA series, you absolute room temperature tuna sandwich of a human. That means increased prices on the USA line as well. They're also not going to offset the cost by ONLY raising the price on the less expensive guitars, they'll simply take less margin on those and RAISE THE MARGIN ON THE US LINE because people will still be stupid enough to pay them for their shitty guitars. These things don't exist in a vacuum ya fuckin' dingus.
My only guitar(I’ve had many!) and my favourite to date is a late 80s Vester tradition series(a lawsuit copy of a ‘57), from the second I picked it up, it felt like I was playing something I’d never have been able to own, the weight, the feel, the sound, the one piece neck profile, the frets, the consonants etc. I’ve had two Mexican fenders that didn’t come anywhere close, so stands to reason, just because it has fender stamped on the headstock doesn’t mean anything… great video and hopefully save people from wasting their money
You can buy 4 - 7 used Squiers that are better than this for the same price, and still have money left over for strings, picks, a tuner, and used amplifier. 😂
On a positive note, the Player 2 Fenders ARE actually worth the money. They are much better than the original Players. I bought a Jazzmaster and a Tele HH in the player 2 line. Amazing. But this one doesn't make sense, just get a Squier.
@@kkrsnn5632 Honestly, it's just better than what you're saying. The QC is a massive step up in my opinion all the way around. They play like the Am Pro. I like the aged plastic on the Jazzmaster. Metal knobs for the teles.
Finally, an honest review of a guitar. Thank You. Fender keeps marketing existing products as new models implementing very minor changes for an increase in price that's really not justified. Case in point aside of this one, the Ultra II series. I have a Tele and Strat Ultra, which are great, but why would I upgrade to a II series and pay $300 more for fancier paint and an angled switch on the Tele. I have a Fender BJ IV, which is great, but why should I upgrade and pay $300 ($999) more for the 30th Anniversary model that claims to have some supposed modification to the preamp circuit and a fancier skin cover.
I'm interested to see how this line goes. I see a lotta criticism for this line, but I can see method in this madness considering the 1st time Fender buyer. For many this will be their first "proper" Fender, coz the logo means that much to them. They won't have the years of experience as a lotta people in this comment section, they'll still consider Fender above Squire, even if you tell them the latter has superior components. They won't know the ceramic vs alnico debate, nor care bout modern saddles. If you got this out the door at $500 as a beginner /intermediate, as your first "proper" Fender, you won't really know you bought a rebranded squire. You'll be telling everyone you have a Fender Strat.
Also with the potential tariff thing with Mexico, this could push MIM Fenders way up in price so these will suddenly be a real bargain way into owning a Fender
@@martin-1965 no longer potential since he just signed it. I don't disagree with the quality argument, but for beginners wanting a Fender, they'll look at the (now) $900+ Player 2s and $599 seems a bargain.
By the way, I bought a used China strat for $120.00 on market place. The trem was broke off inside. I spent another $120.00 on new block, trem, strings and setup. Besides being a little bit thin sounding, I can whammy ‘til the sun comes up and it stays in tune and plays like butter. No locking trem sys. It’s the one I can bang around hard on no worries but I still like them as scratchless as poss. in case I want to resell down the pike! First time I ever owned 3 flawless guitars too. Gonna keep it that way too.😊
Instead of an Indonesian guitar riding on the fender name to get sales it is fender milking normal Indonesian quality to scam its customers for profits.
There is nothing fair here. This is a $400 guitar they're charging $600 for because some stupid fucking shmuck is going to look at it and go "It's a Fender, but it's half the price!" like you just did. Alnico doesn't mean a fucking thing. Ceramic magnets can be just as pissweak as alnico. The thing is, they use ceramic because ceramic is cheaper and can be made stronger. Since the magnet is strong there's less wire needed on the pickups, which means less expensive copper which means higher margins on their $600 POS.
Yep i agree its an Affinity with a fender logo and a bigger trem block , I would just buy a Used USA Strat off reverb for like $800 bucks and you get a case with it too and a better quality guitar.
Jake, I really enjoyed this (abridged) version, but I must say the same thing that i said the other day in your livestream version of this - you make this guitar sound GREAT! You are a very talented and versatile player, and if you didn't tell me how inferior this guitar is (for a Fender) I would NEVER have guessed! In any case, I really enjoy your playing and your commentary. I prefer the much rawer livestrewam look at this guitar because it was so real and so much fun to watch! I own a few Tele & Strat Squiers and a couple of Fender (Player) Teles and Strats, and my Squier Classic Vibe Tele and Affinity HSS Strat feel and sound at least as good as my Fender versions. Keep up the great work, both on the videos and your impressive playing! Oh, and you video is very educational - I learned a new phrase: "I'll be dipped in shit!" LOLOLOL
Great video, honest and to the point. This has saved me the bother of a train ride to go check them out. Fender are just diluting everything. Their range is confusing enough without these. Subscribed so at least this vid got me to find your channel.
Jeez.. I tried one out today… definitely a mistake by Fender. I own a mexican player 1 strat and a squier CV strat…. BOTH great guitars.. the CV is genuinely a great guitar for the money. This new Standard is seriously CHEAP feeling… I think calling it a STANDARD is an insult really… worth waiting until they are forced to slash the prices as its not terrible if priced correctly IMO
I am sorry you purchased one, but a serious thank you because I was kinda looking into the standard, but I think I'll just buy a squier paranormal series instead for roughly half the price..
I agree with you. Fender is just becoming a greedy corporation at this point. This is a squire. It is made in the same factory as Squire. I prefer an MIM or a Squire Classic Vibe. Both are miles better than this charade.
If they were selling it at 299 or 399 and just wanted to sell a “real fender” at a squier price then ok whatever, but at 599 to deliver 299-399 quality just with a different logo then f’em.
By producing this junk, FENDER is embarrassing millions of very loyal fans who own high quality Fender Strats. They should sack everyone involved in proceeding with this awful piece of wood and steel. Dump it Fender before you lose your good customers forever!
I think these are fenders own chibsons, they're only for people who are embarrassed to play a Squier, there are squiers that actually sound good and stay in tune, your playing and amp make the guitar sound pretty good but it could be better, the Yamaha Pacifica is half the price of these and is a really good guitar just example this guitar is only for people who desperately want the logo and the logo on these looks terrible
No getting around this. If you want a good fender, you have to start with the entry level MIA American performer which is a great MIA fender! I owned the Arctic white RW strat and the green RW tele. Both are awesome guitars that were set up great and played great other than minor binging on a couple high string slots that took all of 3 mins to pass a not slot file through it 2 times. The Strat came set up with a floating trem that performed great. Buy the entry level MIA Performer. You wont be disappointed and you will have a REAL Fender!
@JasonStacey-x6o I have a MIM strat thats nearly 30 years old and is a great player and a San Dimas thats now 10 years old and neither of them will be sold or traded before my USA strat. The new Indo line of Standards is too pricey for the product thats my take. Doesn't really matter where its made nearly as much when you buy it and when you go to sell it
@ We can only evaluate what we are exposed to and I think Fender brings a lot of value in different price points. Right now to me the gap is from Classic Vibe to Player 2 and really if someone is looking at a new USA model there are also better options in the price range right now
I own two MiMs and love those to bits , one of those is a player II and that one is just incredible. I do not think i would go below the mexi range considering the price of the mexican made comparing it to the one in the video.
If they took a classic vibe/contemporary/anniversary squier, put better frets on them, rolled the edges like they do for those models, and put the fender logo on it would be so worth it. It was so easy to make it worth it, and they made it a disappointment after I've called them the gold standard for years
Thank you for the effort. Sorry you got takin'. You can go snowblind looking at strat style guitars. There are so many. As you said, that guitar is no better than generic knock off with a Fender sticker on it. I got conned on one once myself. It makes you gunshy. That HSH body might be good for something. I had some ideas that way myself. Not much you can do with the shape of a guitar. But the wiring? There is at least a dozen ways to wire an HSH and only about three of them have been tried. I'll check in, from time to time. :)
One thing you didn’t mention unless I missed it was body thickness. Is it full size or 1.5” like a squier affinity? Not that it makes a big difference but I’m just trying to see how they justify the price at $599. So far what I see, is thicker trem block, better saddles, full size pots, fender cts or similar switch, and possibly a thicker body. Does this all make it worth what they are asking? It’s hard to tell and everyone has their own opinion, but I don’t think it does. Being a squier player for years and owning many of them, even pro tone series guitars, I’d take a hard pass at buying this, just because it’s a fender or so they say. I’d even take an older vintage modified squier over this. The pickups alone are a slap in the face given that even classic vibes have real alnicos. My guess is they will run this series for a year and then do some upgrades then ask for more money lol. Yeah I’ll pass!
That guitar is another piece of crap from fender. For that price, that guitar is not worth it. Fender is going by the name to sell that junk. I got one and it sucks. You can get better from the money!
@Big Jake Music, how does it compare to Chinese made Fenders Moderns a decade ago? In my humble opinion, those Chinese made Fenders are of good quality considering those are just a bit above Squier price way back then.
Every Indo guitar ive played is shit. My 2011 Squire 62 custom tele CV made in China is amazing i then got a 70s Indo custom tele absolutely crap sold it after 3 months lost money on it but was glad to get rid. 0:03
I had my 1st fender back in 01’ or 02’. It says it’s made in USA on the headstock and such. I decided to change the saddles back then and to my surprise it didn’t fit a standard saddles by fender. Guy at music centre says maybe because the neck is from US and body from Indonesian. What a weird guitar it was. Nonetheless, it was my 1st guitar from my parents and I learnt many songs on it. I still have it but it’s just there for nostalgic purposes.
Just came across your channel and enjoyed the video - will continue support your channel. However felt that the vocal has too much reverb and its not as clear. Other than that nice video thank you!
Get your ears checked, then. I have $150 guitars that sound better than this. It sounds objectively horrible, and when you add how exorbitantly expensive it is, it becomes even more unforgivable.
Honest review even if i dont understand your point of view, i respect that. Now, Do you think this guitar for 600 dollars is better hor less than a FIREBIRD ZERO from Gibson (500 dollars) ?
I assure you it’s not. For 600 you can buy a used MiM Tele AND Strat, a used Gibson LP Studio, or a new Epiphone Inspired by Gibson. Each of those blow this inexcusable piece of excrement into the stratosphere.
Fender is doing the same with the EVH Wolfgang models, having the indonesian /mexican/US series and it works, so they thought they could do the same on their own brand. BUT as Squier already exists there can be only one…
Fender by Squier.
😂
by Cort😅
😢
@@roimodestenope because these are ISF serial numbers not ICF Several lower end squiers come from ISS. It’s crazy they didn’t even make these in the Cort factory when they make higher end squiers and other fenders like fmt at the Cort factory.
You nailed it there, and very well too.
The best thing this guitar has done is show me this dudes channel
My prediction, they will have to slash the prices, and if they are smart, trash the whole line and cut their losses. Then fire the people responsible for this debacle. SMH!
I do have a hunch they're going to be the Fender series that is constantly on sale at retailers and be the main attraction for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. It's going to probably be something like $450 on a doorbuster.
@@seanpellegrino2989 I think this is as much them testing the market as it is responding to increased costs. For sure they will end up discounting or offering something like a package with gig bag and a branded strap or something. What will the used market for these be if they discount under $500?
You can buy 4 - 7 used Squiers that are better than this for the same price, and still have money left over for strings, picks, a tuner, and used amplifier. 😂
They'll sell them lock hot cakes. Even if they're aren't good.
@@Timtime67 we shall see.
As a squier owner, I can now look down my nose at fender owners.😅
😂
Hehe
Hahah..you won😂😂
You can literally hear it going out of tune by a few cents for every bar of music played.
Thank you for taking this one for the team. After watching this and Phillip McKnights tear down of the tele as well, I can’t see anyone who actually does their research buying these. Sad because I thought I was excited to see a reasonable priced fender but it’s not reasonably priced at all. Fender is insulting our intelligence.
Amen
Well said
I agree that this series makes no sense. All Fender is doing is cheapening their brand with this.
I’m sorry but this is just a squire with a fender logo! For that price, me buying this IS NOT going to happen! Not when I could get a good used MIM or a a few hundred more and get an American!
I had a 2013 USA standard on marketplace for 3 months at 750 and just sold it a week ago at 700. For a hundred bucks more you could have had my USA standard lol how f’d is the guitar market. Expenses are up so companies are charging more but the market is so flooded that used prices are plummeting.
Not one neck measurement is the same as the Squier, None of the electronics inside are the same as the Squire. If anything this resembles the early 2000s Mexican strat. Before speaking you have to examine the guitar not just look at a video, The nut width The radius nothing is Squire.
The tuners Are the same as the mexican standard. Very Weird opinion when nothing resembles Squier... It's still a piece of garbage, but it's not a squire, nothing about it is.
I just bought a 2015 American Standard Strat in Mint condition for just under 4 figures, with a Fender ABS case.
exactly i copped a 50s classic vibe thing is a beauty
Waiting for the usual UA-camrs who always get sent free guitars to tell us how good these are😅
😂👍
The worst part is you KNOW it's going to happen. 😢
This review made me appreciate the squier affinity I modded a lot more.
It stayed in tune with no fret sprout
Have a Squier affinity fmt Tele. It is better than my former mexican Tele. But well, would not pay 600€
for it.
Subscribed!!! Wow.... You have surpassed all other guitar reviewers on UA-cam...you are now my go-to guitar reviewers.
You are a way better player than all of 'em.
Thank you for standing up when you play.... I hear you playing with your own style...nice.
You ROCK!
Thank you so much ❤️
Well this guy has integrity and honesty. I'll have to start watching more of his videos ... Great job 👍
If only he didn't whine so much.
@019bc3 would you rather me smile and shoot out sunshine and rainbows while discussing a brand betrayal and inexcusable, insulting behavior by a previously beloved brand?
@@BigJakeMusic I couldn't have said it better myself. 🤣
I can't believe they put a plain neck plate on it as if it costs a load more to stamp the logo into. My four Squiers are all stamped Squier even my super inexpensive Bullet Mustang and they all have the skunk stripe on the neck. The only thing the Fender standard series has done is make me feel better about owning Squiers. LOL Cool videos Jake! 👍
👍🏻Exactly. My '03 Chi-Squier backplate is engraved, '70s Headstock, did a few mods, the whole thing cost $125. SMOKES this guitar. The neck looks over laqured and even the Fender decal looks cheap. I could print one out on the wife's Crikut to look spot on for free. Only thing I like is the color. It's Beautiful.
Cheaping out for sure, I’ve got an anniversary affinity squire that is proudly emblazoned with such, the only thing that sets it apart actually. It seems every year the big brands take a little bit away whilst adding cost. I’m no longer stressed about the name on the headstock.
Do yourself a favor and look for a Squier classic vibe telecaster and stratocaster guitar from China. Especially the early ones that have the Tone Rider pickups in them, you won't be disappointed.
Same hear. I have a Pro Tone Tele thinline from the mid 90’s that back in the day was taking sales from their American series, so they killed the line off after only 2 years. My favorite guitar, I love and cherish it and the best part was I only bought it for $125 off marketplace because someone else thought it was just another Squier and the pots were scratchy. All I did is spray them with contact cleaner and they were like new.
You don't get it. They don't make those neck plates. Those are plates that the factory they contracted already uses on every other Strat knockoff they make. Fender isn't going to send them a special shipment of stamped logo plates. That would cost money. That is the level of cost cutting here.
This is a $400 guitar Fender is charging $600, which has been the modus operandi for decades.
That bridge looks very familiar. I bought a knock off Fender American bridge on Amazon for $30 for a partscaster. It was labeled as Musiclily. Looks identical.
Many Squier bridges are very similar too, I think imports source the same manufacture or share the same tooling manufacture.
Wilkinson modern Tele bridge also, $35 Australian, nice bridge but
@@K8_u-u It's not really a problem with Squiers, because those are priced as a Squier. This release is insulting customers.
That fender has the cheapest ceramic pickups that used to be reserved for the cheapest squier bullet strat when they could have used Classic Vibe alnico pickups😮
This is Fenders scam to make it sound different to a real strat. You need alnico pickups for the single coil spank to really shine. Even cheap alnicos sound way better in a guitar like that. The ceramics just don't work well as singles, gotta be alnico. But that's Fender trying to make noobs think they have to buy a way more expensive guitar for that Strat spank, so scammy.
The mim ceramics sounded so much better.
@ I found MIM strats to have a pretty weak tone in the pickups. I have compared them directly to Japan and USA Strats, in my hands, running into the same amp with the same amp settings, and it's no contest, the alnico's in the Japan and USA strats sound way better than the Mexican's I've tried. You can even see people getting the same result in videos online.
That said, it was several years ago when I did my tests, I don't know if Fender has improved the MIM's to sound better, I don't bother looking at them any more, because by the time you buy another set of pickups and pay to put them in, you may as well have bought the better Japan/USA strat - but what I do know is - if you want a strat to really sound like a strat, they've gotta be alnico, because that's what strats use, and every time I've tried ceramics, it's not that they sound bad, but they don't really sound like a real strat - and that is the reason Fender puts them into the cheaper guitars. They don't want their cheaper guitars to sound like a real strat, because they're in it for the money, and they want you to spend more and buy the Japan/USA strat.
Shirts didn't wanna reduce their bonuses w that few bucks the tariff is gonna keep them from 🤣
Fender: "Designed in California, Made in Indonesia"
Squier: "Designed and Backed by Fender, Crafted in Indonesia"
That's your difference there 😂
The reason I watch your channel is because you are allways honest. And you don't feed us a bunch of B.S.. thx. I also enjoy watching you band live on Saturday nights.
This seems like a decent upper-Squire level guitar with a much better neck at a decent price; ideal to update, customize and set up exactly how you like. Hopefully the negative reception drops the price soon and these become much cheaper
I've been enjoying these videos and your unvarnished opinions. I'm not upset by what Fender's done, because I already know I'm not going to buy one of these guitars, but I understand why you feel the way you do. You've got nothing to apologize for - it's your channel and you should say whatever you want to say.
The bar today in the lowest tier is so competitive with Jet, Harley Benton, lower line Sire, lower line Yamaha, and even Firefly, all so good for $200-$300, so yeah, point well taken. Today, at $450-$500, it needs to be a pretty darn great guitar. Competition is fierce for sure.
And Fender, being owned by VC scum, can't just NOT put out a trash-tier instrument with their name slapped on it. The marketing droids demand it be done!
It's an affinity Squier with the fender label slapped on it
Exactly if the spec was the same but they printed 'Squier' on the headstock instead of Fender there is no way it would be $599 more like half price!
With a one step up, pick ups and pots.
none of this jive would be an issue if we just buy an Ibanez or Schecter it's a no brainer , dudes..
@ Yeah if you want a super strat but this is meant to be the Standard' of Stratocaster's by those who invented it in the first place. Personally I can't get on with the concept of this series be interesting to see how it unfolds peace!
@@markdoolan3424 ha Slashed prices and they dump the line. ha
Maybe I'll get a rare one off mistake that says "Sqender" on the head. I like that you're going all in on this topic. Great video!
Yesss
I completely agree with about 80% of what you're saying here. My one lone not really 'disagreement' is regarding the making of these guitars in Indonesia simply because of the fact the Fender Mexico plant started off making Squier guitars, then switched to Fender Standard in the mid 90s. IMO had they used better materials, it wouldn't be so egregious. Where I do totally agree is the Poplar body material with Chinese hardware makes that thing sound hollow & kinda lifeless. Your playing skills aren't the problem tho.. IDC what the 'new norm' for prices in today's economy are, charging $600 for a guitar that's no better than a Squier is them spitting in the people's face.. especially when you can buy guitars from Harley Benton, Firefly & other Asian manufacturers that meet or exceed what Fender claims as 'the standard is set'- and those companies do it for literally half of what Fender is charging. That said, to say anything except the fact the customer is expected by Fender to pay the inflated price for the name & the trademarked headstock shapes associated with it is disingenuous at best. Thank you for speaking the truth in the face of what I'm sure will be a sizeable amount of push back.. this isn't the Fender I knew growing up learning to play guitar, this is an entity we could argue that has Gibson beat for becoming a modern day laughing stock of the electric guitar industry! Cheers
I genuinely hope none of these sell, they are an insult to the Fender Stratocaster
It may be worse now with the 25% tarriffs probably going into effect , Player II now $799 will now be $1000😮
Good! might as well buy a USA made tariffs may even lower USA costs
@@StevenVincentSingsI don’t see how they would because cost of living will go up as-well which means American made goods will need to be priced higher. It’s just going to cause inflation.
@@StevenVincentSings Except those tariffs also apply to the foreign made components on the fucking USA series, you absolute room temperature tuna sandwich of a human. That means increased prices on the USA line as well.
They're also not going to offset the cost by ONLY raising the price on the less expensive guitars, they'll simply take less margin on those and RAISE THE MARGIN ON THE US LINE because people will still be stupid enough to pay them for their shitty guitars.
These things don't exist in a vacuum ya fuckin' dingus.
My only guitar(I’ve had many!) and my favourite to date is a late 80s Vester tradition series(a lawsuit copy of a ‘57), from the second I picked it up, it felt like I was playing something I’d never have been able to own, the weight, the feel, the sound, the one piece neck profile, the frets, the consonants etc. I’ve had two Mexican fenders that didn’t come anywhere close, so stands to reason, just because it has fender stamped on the headstock doesn’t mean anything… great video and hopefully save people from wasting their money
Whaddaya mean Indonesia? It say "fragile' " right on the box. It's Italian.
😂
LMAO a christmas story ay LMAO
you'll shoot your eye out with that over priced squier labelled as a fender standard
You can buy 4 - 7 used Squiers that are better than this for the same price, and still have money left over for strings, picks, a tuner, and used amplifier. 😂
On a positive note, the Player 2 Fenders ARE actually worth the money. They are much better than the original Players. I bought a Jazzmaster and a Tele HH in the player 2 line. Amazing. But this one doesn't make sense, just get a Squier.
Only improvement is rosewood and the neckwork. Aged plastics are ugly.
@@kkrsnn5632 Honestly, it's just better than what you're saying. The QC is a massive step up in my opinion all the way around. They play like the Am Pro. I like the aged plastic on the Jazzmaster. Metal knobs for the teles.
Finally, an honest review of a guitar. Thank You. Fender keeps marketing existing products as new models implementing very minor changes for an increase in price that's really not justified. Case in point aside of this one, the Ultra II series. I have a Tele and Strat Ultra, which are great, but why would I upgrade to a II series and pay $300 more for fancier paint and an angled switch on the Tele. I have a Fender BJ IV, which is great, but why should I upgrade and pay $300 ($999) more for the 30th Anniversary model that claims to have some supposed modification to the preamp circuit and a fancier skin cover.
I'm interested to see how this line goes. I see a lotta criticism for this line, but I can see method in this madness considering the 1st time Fender buyer. For many this will be their first "proper" Fender, coz the logo means that much to them. They won't have the years of experience as a lotta people in this comment section, they'll still consider Fender above Squire, even if you tell them the latter has superior components. They won't know the ceramic vs alnico debate, nor care bout modern saddles. If you got this out the door at $500 as a beginner /intermediate, as your first "proper" Fender, you won't really know you bought a rebranded squire. You'll be telling everyone you have a Fender Strat.
Also with the potential tariff thing with Mexico, this could push MIM Fenders way up in price so these will suddenly be a real bargain way into owning a Fender
@@martin-1965 no longer potential since he just signed it.
I don't disagree with the quality argument, but for beginners wanting a Fender, they'll look at the (now) $900+ Player 2s and $599 seems a bargain.
By the way, I bought a used China strat for $120.00 on market place. The trem was broke off inside. I spent another $120.00 on new block, trem, strings and setup. Besides being a little bit thin sounding, I can whammy ‘til the sun comes up and it stays in tune and plays like butter. No locking trem sys. It’s the one I can bang around hard on no worries but I still like them as scratchless as poss. in case I want to resell down the pike! First time I ever owned 3 flawless guitars too. Gonna keep it that way too.😊
This is the new *_Fender by Squier_* line of guitars.
Once again...Fender is ripping off their customers. Just like Gibson.
You don't happen to be a janitor?
These things are basically the Squire Standard of a few years ago. Fender really jumped the shark. Sad.
No. I snagged a Standard a few years back and it has the crunchiest Alnico Vs you ever heard and the fret inlays look like jewels.
They jumped the shark fifty fucking years ago.
Instead of an Indonesian guitar riding on the fender name to get sales it is fender milking normal Indonesian quality to scam its customers for profits.
Thank you for the info and for both videos!
Paying for the name here, the Squier Classic Vibe has alnico pickups, a walnut insert. To be fair, this is half the price of an American.
real bone nut 2 if im not mistake over a plastic one
There is nothing fair here. This is a $400 guitar they're charging $600 for because some stupid fucking shmuck is going to look at it and go "It's a Fender, but it's half the price!" like you just did.
Alnico doesn't mean a fucking thing. Ceramic magnets can be just as pissweak as alnico. The thing is, they use ceramic because ceramic is cheaper and can be made stronger. Since the magnet is strong there's less wire needed on the pickups, which means less expensive copper which means higher margins on their $600 POS.
Beautiful color, no case??? Its shipped like a $129. Firefly. Theres the first strike.
Got three firefly FFTL... wonderful guitars for the price... my Affinity Squire sounds better than this pos.
@DigitalChemistryBand mine does too. Paid $125 used, almost brand new. '70s Headstock, Black, 3 single coils.
Why would it have a fucking case? It's a $600 guitar. You can barely get a gig bag for anything under a grand.
Theres no F on that neck plate, its not legit fender but wanna be fender strat
Everything is Squier , fender price tag
Yep i agree its an Affinity with a fender logo and a bigger trem block , I would just buy a Used USA Strat off reverb for like $800 bucks and you get a case with it too and a better quality guitar.
Nice review of the "NEW FENDER BULLET STRAT!"
Jake, I really enjoyed this (abridged) version, but I must say the same thing that i said the other day in your livestream version of this - you make this guitar sound GREAT! You are a very talented and versatile player, and if you didn't tell me how inferior this guitar is (for a Fender) I would NEVER have guessed! In any case, I really enjoy your playing and your commentary. I prefer the much rawer livestrewam look at this guitar because it was so real and so much fun to watch! I own a few Tele & Strat Squiers and a couple of Fender (Player) Teles and Strats, and my Squier Classic Vibe Tele and Affinity HSS Strat feel and sound at least as good as my Fender versions. Keep up the great work, both on the videos and your impressive playing! Oh, and you video is very educational - I learned a new phrase: "I'll be dipped in shit!" LOLOLOL
Great video, honest and to the point. This has saved me the bother of a train ride to go check them out. Fender are just diluting everything. Their range is confusing enough without these. Subscribed so at least this vid got me to find your channel.
Fender is cheating us with these Squier guitars with a Fender logo
well, to keep it real there are other brands we could buy... do we really need fender & Squier ?
The title alone had me CRYING🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💀
Jeez.. I tried one out today… definitely a mistake by Fender. I own a mexican player 1 strat and a squier CV strat…. BOTH great guitars.. the CV is genuinely a great guitar for the money. This new Standard is seriously CHEAP feeling… I think calling it a STANDARD is an insult really… worth waiting until they are forced to slash the prices as its not terrible if priced correctly IMO
I am sorry you purchased one, but a serious thank you because I was kinda looking into the standard, but I think I'll just buy a squier paranormal series instead for roughly half the price..
I agree with you. Fender is just becoming a greedy corporation at this point. This is a squire. It is made in the same factory as Squire. I prefer an MIM or a Squire Classic Vibe. Both are miles better than this charade.
If you can play guitar , any guitar you play sounds good no matter what materials its made of.
If they were selling it at 299 or 399 and just wanted to sell a “real fender” at a squier price then ok whatever, but at 599 to deliver 299-399 quality just with a different logo then f’em.
By producing this junk, FENDER is embarrassing millions of very loyal fans who own high quality Fender Strats. They should sack everyone involved in proceeding with this awful piece of wood and steel. Dump it Fender before you lose your good customers forever!
Fender firewood 🔥
I think these are fenders own chibsons, they're only for people who are embarrassed to play a Squier, there are squiers that actually sound good and stay in tune, your playing and amp make the guitar sound pretty good but it could be better, the Yamaha Pacifica is half the price of these and is a really good guitar just example this guitar is only for people who desperately want the logo and the logo on these looks terrible
It's a Squier with a fender waterslide! I have an 05 Squier standard antique burst. Same guitar.
No
Never seen your chanhel before. I liked it. Nice to see someone who doesn't say for the money its ok. Not afraid to say something is crap.
No getting around this. If you want a good fender, you have to start with the entry level MIA American performer which is a great MIA fender! I owned the Arctic white RW strat and the green RW tele. Both are awesome guitars that were set up great and played great other than minor binging on a couple high string slots that took all of 3 mins to pass a not slot file through it 2 times. The Strat came set up with a floating trem that performed great. Buy the entry level MIA Performer. You wont be disappointed and you will have a REAL Fender!
Not true at all. Some of the Mexican guitars are excellent guitars better than some of the American guitars.
@JasonStacey-x6o Not my experience and what the online music stores told me.
@JasonStacey-x6o I have a MIM strat thats nearly 30 years old and is a great player and a San Dimas thats now 10 years old and neither of them will be sold or traded before my USA strat. The new Indo line of Standards is too pricey for the product thats my take. Doesn't really matter where its made nearly as much when you buy it and when you go to sell it
@@I.am_Groot Not my experince.
@ We can only evaluate what we are exposed to and I think Fender brings a lot of value in different price points. Right now to me the gap is from Classic Vibe to Player 2 and really if someone is looking at a new USA model there are also better options in the price range right now
I own two MiMs and love those to bits , one of those is a player II and that one is just incredible. I do not think i would go below the mexi range considering the price of the mexican made comparing it to the one in the video.
If they took a classic vibe/contemporary/anniversary squier, put better frets on them, rolled the edges like they do for those models, and put the fender logo on it would be so worth it. It was so easy to make it worth it, and they made it a disappointment after I've called them the gold standard for years
Finally, something everyone seems to agree on without exception. Thanks for bringing harmony to the world of guitar, Fender! 🎉
So is it Fender by Squier or Squier by Fender still
“Can’t really describe the neck” I can one word, Squire.
I’m excited to pick up one of these guitars… in 2030 when they are dirt cheap used and I can use it as a mod platform.
I have a Fender Squier I love it
beautiful Fender Strat! At that price I'll definitely get one...
Thank you for the effort. Sorry you got takin'. You can go snowblind looking at strat style guitars. There are so many. As you said, that guitar is no better than generic knock off with a Fender sticker on it. I got conned on one once myself. It makes you gunshy. That HSH body might be good for something. I had some ideas that way myself. Not much you can do with the shape of a guitar. But the wiring? There is at least a dozen ways to wire an HSH and only about three of them have been tried. I'll check in, from time to time. :)
I think most of their sales are UA-camrs
One thing you didn’t mention unless I missed it was body thickness. Is it full size or 1.5” like a squier affinity? Not that it makes a big difference but I’m just trying to see how they justify the price at $599. So far what I see, is thicker trem block, better saddles, full size pots, fender cts or similar switch, and possibly a thicker body. Does this all make it worth what they are asking? It’s hard to tell and everyone has their own opinion, but I don’t think it does. Being a squier player for years and owning many of them, even pro tone series guitars, I’d take a hard pass at buying this, just because it’s a fender or so they say. I’d even take an older vintage modified squier over this. The pickups alone are a slap in the face given that even classic vibes have real alnicos. My guess is they will run this series for a year and then do some upgrades then ask for more money lol. Yeah I’ll pass!
I played 2200 dollar strat and the fret ends were as bad as i have ever felt.No excuse.😢
That guitar is another piece of crap from fender. For that price, that guitar is not worth it. Fender is going by the name to sell that junk. I got one and it sucks. You can get better from the money!
@Big Jake Music, how does it compare to Chinese made Fenders Moderns a decade ago? In my humble opinion, those Chinese made Fenders are of good quality considering those are just a bit above Squier price way back then.
Garbage in.. Garbage out..💩🥃😎👌
So im thinking it should be called a squender affinicaster or something similar.. yeah c'mon fender you can do better than that for 600.00
It sounds cheap,,, I'm sorry Fender it sounds like a kids first guitar.
Every Indo guitar ive played is shit. My 2011 Squire 62 custom tele CV made in China is amazing i then got a 70s Indo custom tele absolutely crap sold it after 3 months lost money on it but was glad to get rid. 0:03
Have you tried any of the Jet Guitars?
I had my 1st fender back in 01’ or 02’. It says it’s made in USA on the headstock and such. I decided to change the saddles back then and to my surprise it didn’t fit a standard saddles by fender. Guy at music centre says maybe because the neck is from US and body from Indonesian. What a weird guitar it was. Nonetheless, it was my 1st guitar from my parents and I learnt many songs on it. I still have it but it’s just there for nostalgic purposes.
Fender made an Official Counterfiet Fender Strat. Congrats Fender. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Hello, how good is it compared to the Fender Mexican black label Suier series, wich you also reviewed 3 years ago? Thanks
I feel sorry for unsuspecting newbies or parents buying their kids first guitar who go for this. Way too much money.
I think if they made them era specific like the vintera 2 or the American vintage 2 it would appeal to alot more people.
Great playing and good review. Those thin sounding pups will drive you crazy and you'll never love that guitar. Return immediately and save yourself!
That was a very good and thorough review.
You should do a vid to compare to your 2002 Squier Affinity Strat which I have also?
Fender are scraping the barrel and diluting the brand with this move!
Just came across your channel and enjoyed the video - will continue support your channel. However felt that the vocal has too much reverb and its not as clear. Other than that nice video thank you!
Squire body's are thinner, does it have the thicker fender body?
Squires are better than this!!!
Id actually rather a squier or a older mim and i own two really nice squiers and they sound better than this, good playing by the way
For this amount of money what I hear is not bad at all. I also suspect, that plugged in twin reverb or princton would be even better.
Get your ears checked, then. I have $150 guitars that sound better than this. It sounds objectively horrible, and when you add how exorbitantly expensive it is, it becomes even more unforgivable.
@@BigJakeMusicI suggest you check yours ears first, no need to check mine. Thank you.
Honest review even if i dont understand your point of view, i respect that.
Now, Do you think this guitar for 600 dollars is better hor less than a FIREBIRD ZERO from Gibson (500 dollars) ?
I own a Firebird Zero and it is a very good guitar. It is in a different universe than this Fender.
Do you want a skinny neck and skinny sound or do you want a bigger neck with bigger sound !?
This is why Harley Benton Firefly, Jet guitars are going to outsell fender because of this crap !
Do we need fender these days?
It looks super nice. It's only 600 dollars.
I assure you it’s not. For 600 you can buy a used MiM Tele AND Strat, a used Gibson LP Studio, or a new Epiphone Inspired by Gibson. Each of those blow this inexcusable piece of excrement into the stratosphere.
Fender is doing the same with the EVH Wolfgang models, having the indonesian /mexican/US series and it works, so they thought they could do the same on their own brand. BUT as Squier already exists there can be only one…
I appreciate the Gadsden flag in the background. 💪🐰🎸🎶✌️
Either the intonation is fubar or its not in tune wang bar/nut issues or not