I'm 74 and having been playing all my life at a shitty level. Now I see you and realize that I'm even a shittier player than I thought. I think I'll pick up the Amazon Debut one as I suck anyway. Thanks.
There is no $600 difference between those two. If you ask me, I would pick the Debut and use the spare money on a solid $350 loaded pickguard. The total would be around $520 but that modded toy will be MUCH better than the Mexican Strat and I would still have $200 extra on my pocket.
yeah, but in all seriousness aside the Debut's target audience ,& market demographics are intended for the non professional ,& the non committed retailer ; it's intended for the hobbyist... so it doesn't make any kind of sense to swap out anything for professional level hardware when in fact the pros are not interested in this Debut . & this video proves it.. the more expensive vs the hobbyist Debut.. so it doesn't matter if some professional you tube musician tells us it's a good Gigging guitar as is with all of it's original parts. Professional musicians are not going to buy this Debut just to mod it & Gig with it, & even for the hobbyist modding it out for higher end hardware still doesn't make any kind of sense unless they plan on sounding like a professional from their bedroom .the question then becomes a matter of whom do they wish to hear them play a modded Debut? you tubers that push this narrative about how it's a good modding platform are really in my opinion out to lunch.. students who are committed to learning to play will buy this & once they get good or show improvement , they will toss it out, or set it a side ,& buy a higher end guitar .. Nobody is gonna mod this out just to practice to get good, & then what buy a higher end Guitar? the Return on investment is negative at that point.. we see the same thing happening in the piano sector , we invest in the least expensive that will give us the sound we want, & we learn on it for a few years ,& then once we grow out of it , we buy a higher end piano; it's also the same theory with respect to buying our first Car ,so we start out with a good beater ,& then we junk it, & buy a better car when we have demonstrated we are ready . people in my opinion who push the narrative that the Debut is a good modding platform are frauds in my opinion. the people who buy this guitar are not going to mod it, & nor are the professionals gonna buy this Debut to mod it ,& Gig with it. & this I know for a fact.. because I have been around musicians for most of my life ,so they are not buying a budget friendly guitar, & going on you tube ,& telling people you can mod this, & sound like a pro.. that's not how the real world works.. Musicians , (real Musicians) are NOT going on you tube to promote this modding nonsense.. they busy making music doing Gigs. only fake Musician's have time for this nonsense. enough said just my opinion.
@@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow Nobody said anything about "professional level" anything. It IS an excellent mod platform, and you don't have to spend a lot of money to get much higher quality parts in the instrument. China is pumping out great quality pickups and electronics really cheap these days. I bought this guitar specifically to mod, it's just something I do for fun, and I don't care about resale value because I'm not selling it, it's my guitar. And I already have higher end guitars, like my MIM Fender Standard. It seems what you "know for a fact" is not a fact at all. I've just proven it wrong and I know for a fact I'm not the only one.
@@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow "only fake Musician's have time for this nonsense" First and foremost, wtf are you talking about? So... modding stuff automatically disqualify you as a real musician? Wasn't that what Les Paul and Leo Fender did? What about Reinhold Bogner or Dave Friedman? The only one talking nonsense here is YOU. The Debut is a great way to get a cheaper Strat. The body quality is great. The electronics are crap but that is easily swappable in Strat models. Fender and Seymour Duncan offer loaded pickguards with super high quality electronics. With that change you are 95% of the way of what an American Strat would sound but for literally 1/4 of the cost. THAT is ROI! "Enough said" what a prick...
3:22 - I’ve always been a shitty player, and I’m even shittier now at 62 than I was when I began being able to make chords without manually placing my fingers on the frets with my right hand when I was 17. “Practice makes perfect”; what fairy tale does that come from? lol Sid Vicious would make fun of me if he heard me plug in.
I like my Debut. It's not on the level of my MIM Fender Standard, but I do enjoy playing it. I will be upgrading the pickups and electronics soon though. I put together a loaded pickguard with alnico v pickups and a wiring harness with big pots and braided wires. I also have a spare set of cheap locking tuners that I'll put on it. Of my 6 Strats, the Debut is the one I pick up the most for just messing around when I'm bored. Well, that and my Bullet Mustang-90.
Inflation is a MFr. For perspective though, adjusted for inflation an entry American strat is actually cheaper than they were in the sixties. Our money isn’t worth a thing now. We need to end the federal reserve and get off of fiat currency. I’m liking bitcoin. Inherent rarity and an average yearly return of 104% can’t be beat. It’s eating it right now according to the “experts” but it’s still up 110% year to date. I expect that to go down before skyrocketing.
@@marksanders8066 in 1986 you could buy a brand new one for 600$. They aren't worth more than that not even today you want to see what real quality is buy a schecter demon six for 500$ and it's miles better than a fender....
When it comes to Fender branded guitars, you're getting better build quality and more time spent on it during the build process. I can say without reservation that my Fender Pro II Tele is miles better than any bargain brand and that is entirely due to its playability. It is just easier to play. The neck fits the hand perfectly. The body contouring is better with less of that infamous Tele rash. Everything about it shows that more time was spent building it. Now, that said, I wouldn't recommend it for a new player on a tight budget. For those, that Squier Debut may be the only way to get into a Fender brand and get a new guitar. I haven't had the chance to play a Debut, but I can say that the old Bullets and the Affinity were excellent starter guitars. I have a Bullet Strat that I enjoy throwing too much money at with mods. 🤣
I agree. My American vintage ii 57 Strat beats every budget squier and Mexican fender I’ve ever played. That being said, if you’re a beginner, you probably won’t notice the differences as much because most of what makes up the difference isn’t necessarily the sound.
@@clintwilson6380 🤣😂 Tele rash is that mark you get on the inside of your arm from resting on the edge of a Telecaster body. It leaves that nice red mark because there's little contour to the body.
The Debut body is genuinely good. I would encourage you to take a look at the construction. Now, electronic wise it is shit. Hardware is meh (ok at best). But it is a great toy for modding TBH with a decent loaded pickguard this toy plays as great as a 1.6k Strat.
Hi I bought a squier strat indonesiaand it's 24 scale with 3knobs I didn't realize it 😅was 24 scale I usually played jazz guitars I always felt the fenders were long but I wasn't aware in 50 years of scale length. Joe gallucci
I got the 30th Anniversary Fender "Screamadelica" Stratocaster that you gave the heads-up on recently. Excellent buying experience from Miami Guitars. The guitar itself only needed new strings and a bit of a setup, although I'm thinking of shimming the neck to lower the action rather than have tall saddle screws. Single coil Strats aren't usually a thing for me, but it's a really nice guitar. The graphic is growing on me, only in the sense that I dislike it a little less than I used to. Enjoy your videos.
The fender player strat can be found often for 450 dollars used, which is worth it consider the parts of the guitars can sell for more. I heard that the squire affinity from China are better than then older ones in terms of quality. Harley Benton just released a high end strat that looks like a real contender to fender. I'd still take a fender strat just for the name alone. For now I'm sticking to under 200 dollar guitars because I'm new. There are so many cheap guitars right now, that any one can play just as good if they are set up right.
Don't skimp on an amp. I got a frontman 10g for $80.Now I wish I had bought the Boss Katana mark2 50w . Even the Fender Champion 20(watt) for $130 would still be a jump in performance over the 10.
Love the plus top. I had a MIM plus top from the late 90's got a few years ago off Goodwill Auctions. Decent guitar. Did review of it and can't find the video. It never made it to my new channel.
Often a cheap finished maple neck will be cleaner because of that finish, so I gamble on those first. On the other hand, rosewood (and unfinished roasted maple) necks can be sanded, cleaned and you can eliminate sharp fret ends without destroying the finish. I have seen no scientific paper saying wood differences effect the tone of the guitar, except that dead spots can be explained by electrical resistance of the wood itself.
The only issue with the "Affinity", "Bullet", "Debut" and the recent Squier "Sonic" series is the body thickness is thinner which is an issue if you're changing the tremolo block. You can buy a tremolo block for these thinner bodies somewhere online, I can't remember where, but they're out there. I personally prefer the "Bullet" series even though it's cheaper because of the wider nut and string spacing make it easier to play open chords, or really chords in general at the first couple frets or so. You can change the electronics on these thinner bodies though no problem. It's a matter of pick up configuration preference at that point and whether or not the guitar is routed for what you intend to do. The "Debut" is routed HSH, which is nice.
@@AJgeartalk "Let’s be honest here, are the frets on the Squier Debut well-crafted or will they require adjustments? My worry is that I’ll purchase this budget-friendly guitar only to end up shelling out a significant amount for a technician to rectify the frets. Given that I lack the skills and tools to do this myself, the cost of these potential repairs could surpass the initial price of the guitar, leading to a poor return on investment. What’s the actual situation? There are numerous UA-camrs promoting the Debut, which makes me question their credibility. Can anyone provide an unbiased review?"
@@AJgeartalk ok you convinced me. I am going to stick with what I have & learn to love it , because there's nothing wrong with what I have, & if I ever decide to buy something higher end I'll just invest in a higher end guitar & forget the Silly Debut. Guitars are like women some men are just not happy with the one they have always looking for another women..
Bought my debut in sunburst, not in a class with my 2012 American Standard but till pretty good to noodle on. I would say the debut is a pretty good guitar for a beginner.
How is it at holding tune? If I got one could I block the bridge, replace the saddles and add a bone nut and use it for rehearsal and gigs? I have an elite that I love and don’t want to take out of the house. My plan is to get some Mexican Fenders and some Sqires to beat on.
I'm 74 and having been playing all my life at a shitty level. Now I see you and realize that I'm even a shittier player than I thought. I think I'll pick up the Amazon Debut one as I suck anyway. Thanks.
Thanks for watching Bill. You're being way too hard on yourself. Keep rocking and enjoy playing. Be well!
@@AJgeartalk Thank you
The Mexican fenders are great value,half the price of USA model, easily good enough for professionals
I think Joe would like playing bass.
There is no $600 difference between those two. If you ask me, I would pick the Debut and use the spare money on a solid $350 loaded pickguard. The total would be around $520 but that modded toy will be MUCH better than the Mexican Strat and I would still have $200 extra on my pocket.
Aside from the tremolo block height everything else is swappable and after market has ton of short blocks.
yeah, but in all seriousness aside the Debut's target audience ,& market demographics are intended for the non professional ,& the non committed retailer ; it's intended for the hobbyist... so it doesn't make any kind of sense to swap out anything for professional level hardware when in fact the pros are not interested in this Debut . & this video proves it.. the more expensive vs the hobbyist Debut.. so it doesn't matter if some professional you tube musician tells us it's a good Gigging guitar as is with all of it's original parts. Professional musicians are not going to buy this Debut just to mod it & Gig with it, & even for the hobbyist modding it out for higher end hardware still doesn't make any kind of sense unless they plan on sounding like a professional from their bedroom .the question then becomes a matter of whom do they wish to hear them play a modded Debut?
you tubers that push this narrative about how it's a good modding platform are really in my opinion out to lunch.. students who are committed to learning to play will buy this & once they get good or show improvement , they will toss it out, or set it a side ,& buy a higher end guitar ..
Nobody is gonna mod this out just to practice to get good, & then what buy a higher end Guitar? the Return on investment is negative at that point..
we see the same thing happening in the piano sector , we invest in the least expensive that will give us the sound we want, & we learn on it for a few years ,& then once we grow out of it , we buy a higher end piano; it's also the same theory with respect to buying our first Car ,so we start out with a good beater ,& then we junk it, & buy a better car when we have demonstrated we are ready .
people in my opinion who push the narrative that the Debut is a good modding platform are frauds in my opinion.
the people who buy this guitar are not going to mod it, & nor are the professionals gonna buy this Debut to mod it ,& Gig with it. & this I know for a fact.. because I have been around musicians for most of my life ,so they are not buying a budget friendly guitar, & going on you tube ,& telling people you can mod this, & sound like a pro.. that's not how the real world works.. Musicians , (real Musicians) are NOT going on you tube to promote this modding nonsense.. they busy making music doing Gigs.
only fake Musician's have time for this nonsense.
enough said
just my opinion.
@@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow Nobody said anything about "professional level" anything. It IS an excellent mod platform, and you don't have to spend a lot of money to get much higher quality parts in the instrument. China is pumping out great quality pickups and electronics really cheap these days. I bought this guitar specifically to mod, it's just something I do for fun, and I don't care about resale value because I'm not selling it, it's my guitar. And I already have higher end guitars, like my MIM Fender Standard.
It seems what you "know for a fact" is not a fact at all. I've just proven it wrong and I know for a fact I'm not the only one.
Loaded pickguards swap out fine.
People who told you no and said they know what they’re doing don’t.
@@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow "only fake Musician's have time for this nonsense" First and foremost, wtf are you talking about? So... modding stuff automatically disqualify you as a real musician? Wasn't that what Les Paul and Leo Fender did? What about Reinhold Bogner or Dave Friedman? The only one talking nonsense here is YOU.
The Debut is a great way to get a cheaper Strat. The body quality is great. The electronics are crap but that is easily swappable in Strat models. Fender and Seymour Duncan offer loaded pickguards with super high quality electronics. With that change you are 95% of the way of what an American Strat would sound but for literally 1/4 of the cost. THAT is ROI!
"Enough said" what a prick...
3:22 - I’ve always been a shitty player, and I’m even shittier now at 62 than I was when I began being able to make chords without manually placing my fingers on the frets with my right hand when I was 17. “Practice makes perfect”; what fairy tale does that come from? lol
Sid Vicious would make fun of me if he heard me plug in.
I have a dark fretboard on my Squier it is a Hardy fretboard and it isn’t a thin board it is a big fat slab board.
The Debut is a lot of fun. Hard to beat the value at $120.
I like my Debut. It's not on the level of my MIM Fender Standard, but I do enjoy playing it. I will be upgrading the pickups and electronics soon though. I put together a loaded pickguard with alnico v pickups and a wiring harness with big pots and braided wires. I also have a spare set of cheap locking tuners that I'll put on it. Of my 6 Strats, the Debut is the one I pick up the most for just messing around when I'm bored. Well, that and my Bullet Mustang-90.
I totally agree Christopher.
I guess I'm just old but it doesn't seem like that long ago that you could get an American fender for that price.
Inflation is a MFr. For perspective though, adjusted for inflation an entry American strat is actually cheaper than they were in the sixties. Our money isn’t worth a thing now. We need to end the federal reserve and get off of fiat currency. I’m liking bitcoin. Inherent rarity and an average yearly return of 104% can’t be beat. It’s eating it right now according to the “experts” but it’s still up 110% year to date. I expect that to go down before skyrocketing.
@@marksanders8066 in 1986 you could buy a brand new one for 600$. They aren't worth more than that not even today you want to see what real quality is buy a schecter demon six for 500$ and it's miles better than a fender....
When it comes to Fender branded guitars, you're getting better build quality and more time spent on it during the build process. I can say without reservation that my Fender Pro II Tele is miles better than any bargain brand and that is entirely due to its playability. It is just easier to play. The neck fits the hand perfectly. The body contouring is better with less of that infamous Tele rash. Everything about it shows that more time was spent building it. Now, that said, I wouldn't recommend it for a new player on a tight budget. For those, that Squier Debut may be the only way to get into a Fender brand and get a new guitar. I haven't had the chance to play a Debut, but I can say that the old Bullets and the Affinity were excellent starter guitars. I have a Bullet Strat that I enjoy throwing too much money at with mods. 🤣
I agree. My American vintage ii 57 Strat beats every budget squier and Mexican fender I’ve ever played. That being said, if you’re a beginner, you probably won’t notice the differences as much because most of what makes up the difference isn’t necessarily the sound.
What's Tele rash?
@@clintwilson6380 🤣😂 Tele rash is that mark you get on the inside of your arm from resting on the edge of a Telecaster body. It leaves that nice red mark because there's little contour to the body.
@@schreds8882 OhOk.
The Debut body is genuinely good. I would encourage you to take a look at the construction. Now, electronic wise it is shit. Hardware is meh (ok at best). But it is a great toy for modding TBH with a decent loaded pickguard this toy plays as great as a 1.6k Strat.
I have 3 Squier Bullet Stratocaster Indonesia with fender vintera 60 's pickups, everybody should have one ! They are great guitars !
@@arnaudveraart want to see what a real quality guitar is buy a schecter...
@@patrickshannon4516 Good to know,
Hi I bought a squier strat indonesiaand it's 24 scale with 3knobs I didn't realize it 😅was 24 scale I usually played jazz guitars I always felt the fenders were long but I wasn't aware in 50 years of scale length. Joe gallucci
I got the 30th Anniversary Fender "Screamadelica" Stratocaster that you gave the heads-up on recently. Excellent buying experience from Miami Guitars. The guitar itself only needed new strings and a bit of a setup, although I'm thinking of shimming the neck to lower the action rather than have tall saddle screws. Single coil Strats aren't usually a thing for me, but it's a really nice guitar. The graphic is growing on me, only in the sense that I dislike it a little less than I used to. Enjoy your videos.
The fender player strat can be found often for 450 dollars used, which is worth it consider the parts of the guitars can sell for more. I heard that the squire affinity from China are better than then older ones in terms of quality. Harley Benton just released a high end strat that looks like a real contender to fender. I'd still take a fender strat just for the name alone. For now I'm sticking to under 200 dollar guitars because I'm new. There are so many cheap guitars right now, that any one can play just as good if they are set up right.
I’ve never seen them that low, maybe years ago. People are so greedy nowadays it’s hard to find a deal.
@@bluwng my comment isn't posting, third time. Ebay and amazon warehouse has them.
@@oneanother1 thanks
Don't skimp on an amp. I got a frontman 10g for $80.Now I wish I had bought the Boss Katana mark2 50w . Even the Fender Champion 20(watt) for $130 would still be a jump in performance over the 10.
I paid $300 for my 2007 MIM Fender Standard at a pawn shop. Then I stripped, stained it and upgraded a bunch of stuff. That was about a year ago.
Love the plus top. I had a MIM plus top from the late 90's got a few years ago off Goodwill Auctions. Decent guitar. Did review of it and can't find the video. It never made it to my new channel.
Oh man Jayce. Keep looking-hopefully it will turn up! 😀
Often a cheap finished maple neck will be cleaner because of that finish, so I gamble on those first.
On the other hand, rosewood (and unfinished roasted maple) necks can be sanded, cleaned and you can eliminate sharp fret ends without destroying the finish.
I have seen no scientific paper saying wood differences effect the tone of the guitar, except that dead spots can be explained by electrical resistance of the wood itself.
I would check the pedigree of this scientist, as an electrical engineer I can tell it’s sheer nonsense.
You are getting some Trower tones and modulation from the Debut could be a happy mistake.
Definitely a "mistake"- but i'll take it! 😂😂
The fender sounds more chimey to me, which I enjoy
Good presentation Joe!
one thing you cannot get with an expensive guitar is that dirty garage-rock sound that sounds like it is in a gas station bathroom.
Oh I think I've managed to do that.
@@AJgeartalk lol nice
your playing beats mine hahaha!!
both are sweet in my book!
Thank you wow and great information
Thank you again
The player is one pretty guitar
Squire are made by fender, a lot of people don't concider a squire a fender but they are wrong "squire by fender"
*"Squiers are made".
I am not a expert.. but, both have same sound..
The only issue with the "Affinity", "Bullet", "Debut" and the recent Squier "Sonic" series is the body thickness is thinner which is an issue if you're changing the tremolo block. You can buy a tremolo block for these thinner bodies somewhere online, I can't remember where, but they're out there. I personally prefer the "Bullet" series even though it's cheaper because of the wider nut and string spacing make it easier to play open chords, or really chords in general at the first couple frets or so. You can change the electronics on these thinner bodies though no problem. It's a matter of pick up configuration preference at that point and whether or not the guitar is routed for what you intend to do. The "Debut" is routed HSH, which is nice.
It's comparable. In the end just get what you want. I love the debut series lol.
“I find I play equally shitty on both”. Haha, I bet you play just fine, I enjoyed your video!
I'm in the same "boat" brother. The Fender doesn't make me sound any better.
We thought Japanese Fenders and Squires wouldn’t appreciate too 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😆
Now I want to buy a Squire.
They are a great value! Be well.
@@AJgeartalk "Let’s be honest here, are the frets on the Squier Debut well-crafted or will they require adjustments? My worry is that I’ll purchase this budget-friendly guitar only to end up shelling out a significant amount for a technician to rectify the frets. Given that I lack the skills and tools to do this myself, the cost of these potential repairs could surpass the initial price of the guitar, leading to a poor return on investment.
What’s the actual situation? There are numerous UA-camrs promoting the Debut, which makes me question their credibility. Can anyone provide an unbiased review?"
@@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShow Totally agree. I'm in the same boat. The frets on my Squier Debut (fortunately) were fine.
@@AJgeartalk ok you convinced me. I am going to stick with what I have & learn to love it , because there's nothing wrong with what I have, & if I ever decide to buy something higher end I'll just invest in a higher end guitar & forget the Silly Debut. Guitars are like women some men are just not happy with the one they have always looking for another women..
@@Mr.PhatsVarietyVibesShowWanting a new guitar or a new lover has nothing to do with gender.
Bought my debut in sunburst, not in a class with my 2012 American Standard but till pretty good to noodle on. I would say the debut is a pretty good guitar for a beginner.
How is it at holding tune? If I got one could I block the bridge, replace the saddles and add a bone nut and use it for rehearsal and gigs? I have an elite that I love and don’t want to take out of the house. My plan is to get some Mexican Fenders and some Sqires to beat on.
I’m sorry are we comparing a $119 guitar with a $600 one 😂
Love the players. I have 3 , all modded, all bad ass . Just say no to China crap
Sorry dude but both sounded terrible. The rundown was fine.