Fender Special Edition Standard Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar Black

Most Liked Positive Review

Love At First Feel

I've avidly collected, played, and studied the craftsmanship of guitars and basses for a little over a decade. Gibsons, PRS, Ibanez, ESP, Jackson, Charvel, Epiphone, etc, etc... But let's set up the situation; I was at a new local GC, planning on purchasing a new guitar, with the full intention of it either being a Fender or a Gibson. I tried 28 guitars before I grabbed this one, each feeling wrong to me; the neck felt rough, the neck profile too fat or thick, the pick ups being too muddy or twangy, the balance of how it sat, or was held, etc. Then there was this guitar... I TOUCHED the neck, and immediately felt comfortable with it. I sat down, perfectly balanced as a strat should be, and was able to play every style of music without touching the amps knobs. No feedback and superbly diverse. The high output of the humbucker is astounding: clear cleans, and crispy/groove-laden distortions. The 2 single coils are equally effective for bluesy stuff, expectant of the infamous Strat sound. Then, there's the price: cheap for a finely crafted, highly reliable instrument. Then I got it home, have been actively performing with it (it's better than most American models for 1/2 the price). Because of this guitar, I now endorse Fender and Dean guitars for foreign models. But the real kicker? What's the real difference between this guitar and an American Strat? The distance between Corona, California and the Mexican Fender factory. Of course, there are always cases of rarities, and I always advise playing guitars before buying them, on the off chance you get a dud in shipping. Other than that, 5/5, highly recommended.