Fender Player II HSS Strat Full Review & Demo

Today I #review the #Fender Player II HSS #Stratocaster and ask "Is it overpriced?" Let's find out. Check out the spec below:
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[steel_horse]

I have one luxury guitar - my Gibson Les Paul- the rest are Harley Bentons - they make a great guitar for pennies. I always have them professionally set up and add things like locking tuners etc. So if you spend an extra £100 on a £200 guitar you have an amazing guitar for a fraction of a Fender or Gibson

[nisab]

Nice review. That Jet is very tempting.

[gtx]

Just a minor point, it is rosewood used for the fingerboard on the Player"2.

[derekclacton]

9:51 💯John - I can’t understand why Fender doesn’t have the curved heel as standard on its ‘modern’ guitars now. They should leave the original design for the vintage-inspired ranges, imho. Squier makes some models with curved heels (and body contours) 👍

[belmontbutty]

Take your point about the coil split, John. But I presume Fender would say, if you want a single coil sound in the bridge, buy an SSS. Otherwise, yes, a new pot is a simple enough mod if you want the versatility. As a general point, a maple board looks a bit anaemic on that body; they should have opted for rosewood.

[caseylee]

I bought my Fender Player Plus Nashville Telecaster when the list price ws $1029 USD, in 2021 ( I paid $732 for mine during an Amazon Black Friday sale). But the newer Player II series list price is $899 USD, and can be found on sale at Sweetwater for $839. Fender's pricing schemes have never made any sense to me. Good video, cheers!

[kitchenguitarist]

You're right john its all personal choice i sold JET strat a great guitar to finance my player 2 and i don't regret it. Play more and enjoy the payer 2. I dont want new shaped heel joints or push pull just an original shaped fender strat. But its all persnal(heart) choices as you say all the best great video

[jimmyjames]

Player II HSS delivers the tones you'd expect. But yes, Fender prices are unrealistic. Player II HSS is $1200CAD in Canada while the Jet JS480 is $700CAD. I'm working a deal on a 20 year old case queen (mint) Carvin DC400A HH Superstrat (5 layer neck through, SS frets, ebony fretboard) for about $900CAD. That's how soft the guitar market is that an expensive Carvin goes for peanuts. No wonder big name retailers in US and UK are dropping like flies.

[calbrockocat]

Expensive decal, that! As long as they sell loads of guitars, Fender has no reason to change. It's when they get their ass kicked in the new guitar marketplace that suddenly things will change. I don't foresee it happening with guitarists believing their hype.

[briantate]

I've got a player 1 hss seafoam green love it

[gedellis]

It's worth it if you love to own the brand name but there is enough cheaper competition out there to say no.

[stevecassidyguitar]

Love that finish! 🤩👌
I wonder if Fender have got their act together now. Seems you got a good mate and John Cordy did a vid the other day "I've tried 7 Fender Strats this month" (not sponsored - think) and he didn't mention having any issues with any of them.
I wonder if they might have actually implemented some QC improvements recently - Or I just got a dud 😂🙈

[NicoViergever]

Is that coil tap really an easy mod to do? Is it a four wire humbucker? Hope so?

[RF]

I've got a MIM Strat. That I love (except for the Floyd). I'd like to see how they stack up against each other.

[sadmanable]

Have bought a Les Paul standard 60s despite owning an Eastman SB59v which in all honesty is a better guitar in almost all aspects, except I prefer slimmer neck on the Les Paul. Do I regret it? No, and almost always pick up the Les Paul because of the name and hero associations with it esp Gary Moore. So yes I am guilty of brand snobbery. Eastmans are better tho lol.

[jamesonpace]

1lb, 1oz too heavy for my old back & knees. When will OEMs notice? Maybe never....

[adrianpollard]

Sorry John, but I see no sense at all in reviewing any guitar being played through a modelling processor. They will all sound the same. You could get the same sound from an £80 Encore using that processor.