Is Fender USA Ripping Us Off?

Which Fender Stratocaster is Best Value for Money.

Deep dive into Squier Affinity vs Made in Mexico Player Series vs American Professional Stratocaster.

We look at: Fender's Price Increases, Law of Diminishing Returns, Why USA are so expensive, Japanese Strats and recommended guitars for the price.

Guitars featured in the video:
- Squier Affinity Stratocaster, Sunburst - Made in Indonesia c.2007
- Fender Player Series Stratocaster, Tidepool - Made in Mexico 2019
- Fender American Original 60's Stratocaster, Candy Apple Red - Made in USA 2020

All music is just random riffs I came up with, recorded into Garage Band on iPad via Steinberg UR22.

[johnw]

Whatever the opposite of 'Buyer's Remorse' is - that's what you'll feel if you buy a Squier. They are an incredible value and the quality is top notch.

[Jake_AC]

IMO, Mexico/player strats are far and away the best cost vs quality ratio. They feel and sound great and outperform anything else at is price point. Just gotta make sure you play the exact guitar before you buy to ensure quality assurance.

[emmick]

I have owned about 12 guitars in the 20 years I’ve been playing guitar. Bought a silvertone starter kit for around $99, knowing the quality would be trash, but planned to upgrade once I had learned the basics and got “serious.” I don’t think investing a small amount before you really know if you’ll really pursue the hobby is a bad idea at all. But up until a few years ago, I always followed the ideas like outlined in this video: this thing is way cheaper than the thing I really want and I’d rather pay less. But when you follow this line of thinking you wind up buying a compromise every single time thinking it will be “almost as good” and although it might give you a variety of instruments to play, it will never satisfy the urge, the thought that maybe buying one more thing will finally scratch the itch I’ve had to play my “grail” guitar. But it’s always a very short turnaround before the new thing is just as unsatisfying as everything I’ve always had. And it’s on to the next one. Finally, FINALLY, I got to own a real American Strat (your grail my vary) and I haven’t once had the urge to upgrade again. The intangibles of actually obtaining what you TRULY want should not be dissuaded by a “value for money” proposition, in my opinion. Over time I have spent thousands of dollars chasing compromises when I should have just stayed true to my own desires and saved up for the top of what I could afford. I finally feel like I need to be better to be worthy of my guitar, rather than the inverse. I could have saved thousands by sticking to my guns and getting the best instead of chasing the next best thing for so many years.

[terrancefields]

Thank you for this. I am 70 and started working in music stores since 1972. Bottom line I can bench out anything that assimilates a strat and have playing as well as anything else. Musician's mostly listen with their eyes.

[Dan-notl]

I've been playing guitar since 1963. I would consider myself a journeyman blues guitarist. I've had a lot of vintage stratocasters because they were cheap when I was growing up. You could walk into a pawn shop and pick up one for a couple hundred dollars. I bought a Road worn Stratocaster back in 2010. It was a Mexican made one. I don't think there's a nickel's worth of difference between that guitar and a real 63 I had back in the 90s. The neck feels the same sounds the same they are great guitars.

[davidmartinez]

So in conclusion:

1- You want a guitar to hang on the wall? Get the Cheap copy.
2- You want a guitar to start playing or modding with a good base? Get the Affinity.
3 - You want a serious guitar that can perform super good and can be your gig guitar? Get the CV.
4 - You want a serious guitar, that can do everything that CV can do, but with the Fender logo? Get the MIM.
5 - You want to say to every human you see (and nobody cares) that you have a Fender USA and want to fill your instagram profile with every spot of your USA Fender? Get the USA Fender.

I see that simple.

[stopthink]

I can't speak for every model but the HSS Squier Affinity flame maple top I bought last year is a stunning example of low price high quality. Beautiful neck and frets, chromed hardware, beautiful finish. Sounds amazing.

[MrJoeruggiero]

I have a Baja Telecaster. It’s, by far, better than any of the USA Tele’s I’ve owned. It sounds so good. I could never let it go.

[helder]

I've owned practically every level of Fender from a Squier SE to a few Custom Shop models and even a Masterbuilt. Some of the best guitars I've had were partscasters which I had assembled myself and saved big bucks on them with various 'Made in..."anywhere" parts. I've sold the more expensive stuff and have kept a couple USA partscasters and the Squier SE (modded), and couldn't be happier. Technically, aren't all Fender partscasters anyway? ...unlike Gibson and Gretsch guitars.

[Burnsey]

I'll be honest, I pulled the trigger on a Player plus Hss Strat and it honestly feels so much better than anything below it but feels the same due to its rolled neck as any American pro! also super versatile due to its Hss set up

[holdenwait]

Am pro II for $1250 "used" with new locking tuners and a Jr humbucker tucked in at bridge was the best decision I ever made when it comes to guitar purchases. The thing plays and sounds like a dream. Especially after seeing the recent price hikes too

[RKDriver]

I've had a US made Peavey Predator strat that I paid $110 (new) back in the early 2000's. I've refinished, sanded and painted it multiple times. Changed out the pickups and pots several times and aged the metals to give it a nicer seasoned look. After learning how to take them apart and rebuild them, I also fine-tuned my setup work. This strat is a premium feeling guitar with a custom paint job. It's a one of a kind. This is what I like about them. Buy a cheap one and just fiddle with it until you get what you want. They're so easy to take apart, customize and repair plus you learn so much without worrying about destroying a high end factory instrument.

[marcusstrymon]

I got myself a handbuilt strat from a local luthier to exactly my taste with medium relic on a nitro finish, handwound boutique pickups and flamed maple neck for 2400 Euros when I was 18 8 years ago (worked 2 summers in student jobs for that monster). The best purchase of my freaking life.
Luthier was very nice tho, he knew he would make a kid happy so i got it quite a bit cheaper.

[davidburns]

I'm a hobby guitarist, who doesn't gig or anything. I just like the sound of a strat when playing, blues and blues/rock. For me, the Squier CV60's strat was a great price at £350, and has a great finish and sounds amazing for the price. It has the best neck finish I have ever played on a guitar. Value for money.

[landofahhs_]

For my money the Mexican Fender has the value, quality and sound. I find myself playing my Mexican Deluxe Strat twice as much as my old '69 American Strat (that I've owned since '74)...something I wouldn't have believed until it happened to me.

[douglasfrantzen]

One factor that should be looked at, is how much will the guitar appreciate in value. The American made guitars increase in value the most, it seems. For instance, I bought a used Fender 72 custom telecaster back in the late '70s for $200 and sold it a few years later for the same. If I still had it, it would be worth $4, 000-$5, 000. I eventually bought another (because nostalgia), this time an American vintage '72 custom tele about 12 years ago, it's gone up in value by $1, 000. I bought a Gibson Explorer in natural (2011 manufactured) for $1, 000 and it has doubled in value. In my opinion, the American guitar models are usually a good investment. It doesn't seem to me that the Mexican or Asian models go up in value this much, at least just in my experience (which is limited), I'm sure a guitar sales professional would know for sure.

[nizodizo]

I own a Fender Player Stratocaster and Fender Ultra Stratocaster. Both are nice guitars but the Ultra is more comfortable and came with a very good set up plus the noiseless pick ups. The Ultra cost more than double but I got what I paid for.

[frankdardano]

I never had a problem with the squire, gave it to a student who today plays a les paul as a pro.So proud of this guy.When he started he had to go borrow one . Finally, I gave it to him, he was starting to learn like he should, didn't need me anymore. That is success!

[Juno]

I've sold my Squier CV 60s and buyed a Fender Player HSS, and i don't regret. The Squier Classic Vibe really was a good guitar, but the Player feels and sounds better and came out of the box with a setup suitable for me. I looove my Player Strat, it's my most played guitar, second is an Ibanez Artist.

[CitAllHearItAll]

For me it’s the neck. As a former guitar teacher, I’ve seen tons of squires. They are incredible value. But the bad is that I’d have to do neck adjustments much more often on the squires. Some of the necks would twist with time, too. And I can’t fix that.

I’m not a Fender guy, but did pick up a 1998 American. The neck is incredibly stable. I don’t have central air. I live in the the Midwest, so all seasons. The guitar is absolutely worth it. Bought it for $750.