So I wanted to do something radically different this year than I have done in other years. I’m 1.4 years away from turning forty and so I’m going to make the most of my midlife crisis. Which, technically, thanks to millennials dropping the life expectancy back to being 70 something, happened in 2021, when I turned 35. So I did a thing, thanks to accidentally finding this social media thing called “Neighborhood” and it’s ment to be local to your area. I hopped on that and created a musician group. 4 of us are looking to get together and jam. So I might have accidentally started a band. So far, my middle age life has been the most stereotypical I’ve ever been in my life. Just need a mustang now and I’m all set.

So since I may have accidentally started a band, I figured I would go out and buy a new guitar for the occasion and decide which one is right for what we’re going for. $100 bucks shipped was nothing to sneeze at. Yeah, people downgrade the Squier, it’s not a real Strat, they say, While I never had the ultimate Strat I always wanted, which is to say the Jimi Hendrix Woodstock era Strat, I’ve heard enough players play them and think that a Squier is still a pretty good value.

First thing, out of the box, this thing looks primo. I got the matte black and white pick guard, because Jimi Hendrix apparently thought they photographed better and they were alleged to be his personal favorite Strats.

Tuned it up and plugged it into a mini Marshall travel amp.

NECK: no frets sticking out, beautiful bare wood c neck profile. I could move my hand freely. The tuners aren’t horrible, but the tuning did take a bit, given I kept seemingly under tuning or over turning. Not that big of a deal. There was no bowing and everything else seemed fine. Intonation seems fine.

BODY: Fine! Not a single dent or scratching on it. Very well built.

SINGLE COILS: Ceramic style, as they call them. All worked. Unlike the Squier affinity I got for free, where the bridge pick up was the weakest, the opposite seems true of this one, it’s almost like it is made for lead guitar playing.

WHAMMY: This is where my criticism comes in. I got a Squier affinity for free. Sadly it was because the player in question had died. His daughter came across my father and literally just gave him close to 1k dollars in equipment. I had to go out and get a whammy for it and the bridge broke. So I have to replace it, hence I bought a whole new guitar instead, and will fix that bridge later. While the whammy worked and sounded great on that guitar before it broke, the new one whammy is kinda underwhelming. Maybe it needs to settle in more. I’ve only had it for under a month, so time will tell on that one.

OVERALL: This is a great product and think something can be had by beginners and new players alike. I like this is a smaller neck, makes my barre chords better. I have not undone my pick garud, however, videos show it’s routed for either humbucklers or single coils, cause Squier knows you’re probably going to mod it. Squier did such a great job that I’m thinking of picking up the 60s vibe Strat next. It’s a toss up between that and an Ibanez Gio. If you’re looking for a cheap, but well crafted guitar that not gonna break the bank for practice or giving this as a gift, I think you’ll be happy. Also comes with a free subscription to Fender which is quite the amazing tool for a beginner.

4 out of 5 stars.