While I know I bought the cheapest grade, a Star caster to learn on, I'm already interested in a better quality Fender for blues.
Can someone list the series/models in order, with a brief description of what makes one better then the previous series? I see so many models/series listed for sale that I can't find on the Fender site. SQUIRE, SQUIRE II,MIJ, MIK, MIM, ÀMERICAN....Do I want/need to stick with single coil, HSS, HH?


I'M SO CONFUSED
.THANKS IN ADVANCE

Don't forget the Squier Custom Vibe series, lol. Actually those are considered a very good guitar, with a lot of bang for your buck.

Like you, I get lost in all the series' they have out there. Add in all the past stuff, and all the internet abbreviations and...

I'd say you'd be best served by going to your local Fender dealer and trying out as many as you can get your hands on. The model names aren't as important as which individual guitar feels and sounds right to YOU. But as a general rule, the higher end stuff will have better/more stable vibrato systems that allow you to get more enthusiastic with them without going out of tune so easily.

As far as pickups, it depends on what you want. For that classic Strat sound, SSS is the way to go. I have not tried an HSS, so I can't really say anything about that. For me, the bridge single and the bridge+ middle are two of my favorite settings, so I like the sss. An HH "strat" is called an Ibanez, A Schecter, a Charvel, etc. lol

Not necessarily...

http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocas ... atocaster/

http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocas ... loyd-rose/

http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocas ... caster-hh/


Or, you could always go with the "All-American" SHS configuration:

http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocas ... ure-strat/

Back in August I bought an 11 year old distant cousin-who was unbelieveably gifted and didn't have a good guitar and amp-a Squier Affinity Tele,it only cost about $180 but it sounded phenominal with the Vox VT-20 amp I got him set on AC-30 or the black face Fender amp emulation.Some of the Affinity Series are serious contenders against many other guitars costing quite a bit more.When I was looking for another Vox amp for myself,the salesman of the music store took a Squier Tele with "Duncan Designed" pups and when he plugged it into an AC-15 it knocked me arse over t-ts,it was absolutely incredible,definitely one of the best sounding Teles that I ever had the pleasure of hearing.The thing sounded huge, the fullness and presence of the tone was out of this world.I believe that they make Strats with the "Duncan Designed" pickups also.Other than the Starcaster,most other Fender and Squier Strats -and other models-are of exceptional quality for the price range that they are in and they all give great bang-for-the-buck.If I were looking for an exceptional guitar for less than $500 I would certainly look into the Squier Duncan Strats. The standard Mexican Strats are great too and I can honestly vouch for them because I have 2-a MIM 2000 lefty Strat(my"Hendrix"guitar) and a 2010 Jimmie Vaughn with the Tex-Mex pups.Both of these Strats are incredible also.The 2000 lefty Strat sounds much like the "L" series Strats from the 60s and the neck is straight as a carpenters level and only cost $279.The Jimmie Vaughn MIM Strat is just something else and is a pleasure to play and to hear. The V-neck takes a bit of getting used to if you're accustomed to C and D necks but that only lasts a couple of days and then you hardly notice it.The Jimmie Vaughn Strat sounds more like the old "L" series than the 2000 model ,it is the closest thing that I have heard that approaches the tone of my '65 Strat.The J.V. will set you back about $900 but is well worth it.

As the grades of Fenders become more expensive as each level increases cost,the quality of construction and materials generally increases exponentially also.Jeff Healey played exclusively Squier Strats right up to the time of his untimely death,the only difference being that a lot of the time he would drop in a set of Edward's pickups.Even when he was financially able to buy nothing but what the Custom Shop offered he stuck to the Squier.If Squier Strats are good enough for a great talent such as Jeff Healey they should certainly be good enough for the unwashed masses...lol.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

For traditional blues tone you need 2 key factors...

1. Alnico Pickups

2. Ash or Alder body

I believe the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster has both. Put some .11's on one and hear for yourself. *I should also suggest buying used. You'll never pull any feeling out of a guitar you're afraid to scratch.

I agree with most of these guys. It's true nowadays you can find incredibly sounding cheap fender-squier guitars, but if you have the funds and want value I'd go with an American one. Those definitely cover every corner of value and sound.

Thanks for all great input.

Please keep it coming.

Still looking for list, in order, of the Fender models.

Thanks again

Hey, call me an old fart traditionalist, but just because Fender now makes an HH version, doesn't make it a "Strat" lol. To me, the single coil pickups are an essential ingredient to a Strat.

I would be interested in trying a Fender HH though. I love my HH Ibby!

I think this is the way "the list" is generally seen from the least to the best:

Squier VM Series
Squier Classic Vibe Series
Fender Standard Series(Made in Mexico)
Fender Made in Japan
Fender American Special Series(Mexico parts and less attractive American wood, assembled in the U.S.)
Fender American Standard Series
Fender American Deluxe Series
Fender American Vintage Series
Fender Custom Shop

The Standard MIM's don't always come with alnico pickups and are made with cheaper wood, yet they are higher in the pecking order than the Squier Classic Vibe..which has the key features of the American Standard Series. Fender Mexico does sometime have the Fender Special Run Series, which is made with Alder and Ash.

Same goes for most of the MIJ stuff. Japan has some artist signature models made with American wood. These generally come with American pickups, and cost almost as much as the Fender American Standard Series. The rest of the MIJ stuff is basswood and ceramic magnet pickups.

So really, your best bet for a good guitar is the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster, or the American Standard Series and up.

I wouldn't steer clear of MIM Strats,there are still people who adhere to the urban myth that they are not up to scratch but the vast majority of them are exquisite guitars. I would like to be able to have someone who puts down MIM ,Strats and MIM Fenders in general, do a blindfold test and I could pretty well bet they wouldn't be able to tell the tone of an MIA Strat from a properly EQ'd MIM Strat or Tele etc. If you don't give MIM Strats or MIJ and even MIC Strats a chance you may be skipping over the very guitar that speaks to you.When I am trying out guitars I make it a point to try and avoid reading the hang tag that identifies the model,where it was made and the price.When I bought my Jimmie Vaughn I tried it along with Strats costing over $2000 but ended up buying the JV because it had the exact sound and feel that I was looking for even though it was one of the cheapest that I tried out.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

The Jimmie V. is one of the best guitars Fender has ever put out. It's made with all of the traditional parts that are known to make a "good" blues tone, though.

I offer my opinionated list as simply a guide. There are some exeptions in "quality" from all of the non-U.S. plants.

I've got a MIM Blacktop HH and love it. Give it a try and you might just like it.

_________________
2012 Fender Blacktop HH Black
2010 Fender Kingman "10"
2012 Fender Mustang II

To the OP: The one thing I hope you get out of these responses is that when it comes to guitars in general, EVERYONE has different tastes and different opinions...and many of those opinions run deep. For example, from my 30 years of playing (with the last 18 years being almost exclusively Strats), I would actually take a Mexican Standard over an American because I don't like the bridges or the pickups in the Americans. Likewise, some of those Squier CV's are really outstanding instruments. Despite comments to the contrary, there isn't really any one single guitar that's right for everyone and more directly not one single person on this board can really tell you what's going to feel right in -your- hands and sound great to -your- ears! What I or anyone else may or may not like is completely irreverent...you're the one who's going to have to play it!

So with that in mind, if you feel you're ready to upgrade my suggestion would be to take a day out and hit every music store in driving distance and play EVERY Strat that you can within your price range! Don't worry about your level of playing experience...you're NOT going into the story to show off your chops, you're looking to make a decision on buying a guitar! Don't worry too much about stuff like what kind of wood it's made of (hey...I've seen some instruments made from Basswood that go for over $2000...nothing cheap about it!) or where it was made (I have a couple of Made In Japans and one Crafted in China...all are lovely instruments!) and don't worry about pickup material and such...it's not -that- important at this stage. Just play as many as you can. Plug those guitars into an amp similar to yours...or even bring your own amp so you have an accurate reference. Personally I'd suggest starting with the Mexican Standards and the Squier Custom Vibes, but you may very well find something else that suits you better...let your own hands, ears and heart tell you which one is "right".

Peace,
Jim