The Fender Stratocaster is the one of the two most important electric guitars ever designed (the other being, naturally, the Gibson Les Paul). I’ve written a number of Strat reviews so I’m not going to repeat myself on the history and significance of this particular design (just read one of my Strat reviews below if you’re curious). What I want to focus on here is the particular features of the Standard HSS Stratocaster under review here and how it might and might not be of interest to potential purchasers.

The Standard HSS is a Made-in-Mexico instrument that doesn’t carry the cachet or price tag of the American-made Fenders. As such, these are usually pretty good buys relative to their American cousins because you’re not paying for American labor costs and thanks to the benefits of NAFTA you’re not paying a tariff either (at least, I think you’re not). Close examination may occasionally show construction flaws not present in American guitars, but you’re also talking half the cost. (I own a Mexican Tele and it’s a great guitar for the money.) The important thing is how the thing sounds.

And that’s what separates the Standard HSS Strat from your garden-variety machine: the sound. What distinguishes the sound is, obviously, the fact that this Strat is equipped with the usual single-coils in the neck and middle positions, accompanied by a humbucker in the bridge (controlled by a five-way selector switch, master volume and two tone controls). So before we get to the specifics of the guitar, let’s talk sound. The two single-coils sound like, well, Stratocaster single-coil pick-ups. They deliver that tight bluesy and vintage rock that make this guitar so important. The humbucker adds another dimension. Instead of the singing tones of the bridge single-coil, you’ll be surprised by the gutsier, fatter dimension that the bridge humbucker adds. This gives the player the new option of playing tunes better suited to humbucker-equipped Les Pauls and SG’s while giving the playability that makes the Strat so justifiably popular.

And yet. . .

And yet, it doesn’t work for me, at least. This guitar is really an orphan-hybrid: it lacks the sharp blues focus of a Strat, but doesn’t give the balls-out sound of a PAF or 498 humbucker. It gets half way there, but half-way often isn’t going to cut it. I admit this is a matter of personal taste, so my very strong advice to someone considering this guitar is to play it carefully through an amp similar to the one you own to see if it delivers the tones you need. On the plus side, the humbucker gives some guts that the neck single-coil lacks, and if you’re a player who doesn’t mind surrendering some top-end wail for a more battering bottom-end, this may be the guitar for you.

The rest of the guitar’s features are pretty much what you would expect. You have a C-shape, 21-medium jumbo fret maple neck (rosewood fingerboard) that is easy to play up and down. The body is Alder with a white pick guard, trem bar, and is available in a number of colors. At $400 retail, the price sure is right.

The guitar I played didn’t have any apparent construction defects and the finish was nice. The action was set inconveniently high but that can be changed. I do have a couple of complaints. First, I had a hell of a time getting this guitar in tune and I’m not sure if it was the tuners or if there was an intonation problem. Second, but there was a very audible squeaking sound through the amp when I moved the tuners. Very annoying and a problem I’ve never encountered before.

So who should buy this guitar? At this price, this is a good second guitar for beginners. Strats last forever, this machine plays well and, despite my grousing about the humbucker, the guitar still sounds pretty good. It’s a good practice and gig guitar for pros who don’t want to expose their good guitars to the travails and risks of the road. And it’s certainly an interesting curiosity to guys who can afford to blow $400 on their umpteenth back-up guitar. And it’s a useful tool to guys who play vintage rock or country but every now and then need to bash the audience with a humbucker. Given that this is a Mexican-made machine, don’t expect it to have any collection value, but do expect to have some fun with it.

Three stars.

Colors: (306) Black, (325) Chrome Red,(332) Brown Sunburst, (375) Midnight Wine, (380) Arctic White,(387) Electron Blue,(Polyester Finish)
Body Alder
Neck Maple, Modern “C” Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)
Fingerboard Rosewood (p/n 013-4700) or Maple (p/n 013-4702), 9.5” Radius (241mm)
No. of Frets 21 Medium Jumbo

Pickups 1 Humbucking Pickup (Bridge), 2 Standard Single-Coil Strat Pickups (Neck and Middle)
Controls Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup and Middle/Bridge Combination)
Pickup Switching

5-Position Blade, Special Switching:Position 1. Full Bridge Humbucking Pickup (No Tone Control)Position 2. Front Coil of Bridge Pickup and Middle Pickup (Lead Tone Control)Position 3. Middle Pickup (Lead Tone Control)Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickups (Lead and Rhythm Tone Controls)Position 5. Neck Pickup (Rhythm Tone Control)

Bridge Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Machine Heads FenderŪ/PingŪ Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Hardware Chrome
Pickguard 3-Ply White
Scale Length 25.5” (648mm)
Width at Nut 1-11/16” (43mm)
Unique Features Special Switching
Strings FenderŪ Super BulletsŪ 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-3250-003
Accessories Standard Gig Bag

You may find some of my other guitar reviews interesting:

Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul Custom
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Epiphone G-400 SG
Fender Classic 50s Esquire
Fender Cyclone
Fender VG Stratocaster
Fender American HSS Stratocaster
Fender Standard HSS Stratocaster
Fender John Mayer Stratocaster
Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster
Fender Stevie Ray Vaughan Stratocaster
Fender 57 Stratocaster Reissue
Fender 50s Telecaster
G&L Legacy Strat
Gibson ES-5
Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster
Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis
Gibson ES-175
Gibson ES-333 Memphis Style Hollow Body
Gibson ES-335
Gibson ES-335 1959 Reissue
Gibson ES-350T
Gibson ES-350T
Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom
Gibson Les Paul GT
Gibson Les Paul 1957 Goldtop
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Gibson Les Paul Classic Ebony
Gibson SG 61 Reissue
Gibson Super 400
Gretsch Electromatic G5120 Hollow Body
Gretsch White Falcon II
Ibanez Artcore AS73 Semi-Hollow Body
Ibanez Steve Vai Jem7
Martin D-28 Acoustic
Ovation VXT Acoustic Electric
PRS McCarty
PRS Single Cut
PRS Santana SE

Schechter Diamond C 1
Variax 700 Acoustic

Other amp reviews from buffoonery:

Crate Acoustic CA30
Crate Power Block
Fender Cyber Twin
Fender DSP 65
Fender 64 Vibroverb Custom Blackface
Fender Super Sonic 1x12 Combo
Fender MH 500 Metalhead
Hughes and Kettner Switchblade 50 Combo
Line 6 Spider II Head
Line 6 Flextone III Plus
Line 6 Vetta II Combo
Line 6 Spider III 75
Line 6 Spider Valve 2x12 Combo
Marshall Super 100 JH
Mesa 5:25 Express
Mesa Stiletto Ace
Mesa 5:50 Express
Mesa Dual Rectifier Roadster
Mesa Stiletto Deuce
Mesa Triple Rectifier Head
Mesa Lone Star Combo
Peavey JSX Joe Satriani Signature Head
Peavey Classic 30 Combo
Peavey Triple XXX Head
Peavey Penta Head
Roland Micro Cube
Vox Valvetronix AD60VT
Vox AD50VT-XL 50 2x12 combo

My effects and stomp box reviews:

Line 6 POD X3 Guitar Multi-Effects Board
Boss ME-20 Guitar Multiple Effects Processor
Boss GT-8 Multi-Effects Processor
Boss ME-50 Multi-Effects Processor
Digitech RP50 Guitar Effects Processor
Digitech RP80 Guitar Effects Processor
Digitech Brian May Red Special Overdrive Pedal

And you may also be interested in a few books such as:

Hugo Pinksterboer – Tipbook Amplifiers and Effects
Ritchie Fliegler – Amps: The Other Half of Rock and Roll
Michael Ross – Getting Great Guitar Sounds: A Non-Technical Approach to Shaping Your Personal Sound
Nick Freeth – Classic Guitars: Identification and Price Guide




Recommended: Yes