Fender 0370123506 Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Fender Stratocaster is an iconic solid-body electric guitar model designed by Leo Fender in 1954. Often referred to simply as a "Strat," it revolutionized both the look and sound of the electric guitar.

With its sleek offset double cutaway body, the Stratocaster departed from the typical single cutaway design of earlier guitars like the Telecaster and Les Paul. Its contoured body shape was designed for comfort while playing either seated or standing. Visually, the Stratocaster body shape is one of the most recognizable in popular music.

From Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughan, the Stratocaster has been the guitar of choice for countless guitar heroes. Its versatile sound with three single coil pickups can range from sparkling clean tones to growling overdrive. The Stratocaster's innovative tremolo system allows guitarists to add expressive vibrato effects by bending strings.

More than 60 years after its introduction, the Fender Stratocaster remains an essential electric guitar model and a permanent fixture in the pantheon of classic American instruments. This review will examine its design, sound, and versatility as both a musical tool and cultural icon.

Body Style and Design

The Fender American Professional Stratocaster features the iconic double cutaway shape that the Stratocaster is known for. This gives it a sleek, contoured body that is comfortable to play for long periods of time whether sitting or standing.

The body is made of solid alder wood. Alder is a lightweight wood that provides a balanced tone across the tonal spectrum, with slight emphasis on the midrange frequencies. This gives the Stratocaster a lively, resonant sound. The solid body construction means there is no feedback or loss of sustain compared to a hollow or semi-hollow body.

Overall, the stratocaster shape and solid alder body construction create a guitar with a versatile, vibrant tone perfect for a wide range of musical genres and playing styles. Musicians worldwide have used the strat body style for over 60 years, a testament to its comfortable, ergonomic design and lively acoustic properties.

While the Fender Stratocaster is iconic, there are other electric guitar body shapes and styles that offer their own unique tones and playing experience. For example, the Valencia VC203TBU features a double cutaway design but with a slightly thicker, contoured body made of basswood. Basswood is a soft wood that emphasizes warmth in the low end and compression in the mids and highs. This gives the Valencia a smooth, even tone across the frequency range. The contoured body shape remains comfortable for long playing sessions while putting a unique spin on the traditional strat-style double cutaway.

With its basswood construction and contoured edges, the Valencia VC203TBU provides an excellent alternative option for players seeking a high quality electric guitar with smooth, rich tones and great playability. While the Fender Stratocaster reigns supreme in the double cutaway design, the Valencia demonstrates that diverse body shapes, wood types, and contours allow for creativity and variety when crafting an electric guitar's style, feel, and sound.

Neck and Fingerboard

The Fender Stratocaster features a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. The maple neck provides stability and sustain while the rosewood fingerboard offers a smooth playing feel.

Maple is a hard, dense wood that provides rigidity and resonance. The one-piece maple neck on the Stratocaster delivers excellent sustain and helps channel vibrations efficiently from the body to the fretboard. Maple has a brighter, crisper tone compared to softer woods, adding some snap and presence to the overall sound.

The rosewood fingerboard complements the maple neck nicely with its slightly warmer, mellower tonality. Rosewood also has a rich aesthetic appeal. Its grain patterns and dark coloring look fantastic, especially when combined with the maple neck. The smooth, slippery feel of rosewood makes it very playable and comfortable against the fretting hand. Bending strings glides easily across the rosewood surface.

Overall, the maple neck and rosewood fingerboard combination found on the Fender Stratocaster is tried and true. It provides stability, sustain, smooth playability, and classic Fender tone. The neck and fingerboard work together to make this an exceptionally playable, great sounding electric guitar. The Fender Stratocaster's versatile design has made it one of the most popular electric guitars of all time, beloved by countless musicians across many genres. The Fender FA-125 is another excellent Fender acoustic guitar option worth considering. With its slim neck and comfortable body size, the FA-125 is an accessible guitar for beginners and travelers. It produces balanced tone across the tonal spectrum with crisp highs and robust lows. The smaller concert body style makes the FA-125 easy to handle while still providing volume and projection. Like the Stratocaster, the Fender FA-125 exemplifies quality construction with solid wood components. This is an affordable Fender acoustic with the brand's characteristic playability and vibrant sound. Whether shredding solos on a Strat or strumming chords fireside with the FA-125, Fender's diverse lineup offers an electric or acoustic guitar for every playing style and setting.

Hardware

The Fender Player Stratocaster features quality hardware that provides great functionality.

Pickups

The guitar has 3 single coil Alnico V pickups that provide a classic Strat tone. The bridge pickup delivers punchy treble, the neck pickup offers smooth warmth, and the middle pickup balances the highs and lows. This versatile pickup configuration allows a wide range of tones from sparkling cleans to crunchy overdrive.

Bridge

It has a 2-point synchronized tremolo bridge that allows easy and stable tuning while providing players the option to use the whammy bar for vibrato effects and pitch bending. The bridge is designed to maximize sustain and resonance.

Tuners

The headstock houses a set of six sturdy die-cast tuning machines. They provide precise and reliable tuning stability. The tuners are designed to withstand string tension and keep the guitar in tune through dynamic playing.

Sound and Tone

The Fender American Original '50s Stratocaster delivers exceptional, versatile tone that makes it a highly coveted electric guitar. The trio of hand-wound '57/'62 single-coil pickups provide a wide tonal palette ranging from sparkling and chimey tones to thick, warm overdrive.

The bridge pickup produces bright, biting treble tones that cut through the mix nicely. The middle pickup has a rounded, mellow character suited for blues, while the neck pickup generates a smooth, syrupy tone perfect for jazz and funk. Combined, the pickups offer sweet, singing Strat-style tones.

Whether playing country, rock, blues, jazz or metal, the Fender '50s Strat provides classic Stratocaster tones that inspire. The 5-way pickup selector switch allows accessing an array of tones from glassy and sparkling to thick and throaty. From funky rhythms to searing leads, this Strat’s pickups deliver outstanding tonal flexibility ideal for virtually any genre.

Playability

The Fender Player Stratocaster is designed for comfort and playability. Its lightweight alder body contours nicely against the player's body. The slim "Modern C"-shaped neck profile creates a fast feel that makes it easy to play quickly up and down the neck. The satin-finish back of the neck allows for smooth sliding maneuvers.

The 25.5" scale length and narrow 1.65" nut width are Stratocaster standards that guitarists love for their comfortable and familiar feel. The neck and fretboard edges have smooth, rolled contours that sit nicely in the hand. Overall, the Fender Player Stratocaster combines Strat style and comfort with modern playability.

Pros

The Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar has many excellent qualities that make it a great choice for players of all levels.

Iconic and Versatile Guitar

The Stratocaster is one of the most iconic electric guitars ever made. Its versatile design with a tremolo bridge allows it to produce sounds in many genres from rock and blues to country and pop. The Strat shape is universally recognized and has been played by countless famous guitarists over the decades.

Quality Components

This Stratocaster features quality components like the alder body, maple neck, and pickups designed by Fender. The hardware is durable and stays in tune well. Overall the guitar is made to Fender's high standards and built to last.

Great Tone

With its classic single coil pickups, the Stratocaster produces the sparkling clean tones it is known for. The pickups have clarity and definition, while also having richness in the midrange. Combined with the tremolo, the Strat is capable of excellent tone for leads and complex chords. The variety of tones makes it a highly versatile guitar.

Cons

While Fender has an iconic legacy and makes some excellent guitars, the Stratocaster line has some potential downsides to consider:

• As one of the most mass-produced electric guitars in the world, there can be minor quality control issues on some models. The high production volumes mean dimensional inconsistencies and cosmetic defects occasionally slip through. This may require a setup or minor repairs.

• The heavy focus on streamlined manufacturing can sometimes result in components that feel more generic and less premium. For example, some guitarists complain about loose tremolo bridges or plasticky knobs. This isn't universal, but it's something to look out for.

• The bright, snappy Stratocaster tone isn't for everyone. Musicians looking for a warmer, rounder sound may find the bridge pickup too biting. This comes down to personal preference.

• As a major brand, Fender prices aren't always the most competitive in the mid-range market. You sometimes pay a premium for the name on the headstock. Then again, Fender resale values remain high over time.

• The simple control layout lacks the versatility of guitars with coil splits and phase switches. You have to rely more on amp settings and pedals to shape the Strat sound.

While minor quality concerns exist, the Stratocaster remains an excellent choice for all playing styles and most genres. The pros generally outweigh the cons for gigging guitarists who want a road-worthy workhorse. But it pays to try before you buy, as there is some unit-to-unit variance.

Comparable Models

The Fender Stratocaster has some stiff competition from other popular electric guitar models:

Gibson Les Paul

The Gibson Les Paul is known for its thicker, warmer tone and humbucker pickups compared to the Strat's single coil pickups. Les Paul guitars tend to have a shorter scale length and be heavier in weight than Stratocasters. The Les Paul offers a very different playing experience and sound than the Strat.

While the Stratocaster has more of a bright, twangy tone perfect for blues, rock, and country, the Les Paul brings a thicker, heavier sound often preferred for hard rock and metal. The Les Paul appeals more to players looking for high gain distortion and sustain.

PRS SE

PRS SE guitars are made in Asia but designed to PRS USA specs and standards. They offer an excellent combination of quality and affordability. The PRS SE line aims to capture some of the coveted PRS tone and playability at a budget-friendly price point.

The PRS SE line includes some Strat-style models that compete well with the Fender Stratocaster in terms of hardware, electronics, and craftsmanship. The PRS SE Strat copies have their own unique flavor while holding up against the Fender original.

Squier by Fender

Squier is Fender's budget-friendly line of guitars made in Asia. The Squier Stratocaster models attempt to mimic the look, feel, and sound of the Fender Stratocaster line using more affordable components and manufacturing processes.

A Squier Strat offers beginner and intermediate players a chance to own a recognizable Strat-style guitar at an entry-level price point. While they may lack some of the refinements and pedigree of the American-made Fenders, Squier Stratocasters are capable guitars, especially for the cost.

Conclusion

The Fender Stratocaster is nothing short of legendary. It's hard to find an electric guitar with the same level of widespread popularity and appeal. This model continues Fender's long tradition of high-quality, versatile guitars suitable for musicians of all skill levels.

The Stratocaster's comfortable ergonomics, smooth playability, and varied tonal possibilities make this an excellent choice for beginners yet still flexible enough for advanced guitarists. Its classic body shape is recognized globally and pairs well with any musical genre.

For over 60 years, the Stratocaster has helped craft countless iconic riffs, solos, and songs. Electric guitarists around the world have relied on its vibrant tone and smooth playability to shape the sound of music. The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster upholds this legacy, bringing these sought-after features to guitarists looking to channel the Strat's spirit.

Musicians searching for a top-tier electric with proven design and versatile sound can't go wrong with the American Professional II Stratocaster. This recommended model continues the Stratocaster's reputation as an accessible yet stage-worthy guitar suitable for beginners to professionals.