Fender 0373250558 Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Fender Squier Stratocaster electric guitar provides classic Strat tone and playability at a beginner-friendly price point. Part of Fender's entry-level Squier series, the Squier Stratocaster is an affordable version of Fender's iconic double cutaway guitar model.

With its alder body, maple neck and fretboard, and three single-coil pickups, the Squier Strat delivers the bright, snappy tone that Stratocasters are known for. The slim neck profile and smooth fingerboard make it comfortable and easy to play, even for guitarists just starting out. And the vintage-style synchronized tremolo bridge allows for expressive pitch bending effects.

While it doesn't have the exact same components and build quality as a more expensive Fender Stratocaster, the Squier Strat still captures the essence of the Strat style in an inexpensive package. For aspiring guitarists or Strat fans on a budget, the Squier Strat is an excellent entry point into the world of Strats.

Body & Neck

The Fender Squier Stratocaster features a basswood body and maple neck for classic Fender tone and playability. Basswood is a lightweight wood that helps provide the Strat's signature midrange punch and clarity. The maple neck offers brightness and snap, while the modern C-shape provides comfort during long playing sessions. The smooth satin finish on the back of the neck allows for fast up and down neck movements. Overall, the Squier Stratocaster's body and neck materials stay true to the Stratocaster design while keeping the price accessible for new players.

The basswood body is known for its balanced and clear tone, allowing the pickups to shine with good note definition. It has a warm, rounded sound compared to brighter woods like alder or ash. Basswood is a popular choice for many mass-produced electric guitars due to its affordability and tonal qualities. The maple neck provides a snappy attack and increased sustain. Maple has a bright, crisp sound that complements the warmer basswood body. The modern C-shaped neck profile is comfortable and playable, neither too thick nor too thin. It fits nicely in the hand for chording and lead playing. The smooth satin finish allows for fast playing by reducing friction between the hand and neck. Overall, the materials are well-suited for the price point, providing classic Fender tone and playability.

If you're looking for a great starter electric guitar, be sure to check out the Fender 0378213550. This Squier Stratocaster has all the makings of an excellent beginner instrument. With a basswood body, maple neck, and sleek design, it delivers that unmistakable Strat tone and feel. The hardware is durable and the pickups produce crisp, clear sound. It's comfortable to play too thanks to the modern C-shaped neck. And best of all, it's very affordable, so you don't have to break the bank to get started playing electric guitar. For any new guitarist looking to learn on a genuine Fender, the Squier Strat is a fantastic choice that will grow with you as you progress.

Hardware

The Squire Stratocaster comes equipped with quality hardware to provide great functionality. The tremolo bridge allows for expressive effects by raising or lowering the pitch. Fender designed the synchronized tremolo bridge to deliver surf rock vibrato while still returning to pitch for stable tuning.

The die-cast tuners smoothly turn to keep this guitar in tune. The tuners are mounted on a classy white pearloid button. Between the dependable tuners and tremolo bridge, Fender's hardware design enables the versatile electric tones this guitar is known for.

Guitarists who want to experiment with effects using the tremolo arm or need stable tuning for live performances will appreciate the hardware Fender chose for this model. While budget-focused, the hardware performs well for a wide range of playing styles.

The hardware on the Squire Stratocaster provides a solid foundation for versatile electric guitar tones. From the tremolo bridge to the die-cast tuners, Fender selected quality components. These hardware pieces allow guitarists to create effects like vibrato while maintaining reliable tuning.

For beginner and intermediate players seeking an affordable Stratocaster, the hardware allows you to emulate signature Strat tones. The tremolo bridge is a key part of the classic Strat sound. From early rock n' roll to modern indie music, guitarists have used the unique tremolo arm to add expressive wavering pitches.

The tuners also enable experimenting with the Strat's flexible sound. You can confidently change tunings knowing the die-cast tuners will hold the guitar in tune. Overall, the hardware chosen for the Squire Stratocaster gives you the tools to craft diverse electric guitar tones.

Guitarists looking for Fender's signature Stratocaster sound in an affordable package will appreciate the Squire Stratocaster's hardware. The synchronized tremolo bridge produces the wavering pitch effects synonymous with Surf Rock bands. And the tuners provide stable tuning for regular playing or experimenting with alternate tunings. For budget-minded guitarists, this Stratocaster hardware delivers professional-grade performance.

Fender offers another affordable electric guitar option in the Fender CD-60S. This guitar has a classic dreadnought acoustic shape with a cutaway for easy upper fret access. It features a solid cedar top with mahogany back and sides. The warm, balanced CD-60S sound projects well both unplugged and through an amp.

This dreadnought electric acoustic comes equipped with a Fishman preamp. It has a built-in tuner, tone controls, and phase switch for shaping your amplified tone. While it doesn't have a tremolo bridge, the CD-60S provides gorgeous electric acoustic tones. It's another budget-friendly way to get into Fender's renowned guitar sounds.

The Squire Stratocaster and Fender CD-60S electric guitars deliver pro-level performance at affordable prices. Their high-quality hardware and electronics let you produce iconic Fender tones. If you're a beginner looking for a well-built electric guitar, Squire and Fender offer great options without breaking the bank.

Electronics

The Fender Squier Stratocaster features a simple but versatile electronics setup. It has three single coil Stratocaster pickups, allowing for a range of tones. The bridge pickup provides a bright, biting tone, the middle pickup a rounded, mid-focused tone, and the neck pickup a warm, bassy tone.

The guitar has a 5-way pickup switch that allows you to select the bridge pickup alone, the bridge and middle pickups together, the middle pickup alone, the middle and neck pickups together, or the neck pickup alone. This gives you a variety of tonal options just by switching pickups. You can go from clean and crystalline on the bridge pickup to thick and smooth on the neck pickup. Having three pickups instead of two increases the tonal flexibility.

The volume and tone knobs allow you to control the output level and high-end response. Turn down the tone knob for a smoother, darker sound. The electronics give you a versatile range of Fender Stratocaster tones without breaking the bank. Experienced players may want to upgrade the pickups down the line, but overall the electronics offer solid performance for the price.

Sound & Playability

The Fender Squire Stratocaster produces a versatile range of tones perfect for rock, blues, funk, and more. The three single coil pickups provide clear, bright tones with a bit of twang that can be mellowed out with the tone knob. The 5-way pickup selector switch lets you choose from the bridge pickup, bridge and middle, middle, middle and neck, or neck pickup alone for a wide tonal palette.

The maple neck has a modern C profile that feels fast and comfortable. The rosewood fingerboard has a 9.5" radius for easy bending and fretting. The medium jumbo frets also make it very playable and ideal for lead guitar work. Overall the Stratocaster feels great in your hands and is designed for versatility no matter what style of music you play. The gloss finish on the neck lets you play smoothly without sticking.

Pros

The Fender Stratocaster gives you that classic Strat tone and feel at an affordable price. The solid alder body and maple neck provide the warm, rich sound Stratocasters are known for. The smooth neck and contoured body make this guitar comfortable to play, even during long practice sessions or gigs.

For the money, this Squier Stratocaster is an excellent value. The quality is surprisingly good for the low price. Many players report this guitar exceeding expectations for build, finish, and sound. While it may lack some of the finesse of more expensive Stratocasters, it provides the unmistakable Strat experience beginners and budget-conscious guitarists crave.

The classic design means this guitar looks great on stage. The stylish Strat body shape, available in various eye-catching finishes, gives you that rockstar vibe. This is definitely not a budget guitar that will embarrass you aesthetically.

Overall, if you want authentic Fender Stratocaster tone and feel without breaking the bank, the Squier Stratocaster is arguably your best choice. It's a workhorse electric that punches above its weight.

Cons

The Fender Standard Stratocaster has a few drawbacks compared to American-made Fender models. The main con is the cheaper build quality and components.

The body, neck, and hardware are produced in Mexico or China rather than the United States. While still decent, the wood, frets, tuners, bridge, and other hardware won't be as high-end as an American Professional or Custom Shop Fender. There's more reliance on cheaper materials like agathis instead of alder or ash for the body.

The pickups and electronics will also not have the same quality or hand-wiring as pricier Fenders. While the sound is still classic Strat, it's not as nuanced. The tuning stability and intonation may require more tweaking out of the box as well.

So while the Fender Standard Strat offers great value, those wanting the absolute best build, components, and craftsmanship will need to spend more for an American-made model. The Standard is still a great choice for beginners and intermediate players though.

Who It's For

The Squier by Fender Stratocaster electric guitar is an excellent choice for beginner and intermediate players, especially those who love the look, feel, and sound of a Stratocaster but need to stick to a budget.

As one of the most iconic electric guitar designs ever made, the Stratocaster's contoured double cutaway body shape is comfortable to play while providing easy access to the higher frets. The slim modern "C"-shaped neck and narrower nut width make chording and playing lead licks smooth and enjoyable.

The classic 3 single coil pickup configuration provides that unmistakable bell-like Strat tone, from sparkling cleans to growling overdrive. While not American-made Fender pickups, the import alnico magnet pickups still capture a decent amount of vintage Strat spirit and are far better than other guitars in this price range.

So for any aspiring guitarist who dreams of owning a real deal Fender Strat but doesn't have hundreds to spend, the Squier Stratocaster hits a sweet spot of quality and affordability. It's the perfect way to start a lifelong journey with one of the most beloved electric guitars ever made.

Alternatives

For those looking for a similarly priced and spec'd electric guitar alternative to the Fender 0373250558, consider the following options:

Squier Classic Vibe/Vintage Modified Series

Squier's Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified series offer excellent bang-for-your buck with their well-constructed Stratocaster models. These are made in China and Indonesia, respectively, and provide comparable build quality and sound as the Mexican-made Fender Player series, but at even more affordable prices. Many reviewers find the Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified Strats to be comparable to the MIM Fender Player in terms of fit, finish and tone. Overall, Squier's higher-end models are considered a smart alternative for those on a tighter budget.

Fender Player Series Stratocaster

As the most affordable Fender-branded Strats, the Player series is the next step up from the Squire 0373250558. Made in Mexico, these feature alder bodies, maple necks, and Fender-designed alnico pickups. While priced higher than the Squire, the Fender Player series represents a nice middle ground before getting into the American-made models. The quality control and attention to detail is a notch above the entry-level Squire, making the Fender Player a solid alternative for those looking to invest a little more for noticeable improvements in fit, finish and tone.

Conclusion

The Squier Stratocaster Electric Guitar provides an affordable way for beginners to get started with a classic Stratocaster design and tone. While made with cheaper components than an American-made Fender Strat, the Squier Strat still delivers a lot of value, especially considering the friendly price point.

This is a great entry-level guitar for anyone wanting versatile single-coil tones without breaking the bank. The lightweight body, comfortable neck shape, and quality hardware make this an easy and enjoyable guitar to practice and perform with. The classic contoured Strat body sits nicely against the player's body, and the thin neck promotes comfortable chording and fast lead playing.

For those looking to dip their toes into Stratocaster-style guitars before committing to a more expensive instrument, the Squier Strat is an excellent option. It provides a way to enjoy those bell-like single-coil tones and the smooth playability of a Strat without a huge upfront investment. While not for pros, this Squier delivers surprising quality and value for the money.