Fender 374540521 Electric Guitar: Full Review

The Fender 374540521 is part of the Squier Classic Vibe line of electric guitars made by Fender. Squier is Fender's more affordable brand, offering quality instruments at entry-level prices. The Classic Vibe series aims to recreate some of Fender's most iconic vintage models at a fraction of the cost.

This particular model is based on the Fender Stratocaster, with the classic double cutaway Strat body shape. It features an alder body, maple neck and Indian laurel fretboard (rosewood substitute). The Stratocaster is one of the most recognizable and versatile electric guitar designs ever made, used in many genres from blues to rock to pop.

The Classic Vibe Stratocaster combines some vintage-inspired design elements with modern playability. It's an affordable version of Fender's American-made Stratocasters, giving beginners and budget-conscious players access to the iconic Strat tone and feel. This review will examine the various features, sound quality, playability and value for money of the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster.

Construction & Hardware

The Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster features a solid poplar body with a gloss polyester finish. Poplar is known for being a lightweight, resonant tonewood that provides a balanced tone across the frequency range.

The neck is made from maple with a comfortable mid-profile "C"-shape and a 9.5" fingerboard radius. It has a gloss finish on the front and satin finish on the back for a smooth, fast feel. The fingerboard is made from Indian laurel, which is a rosewood substitute known for brightness and sustain. It has 21 medium jumbo frets and black dot inlays.

Overall, the hardware and components are good quality for the price point. The tuners, bridge, nut and other parts are durable and help produce great resonance and sustain. While not at the level of an American-made Fender, the hardware provides excellent bang for your buck. The Pyle PGA500BR.5 electric guitar is another affordable option worth considering. It has a solid basswood body with a glossy finish, bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, two single-coil pickups, and chrome diecast tuners. The tone is bright and crisp, suitable for rock and blues. While it may not compare to a Stratocaster in terms of build quality and electronics, the PGA500BR.5 is an excellent starter electric guitar that lets you get started playing right out of the box. Check out the Pyle PGA500BR.5 here for more details and current pricing.

Pickups & Electronics

The Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster is equipped with a set of Alnico III single-coil pickups, providing the authentic bell-like tone that the Stratocaster is renowned for. The pickups are arranged in the classic Stratocaster pickup configuration, with a bridge pickup, middle pickup, and neck pickup.

The pickups deliver a balanced tone across the frequency range, with crisp and articulate highs, punchy mids, and tight low-end. The bridge pickup has plenty of bite and twang, while the neck pickup delivers a smooth, rounded tone. The middle pickup offers a perfect blend of the two.

The tone controls allow you to shape the sound further. There are individual volume controls for each pickup, plus a master tone control. This lets you dial in anything from sparkling clean tones to fuller overdriven sounds. The 5-way pickup selector switch lets you choose from the bridge pickup, bridge/middle, middle, middle/neck, and neck pickups alone or in combination.

Overall, the pickups and electronics offer vintage-inspired Stratocaster tones in an affordable package. The pickups are responsive across the fretboard and the controls give you the versatility expected from a great Strat. The authentic Fender tones and smooth playability make the Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster a great choice for players looking for that timeless Strat sound and feel without breaking the bank.

For guitarists wanting a more affordable electric guitar option, the Ortega Guitars R131L is an excellent value. This solid body electric guitar features a basswood body with a sleek double cutaway design. It has a maple neck and rosewood fretboard for smooth playability. The R131L is equipped with two humbucker pickups that can deliver anything from crisp cleans to high gain distortion.

Some key features of the Ortega R131L electric guitar include its dual cutaway body shape for easy upper fret access, adjustable truss rod for optimized neck relief, diecast tuners for tuning stability, and master volume and tone controls. The humbuckers provide a thicker, warmer tone compared to single coil pickups. This makes the R131L a good choice for rock, metal, blues, and other guitar styles that benefit from the fat sound of humbuckers.

The hardware and components are decent quality for a budget-friendly guitar. The R131L has a basswood body, which gives it a balanced and resonant tone. The maple neck and rosewood fingerboard feel smooth and are comfortable to play. While it doesn't have premium appointments, the Ortega R131L punches above its weight class when it comes to build, sound quality, and playability.

Overall, the Ortega Guitars R131L is an excellent electric guitar for beginners and intermediate players. It provides versatile humbucker tones in an easy to play double cutaway guitar. The quality and value make it a great choice as a first electric guitar or as an affordable backup option for gigging guitarists. For an entry-level price, the R131L delivers premium sound and playability that belies its budget-friendly cost.

Playability & Feel

The Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster features a very comfortable C-shaped neck profile that provides a smooth and fast playing feel. The neck is crafted from maple and has a modern 9.5" radius fingerboard made of Indian laurel, which helps facilitate easy bending and chord changes.

The fretwork from the medium jumbo frets is excellent, providing a very smooth feel during string transitions up and down the neck. There are no sharp or protruding fret ends that can cause discomfort. The rounded fretboard edges also add to the overall playing comfort.

The Classic Vibe stays relatively in tune once setup properly. The vintage-style tremolo bridge works smoothly for basic vibrato techniques and pitch bending effects. The machine heads are decent quality and do a good job holding tune during standard tuning operations.

Overall, the playability and feel of the Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster make it a very comfortable and enjoyable guitar to play. The quality fretwork coupled with the smooth neck profile result in a very playable instrument right out of the box.

Sound & Tone

The Fender Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster electric guitar produces classic, bell-like Strat tones that players have loved for over 60 years. The guitar's three single-coil pickups and alder body give it a bright, focused sound with lots of treble snap and crystalline highs.

The bridge pickup has an aggressive, biting tone that cuts through a mix nicely. It's perfect for rock riffs and solos. The middle pickup is more rounded and scooped, great for funk and R&B rhythm playing. And the neck pickup has a smooth, mellow jazz tone. Overall the Classic Vibe '50s Strat captures that vintage Fender spank and quack beautifully. The tone is lively, vibrant and shimmery.

The guitar handles clean tones exceptionally well. There's chime for days on the bridge pickup with the tone knob rolled off. And backing off the volume knob results in gorgeous warm, round neck pickup tones reminiscent of a good jazz box. Distorted, the Classic Vibe snarls, sustains and sings. It's got those searing lead tones Eric Clapton made famous on early Cream records.

Whether you play blues, classic rock, country, funk or jazz, the Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster delivers iconic Fender tones that sit perfectly in a mix or band context. It may be an affordable model, but it possesses the unmistakable sound of a true Strat.

Pros

Fender's Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster electric guitar punches well above its class thanks to its exceptional build quality, great value, and classic Strat tone.

Fantastic Build Quality

The Classic Vibe Stratocaster features a solid alder body with a gloss polyester finish that looks great while providing durability. The maple neck has a modern "C"-shaped profile that is comfortable and fast. The fretwork is excellent with smoothly finished medium jumbo frets. Overall the guitar feels solidly constructed and built to last.

Great Value

For an affordable imported guitar, the Classic Vibe Strat delivers professional build quality, premium feel and sound. It's an excellent value for a "real" Stratocaster guitar with classic looks and tone. Players report it competes well with Fender's higher end Mexican-made Strats.

Iconic Strat Tone

With a trio of Fender-designed Alnico V single coil pickups, the Classic Vibe '50s Strat sings with bell-like clarity and warmth. From spanky cleans to growling overdrive, it covers the versatile tonal range that made the Stratocaster legendary. The pickups accurately capture the sweet spot of '50s Strat tone.

Cons

• Quality control can be hit or miss. There have been some reports of sharp fret ends or improperly cut nut slots that needed work from a guitar tech. This seems to vary from instrument to instrument.

• The hardware, while serviceable, is lower quality than what you'd find on more expensive Fenders. The tuners and bridge could potentially need upgrading down the line.

• The pickups and electronics, while decent, don't have the same complicated switching options as higher-end Fender guitars. You're limited to a 5-way pickup selector switch.

• The thinner body and cheaper materials mean this guitar doesn't resonate or sustain as well as American-made Fender models.

• There are limited finish options available - you'll have to go with a classic sunburst, black, or butterscotch blonde. Customization is limited.

• No gig bag or case is included. You'll need to budget for a hardshell case or bag separately if you want to protect the guitar.

Overall the hardware and components reflect the lower price point relative to premium Fender models. While very playable, this is not a pro-level instrument.

Alternatives

The Fender Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster has some comparable alternatives worth considering:

Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster

This is another great Strat-style model by Fender's budget-friendly Squier brand. It has an alder body with a vintage-tint gloss maple neck and fingerboard. The pickups are Alnico III single-coils which provide classic Strat tone. The hardware is high quality with tuners and a tremolo bridge borrowed from Fender's Mexican-made guitars. Overall it's an excellent guitar for the money, albeit at a slightly lower build quality than the Fender.

G&L Fullerton Standard Legacy Stratocaster

For those looking for a bit more crispness and twang, the G&L Legacy Stratocaster is an excellent choice. It has some vintage Stratocaster DNA being designed by Leo Fender himself. The pickups are specially designed by G&L and provide incredible clarity. The hardware, fit and finish are superb. It's comparable in price to the Fender Classic Vibe, but with some upgraded components.

Ibanez AS73 Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar

If looking for something slightly different, the Ibanez AS73 provides a semi-hollowbody take on a classic Strat-style guitar. It has a maple top, back and sides over a spruce center block for increased resonance and reduced feedback. The pickups are Ibanez's own ART-1 humbuckers optimized for jazz and blues. A great option for those looking for a unique tone.

Summary

The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster electric guitar provides excellent value for money with its premium build quality, great playability and impressive vintage-style tone. This iconic model is an affordable version of Fender's famous Strat guitars, with a classic contoured alder body, maple neck and choice of custom '50s single-coil pickups.

Overall, this Stratocaster lives up to its 'classic vibe' name, offering a fantastic playing experience evocative of the early rock 'n' roll era. The comfortable neck profile, smooth fretwork and vintage tuners make this guitar easy and enjoyable to play, while the bridge pickup provides that bell-like, singing lead tone Stratocasters are revered for.

With its budget-friendly price point, this guitar is a fantastic choice for beginner and intermediate players looking for an accessible version of the legendary Strat sound and style. The quality components and attention to vintage details like the vintage-style tremolo bridge make this a reliable and versatile guitar suitable for all musical genres. Its traditional tone may not suit modern metal players looking for a more aggressive sound. However, for blues, rock, indie and pop, this Strat offers incredible value and historic Fender pedigree at a fraction of a standard American-made Strat's cost.

Verdict

The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster electric guitar provides excellent value for money for anyone looking for a vintage-style Strat with modern playability.

The quality hardware, electronics, and attention to vintage design details make this a versatile guitar that can handle anything from country twang to indie rock. While the pickups don't have quite the richness of USA-made Fenders, they still deliver classic Strat tones.

The playability is superb right out of the box, with a comfortable C-shaped neck, low action, and smooth fret ends. The guitar stays in tune nicely even during heavy use.

Overall, this is an ideal choice as a first "real" guitar or as a mod platform. While the Mexican-made Fender Player Series offers more premium features, the Classic Vibe '50s Strat punches well above its low price point.

I would rate this guitar 4.5 out of 5 stars. It's an amazing value Stratocaster that looks, sounds, and plays like a much more expensive instrument.