What I like about the Player Series is the extremely high quality, consistency, and low price. Also, the durability and repairability. Obviously, if your priorities are high cost or poor playability, I could understand choosing something else readily.
Honestly me and a friend had a heated debate about something similar. He was going to buy a squier for 460$ shipped to his door. Honestly my thoughts are just get a USED fender player series. cuz for just 50$ more he ended up with a beautiful fender player tele, with cts pots, much better internals, and better overall materials including body wood. I have a few squiers but my main guitar is my fender player strat.
I think the issue is you bought an open box guitar, and the person who originally bought it clewrly returned it because it was a lemon. Or maybe they were the ones who cut the nut too low, didn't setup the action properly, etc. Thats why I feel like you should do another review where you buy a Fender player that is still in the box and then give a fair and objective evaluation. With an open box guitar, you really have no idea what the previous owner did with it, or if that one was returned because it was the one out of 100 in the batch that had a lot off issues, luckily most retailers allow you to return the guitars within 14-45 days.
I just bought a used Player Plus Top HSS. It still had the plastic film on everything but the frets, strings, and saddles were very corroded. It was like it had never been setup but played and never cleaned. The fret ends were bad. I did a complete fret job and am still in the process of setting up. Too much relief and a stuck truss rod. It finally loosened up but still difficult to tighten. I put weight on it and have made a few more adjustments and just waiting, now. Otherwise, it's beautiful and the electrics all work normally but with all of the corrosion I didn't play it much yet. 2018 build.
Hello Eric. I am looking at buying a new guitar. I am decided between this exact guitar OR a Nick Johnston traditional Strat. The Nick Johnston model seems to have more extras.... here in Australia the Player series is around $1299 However the Nick Johnston is currently on special for the same price, and its normally $1500 + ....... I dont know if your familiar with the Jonhston Schecter but it seems to have more up market features, locking tuners etc.. Its not the USA model but its still nice................ is there any reason at all for me to buy the fender Player?
I have a Silver Player series Strat that I bought brand new in 2021. I bought it in the HSS variety with a maple neck and tonally it does everything I need it to do. I upgraded the bridge saddles to Graphtecs, and replaced the tuners with Fender locking tuners. Would be the perfect gig guitar for me, but I just cannot get past the neck. Every time I pick it up I hate it. The neck is a satin finish which I love, but the neck was not rolled, i had to smooth the fret ends which helped a bit, but the angle on the neck ends are so sharp, that the wood will cut into my thumb if I am playing chords with the thumb over. I brought it to my local trusted luthier and was told that to correct the issue, they would have to remove the frets, sand, and properly roll the neck edges, then re-fret the guitar, costing approx $350-400. I could buy a new neck for that price, and that's why I haven't done so, but with the price I paid for the guitar, that shouldn't be something I would even need to think about, especially when every Squier I've ever played hasn't had that issue. Maybe I got a lemon, but I saw on forums that this was a common issue with maple neck player series guitars until the new colors they released a few months ago. I have been very tempted to sell it, but with the mods I've made to it so far, I know I would be losing money on it. Looking back I wish I would've gone the way of PRS, Sire, or Charvel for a sub $1000 workhorse strat.
I totally understand the neck edge thing! It does seem like a common issue on those Fenders. You may not be out of luck yet. I think give you should try sanding the edges yourself. I've had a lot of success with it on my guitars. Hand sand with 120 grit sand paper working up to 220. It will round of some fret ends, but that's part of the appeal and makes for a smooth feel. Just go slow and don't over do it. Some people use a sand block, but I think that may be too aggressive. I'll be doing that process to this green guitar soon. I'll do a quick upload about it.
You should just buy a new neck for the strat. $475 - to 650 with out the neck, temporarily until you trash the squire player but keep the neck for something else
Sounds like it has some high frets. All guitars at this price point need fret work. Best thing I ever did as a guitarist and guitar collector was invest in a set of fret files from StewMac and learned how to do fretwork. The difference in the quality of your guitars will be drastically enhanced with properly leveled, crowned, and dressed frets.
Strange as my player is as good as my USA Deluxe Strat HOWEVER these I had to correct: intonation (as you said - not even roughly set from the factory), string height - I lowered it but was not bad at all, the saddle screws in the bridge had to be replaced with shorter ones, as it was scratching my hand. But the bridge on the other hand keeps tuning better than my USA deluxe bridge, yes the screw-in arm is a pain in the neck but I knew about it before buying. And also important disclaimer: I can correct most issues myself. I feel pitty for beginners who would buy it in the condition you described
I wish beginner guitar lessons also included setup/maintenance. I paid way too much money to tech's to do really basic stuff that I could have done for the price a few tools. I'll always still love a good USA strat
Just picked up a 2023 fender player series strat for 450 out the door. "Used" but was in damn near perfect condition. Still has the "player series" sticker on it. Could not pass it up.
As someone who owns one, I agree. You can fix the trem by knowing how to set it up right, but there's no reason to buy one over a classic vibe, unless you find it for $250 at a pawn shop like I did.
I'm afraid to buy a non-USA Strat (Fender/Squier/HB/G&L)...but love my Schecter Nick Johnston. Tele's are safe, simple, fewer pups to replace, less stuff to go wrong...got 7 from USA, JPN, Mex, IndoN...all great their own way...all WELL made, even my newest edition, the HB TE-52.
Totally agree. I have a 2021 American Professional ii, a 2022 Fender Player and a 2021 Squire 50s Classic Vibe. The Classic Vibe holds it's own. Great sounding guitar, plays fantastic, just bit bit heavier than the other 2 but just as darn good. For some people it's hard to get passed the Squire logo but man, if you can, you have a guitar that is 90% equal to it's counterparts. Totally love my Squire.
I just bought a player series neck for an old fender strat and the nut is too low and the frets are not level. From quick research this sounds way too common
Mine was Limited Edition Player from Reverb, must have got lucky, no real major issues like yours. Actually, wish I had waited for newer Player 2's with the rosewood fretboard. At least you got yours for a bargain my friend.
It's an uncomfortable position being between wanting your $1000 Stratocaster to not buzz anymore and people telling you "that's just how Strats sound". I say this as someone who tolerated the original neck for years until the frets became worn down and some gouges resulted in me purchasing a new maple neck from Fender. I spent hours trying to set it up correctly to not sacrifice playability for clear notes and I could never achieve this. Notes buzz through amp and/or are affected enough acoustically to suppress note sustain through the amp. I then took it to 2 different luthiers in my area to do a fret level and crown job, neither of which resulted in improvements. Buzzes, even on open strings, remained after the luthiers gas lighted me, telling me this was normal. It was up to me to figure the root issue after 2 years and this whole time, the neck couldn't be straitened!!! It needed a proper fretboard leveling job this entire time. An unlevel fretboard will not curve properly with string tension, not matter how level the frets are. Not only is it baffling to me that neither luthiers caught this, but that Fender would sell a neck in this condition. Years of trusing people who know more than me and hundreds of dollars spent further on luthier tools to attempt a fix myself, I called Fender and all they did was pass me back to local luthiers in this cycle of injustice.
I just spent 1k on a capri orange Japanese limited international Strat. The old guy I bought it from got it from someone who got it on ebay. It wasn't set up for shit so I had to take it in. I'm hoping when i get it back I do not regret buying it but I really love it.
There's 1 player series that I think is worth it right now (to me), and its the current Player Limited Edition in black with the gold pickguard, roasted maple neck, and the custom shop fat 50's pickups that is currently on sale on the Fender site for $787, which I think is a pretty good deal. I actually returned an AmPro ii due to QC issues right out of the box, and I think its just something that comes with the territory no matter where the guitar is made these days.
Mine is limited edition roasted neck fat 50 pickups incredible guitar. I like buying my guitar at a store strat and LP are ones that each is different and got to get the one that you like. Only one brand you can buy no matter what and it is PRS all the same.
The necks on squier guitars are just too damn thin. After having 12 Squiers and always being unhappy with how they felt, I went with Fender and have never been happier!
Yes, a good shop can correct just about anything. I would find a local musicians/guitarist page on Facebook and ask about a good luthier. Sometimes the best tech's don't even work in a proper shop.
I too got sucked in and bought a Fender Player Limited Strat with an Ebony fretboard. Worse guitar I’ve ever owned! Why? Dead Areas! Dead frets! The neck resonates at the same frequency as the threaded note cancelling out the note. You can hear the dead frets acoustically, and an amp. Not buzzing, Dead Notes in certain areas on the neck. Two different guitar techs gave up trying to address this issue. It’s too late to return it to the guitar center. Be warned, don’t buy a cheap fender, go PRS SE!
FYI there have been returned guitars where people swap parts. It’s hard enough dealing with the quality from the OEM now contending with peoples evil dishonest actions.
I couldn't buy a Fender player for 800. Too much money for what you're getting. So I went ahead and bought the American Ultra strat. Much nicer bang for my buck. Perfect and flawlessly playable out of its case. Fender rocks!
I agree! I think the higher priced guitars are a better buy. Also, buying from a place like Sweetwater I feel they rarely ship without a little bit of setup.
I agree that even Squier Affinity models are as good if not better than most Fender MiM guitars. I have a MiM fender and several Indonesian made Squiers and even the least expensive model is on par with the MiM model which costs almost three times as much as the Squier and the fret edges on the Squiers are smoother. Yet trolls will argue with my facts lol.
My vendor had to send back 3 in a row of the limited George Harrison Telecaster which was MiA and $2700 if memory serves. I was happy to finally get one that wasn't damaged from the factory (and very lucky as well). They were just turning and burning trying to keep up with COVID demand. I've bought 6 Squiers this year after never thinking I'd own one (have 15+ Fenders already). They're out of this world good. Not an issue among them.
I think it may be a QC issue. The Charvel I mentioned also came with a trem spring rattling around in the cavity and not nearly enough relief. But the components on it are top notch at least. It became my fav after I worked on it.
In the states im more than happy to support my "local" North American economy and support our friends to the south in Mexico. Personally I find pride in MIM Fenders. Everyone's situation is different and if you can afford it, I'd do it again
I've never played a Squier that plays as well as my Player Series. As usual with amateur youtubers, you've managed to conflate issues with your guitar with the quality across the whole range.
Couldn’t agree more. I bought a used player tele last year and really disliked it. It wasn’t comfortable to play and wasn’t happy with the overall quality of it. I sold it and bought a limited edition roasted maple neck Strat from Sweetwater. It was a player series and the nut was cut poorly. The low E string would slip off the fretboard often. I think there’s really nothing redeeming about the player series line.
I do want to mention that I bought the Jason Isbell Tele and the quality was superb for a Mexican guitar. I believe they have their best employees working on the higher end guitars.
Playing forever but have never owned a real strat. Only super strats. I think my first strat will be a used one with a beatup body for the price of a Squier or Player.
Squire are low end shit period. To play it at a gig. You have to change the pick up, pots, get the frets done...why? Just buy a made in Mexico strat for more money.
I bought a Fender MIM Player 2018. Of course mine was $659. But this was before "Bidenomics"! If you don't get it, then you need an education. Anyways, I just replaced the pickups with Tex-Mex. But mine didn't have the issues your's has. Lol just keep voting for this kind of politics. We won't even have that!
@@EricMakingWaves then stop voting Democrat. Because I bought that Strat in Trumps economy. That is why it was $800 back then! Trash wasn't excepted from other countries and we were going upwards. Voting trash equals trash. And we are in a dumpster fire right now! One more Democrat run and we are destroyed. You and the rest of us will have to sale off our equipment, homes, land, everything! Because that is the plan. You will own NOTHING and be happy! I hope you and everyone will understand that is what Democrats want.
