Standard Stratocaster HH Review

The Stratocaster HH is based on requests from many of Fender's Customers for a lower priced version of the Deluxe model. Now you can have that double humbucking Stratocaster sound at a great price.

Features:	9
Sound:	9
Action:	9
Reliability:	9.5
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	9.1
Users rating:	8.6
Comments:	10

overall: 9

Featured review by: Angus Malmsteen, on december 24, 2005

Purchased from: Musiciansfriend.com

Features: This guitar was made in 2005 and It's a Mexican-made Standard Stratocaster with 2 Tex-Mex humbuckers. It's got 21 medium frets and it has a solid Alder body with a Satin polyurethane finish. It also has a fixed-bridge tremolo and a 3-way switching system. It has volume, tone, and tone controls. Stock tuners. Passive pickups. Chrome hardware (soon to be changed). Maple neck with rosewood fretboard. // 10

Sound: It fully suits my style, I like to use a lot of gain and I have a sort of heavier sound. I am using an Ibanez ToneBlaster 100R with a BOSS MetalZone and I am going to get a DOD YJM Overdrive pedal soon. It is not noisy at all and it has a great full, yet balanced bright sound to it, I really like it. It has just as much variety as any other guitar. // 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything was perfect. That's all I can say about it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar will indeed withstand live playing, It's nice and light. I am changing the hardware because I don't like the chrome, it seems kinda, "cheap." I like the strap buttons, they are strong and good for standing they seem sturdy. I like the finish, I think it will last a pretty long time. // 9

Impression: I play a heavier type of music and this guitar is a great match for me because of the dual humbuckers, that why I bought the HH model. I have been playing for about 3-4 years. I probably would buy this guitar again if it were lost. My favorite feature about this guitar is the color, midnight wine, the humbuckers, and the the body shape is great. // 8

overall: 9.2

Reviewed by: Chen928, on may 16, 2005

Purchased from: Music123.com

Features: - Made in Mexico.
- 21 frets, rosewood fingerboard.
- Alder body, maple neck.
- Midnight wine finish.
- Stratocaster body.
- Vintage style synchronized tremolo.
- 3-way selector.
- 2 Fender Tex-Mex Fat Strat humbucking pickups.
- Non-locking grover style tuners.
- Nothing included. // 8

Sound: I picked this guitar for it's clean sound. The neck humbucker is very clear and bluesy, and has a nice full sound when overdriven. When the selector Switch is in the middle, the sound is very neutral, without a lot of bass or treble. The bridge humbucker is nice and trebly, but not very hot. It is quite versatile, pulling off everything from a warm, almost acoustic clean to a creamy overdrive to a slightly squealy distortion. However, I don't think this guitar is suited for metal. I'm using it with a Marshall 15 watt amp, and sometimes with a Boss DS-1. While the bridge humbucker could be better, it has a great sound for the price (especially the clean neck p-up), so I'll leave a 5. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The action was fine, although the floating bridge needed adjustment. However, I was not happy with the 18th fret, which was too high. Luckily, the store I bought it from (WWBW, the supplier of Music123) has a free set-up on all new guitars. The downside is I had to wait 2 weeks to get my guitar back. The pickups were properly adjusted. Everything else was fine. I'd like to note that the finish on the neck, the "satin polyurethane," is very attractive. It's a dull, smooth, Shine. Also, the "midnight wine" on the body is interesting, it seems to change from burgundy to black at different angles. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I cannot make a judgement on whether this guitar will withstand live playing, as I have only played live once with it, but it seems solid. The strap buttons are very solid, and the input jack hasn't wiggled yet. I haven't had any problems asides from the high fret, so I think it's okay to use it at a gig without a backup. The finish is tough though, I've rubbed it against metal a few times, but the finish doesn't show any signs of scratching. The tuning is pretty stable. // 10

Impression: I play a little bit of blues, and a lot of clean stuff. I also play stuff with moderate distortion/overdrive. I've played for about two years, and this is my first electric. I am using a Whirlwind Leader cable. I keep it in a Levy's gig bag, which I highly recommend. It is the most padded gig bag on the face of the earth. However, don't expect to use the pocket on it for anything other than papers, it's extremely tight. I wish that I would've checked that fret before buying it. I can't believe I missed it. If it was stolen or lost, I would seriously consider buying it again, but I would probably shop around again for new deals just to make sure there wasn't anything better.

I love it's clean. I cannot emphasize that enough. The clean, with new strings, sounds almost like an acoustic. With the right amp settings, it has a very, very, smooth, almost warbly blues tone. The overdrive is also creamy (a lot like Weezer's tone, actually), and it (again, with the right amp settings) borders on being able to pull off a squealy distortion, but not quite. I am probably going to change the bridge p-up in the future, but I don't know what I want to change it to yet. I did not find any other comparable guitars, except for a Hamer (unknown model), which had a broken tone knob. However, the price on the Fender and the sound were both better. I also tried a PRS which was way better, but way out of my price range.

I really wish I had a guitar stand with it. I hate to add another 5 rating to the review section, but I don't think that the messed-up fret will detract from any other guitars you will find. The sound is amazing for the money, unless you are looking for heavy distortion. If you are into this guitar but looking for a better version, try looking at the Stratocaster Deluxe HH or the American Strat HH which are both extremely nice (especially the American Strat), but again, out of my price range. // 10

Comments

[fenderflop08]

hey everybody i was postin this to see if you all thought this guitar would fit me. im in a band that has sound and tone a lot like blink 182, Fall out boy, and mxpx, but i also like to throw in some guns n roses like solos into our own songs. once again i was just wondering if this is the right guitar for me.

[Chen928]

... truthfully... for Blink 182, any guitar with a Boss Distortion will sound close enough.

[KsE60]

For the GN'R sound dual Humbuckers would work fine

[Dumbchicken9]

how much does this guitar cost?

[jb007]

400 at guitarcenter.com

[kfong03]

for GNR get a les paul

[tele-man92]

!#@$#@!#@$#!$#@$!@$#^%$^#%^%&@#%$# duude!!! i just bought a epi les paul for 600, this wouldve been WAYYYYY BETTER now i feel like an idiot

[mondaymonkey]

Buy a Aria STG 006. Its a HSH setup Strat. Amazing guitar for 250.

[FEUERFREI666]

lol teleman...

[Saberchimp13610]

I own this guitar and I must say that I love it.

I have put it through a lot, and it has withstood from 12 gauge to 9 gauge strings, heavy tremolo usage, and electronic re-soldering (because I am stupid and screwed it up by taking part of it apart).

The sound was something I was unused to. The hotness of the bridge pickup, the amazing sustain, and the great metal-to-blues distortion sound (I use a Boss Metal Zone or through my Peavey Bandit 112 amp) give it great flexibility. I play anywhere from Metal to blues to jazz to regular rock, and this handles the heavier stuff very well. You really have to get to know the guitar well, though, to use its full potential for the lighter stuff. It can do jazz, but it takes a while to get the true jazz sound (a lot of trial and error with the tone knobs).

I would continue, but I really can't find it anywhere online as of late, so I assume it has been discontinued . Great guitar, wish it was still widely available.