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| Hardware: | |
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| Sound: | |
| Value: |  |
| Average: | |
Pros:
- Part of a Bundle
- Very Affordable
- Perfect for Kids
Cons:
- Easy to outgrow
- Very basic sound
- Might need an upgrade to electronics
Is Christmas fast approaching? Or maybe your kid has a birthday coming up? What better gift to give someone than the gift of music right, especially if this gift comes as part of a bundle. The Squier by Fender Mini Strat Electric Guitar Bundle is a perfect starting point for any future musician, especially if said future musician is 8 year old sized. Easy to play and scaled down for their tiny fingers, this guitar might turn out to be perfect even for adult beginners having trouble with heavy, full-size electric guitars.
Build Quality
The construction quality on this fellow of ours is not anything stellar, as is to be expected of a guitar intended entirely for beginners. First and foremost, the guitar is scaled down to a ¾ size. The purpose of this is to make it easier for smaller-sized people (such as children) to play it. This means the electric guitar is lightweight and very easy to keep on you at all times if you are on the large size.
The body of this guitar is laminated hardwood. The specific type of hardwood does not impact the actual sound of the guitar, so the only thing you should care about is the fact that it is sturdy enough to handle the punishment the kid will be doling out upon it. The neck is bolt-on and sturdy, while the fretboard is smooth and easy and pleasant to play. This is good because when your child gets frustrated and potentially drops the guitar by “accident” it should be able to take it without breaking apart instantly. Just make sure this doesn’t happen too much because eventually, this will result in the guitar becoming unusable.
Overall nothing stellar, but then again, a beginner does not need anything stellar.
Hardware
The hardware on this guitar is pretty average in its durability and quality. Which is something you should expect of every guitar you buy. Hardware is what keeps your guitar together and if it is in any way below average, the guitar will not function properly. All of the hardware on this little friend of ours is Chrome, a sturdy and standard material for most of electric guitars. I do not expect your child to know how to maintain the guitar right off the bat, and unless you teach them how to, do not expect the hardware to stay in ship shape for too long.
Electronics
The electronics on this guitar are not the best, and it is easy to tell. The three single coil pickups, while being adequate for a beginner player and a child, will very soon become kind of old to listen to. They do deliver an energetic, warm sound, but the pickups remain limited and do eventually get old and sometimes feel flat on the tone. Still, as I have mentioned many a time, this is a beginner guitar and a beginner does not require the most stellar electronics while they are learning. Your child will grow out of this guitar, when she or he does is when you start thinking about stellar electronics. If you are looking for a travel guitar, you might want to think about switching out the pickups for a more mature sound.
Squier Mini Strat Sound
The sound of this guitar is not bad. Which is the best a guitar like this can get said about it. The electronics are able to deliver a warm and energetic sound most of the time, but tend to fall flatter as you get into the higher tones. Adequate for a beginner and nothing to cry about if you have to listen to the guitar for long periods of time. This is not a performance guitar by definition. If you wish to make it sound better, than you might want to think about changing up the electronics set up you have on it.
Conclusion
All I have to say about this guitar is that it is adequate. This does not mean it is bad, and it definitely does not mean it is a good guitar. Being adequate means that anyone looking for a scaled down guitar will find themselves comfortable owning this one, especially if they upgrade the electronics. The fact that it comes as part of a bundle is definitely something every beginner should find appealing.
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