Things to Know About the Fender Standard Series Telecaster and Stratocaster

If you are considering a new axe that is multipurpose and won't set you back too much, I'm sure you have looked into the Fender Standard series guitars. These Mexican made Stratocasters and Telecasters are a great pick for playing any type of music. These guitars range between 3 and 4 hundred dollars new, and a little bit less used. Either type of guitar can be a truly great choice for true Fender sound as well as versatility. Either guitar also holds potential for component upgrades, as well as personalization. I'd like to share my experiences to share some information about shopping and choosing the perfect Mexican Fender.

First thing to know about these guitars is that they are not meant to be custom shop re-issue quality. However, if you want to sound like Clapton or Brent Mason, they won't sound too far off. If hardware, such as knobs and chrome, are something that is on your list, they are very easily upgradeable. If you choose to upgrade the pickups, that will also help to get the ideal tone and still cost much less than an American Vintage or Custom Shop model. As far as practicality, you can't beat them. Even if you own a high dollar guitar, a Mexican Fender, stock or upgraded, is the perfect choice to put in the truck and go play a bar gig with. The tone is there, the looks are authentic, and if something were to happen to it, it's not going to be as painful.

When shopping for a Mexican Fender it is important to remember that these are not high dollar guitars and there are going to be some quirks in them. Don't let that detour you, finding the perfect one can be done but it won't be like ordering a Custom Shop online and having it perfect when it arrives. The best thing to do is go to a large store like Guitar Center and try a few out. Pick at least 3 from the rack and play each one in the store and evaluate it. A good choice for an amp to test them with would be a model similar to the one you own. Also, any Blackface tube powered Fender such as a Twin Reverb or Deluxe Reverb is also a good choice. Take your time testing and note which one of the three sounds the best.

In testing a few different models you can find out what the strong points and weak points of each instrument is. Some may have the action set too high, intonation off, as well as a few other items that can usually be taken care of before you take it home. Another item is the quality and balance of the pickups if you wish to keep the stock ones. When I got my Mexican Stratocaster, the first one I played was very weak with the pickups and just didn't have the true Strat sound to it. The second one I played had pickups that sounded very dark and thick which would have been good for blues or rock but I prefer to play country and it didn't have the sound I liked. The third one that I picked up, had the perfect balance, it was right in the middle and had all the brightness needed to play some hot country licks as well as blues or rock. If you buy online, you don't have the luxury of finding the perfect tone and well as the low price.

If you are just starting out, or a seasoned pro, A Mexican Fender will serve as any Fender should. Affordable, tough, and pleasing to listen to, these guitars will get the job done. I have played mine in several bars and well as other places and got some great reviews. Even after 4 years of continuous service, its still holding up just fine. I find that they are very much worth the money as well as the effort as picking up the right one. These guitars are the best choice for versatility and value. So, if you are considering getting one, you will be pleasantly surprised as long as you put the work into finding which one is the best pick for you!