Gearank

Gearank High Notes

• 2019.03: Equal Highest Rated Single Coil Solidbody Electric Guitar Under $500
  Tied With:
  Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
  

Gearank Recommendation

The Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster appeared on our recommended list for Solidbody Electric Guitars Under $500 when we published our first edition back in November 2016 and it remained on that list until August 2022 when it was out-ranked by the Ibanez AZES31.

Overview

Wielded by virtuosos like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Eric Johnson and many more, the Stratocaster is undeniably one of the most instantly recognizable guitars in the world today. This is further evidenced by the number of versions available, along with the many ways other manufacturers have copied and modified the design for themselves.

Speaking of copying, you will notice that a number of guitars in this list follow the Strat's double-cutaway shape, a testament to its legacy and continued popularity.

This model follows after old Stratocasters from the '50s, featuring an alder body with a maple neck, as well as familiar specs that include a 25.5" scale length, 1.65" nut width and "C" shape profile.

To cater to today's players, the fingerboard radius is adjusted to meet modern standards at 9.5".

Finally, three single coil pickups give the guitar its tone, all of which feature alnico III magnets and are custom wound to reproduce the sound of vintage specimens.

Specifications

• Body: Pine
• Finish: 2-Color Sunburst (pictured), Sherwood Green Metallic
• Bridge: Vintage-style Synchronized Vibrato
• Pickups: (SSS) 3x Custom Vintage-Style Single-coil
• Neck: Maple (Bolt-on C Shape)
• Scale Length: 25.5”
• Fingerboard: Maple
• Fingerboard Radius: 9.5”
• Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo
• Nut Width: 1.65”
• Controls: 1-volume, 2-tone
• Pickup Selector: 5-way blade pickup switch

Demo

See and hear the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster '50s in action below: