PRODUCT REVIEW: Squier Bullet Stratocaster
(Sealed Vessel - Christopher Larkin)
A number of people have asked me why I never do product reviews on my guitars or peripherals. My answer has always been a little evasive: I'm not qualified.
I'm not a professional guitarist. I'm a hobbyist at best, and while I -love- playing, I'm still very much an amateur. I buy my equipment based on admittedly amateurish desires and subjectivity. I know a bit about my gear, but I probably couldn't readily identify the tonal differences right now between a single-coil played at the neck versus the bridge versus a coil-tapped humbucker. Tone woods mean almost nothing to me except where my acoustic is concerned. Many of my preferences come down to,"Because I like it." I'm not sure I could quantify it any further than that.
Then someone suggested to me that maybe my subjectivity is what they wanted to see as an amateur.
So be it.
To start, let's talk about my Squier Bullet Stratocaster, 'Belladonna:'
This guitar boggles the mind for a variety of reasons. Here's a quick rundown of the specs:
- Full scale: 25.5"
- 21 jumbo frets
- Three Squier Classic single-coil pickups
- Satin finished maple neck and Indian laurel fingerboard with internal truss rod
- Squier tuning machines and a synthetic nut
- "C" shape neck with a 9.5" Radius
For anyone who wants a really comprehensive spec rundown, Guitar Center has an awesome one that you can find here.
The first thing people think when they see this guitar is, "Oh, look, it's a Fender Stratocaster!" Then they see 'Squier' written on the head stock and wrinkle their nose because it's a 'Chinese' guitar. 20 years ago, skepticism about Chinese guitars might have been understandable. These days, both the luthiers and the tools they use have evolved to the point that it doesn't really matter where your guitar is made. What matters is -how- it gets made. and Squier's guitars are all built so well that their price point beggars the imagination.
This is a $140 guitar.
That is an INSANE price for this guitar given the quality that it's been made with. The reality of the situation is that even 'cheaply' made guitars from major vendors like Squier are still items of quality, and this Strat is no exception.
As an amateur player, a few things out to me about why this guitar is so very approachable for newer guitarists:
- First, it's dirt cheap. You won't find a better guitar for the price for the beginning guitarist, and you won't find a guitar that ages so well for the intermediate player. Don't believe me? Get on the internet right now and search Top 10 electric guitars for beginners. I guarantee you, this guitar will be on the list, usually at the top of it.
- The Strat is very easy to hold thanks to a generous contouring on the butt of the guitar and the tummy cut on the back side of the guitar's body. Adding to that is the guitar's overall balance. The majority of the instrument's weight rests in the body so you don't suffer from 'Neck Dive'. Neck dive is what happens when the headstock of the instrument is so heavy that it begins to dip when you're holding it in your lap or supporting it with a strap. Proper posture demands that you keep your headstock at least level with the body, preferably above it. Otherwise, you'll hurt your wrist. An injured wrist means you don't play as much. No one wants to play if it doesn't feel good. Also...it doesn't look cool.
- Shiny necks on guitars might look cool, but the cheaper poly plastic coatings on guitars stick on your hands really bad when you're trying to slide them up and down the neck. Instead, you have this lovely satin finish that's basically just smooth wood. It's -amazing-. This guitar's neck feels better to play than things that cost three or four times as much. Plus, it has excellent frets that have been sanded down so they're flush against the wood. This means you can't feel them against your hands when you're sliding up and down the neck. I can't stress enough how important it is that the neck of this guitar feels good.
- IT STAYS IN TUNE. One of the unfortunate hallmarks of cheap guitars is their tendency to fall out of tune after 10-15 minutes of playing. Right out of the chute, this guitar's tuning machines stayed tight and steady, and their turning ratios are perfect for allowing minute adjustments to your string tension without having to turn and turn and turn just to raise the note a quarter step. Added bonus, the synthetic bone nut doesn't trap strings in it when you're trying to tune/de-tune your guitar, so no annoying 'PING's when you're trying to keep things proper.
Lastly, and I know some people will roll their eyes at this, but it looks cool. Anyone with experience playing multiple guitars will tell you that looks don't matter at all to how a guitar plays, and I agree with that. For new players, looks play a huge part in the single most important aspect of your playing, and that's the desire -to play-. If you have a cool-looking axe that makes you want to pick it up and practice 'Stairway', you're halfway there. Admittedly, you should be halfway there in the privacy of your own home, because NO STAIRWAY. I bought my first guitar because of how it looked. That played a big part in me continuing to play it. Later, as I grew my skills, I realized that the prettiness of it couldn't cure some faults in the instrument, but by the time I got there, I was ready to trade up to a better guitar.
That's a story for next time though.
If you're looking for a great starter guitar that will have the legs to see you through your first year of playing, there is no better choice. When you consider that you can buy these things in kits that come with a gig bag, a practice amp, picks, and a strap for less than $250, this becomes a staggering no-brainer.
Q&A Time!
Q: Wasn't your first guitar an Epiphone Les Paul Special II Plus Top? Why didn't you choose one of these Strats?
A: Vanity, followed by ignorance. I couldn't find a Strat in the color I wanted, and when I saw Shirley sitting there in the store, I lost my mind with how gorgeous she was:
I was seduced by that flamed maple cap under the bright lights. Plus, I wanted humbuckers to make noise with, not single coils. I knew enough to be dangerous as a beginner guitar shopper. I knew I wanted hummies for the fat, warm sounds I was after. It never occurred to me to shop for an HSS Strat or a Squier Mustang. Ultimately, my vanity and my ignorance saw me trade Shirley in once I reached the end of what I could do with her. That took me around six months.
Q: Did you like your Les Paul better than your Strat?
A: In some ways, yes. Much of guitar preference is subjective. I LOVED the noise that the Les Paul made, and I loved the fact that the Pots and the selector blade weren't always in my way. The Les Paul was easier to play in that regard while I was still working on my physical coordination. The Squier was much easier to play on the neck. If I could have made a FrankenStrat out of the two guitars, I probably would have loved it.
Q: You've had the Strat for nearly a year now. Do you plan on trading it up for a better Strat?
A: Not right now, no. Squier has a history of slightly higher quality in terms of their manufacturing and Belladonna is still just a phenomenal instrument. I can take her places without worrying about her and I can lend her to people who are interested in trying guitar but aren't ready to commit to buying their own yet. Case in point: 'Donna is currently staying with my nephew as he begins his own guitar journey. That said, I -am- considering a better Strat:
This is also a story for another time.
Q: Do you play your Strat on its own, or do you use an amp?
A: Both, actually. Depending on how you have them set up, amps can cover sloppy playing. When I started out, I didn't use an amp for practice because I wanted to hear it clearly when I wasn't fretting a string properly, when I was playing the wrong string, or when I was out of tune. While amps -can- be a useful tool, there's this sentiment that they're necessary to practice. They're not. I use an amp when I practice now because I have my fundamentals down. What I find my amp much more beneficial for is what I call 'noodling'. When I noodle, I mess around with chords, notes, technique, and effects. Noodling is a great way to let my imagination wander and to double down on what I've been practicing. It's what transforms a 15-20 minute practice session into an hour of playing.
Q: What kind of an amp do you play with?
A: I use a Boss Katana Mk I, 100w 1x12. Which is...also a story for another time.
Q: Did you keep your Trem Arm attached?
A: No, and I recommend that any new player remove their Trem arms as well. 'Whammy Bars' make a fun noise, but with all of the other things you're trying to learn, that's just a step too far. There are other fundamentals to be focusing on. Want to put it back on for your own noodling? Knock yourself out. You may get sick of screwing and unscrewing it though, to say nothing of keeping track of the Trem spring that pops out every time you do.
All in all, this is an incredible instrument. If you're a beginner, there's no better choice for a guitar. If you're an experienced player and you want a backup instrument, something you can travel with, or something you can experiment with -- new pickups, tuners, learning Slide, etc. -- you won't find a better platform for the money. There is not a better, internationally available guitar you can buy right now for the price.
A number of people have asked me why I never do product reviews on my guitars or peripherals. My answer has always been a little evasive: I'm not qualified.
I'm not a professional guitarist. I'm a hobbyist at best, and while I -love- playing, I'm still very much an amateur. I buy my equipment based on admittedly amateurish desires and subjectivity. I know a bit about my gear, but I probably couldn't readily identify the tonal differences right now between a single-coil played at the neck versus the bridge versus a coil-tapped humbucker. Tone woods mean almost nothing to me except where my acoustic is concerned. Many of my preferences come down to,"Because I like it." I'm not sure I could quantify it any further than that.
Then someone suggested to me that maybe my subjectivity is what they wanted to see as an amateur.
So be it.
To start, let's talk about my Squier Bullet Stratocaster, 'Belladonna:'
This guitar boggles the mind for a variety of reasons. Here's a quick rundown of the specs:
- Full scale: 25.5"
- 21 jumbo frets
- Three Squier Classic single-coil pickups
- Satin finished maple neck and Indian laurel fingerboard with internal truss rod
- Squier tuning machines and a synthetic nut
- "C" shape neck with a 9.5" Radius
For anyone who wants a really comprehensive spec rundown, Guitar Center has an awesome one that you can find here.
The first thing people think when they see this guitar is, "Oh, look, it's a Fender Stratocaster!" Then they see 'Squier' written on the head stock and wrinkle their nose because it's a 'Chinese' guitar. 20 years ago, skepticism about Chinese guitars might have been understandable. These days, both the luthiers and the tools they use have evolved to the point that it doesn't really matter where your guitar is made. What matters is -how- it gets made. and Squier's guitars are all built so well that their price point beggars the imagination.
This is a $140 guitar.
That is an INSANE price for this guitar given the quality that it's been made with. The reality of the situation is that even 'cheaply' made guitars from major vendors like Squier are still items of quality, and this Strat is no exception.
As an amateur player, a few things out to me about why this guitar is so very approachable for newer guitarists:
- First, it's dirt cheap. You won't find a better guitar for the price for the beginning guitarist, and you won't find a guitar that ages so well for the intermediate player. Don't believe me? Get on the internet right now and search Top 10 electric guitars for beginners. I guarantee you, this guitar will be on the list, usually at the top of it.
- The Strat is very easy to hold thanks to a generous contouring on the butt of the guitar and the tummy cut on the back side of the guitar's body. Adding to that is the guitar's overall balance. The majority of the instrument's weight rests in the body so you don't suffer from 'Neck Dive'. Neck dive is what happens when the headstock of the instrument is so heavy that it begins to dip when you're holding it in your lap or supporting it with a strap. Proper posture demands that you keep your headstock at least level with the body, preferably above it. Otherwise, you'll hurt your wrist. An injured wrist means you don't play as much. No one wants to play if it doesn't feel good. Also...it doesn't look cool.
- Shiny necks on guitars might look cool, but the cheaper poly plastic coatings on guitars stick on your hands really bad when you're trying to slide them up and down the neck. Instead, you have this lovely satin finish that's basically just smooth wood. It's -amazing-. This guitar's neck feels better to play than things that cost three or four times as much. Plus, it has excellent frets that have been sanded down so they're flush against the wood. This means you can't feel them against your hands when you're sliding up and down the neck. I can't stress enough how important it is that the neck of this guitar feels good.
- IT STAYS IN TUNE. One of the unfortunate hallmarks of cheap guitars is their tendency to fall out of tune after 10-15 minutes of playing. Right out of the chute, this guitar's tuning machines stayed tight and steady, and their turning ratios are perfect for allowing minute adjustments to your string tension without having to turn and turn and turn just to raise the note a quarter step. Added bonus, the synthetic bone nut doesn't trap strings in it when you're trying to tune/de-tune your guitar, so no annoying 'PING's when you're trying to keep things proper.
Lastly, and I know some people will roll their eyes at this, but it looks cool. Anyone with experience playing multiple guitars will tell you that looks don't matter at all to how a guitar plays, and I agree with that. For new players, looks play a huge part in the single most important aspect of your playing, and that's the desire -to play-. If you have a cool-looking axe that makes you want to pick it up and practice 'Stairway', you're halfway there. Admittedly, you should be halfway there in the privacy of your own home, because NO STAIRWAY. I bought my first guitar because of how it looked. That played a big part in me continuing to play it. Later, as I grew my skills, I realized that the prettiness of it couldn't cure some faults in the instrument, but by the time I got there, I was ready to trade up to a better guitar.
That's a story for next time though.
If you're looking for a great starter guitar that will have the legs to see you through your first year of playing, there is no better choice. When you consider that you can buy these things in kits that come with a gig bag, a practice amp, picks, and a strap for less than $250, this becomes a staggering no-brainer.
Q&A Time!
Q: Wasn't your first guitar an Epiphone Les Paul Special II Plus Top? Why didn't you choose one of these Strats?
A: Vanity, followed by ignorance. I couldn't find a Strat in the color I wanted, and when I saw Shirley sitting there in the store, I lost my mind with how gorgeous she was:
I was seduced by that flamed maple cap under the bright lights. Plus, I wanted humbuckers to make noise with, not single coils. I knew enough to be dangerous as a beginner guitar shopper. I knew I wanted hummies for the fat, warm sounds I was after. It never occurred to me to shop for an HSS Strat or a Squier Mustang. Ultimately, my vanity and my ignorance saw me trade Shirley in once I reached the end of what I could do with her. That took me around six months.
Q: Did you like your Les Paul better than your Strat?
A: In some ways, yes. Much of guitar preference is subjective. I LOVED the noise that the Les Paul made, and I loved the fact that the Pots and the selector blade weren't always in my way. The Les Paul was easier to play in that regard while I was still working on my physical coordination. The Squier was much easier to play on the neck. If I could have made a FrankenStrat out of the two guitars, I probably would have loved it.
Q: You've had the Strat for nearly a year now. Do you plan on trading it up for a better Strat?
A: Not right now, no. Squier has a history of slightly higher quality in terms of their manufacturing and Belladonna is still just a phenomenal instrument. I can take her places without worrying about her and I can lend her to people who are interested in trying guitar but aren't ready to commit to buying their own yet. Case in point: 'Donna is currently staying with my nephew as he begins his own guitar journey. That said, I -am- considering a better Strat:
This is also a story for another time.
Q: Do you play your Strat on its own, or do you use an amp?
A: Both, actually. Depending on how you have them set up, amps can cover sloppy playing. When I started out, I didn't use an amp for practice because I wanted to hear it clearly when I wasn't fretting a string properly, when I was playing the wrong string, or when I was out of tune. While amps -can- be a useful tool, there's this sentiment that they're necessary to practice. They're not. I use an amp when I practice now because I have my fundamentals down. What I find my amp much more beneficial for is what I call 'noodling'. When I noodle, I mess around with chords, notes, technique, and effects. Noodling is a great way to let my imagination wander and to double down on what I've been practicing. It's what transforms a 15-20 minute practice session into an hour of playing.
Q: What kind of an amp do you play with?
A: I use a Boss Katana Mk I, 100w 1x12. Which is...also a story for another time.
Q: Did you keep your Trem Arm attached?
A: No, and I recommend that any new player remove their Trem arms as well. 'Whammy Bars' make a fun noise, but with all of the other things you're trying to learn, that's just a step too far. There are other fundamentals to be focusing on. Want to put it back on for your own noodling? Knock yourself out. You may get sick of screwing and unscrewing it though, to say nothing of keeping track of the Trem spring that pops out every time you do.
All in all, this is an incredible instrument. If you're a beginner, there's no better choice for a guitar. If you're an experienced player and you want a backup instrument, something you can travel with, or something you can experiment with -- new pickups, tuners, learning Slide, etc. -- you won't find a better platform for the money. There is not a better, internationally available guitar you can buy right now for the price.
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