Please leave comments if you would like me to address anything on my full review

"What's the difference between a USA Strat and a Mexico Strat?...mmm...about 85 miles." --Scott Grove

After 25 years of playing, I finally bought a stratocaster player .. I have to admit that I am very excited .. The build quality is fantastic, I can hardly believe how beautiful it is put together. The sound is real.

Yeah, not all of us can afford an "American made" Strat. I'm getting a new Player Series Strat, and it is very nice. ❤️🎸🎵

Great video Phillip as usual! Wore my "Know your gear" shirt out and there were three people who knew what it was in Chicago. My Luthier also knew it. Thanks again very informative as usual.

Sounds like you had a good first impression of the Fender Players Series Stratocaster. I like the sound of those pickups. I look forward to a more thorough review after you’ve had some time with it.

Great demo Philip, as usually! I bought the same one today :it's a real good strat and looks lovely in this color!

I'm a Fender guy thanks for the info I love your show Phillip 🎸

Ahh definitely heard about this one. Really glad to see Fender working to make an exceptional comeback in the guitar realm. I need one eventually!

Phil, those pickups sound incredible!

Man that Strat looks and sounds amazing Phillip!

And the lefty models look good as well. They actually gave them their own category box on the Fender website. Southpaws are moving up in the world.

Always awesome to see Phil JAM a strat! Great review!

Loving these new intros, Phil!

I like the subtle rebranding of the Player series,it now has the specs and the feel of the old American standard strat from the fender branded bridge,alnico 5 pickups,back neck plate ,satin finish etc and the pickups of the American standard have been changed to fat 50s pups.Thanks for the balanced demoing as always brilliant.

I actually bought this guitar today, same colour as well. In my opinion the neck feels amazing to play on. Pups have an amazing sound. I couldn't be happier with it!

You are part of the Fender family because you probably just sold one to me. Thanks Phillip. You are the best.

At around the $700 price point it should at least come with a generic gig bag...

Loving the sound of the new pickups

I cant wait to see you compare this to a standard

You sound great man, love those licks you are playing so nonchalantly but so expertly. You inspire me to buy one of these things. Thanks man. Jerome from Michigan.

Wow Phil, That Strat sounds amazing!

I got mine yesterday with a fender tweed case, I’m gonna put some vintage tuners and a mint green guard. And there I’ve got myself a custom shop Strat

Opening like a little kid on Christmas, guitar in hand and loves the sticker. 👍

The pickups sound great.

Absolutely wonderful Stratocaster ! Can't beat MIM Fenders on value for money ! These now have Alnico pickups 👍

I use too hate maple fret boards, now I really like them on all my guitars, and the sound is also awesome.

Just ordered mine late night select top cherry finish mable fretboard black pickguard im stoked cant wait to get it

You could tell that you "vibed" with it. I love everything but the color. Those pickups sound so much better than the old mim setup!

Love the 50's style logo on the small headstock. The pickups have been changed and there is now a tone control for the bridge pickup. Also, that one is Sonic red, I have a Dakota Red Stratocaster and Dakota red is darker. Unfortunately, the range of colors is a bit limited this time around, I was hoping for some more choices of colors.

Wow, impressed! Great sound!

Can't wait to see what mods you do when you set it up Pickups do sound pretty good

If I put myself back in the early/mid-nineties, when there was an MIM Fender of some sort in nearly every jam room on the block, I would definitely be drawn to this one instead of the MIMs that were actually around back in the day. Those MIMS were plenty nice; relatively cheap, sounded good (though most of us changed out the bridge pickup), and generally bulletproof, but his one looks to be an improvement for sure. Definitely has the sound, the new vintage-style logo is a plus in my book, and Dakota Red is a great sleeper Fender color.

really enjoyed this review, good job!

I saw these at Gear Fest & the Fender rep said that the new trem is much more stable & has a “much higher cost block”. The SSS model Strats were $559 for Gear Fest. 👍🏻

Love your vids. Keep on keepin’ on Brotha.

I tried one out yesterday at GC. First of all, the guitar was actually in tune. I played the HSS model and it sounded great. A decimate buy for me (unless I get a great deal on an old American Standard). This guitar has so much in common with the American Professional; you get 90% of What the MIA offers at roughly half the price.

Nice Surfcaster behind you. I own one with a cherry quilt top. Picked up new in the mid 90s.

You never cease to impress. Lovely guitar, too. Tho I still prefer my 2006 MIM standard, I gotta say I tried one of these in a shop and was very impressed. The neck mostly. I think they nailed the neck.

Finally!! The perfect Strat for my budget!! Checkout the TIDEPOOL color, looks georgeus!

Good job Phil, I like these guitars !

Thx for being the most honest review guy on youtube.i was jw what was up with this series.that player hs jaguar had me curious

Now I'm fucking mad.. I've been playing guitar for 16 years and since day 1 I've always wanted a Mark Knopfler red strat, but I've never been able to buy or couldn't afford his signature guitar. And Fender has since not put out any red ones like that. Not at least to my knowledge. And now when I'm finally finishing up my partscaster in a similar red.. this baby pops out for such a low price.. -_- Granted it's not Hot Rod Red but fuck it, it looks really beautiful!

I knew you were going to say, "Right off the bat."!

One 2018 Player Review showed full size CTs pots. Full foil shield on the pickguard and full paint shield in the cavity. Glad you mentioned the neck profile - I have a Pro Strat. I have a new Chinese Contemporary Squire Strat, very nice guitars for the money; if you can find/get one with a straight neck....Very Nice (Jumbo) Fret work for the $349.00 price range.

Fire it up mate! Nice playing!

Thanks from Brazil. São Paulo !

Already bought a player strat and tele....love them both. Changed the tuners to staggered locking and tusk nut.....put a SH4 in the strat bridge....Blows my American strat in the weeds...because of price. I also have 5 prs SE's single cut with good electronics, new bridges and Earvana nuts....CRAZY awesome axes Love them all! The band I'm in loves the sound of them all and the other guitarists had played all of them. Don't have a ton of money in any of them (the players are new..the rest are craiglist specials I got for nothin) and they are all great axes. By the way..I also have a Jdram Warrior Isabella I traded for....guy had no idea what he had and neither did I until I researched it...frikin $6k guitar and it's AWESOME....can't take it to gigs....would cry for a year if it got boosted....

Great video bro! Guitar sounds great!

Cool Strat, it's a big improvement over the Standard Stratocaster.

Incredible sound

Nothing sweeter than a Shinny Red Guitar.

Sounds amazing. Amp probably helps a little bit. But will definitely look for a set of the pu's on the second market as people pull them to 'upgrade'.

I love how you're wearing a PRS hat, a Fender shirt, and playing a Fender Strat

A very nice good looking guitar sweet pick ups, great contour body shape, good balance great finished and sound of course fantastic

Love that Video demo Guitar New Fender Players Series

just something you may know but didnt point out in the vid, is that the neck tone is actually now for neck and middle and what was the middle tone is now for the bridge... just letting you know in case you didnt cos you gotta know your gear ;)

That sounds good!

I just purchased a black on black players series. WOW. it really does feel like my American professional strat. I traded it away and regretted it. I’ve owned a number of strats and teles over the last 2 years and this one out of the box is exactly what’s missing. Pickups were great. Neck is perfect. This is a great deal feels and plays better than my American special tele

Sounds fantastic

Two new Strats in one week! Very cool. I was able to noodle around on one of these at Sam Ash. It felt and sounded good. Just from everything I've read and seen, I think Fender made enough upgrades to justify the price increase. Gibson should take note on how to appeal to the bedroom/non professional player.

i just got one the exact same color and fret board and its amazing

Hi Phil! When you do your full review, I’m curious to see if the new alnico pickups are as hot as the old ceramics. They sound great so far! Maybe take a reading on your ohmmeter? I’m also curious if they routed the body for two humbuckers since there is an HSH model available. The new trem should work great with a set of locking tuners! Thanks for all you do!

Thanks Philip.

Sounds great. Way better than the standards. I actually wish they were still 21 frets, but more people would want 22. I'm hoping they sell the pickups cheap so I can throw them in my standard.

Hey Phil, are you going to have a closer look at a Modern Player Series Tele by any chance? Or is it only the Strat you're reviewing?

I own a 2017 American professional telecaster butterscotch black guard .

Had the opportunity to try a maple neck player last week. It sounded great.

You opened the box with a switchblade, that’s awesome!

I would expect the action to be a bit high. Anything out of box needs a serious setup. Yes, the pick ups have been upgraded and they sound great!

A few days ago I had it sent from a site, the package arrived with the word Fender, I opened it and inside I found a second package with the word Squier! I was scared to death, I thought the Squier had sent me instead of the Player, thank goodness that the Player was inside the package! However, this guitar is spectacular, for the price it has! Very comfortable action, it does not lose the tuning even with a lot of bendings, it has a faithfully Stratocaster and bright sound, it has a shielded pickguard so zero hums near the amplifier, decent potentiometers. It is really worth buying it, if you want a Stratocaster but without spending too much money!

I bought one of these jaguars. Amazing guitars

Sounds good for chhhh chugging..and bluesing..may buy one.

I've played 50s, 60s, 70s 80s etc etc Strats over the many years I've been playing guitar. I wish I still owned some of the older ones simply for the ridiculous price they now command! But as to playability and tone? I currently gig with a '98 MIM and am completely happy with it...

I love that color

That bridge pickup sounds amazing. I'm usually not a fan of a strat bridge pickup and rarely ever use it because it's to thin and chimey. I can't wait for the full review.

You said you liked the bridge pickup. but I really enjoyed the neck one! Full, almost spacey, yet a lil bit spanky. My description certainly sucks, but the sound is great!

Looks fiesta Red. Love the colour

I am thinking to buy my first Fender lefthanded...been playing about 30years . That sounds awesome. I am looking that "fender tone".

Don't miss the spring for the tremolo!

Hey Phil! When you do the full review could you add in the HSS configuration Pease! That would be awesome.

ooopppsss i left with out liking video.I like you demoes you get to the point and you are honest.

I've bought 2 brand new Fenders. A Jim Root Tele 2013 and a 2017 Profesional Strat..... I never received a sticker with either ! I got a bit of a thing for stickers XD

Its probably me. But that fender has some Mojo that made my eyebrows lift. Sounded great with that amp!

Looking forward to the full review. It looks very promising or should I say it SOUNDS very promising. Lets hear it through several different kinds of amps please.

Sounds good : )

Sounds good to me

Hi Phillip, Love Your channel... I was wondering if You could review The Player"s Series Telecaster, and if You could do an A/B comparison between The Mexican Standard series and The new Player's Series. Thanks, Johnny

Fender and Paul Reed Smith - Two Great Brands!

Wood and laqcuer / finish quality Orientation of the maple neck (quartersawn etc)

Thought I heard somewhere that these have a tone control for the bridge pickup now...about time heh, heh! 🎸✌🏻

bridge looks like my squier standard with vintage style saddles and my squier also has Alnico pickups which makes me wonder how much foreign product can a guitar contain and still be branded as mexican made.

The main thing I like about them is the two point trem.

Hey Phil, long time follower. Is the 2 point tremolo the same as on the USA models? Thanks a million for all the time you put in for the reviews!!

i wonder if the new bridge, saddles & block are made from steel.Maybe testing them with a magnet to see if it sticks to them.if not then it's made out of zinc. So far the new upgrades seem to be well worth the price .I already got my eye on the new Tele HH tidepool color .

Hi Phil you review are always the TOP, I've a question for you, I would like to buy this strat but I have to choose between SSS or HSS and I don't know wich one it's better, Suggestions? I already have a Gibson Les Paul Traditional, one Stratocaster Classi Series 50 and one American Standard, thanks

Color is awesome

I see you have your Rock Crusher attenuation set pretty high, which means you crank that PRS amp. I do the same with my Engl Powerball 100 and what a difference it makes to have the valves cooking!!

PHILS PACKIN A SWITCH BLADE! LOL!

wow u made me change my mknd ln red strats they actually look good