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Fender Player Stratocaster - Black with Maple Fingerboard

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Maple Fingerboard, and 3 Single-coil Pickups - Black
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Fender Player Stratocaster - Black with Maple Fingerboard
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The Fender Player Series Strat

The Fender Stratocaster is considered by many guitarists at Sweetwater to be the classic solidbody electric guitar. Introduced in 1954, the Strat has flaunted its svelte body curves, tonal dexterity, and expressive vibrato in the capable hands of guitarists cross-genre. At once a working musician's axe and cultural icon, the Fender Player Series Stratocaster takes the grand tradition into the future with a fast-action 22-fret maple neck, vibrant vintage-inspired finishes, and three Player Series Alnico 5 Strat pickups that deliver all the legendary spank and sparkle you expect from a Strat.

Fender's Player Series: vintage vibe, modern edge

For their new Player Series guitars, Fender went back to the drawing board with updated radii for more historically accurate body shapes, new vintage-inspired finishes, and a classic logo that harkens back to the Fenders of yesteryear. But these smooth-playing instruments also look to the future with modern enhancements that include 22 fret necks, upgraded bridges for better sustain, and new Alnico 5 pickups that crank out legendary Fender tone by the boatload.

The timeless classic, with Player Series upgrades

Though the original Stratocaster was first introduced more than 60 years ago, it's unquestionably more popular now than ever. The Player Series Stratocaster combines the guitar's sleek, elegant lines with the perfect blend of vintage and modern features. You start with the classic comfort-contoured alder body with a gloss polyester finish, then add a 3-ply parchment pickguard and a trio of Player Series Alnico 5 Strat single-coil pickups. The Strat's original master volume plus two tone pot configuration left the bridge pickup without a tone control; but in the Player Series Strat, Tone 1 operates on both the neck and middle pickups, while Tone 2 is dedicated to the bridge pickup.

The trademark Strat sound

Leo Fender designed the original Stratocaster with three single-coil pickups, enabling it to produce sounds that no other guitar could — particularly once players discovered they could lodge the 3-position blade switch in those in-between positions to access polarity-reversed neck/middle and bridge/middle pickup combinations that produced what is affectionately called the Strat "quack." The Fender Player Series Stratocaster comes with three sweet-sounding single-coil pickups selected by a modern, 5-position blade switch, making it easy to nail those glassy Strat sounds with a flick of the switch.

Fast-playing modern C-shaped maple neck

In keeping with contemporary player preferences, the Player Series Stratocaster sports a comfortable modern C shape maple neck and a 9.5"-radius fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets. The neck is finished with a smooth satin polyurethane for a sleek, fast feel. With its sleek body contours and highly playable neck, it's no wonder that the Fender Stratocaster has remained one of the most popular guitars on the planet for decades.

Fender Player Series Stratocaster Solidbody Electric Guitar Features:

  • Comfort-contoured alder body, gloss polyester finish
  • Maple, modern C-shaped neck (satin polyurethane finish)
  • 9.5"-radius fingerboard with 22 medium-jumbo frets
  • 3 Player Series Alnico 5 Strat single-coil pickups
  • Fender 2-point "Synchronized Tremolo" floating vibrato bridge/tailpiece
  • Fender standard cast/sealed tuning machines
  • Synthetic bone nut, width: 1.650"
  • 25.5" scale length
  • Chrome hardware

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Tech Specs

  • General
  • Number of Strings 6
  • Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
  • Body
  • Body Type Solidbody
  • Body Shape Player Stratocaster
  • Body Material Alder
  • Body Finish Gloss Polyester
  • Color Black
  • Neck
  • Neck Material Maple
  • Neck Shape Modern C
  • Neck Joint Bolt-on
  • Radius 9.5"
  • Fingerboard Material Maple
  • Fingerboard Inlay Dots
  • Number of Frets 22, Medium Jumbo
  • Scale Length 25.5"
  • Nut Width 1.650"
  • Nut Material Synthetic Bone
  • Hardware
  • Bridge/Tailpiece 2-point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
  • Tuners Fender Standard Cast/Sealed
  • Electronics
  • Neck Pickup Player Series Alnico V Strat Single-coil
  • Middle Pickup Player Series Alnico V Strat Single-coil
  • Bridge Pickup Player Series Alnico V Strat Single-coil
  • Controls 1 x master volume, 2 x tone
  • Switching 5-way blade pickup switch
  • Miscellaneous
  • Strings Fender, .009-.042
  • Case/Gig Bag Sold Separately
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 0144502506

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

Amazing first guitar!

This was my first ever guitar, it's been 3 years and I can say that I'll never sell it, plays amazing, sounds amazing, I've modded it many times and decided to keep it as a Billie Joe Armstrong replica (mods wise).

Here are some pictures of what it looked like throughout the years!
Rated 5/5

The high quality of what is essentially a Mexican Strat is insane!

No longer does a Fender Stratocaster that was made in Mexico "MIM" carry with it a stigma of being the cheep real model! This new Mexican Strat's quality is simply unreal! The quality of the maple neck is incredible! The Alnico V single coils sound great! Comes with synthetic bone nut, and just the fact the bridge is 2 pole bridge with a nice beefy block tops it off basically placing it on the same playing field with its Japanese cousin and closer then ever to its American father! No longer can the guitar snobs of the world turn their nose up at this Mexican strat. Well done Fender
Music background: 30 years playing guitar
Rated 5/5

Better than expected

I have always been an American fender snob but I wasn't trying to spend the money for an American version this time. The build quality is fantastic and I am going to have my guitar tech do a full set up with some minor fretwork but it still plays and sounds solid. Going to put some fat 50's pickups on it and it'll sound the way I like. I wish these we priced lower but it seems like everything is more expensive now.
Music background: Experienced
Rated 5/5

Shine on you crazy diamond ......

First off if you are anyway concerned about a Fender made in Mexico just stop it! Same wood, same equipment and same training as it's American counterpoint and these Players being produced are just amazingly great. I am so stoked and my buddy who is playing a 70's era Strat he has had since new is wanting one for his arsenal. Three wives same Strat over decades.... a Strat fanatic.
This was a "project" guitar for me. I wanted a "Gilmore Strat". I had played a 2021 Player from a friend and was duly impressed with build quality and sound. The guitar was just crazy solid so I decided to go with a Player as my Strat of choice.

Additions installed before shipping:

1. David Gilmore Pre-wired pick guard with EMG DG20 pickups.
2. Plek Pro Fret Adjustment

First off the pre-wired pick guard will blow you away. Dialing in Gilmore .... SRV..... just some amazing sounds. It is a killer set up and exactly what doctor Floyd ordered.

Plek treatment made running the neck smooth as ..... well butter for a well worn phrase. Totally suggest this for anyone who has a bit of coin to spend... it is amazing the difference it makes. I truly do not believe the American Standard has much on this guitar now. The plus side is if you ever sell the guitar it is added value.

This has been a terrific experience and many thanks to Cameron Green for bringing it all together.

Straight out of the box (from Sweetwater and their 50 point quality checks) this guitar is an amazing value .... add a little bit and it gets even better.
I sound just like David Gilmore now (If he was totally drunk and had his finger stuck in the strings).... seriously practice is taking on a whole new experience. Now if I could just download Gilmore's hands.

Want a terrific strat for a reasonable purse? Buy this guitar!
Rated 5/5

What an incredible Fender Player Stratocaster for the money!

Wow... I am still utterly speechless over the quality and sound of the Fender Player Stratocaster! Sweetwater (and mainly the sales engineer Stephen Graham) really went all out to provide me with the best!

I'll be honest and straight from the heart... Deep down I was somewhat hesitant to order an "unplayed guitar" from an online music store, as I have never done it before. I didn't know what to expect. Granted, I DID check out the Player Stratocaster at my local music store (here in Richmond, VA). But the "Buttercream" paint color was not for me. I loved the sound of the guitar when I demo'd it, but just couldn't bond with the yellowish coloring.

I made two individual YouTube videos, if you are interested. (1) I'm unboxing the black Player Stratocaster direct from Sweetwater, as soon as FedEx showed up at my door. (2) After I let the guitar reacclimate to room temperature and get tuned up, I play a few songs of different genres, different gain channels, etc... The guitar is *PERFECT*!!
Music background: multi-instrumentalist for 45-50 years. Guitar player at heart!

It’s impossible to imagine a world without Fender guitars, and if you’re like many of the guitarists at Sweetwater, then Fender not only made the first guitar you ever bought " they made the last one too! From building the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitars and basses in the 1950s to creating some of the most influential amplifier designs in history, it’s no wonder why Fender is one of the biggest names in the business. As one of the world’s largest Fender dealers, we have countless guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and accessories in stock and ready to ship, whenever you need them. We’re always getting our hands on their latest creations, and there’s nothing we love more than to tell our customers all about them! So, whether you’re looking for your first axe or a Custom Shop creation, make sure to give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.

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