Who else is looking for a Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster review?
Are you intrigued by the Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster?
It’s got a classic look and great styling, but it can be difficult to know if it’s the right Stratocaster for you.
Plus, Squier’s Classic Vibe series offers several different models from different eras, so it can be confusing to find the guitar that will fit your needs.
That’s why we’ve taken some time to review the Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster.
Bottom Line:
The Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster delivers a modern take on the electric guitar that started it all.
It’s easy to play, produces classic tones, and is solidly built.
While not perfect for heavier genres of music, it’s a guitar that’s unrivaled for any guitarist seeking legendary tones and a dynamite playing experience.
Plus, it has been well received by guitarists and well-reviewed online.
Check it out!
Squier Classic Vide 50s Stratocaster
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: Guitar Specs
- Body Shape: Stratocaster
- Body Material: Pine or Nyatoah
- Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
- Tuners: Vintage Style
- Neck: Bolt-On
- Neck Material: Maple
- Neck Finish: Tinted Gloss Urethane
- Neck Shape: “C” Shape
- Fretboard: Maple
- Inlays: Black Dot
- Number of Frets: 21
- Fret Size: Narrow Tall
- Fretboard Radius: 9.5″
- Nut: Bone
- Neck Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil
- Middle Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil
- Bridge Pickup: Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coil
- Controls: 5-Way Pickup Switch, Master Volume, Tone Knob for Neck/Middle Pickup, Tone Knob for Bridge Pickup
- Bridge: 6 Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: The Body
Inspired by 1950s-era Stratocasters, this guitar features a Stratocaster-shaped body with the traditional shape and comfort cutouts Strats are famous for.
This means it has the timeless Stratocaster feel and is amazingly easy to play whether you’re playing standing up or sitting down.
It comes in 4 different finishes: Black, 2-Color Sunburst, Fiesta Red, and White Blonde so you have your choice of classic colors.
The body is composed of pine or Nyatoh depending on which finish you choose.
As a result, they produce warm, well-balanced tones that are resonant and deliver the classic Stratocaster sounds.
The vintage 1-ply pickguard is screwed to the body and features aged white plastic control knobs as well as an aged white pickup switch tip.
All this adds to the vintage Stratocaster look, feel, and playing experience.
Plus, the body has a gloss polyurethane finish which ensures that this guitar will be durable, will age well, and maintain a consistent, classic look.
Finally, the bridge is a vintage-style 6 Saddle Synchronized Tremolo with vintage correct stamped steel saddles so it has the classic ’50s Stratocaster look and delivers modern tuning stability.
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: The Neck
The neck is composed of maple, and just like vintage Stratocasters it’s very stable through humidity and temperature changes and adds the classic Stratocaster sound.
It has a slim “C” shaped profile that gives you a more comfortable playing feel and feels natural in your hand.
The vintage tinted gloss urethane finish on the neck adds an aged look and ensures easy playability.
Coupled with a fretboard radius of 9.5″, the result is a guitar with an authentic vintage playing feel.
While not designed for shredding, it succeeds in recreating the dynamic playability of a vintage Strat.
The maple fretboard completes the vintage design with black dot inlays and 21 frets just like Stratocasters of the past.
The frets are narrow-tall sized which means they are easy to play, make playing bends and tapping easier, and maintain a vintage playing feel.
Plus, the neck features a bone nut so it reduces string binding, enhances your tuning stability, and creates a superior tone.
Finally, the 1950s-inspired headstock markings add to the vintage vibe of this guitar while the vintage-style tuners provide smooth action.
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: The Electronics
With pickups designed by Fender, you can be sure they deliver the highest quality tones and playing experience.
All 3 pickups are single-coil so they create the classic tones that have made the Stratocaster a high-performance electric guitar.
Each pickup is composed of an alnico magnet which means they produce a smooth, warm sound that’s balanced and full.
The master volume knob controls the volume of each pickup equally.
While at first glance this can seem limiting, it also removes the problems caused by not having the volume set correctly on each individual pickup.
The two tone knobs allow you to adjust the character of your sound and are wired so that one tone knob adjusts the sound of the neck and middle pickup, while the second tone knob adjusts the bridge pickup.
This is great for modern players since it allows them to adjust the character of all three pickups as opposed to the original Stratocaster design which only allowed you to adjust the tone of the neck and middle pickups.
Finally, the 5-way pickup selection switch gives you the full range of Stratocaster tones so you can choose to play each pickup individually or blend their sound with a combination of pickups.
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: User impressions
The Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Stratocaster comes strung with .009 to .042 gauge strings which are easy for beginners to play.
Coupled with nickel-plated hardware and vintage-style tuners, Squier succeeds in recreating a very vintage, opulent look.
Reviews around the interwebs describe this Strat as having excellent build quality and workmanship for the price.
Additionally, it’s been called the best Squier on the market with volume and tone controls that are effective and smooth.
Moreover, a reviewer declared that it’s the guitar to get if you’re looking for a Stratocaster.
One feature that stands out is the neck which has been described as being very comfortable with a finish that makes playing easy.
Plus, others have pointed out that the pickups have great vintage voicing and are very versatile.
You’ll want to add it to your personal collection!
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: Conclusion
As you can see, the Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Stratocaster delivers a high-quality build, vintage styling, and a timeless playing experience.
The neck and body are comfortable and easy to play which means this guitar is an excellent choice for a beginner or someone with more experience under their belt.
The bone nut, vintage-style tuners, and 6 saddle tremolo enhance the playing experience by improving your tone, adding a very vintage look, and ensuring a more vintage tone.
We think you’ll find it’s a versatile performer with superb fit and finish that’s well worth the money.
Why wait? Click here and get yours now.
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster Review: FAQ
- Are Squier Classic Vibe Strats any good?
- Squier Classic Vibe Stratocasters are very good guitars. They have high-quality builds with Fender-designed components and have been well-reviewed all over the internet.
- What pickups are in the Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster?
- The Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster features Fender-designed alnico single-coil pickups that create classic Stratocaster tones.
- What is the difference between Squier Classic Vibe 50 and 60?
- The Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster has an Indian Laurel fretboard, a 3-ply pickguard, and only comes in a Nyatoh body.
- Where are Squier Classic Vibe guitars made?
- While previously produced in China, currently The Classic Vibe series of guitars are produced in Indonesia.
JT currently resides in Southern California and has been playing the guitar since he was 13. He enjoys baking French pastries, drinking loose-leaf tea, and running Slackware Linux.