Feature:
A good Floyd Rose trem, which means you can't knock this thing out of tune. This guitar holds its tune for an entire session, and over time. Super stable. My non-Floyd Rose guitars require the tuner to be constantly at hand. Fenders are traditional, and I guess that's why they stay away from the Rose, kind of like clinging to Harley Davidson technology. Fender would sell a lot more of them if the set them up properly.
Quality:
Quality of materials rates a "10", but factory setup is abysmal. Fender didn't even bother to design the proper body cutaway to accommodate the Floyd Rose. And forget intonation. Mine was so far out of proper intonation that the leading edge of the bridge adjustments were over the pickguard, interfering with bridge motion. If you know how to set up a guitar, and are a little handy with a router, you can have a nice Fender with a good Floyd Rose. Most people won't bother - which, I'm sure, sells a lot of Ibanez guitars. I'm a sucker for Fender Strat tradition with modern Floyd Rose stability.
Value:
It's a steal, but only if your a decent guitar tech or handy enough to set it up properly. For example, as shipped, the body cutout doesn't clear the bridge plate, which means the trem can only dive. Cutting out the body to the shape of the bridge plate allows the full range of tremolo motion. Fender can't figure this out? No wonder they sell so few.
Desirability:
It's Mexican, it's 22 frets, but it's super playable and stable. There's NO other Fender Strat that will keep its tune after a couple of dives.
Sound:
Sound quality is very good. I rate rated these pickups an "8" because I'm spoiled by the beautiful sound of my Fender Lace pickups.
Ease of Use:
Easy play, like all decent Fender Strats.
Overall:
I've owned several Strats for years, and this one's still a favorite.
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