If you're just getting started, this is a really versatile guitar and worth the money. If you're a veteran (I've been playing for 25 yrs.) this is a cool axe to have in the stable. After I make some mods to this guitar I expect it will rival some of my beloved custom guitars.

Sound
The active mid boost makes this one of the most versatile and interesting guitars on the market. Use it overdrive your amp, boost a lead, round out the "strat" tone. It's great! I even like the pickups - I didn't expect that from a "cheap" Strat. Maybe that's due to the "No Load" tone controls?

Features
The active mid boost is to die for. The rest is typical "made in Mexico" Fender. It's a great guitar to upgrade. Needs a better bridge, a roller nut, string trees, and could stand a set of locking tuners.

Quality
This is a "made in Mexico" Fender (that's a double negative). The hardware is the cheapest money can buy, the setup was fair, the tone control has a strange "tight spot" in it and will need to be replaced soon, the 1/4 jack had to be bent a bit because it was loosing contact with the cable, the finish is very nice (grafitti yellow), and the neck is as good as many more expensive guitars.

Value
The tone is what make this guitar great. I paid less than $500 for it because of the faulty tone pot. It's a tremendous value for something that sounds this good.

Manufacturer… read more Support
Hope I never need to contact them. I doubt it would be pleasant.

The Wow Factor
I bought it as a "second" guitar (actually it's currently my fourth electric). It looks great, sounds great, and gets me some sounds that I didn't have with any of my others. I believe that the Richie Sambora American model comes with the 12db active mid boost too. If I'd have been able to play one of those I may have left the store with a different guitar.

Musical Style:
Rock, Blues, Pop read less