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I waited a few days to write a review on my purchase. I wanted to take some time, play with my pedal board, Ya know, see what all tones I can get out of this baby. Let me start by saying, there isn’t a tone you can’t get out of it. Save for the super high gain stuff, in which case I recommend the HSS. For everything else, this is perfect. From shimmering clean, to medium/high gain, the new alnico single coils stay clear and articulate. The amount of body they hold is a massive upgrade from the overwound ceramic turds of old. Great string separation and clarity. A+ I have my pedals set just above unity gain, and all going in the front of my Orange AD30. Eq>od808>Dyna comp>ns2. Tweaking the Maxon did get me into high gain territory. Fit and finish. If not doing a lot of fret work on a brand new guitar is one of your favorite things, you’ll love buying this. Fret ends are very well dressed, no high frets, well crowned, well polished. The body is immaculate. I tried finding any kind of flaw or blemish. Don’t waste your time. You won’t find one. And as for the paint, the new colors are amazing. I went for Tidepool. So glad I did. The color is absolutely gorgeous. Kind of a cross between Ice Blue Metallic and Lake Placid. The gloss fretboard is smooth and not sticky. The satin neck is even smoother, and the modern c profile is perfect for my average sized hand. Hardware. Every review says it’s the same tuners, but I don’t recall the standard stuff holding tune this well. I waited on it for 45 minutes straight and didn’t have to tune once. The saddles are great. The bent steel is a huge upgrade over the cast jobbers that came standard before. Lastly, the trem block is not a thin little piece of crap. It’s a big block trem. Still cast pot metal, but the difference is amazing. Huge sustain when compared to the old standards. All in all, insane value. I can not believe this is a Mexican made guitar. It feels like an American, and plays like it too. The only thing I’d add, is treble bleed, but with the new wiring of the second tone controlling just the bridge pickup, it isn’t a deal breaker. I’m probably going to order another one in HSS, just because of how amazing this one is.

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So let me be the first to review the guitar, i bought SSS Stratocaster in Buttercream, i didn't need another guitar but i always wanted a cream colored Strat, let me tell you how i came across one, i walked into Sam Ash store on the day they just unpacked it and put it out on display, i saw what looked to me like Malmsteen Strat so i reached for it just to realize it wasn't Malmsteen, to my surprise it was made in Mexico, i plugged it in and [played it and it played great and had a wonderful tone, sales people didn't know yet anything about the guitar, so i came home and tried to google it, but came with nothing, not even Fender.com had it listed yet, so few weeks late i walked into a different Sam Ash store and saw the same guitar, and it was as good as the one i played before so ordered one from zZounds to save the tax money, unfortunately mine wasn't set up at all when it arrived, i had to turn truss rode about 3 and a half turns to get the bow out, than i set the intonation, also the term was too close to the pick guard practically riding on it, so removed the pick guard and sanded down the pick guard, i also dipped pickup covers and knobs into coffee overnight and they turned cream colored, very nice little mode, the trem on mine is different from the guitars i played at the store, the trem on others was exactly the same as on my American one, not on the one i have received, but it is still very good one, seems like the put them randomly, the guitars plays and sounds as good as my American made strat, the only differences are, no rolled fret board edges, no staggered tuners, no micro tilt adjustment, fret work is as good as the any American Strat, tight neck joint everything is great, stays in tune super good, radius feels a bit flatter than 9.5, also it is listed as 9.5, to me it feel more like 10 comparing the feel to my PRS, well thats it, it is a great guitar, mine required some work the ones i payed at the store didn't, no need to spend twice the cash on the American anymore, also i own 3 american made guitars and this one is as good as any of them.

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Just unboxed it and not a scratch on it. It looks great and tuned up perfect . Looks and sounds great. At some point I will take it to a luthier for better action but it plays fine straight out of box .I LOVE IT

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Just received my Buttercream Players Series Strat....I bought a blemished model a few days ago, and I've gone over this thing for a half hour trying to find the blemish! I can't. And this blemished guitar came set up! This is the 5th guitar I've bought from zZounds and I couldn't be happier - this model is great as the bottom tone controls the bridge pup, the pick ups sound nice and the buttercream color is beautiful (always wanted a Strat in this color) and the zZounds picture captures the Buttercream color very, very close! The neck has a sweet gloss finish on the maple fret board (looks like a Rickenbacker 620 finish) and the frets are smooth as silk. For an MiM, this thing is top notch. VERY nice guitar for the money. Thanks as usual zZounds!

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first look and body and finish is great, neck finish is great but with some sharp edges on frets (no problem), neck is straight in alinment, only thing that there is a little gap between the neck and body on upper side of neck pocket, its flush on lower side, (its been in a truck for 5 days at 30 deg.)need to let it get use to its new enviroment, over all looks good and seems that with a set up to my spec,s it sould be good....the one thing that tic,s me off is the one day shipping that took 5 days....not happy fed ex.....

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Over all it's a great guitar, but there's just two things that bugs me about it....1-the frets are a little sharp on the edges on the E'st side, 2-the bridge is rather sharp too from the Allen head screws....I use to own the original MIM Standard with the 6 point bridge and there wasn't anything wrong with that at all....but you would think the Player would be at least better....someone dropped the ball some where.

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I've had this thing less than a year, and have hardly touched it. Pickups are cold and thin, fret ends need serious work, and neck really needs to be pulled and angle adjusted. I used to use Mexico made Strats as working guitar. I would play one till the frets wore down, then buy another. Rarely had to do much to them. I expected improvement for the new $850 dollar ax, but it's really disappointing. Oh well.

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Just received my strat. What a beautiful guitar. I am at work so have not had an opportunity to play it but rest assured the second I get off work it will get plugged in

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Excellent guitar all around. Love the feel, sound & look. Upgrades are outstanding. 2 point tremolo, updated pickups & especially the lower tone knob that now controls the bridge pickup. Finally found the guitar that fits perfectly. Thank you Fender & zZounds!

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I received my tidepool blue stratocaster, upon receipt the strings were rusty and the guitar was in dire need of a setup. After setup and change of strings, I was not able to play this guitar for longer than 5 minutes without have to retune. I have never played a guitar that hates to stay in tune more than this one.