A FEW BITS OF ADVICE

THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT YOUR PICKUP CONFIGURATION

Sure, you can always replace pickups further down the line – but it would be much more cost-effective to invest in a Fender Strat that’s voiced to your needs. Those in search of cleaner tones may prefer to stick with Fender’s typically noiseless and lower-output single coils, while someone looking to dial into more high gain and heavy metal tones might need more bark from their guitar’s electronics, and perhaps be more suited to one or even two humbuckers or hot rail-style pickups.

And there are always exceptions to such rules – some of the most legendary rock and metal tones ever recorded have shined through thanks to their single-coil grit. So it’s worth asking yourself what has typically been used by the artists you’re most inspired by.

LOOK AT THE NON-AMERICAN INSTRUMENTS

As nice as it is to see the words ‘Fender Corona,

CA’ on the headstock of your newest guitar, it’s worth looking at the company’s more affordable options made in the Ensenada factory and also the under-budget brand Squier, whose lines recreate the American-made models and often with great success.

This ultimately means you could get the guitar of your dreams for a lot less – depending on what you’re looking for in terms of colour scheme, parts and build. If you’re looking to invest in a high-quality instrument that will retain its value, however, then an American-made Strat will probably best fit the bill – or, indeed a signature model made in collaboration with a big-name artist.