So I get HSS is good for metal, but am I sacrificing anything by going with it over a SSS? Are there types of music I can’t play with a HSS but could with a SSS?
Not sure I can justify the dollars at it adds another $150 to the most expensive guitar on that list making it a $850 guitar. Some of the cheaper ones aren’t ugly and are still fine looking guitars. It’s always a trade off of cost vs value. As a beginner should I really be going for the top or go with something cheaper and upgrade in a year or two when I know more and can utilize the better guitar?
No not really.
I think you can play anything with anything, with some caveats. For example it also matters how high the output of the pickup is. There are humbuckers that have low output and maybe aren’t ideal for the harder metal styles.
My high output humbucker doesn’t clean up too well but I can still do blues if I adjust my amp a little.
My single coils pickups can do from jazz to borderline metal.
But I mostly play metal so I’m fine with what I have.
With middle-of-the-way output humbuckers and a pedal or two perhaps, I think you can do everything.
With a humbucker, there’s the option to split the coils and have it in single coil mode for example.
If you aren’t too sure, perhaps go with the HSS and explore the sounds.
Thomann still have some of the squier 40th Anniversary strats for sale at £259.00
Great value. Basically a classic vibe. I have the jazz master version and couldn’t be happier with it.
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You don’t need to buy an $850 guitar as a beginner - $250 buys a lot of guitar, as does $500. That said, if you love the look of the $850 guitar while you’re feeling kind of meh on the $250 and $500 guitars… The only downside to buying an $850 guitar is the cost. The downside to buying a guitar you’re feeling meh about is that you’re less likely to want to pick it up and play or practice. The $850 guitar is going to feel better to play, and getting a cheap guitar then upgrading in a year or two will be more expensive overall.
Personally, I’d buy a guitar that I was excited for - that I liked the look of and that I wanted to pick up and play. But if you’re not seeing anything you really like in the $250-500 price range, I would either expand my search to other brands and models or also look at used guitars. My main guitar is a Schecter that was $1100 new but I got for $500 used.
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SSS is classic Strat - that’s the sound that many Strat players have made popular. If you get an HSS, you won’t be able to closely match the tone of someone playing on the bridge pickup of an SSS - if that matters to you. You may also notice a large volume difference between the humbucker pickup and the singlecoil pickups, which makes switching to or from the humbucker even more drastic. Unless one of your guitar idols plays an SSS, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Overall, I’d say HSS is more versatile, but also that HSS vs SSS and humbucker vs singlecoil is perhaps not as important as people make it out to be. I started out with a Jackson HSS and used the bridge humbucker exclusively to play rock, punk, and metal, but now I use that guitar to play metal using the neck singlecoil pickup. Your amp, effects, and musical style determine your genre much more than your guitar’s pickups do.
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Looks are, imo, the most important part of a beginner guitar (or mountain bike, or whatever hobby you’re trying to get into). Sure, playability and components and tone are important, but manufacturing has gotten to the point where almost every guitar you get is going to have good playability and good tone and good enough components components. But a guitar that looks good? That’s a guitar you’ll actually enjoy playing.
All of my guitars I bought because they look good. Sure, they have the specs and playability and functionality I was looking for, but I also made sure they look good (and, in one case, bought a guitar just because I loved the way it looked). We like to pretend looks aren’t important, but they totally are.
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Well, even very expensive guitars might need a setup and a cheeper one will surely do well. I would recommend a HSS strat and it is very easy to replace the pickups later for a better sound. I.e S-Duncan has many very good choices.I rebuilt my old Samick and i made a very big difference. In my opinion (very personal) if you want to play blues you are better of with Epiphone or similar.
However nothing is as allround as a Strat HSS.!!
I have now a Fender Ultra HSS and in spite of that I bought a Gibson LP Modern.
The latter just for the bridge. You can also lock the tremelo if you dont use it it will be easier playing bends and other tunings! If you buy a guitar in the 3-500 USD range at have a pro setup you will do well until you find you are on a higher level.
There’s not an incorrect answer to HSS or SSS.
With that said, personally I’d go SSS for a strat. I’ve owned both HSS and SSS strats, and all of them have been fine, but the SSS config is the classic config and sound of a strat, in my opinion.
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I think it depends what you are using it for.
At home with modern eq and toys you can make 1 sound rather like the other anyhow.
At home you can easily switch between a HH and a SS/SSS guitar whenever you want that sound
On stage you may only want the 1 guitar so a HSS or HH with splitable etc may work better
Wow! Lots of great answers which I really appreciate! I haven’t had a chance to read them all but will get to them this weekend because I have been working and then straight to PRACTICE after work.
I’m actually considering the nicer Squire Classic Vibe but not ruling either out at this moment.
I still also value other comments. THANKS!
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So that’s a good video. But he’s using an American Ultra Strat HSS rather than a Squier… into some world class amp kit, that’s able to be tweaked.
The Squier’s humbucker is low output. Apparently the pots are different as well. What convinced me to change was borrowing a friend’s Gibson LP Studio. Sounded great on my amp at the time and amplitube when DI (although I don’t use amplitube anymore). I noticed that the output from the guitar when DI was way higher than the Squier. So it would have had a different effect on the preamp with a higher input signal.
So there would have been ways to make the Squier sound fatter - but not with the kit I had or without modding the Squier.
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I wonder if you could just boost the input a little to even that out ?
What Squier would a Fender master builder buy?
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At home, in a bedroom, the optiin to play without hum is not to be undervalued.
A humbucker offers that.
You can also achieve it on a SSS by putting the pickup selector in an inbetween position.
Many people never use a Strat bridge single coil pickup by itself. Thet can be harsh, ultra trebly bright.
I would go HSS if unsure.
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If you can afford a bit more go for the classic vibe. It’s a bit better. Let it set up well.
So true. I have a Stratocaster and it can be annoying. Also easily solved.
My next guitar will / might be a telecaster
This is another question I have: I may use the tremolo later for dabbling on learning surf style music and other styles that use the whammy bar. But I don’t plan on really using it while in the learning phase that much.
I hear people complaining about the WHAMMY BAR knocking the guitar out of tune. If it is not used, it shouldn’t be an issue of knocking out the tuning?
Thanks