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.
Thereās not an incorrect answer to HSS or SSS.
With that said, personally Iād go SSS for a strat. Iāve 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.
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 havenāt 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.
Iām actually considering the nicer Squire Classic Vibe but not ruling either out at this moment.
I still also value other comments. THANKS!
So thatās a good video. But heās using an American Ultra Strat HSS rather than a Squierā¦ into some world class amp kit, thatās able to be tweaked.
The Squierās humbucker is low output. Apparently the pots are different as well. What convinced me to change was borrowing a friendās Gibson LP Studio. Sounded great on my amp at the time and amplitube when DI (although I donāt 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.
I wonder if you could just boost the input a little to even that out ?
What Squier would a Fender master builder buy?
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.
If you can afford a bit more go for the classic vibe. Itās 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 donāt 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 shouldnāt be an issue of knocking out the tuning?
Thanks
Yep, that is what Iām considering and I wonāt be playing metal. Itās interesting that most folks are leaning towards the HSS. Thanks
Funny, I was just watching Justinās video on āCanāt Stand Losing Youā by The Police. When he started the video by playing through the song, I immediately thought āsounds like bridge pickup,ā then was able to see that the selector on his S-type was, in fact, in the bridge position. Then I further noticed that his guitar was HSH, so he was playing a bridge humbucker. Nonetheless, my attempt to play along with a bridge single-coil sounded right, so apparently Police songs use the bridge pickup a lot.
And no, I couldnāt do the āharp harmonics!ā 
Yeah, Iām looking @ that Affinity @ $250 - all I hear is that it is a really good guitar out of the box ready to play just like that guy in the video says - thatās all I hear in the reviews. Thanks for the video @Matt125
I donāt see how a wammy bar could knock a guitar out of tune. Obviously the guitar goes out of tune while you are pushing or pulling on the wammy bar. But it goes back in tune when you let go of the bar.
I any case, they simply pop out or screw out when not needed.
Because the springs donāt return the bridge to the precisely same location it was in before the bar was used?
Could be an issue on cheaper guitars I guess if the bridge is a little āstickyā. Certainly doesnāt happen on my Strat. The only thing that effects its tuning (once the strings have stretched after replacement) is temperature.
Iāve never even put the bar on my guitar, so I wouldnāt know first-hand. Just a guess, because I know that some s-type owners have their bridge blocked to avoid going out of tune, and thatās without even having the bar on. Again, an issue Iāve never experienced.
Well, i guess you could leave the Trem-bridge a it is, i.e. keep it if it is well setup!
I can bend wll on my F Ultra Strat without it going out of tune. I.e. the contruction AND setup of the Trem is very important and that is a job for a Luthier. Cheep guitar do usually have cheep Trems and at not set up well. However, both Fender and Gibson can also ship expensive guitars not in optimum setup. ( I have both) Yamaha is by many known for best quality vs price and always well setup a Pacifica HSS is about USD 800 ! A lot o money still but ā¦
So why did I buy an expensive Fender and a Gibson. Well, I admit only beacuse of boyhood dreams 50 years ago - now I can fulfil my dreams. Silly - yes !
Good luck with your decision