4 Best Fender Stratocasters for Intermediate Guitar Players
You could list just about any Fender Stratocaster here, but I've highlighted four of my favorites that I've recommended most frequently over the years. It's an easy list to make, because you can't really find a "bad" Fender Strat. As long as we're not messing around with Squiers, these are some of the best Fender Strats for intermediate guitarists. Note that I've limited my selection to the $800 to $1800 price range.
1. Fender Player II Stratocaster
Best for Budgets
The Player II Strat used to be the Player I model, which was previously the Standard model. It's Fender's more economic Strat option, but still an excellent guitar with decent specs. The American series is nicer, and these pickups are a bit of a downgrade from those models, but the Player II series gives you way more than what you pay for. It's the most affordable guitar on this list.
2. Fender 70th Anniversary Stratocaster
Best for Vintage/Legacy Styles
The anniversary Strats are only available for a limited amount of time, which is why I linked to the Reverb page as well. The 70th anniversary model uses the old six-screw bridge hardware and is modeled after the American Vintage 1954 Stratocaster. It's best for more subtle genres.
3. Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Best Overall Quality (most expensive)
In the American Professional series Strats, you get a major pickup upgrade with the Fender Custom Shop Fat '60s single coils. While it's probably on the higher-end of what an intermediate player might want to invest, it's one of the best-value Strats on Fender's roster.
4. Fender American Performer Stratocaster
Best Overall Value (high quality + low price)
If you like the American Strats but you want to spend a bit less, the American Performer sits between the Player II series and the Professional II series in terms of price and quality. The Yosemite single coils on the Performer are glassy and very clean, if not as nice as the Fender Custom Shop or Noiseless single coils. Still this is another great balance of quality and price from Fender's American series.
These Stratocasters are all solid options for intermediate guitar players, priced between $800 and $1800. At this skill level, I’d recommend staying within this price range, as anything cheaper would be more of a beginner fit and anything more expensive would put you at a pro-level investment. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out in the comments second below
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Written by Guitar Chalk on Amps & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Amps & Roundups
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