Squier by Fender Debut Stratocaster Beginner Electric Guitar, Dakota Red

Got this guitar after not playing for 10-15 years. Last electric I had was a Fender strat 1962 USA reissue which I had customised with bass frets and heavy strings (Srv period lol). Anyway I didn't expect much from this guitar. Got it and was blown away by the quality of the thing. My only gripe was sharp end frets (painful to play on lol) I but this was easily sorted by a quick fret file down and dress. This and a little setup and seriously - this thing feels and sounds better than my previous USA strat which cost around 1700 all in! Got this on sale for like 110 and honestly it's the BEST guitar I've ever owned. Treated myself to a Boss Katana combo amp and the sound from this guitar is amazing. So for this guitar I would say for out the box: Build quality - 7 (only because of the fret issue but paintwork etc is superb) TONE - 8 (sounds amazing and depending on how hard/soft you play, I and where you play on the neck as well as where you strum, you can get so many different tones from this guitar) Asthaetics/looks - 9 (I got the sunburst and this thing looks brilliant). Overall - 8 (amazing price, so overall great build quality other than fret issue - and sharp frets which pop out from neck, perhaps due to wood shrinking as it dries). Brilliant guitar. I can't see how this guitar thru something like a boss katana could be bettered as far as a great starter guitar its more than that. This guitar setup properly will not only be a starter guitar but it will be with you for the rest of your life. It's that good. AMAZING.

The Squier Stratocaster is everything you could want in a first electric guitar—affordable, reliable, and packed with that classic Strat charm. It’s got the iconic look and feel of a Fender, but at a price that makes it accessible for beginners without compromising on quality. What really stands out is how playable it is straight out of the box. The neck is smooth and comfortable, the action is just right, and the controls are intuitive. Whether you're learning your first chords or experimenting with lead lines, it’s a guitar that makes you want to keep playing. For the price, the value is outstanding. You get a solid build, decent pickups, and a tone that’s versatile enough for rock, blues, pop—you name it. It’s no wonder so many guitarists start their journey with a Squier Strat. It’s a brilliant stepping stone into the world of electric guitars.

My Debut Stratocaster (matt black) is relatively lightweight at 7lbs which is very important for me as I’m not getting any younger. My friend’s weighs in at 6.5 lbs so there are variations in weight. The ceramic pickups are smooth sounding when used with a quality low power valve amplifier. These pickups work really well with most clean/treble boosters. So try one of these pedals before shelling out on replacement pickups. The current Debuts have a slight 60s vintage look with their dark laurel fretboards, no skunk stripe and a 3-ply pick guard. The slim ‘C’ shape neck does have a bit of early 60s Fender feel about it This one feels a little thicker and more tapered than my friend’s Debut. Again, there seems to be variations in neck shape and size with this range. It has a rolled fretboard edge and the back of the neck is very smooth with a ’no finish’ feel (but there is a finish there). The fret ends are finished to an acceptable level with no signs of ’fret sprout’ (this seems to be less of a problem in humid climates). The supplied strings were .009s and sounded and held tune ok. I changed these to Rotosound Pinks. Out of the box, the action was very low with the saddles set high, and it had fret buzz over the fretboard. It had next to no relief (straight neck). After leaving the guitar for a day or two, I adjusted the truss rod to give about 8 to 10 thou neck relief. This got rid of the fret buzz and it played cleanly with a reasonably low action (less than 2mm). The truss rod is dual action type. I don’t know the design of this, but generally the adjustment nuts are not replaceable. So don’t ‘round off’ the hex socket by using the wrong size key or applying too much force. Truss rod adjustment needs to be done by someone who is competent. The tremolo is ‘decked’ at the factory. It makes the guitar easier to tune and keep tune. I’m not sure how well it works if set it to float, but the guitar would probably need a better nut, string tree and possibly saddles. Tuners have worked and hold tune very well. If they feel too tight or slack the little screw on top of the button adjusts the gear meshing. These Debuts are great for money .

It was identified as a must have by my Son, currently he is into Dire Striates and was keen to recreate the same sound. after he had done an amount of research, it appears it was similar to the one Mark Knopfler used. what can be said the sound is crips and everything my Son wanted, he has been more than impressed and has not stopped playing it. he is pleased with the finish of the guitar and the quality was as expected. The big plus side for me was the price, it appears you get a lot of guitar for not too much money.

It's a nice well made guitar as you would expect from Fender. I can't play a note but I can make a nice sounding noise. It fits nicely in my hands and played well it would sound really good. I wont be replacing any members of Iron Maiden yet but it's enjoyable thinking I have a great guitar and all I need is a lot of practice. And for the money it's very good value considering your getting decades worth of Fender knowhow.

Got this as my first electric guitar, having never played the guitar before, and it's fab, particularly for the cost. I'm sure if I knew more about guitars I could adjust it on someway that might make it sound better or what-not, but even so, as it was straight out of the box, it sounds lovely, and better than I was expecting having read other reviews here about it needing some adjustment!

The Squire Debut strat arrived Dec 2024. It was delivered in 2 days,so well done Amazon during a busy period. The strat itself is well worth the price. There were no defects on the guitar. The setup was quite good and the action was quite low with no fret buzz. The guitar has the expected strat chime sound. The pots work as expected. The overall quality is good for the price and it should be fun playing the instrument.

3 Stars as the input jack was faulty from the factory, being a beginner I was not aware it was faulty, kept it like that for a few months and eventually the faulty input killed my amp through a short circuit. Other than that, it's a fantastic guitar for the price. The setup was as easy as any other guitar, plug and play. Great guitar for beginners, providing that it doesn't have an issue like mine did. Holds tune perfectly, tone is great, and is very comfortable to play. Also a great cheap guitar to experiment with modding a guitar. Image attached is after I modded mine.

Ottima chitarra per chi inizia a suonare. La qualità è davvero buona per essere un modello entry level Fender: ben costruita, comoda da suonare e con un suono più che soddisfacente per lo studio e la pratica quotidiana. Il manico è scorrevole e facilita l’apprendimento, mentre l’estetica è quella classica Fender che non delude mai. Rapporto qualità-prezzo eccellente. Consigliatissima a chi vuole avvicinarsi alla chitarra con uno strumento affidabile. 🎸

Item description did not mention if this is new or refurbished. It came in bubble wrappers with no original packaging. And the item was not in perfect order

Me fascinó la guitarra, estéticamente, buen sonido y está bien ajustada para los trastes

Auspacken, Sichtkontrolle, keine Mängel, nicht so schwer wie die originale Strat aber überraschend gut zu spielen . Ein Mal Stimmen und loslegen die erste Gitarre bei der ich Nichts korrigieren musste. Die originale Strat klingt ja schon etwas fetter, braucht aber auch mehr Feintuning. So muss die ideale Gitarre zum Proben und für Neueinsteiger sein.

Muy chula tal y como se ve