Fender Player Stratocaster Comparison | SSS vs. HSS vs. HSH
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- čas přidán 1. 07. 2024
- After running down the pickup options on American Pro II Stratocasters, we had to check out the pickup offerings on another one of the most popular lines, the Player Series. The Player Series offers both SSS and HSS, as well as an HSH Strat-- "H" meaning, Humbucker! Check out these awesome Humbuckers on 3 great Strats, and let us know which you like best!
0:00 Intro
1:14 Specs
8:36 SSS Demo
10:02 HSS Demo
11:28 HSH Demo
12:58 Wrapping Up
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Here are the time stamps for the different pickup positions during the demo.
SSS
8:37 5th position
9:00 4th position
9:16 3rd position
9:27 2nd position
9:36 1st position
HSS
10:03 5th position
10:26 4th position
10:41 3rd position
10:57 2nd position
11:10 1st position
HSH
11:29 5th position
11:52 4th position
12:06 3rd position
12:22 2nd position
12:36 1st position
Thank you! Love the format so you just bounce to similar positions.
@@killerb5726 no problem! Happy to help!
Thanks buddy
legend
You are a hero.
SSS Position 4 - 9:26
HSS Position 4 - 10:56
SSS Position 5 - 9:35
HSS Position 5 - 11:09
Thanks
Thanks bro
Thanks!
Wow that hss position 5 sounds amazing
SSS
8:37 5th position
9:00 4th position
9:16 3rd position
9:27 2nd position
9:36 1st position
HSS
10:03 5th position
10:26 4th position
10:41 3rd position
10:57 2nd position
11:10 1st position
HSH
11:29 5th position
11:52 4th position
12:06 3rd position
12:22 2nd position
12:36 1st position
I have the buttercream HSH, Fender has really stepped up their game with the imports. Mexican fenders play and sound better now than a lot of the US fenders I owned in the 90s.
Mexican tech finally caught up to US 90s guitar tech 🌯.
I also own one. Tuning is incredibly stable. The fourth position is my favorite "strat" sound, and I've owned at least ten different strat style guitars.
thats cool
@@donttalktome4696 agreed, from this video I like the in between sounds on the hsh better than the normal strat too.
@@fbee6844Wow, it's like there are ranges and you have to pay extra for a better product 😱 if I didn't know better, I would think Fender intentionally has lower quality components in mexico and Japan and uses the newer tech in national products so that we are forced to pay 5 times what a foreign strat would cost if we want a very slightly better product 😨😨😨
just bought a buttercream HSS fender player strat and it should be coming by the end of this week :) i’m so excited
I bought a lake placid blue squire strat and it’s coming tomorrow so I’m very exited as well. How do you like your new guitar?
Love that color
I got one too it’s an awesome color.
👌👌🇦🇺🎼🤘
I understand
Two years in and this presentation is still current and valuable. I've watched this at least once previously and now watched it again. GC has the Player HSS and SSS on sale again and you pretty much made up my mind for the HSS. I alway demo in store and order from their KC warehouse if needed. I always check the neck carefully before taking delivery. Thanks guys, if I was in SA or Austin I'd come on down.
I own an HSH myself, and it has proven to be the most versatile strat I've ever played. Definitely my favorite electric to play.
Why no one uses HHS (humbucker on the neck)?
Another great video. Thank you. Chris, the video you mentioned doing at 17:20 Is one I’d love to watch. I chose an HSS over the other two because it sounded more “balanced” to my ears.
I bought this used Red HSS Strat a year back. I could tell someone did upgrades on it because it had a Seymour Duncan bridge humbucker- customized tuners- and a marble pickguard.
It's honestly my favorite guitar ever. It was still in amazing condition and went for around 500$ which isn't expensive whatsoever compared to other Fender Strats. I hope to make it into my signature guitar like Rory Gallaghers worn out strat.
Amazing playing as always, Cooper.
I have a Sunburst Player SSS Strat and loved it so much that I bought a black one and I’m having a 57/62 loaded pick guard installed
Cooper, that was some lovely, lovely guitar playing on your part. Very nice composition too.
Because of the difference in fretboard wood types, this comparison should be disregarded because if you listen closely you can hear my unemployed loser ass complaining about the fretboard wood being different.
I don't get why you don't like Pao Ferro... I have it on my fender electric xii string. It's actually super nice feeling and holds it's tone. Rickenbacker guitars only use Pao Ferro on their necks and are NOT cheap. However I think they should put a heavy lacquer over the Pao like on the Rickenbackers. It really makes the wood look better
@@Kylegatzke1997 from what i can tell this wasnt about it being pau ferro its that they compared guitars with pau ferro and maple fretboards with different pickup combinations, as the fretboard wood alters tone a lot
god that HSH sounds fucking heavenly
I just bought a HSH fender silver player strat today, can’t wait till it gets here!!!
Ahhhh that 4th position on the maple neck. Brilliant!
Great comparison video, thanks
I LOVE humbucker covers on a strat. So classy looking
Already own a HSS.
Just jumped on a new HSH purchase... neck humbucker sounds killer and makes the Guitar a very versatile Blues Rocker in my opinion.
Every strat is good for blues :)
Bravi 👏 ragazzi, this video was really helpfull! Thanks and Happy New Yer from Italy 🇮🇹
I remember playing a silver sparkle red tortoise pickguard hsh years ago, great guitar and it had this outlandish finish.
cool
I went ahead and ordered the HSS that's in this video. I can't wait to get mine! Its gonna be a big upgrade for me since I'm coming from a Made in China "Starcaster" by Fender guitar that I've owned for 6 years already. The Made in China guitar that I have and am going to sell off is SSS but I need the H in the SS for some decent heavy playing, and the SS for clean tone playing. Best of both worlds in one guitar!
Edit: I've owned the guitar for almost 2 months now and I have to say, best guitar I've ever bought. Feels really high quality like the 2015 Made in USA used Fender Stratocaster that I tried out at Guitar Center 5 years ago.
My HSS arrives on Friday. I also bought a Vox AC30 Amp. So excited. Played on a 300$ no name guitar and a 100$ Marshall beginner Amp for over 3 years now and finally needed an upgrade haha.
I've had my HSS Lonestar Strat since the late 90's. Pearly Gates + and two Texas Specials. Super versatile guitar.
Wow so many options on the Strats alone not adding in other Electric guitars, now to decide which guitar to upgrade, my acoustic or my electric, although the electric would be the more obvious choice, specially with the new Micro Amp Fender has came out with.
I got a Buttercream SSS MIM Strat 4 months ago and I love it. Can't recommend it more.
Same, love it. The Buttercream was my least fave finish till I was in the store and saw how it really looked.
Thank you. Going for one this week
I’m just getting back into playing after taking about 6-7 years off. I mainly play acoustic but like having an electric for practice.
I ordered a Player HSH sight unseen expecting it to be comparable to the Mexican strat I had about 10 years ago. Wow! The Player series is amazing!! After having owned probably 25 different guitars in my lifetime and playing who knows how many, the build quality of this Player is as good as anything else I’ve ever seen or played.
amazing, beautiful guitar playing and equally enjoyed listening to you cool guys hanging out and chewing the fat
I own 3 Player Plus Top Stratocaster HSS’s and I couldn’t be happier!
They are gorgeous!
The quality of MIM Fenders has greatly improved over the years almost rivaling American made guitars.
I also own 3 other MIM Strats and they are great too!
I am no longer a MIM snob!
I have a 2007 MIM Strat I wanted a sss but I couldn’t beat the price and it’s a very versatile instrument can play everything I want it to .
Why 3?
Why not??!?
If I can afford it...fine!
Why not??!?
If I can afford it...fine!
Why not??!?
If I can afford it...fine!
The day where Fender produces a strato player HSH in polar white version, I immediately bought one!
I’ve got a MIM Silver HSH I bought in 2012. Motor City Guitar in Waterford, Mi ✌🏻
Love your videos. Greetings from Germany
My favorite is the HSH. I also would like the see a Telecaster with two humbuckers.
I love the #2 position on the SSS for chorus-y clean tones but I like the HB in the bridge also for an overdriven rock tone. What I would need is a model with coil tap on the bridge PU.
Yamaha 612 😀
-Thanks for the video !!!! ☺️
I'm a huge fan of the HSS, I have two right now.
I have the Maple fretboard SSS in Buttercream and the PUs are pretty nice sounding. The built quality was darned good except the nut needed work and the plastic pickguars had a tiny area on the beveled edge I needed to sand clean. The trem cavity cover only exposes the string holes when the trem is floating not when decked so I have to remove it when changing strings. I was thinking of adding another in the HSS version in maple but its basically $1100 cad here so I got a Sterling Cutlass CT50 in HSS for $750 cad instead which also needed work but turned out nice.
Only SSS available stock for lefties. I have modded three Fender Mexican Player Strats. All have Graphtec nuts and stringtrees, and Fender locking tuners. All have Maple fretboards. One is HSS with a Freeway 5B5-02 ten position blade switch, colour Polar White. One is an HSH with a Freeway 5B5-02 ten position blade switch, colour Sunburst. One is an HH with a three way blade switch and two push/pull tone pots giving eight different positions - colour Tidepool. When you take a Mexican Player Strat apart the impressive quality is apparent - no obvious cost cutting other than occasional 4 piece bodies. I used Fender Shawbuckers 1 and 2 and kept the original Fender single coil (in the HSS and HSH) I have a spare set of Gibson P90 pickups and a dual P90 Strat pickguard, so a two P90 pickup Strat may be my next project. I do have an American made SSS Strat of course.
Beautiful playing
I love the ice 🧊 pick type of sound, really shrill, piercing, thin and tinny but very throaty. Brittle and very dry but turned up super loud.
WOW, that HSH... just WOW!
I have the same SSS black with PF board like in the video. My very first guitar.
For beginners like me who want a quality guitar for the first couple of years, the Player series is perfect.
That is one hell of a beginners guitar ! Not only for the first couple of years. Congrats !
@@raytorvalds3699 Thank you. I told the guy in the shop that I was looking for a stratocaster because i have to learn Wicked Game from Chris Isaac.
I also told him that i want something good to play on for couple of years instead of having enough after a while with a 100-300 Euro guitar.
He suggested me the Player strat. He was very right about that.
Will last a lifetime not just a few years
Pau ferro problems?
No problems. What kind of problems may occur?
Lmao... You got me at fret wood... I own two fat strats (Mex and 🇺🇸).... I personally love the HSS... But it really comes down to genre and tone.... I can get the same tone for my leads as a Gibson or PRS but get the warmth of a that only a fender can give me. Great vid. Especially that you acknowledge the MEX models are just as good. I've got a USA Black HSS.. Changed the pickguard to all black. My MEX HSS is a sunburst with white pickguard.. Both with maple necks.
Subbed @18:00 great job you guys!
Awesome demo & explanation of when the H's could be emulated with a clean boost pedal. I have SSS Strats and have been contemplating converting one to HSS or even going HSH. I can see why some have split coils for their H's, 1 guitar pickup configuration becomes 3 pickup configurations. That may be what I ultimately decide to do, the HSH with the coil splitting or neck & bridge.
That HSH one is sweet looking
Got a HSS Yamaha Pacifica for 50 bucks and fixed it up. Was an awesome project and it plays pretty awesome. Takes time and money and patience though. At this price point worth the money.
I have one yamaha YGS 112p. It was originally HSS 1970s i think. And its great.
I feel like if you're gonna get a fender Strat, get hss or sss because of the 4th and 5th position. It's just too good to not have those sounds, I mean that's what they're known for anyways. If you want hh or hsh go for something like Ibanez or esp/ltd because in that case you're most likely gonna be playing metal anyways
Thanks for the great video!. This was really helpful! On the HSH configuration would splitting, especially the neck humbucker, give you an even more strat-like single coil soun as well? Thanks again!
afaik coil-split humbuckers don't really sound like a single-coil
You could get a HSH strat with two P rail pickups for the neck and bridge position that give you a humbucker, p90 and single coil sound all in one pickup.
Love your guy's videos. Keep it up. Definitely dig the HSH. I hear that the lacquer on the the butter cream is MIJ, which adds a lot of highs to the mid lows.
Ive been thinking about swapping out the pickups on my MIM. I feel the HSH is the perfect sound for me. Is there a preloaded HSH pickguard, you recommend?
Hi.
I know the video is not about Deluxe model but maybe you know something!
Is Ferder intending to replace the MIM Fender Deluxe Stratocaster lineup? I can’t find them anymore in stores, in Europe. Deluxe is not even on Fender’s website!
Thanks.
I might have to check one out. I have a Mexican made Martin DX1AE . Fantastic guitar.
You can't go wrong with a Mexican Strat. If you love Strats as much as me all 3 are a must have ☺
I have an HSS Player Strat, i looove it! But recently the Humbucker in switch position 1 sounds very thin and much quieter than before. All other switch position 2 to 5 are ok. Is it a malfunction of one coil of the humbucker or is it just the switch? I removed the pickguard, but i couldn't see anything abnormal.
I own two fender stratocasters HSH pickups players series with a lot awesome tones to play heavy metal to Blues to Rock to country music 🎶 🎵
looove the HSS. Especially for a beginner who doesn't yet know what they like, it offers the most options for a beginner to explore imo.
@the demo: Would've loved to hear the guitars with some distortion. Kinda defeats the purpose a bit when a you demo a HSH and don't show how it sounds with distortion. Isn't that why someone would buy a HSH in the first place?
Otherwise, great video :)
This is not Beginner guitars. Fender Player is Intermediate guitar and uses professional guitarist. I have Player series and i'm very happy.I play guitar 27 years.
@@bojanabeltram It may not be aimed for beginners, but honestly if a beginner has the money for it and wants to spend it on a real actual Stratocaster and not a Made in China Starcaster by Fender guitar, I say they should go for it if they are seriously determined to learn. I recently ordered an HSS because I need that high gain for my sound to pump out some heavy riffs with overdrive, something that single coils struggle with, even with really cheap wiring, but I also want the single coil for clean tone playthroughs. I've owned my Starcaster by Fender and played it for 6 years already, and in my case, its time for an upgrade. I don't plan on getting a USA Strat because that's more expensive and the difference is minor by comparison, at least for me. I could have bought another Made in China guitar with humbuckers and stuck with that and maybe not even a Strat type, or even mod my existing one, but due to the warped neck my current guitar has, modding it is out of the question. I'm going to sell my cheap guitar to a pawn shop.
Perhaps if I were to play professionally someday, I would invest in a USA Strat, but really I should be fine with the Mexican Player series for the rest of my life.
I clicked for the distortion comparison....
@@bojanabeltram wow, nobody cares. Why be rude when he made a suggestion? Do you run the channel? No? Then shut up
@@bojanabeltram it wouldn't be a beginners guitar for someone under 18 still living at home, but if your over 18 this would be an excellent beginners guitar.
price should never be an option. now if you can't quite afford it, go ahead and get the Classic Vibe from Squier or the Yamaha Pacifica 112 which is another really good guitar. if you have the money, then get the Player Series otherwise you can't go wrong with the Classic Vibe.
i can't see how anyone these days can't afford the Player series when most jobs pay pretty decent these days, so this guitar can be for anybody beginner or professional. so it's not a intermediate guitar, it's just a better built guitar than Squier.
I mainly use Ibanez RG with HSH DiMarzio set, but for second band that focuses more on blues/pop/rock I like to use Strat with HSS. This works better when you play clean/crunch with chorus for over 50% of time, but you need to get extra humbucker punch for solos and few heavy riffs. For hard rock and progressive playing Ibanez HSH wins for me.
I came here to confirm HSS is the best ✌🎸 You agree?! 😁
Fret board material makes no difference once it's plugged in. I'd just prefer maple due to it being low maintenance and easier to clean.
I absolutly love the butter creme
You have good taste
...i just got the same but sss
just bought my fender hss black maple fingerboard, should arrive this week you guys
I hope it's everything you want it to be
Great video! with the help of the time stamps that @taartjeMetSlagroom shared I compared the positions and came into the conclusion that for posicion 1,2 I like SSS more than HSH, and for 3,4 and 5, I liked HSH more...so, I can conclude that in general the perfect setup for me should be HSS, which is right in the middle, right?
Wow, I didn't even know they made strats with humbuckers in both the neck and bridge.
Awesome compare and discussion, oh the agony deciding Al2 vs Al5!
By the way, the photonic-aural index for black vs buttercream is easily detectable using a tuning spork and a metal salad bowl (12" diameter or greater, salad optional).
JImmy James? and the Blue Flames?
@@PatrickRai Thanks for this history heads-up!
@@jimmyjames2022 sure, nothing better than good old blues, soul, rock and roll, rockabilly acts.
I have an HSS strat currently and love it’s versatility, however when I play any of the typical brands which do HH pickup layouts, anything that’s not PRS just leaves me disappointed. I definitely want to get an HSH strat for my heavier playing in the future.
I have the standard SSS strat in black (same as this one). It sounds great but I want to try something with two humbuckers.
The song he is playing is so good I want to learn it.
I've got the HSS. Thinking about reconfiguring it to an SSS with a free-way 10-way switch. Get the best of both worlds?
Amazing how much the prices have gone up since this vid was made.
Bought a Player anyway, but this video would have convinced me had I been on the fence. Probably didn't need to make the video this long however.
I'm so glad you are talking about musical instruments bringing back their lower end production plants to Mexico. It doesn't make sense to me the shipping from Asia to N. American. IT's crazy! Glad you're talking about tit.
That HSH sounds amazing.
I have an HSH in tobacco sunburst and it's every bit a Strat in the 2 and 4 position. The neck doesn't have the traditional humbucker bark like a Les Paul has...same with the bridge pickup..it's a bit more subtle and anyone thinking that it's as fat as a Les Paul hasn't really heard one of these. The only criticism that I have comes from the quality control in Mexico. Mine came in with a bowed neck, bad bridge saddles and the nut wasn't cut deep enough. Once those were fixed this thing became an outstanding guitar.
With the right type of amp and pedals, I'm guessing the HSH could really rock hard and do metal pretty well...am I right?
Thanks, Chris and Cooper, for adding the corny, excuse me, corned beef HaSH to the HaSS avocado model. I agree that manufacturers' QC is much easier to manage with the shorter supply chain across plants based on the same continent. Take 2 humbuckers and call me in the morning and talk "signal chain". Wow!
I'll buy ＨＳＨ tomorrow!!❤
It tuches my heart❤
and YOU both look cool!❤
nice video,from japan.
Sweet Jesus I love the sound of neck pickup on the HSH.
I just bought the black one hss sounds cool
My player series strat is on par with almost any US one I’ve played. The frets needed a bit of work (50.00 worth) but otherwise it’s the best way to get a vintage style strat
What $50 work did you have done on the frets?
@@UKSportsFan Most likely a fret dressing so it's not a huge project. Ideally Fender Quality Control would catch these issues but it's not uncommon. I run a musical instrument shop and I've even had issues with some of their new American Ultra series guitars. I sell these things for a living so nothing pains me more than to say that. The past year specifically has been the worst year in terms of quality from Fender and Gibson within the last several years.
Should I buy Fender Player FLOYD ROSE or 2 POINT TREMOLO strat? I am confused between these 2 bridge configuration...
Does anyone know if they have separate 500k / 250k pots for said pick-ups ?? it makes a huge difference ..
Is the mic on the speaker to give an accurate representation for us? obviously not plugging into a PA. Is there a room mic also or is better to just have the amp mic for this kinda thing? Thank you, cheers, slight ignorant newby
Nice video guys ! But can you tell me the weight of this HSH Fender gitar?
I love the SSS, sound the best...
What's the name of the song you are playing during the demo?
Wish they would just do the final iteration, SHS Strat.
The guy on the left, with the HSS reminds me of the guy at the train station in Rhodes in RDR 2 where you get the coach robbing missions from
He reminds me of the guy from rundown but with long hair instead
Just got a hss
Ok someone please tell me, for the demos, is he just freestyling or is it an actual piece cause if so someone please tell me what its called
SHS (other than Wayne Kramer)? Have yet to see one.
Can we talk about doing a fender strat comparison video wearing a taylor T shirt!!!!
sss position 2 9:00
hsh position 2 12:06
Why didn’t they use coil splits on the humbuckers ? Wouldn’t that give you usable options ?
which is better for a beginner/intermediate player? hss or hsh? i want to get the most versatility
Yamaha pacifica/ Yamaha rgx121z
Is it fair to say the SSS has the broadest timber/voicing? I wonder can you not get the same sounds as the HSH or HSS using compression pedal and eq?
How do Fender Humbuckers stack up against other brands? Seymour Duncan Pearly gates for example.
The older Fender humbuckers, such as the Blacktop versions, were a little narrow in range and had a drier, more linear tone to them than the SD Pearly Gates. I replaced mine in my MIM 2015 standard Strat HH with a set of Pearly Gates and they were broader in frequency range. The Player humbuckers are much improved and I wouldn’t change them out. I’ve been looking at one of these recently and am really impressed. I have American Strats as well, but I really don’t see myself spending the extra money on one now since the introduction of the player series.
@@264boresteve Thanks!! Huge help
Current Player Strats use Shawbucker Alnico II magnet humbuckers by Tim Shaw. They don't really market it that way, but it shows up in the spec sheet on Fender's web site. They're really nice. Kind of mellow, but capable of getting dirty too. I like 'em.
@@genipaisley4340 Epic!
The position 2 alone is worth everything. I remember buying my first guitar and just putting it through the paces. I just fell in love. I've missed the guitar since but my next guitar is defo a SSS fender strat.
Awesome video, but after watching it I actually have more doubts than before I watched. ;-)
I'm looking for an electric guitar for my 8 year old son. It will be his first electric after playing acoustic for almost two years now. He's tried several Les Pauls (definitely too heavy for him), SGs (which he likes but I'm worried about the neck dive getting in his way of learning to play), a Telecaster (he liked), an Ibanez (forgot which one) and even an Epiphone Nancy Wilson Fanatic (which he also really liked). His teacher and several sales people in shops trying to give us advice all seem to gravitate heavily towards a Strat, both for playability for him as well as versatility (except for the one showing us the Nancy Wilson Fanatic (with two humbuckers)).
My son is really into rock music, sometimes quite hard rock, and listens to and learns to play along with songs by bands like Muse, Chili Peppers, Tool, Green Day, Metallica, AC/DC, Nothing But Thieves, Royal Blood, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Nirvana, Placebo, Pearl Jam, Queen, Guns 'n Roses, but also U2, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes... and last weekend he tried to make what he called Jimi Hendrix type sounds on the Strat he tried in a store and he loved the option of having the tremolo bar as well.
Now I was slowly leaning towards a Fender Player Stratocaster for playability and comfort for him, and specifically towards an HSS Strat because of the humbucker, so I came here to watch you confirm that as the most versatile option for him to allow him to play several styles and really learn to play, and now you're making me think maybe an HSH strat is best... And I haven't even mentioned the option of a Floyd Rose trem... Or does his taste in music really not go very well with any Strat? Argh, it's just impossible to choose...
If he is playing heavier rock styles I would recommend an HSH. Some styles of rock music require a or multiple hum-bucker pick ups to get the desired tone out of the guitar. Hope that suggestion helped you decide.
I like the hsh model
Guys, you work too hard to let peoples comments get to you. Keep up good work. Ignore the comments!
I’m biased because I love Strats, then Cooper playing it just blows it up even larger with his playing. I’m also one of those guys that has to buy American 🇺🇸 however that Butter Cream HSH is very cool 🤙
Your videos are the best guys.
Biden won, buy an import