I've got the player series. Exactly the same yellow one with the maple neck. I've got it since last Christmas, so the vintera wasn't an option at the time. If I'd be buying right now, I'd go for the 50's vintera. The reason would be the neck and the pickups. I've already changed the pickups for pure vintage 59 and i'm about to replace the neck for the 7,25 with jumbo frets. The player series is a very well made guitar though. Considering the price tag it is a superb guitar. It's just that I didn't know that 7,25 would suit my hands better and I didn't have any tone preference at the time. All in all I'd say it goes down to the tone preference and music style.
@@frohe4u we all make purchases and then find our style or preferences change so you are not alone there! But you've got yourself a great guitar in the Player and like you say, you can mod it to what you like :)
This Is already one of the most better and interesting compare guitar video, I'll go for the Player buttercream gives a lot features for the money, more Strat sounds glassy even though both are beautiful friends
I think the slight difference in tone between the two guitars would easily be negated by a small amount of adjustment to the amp. They're nearly indistinguishable.
I think that the the player series has a brighter, clearer sound with a classic warm funky fender strat sound that really associates with a strat to me but the vintera mod sounds more darker and not so clear and clean as the player. Thank you for this video because I really couldn't decide but since I wanted a strat with that classic strat tone that immediately associates with a strat to me I'm getting the player.
@@maxhenry9724 Exactly. The player series is going to be brighter because of the maple fretboard and the 60s vintera modified will have a darker tone due to the pau ferro fretboard. That does not make it a better or worse guitar than the vintera, it just depends on personal preference.
No guys. The difference is that the VM have hotter pickups. Hotter pickups have less high frequencies. Compare a player with the same fret board and I promise you will hear the same difference.
I have 2 Custom Shop Strats, 1 Masterbuilt Tele and 2 Gibson Custom Shop guitars. I wanted a "cheap" guitar to give people to play when they come over to jam - but it had to play well. I went into the store to buy a Vintera but walked out with a Players Strat. I don't know what it is, but that Players Strat played way better than the Vintera. Everyone who plays my Player Strat loves it. Best guitar on the market for the money...
For left-handed guitarists the choice is easy. The Player series includes a left-handed Strat (and Tele), whereas there are no left-handed versions of any Vintera model.
Keep waiting for updates colors for us lefties! I’ll buy when they offer tidepool or lake placid tele or some other than routine Strat colors!! May settle for tidepool player in lefty
I am a lefty. A luthier advised me to play right handed first because lefty guitars are limited. I did. And it worked out quiet well. In fact, it's easier to play chords and solo with my dominant left hand, at least for me😄
I have the same Vintera 60s and a 3-TS Player Strat. They are both awesome, but the Vintera ofc is a bit more Vintage correct while the Player strat is more of a "modernized" strat when it comes to playability
I'm surprised at how similar they sound. I do have an older Classic 60's Strat and a Player Series Strat with Pau Ferro, and they sound really different from each other so I guess you need to hear them in person. Either way, it's all down to what specs you're after. I like both radiuses (is that a word?) and I like the vintage feel and look of the Vintera, however I think they are overpriced for what you get. So the Player Series is the one I would go with simply because I think you get more for what you're paying for. But you really can't go wrong with either of them. I do prefer the Buttercream color over the white one in this video, so the Player Series gets a 10 out of 10 :D
Hey yes you definitely need to try them in person, and on some videos things sound way more different in person than over TH-cam but even in person these guitars sounded pretty similar to our ears!
Honestly couldn’t tell them apart but probably just to me. £300 is a lot of money for something that basically sounds identical. Great reflection on the player series though.
Capt Fantastic never put yourself down mate. We’ll all on the road and some are further down it than others. It’s just a matter of time and practise to reach where they are.
@@trevorsaunar3158 agree with Airblazer! Don't put yourself down, we aren't qualified we just play them both and see what you guys think and hopefully help some people along the way :)
The Lick Loft I grabbed myself a polar white body with a pau ferro neck. The wood has its own very unique pattern and İ love it. Oh btw, I went for the SSS model.
I pulled the trigger today on a used 60s Vintera Mod in OW, like the one in the vid. What a fantastic guitar, and it was this review which made me decided to check it out. Glad I did, it truly plays like butter and the price was a steal even though the guitar is as good as new. I may be 4 years late to the party, but hey, better late than never. Cheers.
Vintera Mod has Player neck dimensions, bar an extra fret.....9.5 radius, medium-jumbo frets. It doesn't have the "plays like butter" Soft V, 7.25 radius, narrow vintage frets of the Vintera.
Both sound awesome ,the player sounds more crispy and glassy and the vintera sounds more hot and snappy it’s all matter of taste and what style you play I personally prefer both because their both unique in their own ways
The Player is definitely brighter with a bit more classic chirpiness, the Vintera seems to have a bit more rounded sound. I love my player strat, no going back for me.
@@Ramiobomb Fair enough Rami, we still felt it was worth shooting as there are other factors other than just the fretboard but we certainly aren't arguing that fretboard wood makes a difference!
Really nice (and honest) review. Congrats!! They kind of have the same tone but I would also go with the Vintera for at least four reasons: the neck; the Pau Ferro fretboard; looks less bulky than the Player; and finally the Vintera looks way more stylish than the Player version
I got the player and switched out the pickups which is the only change I made I use dimarzio (just a preference for me) and now I am very happy you get a lot of guitar for your money here.
Just bought a player series strat in polar white because of this video! I’m really searching for that Nile Rodgers tone, any tips? The blues jr sounded great on this vid, would that be a good option for clean chunking? How about Princeton? Thanks
Hey Hazen, are you looking to play at home or live? The Blues JR and Princeton's are amazing amps! They can "break up" fairly early though when played loud at a gig situation, so you might want to look at something like a hot rod deluxe if your gigging. If you are at home or recording, a blues JR is about as good as you can get for what you are after!
Interesting series of vids guys. 🤟🏻🎸 you should do a player vs player vid. How consistent are they? Different guitars are always different, but how different?
Based on sound tone and sound quality (and that's all you can really judge on TH-cam....unless a guitar's looks move you one way or the other) - Definitely prefer the Player on clean sounds. On dirty sounds maybe the Vintera slightly edges it? I don't know how much of this is down to pickup differences between the guitars or the different woods on the fretboard. The Player was brighter but also had better string to string clarity too. That's how the guitars sounded on this video through decent quality headphones. How did the guitars come across in the room? Would my assessment have been different if I could have heard them in the room?
Hi Mike thanks for your comment and for watching, we both preferred the Player tone (just) but the Vintera Modified neck is one of the nicest feeling that we've ever felt regardless of price. The Vintera (not modified) sounded incredible, the best of the lot in my opinion but had a laquered finish neck which I don't love personally. The player or Vintera pickups in the modified would be the best of all worlds, but they are all genuinely great!
@@TheLickLoft so the player is better than the vintera (no modified) ? Can you say to me the major difference between player, vintera and vintera modified cause i look a lot of video but can’t choose one
For the price the Player seems like a great guitar on his own, but also a great platform for mods. I'm thinking about buying one and put a DiMarzio Kotzen pickguard configuration on it!
The player sounded a bit louder to me but they honestly sound very very similar imo. 22 frets is a minimum requirement for me so I think I'll go with the player. Thanks for the video!
Agree Wesley, one of the guitars we had planned to use in the video sold whilst we were on the way so it was a choice of shooting nothing or doing one maple and one not..
Ultimately, the Vintera's pickups are a hotter wind, which objectively adds to the mids and low end while taking away from the high end. That's the difference you're hearing.
This is really though, as for 300$ you can buy whatever neck, or pickups you desire, plus you can always sell the old ones. Most people of course might prefer not to bother with such things, but it's still an option if you want something unique.
It is an option that some people will think about for sure! If you can't do the work yourself though it gets a bit pricier and can sometimes be harder to sell on if you've modded it yourself, but if you're happy to keep it then modding a guitar is a great option to get your own desired specs!
Haven’t tried a Vintera yet but didn’t like the Player matt finish on the neck . In the demo the Vintera sounds more like the old MIM ceramic pickups which were hotter -less Strat like than the Player ones . If the neck though on the Vintera feels better then it’s a goer. For the price of a Vintera you could pick up a decent second hand American Strat though ! On a budget the Player is the winner .
Hey Mario, they both felt very similar despite the radius differences. In theory 9.5 is easier to bend but we didn't notice any difference in these guitars as they had been set up so well
The player series sounds a little bit thicker. I have one with maple neck too. I haven't played a vintera yet but to my ears, vintera sounds a "centimeter" warmer. maybe because of the fretboard difference.
Im stuck between a player, vintera or a squier classic vibe 60s. Im a pretty crap bedroom guitarist beginner level really, but my current squier SE is sounding very buzzy all of a sudde n so want to upgrade
From what I've experienced, tonally the Player strat leans more towards 50's voicing while that model Vintera is of course 60's voiced. Soundwise that's probably the biggest difference.
To my ears the Vintera sounds more "stratty" than the Player. The Player sounds like the pickups have more lows and/or low mids compared to the Vintera - and so the Player loses out to some extent on the real Strat character. But the Player is still a fine guitar of course.
The difference was not huge but I think the player sounded slightly better, a bit more punch and clarity. I play mainly clean and I would probably choose the player for that small advantage in sound.
The maple fretboard on the player will sound crispy than the pau ferro on the vintage mod. Ive tried the player, the 50s modified vintera maple and the pau ferro 60s mod vintera. I bought the vintera 60s mod in olympic white.
People are saying it’s not a huge difference! 😂🤷🏼♂️ It’s a very obvious difference. The Vintera sounds more precise with less String noise. The player has that thud of the strings that’s not being resonated by the guitar and pickups. The Vintera is way more dynamic and consistent.
Where does the fender deluxe strat fit in with these? Brighter like the player or warmer like the vintera? If it is warmer like the vintera but the 22 frets like the player I'm going to go with that.
Hey, the deluxe comes with noiseless pickups if I'm not mistaken? I'm personally not a fan of noiseless pickups so I would edge towards the Player or Vintera, but that's just me! However I hear the new generation of noiseless pickups that are on the Ultra series are great!
I dont like pau farro or vintage frets, prefer medium jumbos. the only thing I like about the vintera are the vintage tuners which I could easily replace on a player with classic gear tuners.
I actually preferred the Player over the modified on listen back, but preferred the Vintera (not modified) to them all.. just! The Player is a great guitar
Thanks to black t shirt dude adding some life to the licks... You can tell the Vintera's got a slightly better voiced pick up with a little bit more treble. However it's not $300 better... That's just trying to cover the marketing cost... when I choose the player and just fiddle with the tone knobs till I get what I needed
Hi, I don't get the "killer neck" thing ... because I checked on the Fender website, both models have a modern C shape ... haven't they ? so... could you explain ? Thx
Hi Antoine, we meant in terms of how it actually feels, not just the shape but the finish, it's not sticky/no lacquer etc, it's one of the most "natural" feeling necks on the modified, thanks
Is the neck on the vintera modified fatter than the neck on the player strat? I have to make a decision between these two, but find it extremely difficult... If it helps, I play mostly blues, blues rock, some Mark Knopfler, srv, chili peppers, Hendrix, John Mayer...
I'd say it's slightly slimmer on the Vintera Modified than the Player but they could be the same it's that close! The Vintera Modified has the most amazing feeling satin neck, no stickyness! But they are similar feeling in terms of size :)
From the Audio here, very little in it on tone and the rest is how the guitar feels to play, which is understandably harder to put accross. There's the thick end of £300 between them which does make me wonder where that cost difference lies. The non modified is £200 more than the Player and has the vintage correct radius and does away with the dubiously useful 'S1' circuit. Food for thought though and an excellent comparison.
Vintera if you prefer a vintage and more history-accurate look. Otherwise, PLAYER is a bunch of guitar. They are at least 25% better then the old ones MIM with ceramic pickups. I have exatcly the same yellow player model, and i can say its almost good as my former USA highway 1 strat. Maybe i miss only a thin nitro finish.
People here don’t realise the maple fretboard is making the Player series sound brighter. To be fair, you should compare both guitars with maple fretboards. The green Vintera which was sitting on the right of the corner was the right guitar for this comparison. People who thinks that a brighter guitar sounds better, I guess they are going to play it with a solid state 10 watt Roland combo amp with the trebles at 8 and mids at 2. Nice
@@jamesmulligan7413 sometimes (within reason) price shouldn't always be the factor, it's which one makes you want to play it more. Plus they are all good guitars that feel nice, it's just the Vintera Modified neck is to die for
The Pau Ferro fingerboards are a deal breaker on the Vintera. I’m not gone on the 2 point bridge on the Player and it should have block saddles and not the bent steel as they are in reality vintage saddles on a modern bridge. Fender doing the cheap again. Some Player Teles have them too! Total bullshit. The Vintera does actually sound better, the Player harsh and sterile.
We had planned to compare 2 guitars with the same fretboard wood but the store sold one of the guitars we were about to use just before we got there and we didn't want to come away with nothing..
The Player is a beauty in the butter cream! They sound great but the Wilkinson bridge is a a little uncool, I prefer 6 bent steel saddles. The Vinteras a great too and I’ve a 50s Tele in Fiesta on order. The range is great now and they’re done a very good job.
I hear a lot of difference. Vintera have much warmer, hotter and dirtier sound. For older rock lovers, price is more tham justified. And the looks, omg😁🤤
I was able to get both and they have been set up per the Fender manual. The Vintera is bright and sounds great. The Player sounds like mud. The pickups are so weak. Maybe I got a bad one and I’m not going to dump another $100-150 to replace the pickups.
What one did you prefer and why? Let us know below!
I've got the player series. Exactly the same yellow one with the maple neck. I've got it since last Christmas, so the vintera wasn't an option at the time. If I'd be buying right now, I'd go for the 50's vintera. The reason would be the neck and the pickups. I've already changed the pickups for pure vintage 59 and i'm about to replace the neck for the 7,25 with jumbo frets. The player series is a very well made guitar though. Considering the price tag it is a superb guitar. It's just that I didn't know that 7,25 would suit my hands better and I didn't have any tone preference at the time. All in all I'd say it goes down to the tone preference and music style.
@@frohe4u we all make purchases and then find our style or preferences change so you are not alone there! But you've got yourself a great guitar in the Player and like you say, you can mod it to what you like :)
The Lick Loft exactly! The player is a great guitar by itself indeed. I’m more tham happy with the purchase.
@@frohe4u Glad your happy Juraj! Let us know how you get on with the changes you've got planned!
This Is already one of the most better and interesting compare guitar video, I'll go for the Player buttercream gives a lot features for the money, more Strat sounds glassy even though both are beautiful friends
I think the slight difference in tone between the two guitars would easily be negated by a small amount of adjustment to the amp. They're nearly indistinguishable.
I think that the the player series has a brighter, clearer sound with a classic warm funky fender strat sound that really associates with a strat to me but the vintera mod sounds more darker and not so clear and clean as the player. Thank you for this video because I really couldn't decide but since I wanted a strat with that classic strat tone that immediately associates with a strat to me I'm getting the player.
Hey thankyou for watching and glad we could help you out with your choice! :)
Maple vs rosewood.
@@maxhenry9724 Exactly. The player series is going to be brighter because of the maple fretboard and the 60s vintera modified will have a darker tone due to the pau ferro fretboard. That does not make it a better or worse guitar than the vintera, it just depends on personal preference.
No guys. The difference is that the VM have hotter pickups. Hotter pickups have less high frequencies. Compare a player with the same fret board and I promise you will hear the same difference.
I just got a Vintera 50’s Stratocaster. Definitely my preference.
I have 2 Custom Shop Strats, 1 Masterbuilt Tele and 2 Gibson Custom Shop guitars. I wanted a "cheap" guitar to give people to play when they come over to jam - but it had to play well. I went into the store to buy a Vintera but walked out with a Players Strat. I don't know what it is, but that Players Strat played way better than the Vintera. Everyone who plays my Player Strat loves it. Best guitar on the market for the money...
For left-handed guitarists the choice is easy. The Player series includes a left-handed Strat (and Tele), whereas there are no left-handed versions of any Vintera model.
Oh really? I wasn't aware of that, that sucks. Do feel sorry for you lefties!
Keep waiting for updates colors for us lefties! I’ll buy when they offer tidepool or lake placid tele or some other than routine Strat colors!! May settle for tidepool player in lefty
@@leftyshep let's hope there are some soon for you 🤞
The Lick Loft - thanks guys! Love the vids!!!
I am a lefty. A luthier advised me to play right handed first because lefty guitars are limited. I did. And it worked out quiet well. In fact, it's easier to play chords and solo with my dominant left hand, at least for me😄
The players Strat is what a Strat is really all about...
We do love them too! :)
I also love how the Player series looks, way better than the Vintera series imho
I have the same Vintera 60s and a 3-TS Player Strat. They are both awesome, but the Vintera ofc is a bit more Vintage correct while the Player strat is more of a "modernized" strat when it comes to playability
I disagree. The vintera has more girth and clarity
The prices have really gotten much higher since this video was made.
indeed! the vintera mod is about 1000 euros!!!!
I'm surprised at how similar they sound.
I do have an older Classic 60's Strat and a Player Series Strat with Pau Ferro, and they sound really different from each other so I guess you need to hear them in person.
Either way, it's all down to what specs you're after. I like both radiuses (is that a word?) and I like the vintage feel and look of the Vintera, however I think they are overpriced for what you get. So the Player Series is the one I would go with simply because I think you get more for what you're paying for. But you really can't go wrong with either of them.
I do prefer the Buttercream color over the white one in this video, so the Player Series gets a 10 out of 10 :D
Hey yes you definitely need to try them in person, and on some videos things sound way more different in person than over TH-cam but even in person these guitars sounded pretty similar to our ears!
That buttercream with cream pickups cover and knobs must look amazing
Player gives a lot features for the money, I'll go for that, even though both are beautiful guitars
Couldn't agree more, both were great!
Honestly couldn’t tell them apart but probably just to me. £300 is a lot of money for something that basically sounds identical. Great reflection on the player series though.
Not just you Airblazer! They did sound more different in the room but listening back they sound really similar!
I'm not skilled enough to know the difference.
Capt Fantastic never put yourself down mate. We’ll all on the road and some are further down it than others. It’s just a matter of time and practise to reach where they are.
@@trevorsaunar3158 agree with Airblazer! Don't put yourself down, we aren't qualified we just play them both and see what you guys think and hopefully help some people along the way :)
@@Airblazer couldn't agree more mate
After watching this video and some research, I grabbed myself a Player Series couple of months ago. I'm in love with it, I highly recommend it!
This makes us very happy! Thanks for watching and glad you found it useful, what colour did you go for?
The Lick Loft I grabbed myself a polar white body with a pau ferro neck. The wood has its own very unique pattern and İ love it. Oh btw, I went for the SSS model.
@@ThermAquaGaming great choice! Really happy that your happy with it!
I pulled the trigger today on a used 60s Vintera Mod in OW, like the one in the vid. What a fantastic guitar, and it was this review which made me decided to check it out. Glad I did, it truly plays like butter and the price was a steal even though the guitar is as good as new. I may be 4 years late to the party, but hey, better late than never. Cheers.
Vintera Mod has Player neck dimensions, bar an extra fret.....9.5 radius, medium-jumbo frets. It doesn't have the "plays like butter" Soft V, 7.25 radius, narrow vintage frets of the Vintera.
I think the vintera modified should have the modern truss rod adjustment. If it is not with a vintage truss rod, I will definitely order one.
It has vintage truss road unfortunately
Both sound awesome ,the player sounds more crispy and glassy and the vintera sounds more hot and snappy it’s all matter of taste and what style you play I personally prefer both because their both unique in their own ways
Thanks Pito! Couldn't agree more they are both great and some will love one or the other or both!
Player will obviously sound more crisp solely because of the maple board, the pau ferro on the vintera will give it a slightly more mellow tone
The Player is definitely brighter with a bit more classic chirpiness, the Vintera seems to have a bit more rounded sound. I love my player strat, no going back for me.
Thanks Andrew, the Player is such a great guitar, can understand why you love it!
Thanks for the vid!
Just got my fender player strat cream.
Plays like a charm for the price.
Thank you for watching! Great colour choice too! Glad you are happy with it, such great guitars!
Only difference i hear is that the Player series sounds brighter!
Interesting! Thanks for watching Hugh
That's probably because of the maple neck which make it so, the rosewood makes the sound warmer and darker.
@@Ramiobomb Agreed. We wanted both to have the same fretboards ideally but someone had just bought the one we had eyed up to use!
@@TheLickLoft I understand, but still imho, it kinda ruins the whole point of the comparison.
@@Ramiobomb Fair enough Rami, we still felt it was worth shooting as there are other factors other than just the fretboard but we certainly aren't arguing that fretboard wood makes a difference!
Player Strats are great, but I wish they came in different (classic) colors. Vintera’s colors are fantastic.
Yep, the Vintera colours are awesome!
Really nice (and honest) review. Congrats!! They kind of have the same tone but I would also go with the Vintera for at least four reasons: the neck; the Pau Ferro fretboard; looks less bulky than the Player; and finally the Vintera looks way more stylish than the Player version
Thanks Jorge! Appreciate the kind words! Really interesting feedback too on why you'd go for the Vintera :)
the final reason is so true
But if you consider the same price range, the unmodified Vintera has a 7,25" radius, which is an issue for me.
I like the player series more! But the vintera ones has nice colors!
Fair enough :) can't go wrong with either it's just what you prefer in my opinion
I got the player and switched out the pickups which is the only change I made I use dimarzio (just a preference for me) and now I am very happy you get a lot of guitar for your money here.
I’m torn between a Player and a Vintera 50s Modified. I’m also interested in the purple Strat behind you guys
It’s the Jimmy Hendrix model, they also come in sunburst and white
Just bought a player series strat in polar white because of this video! I’m really searching for that Nile Rodgers tone, any tips? The blues jr sounded great on this vid, would that be a good option for clean chunking? How about Princeton? Thanks
Hey Hazen, are you looking to play at home or live? The Blues JR and Princeton's are amazing amps! They can "break up" fairly early though when played loud at a gig situation, so you might want to look at something like a hot rod deluxe if your gigging. If you are at home or recording, a blues JR is about as good as you can get for what you are after!
The Lick Loft Awesome thanks so much for the feedback. Will most likely get a tweed blues JR now!
Interesting series of vids guys. 🤟🏻🎸 you should do a player vs player vid. How consistent are they? Different guitars are always different, but how different?
Hey Ric that's an awesome idea thankyou! Thanks for the kind words too!
I like the finish better on the Vintera neck/headstock, other than that both equally good.
Is a nice finish! :)
Oh, I understand. Good video anyway. I think I would take the player because of the price difference and the satin neck.
Thank you :) I'm with you there I think
this is very helpful guys, thanks ever so much! I'm getting a polar white player
Awesome! Glad we could help! Let us know what you think when you get it
The players Strat is a reissue of the old American Standard Strats love them!
I get in agree with you Jimi
I also heard that the parts that were used were extra parts from the old Mia std
are they the same internally as the old american strats?!
That's what I call a good demo comparaison.The player for me.
Thank you!
Player brighter, Vintera warmer, but very close - I dare say they can be EQ'd to sound identical. I'd buy the Player and put vintage tuners on it.
Thanks Kevin, they are pretty similar sounding!
I’m pretty sure the neck on both is the same shape on the modified and player. Only the regular Vintera is a different shaped neck
Based on sound tone and sound quality (and that's all you can really judge on TH-cam....unless a guitar's looks move you one way or the other) - Definitely prefer the Player on clean sounds. On dirty sounds maybe the Vintera slightly edges it? I don't know how much of this is down to pickup differences between the guitars or the different woods on the fretboard. The Player was brighter but also had better string to string clarity too. That's how the guitars sounded on this video through decent quality headphones. How did the guitars come across in the room? Would my assessment have been different if I could have heard them in the room?
Hi Mike thanks for your comment and for watching, we both preferred the Player tone (just) but the Vintera Modified neck is one of the nicest feeling that we've ever felt regardless of price. The Vintera (not modified) sounded incredible, the best of the lot in my opinion but had a laquered finish neck which I don't love personally. The player or Vintera pickups in the modified would be the best of all worlds, but they are all genuinely great!
@@TheLickLoft so the player is better than the vintera (no modified) ?
Can you say to me the major difference between player, vintera and vintera modified cause i look a lot of video but can’t choose one
For the price the Player seems like a great guitar on his own, but also a great platform for mods. I'm thinking about buying one and put a DiMarzio Kotzen pickguard configuration on it!
Would like to see that! Let us know if you ever do it!
Don't do it. The stock Player pickups are phenomenal. Richie's strat set is incredibly underpowered. At $300, it's an investment you won't get back.
@@9unslin9er the stock pickups do sound great, have never tried the Dimarzio Kotzens so can't comment.. love a bit of Richie though!
@@9unslin9erI bought the guitar and so far I am really satisfied with the stock pick-ups, so I think that I will follow your suggestion!
You sold me on that yellow one, boys. Tell fender they owe you a commission.
Haha I'm pretty sure they have no idea who we are! But if it was helpful to you that's enough for us :)
The player sounded a bit louder to me but they honestly sound very very similar imo. 22 frets is a minimum requirement for me so I think I'll go with the player. Thanks for the video!
Thank you Taurex, the amp settings were exactly the same so it's interesting that the Player sounded louder :)
@@TheLickLoft The Vintera's pickups are supposed to be of a lower output which probably explains it.
The Player all the way for me!! 👍
Thanks Ed!
Comparing a rosewood strat to a maple of course the maple one is gonna sound brighter that’s what maple is known for vintera is a win for me
Agree Wesley, one of the guitars we had planned to use in the video sold whilst we were on the way so it was a choice of shooting nothing or doing one maple and one not..
Pau ferro, not rosewood. Most of the folks I know who buy into the neck tonewood thing talk about pau ferro as though it sounds very similar to maple.
Ultimately, the Vintera's pickups are a hotter wind, which objectively adds to the mids and low end while taking away from the high end. That's the difference you're hearing.
what are the chords played in the first pickup position played. Really like them haha
This is really though, as for 300$ you can buy whatever neck, or pickups you desire, plus you can always sell the old ones. Most people of course might prefer not to bother with such things, but it's still an option if you want something unique.
It is an option that some people will think about for sure! If you can't do the work yourself though it gets a bit pricier and can sometimes be harder to sell on if you've modded it yourself, but if you're happy to keep it then modding a guitar is a great option to get your own desired specs!
Haven’t tried a Vintera yet but didn’t like the Player matt finish on the neck . In the demo the Vintera sounds more like the old MIM ceramic pickups which were hotter -less Strat like than the Player ones . If the neck though on the Vintera feels better then it’s a goer. For the price of a Vintera you could pick up a decent second hand American Strat though ! On a budget the Player is the winner .
I have a HSH version of the player strat; I'm satisfied with the tones and feel. Such a great guitar and a birthday gift from my wife actually 😄
You've got a keeper there! Our wives don't buy us guitars! Very jealous 😂
1:44
2:02
Thanks Chef
I have small hands. Which one would be better for me? 7,25" or 9,5" radius?
Hey Mario, they both felt very similar despite the radius differences. In theory 9.5 is easier to bend but we didn't notice any difference in these guitars as they had been set up so well
The player series sounds a little bit thicker. I have one with maple neck too. I haven't played a vintera yet but to my ears, vintera sounds a "centimeter" warmer. maybe because of the fretboard difference.
These strats are now almost at the $700 American dollar mark and well worth it
They are such great value and great guitars!
Im stuck between a player, vintera or a squier classic vibe 60s. Im a pretty crap bedroom guitarist beginner level really, but my current squier SE is sounding very buzzy all of a sudde n so want to upgrade
From what I've experienced, tonally the Player strat leans more towards 50's voicing while that model Vintera is of course 60's voiced. Soundwise that's probably the biggest difference.
Thanks bumblefritz!
To my ears the Vintera sounds more "stratty" than the Player. The Player sounds like the pickups have more lows and/or low mids compared to the Vintera - and so the Player loses out to some extent on the real Strat character. But the Player is still a fine guitar of course.
The difference was not huge but I think the player sounded slightly better, a bit more punch and clarity. I play mainly clean and I would probably choose the player for that small advantage in sound.
The maple fretboard on the player will sound crispy than the pau ferro on the vintage mod. Ive tried the player, the 50s modified vintera maple and the pau ferro 60s mod vintera.
I bought the vintera 60s mod in olympic white.
People are saying it’s not a huge difference! 😂🤷🏼♂️ It’s a very obvious difference. The Vintera sounds more precise with less String noise. The player has that thud of the strings that’s not being resonated by the guitar and pickups. The Vintera is way more dynamic and consistent.
For me its all about the bridge pickup... that both these Strats have fantastic neck pups is obvious, but I'll choose the one with the nicer bridge...
Which is high one ?
@@benallmark9671 i chose the player model. Its just Fender as it should be. Easy, affordable, classic. No bells n whistles.
Where does the fender deluxe strat fit in with these? Brighter like the player or warmer like the vintera? If it is warmer like the vintera but the 22 frets like the player I'm going to go with that.
Hey, the deluxe comes with noiseless pickups if I'm not mistaken? I'm personally not a fan of noiseless pickups so I would edge towards the Player or Vintera, but that's just me! However I hear the new generation of noiseless pickups that are on the Ultra series are great!
I dont like pau farro or vintage frets, prefer medium jumbos. the only thing I like about the vintera are the vintage tuners which I could easily replace on a player with classic gear tuners.
I think they both sound beautiful...but for the price! You gotta go for the player series, not a 300 pounds difference for me lol
I actually preferred the Player over the modified on listen back, but preferred the Vintera (not modified) to them all.. just! The Player is a great guitar
Thanks to black t shirt dude adding some life to the licks... You can tell the Vintera's got a slightly better voiced pick up with a little bit more treble. However it's not $300 better... That's just trying to cover the marketing cost... when I choose the player and just fiddle with the tone knobs till I get what I needed
We both were in black t shirts 😂
@@TheLickLoft lol you know who you are 🤣
Hi, I don't get the "killer neck" thing ... because I checked on the Fender website, both models have a modern C shape ... haven't they ? so... could you explain ?
Thx
Hi Antoine, we meant in terms of how it actually feels, not just the shape but the finish, it's not sticky/no lacquer etc, it's one of the most "natural" feeling necks on the modified, thanks
Is the neck on the vintera modified fatter than the neck on the player strat? I have to make a decision between these two, but find it extremely difficult... If it helps, I play mostly blues, blues rock, some Mark Knopfler, srv, chili peppers, Hendrix, John Mayer...
I'd say it's slightly slimmer on the Vintera Modified than the Player but they could be the same it's that close! The Vintera Modified has the most amazing feeling satin neck, no stickyness! But they are similar feeling in terms of size :)
So the neck on the Player has a gloss finish on the back? On fenders website it says it’s the same as the vintera modified necks (satin urethan)??
Player series or a used Jimmy Vaughn signature strat!? 🧐
No truss rod adjustment screw in the Vintera?
From the Audio here, very little in it on tone and the rest is how the guitar feels to play, which is understandably harder to put accross. There's the thick end of £300 between them which does make me wonder where that cost difference lies. The non modified is £200 more than the Player and has the vintage correct radius and does away with the dubiously useful 'S1' circuit. Food for thought though and an excellent comparison.
Thankyou! Appreciate such good feedback! You've summed it up excellently! Lots of food for thought
Vintera if you prefer a vintage and more history-accurate look. Otherwise, PLAYER is a bunch of guitar. They are at least 25% better then the old ones MIM with ceramic pickups. I have exatcly the same yellow player model, and i can say its almost good as my former USA highway 1 strat. Maybe i miss only a thin nitro finish.
They sounded exactly the same!
player has more of a glassy treble thing going on. pau ferro has that same classic strat attack with a little less glassy-ness. Different pickups??
Back in the days they had standard fender stratocasters, are the player series nowadays the standard’s?
Yes the player is the MIM standard now 👍
The Lick Loft ty 🎸
Great vid, tasty playing 👍 definitely down to pups and feel i guess.
Thanks Tim! Appreciate it :) you're definitely right there.. both have subtle but important differences
OK: So can anyone tell me why the Vintera 60s Mod costs substantially more than the Player? Genuinely puzzled.
Personally I prefer the Player for tone. Has more chime, the typical Fender sound.
People here don’t realise the maple fretboard is making the Player series sound brighter. To be fair, you should compare both guitars with maple fretboards. The green Vintera which was sitting on the right of the corner was the right guitar for this comparison. People who thinks that a brighter guitar sounds better, I guess they are going to play it with a solid state 10 watt Roland combo amp with the trebles at 8 and mids at 2. Nice
The players Strat all day long
Nice!
I just ordered a player series Stratocaster last Saturday. If it is anything comparable to my MIM telecaster I am sure I will be happy.
You won't be disappointed Kenneth!
I have a standard MIM model and a new player series model and to my ears the new player pickups have more clarity and definition.
Does someone know the names of the songs (if they have a name)? Thanks
How about
Vintera regular 60 vs original 60 vs silver sky ?!?
Would love to get our hands on a silver sky! I played one a few months ago and loved it
Thank you for great comparison!
I love Vintera's sensitive sound, but I wounder how it works in actual ensemble.
You make a great point, we haven't had a chance to play these live in a band but we think they would work great!
Great video!
Thanks Adam!
does the neck on both guitars have a glossed finish?
The Player does but it's not sticky at all, plays great. The Modified is more of a natural/wood feeling finish
Damn that Lenny Kravitz type riffs
The player for my liking 👍
which one plays better?
Danny here.. there is something special about the Vintera modified neck that gives it the edge on playability.. but there's not much in it!
@@TheLickLoft thanks for the advice, I think I will regret not spending the extra £300 or so and getting the vintera
@@jamesmulligan7413 sometimes (within reason) price shouldn't always be the factor, it's which one makes you want to play it more. Plus they are all good guitars that feel nice, it's just the Vintera Modified neck is to die for
@Marco C Glad your happy with it Marco!
now i want vintera, sound is amazing, much more better than player, in my opinion.
I would have preferred if they had the same fret board.
Same! The shop sold the one we were due to use when we were on our way! We had the choice to go home and not film or to film..
I have two bass guitars both with rosewood fretboard. I am partial to that.
I like the vintage look on the vintera, but having 22 frets is better, so Player it is.
The Pau Ferro fingerboards are a deal breaker on the Vintera. I’m not gone on the 2 point bridge on the Player and it should have block saddles and not the bent steel as they are in reality vintage saddles on a modern bridge. Fender doing the cheap again. Some Player Teles have them too! Total bullshit. The Vintera does actually sound better, the Player harsh and sterile.
Why do you compare a Pau Ferro model with a mapel Model?
We had planned to compare 2 guitars with the same fretboard wood but the store sold one of the guitars we were about to use just before we got there and we didn't want to come away with nothing..
The Lick Loft oh okay, but still a great Demo! 👍🏼
@@Hallalo Thanks! We appreciate it :)
The Player is a beauty in the butter cream! They sound great but the Wilkinson bridge is a a little uncool, I prefer 6 bent steel saddles. The Vinteras a great too and I’ve a 50s Tele in Fiesta on order. The range is great now and they’re done a very good job.
Oh awesome! Love fiesta red! Let us know how you get on with it :)
they sound the same, i'll get the player
Fair enough Shaun! :)
I hear a lot of difference. Vintera have much warmer, hotter and dirtier sound. For older rock lovers, price is more tham justified. And the looks, omg😁🤤
Thanks for watching and commenting, we definitely agree with you!
Siento que la haría sonar muy bien la player series, para mí es mejor
Vintera sounds thinner, but not in a bad way.
I wouldn't buy the vintera simply because the neck adjusment is at body end, which is a pain in the arts.
They really should stop making those necks.
please review fender japan hybrid 50s
Not sure we can get hold of them sorry, but if we can we will! Thanks
I was able to get both and they have been set up per the Fender manual. The Vintera is bright and sounds great. The Player sounds like mud. The pickups are so weak. Maybe I got a bad one and I’m not going to dump another $100-150 to replace the pickups.
Thank you for not using a $20,000 amp to review a $1000 guitar. You have no idea how rare that is.
What song is he playing 6:08
Hey it's just made up but kind of sounds like always on the run by Lenny Kravitz! Thanks
I really like the vintera but, I can only afford the player series, both were great!!!
Thanks for watching! The Player is such a great guitar
Player sound is better
Fender repeatedly print their own spect wrong. Checking them would be handy.
Player overall value Vintera only if you want full vintage specs
Be careful not to get the "modified" version then!