Update: This popular deal is still available
Adorama has
Fender Limited Edition Player Stratocaster or Telecaster Electric Guitars (Lake Placid Blue) on sale for
$529.
Shipping is free.
Thanks to Deal Editor
iconian for finding this deal.
Note: Due to holiday, orders will start shipping Mon 10/9.
Available Options:Key Features:- Stratocaster
- Alder body with gloss finish
- Three Player Series single-coil Stratocaster pickups
- 9.5" radius fingerboard
- 2-point tremolo bridge with bent-steel saddles
- Handedness: Right-Handed
- Body Type: Solidbody
- Neck Construction: Bolt-On
- Strings: 6 String
- Body Material: Alder
- Telecaster
- Alder body with gloss finish
- Two Player Series single-coil Telecaster pickups
- "Modern C"-shaped neck profile
- 9.5"-radius fingerboard
- String-through-body bridge with block steel saddles
- Handedness: Right-Handed
- Body Type: Solidbody
- Neck Construction: Bolt-On
- Strings: 6 String
- Body Material: Alder
Top Comments
You can always sell this 2 years from now for what you paid for it or more.
This is a deal for a solid guitar. The quality and resale value make it great buy.
158 Comments
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I'd say if you're that concerned about the guitar possibly being a phase that ends up gathering dust, wait for the black friday deals on Squiers. You can get an affinity for $150 during those. I have one sitting right next to my desk, in fact! The nice thing is they come in a huge variety of colors and even have HSS options.
There are also numerous deals out there for "classic vibes" squiers. Those are going to be similar in quality to these Players, but they take different liberties (like neck finish and paintjob, pickups, etc). The good deals on the classic vibes squiers are also only available on like 2-3 color themes that you may not find attractive.
So yea, that's more options for you to think about!
"Here's a basic guitar to get you started, if you keep with it I'll get you an even better one next year" could be a strong motivator. Plus it's something they can get used to - if it gets bumped or dropped, it's a cheap guitar so no big deal. They can learn how to restring, change parts, tweak it.. all without concern of harming an expensive guitar. Then by the time you do get around to spending more, they'll know what they want!
I'd say if you're that concerned about the guitar possibly being a phase that ends up gathering dust, wait for the black friday deals on Squiers. You can get an affinity for $150 during those. I have one sitting right next to my desk, in fact! The nice thing is they come in a huge variety of colors and even have HSS options.
There are also numerous deals out there for "classic vibes" squiers. Those are going to be similar in quality to these Players, but they take different liberties (like neck finish and paintjob, pickups, etc). The good deals on the classic vibes squiers are also only available on like 2-3 color themes that you may not find attractive.
So yea, that's more options for you to think about!
"Here's a basic guitar to get you started, if you keep with it I'll get you an even better one next year" could be a strong motivator. Plus it's something they can get used to - if it gets bumped or dropped, it's a cheap guitar so no big deal. They can learn how to restring, change parts, tweak it.. all without concern of harming an expensive guitar. Then by the time you do get around to spending more, they'll know what they want!
Actually glad I did that, because going in I was interested in a les paul but then I ended up falling in love with the strat shape. Sooo.. yeaa....
Also, again, a lot depends on budget too. (in a way). I bought my first guitar last year on a whim and really really wasn't sure how I'd like it. Up till then I was 100% going to buy a piano lol. So I didn't wanna commit $500-1000 just to see if I'd like it.
Like, certainly, the Fender Player will feel nicer in the hands than the Squier. There may be some concern that the Squier would be so bad as to turn someone off to playing. I don't know... maybe? The fret finishing on mine isn't that great - doesn't bug me at all for practicing chords but when I was practicing a song where you do a slide on the higher frets it would bother me. You run into stuff like that.
Also at $150 for the squier affinity when it goes on sale, any repair (or even a $100 setup) feels kinda ridiculous. So does buying an amp - most of the amps cost more than the guitar. A focusrite scarlet costs more. A mustang micro costs $89 on sale and that's more than half the cost lmao.
I'll add another recommendation: Take a look at the threads about PRS SEs. They are going into the $450-500 range and your son may find those cool too. AFAIK those are also great guitars.
I think you really can't go wrong either way
The only other issue I see is there is a faint line visible under the finish towards the base of the guitar. It looks possible like the joint where the two pieces of wood were glued together to make the body. You can't feel it in the finish, so I think it must have been there before they applied the finish. It's sort of surprising as I would have thought they sand the guitars well before applying finish.
I'm planning on keeping the guitar because it's a hassle to return, but if it was a local purchase I'd be returning it.
BTW - the Tele has the nice bridge - I think that's not standard for the normal Player series (maybe that's what makes it "Limited Edition?)
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Actually glad I did that, because going in I was interested in a les paul but then I ended up falling in love with the strat shape. Sooo.. yeaa....
Also, again, a lot depends on budget too. (in a way). I bought my first guitar last year on a whim and really really wasn't sure how I'd like it. Up till then I was 100% going to buy a piano lol. So I didn't wanna commit $500-1000 just to see if I'd like it.
Like, certainly, the Fender Player will feel nicer in the hands than the Squier. There may be some concern that the Squier would be so bad as to turn someone off to playing. I don't know... maybe? The fret finishing on mine isn't that great - doesn't bug me at all for practicing chords but when I was practicing a song where you do a slide on the higher frets it would bother me. You run into stuff like that.
Also at $150 for the squier affinity when it goes on sale, any repair (or even a $100 setup) feels kinda ridiculous. So does buying an amp - most of the amps cost more than the guitar. A focusrite scarlet costs more. A mustang micro costs $89 on sale and that's more than half the cost lmao.
I'll add another recommendation: Take a look at the threads about PRS SEs. They are going into the $450-500 range and your son may find those cool too. AFAIK those are also great guitars.
I think you really can't go wrong either way