Squier Bullet Hardtail Stratocaster in Fiesta Red review

Squier Bullet Hardtail Stratocaster in Fiesta Red review

Squier Bullet Hardtail Stratocaster in Fiesta Red

Question: Why have I just bought this guitar? 

The simple answer is I have designed a trem system and need a base to put it into. This looked the part, although it has a 40mm instead of 45mm thick body that shouldn't matter, its the design principle I want to prove.

I've had a lot of Squier guitars over the years and most have been pretty good. So I was interested to see what the bottom of the range Bullet was like. I have a 2007 Pink bullet with trem and that is a nice player too. This guitar was used, from Ebay but essentially like new. I have owned Pre-CBS and Custom Shop guitars so guess what? This guitar holds its own.

Out of the box

The first impressions were that the guitar was on Fender strings, the neck relief was a bit out, the intonation was out on a few strings, string height at first fret was too high and the unplugged sound was fair. It wasn't easily playable. It had that 'music shop setup.' Plugged in it sounded acceptable but I realised it needed some adjustment.

It wouldn't buzz, but it was hard work to play. Not good for a starter guitar.

Finish was faultless and for a guitar of this ticket price, outstanding. The Fiesta Red was more toward a darker than normal 'Fiesta' but good for any budding Hank Marvin or Knopfler.

The neck has a matt, satin finish which almost feels like bare wood. The neck profile is like a Pre-CBS and with a 9.5 radius is easy on the hand. Nice grain on the neck too.

Frets were nicely finished and ends filled to prevent protrusion and the ends were filed off well.

Hardware is budget, but you get what you pay for at this level. Acceptable though.

The body is the 40mm thick type and the contours are well cut, like a pre-CBS I won and also on the Affinity,  especially where the sloped cut for your arm to rest on, here the wood  is about as thin as a pre-CBS where it contours out to the thinnest point. The body is comfortable. It is Basswood and quite resonant.

Plugged in it sounded nice but I could see that it could sound and play better.

Set up: Needed.

I admittedly bought this used, so what this was like new, I don't know. I suspect it was bought on-line and just visually checked and shipped. I don't think the previous owner had played it much, looking at the condition.

Received like this the guitar was playable but hard, and for a beginner or child might be off-putting. On the plus sound, the guitar resonated well unplugged.

First up was a good dose of D'addario  fingerboard oil for the fretboard, which was about as dry as a Spinster's cupboard. This revived it and the grain of the fretboard wood looks nice and now feels much better.

A change of strings from the factory Fender ones ( I find Fender strings higher tension) to a set of D'addario 9-42's improved matters -  I use D'addario strings on all my guitars pretty much. Next a check of the neck and a slight adjustment to flatten the neck relief and all was well there.

I did the intonation and a few of the strings were out but soon adjusted to 'normal.' The string saddles were done and set correctly for height. Next a go at the nut, a Tusq type one is fitted and a bit of work was needed there, I did a setup here and then test played it.

Now it is improved:

Yes, it plays well now, the pickups sound good and for a guitar on this budget level it is nice. Considering the cost factors if I'd had this guitar 40 years ago set up, it would have made playing easier. I'd take it out to play live.

The sound and playability were improved with a few minutes worth of work.

Its a good basic guitar and the deletion of the tremolo means it can be made cheaper with less machine work required. 

I owned a 1975 hardtail and in comparison that was heavy, cumbersome and this guitar set up, is better than that.

If you want to buy this as a first guitar, I'd advise having the strings changed and a basic set up, this should take at most half an hour and any music shop that will look after you like this is worth knowing. Strings may have been on the guitar for sometime in storage. 

I like the D'addario strings, they have less tension, stay in tune and sound better longer, I've been using them for 30 plus years and never had any bad ones. 

The ideal 'office' guitar and for those band jobs where you may want an occasional electric.

Out of 10 all things considered a 10/10. Given that yours may need slight adjusting, this is normal for any new guitar. 

Its a budget guitar but you can make it sound and play really well. 

The routing is not 'swimming pool' so gives better sustain

Apart from the lack of Trem on a hardtail, its not much different

The Squier 'Mini' 3/4 size guitar -which may have led to the development 

of the Bullet Hardtail full-size option Stratocaster