Squier Classic Vibe vs Fender Player Electric Guitars

If you’re looking for a great quality electric guitar but don’t want to pay thousands for an American-made model, then the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player series are great options to look at, but which is best for you? Is it worth paying the extra for a Fender guitar, or is it just the same guitar but with the iconic logo on the headstock?

In this article, I’ll compare the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster and Mustang models from the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Series so you can decide which guitar to spend your hard earned cash on.

Squier Classic Vibe vs Fender Player Series

There are 5 models which are found in both the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Series: Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazzmaster, Jaguar and Mustang.

There are some model specific differences between Fender Player and Squier CV guitars including the bridge design, pickup configuration, color choices, and switching options, however many of the differences between the series can be observed on all models.

Squier Classic Vibe guitars are made in China and Indonesia, whilst Fender Player guitars are made in Mexico. The Squier Classic Vibe guitars have a gloss C-shape neck and narrow tall frets, whilst Fender Player guitars have a satin modern C-shape neck and medium jumbo frets.

The Squier Classic Vibe series features slimmer feeling necks compared to the Fender Player series. The narrow tall frets on Classic Vibe make it a bit more difficult to slide up and down the neck without bumping into the fret wiring. The medium jumbo frets on the Player series make it easier to press down on the strings and improve sustain. It’s personal preference though as to which will feel the most comfortable to you.

The Fender Player series have some notable upgrades such as the pickups and bridge designs, however the nut material is plastic whereas on the Classic Vibe it is made from bone which is a better material.

Here is a table highlighting the differences between Squier CV and Fender Player guitars which are the same regardless of model e.g. Tele, Strat, Jazzmaster etc.

Feature	Squier Classic Vibe	Fender Player
Body Wood	Pine/ Nyatoh/ Poplar	Alder
Pickups	Fender Designed	Fender Player Series
Neck Finish	Gloss	Satin
Fretboard Material	Maple/ Indian Laurel	Maple/ Pau Ferro
Neck Shape	C Shape	Modern C
Nut Material	Bone	Synthetic Bone
Fret Size	Narrow Tall	Medium Jumbo
Country of Manufacture	China/ Indonesia	Mexico

Here are Amazon links to each version so you can check the current prices:

• Fender Player Stratocaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Stratocaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Stratocaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Stratocaster

• Fender Player Telecaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Telecaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Telecaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Telecaster

• Fender Player Jazzmaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster

• Fender Player Jaguar
• Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Jaguar

• Fender Player Mustang
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Mustang

Contents

As I said earlier, there are also some model specific differences when comparing Squier CV and Fender Player models so now let’s take a look at each shape individually and compare the similarities and differences. Here’s the order we’ll go in so you can scroll to the relevant section:

• Stratocaster
• Telecaster
• Jaguar
• Jazzmaster
• Mustang

There are three types of classic vibe models, the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s which all have slight variations. In the comparisons below I’ll group the features together for simplicity, but make sure you check out my Squier Classic Vibe ’50s vs ’60s vs ’70s article for a breakdown of the key features.

Stratocaster Model Comparison

The Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster has 21 narrow tall frets, 6-point vintage style hardware and a bone nut, whilst the Fender Player Stratocaster has 22 medium jumbo frets, a 2-point synchronised tremolo and a synthetic nut. Both models are available in HSS and left-hand versions.

Check out my comparison between 2 and 6 point tremolos to learn more.

Images link to Amazon

Here is a table highlighting the differences between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Stratocaster models.

Feature	Squier Classic Vibe Strat	Fender Player Strat
Body Material	Pine/ Nyatoh/ Poplar	Alder
Pickups	Fender Designed Alnico	Player Series Alnico V
Neck Finish	Gloss	Satin
Neck Shape	C Shape	Modern C
Nut Material	Bone	Synthetic Bone
Fretboard Material	Maple/ Indian Laurel	Maple/ Pau Ferro
Fret Number	21	22
Fret Size	Narrow Tall	Medium Jumbo
Bridge	6-Saddle Vintage Synchronized Tremolo	2-Point Synchronised Tremolo
Tuning Machines	Vintage Style	Standard Cast
Hardware Finish	Nickel	Nickel/ Chrome
Control Size	Miniature	Full-Size
Origin	China/ Indonesia	Mexico
Color Options	2 Tone Sunburst White Blonde Black Fiesta Red 3 Colour Sunburst Lake Placid Blue Candy Apple Red Purple Metallic Olympic White Natural Walnut	Polar White 3 Color Sunburst Black Tidepool Buttercream Capri Orange Silver

Here are links to the different models on Amazon so you can check the current prices:

• Fender Player Stratocaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Stratocaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Stratocaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Stratocaster

Here is a table highlighting the similarities between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Stratocaster models.

Feature	Specification
Body Finish	Gloss
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard Radius	9.5”
Fretboard Finish	Gloss
Scale Length	25.5”
Nut Width	1.650”
Inlays	Black/ White Dot
Pickguard	3-Ply
String Gauge	9
Controls	2 x Tone, 1 x Vol
Pickup Selector	5-Way
Left-Hand Available	Yes
HSS Available	Yes
Color Options	Polar White 3 Color Sunburst Black Tidepool Buttercream Capri Orange Silver

Check out my comparison between Fender and Squier Stratocasters

Telecaster Model Comparison

The Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster has a gloss C-shape neck, 21 narrow tall frets and a bone nut whilst the Fender Player Telecaster has a satin C-shape neck, 22 medium jumbo frets and a synthetic bone nut. The guitars also have different bridges, body woods and pickup designs.

Check out my article comparing the 3-saddle and 6-saddle Telecaster bridge to learn about the pros and cons of each design.

Images link to Amazon

Here is a table highlighting the differences between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Telecaster models.

Feature	Squier Classic Vibe Tele	Fender Player Tele
Body Material	Pine/ Nyatoh/ Poplar	Alder
Pickups	Fender Designed Alnico	Player Series Alnico V
Neck Finish	Gloss	Satin
Neck Shape	C Shape	Modern C
Fingerboard Material	Maple/ Indian Laurel	Maple/ Pau Ferro
Nut Material	Bone	Synthetic Bone
Fret Number	21	22
Fret Size	Narrow Tall	Medium Jumbo
Bridge	3-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body	6-Saddle String-Through-Body Tele
Tuning Machines	Vintage Style	Standard Cast
Hardware Finish	Nickel	Nickel/ Chrome
Origin	China/ Indonesia	Mexico
Color Options	Black Butterscotch Blonde 3 Colour Sunburst White Blonde Metallic Purple 3 Tone Sunburst Olympic White	Black Butterscotch Blonde 3 Tone Sunburst Capri Orange Tidepool Polar White

Here are links to the different models on Amazon so you can check the current prices:

• Fender Player Telecaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Telecaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Telecaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Telecaster

Here is a table highlighting the similarities between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Telecaster models.

Feature	Specification
Body Finish	Gloss
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard Radius	9.5”
Fretboard Finish	Gloss
Scale Length	25.5”
Nut Width	1.650”
Inlays	Black/ White Dot
Pickguard	3-Ply
String Gauge	9
Controls	1 x Tone, 1 x Vol
Control Design	Knurled Flat-Top
Pickup Selector	3-Way
Left-Hand Available	Yes

Check out in-depth comparison between Squier and Fender Telecasters

Jaguar Model Comparison

The Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar has a lead/ rhythm circuit and two single coil pickups, whereas the Fender Player Jaguar does not have a lead/ rhythm circuit and has one humbucker and one single coil pickup. The Classic Vibe has a gloss neck with 21 frets whereas the Player has a satin neck with 22 frets.

Images link to Amazon

Here is a table highlighting the differences between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Jaguar models.

Feature	Squier Classic Vibe Jaguar	Fender Player Jaguar
Body Material	Poplar	Alder
Pickup Configuration	SS	HS
Pickups	Fender Designed Alnico	Player Series Alnico V
Neck Finish	Gloss	Satin
Neck Shape	C Shape	Modern C
Fingerboard Material	Indian Laurel	Pau Ferro
Nut Material	Bone	Synthetic Bone
Fret Size	Narrow Tall	Medium Jumbo
Inlays	White Pearloid Block	White Block
Bridge	3-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tremolo	3-Saddle Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo
Pickguard	4-Ply	3-Ply
Hardware Finish	Nickel	Nickel/ Chrome
Rhythm/ Lead Circuit	Yes	No
Origin	China/ Indonesia	Mexico
Color Options	Black Surf Green 3-Color Sunburst	Black 3 Tone Sunburst Capri Orange Tidepool

Here are links to the different models on Amazon so you can check the current prices:

• Fender Player Jaguar
• Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Jaguar

Here is a table highlighting the similarities between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Jaguar models.

Feature	Specification
Body Finish	Gloss
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard Radius	9.5”
Fretboard Finish	Gloss
Scale Length	24.0”
Nut Width	1.650”
Fret Number	22
String Gauge	9
Left-Hand Available	No

Jazzmaster Models

The Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster has a lead/ rhythm circuit and two single coil pickups, whereas the Fender Player Jazzmaster does not have a lead/ rhythm circuit and has two coil split humbucker pickups. The Classic Vibe has a gloss neck with 21 frets whereas the Player has a satin neck with 22 frets.

Images link to Amazon

Here is a table highlighting the differences between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Jazzmaster models.

Feature	Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster	Fender Player Jazzmaster
Body Material	Poplar	Alder
Pickup Configuration	SS	HH
Pickups	Fender Designed Alnico	Player Series Alnico II
Neck Finish	Gloss	Satin
Neck Shape	C Shape	Modern C
Fingerboard Material	Indian Laurel	Pau Ferro
Nut Material	Bone	Synthetic Bone
Fret Number	21	22
Fret Size	Narrow Tall	Medium Jumbo
Bridge	6-Saddle Vintage Style with Non-Locking Floating Vibrato	6-Saddle Vintage-Style Floating Tremolo
Pickguard	4-Ply	3-Ply
Hardware Finish	Nickel	Nickel/ Chrome
Rhythm/ Lead Circuit	Yes	No
Push/ Pull Tone Pot	No	Yes
Left-Hand Available	Yes	No
Origin	China/ Indonesia	Mexico
Color Options	3 Color Sunburst Olympic White Sonic Blue	3 Tone Sunburst Polar White Capri Orange Buttercream

Here are links to the different models on Amazon so you can check the current prices:

• Fender Player Jazzmaster
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster

Here is a table highlighting the similarities between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Jazzmaster models.

Feature	Specification
Body Finish	Gloss
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard Radius	9.5”
Fretboard Finish	Gloss
Scale Length	25.5”
Nut Width	1.650”
Inlays	White Dot
String Gauge	9

Check out in-depth comparison between Squier and Fender Jazzmaster

Mustang Model Comparison

The Squier Classic Vibe Mustang has an poplar body, two single coil pickups and a gloss neck finish, whereas the Fender Player Mustang has an alder body, two P90 pickups and a satin neck. The Mustang Classic Vibe also has a tremolo bridge, whilst the Fender Player has a fixed bridge.

Images link to Amazon

Here is a table highlighting the differences between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Mustang models.

Feature	Squier Classic Vibe Mustang	Fender Player Mustang
Body Material	Poplar	Alder
Pickup Configuration	SS	P90/ P90
Pickups	Fender Designed Alnico	Player Series Alnico II
Neck Finish	Gloss	Satin
Neck Shape	C Shape	Modern C
Fingerboard Material	Indian Laurel	Pau Ferro
Nut Material	Bone	Synthetic Bone
Fret Size	Narrow Tall	Medium Jumbo
Bridge	Floating Bridge with Dynamic Vibrato Tailpiece	Fixed
Pickguard	4-Ply	3-Ply
Hardware Finish	Nickel	Nickel/ Chrome
In/ Out Phase Switch	Yes	No
Origin	China/ Indonesia	Mexico
Color Options	Vintage White Sonic Blue	Burgundy Mist Metallic Aged Natural Seafoam Green

Here are links to the different models on Guitar Center so you can check the current prices:

• Fender Player Mustang
• Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Mustang

Here is a table highlighting the similarities between the Squier Classic Vibe and Fender Player Mustang models.

Feature	Specification
Body Finish	Gloss
Neck Material	Maple
Fingerboard Radius	9.5”
Fretboard Finish	Gloss
Scale Length	24.0”
Nut Width	1.650”
Fret Number	22
Inlays	White Dot
String Gauge	9
Left-Hand Available	No

Here are some more articles you might find useful:

• Squier Classic Vibe vs Affinity Series
• Squier Classic Vibe ’50s vs ’60s vs ’70s
• Fender Player vs Player Plus Guitars
• Fender Player vs Vintera Series