In today’s article, we’re going to highlight some of the best Stratocasters suitable for blues, jazz and rock genres. If you’re looking for a reliable and top quality Strat, you’ll definitely enjoy today’s list of top recommendations!
The versatility of Stratocasters is absolutely amazing. In the end, they’re one of the most legendary guitars of all time. So if you want to use a similar type of gear as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck or David Gilmour, you should definitely give Strat a chance.
That’s why we decided to highlight 10 best Stratocasters suitable for rock, blues and jazz. Feel free to check out the list of guitars below – all of these models feature are reputable and they feature an excellent quality. And what’s interesting, some of them are actually really affordable!
10 Best Stratocasters For Blues, Jazz & Rock – List
| 1. | Fender Vintera Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 2. | Squier Affinity Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 3. | Fender American Professional II Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 4. | Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 5. | Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 6. | Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 7. | Squier Mini Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 8. | Fender 75th Anniversary Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 9. | Fender Lincoln Brewster Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
| 10. | Squier Bullet Stratocaster | See on Amazon |
1. Fender Vintera Stratocaster
One of the best mid-level Strats suitable for all sorts of genres. Whether you’re into indie, jazz, blues or rock – this guitar will be a perfect fit for you. In addition, it’s suitable for both amateurs and more advanced players.
The Vintera Stratocaster is available in three different versions: ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Although they’re all pretty similar, there are a few minor differences between them. If you’d like to read more about that, feel free to check out my detailed comparison of these guitars.
The ’60s model visible on the picture above is an excellent guitar with a really comfortable mid-’60s C-shaped neck. All of the guitars from Vintera Series feature a really cool, vintage vibe, which is essential for playing blues or rock music.
Here’s a quick demo of that Strat – sounds pretty good, right?
2. Squier Affinity Stratocaster
Squier Affinity Stratocaster is another really cool Strat. Although it doesn’t have a Fender logo on the headstock, it’s still a great choice for a lot of guitarist. I own that guitar and with no hesitation I can confirm that this guitar is ready to rock.
I reviewed my Affinity Strat in another article on my blog, so if you’d like to read more about that axe – here’s the link. Considering how inexpensive this guitar is, it’s definitely one of the best budget Stratocasters available on the market right now.
In addition, here’s my own video review of that Strat. If you find it helpful, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel – there are a lot of other reviews of cool gear.
3. Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
As the name suggests, this Strat is made specifically for professional guitarists. If you’re looking for a reliable piece of gear to tour or record albums with – the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is the way to go.
The guitar features a really unique Dark Night color version and it has an alder body with a comfortable maple neck. Why is it good for rock, blues and jazz? Well, Fender decided to equip this model with a set of really unique V-Mod pickups. They offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone, so whether you’re looking for smooth jazz tone or punchy rock sound – you’ll definitely find it.
Undoubtedly, this Strat offers a really good value for the money. It’s an expensive guitar, but it’s definitely worth it.
Here’s a quick demo.
4. Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster
If you can’t afford getting a Fender and you still want to find a reliable piece of gear that features a similar quality, you should definitely check out the Squier Classic Vibe Strat. This is definitely one of the best Stratocasters for blues, rock and jazz.
This Strat features an exceptional quality and a really cool, vintage vibe which is crucial for playing a lot of genres. What’s more, it’s great for both amateurs and more advanced musicians. So whether you’re looking for your first guitar or a new axe to shred on live gigs and on studio recordings – this will be an excellent choice.
The 50’s model visible above is equipped with a set of Fender Alnico Pickups, which guarantee an amazing tone. In addition, there’s a slim C-shaped neck, vintage hardware and a really cool gloss finish.
Here’s the demo.
5. Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster
A really unique and innovative model offered by Fender. This is a pretty new type of guitar – it was introduced just a few years ago and it raised a lot of controversy, especially among the lovers of classic Strats. Undoubtedly, this model is one-of-a-kind.
The guitar features a mahogany body with a solid spruce top. In addition, there’s a really comfortable Deep C-shaped neck with the ebony fretboard, which looks and feels fantastic. The thing that differentiates this guitar from the rest is the patented String Instrument Resonance System (SIRS).
Although it’s one of the most expensive guitars in Fender’s offer, it’s definitely one of the best Stratocasters for blues, rock and jazz. Using a Strat to get an acoustic tone is really unusual, so this model definitely deserves a lot of attention.
Check out the demo below – what do you think about this sound?
6. Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
This is a signature Jimi Hendrix guitar, so as you can imagine – it’s perfect for blues and rock. The vintage vibe and unique reverse headstock definitely make it one of the most interesting Mexican-made Strats out there.
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster features an alder body with a comfortable C-shaped maple neck. What’s important, the manufacturer decided to equip this guitar with a special ’65 American Vintage bridge pickup which offers the classic Hendrix tone.
Undoubtedly, it’s a must-have for any fan of Jimi! I recently wrote a detailed review about this guitar, so if you’d like to read more about it, check it out here.
Here’s a quick demo.
7. Squier Mini Stratocaster
Squier Mini Stratocaster is designed mainly for younger players and guitarists with smaller hands, but it’s still a great option if you want to play blues, rock and jazz. Of course, this guitar is not a piece of art, but considering its price, it’s totally worth it.
I had the pleasure to test out this guitar on my own and I was really surprised of how good that tiny guitar actually is. A lot of people think that 3/4 size guitars are toys, but it’s definitely not true.
The guitar features a lightweight poplar body and a comfortable maple neck. This is a pretty standard Stratocaster – it looks, sounds and feels like a regular Strat, but it’s just smaller. Three single-coil pickups used in this guitar are pretty basic, but they are still capable of delivering a great tone.
Here’s my own video review of that guitar. As you can see, it sound pretty good!
8. Fender 75th Anniversary Stratocaster
An absolutely unique Stratocaster that looks and sounds fantastic. Fender announced the 75th Anniversary Series in 2021 to celebrate their 75 years of existence and it quickly became one of their best modern Strats!
The guitar is available in an exceptional Diamond Anniversary color version with a matching headstock. To be honest, I think that it’s one of the best looking Strats that I have seen in the last few years! Fender equipped this Strat with a set of vintage-style ’60s pickups and a modern C-shaped neck, which increases the comfortability of playing.
When it comes to tone, it’s really versatile. These three single-coil pickups offer a lot of clarity and balance, so it’s definitely one of the best Stratocasters for playing blues, rock and jazz.
Feel free to check out the demo below.
9. Fender Lincoln Brewster Stratocaster
Absolutely beautiful guitar from Fender’s Artist Signature Series. If you don’t know who Lincoln Brewster is, here’s a little bit of background – he’s a really talented guitarist, Christian musician and worship pastor.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that this guitar is made only for playing Christian music. In fact, it’s extremely versatile and it features an amazing quality. Although it’s one of the most expensive Fender guitars on today’s list, it’s definitely worth every cent.
The guitar is available in Aztec Gold color and it features a body made of Ash and a neck made of maple. Fender decided to equip this axe with a set of Area 58 and Area 61 DiMarzio pickups, which all sound fantastic.
Here’s the official demo.
10. Squier Bullet Stratocaster
Squier Bullet Stratocaster is an entry level guitar which features a good and balanced tone. Although it’s not the best guitar in the world, considering it’s budget-friendly price, it’s actually not a bad choice for a lot of guitarists.
The guitar features a lightweight poplar body and a set of three basic single-coil pickups. The quality of electronics and hardware in this model may not be amazing, but in the end – it does the job. There’s also another version of this guitar which features the HSS pickup setting, so it should be better for people who are looking for some extra punch.
Why is it on today’s list? Well, it won’t be the best option for advanced players, but if you’re looking for your first Strat and you want to play blues, rock and eventually jazz – this is definitely one of the cheapest Stratocasters on the market.
Here’s a quick review – feel free to check it out.
Summary
As you can see, there are a lot of Stratocasters that deserve your attention. All of the models mentioned on today’s list feature an absolutely amazing quality and they will be a great choice for both beginners and more advanced players.
Personally, I’d choose the Fender Vintera or Fender American Professional Stratocaster. There is something really cool about these models and both of them are considered as one of the best Strats for blues, jazz and rock.
Which Strat would you choose? Let me know in the comments below, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s article, I hope that it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
