In today’s article, we’re going to compare a few of the most popular budget guitars of all time – Squier Bullet Stratocaster vs Telecaster vs Mustang. All of these models are perfect for beginners, but which one of them is actually best?
The truth is that it’s really difficult to pick a clear winner of that battle, because they’re all different. The Strat is the most versatile one, the Telecaster has the classic twang, while the Mustang is the best option for players with smaller hands.
Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes these guitars so good and so popular among the guitarists all around the world. Firstly, we’ll start with a quick overview of all of these guitars. Of course, there will also be a direct comparison as well. Hopefully, this guide will help you find out which one of them is best for you!
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Squier Bullet Stratocaster vs Telecaster vs Mustang – Specs
| Stratocaster | Telecaster | Mustang | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | Basswood | Poplar | Poplar |
| Neck | Maple | Maple | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Indian Laurel | Indian Laurel | Indian Laurel |
| Frets | 21 | 21 | 22 |
| Pickups | SSS | SS | HH |
| Radius | 9″ | 9″ | 12″ |
| Scale Length | 25.5″ | 25.5″ | 24″ |
Squier Bullet Stratocaster – Most Versatile Option
Squier Bullet Stratocaster is one of the most popular budget electric guitars in the world. This is an extremely common choice among everyone who’s looking for their first guitar of this type.
What makes it so popular? Well, it’s the Stratocaster, one of the most iconic guitars of all time! What’s important, the Bullet Strat is the cheapest Stratocaster that you can find in Squier’s offer.
The guitar features a lightweight basswood body, a comfortable C-shaped maple neck and an easy-playing Indian Laurel fretboard. There’s also a hardtrail bridge which guarantees a pretty good stuning stability and sustain.
Since it’s a classic Stratocaster guitar, it has a really versatile pickup setting – three single-coil pickups. All of these pickups offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone, although they’re not ideal for heavier genres of music. If you prefer a bit heavier sounds, perhaps choosing the Squier Bullet Stratocaster HSS will be a better choice for you.
The only disadvantage of the Bullet Strat is the fact that unlike any original or more expensive Stratocaster, it doesn’t have a tremolo bridge. However, if you’re an amateur, you probably won’t need it anyway.
Overall, it’s not surprising that the Squier Bullet Stratocaster is so popular among the guitarists all around the world. It has everything that you potentially need from a good and reliable entry-level guitar.
Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
Squier Bullet Telecaster – Better Than Strat?
Squier Bullet Telecaster is an another extremely popular electric guitar, especially among the beginners. Most of the time, it’s used by guitarists who are looking for something a bit different than a regular Strat.
In comparison with the Bullet Stratocaster, this guitar feels pretty much the same. It has the same scale length and it’s made of similar materials, although it has a poplar body instead of basswood. Just like in the Strat, the comfortable C-shaped maple neck and Indian Laurel fretboard guarantee an excellent playability.
However, this Telecaster has a bit different pickup setting – it is equipped with two single-coil Telecaster pickups. They sound a little bit different than the single-coils used in the Stratocaster and they have that classic Tele twang. This kind of tone is a particularly good choice for blues, rock and country music.
When it comes to pricing, this is an another extremely affordable guitar, so it’s not surprising that so many guitarists decide to choose it.
Undoubtedly, Squier Bullet Telecaster is a great alternative option for those who aren’t satisfied with the quality of a classic Stratocaster. These guitars have a lot of things in common, but the truth is that they’re completely different. If you like the design of a Tele – this guitar will be perfect for you.
Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
Squier Bullet Mustang – Best For Small Hands
Squier Bullet Mustang is not as popular as the Stratocaster and the Telecaster, but it definitely deserves a lot of attention. This is an offset guitar, which means that it’s slightly different than two of the models mentioned above.
The main thing that differentiates the Squier Bullet Mustang from the Strat and Tele is the fact that it has a short-scale length. Instead of 25.5″, it has 24″. This significantly affects the way that this guitar feels.
Guitars with the 24″ scale length like the Mustang are perfect for guitarists with smaller hands and shorter fingers. This guitar will be perfect for kids and teenagers, although bear in mind that this is not a toy – this is a fantastic instrument that can be efficiently used by adults as well!
The guitar features a lightweight poplar body, a comfortable C-shaped maple neck and an easy-playing Indian Laurel fretboard. The manufacturer equipped that model with a pair of humbuckers, which offer a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. This kind of tone is perfect for rock, grunge, punk and emo music!
Just like the Stratocaster and the Telecaster, it’s a really affordable guitar. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best and the cheapest offset guitars that you can potentially find on the market right now. That’s why I love it!
Here’s the sound demo.
Squier Bullet Stratocaster vs Telecaster vs Mustang – Sound Differences
If you want to hear the sound differences between all of these three models, here’s a really good video that highlights that. You’ll notice that they all sound different and they’re suitable for different types of music.
My Thoughts
I had the pleasure to test out all of these guitars on my own and I can totally recommend each of these models. They’re all perfect for beginners! However, if you still don’t know which one you should get for yourself, here’s a few of my tips.
In my opinion, firstly you should decide whether you want a guitar with a regular scale length or a short scale length. If your hands are small and you have a feeling that you will struggle while practicing on a regular guitar, choose the Squier Bullet Mustang.
On the other hand, if you want to get one of the most iconic electric guitars of all time, the Bullet Stratocaster will be a great choice for you.
Lastly, if you’re not satisfied with the look and sound of a Stratocaster, the Telecaster will be the best choice for you. These guitars are pretty similar when it comes to feeling, but they sound a bit differently.
Still, I’m sure that no matter which one you decide to get for yourself, you won’t be disappointed. All of these guitars are more than enough for any beginner to start their own musical journey. That’s for sure!
Any Alternatives?
If you’re not satisfied with the sound and quality of these budget guitars, that’s not a problem! There’s still quite a lot of fantastic electric guitars that also deserve a lot of attention. Of course, it all depends on the size of your budget and your own personal preferences.
Here’s a few more guitars that you may also like.
Alternative Option #1 – Squier Affinity Stratocaster
Squier Affinity Stratocaster is an another very popular electric guitar suitable for both beginners and more advanced guitar players. This model is slightly more expensive than the Bullet Strat, but it features a little bit better quality.
All guitars from the Affinity Series cost more than the guitars from the Bullet Series, but they’re on a higher level. I personally own the Squier Affinity Strat and the Squier Affinity Jazzmaster and I have to admit that both of them are fantastic.
I have no hesitation in recommending the Affinity Strat to all guitarists who are looking for an electric guitar from a bit higher shelf than the Bullet Strat. This is still relatively cheap guitar, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
Alternative Option #2 – Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster
Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster is an another extremely popular electric guitar designed for both amateur and intermediate guitar players. The guitars from the Classic Vibe Series are more expensive than guitars from the Bullet and Affinity Series, but they’re definitely worth it.
I had the pleasure to test out quite a few CV guitars on my own and they all offered a really high quality. In my opinion, the CV Telecaster can easily compete with the Mexican-made Fender Player Telecaster. On top of that, these guitars have really unique vintage vibe.
Who is it for? Well, the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster will be an ideal choice for a bit more advanced player who’s looking for an electric guitar from the middle shelf. It’s not the best guitar in the world, but it’s definitely on a higher level than the Bullet Tele.
Alternative Option #3 – Harley Benton ST-62
Harley Benton ST-62 is an another popular alternative option among the amateur guitar players. For those who don’t know that brand, they manufacture cheap copies of the most popular guitars in the world.
The ST-62 model has everything that you need from a classic Stratocaster guitar. In fact, it’s really similar to the Strats from the Bullet and Affinity Series.
Harley Benton guitars are particularly popular in Europe, because they’re usually sold through one of the biggest online music stores in that region – Thomann. If you’re from the EU, you should definitely check it out!
FAQ
Where are Squier Bullet guitars made?
Squier Bullet guitars are manufactured in China.
Are Squier guitars good for beginners?
Yes, Squier guitars are perfect for beginners!
Where can I find out more about Squier guitars?
If you want to learn more about Squier guitars, make sure to visit the official website of Fender – they’re the ones who own the Squier brand.
Squier Bullet Stratocaster vs Telecaster vs Mustang -Summary
As you can see, all of these guitars feature a really good quality and they’re perfect for beginner guitarists. No matter which one you decide to choose for yourself, there’s a really high chance that you’re going to love it! Personally, I’d stick with the Stratocaster, because I just love that classic Strat tone.
What about you? Which model would you take for yourself? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful and you found what you were looking for. If you enjoyed this article and you’re searching for more gear recommendations, you may also like:
