When people start learning to play guitar, a full-size electric can seem pretty daunting. For those looking for something just a little bit smaller, Fender has responded with a couple of electrics and a bass that can also serve as travel companions.
All of the instruments in the range are based on Fender classics, and come with the promise of full-size tone. The Squier Mini Stratocaster can be had in left-hand or right-hand configuration, and black, red and pink are your color options. It rocks a thin body, a C-shaped neck profile, three single-coil pickups selected by a 5-way blade switch, and a hardtail bridge.
The 22.75-inch scale, bolt-on maple neck is topped by an Indian laurel fingerboard with 20 frets (instead of 22 on the full-size Strats), a synthetic bone nut, and perloid dots. Elsewhere are volume and tone knobs (just the one tone control instead of two), and chrome hardware.
The second model in the range is the Squier Mini Jazzmaster HH, the latter part of the moniker giving away that this guitar features humbucking pickups, selected using a 3-way toggle. If you're just starting out and worry about using a tremolo found on many full-size variants of this model, then worry no more – like the Strat, Fender has opted to keep things simple, solid and stable with a hardtail bridge.
This one also gets an easy-to-play C-shaped maple neck, but is paired with a maple fingerboard. The scale length is the same as the Mini Strat, the nut is fashioned from synthetic bone and the hardware is also chrome. Color options here are blue, white and green.
Representing the low end is the Squier Mini Precision Bass, with a maple C-shaped neck and Indian laurel combination, 20 frets just like its bigger siblings but on a shorter 28.6-inch scale neck, and a vintage style bridge. This thunder thumper features a split single-coil pickup, knurled flat-top volume and tone controls, and comes in black or red.
As well as serving beginners,or anyone seeking reduced-size instruments, the Mini series could also be good for players taking a guitar or bass on the road. But the best news here is the price of US$179.99 each.
Product pages: Mini Stratocaster, Mini Jazzmaster HH, Mini Precision Bass