Leo Jaymz 39" Full Size Electric Guitar Starter Kit with 20W Amp, Digital Tuner, Gig Bag, Strap & Cable - Complete Beginner Guitar Package for Rock, Blues & Practice (Blue Black)

I have been playing guitar for 10+ years and wanted to add a Stratocaster with a tremolo to the arsenal. I previously sold my Mexican Strat with Texas Special pickups and some other mid-level guitars to buy a high-end Telecaster and a professional-level Guild acoustic. With little left in the guitar budget, I took a chance on the Leo Jaymz ST and am so glad I did. The guitar arrived double-boxed and inside a very cheap gig bag that might be used as a trash can liner--well, it's a little better than a Hefty bag with a handle and zipper, but not much. As a consequence, the reveal was the more dramatic: out of that flimsy black sack slipped a virtually flawless objet d'art with Old Glory emblazoned on the body. This guitar looks fantastic. There were just a few minor finishing details that went wrong: the black paint on the face of the headstock is a tad uneven at one edge where the natural maple meets it. The pickup cutouts are slightly rough in some areas, but these details are hardly noticeable and do not affect playability or sound. The ST came set up perfectly well to my liking--medium to low action, and there is not a fret buzz to be found anywhere. Intonation is perfect. The neck is smooth, the frets are filed nicely, and all the switches and electronics perform well. The pickups are not super high output, but they sound good. I got some nice jazzy tones on my tube amp by selecting the neck pickup and turning down the tone control. The humbuckers in the bridge were great for some overdriven AC/DC riffs. The combinations in-between aren't bad, either. It comes strung with very light strings "for beginners," the company advertises. Indeed this is one thing I will change, adding .10 gauge or higher, and this will undoubtedly improve what is pretty fair tone as it is. I like this guitar for a beginner because it is easy to fret notes and sounds at least as good as Mexican Strat. Experienced guitarists on a budget can't go wrong, either. Would I rather have a made in America Fender Strat--of course, I would! But the days of paying $800-$1000 for a MIM Strat are over for me, since I can get this quality from Leo Jaymz for around $170, including tax and shipping.