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The legendary Fender Stratocaster has impacted solidbody electric guitars significantly in the past sixty years. The Superstrat takes the original design and makes some unique adjustments that alter its feel, appearance, and sound.
When Fender first released their iconic Stratocaster in 1954, they changed electric guitars forever. With its distinctive double-cutaway design and three-pickup configuration, the Strat quickly became one of the most popular axes in the world.
In the early 1980s, heavy metal had become a prominent subgenre of rock music. This led to metal guitarists desiring a Strat-like instrument, with modifications to suit their aggressive, heavy style. As a result, the Super Strat was born.
In this guide, we’ve selected the best Super Stratocaster guitars, including options to suit your budget, playing style, and preferences.
In a Rush’ Round-Up
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How We Tested
When we put these 3/4 acoustic guitars to the test, we began by comparing the quality of their tone across the frequency range. Then, we tested their Versatility and volume, before comparing the durability and quality of their components.
The testing process of these Superstrat guitars involved analyzing their tonal consistency when used with a range of tube and solid-state amplifiers. We then looked closely at their versatility, by testing their sound using different pickup positions.
Next, we rated the playing comfort of the Superstrats, which was based on their suitability for rhythm and lead playing, and the quality of the materials which they are constructed from. You can find the results from these tests in the best Super Strat electric guitars reviews below.
Super Strat Guitars Reviews
Schecter Hellraiser Hybrid C-1 FR-S
Schecter Hellraiser Hybrid C-1 FR-S Review
The Schecter Hellraiser Hybrid C-1 FR S is designed for guitarists who like to play fast. Constructed from an excellent mixture of tonewoods, this Superstrat guitar delivers warmth, attack, and plenty of sustain.
In the bridge position, Schecter has installed a high-output EMG 57 humbucker. This active pickup produces an aggressive, sharp snarl which is ideal for playing powerful riffs or lead guitar parts.
The Sustaniac neck pickup offers a less intense tone and increases the length of each note. These humbuckers can be toggled using the three-way selector switch, with the middle position offering a balanced blend of the two.
The body design of this Schecter axe resembles that of a Fender Super Strat-style guitar, with the classic solidbody cutaway and an Ultra-Thin “C” profile maple neck. Combined with a smooth ebony fingerboard, this neck makes it easier to navigate the frets.
Features
- Quilt maple top
- Floyd Rose tremolo
- EMG Active and Sustaniac humbucker pickups
Pros
- Fast-playing thin neck
- Equally suited to rhythm and lead guitar
- Long note sustain
Cons
- High-output bridge pickup may be too heavy for some styles
ESP LTD MH-1000FM EverTune
ESP LTD MH-1000FM EverTune Review
With a body that is made from a blend of mahogany and maple, the MH-1000FM EverTune produces a tone that suits a variety of genres and styles.
The high-end produced by this Super Strat guitar is particularly prominent and has the sharpness to cut through a busy mix. Additionally, each note rings out with impressive sustain, thanks to the high-quality tonewood combination and pickups.
Intonation and tuning stability are two strong points of this ESP LTD guitar. The solidly constructed bridge ensures this, and the thin “U” profile neck, which is made from three pieces of maple, makes fast runs up and down the ebony fingerboard easy.
Along with this guitar’s sonic and dynamic qualities, it also has a stunning aesthetical design. The top is made from flamed maple, and all of the hardware is colored black, giving the instrument a distinguished appearance.
A combination of EMG 81 and 85 humbuckers delivers a searing output that lets you hear each note clearly without any weak frequency bands.
Features
- Ebony fingerboard
- EMG 85 and EMG 81 humbucker pickups
- Thin “U” maple neck
Pros
- Powerful aggressive tone
- Effortless playability
- Warm midrange
Cons
- Best suited to heavier styles of playing
Jackson Pro Series Signature Mick Thomson Soloist SL2
Jackson Pro Series Signature Mick Thomson Soloist SL2 Review
The Pro Series Signature Mick Thomson Soloist SL2 is an affordable Jackson Super Strat that produces a powerful, energetic output across the low-end, midrange, and treble frequencies.
With a custom-shaped mahogany body and maple neck, this axe is highly playable. Slipknot lead guitarist Mick Thomson aided Jackson in the design process, and his influence is evident in the punchy, red-hot tone that the Soloist SL2 produces.
Heavy rock and metal guitarists need impeccable tuning stability and intonation, as they often utilize the entire fretboard of their instrument. This guitar is ideal for those playing styles, as its neck is reinforced with graphite and fed through the body.
The pair of Mick Thomson signature Blackout pickups were designed with industry icons Seymour Duncan. These humbuckers offer a crisp, articulate sound, soaking up gain and distortion beautifully.
If you like to play at a rapid pace, you’ll enjoy the comfort of the 12”-16” radius ebony fingerboard which includes 42 jumbo-sized frets.
Features
- Maple neck
- 2 x Seymour Duncan Blackout AHB-3S humbucker pickups
- Ebony fingerboard
Pros
- Great for fast, technical playing styles
- Solid tuning stability
- Lightweight and mobile design
Cons
- Ideally suited to metal and heavy rock
Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH Floyd Rose
Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 HH Floyd Rose Review
The Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 shares many similarities to the Fender Stratocaster. Its double-contoured body shape, fast-playing thin neck, and lightweight design give it Strat-like qualities.
Rather than opting for the classic three-pickup configuration that is featured on the majority of Stratocasters, Charvel has used a HH setup that consists of two powerful Seymour Duncan devices.
In the neck position, you’ll find an SH1N ’59 humbucker, which delivers a classic vintage rock n’ roll tone. In the bridge position, there is a JB TB4 humbucker, which is more focused and aggressive-sounding.
These pickups blend with one another effortlessly and are key to the impressive versatility offered by the Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1.
The slightly reduced scale length makes it easier to move up and down the maple fingerboard, and a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo ensures excellent tuning stability and sustain.
Alder was selected by Charvel for the bloody tonewood, and this material increases the warmth and resonance of the output. When combined with a tube amplifier, this guitar is ideal for achieving those irresistible break-ups.
Features
- Seymour Duncan SH1N ‘59 and JB TB4 humbucker pickups
- Maple neck and fingerboard
- Alder body
Pros
- 6 pickup positions
- Great for driving a tube amp into overdrive
- Powerful low-end
Cons
- Custom-sized fingerboard radius may take some getting used to
Ibanez Steve Vai Signature JEMJR
Ibanez Steve Vai Signature JEMJR Review
Steve Vai’s signature electric guitars are amongst Ibanez’s most popular instruments. Many of these models are quite expensive, but the Ibanez JEMJR allows guitarists to enjoy the brilliant qualities of this range at an affordable price.
One standout feature of this guitar is the unusual, but useful “monkey grip” handle. This cutout makes it easy to hold the guitar in one hand and reduces the tension on the neck when it is being moved around.
You’re probably wondering whether having a hole in the guitar’s body has a negative impact on its tone, but Ibanez has taken some measures to prevent this. Firstly, they’ve used a high-quality tonewood blend to ensure a full sound with no weak spots.
This consists of a maple neck in the Wizard III shape, which is renowned for promoting fast-paced playing. The body is made from meranti, a rare tonewood that shares sonic characteristics with alder. Finally, a smooth jatoba fingerboard further improves the feel.
One of the common qualities of Steve Vai’s signature guitars, particularly those of the Superstrat variety, is that they are capable of producing a wide range of tones.
With an HSH pickup configuration, you get access to classic, creamy humbucking tones in the neck and bridge positions, whilst also being able to switch things up to a sharper-sounding single-coil pickup in the middle position.
Features
- Rosewood fingerboard
- 2 x Quantum humbuckers and 1 x Quantum single-coil pickups
- Meranti body
Pros
- Articulate tone
- Great for solos and lead playing
- Smooth playing neck
Cons
- “Monkey-grip” handle is an unusual feature
EVH Wolfgang Special
EVH Wolfgang Special Review
It’s difficult to think of any electric guitar players that have had the same level of impact that was achieved by the late Eddie Van Halen. His legacy lives on through his music, and also through his signature guitars.
The EVH Wolfgang Special was designed meticulously to meet Van Halen’s specs, and one of the things he insisted on was a basswood body. Compared to other tonewoods like maple or alder, basswood produces more sustain, which is great for soloing.
Additionally, the two EVH humbuckers are insanely powerful. They keep the output consistent across the bass, mid, and treble frequency bands, and if you plug this guitar into a fuzz or distortion pedal, it sounds huge!
The neck is made from a unique type of maple, known as quartersawn. This means that the grains are straighter than other varieties of maple, which reduces the chances of warping and tuning issues.
Features
- Basswood body
- EVH Floyd Rose tremolo
- 2 x Wolfgang Alnico humbucker pickups
Pros
- Ideal for rock, blues, and metal
- Resonant tone
- Comfortable cutaway design
Cons
- Narrow, deep neck design may not suit every style
Super Strat Guitars Buyer's Guide
Within the niche of Super Strat guitars, many subtle differences must be considered before choosing the suitable model for your specific tonal aspirations, playing style, and other preferences.
Superstrat manufacturers may use unconventional designs to make their guitars stand out. Others may use a design that looks very similar to the original Strat but use different components and materials to alter the tone.
Understanding how the many features of a Superstrat guitar can impact the way it sounds and feels is essential if you want to select the best instrument for your style.
Things to consider when buying
Consider the neck profile
Super Strat electric guitars come with various neck profiles, which impact their feel and playability. If your playing style is fast and technical, a thinner neck profile may be better than a thicker option.
Think about tremolo arms
Tremolo arms, or whammy bars as they are also commonly called, allow you to quickly modulate the pitch of a Super Strat guitar. They’re great for performing techniques like dive bombs.
Decide on the pickups
Stratocasters traditionally have three pickups, which is one of the reasons they are so unique. A Super Strat guitar may have an SSS, HSS, or HSH configuration, so you must decide whether single-coils or humbuckers are best suited to your style.
Consider the materials
The type of body wood, neck wood, and fingerboard wood all play a pivotal role in determining the sound and feel of a Super Strat-style guitar. Mahogany and alder are superb body tonewoods, while rosewood and ebony are commonly used for fingerboards.
Choosing The Right Superstrat Guitar
When looking for a new electric guitar, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the many available types. You’ve decided on a Superstrat, which is a great choice that will offer you unique results.
When you look into the details of these unique Superstrat models, you’ll find several important variable aspects that can cause many differences in how they sound and perform.
The Superstrat enjoyed massive popularity in the 1980s when hard rock and metal were the dominant musical forces of the world. This led to the creation of the Superstrat, essentially a hot-rodded version of the conventional Fender solid body axe.
If you’re a metal or hard rock guitarist looking for an aggressive tone, look for a Superstrat that has a similar design to the guitars made in the 1980s.
The original Superstrats had high-output humbuckers, fast-playing necks, and a double-cutaway design to make reaching the highest notes on the fingerboard easier.
The Superstrat isn’t only useful for high-gain genres, though. Some options better suit blues or indie rock guitar playing with toned-down aggression.
As I mentioned briefly before, there are several staple features and components of the Superstrat style guitar, each of which is vital to the overall performance and sound of the instrument. These are:
- High-output pickups (usually humbuckers)
- Double-cutaway body shape
- Fast-playing neck profile
- Locking Tremolo
Some Superstrat guitars may not include all of these, but they are highly likely to feature at least three of the aforementioned components or features.
A double-cutaway body shape is such an excellent design for a Superstrat because it allows you to utilize the entirety of the fretboard without being limited by a single-cutaway or other less accessible design.
Double cutaways are ideal for guitarists who like to quickly transition through the scales and access the highest frets of the guitar while still having the leverage to bend notes and play fast-paced techniques in the upper registers.
Some Superstrat guitars make it easier to reach the highest notes, while others may not focus on this aspect. You’ll be able to decide whether this is necessary based on the techniques you like to use when playing.
Double locking tremolos are the most common variety used by Superstrat manufacturers for several reasons.
This type of tremolo system includes a lock both at the string side of the tremolo and at the guitar’s nut, providing additional stability and improving the tuning stability of the strings.
They’re commonly employed on Superstrats to cater to the fast-paced, energetic playing styles usually played on them, ensuring that the strings don’t go out of tune too frequently.
Important Components to Look Out For
As I mentioned briefly before, there are several staple features and components of the Superstrat style guitar, each of which is vital to the overall performance and sound of the instrument. These are:
- High-output pickups (usually humbuckers)
- Double-cutaway body shape
- Fast-playing neck profile
- Locking Tremolo
Some Superstrat guitars may not include all of these, but they are highly likely to feature at least three of the aforementioned components or features.
A double-cutaway body shape is such an excellent design for a Superstrat because it allows you to utilize the entirety of the fretboard without being limited by a single-cutaway or other less accessible design.
Double cutaways are ideal for guitarists who like to quickly transition through the scales and access the highest frets of the guitar while still having the leverage to bend notes and play fast-paced techniques in the upper registers.
Some Superstrat guitars make it easier to reach the highest notes, while others may not focus on this aspect. You’ll be able to decide whether this is necessary based on the techniques you like to use when playing.
Double locking tremolos are the most common variety used by Superstrat manufacturers for several reasons.
This type of tremolo system includes a lock both at the string side of the tremolo and at the guitar’s nut, providing additional stability and improving the tuning stability of the strings.
They’re commonly employed on Superstrats to cater to the fast-paced, energetic playing styles usually played on them, ensuring that the strings don’t go out of tune too frequently.
Superstrat Pickups
The original Stratocaster commonly has three pickups and a five-way selector switch, but this isn’t always the case with the modified Superstrat. These guitars commonly have a pair of high-output humbuckers that can provide plenty of distortion.
Humbuckers are often preferred because they keep noise issues at bay when a lot of gain is added to the signal.
Single-coils can also be used on Superstrat guitars, providing a slightly wilder tone that is great for heavy blues and rock guitarists.
Super Strat Guitars FAQs
Is a Superstrat Good for Metal?
For several reasons, the Superstrat guitar is an excellent choice for metal players. Firstly, it often has an extremely fast-playing neck that is comfortable enough to perform the rapid and intricate techniques used by metal guitarists.
Another reason that the Superstrat is ideal for metal is because of the often aggressive tone that is produced by its high-output pickups. It is highly compatible with distortion and heavy-gain effects.
Did Eddie Van Halen Invent the Superstrat?
When you trace back the history of the Superstrat, it leads to legendary blues guitarist Eddie Van Halen and his iconic Frankenstrat guitar. Van Halen customized his Fender Stratocaster to make it sound more powerful and play faster.
Many of the customizations Van Halen made to the neck and pickups of the Frankenstrat are credited with being the blueprint for the Superstrat guitar model.
Can You Shred on a Superstrat?
Not all electric guitars are suitable for shredding – but the Superstrat is ideal for this technique. Its neck design and high-output tone make it perfect for fast, technical playing styles like tapping or shredding.
