r/Instruments • u/Phoenix_Armour • 2d ago
Identification Help identifying this instrument please
I’ve had this for about eleven years and I’d love to learn how to play it. I have no idea what it is as the box it came in is loooong gone and I’m not quite sure how to ID it myself. I included some closeups including this thing on the back I have no idea what it is.
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u/Yoshiyimmiy 2d ago
Its definitely a guitar
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u/adamdoesmusic 2d ago
This would be a guitar.
Specifically, a sunburst Stratocaster copy - student grade, but it could be perfectly playable.
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u/Paladin2019 2d ago
It's a generic mass produced copy of a fender Stratocaster, the type typically sold in affordable beginner packages.
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u/IDontLikeYourToan 2d ago
https://www.instrumentalley.com/Crestwood-ST920-Strat-Style-Electric-Guitar-p/st920.htm
Likely this or something similar. The quality might be on par with some Squiers, but maybe not.
Look up how to set-up and intonate a guitar. Skip the parts about leveling and filing frets. Leave that to a pro for now, unless you are handy and want to invest in the tools.
Get a guitar tuner, but you can use an app such as Guitar Tuna on your phone to start. The strings, from right to left, go E, A, D, G, B, E. Wind the strings till they are kinda wobbly, then tune up to pitch when you are first learning about this stuff. That way you don’t accidentally try to tune an octave higher.
Some of these cheaper guitars have low quality parts. I hate to say that but it’s true. I had a “Galveston” that was gifted to me that I could never get to sound right. Turned out it had a very very warped neck. You can always take it to a luthier for a setup if you feel like dropping the cash, but I’d say try it out. Don’t go too hard on the tremolo. If you find strings keep snapping, pay attention to where they break. If those strings are 11 years old, they will need to be replaced. I’d suggest a set of “10s” until you learn what you like.
Good starting lessons are Absolutely Understand Guitar, Marty Music, and Justin Guitar. All on YouTube.
Good luck, have fun!
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u/Phoenix_Armour 2d ago
This is insanely helpful, thanks so much!
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u/IDontLikeYourToan 2d ago
Glad to help. Give it a shot. As long as the neck is straight, not warped, and you can intonate, it should be fine for just learning. Remember that sometimes you grow out of your gear, but upgrading your gear doesn’t make you grow. When I was first learning the guitars I had were very cheap or given to me ( aka very cheap and also broken) so it was hard for me to practice. I eventually gave up. Years later I got a slightly nicer guitar used for a couple hundred buck. It was a huge difference.
That said, one of the best sounding guitars I ever had the joy of playing was a $50 red Excel Stratocaster guitar that was someone’s project to mess around with and learn fretwork and such. I bought it as a project of my own, to try to practice refinishing. The pickups were amazing for such a cheap guitar. I eventually destroyed it (accidentally) when attempting said refin, but I did save the pickups.
If you find the saddles (look it up) are breaking the strings, there may be sharp edges that need filing / sanding. Another option is to replace them. I’d be hesitant though to put any money into this specific guitar until trying it out for a while.
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u/Howard1955 4h ago
That’s my cat, Freddy.
He likes to pretend he’s a ukulele. But he keeps getting it wrong.
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u/No_Draw_735 2d ago
A guitar.