Best Poplar Body Stratocaster Style Guitars in 2024
Here you'll find the best Poplar body Stratocaster style guitars. It's similar to Alder in terms of tone as it has a fat low-end with strong mids, but it's a lot cheaper and softer. It's a bit heavier so it's mostly used for tops.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
1. Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (1 vote)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (1 vote)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (8 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (9 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
Sterling Cutlass Short Scale
- Compensated Nut
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
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2. PRS SE Silver Sky
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Hard (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Smooth (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (1 vote)
- Weight: Very lightweight (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (1 vote)
- Neck speed (thickness): Slightly chunky (1 vote)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS SE Silver Sky
PRS SE Silver Sky
- Expensive Wood
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
3. Fender Squier Paranormal Custom Nashville Stratocaster
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (28 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (17 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (17 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (20 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Paranormal Custom Nashville Stratocaster
Fender Squier Paranormal Custom Nashville Stratocaster
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Series Split Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Strengths & Weaknesses
Cort G200
Cort G200
- Locking Tuners
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
5. Ibanez AZES40
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Easy (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Smooth (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Not bad (1 vote)
- Weight: Slightly heavy (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (2 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (3 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez AZES40
Ibanez AZES40
- Series Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
6. Harley Benton ST-20HH Active
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Normal (3 votes)
- Fret edges: Smooth (2 votes)
- Tuning stability: Not bad (2 votes)
- Weight: Lightweight (2 votes)
- Neck profile shape: C (13 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (8 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Hot (5 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Harley Benton ST-20HH Active
Harley Benton ST-20HH Active
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Expensive Woods
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
7. Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Normal (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Smooth (2 votes)
- Tuning stability: Not bad (3 votes)
- Weight: Lightweight (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (28 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (17 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (2 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (2 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
8. Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HT
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (28 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (17 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (2 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (2 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HT
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HT
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
9. Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Normal (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Smooth (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Holds tune well (1 vote)
- Weight: Lightweight (1 vote)
- Neck profile shape: C (28 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (17 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (4 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (4 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
- Synthetic Bone Nut
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
10. Sterling Cutlass CT30SSS
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (1 vote)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (1 vote)
- Pickups noise: Noisy (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Sterling Cutlass CT30SSS
Sterling Cutlass CT30SSS
- Compensated Nut
- Tremolo
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock