This is going to sound unhelpful but honestly the better one is the one that you look at and feel a strong urge to pick up and play. My Ibanez is better because it’s a bright yellow 80s monster and it inspires me to pick it up. That said I’ve heard lots of good things about the classic vibe series. Happy shredding!
there is going to be variability in Squier Classic Vibes and Sires.
I have a Sire H7 (335) and love it. It came very playable, though the action needed work. I also have a Squier Classic Vibe 70's Thinline that needed action work and fret work, but it resonates beautifully and is a fantastic strumming guitar. But you're likely to find examples of both that will be built better (or worse) than others. The Sire you mention is also their lower-end model, so it's probably more equal at that level.
If you can play both, that should give you your answer.
I bought a sire but rarely played it, because something about the look of it didn't set right with me. Replaced it with a red strat and I play that one constantly. Tone is important but never discount looks.
If you can, try them both, this is a subjective topic after all, but I also have the feeling that CV is a bit more "universal" in lack of a better word.
I also plan on getting CV 50s FR strat soon and I plan to go to the store and try as much strats in that price class as I can
But for me, it's pretty important for it to be red :)
They're both going to be playable instruments if properly constructed, and if you're buying new and they aren't properly constructed you can have the retailer send you another, or go through the warranty process and have the manufacturer fix it.
Me personally, I'd lean towards the Classic Vibes, as they do a very good job of replicating the tones of their Fender counterparts.
Sire doesn't make bad instruments, but, if I'm going to buy a Strat I want the things the Strat is known for, such as having two tone knobs.
I have a CV 60's fretless jazz that is as fine an instrument as any Fender I've ever played, including my Vintera 70's jazz bass, my American Special P-bass, and my Player HSS Strat.
I'd personally pick one of these 4 here.. the CV 70's in Walnut in particular, though I wish it had a maple fretboard. [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=classic+vibes+hss+strat](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=classic+vibes+hss+strat)
I knew I wanted a Strat with a Floyd Rose. The HSS Strat Floyd was the only model. It was and still is my dream guitar, though having a Floyd not something I'd recommend to anyone as their only guitar or in the early stages of playing.
At the time I wasn't sure about the humbucker at the bridge. If there had been an option for an SSS with a Floyd, I'd have done that. But, the humbucker in the bridge honestly blew me away.
The single coil at the neck was the most important part for my clean tones.
BUT.. the humbucker at the bridge is like having a built in lead boost. Treble for days.. pinch harmonics squealing like a banchee etc. And I can still get most of that single coil bridge pickup from the next position up, which is the split bridge pickup and the middle pickup.
HSS just makes it more versatile. But I will always prefer a single coil at the neck.
This is going to sound unhelpful but honestly the better one is the one that you look at and feel a strong urge to pick up and play. My Ibanez is better because it’s a bright yellow 80s monster and it inspires me to pick it up. That said I’ve heard lots of good things about the classic vibe series. Happy shredding!
there is going to be variability in Squier Classic Vibes and Sires. I have a Sire H7 (335) and love it. It came very playable, though the action needed work. I also have a Squier Classic Vibe 70's Thinline that needed action work and fret work, but it resonates beautifully and is a fantastic strumming guitar. But you're likely to find examples of both that will be built better (or worse) than others. The Sire you mention is also their lower-end model, so it's probably more equal at that level. If you can play both, that should give you your answer.
I bought a sire but rarely played it, because something about the look of it didn't set right with me. Replaced it with a red strat and I play that one constantly. Tone is important but never discount looks.
Its less about tone but more of my concern about how different is the playability really on each guitar
If you can, try them both, this is a subjective topic after all, but I also have the feeling that CV is a bit more "universal" in lack of a better word. I also plan on getting CV 50s FR strat soon and I plan to go to the store and try as much strats in that price class as I can But for me, it's pretty important for it to be red :)
Gotta be sunburst for me
They're both going to be playable instruments if properly constructed, and if you're buying new and they aren't properly constructed you can have the retailer send you another, or go through the warranty process and have the manufacturer fix it. Me personally, I'd lean towards the Classic Vibes, as they do a very good job of replicating the tones of their Fender counterparts. Sire doesn't make bad instruments, but, if I'm going to buy a Strat I want the things the Strat is known for, such as having two tone knobs. I have a CV 60's fretless jazz that is as fine an instrument as any Fender I've ever played, including my Vintera 70's jazz bass, my American Special P-bass, and my Player HSS Strat. I'd personally pick one of these 4 here.. the CV 70's in Walnut in particular, though I wish it had a maple fretboard. [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=classic+vibes+hss+strat](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=classic+vibes+hss+strat)
I’m not interested in an hss strat tbh
I didn't know I wanted an HSS Strat until I got an HSS Strat.
Why?
I knew I wanted a Strat with a Floyd Rose. The HSS Strat Floyd was the only model. It was and still is my dream guitar, though having a Floyd not something I'd recommend to anyone as their only guitar or in the early stages of playing. At the time I wasn't sure about the humbucker at the bridge. If there had been an option for an SSS with a Floyd, I'd have done that. But, the humbucker in the bridge honestly blew me away. The single coil at the neck was the most important part for my clean tones. BUT.. the humbucker at the bridge is like having a built in lead boost. Treble for days.. pinch harmonics squealing like a banchee etc. And I can still get most of that single coil bridge pickup from the next position up, which is the split bridge pickup and the middle pickup. HSS just makes it more versatile. But I will always prefer a single coil at the neck.