It plays like a great Strat, that's why I bought it. I've got an SSL-3 knocking around spare that I could put in the bridge, move that DiMarzio to the neck and have a really great Strat for not much money. But I'm still going to take it back to the store and get them to fix the issues. Plus it needs a new pickguard, that certainly isn't original, and it looks naff.