I have a Fender Squier Stratocaster, and the sound is just not good. It doesn’t have the tone you hear from other electric guitars. I also have a cheap amp, and all I can do is change the volume, bass, and treble. No matter what I do, it still sounds off. What am I doing wrong? Any tips to fix this?
Cheap amps usually don’t sound great. Have you tried plugging in headphones to your amp? Sometimes, headphones can make the sound clearer, especially if they’re good quality. Another option is to take your guitar to a music store and test it with different amps to see if it’s your amp causing the issue.
@Zuri
I didn’t think of that! Thanks for the idea. I’m new to electric guitars, so I’m curious… can headphones really make a big difference? How does that work?
@Ty
That makes sense, thanks for the advice! I’ll start saving for a better amp.
Sell your amp and get a used Katana 50. They’re super cheap second-hand, and they sound amazing.
Ren said:
Sell your amp and get a used Katana 50. They’re super cheap second-hand, and they sound amazing.
I’ll look into that, thanks!
Ren said:
Sell your amp and get a used Katana 50. They’re super cheap second-hand, and they sound amazing.
I’ll look into that, thanks!
No problem! Your amp is most likely the issue. A good amp can make a cheap guitar sound great, but a bad amp can make even an expensive guitar sound awful. I got a used Katana 50 for $75, and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve made.
It’s a mix of ‘tone is in the fingers’ and ‘studio magic.’ 
Your cheap amp is probably the main issue. It could also be your guitar setup, but I’d bet on the amp. If you’re into blues or classic rock, I’d recommend a small tube amp—they respond better to how you play. For example, I use a Monoprice tube amp with a 12" speaker, and it sounds great even though it’s affordable. Another option is a Spark amp, which is versatile and good for experimenting with effects.
What kind of music are you trying to play? That could help narrow down what amp you should get.