Well, it depends. The tuner knobs felt very delicate like they could break easily. So this is a great guitar to start with, and upgrade and you grow in your guitar journey. I’ve learned a ton over the years and would love to share some tips with you! Some loved it and others hated it. Truss rod: Standard Neck finish: Polyurethane Fretboard Material: Maple Radius: 9.5 in. 97 results for squier affinity series telecaster Save squier affinity series telecaster to get e-mail alerts and updates on your eBay Feed. Having three different pickups and five different configurations of those pickups, you have a wide range of tones on this one guitar. I can tell you that this is a true Stratocaster in every way, although there are some differences between models. Designed for players seeking an affordable, stylish and versatile instrument, the Bullet® Telecaster® sports the classic looks and tone that made the Tele® an icon. For more serious players or people who are looking for the best of the best, you might want to consider spending a little more upfront for a real Fender Stratocaster. You will notice a difference in quality and consistency of tone. The Bullet is a string through body design and the Affinity is a top loader. The pickups on pots on this guitar were some of the things that affect the sound. All Trademarks and Copyrights belong to their respective owners. The Affinity Stratocaster is my made in China to strict build specs from Fender. This guitar will give you some great classic Strat tones with a different look and feel. Affinity as an Alder body, Bullet has a Basswood (or plywood in older models) body. Affinity pickups are hotter, with higher output, and have more pronounced mids, the bullet pickups, to my ear have sort of a scooped mid response in comparison., The bullet body is a little thinner. Here are the specifications of the Squier Affinity Stratocaster as listed on the official Fender website. The pickups, pickup selector options, volume and tone controls, and design are all pretty much the same. The jack also started cutting out after a few uses, and I had to take the pickguard off to solder the jack connections. However, some of these issues would be a problem for working musicians, and more serious guitar players that need solid, reliable and sturdy gear. As I noted, to make this guitar more affordable some parts and components had to change. The Fender Telecaster was the very first mass-produced solid body electric guitar and has a widespread appeal that is only rivaled by a few other guitars. As a major Stratocaster and love of the guitar (I have a Stratocaster tattoo on my arm), I have no problem acknowledging that this is a good, sound replication of the original Stratocaster. Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster is a well-known and one of the cheaper options. This also allows you to play at higher volumes and with medium and high gain for more aggressive styles of music. This guitar would be a better choice for players that like Strat tones, but want to rock out and play higher gain music. No vibrato system, which Fender calls tremolo, meaning no vibrato arm, which everybody calls a whammy bar. Then I put a GFS loaded pickguard in my Affinity. Squier Bullet Stratocaster HT. None of these made the guitar unplayable, and I don’t feel they would get in the way of a student of hobby player from learning, practicing, and playing. Nut Material: Synthetic Bo… Squier Standard Telecaster was released in 2010. The Pacifica has an interesting alternative design. A perfect choice for a first guitar no matter who you are or what style of music you want to learn. The Bullet Tele is a simple, affordable and practical guitar designed for beginners and students. Fender Player Stratocaster is priced at $699. Disclosure: We are a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review. If you mix with the single-coil pickup in the middle, you can dial in your classic Stratocaster tones. High gain ends up being unusable unless you decided to replace the pickups with something that can handle high gain. Shop with confidence. Squier Standard Telecaster is $100 cheaper than the average electric guitar ($299.99). This is the Strat to last a lifetime and encourage the best out of you, each and every time you pick it up. Pairing this with a humbucker in the bridge position and it gives you a very modern version of the classic Stratocaster design and tone. By producing the Affinity series of guitars in Asia and using more efficient materials, Squier has managed to make the Fender Telecaster – one of Fender’s most popular models – affordable for most anybody interested in buying a new beginner guitar. Stratocasters first arrived on the music scene in the mid-50s. With so many options for third party parts and components, there is no doubt that Stratocasters are the most customized guitars in music. I would recommend this to one of my students that would want a Stratocaster, but would only use it for hobby purposes, and to learn and play the basics. Bullet Telecasters are rare birds. It's in the top 3 bestselling electric guitars and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Fender Standard Stratocaster HSS or Yamaha TRBX Series . The slightly-sharpened cutaway horns give it a more aggressive and interesting look. Squier Affinity Series guitars are the best value in electric guitar design. However, it's fairly safe to say that Monoprice Indio Cali DLX is a more popular electric guitar, based on its reviews. Honestly, you should check around if a Squier Classic Vibe Tele is on sale, that's the most bang for your buck in a Squier. Fender literally wrote the book on electric basses, laying the foundation for musical innovation and evolution. The edges were not beveled or as smooth as the pickguards on the Standards. Although it doesn’t feel unstable or substandard in any way, the Affinity feels lighter and less “tight” than the Fender. If you know Squier Telecasters at all, you've seen Classic Vibe, Vintage Modified and Affinity. Using cleaner tones can get you a better sound if that’s the style of playing you plan on. There is no argument there. Neck Finish: Satin Urethane 5. Depending on the style of music you want to play, these options may be a better fit. Compared to the Standard Stratocaster, the electronics on this Affinity Stratocaster are noticeable lower in volume, while adding more noise into your tone. The main difference between the two models is the thickness of both the body and neck. You can check out my full review of the Fender Player Stratocaster here. The Tele is one of the world's most iconic electric guitars and, as such, there's a huge choice within the range. For the most part, the basic design and features of the Stratocaster have remained very close to how the first ones were first produced. This Affinity Strat is perfect if you’re a beginner, a hobby player that has a limited budget, or a working musician that wants a backup guitar. Squier FSR Bullet Telecaster is $101.90 less expensive than an average electric guitar ($299.99). This guitar, when played often and maintained, will last for many, many years of playing. It's in the top 3 bestselling electric guitars and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Jackson JS22-7 Dinky or Leo Jaymzt Custom Guitar . Plus, you are given more freedom to choose a variant of Squier Affinity … Guitar Advise is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If playing this guitar in a band was a must, I would recommend having all soldering connections checked at the very least. Using the #2 and #4 positions on the pickup selector can help remove some of the hiss and noise since those positions use two pickups together which helps to cancel out noise. We’ll also compare it to an actual Fender Stratocaster to see if it can stack up to the real deal. I’ve played Stratocasters almost exclusively for live performances, studio sessions, teaching students, creating YouTube videos, and some touring, for around 25 years. The Telecaster has only two pickups compared to the Stratocaster. In my opinion, the wood alone is probably worth the $120. Like any guitar, the more time you put into playing it, the more playable it gets. Reasons to Consider: Cheaper than the Affinity; Entry level guitar - perfect for beginners; A traditional Strat for a fraction of the cost; Squier Affinity Stratocaster. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. The Fender Player and Fender American Standard have not only a higher level of quality but are very consistent. The famous guitar that catalyzed the electric guitar industry to become what it is today. The data presented is for information purposes only. Many musicians start their musical journey with a Squier Affinity model - you should too! You can easily upgrade this if you want, in an endless amount of ways. The flame top on this guitar gives you a very beautiful finish that is very modern and stylish. The more you play this guitar, the smoother the frets feel and the more enjoyable it is to play. Yikes. Dual humbuckers give you a solid, thick tone that can handle any level of gain you feel like using. Also, because it has only two pickups, the pickup selector only has three settings: bridge, bridge/neck, neck. These guitars have the twangy single coil tone, but aren’t quite as trebly and shrill as some Stratocasters can be. This particular Gio has the dual-cutaway styling of a Stratocaster but in a more modern package. Whether or not this matters is entirely up to you. Why not save for a decade and get a nice Les Paul custom? Affinity is the only Squier with the narrow neck AFAIK, but bear in mind it's a fat narrow neck. The Bullet is the less expensive model. Rough meaning the back of the neck wasn’t as polished as my Standard and American Standard. Fender has worked closely with Squier for many years, and this partnership has produced a great replica of the Fender Stratocaster. Ibanez knows how to make great guitars at a great price. Looks like the consensus is to skip both? This guitar won’t let you down whenever you pick it up to practice, to compose, or to play a show with hundreds or thousands in the audience. Right from the moment you start playing it, you’ll feel how easy and enjoyable it is to play and why they named it as such. I also recommend replacing the tuners, the volume and tone pots, and possibly the pickups – in that order, depending on their playing style. As you’d expect, price varies widely in every category. As you already know, there are many flavors of the Stratocaster. You’ll also see a big difference in the way each guitar handles loud volumes and higher gain/distortion/overdrive settings. I hope you enjoyed this in-depth Squier Affinity Stratocaster Review. Unlike a typical Strat, the Telecaster instead has a single-cutaway on the body. As far as features, this Affinity Strat has the same features as an American Standard, so you’re not missing out on anything in this aspect. More about pricing later. The dual-cutaway body, the signature headstock, the three-pickup layout – all very true to the original. The HT means "hardtail", which means the strings are top-loaded. As expected, this sounds like a Stratocaster in every way. That upgrade gives you better quality, better pickups, and a better-sounding and feeling guitar all around. However, it still may not be for everyone, so I would suggest you check out some of these other Squier Affinity Stratocaster alternatives. This covers bare minimum and basic, to highly advanced and custom. The quality of the tone can be a different story, though. The control knobs didn’t fit as well onto the pots, and they would often turn past their number markers. Number of Frets: 21 10. The main difference is quality, consistency, and attention to detail. The edges of the frets also didn’t feel as smooth when I ran through some scales and chords across the neck. If they planned to use it in a band, I would recommend the Fender Player or higher, due to quality and consistency, which affects reliability. The Affinity from what I hear is a really good guitar to start with, since it's the next level from the Bullet (the bare bones Squier guitars). I was very impressed with this Affinity Strat when I first picked it up, but I did notice some differences. Teles are also very popular among southern rock players for the same reason. The holiday season is finally here! In this comprehensive Squier Affinity Stratocaster review, we’ll cover everything you need to know including specifications, design, playability, sound and more. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. I’m Dan Hoang. Find great deals on eBay for squier telecaster affinity. Overall, it’s a very well-rounded guitar for beginners and would make for an excellent first guitar. Between the Stratocaster and Telecaster, players always have their favorites. Although there are some “rough edges” on this guitar to a point, it is very playable. This Affinity Strat is no different. I’ve been playing guitar for over 10 years now, and I’m a total nerd when it comes to gear. Loved for its vintage looks and spanky tones, Squier Telecaster guitars are inexpensive versions of this industry icon. The Affinity range as a whole are built with a noticeably thinner body and slightly thinner neck. The Pacifica is still a favorite today among players of various styles. This is truly a guitar that will grow with you. The Fenders will handle these noticeably better. Since then, they have have been wildly popular in all styles of music. Affinity is a top-loader, Bullet is a thru-body. Regardless of what your needs are, you'll have a lot of fun finding the best Telecaster for you. Because of the bridge humbucker, you do lose some of the classic Strat ones in the neck and neck/middle settings. I don't own a CV but I do own a butterscotch Affinity Tele and one day I was over a friends who has a 04 Tele made in USA and side by side there was no difference in tone coming through the amp. Without the Telecaster’s original creation years ago, your favorite electric guitar may not have ever existed… While other guitar manufacturers had been mass-producing instruments since the early 1900s, the Telecaster electric guitar was: 1. the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, 2. the first mass-produced gui… Bridge Pickup, Position 2. New Squiers top out at around $ This guitar would be a better choice for fans of Vai and Satriani, or for players that want a more modern and aggressive version of a Strat. The Yamaha Pacifica is designed to be a more modern version of a Stratocaster. I had to take them off and slightly widen the pot’s arm spacing to get them to fit correctly. Fingerboard Radius: 9.5” (241 mm) 9. Neck Shape: “C” Shape 6. I believe this is a fair price for the guitar, still a great value, and for a great product. A superb gateway into the time-honored Fender® family, the Squier® Affinity Series™ Telecaster® delivers legendary design and quintessential tone for today’s aspiring guitar hero. Telecasters have a slightly warmer bridge pickup and do not have a middle pickup. The frets themselves didn’t feel as smooth and polished under the strings, either. This guitar would be best for a Strat purist that wants the classic Stratocaster tone, a polished attention to detail, solid parts and components that are made for the working musician, and at a quality level that’s worthy of its higher price.