I agree. I was really surprised with the overall sound of it and that it was the one I liked most. A friend of mine said Squier's are made much better these days though.
I could not believe how bad the most expensive one sounded. I was convinced that it was the Bullet , being the cheapest. I put the Affinity first by miles.
@@Lee-os1if Have you ordered one yet ? I have an affinity but have just bought the Harley Benton st62 and its better for me as its nut width is slightly wider. Its brilliant and delivered from Germany was only £122 total.
Same here. I'm a total newbie to electric guitars and this observation probably is very insightful. Like how the general audience perceives the sounds or if it makes that much of a difference to be too hard bent when you are just beginning.
for the sound test I surprisingly prefer bullet! my shortlist is between bullet and classic vibe. i was thinking x and y is either affinity or bullet and z is classic vibe.
Bullet sounds like an old start but not as good. But i can understand that it's possible to love this king of sound. As a guitar player/lover, we need both kind of sound ^^
Thank you for the comparison. I currently have an Affinity and I've been looking at a CV. After doing the blind test I realize I'll stick with my Affinity. Thanks again.
I think the Affinity had best clean sound, brighter and closest to a Fender. The Classic had a better sound thru the pedal but was negligible compared to Affinity. The Bullet needs a bullet..bye haha. My pick, the Affinity. Very surprised. Thanks for the best review on you Tube. Searching Ebay for Affinity now, Cheers.
@God Love Hello! You DONT want to cheap out on a guitar.... A classic vibe is still a budget option even though it's a great guitar. So get the classic vibe, or if you can spend a little bit more; get the made in mexico fender strat its only a tiny bit more money, it's an insanely great value especially if you can find one from 2006 (look up AY mics). As for the amp, you should seriously consider a Yamaha THR10C. It should deliver awesome tones for the type of music you're trying to play.
Back in the 40s and 50s some guys would make their own pick ups and make their own amplifiers out of radios and build their own guitars. Nowadays we have instruments that they could only dream of.
I don't take into account sound as much as playability. Sound can be changed with pickups, pots, capacitors, nuts, and saddles. I want it to play amazing. I can change the sounds myself
When i have to think about every penny, upgrading isn't on my mind. If i had money to buy guitar for 199$ and 300$ upgrades for it, i would just buy guitar for 499$
Excellent comparison! I'm from Argentina and here these 3 guitars are quite difficult to afford (even a Bullet). For a begginer like me, this was the unique objective evidence I found to choose an Affinity. Thanks!
I was pretty sure Z was the Bullet because the bridge sounded more like a humbucker but I really couldn’t tell between X and Y. I was a bit surprised at the reveal because I kind of preferred X and I expected the CV to sound appreciably better. Live and learn! Great comparison, Lando!
Hey, great comparison (as usual!). What was interesting for me to see was what kind of pickups were used in all three, and gutting them out showed that the bullet and affinity had a bar magnets in their single coils (probably ceramic), and the CV had a proper single-coil construction with the pole-pieces being magnets. Well done!
I guessed correctly - the give away for the classic vibe was the more balanced tone (not too bass-heavy) as well as some tuning stability that you could pick up from the others. I had to flip a coin between the bullet and the affinity, but the bullet sounded like it was more bass heavy and a bit muddy in the low end. I have the classic vibe strat (anniversary version) and tele; as well as a stratocaster deluxe. They are all great value. I especially like the feel of the necks on the classic vibes. If you don't like the heavy lacquer you can either sand them down or just use a can of lubricant. Nice review as always Lando27!
Interesting. I really thought x was the bullet as it sounded like it was monotone without any type of dynamics. Definitely got Y right being the CV. The bullet’s pickups actually had a lot of dynamics and were definitely hotter than the CVs. Really impressive.
Classic vibe would be the one I like best of the three. I do own an affinity as well as a MIM Strat. The affinity has a humbucker in the bridge and that was the only reason I bought it. Put a dimarzio super distortion in the bridge and I have the sound I wanted. Thanks Landon. Have a great rest of the week and be safe!!
Keep doing these videos. You are one of the rare you tubers who have actual reviews, and not just constant ‘look at these features!’ videos with products that are given to them to ‘review’. Those videos are essentially just paid advertisements in another format
I’m an older beginner but I’ve been buying some used guitars with single coils and humbuckers to learn what style I prefer. And yes I picked out which was which! I surprised myself because my ear isn’t great and I don’t have natural artistic ability in general. Great video too by the way!
I’d get the classic vibe due to it feeling substantially higher quality! Feel is definitely important for making you come back to an instrument consistently. In my opinion, I’d get one over a player series strat
Guessed right but the Affinity sounded better than I thought it would, and the Classic Vibe was only marginally better than the Affinity. Great comparison video.
the affinity was surprisingly a favorite! the clean tones were full and not thin or quacky like the other two, and it sounds the best in almost every setting. definitely going for one over a fender or a classic vibe for the price.
Thanks for this! I love the blind test comparison, really helped me choose which guitar I liked the most based off sound. Way too many of these other "comparison" videos are not helpful because they're playing the most complicated arrangements, and thats not helpful for beginners trying to get their first guitar (aka me) lol
Affinity is definitely the best for beginners, clean sounds make it easier to learn without being discouraged. But the classic vibe is way better long term and for more experienced players who know how to mute the strings correctly, not to mention the full sized body making it easy to upgrade the trem system
Haven't seen a better structured and thorough review video on guitars ever since I have been on UA-cam. You are pretty much what every guitar video should be benchmarked against. Hope your channel hits a million subs and more. Cheers !!
This is an awesome test! I've got an affinity and a mexican fender so thought I had a good idea of the basic sound differences between a lower end and mid end strat. This test proved me right...phew! The bullet... wow that sounded pretty harsh! Of the guitars here, the vibe sounds best for sure. The affinity is actually excellent value and with a good set up can be a great instrument. Hearing the differences here, I feel like I might upgrade the pickups on mine sometime as I really like the light feel of it for standing up and playing for hours. Great video, thanks.
I didn't bother to guess cos my hearing is bad right now! However, I would choose the Classic Vibe based on its looks & old school character. On changing parts , just be aware that anything made in USA or Mexico will be Imperial thread sizes , the Chinese, Indonesia and anything European will be Metric. Oh , and Australia & New Zealand will be Metric too , just remembered that you like the Obsidian Wire stuff from NZ 👍
@@fernank017 You sure ?! Mine's from '96, definitely metric & China definitely uses the Metric system as opposed to Imperial. I'm no expert , but I do have engineering experience.
@@shaunw9270 yep, I used the imperial allan keys to do the truss rods and the saddle height on my classic vibe tele (same as my AVRI 62 tele, but the standard squier standard series uses the metric ones
2:38 that part made me think the 2nd was the worst cuz how it those single notes sound "more noisy" IMO. I'm new to electric guitar just about to buy my first one so I'm not familiar with how it supposed to sound like.
Same. I thought Y was the most different and assumed it would be the bullet. I should have been able to recognize the humbucker, but I already had my mind made up and ignored what I was hearing.
Pearl Jam I got! I'm still confused, beautiful red to black bullet hardtail for $129.00 at guitar center...free shipping and 45 day guarantee...but Jackson js32 has a beautiful satin black finish and Floyd Rose tremelo system! Only $199.00 , but I've always liked the feel of a Squier . I'm in a nursing home (48 yrs old but Emphasema and a back surgery) no pity , I've quit cigarettes and feel alright! Fortunate , I'm confused and I've been at this for 2 months! I'm on lockdown. If I could walk into a shop, I'd walk out a few hrs later with a guitar, amp, headphones. This way is getting to me!
I got the blind tone challenge correct. I have both Bullet and Classic Vibe (60s) both highly modded, but I could tell the Bullet neck pickup right away. Personally I prefer the Bullet to the Affinity in general actually.
I did not figure out which one was which, but as I listened and scored them I ended up with Y (Classic Vibe) on top, closely followed by X (Affinity). The only time I found the Z (Bullet) pleasant to my ears was the clean neck pickup, so now I know exactly what I don't want :) Thank you @Landon Bailey for putting this video together.
My favourite pickup sounds of this test. Neck pickup winner: the classic vibe Middle pickup winner: the affinity Bridge pickup winner: the humbucker ofcourse... of the bullet.. so I need all 3 of them to make one custom 😇 I think the classic vibe hss version will also sound nice.... with the affinity middle pickup.
Dude, you have by far the best reviews on UA-cam. You give honest critiques and not glorified sales-pitches (with affiliate links) and you also don’t play obnoxiously with loads of “look how great I think I am” jazz chords. Two things I see all over UA-cam
I almost thought that the Classic vibe was “Z” until the “middle-bridge pickup” test. The Bullet had a lot more of gain. But I Liked the Classic Vibe overall. Thanks for this comparison.
Finally someone not ripping on the classic vibe and realising it’s replicating older guitars so the tone is preference between the modern affinity and older but better in my opinion classic vibe
Nice video Lando, Best 20 minutes of my day so far. I have an older Bullet and the nut is wider than the Affinity. Not sure of the current models. Not a HB fan on a Strat but given the options I guessed only the Bullet in the test. I would get a Bullet over an Affinity because of the nut, but if it was not a money thing , I would go CV. Having said that I have a couple of ten year old Bullets and other guitars but I love these Bullets and I play these mostly. Go figure! Keep the videos coming. We going into full lockdown here tonight for three weeks so I'm relying on you pass the time. No pressure. Love your channel.
I'll keep trying! No new gear for a while, selling nor buying. Trying to keep the household safe and prevent the spread around. What country are you in?
For similar prices, the Affinity is far superior to the Bullet. My ranking was X and Y were similar with X being a little better for my personal taste and Z was absolute trash. Glad to see I didn't accidentally trash the guitar I ordered (Affinity) xD
Every time I heard a Y clip I thought wow, clear winner to me. I read some comments before watching the video so I thought that it would turn out to be the Affinity. So it was the CV all along! Thanks for the video. Are you gonna be doing one for the teles? edit: nmind saw u did one for Teles already.
I had a hard time because I loved the air guitar stuff in the background so much that I couldn't concentrate. I did get the CV though. It just sounds more like a real Fender Strat
Got a deal on an 05 indonesian affinity strat for $80. I put another $80 in upgrades on it and it is a blast. Rosewood fingerboard, maple neck/head, dark/deep blue (almost looks black in some lighting), and white pickguard. Put a loaded hss black pickguard with black knobs and 5 way, an upgraded 2 post tremolo, and a tusq nut and trees. This thing bangs now for less than $200. The doc willie 8 gauge strings are another good addition.
Yeah, I got it right... That Classic Vibe man, it just sounds so sweet, round and juicy! The Affinity also sounds pretty good, but I felt it was like more of a rock sound, a little bit harsher. And the Bullet was like playing a stone, specially on the bridge position (which immediatly gave it away, although I had no doubts before that 'cause the sound of each gutiar was very consistent on every clip... I made my mind right away as the shootout began). HOWEVER, truth be told, I skipped the whole overdrive part, I didn't need more proofs. ahahahaha thank you bro, your comparisons are the best!
I can tell by the pickups. I don't care for the humbucker sound mixed in on a strat. Also, the tonal difference between the alnico and ceramics is immediately apparent. No clear choice for individual's taste. All are useful in specific sound requirements. Also, there seems to be a definite pickup height difference in the samples. Which negates the winding resistance, volume and resonance of the sounds. Change this and the sound of the samples will change. Thanks for this comparison!
I think the Affinity is a great guitar for a beginner guitarist. I had the 25th anniversary addition but swapped out the pickups with vintage noiseless. It made a huge difference! But I think the classic vibe was my favorite out of the three because it sounds more like an American Fender Strat. You can't get that sort of "slinky hollow" sound from the other two. My roommate has a bullet and I think it was made for heavier music as the pickups are hotter and has the humbucker. It does sound good for heavy metal. But the classic vibe has that authentic Fender sound.
Z's dead giveaway was the bridge humbucker not quacking well w/the middle SC BUT...the CV50's quack factor on 2 sounded beautifully with some nice mids and that's my favorite too!
Great video. I watched one of your earlier videos a few days ago. This one is light years better (smoother presents). Keep up the great work! I picked up a 2008 Indonesian IC Affinity recently. I like a lot of things about it and find it is a few steps above most Chinese Affinities. But the narrow nut and even narrower string spacing may turn out to be a deal breaker for me. Maybe a better size for kids. But I have man-sized hands. I’ll keep an eye out for a deal on a CV.
yes I get them right... I like the squier affinity tone best ...!... I have a 10 year affinity strat with an amazing bird eye maple neck with small headstock in candy apple red, stock... it is the quieter and the most responsive strat I've tried...it is just me, love it !!! made in Indonezia , factory special.
My choice is the same. Affinity sounds surprisingly very good. It is true that the original edition of CV (2008-2014) was much better than today's (since 2019).
I have the HSS Bullet with the black paint and pickguard and I gotta say I really like how the Bullet sounds because it has a warmer sound because of the humbuckers.
Yep. Got it right. I could only tell the bullet and the affinity apart because of the humbucker, they both sounded a little dull and out of tune to me. The classic vibe sounded mostly in tune and it sounded the most like a strat.
congratulations for the tutorial, made with love for the guitar ... I really liked the sound of the bullet, it seems more full-bodied and distorts better, and does not mix the notes ... I did not expect it ,, I thought it was the classic vibe ... then in the end maybe it's a matter of taste ... does it seem so to you?
Really. My new 2021 sea foam bullet is unbelievably incredible. I put it up against a 4000 custom shop fender. I walked out with the squire for 186 bucks. Thru a blackstar ht-40. Unreal. Stevie ray Vaughan tones. Hendrix... Blackmore.. yngwie as well. It slays. I have been playing for over 49 years. I highly recommend it. It's a hardtail though. That's the one thing I wish it had was a tremelo. Other than that. Incredible
I was able to guess correctly which sound belonged to which guitar mainly because the Bullet is so Bad... that narrowed it down... and Y seemed to have a fuller sound than X. GREAT video with LOTS of info...THANX!!!
my uncle gave me his squire affinity with fender n3 pickups and pretty much changed every hardware to a fender.... I'm very thankful for this guitar... edit:this is my first guitar and i have no clue when it was made
A great lightweight choice is the Bullet.Mine had upgraded tuners.I usually play Strats,SGs and Les Paul's.The Bullet saved my back since Strats I had when younger now are too heavy.
Lando, you old smoothie. I’d take the Classic Vibe for sure. Alnico pickups, correct body width & nut width. I think the Bullet nut width may be wider now. They definitely changed the tuners. Can we get reactionary clips of Billy Dee sprinkled in upcoming videos, please?😁 Hell, even the occasional Admiral Akbar with a cautionary warning!😆
I had the affinity 2018 model and I was impressed with it for a cheaper guitar and actually didn’t mind the pickups at all but the thinner body and narrower nut was a bit of a downfall for me. I sold it and just got the same classic vibe you have here and for $200 AUD more it’s such a massive upgrade and I’m definitely happy with mine
Wow ! I actually got these right this time. The Bullet was obvious especially on the Bridge. The Bullet would Be a project guitar only. The Vibe would be my choice too.Very interesting yet again Landon 👍👍👍
Yep, I got them exactly right. X (Affinity) good tone, sustain, and not muddy. Y (Classic Vibe) A thinner, trebly kind of sound, as I would expect for a 50's homage, especially with a maple neck. Z (Bullet) Eurgh...middley muddy tone, cheap sounding.
Hello Landon, I'm a 72 yo beginner lol. I found a Bullet 20th. anniversary Black Squire with one volume control in a dumpster, I found out my hands were to large for the neck I still have it, I bought a 2019 Butterscotch Infinity Telecaster Which fit my hand size it feels very comfortable, if you would mention the finger board radius and the fret size, my fret size is medium jumbo. I got wind of you about 6 months ago I like your technical electronic approach it's very informing keep it up. Thank You Bob
Classic vibe wins for me based on having a wider/standard nut width of 42mm. Hard to believe people could play 40mm nut width without accidentally muting strings unintentionally. Deal breaker for me, but as far as sounds, and looks, they all sound great.
In terms of quality I would say from best to worst would be cv,affinity then bullet but having said that not that I've tried one but people say the bullets are pretty decent for the cash and the affinitys are a good step up and the cv are in a league of their own in the squire lineup. I tried the affinity tele not long ago and it played beutifully in fact I couldn't believe it was an affinity coz the neck played like butter and I found it so much more comfortable than a $1500 ibanez rg model
My notes for the clean sound blind test--- X, Not great, sounds a bit sparky or a hint of static, something seemed off. Y, Sounds great, much fuller sound than X, better twang, no doubt the highest quality mics. Z, Sounds too gainy/muddy, definitely the bullet Theres no question that the classic vibe is the better guitar. But if the cheaper ones offer the same playability there's no reason not to get one of those as a beginner guitar.
What a great blind test. I wasn’t trying to guess what was what, just what sounded best to my ears. For me, the squier bullet was easily the worst sounding- unbalanced bass response that was quite obvious. The classic vibe sounded marginally better than the affinity.
The classic vibe had the best sound tbh, it was easy to recognize and it handled effects a little bit better than the affinity; the bullet sounds really dry.
I hit the CV, but was off between the bullet and affinity. CV has richer sound, but than again..I guess not 2x that rich as it costs. Great test, thanks!
I guessed correctly (if there is a correct guess). I liked and identified the Classic Vibe. Darn, now I have to buy another guitar... How do I explain that to my significant other?
@@landonbailey you can only use the "backup to the backup" so many times. That was my line for the additional Tele. In fack I also have my eye on another Tele right now. I must have some kind of disease.
Your video got me away from buying a bullet, its sound is muddy and missed highend. I wanted the white HSS model with hardtail. The weight was a plus for me but the shitty machine heads and the sound I heard said no no. So I'll probably go for a Affinity HSS, don't know yet. Great video as always, thank you very much. :-)
I got the Z because the pickups were darker and more than likely ceramic. I guessed the Vibe at Y because the pickups were slightly harsher and more likely to be Alnico. Chose the Affinity as X because it was a bit more plinky-plonky.
Affinity definitely sounded the best to me, much fuller. Classic Vibe's tone felt a little supressed to me (if that makes any sense). Bullet was too muddy and distorted (I kept telling myself whichever turns out to be Z, avoid it at all costs lol)
ive been watching guitar videos so much that i started romanticising my life just playing guitar for living...
PLS SAME
Sweet.
I have work to do and here I am, listening to Squier guitars blind tests. Not like I´m about to get one, just listening, vibing...
SAME
😂
The affinity sounded really good
I agree. I was really surprised with the overall sound of it and that it was the one I liked most. A friend of mine said Squier's are made much better these days though.
I could not believe how bad the most expensive one sounded. I was convinced that it was the Bullet , being the cheapest. I put the Affinity first by miles.
I’m about to get an affinity and I think it’s really up to the quality of your amp that really defines the sound of the guitar
@@Lee-os1if
In this comparison they are all played through the same amp and settings.
@@Lee-os1if
Have you ordered one yet ?
I have an affinity but have just bought the Harley Benton st62 and its better for me as its nut width is slightly wider.
Its brilliant and delivered from Germany was only £122 total.
I thought it was bullet, affinity, classic vibe but I was completely off. So, I guess I liked the sound of the bullet better 😆
Same here. I'm a total newbie to electric guitars and this observation probably is very insightful. Like how the general audience perceives the sounds or if it makes that much of a difference to be too hard bent when you are just beginning.
for the sound test I surprisingly prefer bullet! my shortlist is between bullet and classic vibe.
i was thinking x and y is either affinity or bullet and z is classic vibe.
so did I (I found affinity but missed bullet and vibe)
Me too
Bullet sounds like an old start but not as good. But i can understand that it's possible to love this king of sound. As a guitar player/lover, we need both kind of sound ^^
Thank you for the comparison. I currently have an Affinity and I've been looking at a CV. After doing the blind test I realize I'll stick with my Affinity. Thanks again.
best guitar demo that i have seen on youtube:
hey thanks! 👍🎸
Totally agree
I think the Affinity had best clean sound, brighter and closest to a Fender. The Classic had a better sound thru the pedal but was negligible compared to Affinity. The Bullet needs a bullet..bye haha. My pick, the Affinity. Very surprised. Thanks for the best review on you Tube. Searching Ebay for Affinity now, Cheers.
Cheers!
@God Love Hello! You DONT want to cheap out on a guitar.... A classic vibe is still a budget option even though it's a great guitar. So get the classic vibe, or if you can spend a little bit more; get the made in mexico fender strat its only a tiny bit more money, it's an insanely great value especially if you can find one from 2006 (look up AY mics). As for the amp, you should seriously consider a Yamaha THR10C. It should deliver awesome tones for the type of music you're trying to play.
@God Love based on your artists list you need a humbucker in the bridge
for Floyd Solos which is the best?
I just got the affinity starter pack and I love it!! Got it in candy red!
Back in the 40s and 50s some guys would make their own pick ups and make their own amplifiers out of radios and build their own guitars. Nowadays we have instruments that they could only dream of.
Yeah even if it’s "just" a Squier
Well, my poor wallet matches my ear. For me Bullet sounds awesome. This heavy tone is beautiful.
I know🤣 it's kind of relief🤭
I don't take into account sound as much as playability. Sound can be changed with pickups, pots, capacitors, nuts, and saddles. I want it to play amazing. I can change the sounds myself
@@dylangreen9819 well then you have to try them yourself I guess
@@oldschool1107 Thats the best bet when buying guitars is to play them first if possible.
When i have to think about every penny, upgrading isn't on my mind. If i had money to buy guitar for 199$ and 300$ upgrades for it, i would just buy guitar for 499$
Excellent comparison! I'm from Argentina and here these 3 guitars are quite difficult to afford (even a Bullet). For a begginer like me, this was the unique objective evidence I found to choose an Affinity. Thanks!
Same in Russia, men! I bought a bullet and it sounds great for me!
I was pretty sure Z was the Bullet because the bridge sounded more like a humbucker but I really couldn’t tell between X and Y. I was a bit surprised at the reveal because I kind of preferred X and I expected the CV to sound appreciably better. Live and learn! Great comparison, Lando!
cheers!
@@landonbailey h
@@landonbailey I really like squier affinity than the color of bullet strat.
I can't believe how much better the CV sounded in this. Thanks, I'm definitely sold on upgrading from my old Affinity
Glad I could help!
Hey, great comparison (as usual!). What was interesting for me to see was what kind of pickups were used in all three, and gutting them out showed that the bullet and affinity had a bar magnets in their single coils (probably ceramic), and the CV had a proper single-coil construction with the pole-pieces being magnets. Well done!
A bar magnet pickup, isnt that just a p90?
Thats not a bad thing per se.
I guessed correctly - the give away for the classic vibe was the more balanced tone (not too bass-heavy) as well as some tuning stability that you could pick up from the others. I had to flip a coin between the bullet and the affinity, but the bullet sounded like it was more bass heavy and a bit muddy in the low end. I have the classic vibe strat (anniversary version) and tele; as well as a stratocaster deluxe. They are all great value. I especially like the feel of the necks on the classic vibes. If you don't like the heavy lacquer you can either sand them down or just use a can of lubricant. Nice review as always Lando27!
Interesting. I really thought x was the bullet as it sounded like it was monotone without any type of dynamics. Definitely got Y right being the CV. The bullet’s pickups actually had a lot of dynamics and were definitely hotter than the CVs. Really impressive.
Classic vibe would be the one I like best of the three. I do own an affinity as well as a MIM Strat. The affinity has a humbucker in the bridge and that was the only reason I bought it. Put a dimarzio super distortion in the bridge and I have the sound I wanted. Thanks Landon. Have a great rest of the week and be safe!!
Keep doing these videos.
You are one of the rare you tubers who have actual reviews, and not just constant ‘look at these features!’ videos with products that are given to them to ‘review’.
Those videos are essentially just paid advertisements in another format
Thanks, will do!
This is the first ~20 minutes youtube video that didn't make me feel like I lost my time. Nice comparison.
I liked the clean sound of the Bullet! Amazing neck pick up.
I’m an older beginner but I’ve been buying some used guitars with single coils and humbuckers to learn what style I prefer. And yes I picked out which was which! I surprised myself because my ear isn’t great and I don’t have natural artistic ability in general. Great video too by the way!
Got em’ on the 1st listen. But I worked at a retail music store. I have a c.v. and an Affinity and they are both good in there own way
cool!
I’d get the classic vibe due to it feeling substantially higher quality! Feel is definitely important for making you come back to an instrument consistently. In my opinion, I’d get one over a player series strat
Guessed right but the Affinity sounded better than I thought it would, and the Classic Vibe was only marginally better than the Affinity. Great comparison video.
Yeah I’d go with the affinity. Sounds sweeter than the other 2. Excellent video man. Informative & a little witty at times. Keep it up
Thanks! 👍
the affinity was surprisingly a favorite! the clean tones were full and not thin or quacky like the other two, and it sounds the best in almost every setting. definitely going for one over a fender or a classic vibe for the price.
Agreed. Loved the clean sound.
I have an affinity and it plays like garbage compared to classic vibe. Also CV is way more upgradable, makes it a better option imo
Thanks for this! I love the blind test comparison, really helped me choose which guitar I liked the most based off sound. Way too many of these other "comparison" videos are not helpful because they're playing the most complicated arrangements, and thats not helpful for beginners trying to get their first guitar (aka me) lol
Affinity is definitely the best for beginners, clean sounds make it easier to learn without being discouraged. But the classic vibe is way better long term and for more experienced players who know how to mute the strings correctly, not to mention the full sized body making it easy to upgrade the trem system
👍🎸
Haven't seen a better structured and thorough review video on guitars ever since I have been on UA-cam. You are pretty much what every guitar video should be benchmarked against. Hope your channel hits a million subs and more. Cheers !!
Wow, thanks! really appreciate that
This is an awesome test! I've got an affinity and a mexican fender so thought I had a good idea of the basic sound differences between a lower end and mid end strat. This test proved me right...phew! The bullet... wow that sounded pretty harsh! Of the guitars here, the vibe sounds best for sure. The affinity is actually excellent value and with a good set up can be a great instrument. Hearing the differences here, I feel like I might upgrade the pickups on mine sometime as I really like the light feel of it for standing up and playing for hours. Great video, thanks.
I didn't bother to guess cos my hearing is bad right now! However, I would choose the Classic Vibe based on its looks & old school character. On changing parts , just be aware that anything made in USA or Mexico will be Imperial thread sizes , the Chinese, Indonesia and anything European will be Metric. Oh , and Australia & New Zealand will be Metric too , just remembered that you like the Obsidian Wire stuff from NZ 👍
the chinese ones used imperial spec! (classic vibes that is)
@@fernank017 You sure ?! Mine's from '96, definitely metric & China definitely uses the Metric system as opposed to Imperial. I'm no expert , but I do have engineering experience.
@@shaunw9270 yep, I used the imperial allan keys to do the truss rods and the saddle height on my classic vibe tele (same as my AVRI 62 tele, but the standard squier standard series uses the metric ones
X=Affinity Y=Bullet Z= 50s Vibe
I was pretty sure about this in the beginning, but at the end it's a total tossup. I honestly don' have a clue!
ya i had chosen the same, preety surprised myself !
Me too I was pretty sure the 2nd is the shittist one. Probably because of the "richness" of the sound made it muddier
2:38 that part made me think the 2nd was the worst cuz how it those single notes sound "more noisy" IMO. I'm new to electric guitar just about to buy my first one so I'm not familiar with how it supposed to sound like.
Same. I thought Y was the most different and assumed it would be the bullet. I should have been able to recognize the humbucker, but I already had my mind made up and ignored what I was hearing.
Nice "Yellow Leadbetter" into "You" (Pearl Jam-Radiohead) Noticed both of those pretty much instantly, wonder if anyone else did)
Pearl Jam I got! I'm still confused, beautiful red to black bullet hardtail for $129.00 at guitar center...free shipping and 45 day guarantee...but Jackson js32 has a beautiful satin black finish and Floyd Rose tremelo system! Only $199.00 , but I've always liked the feel of a Squier . I'm in a nursing home (48 yrs old but Emphasema and a back surgery) no pity , I've quit cigarettes and feel alright! Fortunate , I'm confused and I've been at this for 2 months! I'm on lockdown. If I could walk into a shop, I'd walk out a few hrs later with a guitar, amp, headphones. This way is getting to me!
I got the blind tone challenge correct. I have both Bullet and Classic Vibe (60s) both highly modded, but I could tell the Bullet neck pickup right away. Personally I prefer the Bullet to the Affinity in general actually.
Great to see a no BS review video with just the right amount of detail. Nice work.
I did not figure out which one was which, but as I listened and scored them I ended up with Y (Classic Vibe) on top, closely followed by X (Affinity). The only time I found the Z (Bullet) pleasant to my ears was the clean neck pickup, so now I know exactly what I don't want :)
Thank you @Landon Bailey for putting this video together.
Bro, the camera is so soothing to watch
I am so happy. I am going to get a Classic Vibe 50's and I said that was my favorite.
My favourite pickup sounds of this test.
Neck pickup winner: the classic vibe
Middle pickup winner: the affinity
Bridge pickup winner: the humbucker ofcourse... of the bullet.. so I need all 3 of them to make one custom 😇 I think the classic vibe hss version will also sound nice.... with the affinity middle pickup.
Dude, you have by far the best reviews on UA-cam. You give honest critiques and not glorified sales-pitches (with affiliate links) and you also don’t play obnoxiously with loads of “look how great I think I am” jazz chords. Two things I see all over UA-cam
oh I have lots of affiliate links, I just don't push it all a ton :)
@@landonbailey but you’re not just pushing the guitars, it feels like open and honest reviews. You have integrity
oh hey thanks! ya it's great if you buy something, but I don't care :)
Middle pick up, Good old General Hand Granade riff, lol. Loved it.
Rock on!
Awesome job man! You did a terrific job! (I already have a classic vibe) So I’m going to go with the Bullet! I love the tone on it!
Ahahahaha my last name is keny
I almost thought that the Classic vibe was “Z” until the “middle-bridge pickup” test. The Bullet had a lot more of gain. But I Liked the Classic Vibe overall.
Thanks for this comparison.
Finally someone not ripping on the classic vibe and realising it’s replicating older guitars so the tone is preference between the modern affinity and older but better in my opinion classic vibe
Nice video Lando,
Best 20 minutes of my day so far.
I have an older Bullet and the nut is wider than the Affinity.
Not sure of the current models.
Not a HB fan on a Strat but given the options I guessed only the Bullet in the test.
I would get a Bullet over an Affinity because of the nut, but if it was not a money thing , I would go CV.
Having said that I have a couple of ten year old Bullets and other guitars but I love these Bullets and I play these mostly. Go figure!
Keep the videos coming.
We going into full lockdown here tonight for three weeks so I'm relying on you pass the time.
No pressure.
Love your channel.
I'll keep trying! No new gear for a while, selling nor buying. Trying to keep the household safe and prevent the spread around. What country are you in?
For similar prices, the Affinity is far superior to the Bullet. My ranking was X and Y were similar with X being a little better for my personal taste and Z was absolute trash. Glad to see I didn't accidentally trash the guitar I ordered (Affinity) xD
Every time I heard a Y clip I thought wow, clear winner to me. I read some comments before watching the video so I thought that it would turn out to be the Affinity. So it was the CV all along! Thanks for the video. Are you gonna be doing one for the teles? edit: nmind saw u did one for Teles already.
I had a hard time because I loved the air guitar stuff in the background so much that I couldn't concentrate. I did get the CV though. It just sounds more like a real Fender Strat
🤪🎸👍
Got a deal on an 05 indonesian affinity strat for $80. I put another $80 in upgrades on it and it is a blast. Rosewood fingerboard, maple neck/head, dark/deep blue (almost looks black in some lighting), and white pickguard.
Put a loaded hss black pickguard with black knobs and 5 way, an upgraded 2 post tremolo, and a tusq nut and trees. This thing bangs now for less than $200. The doc willie 8 gauge strings are another good addition.
Yeah, I got it right... That Classic Vibe man, it just sounds so sweet, round and juicy! The Affinity also sounds pretty good, but I felt it was like more of a rock sound, a little bit harsher. And the Bullet was like playing a stone, specially on the bridge position (which immediatly gave it away, although I had no doubts before that 'cause the sound of each gutiar was very consistent on every clip... I made my mind right away as the shootout began).
HOWEVER, truth be told, I skipped the whole overdrive part, I didn't need more proofs. ahahahaha thank you bro, your comparisons are the best!
cheers!
I can tell by the pickups. I don't care for the humbucker sound mixed in on a strat. Also, the tonal difference between the alnico and ceramics is immediately apparent. No clear choice for individual's taste. All are useful in specific sound requirements. Also, there seems to be a definite pickup height difference in the samples. Which negates the winding resistance, volume and resonance of the sounds. Change this and the sound of the samples will change. Thanks for this comparison!
I think the Affinity is a great guitar for a beginner guitarist. I had the 25th anniversary addition but swapped out the pickups with vintage noiseless. It made a huge difference! But I think the classic vibe was my favorite out of the three because it sounds more like an American Fender Strat. You can't get that sort of "slinky hollow" sound from the other two. My roommate has a bullet and I think it was made for heavier music as the pickups are hotter and has the humbucker. It does sound good for heavy metal. But the classic vibe has that authentic Fender sound.
Nice video, I have always wondered what the differences are, other than the prices and that the more expensive one sounds the best!
Thanks for watching!
Z's dead giveaway was the bridge humbucker not quacking well w/the middle SC BUT...the CV50's quack factor on 2 sounded beautifully with some nice mids and that's my favorite too!
love that you used radiohead riffs to test them, nice touch
Great video. I watched one of your earlier videos a few days ago. This one is light years better (smoother presents). Keep up the great work!
I picked up a 2008 Indonesian IC Affinity recently. I like a lot of things about it and find it is a few steps above most Chinese Affinities. But the narrow nut and even narrower string spacing may turn out to be a deal breaker for me. Maybe a better size for kids. But I have man-sized hands.
I’ll keep an eye out for a deal on a CV.
Welcome back!
I just love the aesthetics of classic vive Stratocaster
Fuck, I fell in love with the Classic Vibe
when is the wedding?! 🤪
yes I get them right... I like the squier affinity tone best ...!... I have a 10 year affinity strat with an amazing bird eye maple neck with small headstock in candy apple red, stock... it is the quieter and the most responsive strat I've tried...it is just me, love it !!! made in Indonezia , factory special.
Most helpful guitar comparisons on YT!
Glad you think so!
My guess is guitar X: CV, Y: Affinity, Z: Bullet HSS
Edit: eh, X and Y sounded surprisingly close from here.
My choice is the same. Affinity sounds surprisingly very good. It is true that the original edition of CV (2008-2014) was much better than today's (since 2019).
great review. love getting to see the wiring and electrics and see what you're getting at the various price points. super helpful.
Thanks for watching!
I thought it was Bullet, Classic Vibe, Affinity. I was surprised I liked the sound of the bullet best.
I have a Bullet and an Affinity. I much prefer the bullet.
Same z is best for mee
Overall, the affinity sounded best to my ears. Typical clean strat tone, but still with a lot of soul.
I have classic vibe 70s. Plays and sound great with a rosewood fingerboard. Great practice guitar
I have the HSS Bullet with the black paint and pickguard and I gotta say I really like how the Bullet sounds because it has a warmer sound because of the humbuckers.
Honestly, thru good phones that Affinity sounded best to me! Weird right?!
no hey, there's no wrong answer! best is best for you :)
I kind of agree. I was almost positive that guitar y was the bullet!
Same here. The classic vibe sounded the worst to me. Very muddy and not clear.
Me too, super surprised!
bullet was worst for me, affinity and classic vibe were almost tied but affinity got the lead
Yep. Got it right. I could only tell the bullet and the affinity apart because of the humbucker, they both sounded a little dull and out of tune to me. The classic vibe sounded mostly in tune and it sounded the most like a strat.
congratulations for the tutorial, made with love for the guitar ... I really liked the sound of the bullet, it seems more full-bodied and distorts better, and does not mix the notes ... I did not expect it ,, I thought it was the classic vibe ... then in the end maybe it's a matter of taste ... does it seem so to you?
Really. My new 2021 sea foam bullet is unbelievably incredible. I put it up against a 4000 custom shop fender. I walked out with the squire for 186 bucks. Thru a blackstar ht-40. Unreal. Stevie ray Vaughan tones. Hendrix... Blackmore.. yngwie as well. It slays. I have been playing for over 49 years. I highly recommend it. It's a hardtail though. That's the one thing I wish it had was a tremelo. Other than that. Incredible
you should have bought 20 of them 🤪
I was able to guess correctly which sound belonged to which guitar mainly because the Bullet is so Bad... that narrowed it down... and Y seemed to have a fuller sound than X. GREAT video with LOTS of info...THANX!!!
cheers!
my uncle gave me his squire affinity with fender n3 pickups and pretty much changed every hardware to a fender....
I'm very thankful for this guitar...
edit:this is my first guitar
and i have no clue when it was made
Thanks for sharing!
A great lightweight choice is the Bullet.Mine had upgraded tuners.I usually play Strats,SGs and Les Paul's.The Bullet saved my back since Strats I had when younger now are too heavy.
I got a cv jazz bass recently and have been enjoying it. Getting these at a discount is the way to go.
It's easy to spot them on because of volume differences. Usually cheap singles are louder.
Always loved the fact the Classic Vibes have bone nuts.
👍🎸
Lando, you old smoothie.
I’d take the Classic Vibe for sure. Alnico pickups, correct body width & nut width.
I think the Bullet nut width may be wider now. They definitely changed the tuners.
Can we get reactionary clips of Billy Dee sprinkled in upcoming videos, please?😁
Hell, even the occasional Admiral Akbar with a cautionary warning!😆
👍😃
I had the affinity 2018 model and I was impressed with it for a cheaper guitar and actually didn’t mind the pickups at all but the thinner body and narrower nut was a bit of a downfall for me. I sold it and just got the same classic vibe you have here and for $200 AUD more it’s such a massive upgrade and I’m definitely happy with mine
Wow ! I actually got these right this time. The Bullet was obvious especially on the Bridge. The Bullet would Be a project guitar only. The Vibe would be my choice too.Very interesting yet again Landon 👍👍👍
😃🎸👍
Yep, I got them exactly right. X (Affinity) good tone, sustain, and not muddy. Y (Classic Vibe) A thinner, trebly kind of sound, as I would expect for a 50's homage, especially with a maple neck. Z (Bullet) Eurgh...middley muddy tone, cheap sounding.
Squier bullet making best sound and price is great
Hello Landon, I'm a 72 yo beginner lol. I found a Bullet 20th. anniversary Black Squire with one volume control in a dumpster, I found out my hands were to large for the neck I still have it, I bought a 2019 Butterscotch Infinity Telecaster Which fit my hand size it feels very comfortable, if you would mention the finger board radius and the fret size, my fret size is medium jumbo. I got wind of you about 6 months ago I like your technical electronic approach it's very informing keep it up. Thank You Bob
Blind, I overall liked the Vibe the most, though there were some tones where the Affinity won out. The Bullet was very scratch and way too hot.
Classic vibe wins for me based on having a wider/standard nut width of 42mm.
Hard to believe people could play 40mm nut width without accidentally muting strings unintentionally. Deal breaker for me, but as far as sounds, and looks, they all sound great.
Your analysis is the best on youtube, seriously!
hey thanks!
I like them all. Bullet is pretty nice. Also have a strat Bullet. Have a good day.
I wanted to buy an affinity and this video helped me decide that it realy is the best pick out of all three.Thanks and keep up the good work!
Glad I could help!
Conclusion, the VOX AC15 it's a monster amp, the amp gives you the tone
In terms of quality I would say from best to worst would be cv,affinity then bullet but having said that not that I've tried one but people say the bullets are pretty decent for the cash and the affinitys are a good step up and the cv are in a league of their own in the squire lineup. I tried the affinity tele not long ago and it played beutifully in fact I couldn't believe it was an affinity coz the neck played like butter and I found it so much more comfortable than a $1500 ibanez rg model
I find the rg 550 neck very uncomfortable. But the s series one of the easiest to play
My notes for the clean sound blind test---
X, Not great, sounds a bit sparky or a hint of static, something seemed off.
Y, Sounds great, much fuller sound than X, better twang, no doubt the highest quality mics.
Z, Sounds too gainy/muddy, definitely the bullet
Theres no question that the classic vibe is the better guitar. But if the cheaper ones offer the same playability there's no reason not to get one of those as a beginner guitar.
I got them right. I knew my ole strat affinity never failed me. Such a bright a responsive tone.
What a great blind test.
I wasn’t trying to guess what was what, just what sounded best to my ears.
For me, the squier bullet was easily the worst sounding- unbalanced bass response that was quite obvious.
The classic vibe sounded marginally better than the affinity.
I bought an upgraded squire. Thanks to you I now know it was an affinity at start. Thanks!!
I guessed the Bullet correctly, though it was my first guitar so I'd hope so!
The background hi jinx was cracking me up and totally distracting me😄
it worked!
Second time around I got them all right. By the time I got to the bridge pickup the first time, I was laughing too much!
The classic vibe had the best sound tbh, it was easy to recognize and it handled effects a little bit better than the affinity; the bullet sounds really dry.
I hit the CV, but was off between the bullet and affinity. CV has richer sound, but than again..I guess not 2x that rich as it costs. Great test, thanks!
I guessed correctly (if there is a correct guess). I liked and identified the Classic Vibe.
Darn, now I have to buy another guitar... How do I explain that to my significant other?
cheers! say you need it as a backup :) and if you have a backup, say it's the backup backup.
@@landonbailey you can only use the "backup to the backup" so many times. That was my line for the additional Tele. In fack I also have my eye on another Tele right now. I must have some kind of disease.
@@peterschattmann8298 You got bad GAS
Your video got me away from buying a bullet, its sound is muddy and missed highend. I wanted the white HSS model with hardtail. The weight was a plus for me but the shitty machine heads and the sound I heard said no no. So I'll probably go for a Affinity HSS, don't know yet.
Great video as always, thank you very much. :-)
I got the Z because the pickups were darker and more than likely ceramic. I guessed the Vibe at Y because the pickups were slightly harsher and more likely to be Alnico. Chose the Affinity as X because it was a bit more plinky-plonky.
🎸👍
Affinity definitely sounded the best to me, much fuller. Classic Vibe's tone felt a little supressed to me (if that makes any sense). Bullet was too muddy and distorted (I kept telling myself whichever turns out to be Z, avoid it at all costs lol)
X was bit dry for me and y was best pick ballanced sound z was too muddy. And now I am oddering 50s classic vibe. :) THANK YOU!!!
nice!
Such an excellent detailed video..hats off bro
Glad you liked it!