I need to jump in on this conversation. I was given an Affinity Strat as a thank you for helping somebody move. I already own a Fender Strat Deluxe Plus. So, I'm very comfortable with strats. This guitar is amazing as a budget instrument. It does not play like my high end strat but that doesn't mean it doesn't play well. I'm a guitar teacher and I would proudly recommend this guitar to my students.
how about comparing to a Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster custom, in terms of quality ? I am totally undecided to either go with a Strat or Tele, but the named above CV is currently almost at par price wise for around 285 compared with the Affinity Series models... Any suggestions from anyone perhaps ? cheers ! ❤
@@dennisw3892 I understand why the stats arm more popular than teles,. Comfort,. The strat is perfectly without any sharp edges!. It makes you enjoy the instrument,. You can have it on to your lap, without feeling them sharp axe egdes.. Sound is ok on both,.. Get hold on one of the summer 23 sonic series,.. And let your tele dream be next year's to come.. My opinion,. The sonic series are such good guitars!!.. 👌
What did you do to tweak it to your liking? If nothing then you are not getting a proper understanding of. I lowered the action on mine, rounded fret board, polished frets, sanded neck with fine sand paper put low saddles screws ( it feels like a smooth metal surface now), straighten truss rod to perfection ( iterative process). They all sound difficult but in reality was very easy and all done in less than 40 minutes. The reason I did it was to see if I could get the feel of the Ultra-Lux on it. I played the Ultra Lux , characterized the differences and rued to mimick with only minor tweaks. The Ultra has a different neck carve I prefer but the playability was better on my Squier and feel was 95% to me. As an engineer I think this way and as a citizen I see we are fooled by branding brainwashing across all things in Western countries.
I bought a Squier Affinity charcoal Frost Metallic HSS boxed with amp, cable, strap etc. Playable right out of the box. I like the thinner body. Sounds great.
i agree with everything you said. I have a Bullet, Affinity, Classic VIbe 60's and a Mexican Standard and the affinity is my favorite for all the reasons you mentioned. I did eventually upgrade it, but would have been happy with it as it was too.
If my Affinity had the small headstock it would be perfect for me. I did very simple things that made it so close to pro level. Perfect setup rounded neck edges ( very easy) smoothed out fret ends, roller string tree and sanded neck to leave almost no finish but not leave bare wood, multiple levels of sanding ( $8 for micro sheets on Amazon). Last wasn’t necessary but it made a world of difference for me, loaded black pickguard with 9K output single coils.
My wife bought this for me for Christmas in the Olympic White finish. Man it became my number one guitar as soon as I started playing it, and I have a few more that cost much more! I love all the features you mentioned. I haven’t played my other guitars since Christmas! I’m gonna get one more, either in black or the blue one you have.
Thanks for posting, Joe. Ten to twenty years ago, I had little to no respect for a Squier Affinity, but things have changed -- Fender/squier has improved overall build, finishes, and Q.C. on the Affinity instruments, from what I've experienced. I recently purchased a used/like-new Affinity on the cheap, and am happy with it; plan to keep it for a good while at this time.
I agree with you as well, and I even prefer the larger headstock design, but I'd probably upgrade the pickups. My favourite thing about the cheap squiers is that they are so light as well, great for playing standing up.
Thank you for posting this review. You have done a superb job describing what makes the Affinity a great instrument. (It's not merely a great guitar "for the money," but a great guitar, period.) Like you, I was torn between the CV Strat and the Affinity. It was the smooth, non-sticky matte finish on the back of the Affinity's neck that was the main influential factor in choosing it over the CV. (I DID really like the way the CV looked; a part of my side-by-side test was playing both instruments with my eyes closed.) Since I've bought the Affinity in 2000 (a "crafted in China" product), I've modded it a bit: I replaced the nut with a Graph Tech TUSQ, and replaced the stock tuners with Graph Tech Ratio locking ones. (The difference between the cost of the tuners alone and the cost of the guitar isn't much, haha.) I completely agree that the Affinity ceramic pickups sound terrific! I have a Squier CV 50s Telecaster with alnico pickups, and yes, the Affinity's budget ceramic pickups actually DO sound better to my ears; go figure! I'm also a fan of the thinner body. The guitar is incredibly comfortable to play. I keep regular light 10 gauge strings on it, and I've found the pure nickel ones pair beautifully with the pickups. Thank you again for your review; I cannot recommend the Squier Affinity Strat enough!
I prefer the smaller headstock too, but that logo is sharp with the gold and the Stratocaster script. when you look at it just think Blackmore, Trower and Hendrix. 🙂
huge thanks for the video!! The Classic Vibe and Affinity are worlds apart in pricing in India.. was pretty confused on which one to invest into.. this feels like a better match
I bought one in 2000 as my first guitar and I regret getting rid of it a couple of years later, I like it for most of the same reasons you mentioned, especially the thin body.
Squier (Indonesia in particular) have been great in my experience. I agree about the feel of the matte over the gloss neck for sure. I bought both a Strat Affinity and a Telecaster Classic Vibe (gloss neck) used and am keeping both for their particular differences.
I've got both an Affinity Telecaster and an Affinity Stratocaster HSS. The necks feel identical to to me, though the Strat does have a laurel frett board. ( maple on the Teley. ) I like the idea that I can have two really good guitars for far less than the price of one MiM Fender of either kind.
I bought a bullet strat over an affinity and classic vibe model for the pick up reason. Honestly sounded so sweet that I overlooked the extra finished touches on the others and it was also a steal at the time
Glad I ran across this. I was still trying to decide. Two things I do like better about the Classic Vibe are the pickups and the darker tone finish on the neck. The gloss finish on the back of the neck of the Vibe I can address to suit me. Im leaning towards the Affinity, But the availability is a problem.
well enjoy your guitar. thats what its all about right? i bought the 50s classic vibe about 7 months ago. flat out i love it, weighs 9 pounds neck plays great looks great sounds great. ill keep it fore ever. So about 2 months ago i started seeing the reviews on the cherry burst affinity with the humbucker and 2 single coils so i had to buy it from musicians friend for 288 with a discount. great guitar sounds great. i like the big headstock i like the neck feel and size. i dont like the thinner body and 7 pound weight but all in all a good guitar with great sound. doesnt compare to the classis vibe 50s but good guitar. so i got them both.. just for a little info on me. i have gibson les paul standards. ive played them since 1976. nothing fender makes compares to them but i bought these two for something different and something different i got. you didnt go wrong with the affinity at all. mine is beautiful in the figured maple top in the sunburst. id not have the blue!!
It somewhat reminds me of my Indio Cali Classics based on your description. I don’t play out so I don’t give a poop about sounding like a Super Star. Glad you discovered the right one for you, “AJ”. Hope you’re better, Brother.🥁🎸👍
The affinity is great for beginners or for modders. My first guitar was a 97 afffinity which was bought new. By now it has new electronics (off a classic vibe oddly enough), hip shot tuners, a fender MIM bridge, shielding, etc. the body and 11” radius neck and wide but makes it still my favorite out of all 12 guitars I own.
I have them both and like them both for different reasons. I got my Classic Vibe 50's with stimulus money when they were still $399! I agree with everything you said about the Affinity except that I actually prefer the big headstock. My first strat was a '75 and my guitar hero strat players were all playing the big head ones. I also like the vintage 50's style strats, so I like those headstocks as well. Anyway, the Affinity is a terrific value and could go for more money. I also prefer the satin finish necks, and the Affinity's neck is awesome, it's one of the best features.
Yeah, I have similar experience... I went to shop to buy classic vibe tele, but went with butterscotch affinity. I love satin finish on neck and lighter body. But I will change pickups, because neck pickup is too muddy. And I am not a beginner guitarist anymore, just wanted a cheap guitar for jam sessions, reherseals...
if you strip away the tuners, nut, pickups, pickguard, pots, switch, bridge, input jack, and you have to do some work on the neck and frets, aren't you just overpaying $250 for a poplar body and a crappy unfinished neck?
@@manofthepeople2165 modding doesn't usually make much sense. I've used budget components and such for mine. I'm not going to buy name brand pickups for it. I'll end up with hipshot locking tuners though as they're the easiest option. I've covered the back in king of the hill and beavis and butthead stickers. I wouldn't do that to a more expensive guitar. It's just meant to be fun
@@bellywitchproductions2183 oh yeah, you are free to do whatever you want with your guitars. If adding stickers and parts is your way of expressing yourself through your instrument, feel free to do so. As far as like buying a new or used guitar, it doesn't make much sense to buy a new cheap guitar, add a bunch of new parts thus voiding the warranty (which is the biggest benefit of buying new) when you could have bought a nicer guitar used for the same price or just buy a nicer new guitar which will have a warranty and will retain most of it's resell value because once you change anything electronic on a guitar, the resell value tanks.
I have the exact same Squier Affinity and I agree with you on the thinner body and pickups and also the tremolo and tuners. I found a good deal on it and just got it because I didn't have a guitar with three single coils even though I have several with coil splits it's not quite the same. I like it especially for the price and plan to keep mine for now.
Joe thanks for the great review! I just bought a '23 affinity strat and could not be happier with it. Sanded the fretboard edges and fret edges, set everything up and I now enjoy this as much as my core silver sky. I first bought the classic vibe and never even plugged it in before returning it. HORRIBLE gloss slop everywhere and just plain uncomfortable to hold. I LOVE this new affinity strat and hey, give that head stock some loving. Far nobler to play the heck out of a great budget guitar than fumble away on a prestige model.
There's also one thing you never mentioned which to me stood out the most .... the colour!! That blue body with black pick guard is killer!! I only play at home and I'm looking for a new stratocaster, so this fits the bill perfectly . 👍😊 I would change the strings though as I like the Ernie Ball slinkys. Great review 👍
You're right, the body thickness makes for a lighter instrument, lovely guitar. And for a couple of buck's you can upgrade to Alnico 5 pup's, the $30 something Fleor-set gets you very close to a F. Professional sound and still on budget!
i hope i also get that free fender play subscription.. im bax music shop they are not in them in their pictures.. but maybe its only that.. i hope all squiers have them.. yuesday i got mine affinity tele 3color sunburst
There is a Squier Classic Vibe 50s Standard that has the small headstock. The small headstock is indeed prettier than the big one when you look at them from a distance, but when you hold the guitar in playing position you won't see the difference.
I bought one from 20 yrs ago for $200. Looks almost new. Olympic white w/rosewood . I also have a MIM Strat with maple neck gloss. Not liking the gloss necks either.
I ended up picking a bullet telecaster over the affinity because I preferred the thinner body, closer to the G400 I typically play. Playability and comfort is such a big part of picking a guitar, especially in this budget price range where we are likely to eventually change out hardware and electronics. I got new pickups and electronics from GFS for not much, if anything, more shipped than I would have ended up spending on the affinity.
@@Great-Documentaries Well, it allows you to get the pickup type that suits your style. I find ceramics to be dull. But I also find that the typical 5.5k vintage alnico to be too bright. I think my favorite is GFS 6.8k in the neck.
I wanted to ask if you could comment on the affinity frets vs the CV frets. I have never played narrow tall frets but I am curious. How did you like the CV frets?
Hello. If you are just starting out, a Squier Sonic is a perfectly fine guitar for you. It will serve you fine for at least a few years. Thanks for watching and 건강하세요.
what are the differences between the coils of the two both in general and in terms of quality and sound? p.s. I'm in between the two and trying to make a decision so great video, thx.
The Affinity have fairly "hot" sounding CERAMIC coil pickups. Might prefer these for heavier rock/metal. The Classic Vibe has ALNICO pickups which are lower output, more articulate, vintage sounding pickups. Really a matter of preference. I like the CV pups better.
@@AJgeartalk It might just be my ears but it sounds to me like there are more overtones on the Alnico 5 pickups, which makes them sound brighter. Which is what you want, if that's what you want.
.....last year Sweetwater had a Squire sale....and it was significant......the tale?.....an over production along with declining sales...an inventory build-up that had to be remedied.....Fender was losing the low-end entry market to all the new "Amazon" upstarts......Fender wants to sell you your first guitar, your last guitar, and everyone in between....so firstly, they up-graded the Affinity line (lots of videos on those upgrades), and secondly, they must have......i repeat, must have, sent a flock of their QC people to oversee a mass production of these upgraded products, because the two strats i bought, another after being blown away having recieved the first......more commentary to come......
The most controversial statement you make is that you like the ceramic pickups better. I have the FMT strat, which I'm thinking of getting rid of, mostly because I don't like the pickups. My tone is pretty close to what a country player would use, which is mostly clean, with a bit of crunch, and some echo, and I get a better sound out of my Yamaha Pacifica 112V with the Alnico 5 pickups. I do like the matte neck much nicer than the glossy neck on my Squier paranormal Tele. I have an older affinity Tele, which I upgraded with Fender Tex/Mex pickups and that guitar is AWESOME. BTW I do like the six-point trem on the pacifica much better than the two-point trem on the Affinity, but I don't really know enough about trems for my opinion to be of much value.
@@SiddharthKarunakaran I've actually thought about it, but I now see that the price of the FMT strat has jumped rapidly. Also I like my Yamaha strat much better and I don't know that I need two strats.
@@peterwilson8039 OK sell it off at a profit or minimal loss then. If you already had the Yamaha and you already knew you didn't need 2 strats, then why did you buy the affinity?
I'm confused because what you're holding looks like the classic vibe. The head stock has no Affinity printed on it, and I didn't know the Affinity had vintage split tuner pegs. All I've seen have standard tuning pegs. I may stand corrected so please fill me in.
Nice guitar! Great video, like always. I like the way you keep it real! Do you have a link to that guitar? Also, what are your thoughts on P90 pickups?
I like P90's Angel- They have a "unique" sound (growl). Here's a link to a "good deal" on the guitar. www.proaudiostar.com/used-squier-affinity-series-stratocaster-lake-placid-blue-w-maple-fb.html?Google_Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgenWuo2f-wIVywxoCB0qygF3EAEYASACEgIK3_D_BwE
@@AJgeartalk Hey, thank you!! I think you mentioned this in the video, is that a "short fret strat"? How does it handle the whammy bar? Sorry for the many quesitons.
I need to jump in on this conversation. I was given an Affinity Strat as a thank you for helping somebody move. I already own a Fender Strat Deluxe Plus. So, I'm very comfortable with strats. This guitar is amazing as a budget instrument. It does not play like my high end strat but that doesn't mean it doesn't play well. I'm a guitar teacher and I would proudly recommend this guitar to my students.
how about comparing to a Squier Classic Vibe 70s Telecaster custom, in terms of quality ?
I am totally undecided to either go with a Strat or Tele, but the named above CV is currently almost at par price wise for around 285 compared with the Affinity Series models...
Any suggestions from anyone perhaps ? cheers ! ❤
@@dennisw3892 I understand why the stats arm more popular than teles,. Comfort,. The strat is perfectly without any sharp edges!. It makes you enjoy the instrument,. You can have it on to your lap, without feeling them sharp axe egdes.. Sound is ok on both,.. Get hold on one of the summer 23 sonic series,.. And let your tele dream be next year's to come.. My opinion,. The sonic series are such good guitars!!.. 👌
What did you do to tweak it to your liking? If nothing then you are not getting a proper understanding of. I lowered the action on mine, rounded fret board, polished frets, sanded neck with fine sand paper put low saddles screws ( it feels like a smooth metal surface now), straighten truss rod to perfection ( iterative process). They all sound difficult but in reality was very easy and all done in less than 40 minutes. The reason I did it was to see if I could get the feel of the Ultra-Lux on it. I played the Ultra Lux , characterized the differences and rued to mimick with only minor tweaks. The Ultra has a different neck carve I prefer but the playability was better on my Squier and feel was 95% to me. As an engineer I think this way and as a citizen I see we are fooled by branding brainwashing across all things in Western countries.
I bought a Squier Affinity charcoal Frost Metallic HSS boxed with amp, cable, strap etc. Playable right out of the box. I like the thinner body. Sounds great.
i agree with everything you said. I have a Bullet, Affinity, Classic VIbe 60's and a Mexican Standard and the affinity is my favorite for all the reasons you mentioned. I did eventually upgrade it, but would have been happy with it as it was too.
If my Affinity had the small headstock it would be perfect for me. I did very simple things that made it so close to pro level. Perfect setup rounded neck edges ( very easy) smoothed out fret ends, roller string tree and sanded neck to leave almost no finish but not leave bare wood, multiple levels of sanding ( $8 for micro sheets on Amazon). Last wasn’t necessary but it made a world of difference for me, loaded black pickguard with 9K output single coils.
My wife bought this for me for Christmas in the Olympic White finish. Man it became my number one guitar as soon as I started playing it, and I have a few more that cost much more! I love all the features you mentioned. I haven’t played my other guitars since Christmas! I’m gonna get one more, either in black or the blue one you have.
Thanks for posting, Joe.
Ten to twenty years ago, I had little to no respect for a Squier Affinity, but things have changed -- Fender/squier has improved overall build, finishes, and Q.C. on the Affinity instruments, from what I've experienced.
I recently purchased a used/like-new Affinity on the cheap, and am happy with it; plan to keep it for a good while at this time.
There you go joe. I'm glad you found the one that seems to fit your need the best. I agree with your decision. I like the Affinity better also.
Great minds think alike brother!
I agree with you as well, and I even prefer the larger headstock design, but I'd probably upgrade the pickups. My favourite thing about the cheap squiers is that they are so light as well, great for playing standing up.
Thank you for posting this review. You have done a superb job describing what makes the Affinity a great instrument. (It's not merely a great guitar "for the money," but a great guitar, period.) Like you, I was torn between the CV Strat and the Affinity. It was the smooth, non-sticky matte finish on the back of the Affinity's neck that was the main influential factor in choosing it over the CV. (I DID really like the way the CV looked; a part of my side-by-side test was playing both instruments with my eyes closed.) Since I've bought the Affinity in 2000 (a "crafted in China" product), I've modded it a bit: I replaced the nut with a Graph Tech TUSQ, and replaced the stock tuners with Graph Tech Ratio locking ones. (The difference between the cost of the tuners alone and the cost of the guitar isn't much, haha.) I completely agree that the Affinity ceramic pickups sound terrific! I have a Squier CV 50s Telecaster with alnico pickups, and yes, the Affinity's budget ceramic pickups actually DO sound better to my ears; go figure! I'm also a fan of the thinner body. The guitar is incredibly comfortable to play. I keep regular light 10 gauge strings on it, and I've found the pure nickel ones pair beautifully with the pickups. Thank you again for your review; I cannot recommend the Squier Affinity Strat enough!
I prefer the smaller headstock too, but that logo is sharp with the gold and the Stratocaster script. when you look at it just think Blackmore, Trower and Hendrix. 🙂
huge thanks for the video!! The Classic Vibe and Affinity are worlds apart in pricing in India.. was pretty confused on which one to invest into.. this feels like a better match
I bought one in 2000 as my first guitar and I regret getting rid of it a couple of years later, I like it for most of the same reasons you mentioned, especially the thin body.
Squier (Indonesia in particular) have been great in my experience. I agree about the feel of the matte over the gloss neck for sure. I bought both a Strat Affinity and a Telecaster Classic Vibe (gloss neck) used and am keeping both for their particular differences.
I've got both an Affinity Telecaster and an Affinity Stratocaster HSS.
The necks feel identical to to me, though the Strat does have a laurel frett board. ( maple on the Teley. )
I like the idea that I can have two really good guitars for far less than the price of one MiM Fender of either kind.
I bought a bullet strat over an affinity and classic vibe model for the pick up reason. Honestly sounded so sweet that I overlooked the extra finished touches on the others and it was also a steal at the time
Glad I ran across this. I was still trying to decide. Two things I do like better about the Classic Vibe are the pickups and the darker tone finish on the neck. The gloss finish on the back of the neck of the Vibe I can address to suit me. Im leaning towards the Affinity, But the availability is a problem.
well enjoy your guitar. thats what its all about right? i bought the 50s classic vibe about 7 months ago. flat out i love it, weighs 9 pounds neck plays great looks great sounds great. ill keep it fore ever. So about 2 months ago i started seeing the reviews on the cherry burst affinity with the humbucker and 2 single coils so i had to buy it from musicians friend for 288 with a discount. great guitar sounds great. i like the big headstock i like the neck feel and size. i dont like the thinner body and 7 pound weight but all in all a good guitar with great sound. doesnt compare to the classis vibe 50s but good guitar. so i got them both.. just for a little info on me. i have gibson les paul standards. ive played them since 1976. nothing fender makes compares to them but i bought these two for something different and something different i got. you didnt go wrong with the affinity at all. mine is beautiful in the figured maple top in the sunburst. id not have the blue!!
Thank you for the great feedback Larry! Much appreciated.
It somewhat reminds me of my Indio Cali Classics based on your description. I don’t play out so I don’t give a poop about sounding like a Super Star.
Glad you discovered the right one for you, “AJ”. Hope you’re better, Brother.🥁🎸👍
Fits my needs well as an "at home flunky"! Hope you are well Dennis.
The affinity is great for beginners or for modders. My first guitar was a 97 afffinity which was bought new. By now it has new electronics (off a classic vibe oddly enough), hip shot tuners, a fender MIM bridge, shielding, etc. the body and 11” radius neck and wide but makes it still my favorite out of all 12 guitars I own.
I love my 97 affinity! All original except the pickups and it's still my favorite guitar.
I have them both and like them both for different reasons. I got my Classic Vibe 50's with stimulus money when they were still $399! I agree with everything you said about the Affinity except that I actually prefer the big headstock. My first strat was a '75 and my guitar hero strat players were all playing the big head ones. I also like the vintage 50's style strats, so I like those headstocks as well. Anyway, the Affinity is a terrific value and could go for more money. I also prefer the satin finish necks, and the Affinity's neck is awesome, it's one of the best features.
Yeah, I have similar experience... I went to shop to buy classic vibe tele, but went with butterscotch affinity. I love satin finish on neck and lighter body. But I will change pickups, because neck pickup is too muddy. And I am not a beginner guitarist anymore, just wanted a cheap guitar for jam sessions, reherseals...
I've had one of these for a few years. It's been an ongoing mod platform for me
if you strip away the tuners, nut, pickups, pickguard, pots, switch, bridge, input jack, and you have to do some work on the neck and frets, aren't you just overpaying $250 for a poplar body and a crappy unfinished neck?
@@manofthepeople2165 modding doesn't usually make much sense. I've used budget components and such for mine. I'm not going to buy name brand pickups for it. I'll end up with hipshot locking tuners though as they're the easiest option. I've covered the back in king of the hill and beavis and butthead stickers. I wouldn't do that to a more expensive guitar. It's just meant to be fun
@@bellywitchproductions2183 oh yeah, you are free to do whatever you want with your guitars. If adding stickers and parts is your way of expressing yourself through your instrument, feel free to do so. As far as like buying a new or used guitar, it doesn't make much sense to buy a new cheap guitar, add a bunch of new parts thus voiding the warranty (which is the biggest benefit of buying new) when you could have bought a nicer guitar used for the same price or just buy a nicer new guitar which will have a warranty and will retain most of it's resell value because once you change anything electronic on a guitar, the resell value tanks.
I have the exact same Squier Affinity and I agree with you on the thinner body and pickups and also the tremolo and tuners. I found a good deal on it and just got it because I didn't have a guitar with three single coils even though I have several with coil splits it's not quite the same. I like it especially for the price and plan to keep mine for now.
I just bought an affinity last week. Fun to play guitar.
Thanks so much for the info.
No worries bro I got a lyx pro strat style body low budget but in my range have to say pretty good 😂😂I lucked out.🤘🙏🙏
Joe thanks for the great review! I just bought a '23 affinity strat and could not be happier with it. Sanded the fretboard edges and fret edges, set everything up and I now enjoy this as much as my core silver sky. I first bought the classic vibe and never even plugged it in before returning it. HORRIBLE gloss slop everywhere and just plain uncomfortable to hold. I LOVE this new affinity strat and hey, give that head stock some loving. Far nobler to play the heck out of a great budget guitar than fumble away on a prestige model.
These guitars are a fantastic value! Be well Greg.
Love the affinity as well.. just picked up one in HSS
Enjoy!
Great info Joe! Your thoughts about this one help a lot... I also like the thinner body... I think I'll buy one!
same here joe. i traded my classic vibe for an affinity strat. I like it better for the same reason
That’s the exact one I bought as my first guitar, New Year’s resolution is to learn how to play it 😂
That's a great resolution! Happy New Year!
There's also one thing you never mentioned which to me stood out the most .... the colour!! That blue body with black pick guard is killer!! I only play at home and I'm looking for a new stratocaster, so this fits the bill perfectly . 👍😊 I would change the strings though as I like the Ernie Ball slinkys. Great review 👍
Thanks Dave! The color is eye-catching! Be well my friend.
I bought honey burst one and put a black pickguard but this one is nicer looking and no added cost or effort needed for a black pickguard.
You're right, the body thickness makes for a lighter instrument, lovely guitar. And for a couple of buck's you can upgrade to Alnico 5 pup's, the $30 something Fleor-set gets you very close to a F. Professional sound and still on budget!
i hope i also get that free fender play subscription.. im bax music shop they are not in them in their pictures.. but maybe its only that.. i hope all squiers have them..
yuesday i got mine affinity tele 3color sunburst
There is a Squier Classic Vibe 50s Standard that has the small headstock. The small headstock is indeed prettier than the big one when you look at them from a distance, but when you hold the guitar in playing position you won't see the difference.
Great decision , enjoy it !!!!!
I bought one from 20 yrs ago for $200. Looks almost new. Olympic white w/rosewood . I also have a MIM Strat with maple neck gloss. Not liking the gloss necks either.
Affinity?
I ended up picking a bullet telecaster over the affinity because I preferred the thinner body, closer to the G400 I typically play. Playability and comfort is such a big part of picking a guitar, especially in this budget price range where we are likely to eventually change out hardware and electronics. I got new pickups and electronics from GFS for not much, if anything, more shipped than I would have ended up spending on the affinity.
@@Great-Documentaries
Well, it allows you to get the pickup type that suits your style. I find ceramics to be dull. But I also find that the typical 5.5k vintage alnico to be too bright. I think my favorite is GFS 6.8k in the neck.
for me it's the neck..I don't like Gloss on my necks and the classic vibe do have gloss finish on the neck.
I wanted to ask if you could comment on the affinity frets vs the CV frets. I have never played narrow tall frets but I am curious. How did you like the CV frets?
I actually prefer the CV frets. Just a "personal" thing.
Hey joe im a Beginner and im not sure which guitar would be the best for me... Would you choose affinty strat or squier sonic strat?
Hello. If you are just starting out, a Squier Sonic is a perfectly fine guitar for you. It will serve you fine for at least a few years. Thanks for watching and 건강하세요.
The output of the ceramic pickups isn't too loud ?
is it possible to play jazz with the neck pickup ?
With the right skills and amp- you can definitely play jazz.
Was there a difference in the distance between frets? I found out i prefer my affinity because of it's frets.
what are the differences between the coils of the two both in general and in terms of quality and sound? p.s. I'm in between the two and trying to make a decision so great video, thx.
The Affinity have fairly "hot" sounding CERAMIC coil pickups. Might prefer these for heavier rock/metal. The Classic Vibe has ALNICO pickups which are lower output, more articulate, vintage sounding pickups. Really a matter of preference. I like the CV pups better.
@@AJgeartalk It might just be my ears but it sounds to me like there are more overtones on the Alnico 5 pickups, which makes them sound brighter. Which is what you want, if that's what you want.
She is very beautiful in blue, too bad the neck is so pale. Maybe it's the lighting in your sudio
The neck is very light. Thanks for watching.
@@AJgeartalk the neck of an American Performer is also very light
.....last year Sweetwater had a Squire sale....and it was significant......the tale?.....an over production along with declining sales...an inventory build-up that had to be remedied.....Fender was losing the low-end entry market to all the new "Amazon" upstarts......Fender wants to sell you your first guitar, your last guitar, and everyone in between....so firstly, they up-graded the Affinity line (lots of videos on those upgrades), and secondly, they must have......i repeat, must have, sent a flock of their QC people to oversee a mass production of these upgraded products, because the two strats i bought, another after being blown away having recieved the first......more commentary to come......
Excellent "commentary" Richey! Thanks for sharing.
The most controversial statement you make is that you like the ceramic pickups better. I have the FMT strat, which I'm thinking of getting rid of, mostly because I don't like the pickups. My tone is pretty close to what a country player would use, which is mostly clean, with a bit of crunch, and some echo, and I get a better sound out of my Yamaha Pacifica 112V with the Alnico 5 pickups. I do like the matte neck much nicer than the glossy neck on my Squier paranormal Tele. I have an older affinity Tele, which I upgraded with Fender Tex/Mex pickups and that guitar is AWESOME. BTW I do like the six-point trem on the pacifica much better than the two-point trem on the Affinity, but I don't really know enough about trems for my opinion to be of much value.
Perhaps you could change the pickups instead of getting rid of it.
@@SiddharthKarunakaran I've actually thought about it, but I now see that the price of the FMT strat has jumped rapidly. Also I like my Yamaha strat much better and I don't know that I need two strats.
@@peterwilson8039 OK sell it off at a profit or minimal loss then. If you already had the Yamaha and you already knew you didn't need 2 strats, then why did you buy the affinity?
@@SiddharthKarunakaran I bought the Affinity first. I bought the Yamaha because I wanted the alnico 5 pickups.
I'm confused because what you're holding looks like the classic vibe. The head stock has no Affinity printed on it, and I didn't know the Affinity had vintage split tuner pegs. All I've seen have standard tuning pegs. I may stand corrected so please fill me in.
The NEW Affinity's (produced 2022 and later) have no "Affinity" on headstock and split shaft tuners.
Can it be install with 11-49 guage strings?
I’m thinking of getting one. One question. Are the frets filed well or are they sharp. That’s a deal breaker
If you don't want to risk receiving one with sharp frets, I suggest you purchase from your local guitar store (not on-line).
@@AJgeartalk Thanks!
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster FMT
is fmt matwrial finish make it different or just ttpe of material. matter?
Nice guitar! Great video, like always. I like the way you keep it real! Do you have a link to that guitar? Also, what are your thoughts on P90 pickups?
I like P90's Angel- They have a "unique" sound (growl). Here's a link to a "good deal" on the guitar. www.proaudiostar.com/used-squier-affinity-series-stratocaster-lake-placid-blue-w-maple-fb.html?Google_Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgenWuo2f-wIVywxoCB0qygF3EAEYASACEgIK3_D_BwE
@@AJgeartalk Hey, thank you!! I think you mentioned this in the video, is that a "short fret strat"? How does it handle the whammy bar? Sorry for the many quesitons.
@@AngelMartinez-qs3cf Not a whammy bar user, so can't comment on that. Guitar has medium-jumbo frets.
Matt finish on neck and fretboard, but glossy on the headstock...weird
It seems light
What is its weight ?
No longer have this guitar. You can check Fender Squier site.
Do they stay in tune though
My cheap tuners were adequate.
I got my CV 50s strat brand new for 40 more than the affinity. Having had an affinity from the new series, CV is objectively better.
What’s the objective part?
The reason why it feels wider to you is because it’s a mat finish. Gloss feels thinner.