Thanks for this very cool video as always ! Can't wait to see all the cool mods you will try on the chosen one ;) Also cant wait to see the battle with the TE-20 !
I’ve been wondering about this exact topic & I found a 2 guitar comparison, but you one-upped it. They DO sound different! I liked 2&3 better & I’d probably go with 2 if it were me. Cool!
I heard a pretty wide variance.. wild for the 'same' guitar from a factory. I liked #3 best, it had that 'Tele twang' to it. I'd still swap pickups, but #3 would sound the best TO ME out of the box. Nice video!
@@kampfkatze6092 It's a tough call. I knw minor differences in pickup winding can create tonal changes, just as much as how the strings ae picked. Owning a Squier Tele Deluxe and having listened to demos, I found my pickups to be 'darker' than what I've heard online. Maybe it's because I record dark ambient? :P Sorry, odd sense of humor here...
@Kampf Katze Surely, we didn't play exactly the same every time even though we tried. ;) That will have an influence but I think that the pickups and electronics are more important here. @Edward Averill III It could be because of the amp/room/strings or even your choice of picks. And also for us, the sound in the room always sounds darker than the recording. :)
I liked #2 the best. It seems to have a slightly darker & maybe even fuller tone. It's largely a matter of personal taste, but #1 did sound "cheaper" to me than the other two (ie lacking both the depth of #2 & the twang of #3). Minor variations in the pups, and even the switch & pots, can have a real impact on the final sound. That's what amplification does, after all.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I'd love to investigate this a little more, actually but I'm unsure, if something like electric circuit simulations could be too boring. I was thinking about simulating the potential impact of the electronics and pickups' variance of the overall transfer function. What do you think? :)
Cool video!! 😎👍 love seeing mods on the affinity on the other video! Looking to assemble my own telecaster as seems a fun project. I’ve modded my 50’s squier and had a lot of fun doing it.
Thank you! :D I've already started with the nut and string tree. Can't wait to try the new Tonerider pickups which have arrived just Yesterday! What kind of mods did you perform on your 50's Squier? :)
The biggest influence is the ' Player ' to some extent! though I definitely changed the tone of my 2018 affinity Tele to my liking with the Donlis Alnico 5 pups. Nice demo ladies 😊
@@Bandforge Get the ones with the nickle covers 50s vintage tone. You can also get the mixed set Alnico 2 and 5. Either way my Squier affinity Tele now sounds as good as my high end guitars 😊
I'm really surprised about your experience with these Squiers - I have a Contemporary Telecaster and a Bullet Stratocaster and they were both absolutely perfect out of the box and the set up was pretty good too - in fact the bullet strat is perhaps the one I reach for most frequently despite it being the cheapest guitar I own. As for Harley Benton - I absolutely agree about how good they are - I have an ST-70 Deluxe and it's superb - I would say on value for money it can't be beaten! One tip I would suggest for anyone buying an affordable guitar is to get some Monty's Guitar Wax (the natural one not the tinted one used to relic guitars). The difference in playability is astounding after its applied. It's not cheap but worth every penny ! Great channel by the way !
Thank you! :) Do you know in which factory your Contemporary Telecaster and your Bullet Stratocaster have been build? I was very happy with my Affinity Telecaster from Taiwan but this newer one from Indonesia has some issues. I have a Bullet Stratocaster from the same Indonesian factory and the neck still has CNC marks. It's fixable but can be a bit frustrating for beginners, I think. Monty's Guitar Wax could be a good option for my kit build, which I will be streaming live. Do you know if there's a vendor in the EU? I'd love to try it out!
@@Bandforge The contemporary Tele was built in China but the materials (especially the roasted maple neck) and build quality are excellent. The Bullet Stratocaster was made in Indonesia but the I'd say the finish on mine is better than many guitars three times the price. I think Squier focus on quality with the Bullets as they believe it will be many people's first guitar and if they're happy they will stick with the brand and maybe upgrade through the Fender range - but my view is they're great for a guitarist of any level of capability. The wax is called Monty's Instrument Food and it's available from Anderton's or direct from Montysguitars .com - both ship to Europe. It sells for about £9.99 plus shipping.
I liked the pickups on #1 best. Had more twang (whatever that is). I understand why you kept #3 (I've already seen that video), and the pickups are easy to change out. I just picked up a set of Seymour Duncan Vintage Stack pickups... they'll go into a build as soon as our new puppy gives me enough peace to work on the guitar again...
Very nice! Yeah, I chose from the mere mechanical background and can't wait to mod the circuit. The sound demo of the Seymour Duncans sure sounds nice… and a new puppy is the best reason to not be working on a guitar! What kind of puppy is it?
@@Bandforge An English Setter. A Llewellyn. My only problem is the old adage that you should be smarter than your dog... I'm not sure I am. He is way too smart.
Unfortunately not, because I don't have suitable measuring equipment (which really sucks) and I didn't want to remove the pickups from guitars I'm returning. ;)
@@Bandforge thats ok, ears are the best tools 😀 a basic voltagemeter is enough, just plug in a short jackcable and measure ohms between tip and groove ;) Rock on ladies
Yeah, that's true! ;) People often seem to forget how capable our ears are… I have voltmeters but the resistance alone doesn't tell us anything about the actual sound (I know that many manufacturers act like it did) but for a prediction of the sound, we need at least the inductivity and it's not that easy to measure. Still, I'm trying to find a way to measure the pickups without breaking the bank… Do you think some videos about the more technical aspects of the sound would be interesting? I've written some episodes about signals and frequencies but was unsure whether the are too boring… :)
I'm a big modding fan, too… (I know, no news here) ;) My favorite project so far is my Epiphone SG. I've upgraded the tuners, bridge, and tail piece, and changed all the electronics. It's a dream come true, really! It sounds and plays exactly like I wished it to do. Hmm… Maybe I should demonstrate it in a video. 🤔
@@Bandforge I did the very same on my Epiphone studio LT fitted it with Grover tuners updated pickups (solderless) a new bone nut and a 🙂new roller bearing bridge it plays brilliantly great minds think alike
Rina, you play so well, if all we know is house of the rising son, could I ask the salesperson to demo the squid affinity with different starter amps at the guitar shop in order to pick the right telecaster/ amp combo? Also what be set cord do you like the best with the telecaster, the straight end or the 90 degree plug in end?
Thank you! :) I think, everyone should try out guitar / amp combinations in a store, no matter their playing skills. You are in the shop to pick the right combo for your current situation after all. The salepeople are there to help and advise. You shouldn't worry about that at all. Just be friendy and patient. If you are still too shy (I remember I was), just don't crank the volume up to 11, pick a time for your visit when there aren't hundreds of people around, and bring a friend who plays, too. It's most likely that the saleperson will also have more time to show you the best options. But don't be fooled by their unearthly guitar skills. Guitar salepeople can make any amp and guitar sound amazing. ;) I prefer the 90 degree plug for the telecaster, btw.
No, they don't. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to properply set up all of the guitars. There were many parameters that I should have taken care off but I didn't because the guitars basically didn't belong to me anymore. WIth the one I kept, we will continue with the experiments, though.
Your bank account will hate me after i made you go for an Harley Benton TE20 but i have still to tell you ... Harley Benton just released a new range : Harley Benton TE-62CC. Those are stunning beauties. String tru bodies, split shaft tuners, alnico V pickups, roasted maple neck !!, and gorgeous finishes including ... LAKE PLACID BLUE :) !!
@@Bandforge to be honest i wasn't able to resist for 150€ ... this is basicaly a TE52 but with more beautiful finish / roasted maple & lighter poplar body ...
@@Bandforge thanks, i hope too ! this beauty arrives on friday ... I will be able to compare the feel to my own MIM Classic Player too & i will let you know if this is a keeper or not ! :)
Thanks for this very cool video as always ! Can't wait to see all the cool mods you will try on the chosen one ;) Also cant wait to see the battle with the TE-20 !
Thank you so much for your kind words! :D I'm working on it! Luckily I have some vacation over the holidays!
I’ve been wondering about this exact topic & I found a 2 guitar comparison, but you one-upped it. They DO sound different! I liked 2&3 better & I’d probably go with 2 if it were me. Cool!
I heard a pretty wide variance.. wild for the 'same' guitar from a factory. I liked #3 best, it had that 'Tele twang' to it. I'd still swap pickups, but #3 would sound the best TO ME out of the box. Nice video!
agree with you, the difference is important but i don't know if its the output, the articulation of the sound or both ?
@@kampfkatze6092 It's a tough call. I knw minor differences in pickup winding can create tonal changes, just as much as how the strings ae picked. Owning a Squier Tele Deluxe and having listened to demos, I found my pickups to be 'darker' than what I've heard online. Maybe it's because I record dark ambient? :P Sorry, odd sense of humor here...
@Kampf Katze Surely, we didn't play exactly the same every time even though we tried. ;) That will have an influence but I think that the pickups and electronics are more important here.
@Edward Averill III It could be because of the amp/room/strings or even your choice of picks.
And also for us, the sound in the room always sounds darker than the recording. :)
I liked #2 the best. It seems to have a slightly darker & maybe even fuller tone.
It's largely a matter of personal taste, but #1 did sound "cheaper" to me than the other two (ie lacking both the depth of #2 & the twang of #3).
Minor variations in the pups, and even the switch & pots, can have a real impact on the final sound. That's what amplification does, after all.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. I'd love to investigate this a little more, actually but I'm unsure, if something like electric circuit simulations could be too boring. I was thinking about simulating the potential impact of the electronics and pickups' variance of the overall transfer function. What do you think? :)
Cool video!! 😎👍 love seeing mods on the affinity on the other video! Looking to assemble my own telecaster as seems a fun project. I’ve modded my 50’s squier and had a lot of fun doing it.
Thank you! :D I've already started with the nut and string tree. Can't wait to try the new Tonerider pickups which have arrived just Yesterday! What kind of mods did you perform on your 50's Squier? :)
The biggest influence is the ' Player ' to some extent! though I definitely changed the tone of my 2018 affinity Tele to my liking with the Donlis Alnico 5 pups.
Nice demo ladies 😊
That's true! 😁 An thank you very much! I'm planning to get some Donlis pups, too! Which exact one did you get?
@@Bandforge Get the ones with the nickle covers 50s vintage tone. You can also get the mixed set Alnico 2 and 5.
Either way my Squier affinity Tele now sounds as good as my high end guitars 😊
Biggest influence on the sound is the player. Number 3 for me
So true! :)
Love your energy. Keep 'em comin' Cheers!
Thank you so much! :D
I'm really surprised about your experience with these Squiers - I have a Contemporary Telecaster and a Bullet Stratocaster and they were both absolutely perfect out of the box and the set up was pretty good too - in fact the bullet strat is perhaps the one I reach for most frequently despite it being the cheapest guitar I own. As for Harley Benton - I absolutely agree about how good they are - I have an ST-70 Deluxe and it's superb - I would say on value for money it can't be beaten! One tip I would suggest for anyone buying an affordable guitar is to get some Monty's Guitar Wax (the natural one not the tinted one used to relic guitars). The difference in playability is astounding after its applied. It's not cheap but worth every penny ! Great channel by the way !
Thank you! :) Do you know in which factory your Contemporary Telecaster and your Bullet Stratocaster have been build? I was very happy with my Affinity Telecaster from Taiwan but this newer one from Indonesia has some issues. I have a Bullet Stratocaster from the same Indonesian factory and the neck still has CNC marks. It's fixable but can be a bit frustrating for beginners, I think. Monty's Guitar Wax could be a good option for my kit build, which I will be streaming live. Do you know if there's a vendor in the EU? I'd love to try it out!
@@Bandforge The contemporary Tele was built in China but the materials (especially the roasted maple neck) and build quality are excellent. The Bullet Stratocaster was made in Indonesia but the I'd say the finish on mine is better than many guitars three times the price. I think Squier focus on quality with the Bullets as they believe it will be many people's first guitar and if they're happy they will stick with the brand and maybe upgrade through the Fender range - but my view is they're great for a guitarist of any level of capability.
The wax is called Monty's Instrument Food and it's available from Anderton's or direct from Montysguitars .com - both ship to Europe. It sells for about £9.99 plus shipping.
I liked the pickups on #1 best. Had more twang (whatever that is). I understand why you kept #3 (I've already seen that video), and the pickups are easy to change out. I just picked up a set of Seymour Duncan Vintage Stack pickups... they'll go into a build as soon as our new puppy gives me enough peace to work on the guitar again...
Very nice! Yeah, I chose from the mere mechanical background and can't wait to mod the circuit. The sound demo of the Seymour Duncans sure sounds nice… and a new puppy is the best reason to not be working on a guitar! What kind of puppy is it?
@@Bandforge An English Setter. A Llewellyn. My only problem is the old adage that you should be smarter than your dog... I'm not sure I am. He is way too smart.
4:18 Most definitely the pickups. Did you compare the impedences of each? Third guitar sounds hotter indeed.
Great comparison!
Unfortunately not, because I don't have suitable measuring equipment (which really sucks) and I didn't want to remove the pickups from guitars I'm returning. ;)
@@Bandforge thats ok, ears are the best tools 😀 a basic voltagemeter is enough, just plug in a short jackcable and measure ohms between tip and groove ;) Rock on ladies
Yeah, that's true! ;) People often seem to forget how capable our ears are…
I have voltmeters but the resistance alone doesn't tell us anything about the actual sound (I know that many manufacturers act like it did) but for a prediction of the sound, we need at least the inductivity and it's not that easy to measure. Still, I'm trying to find a way to measure the pickups without breaking the bank… Do you think some videos about the more technical aspects of the sound would be interesting? I've written some episodes about signals and frequencies but was unsure whether the are too boring… :)
it's much better to mod a budget guitar because you can design it to your playing style and the sound you want and still save hundreds of pounds 🎸🙂
I'm a big modding fan, too… (I know, no news here) ;)
My favorite project so far is my Epiphone SG. I've upgraded the tuners, bridge, and tail piece, and changed all the electronics. It's a dream come true, really! It sounds and plays exactly like I wished it to do. Hmm… Maybe I should demonstrate it in a video. 🤔
@@Bandforge I did the very same on my Epiphone studio LT fitted it with Grover tuners updated pickups (solderless) a new bone nut and a 🙂new roller bearing bridge it plays brilliantly great minds think alike
Rina, you play so well, if all we know is house of the rising son, could I ask the salesperson to demo the squid affinity with different starter amps at the guitar shop in order to pick the right telecaster/ amp combo? Also what be set cord do you like the best with the telecaster, the straight end or the 90 degree plug in end?
Thank you! :) I think, everyone should try out guitar / amp combinations in a store, no matter their playing skills. You are in the shop to pick the right combo for your current situation after all. The salepeople are there to help and advise. You shouldn't worry about that at all. Just be friendy and patient. If you are still too shy (I remember I was), just don't crank the volume up to 11, pick a time for your visit when there aren't hundreds of people around, and bring a friend who plays, too. It's most likely that the saleperson will also have more time to show you the best options. But don't be fooled by their unearthly guitar skills. Guitar salepeople can make any amp and guitar sound amazing. ;) I prefer the 90 degree plug for the telecaster, btw.
I enjoy your tele videos...😀
Thank you very much! :D
Do they have the same pickup heights? Coil windings can vary a lot on budget guitars too.
No, they don't. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to properply set up all of the guitars. There were many parameters that I should have taken care off but I didn't because the guitars basically didn't belong to me anymore. WIth the one I kept, we will continue with the experiments, though.
😍
xD
Your bank account will hate me after i made you go for an Harley Benton TE20 but i have still to tell you ... Harley Benton just released a new range : Harley Benton TE-62CC. Those are stunning beauties. String tru bodies, split shaft tuners, alnico V pickups, roasted maple neck !!, and gorgeous finishes including ... LAKE PLACID BLUE :) !!
Let me summarize my feelings in just one word: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! xD
@@Bandforge to be honest i wasn't able to resist for 150€ ... this is basicaly a TE52 but with more beautiful finish / roasted maple & lighter poplar body ...
@Kampf Katze I'm very curious about your opinion once it arrives! :D Finger crossed that it's awesome!
@@Bandforge thanks, i hope too ! this beauty arrives on friday ... I will be able to compare the feel to my own MIM Classic Player too & i will let you know if this is a keeper or not ! :)
@Kampf Katze Any news?? I'm super curious! ;)