Get the Squier Affinity Stratocaster FMT HSS Sweetwater imp.i114863.net/zaey20 Thomann bit.ly/3id2R82 Amazon geni.us/SquierAffStratHSS ------------------------------------------------------------ This is my full deep dive review of the new: AFFINITY SERIES™ STRATOCASTER® FMT HSS Model #: 0378152547 Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro and Hello 0:15 - What this video is about and Disclosure 0:48 - Quick walkthrough 1:15 - the deep dive 1:40 - ASMR plastic removal 1:48 - Opening up the guitar and looking inside 2:53 - Putting it back together 3:40 - more ASMR 3:50 - Rear plate removal and inspection 4:20 - the guitar weight 4:30 - pickup resistance 4:58 - Neck and body measurements 5:35 - the gallery - Detailed features and specs 7:30 - Clean Guitar Tone Samples 9:35 - Dirty Guitar Tone Samples 12:28 - Summary - Pros & Cons
Just picked one of these up as my first guitar and I love it! Obviously I have no perspective to compare it to, but for me it plays great, feels great and looks great. I got the black burst and I'll be honest, the flame maple top is what sold me. I was leaning towards a Yamaha Pacifica but got this simply because of the looks. I just can't help but look at it constantly, like when you get a new awesome car or something, it's fantastic.
Thanks again man! Hopefully about to lick one of these up with the package front man 15g and all that crap for a song to service, setup and move on plus might be the first of my crappy review vids. Jeep it up man. Dig it.
I have an Affinity Strat and enjoy it a lot. It plays well and recommend them. I’ve it for 6 years now and it has held up very well. No complaints. Getting a better amp does make the guitar sound great.
I just played that exact same model today and I was blown away on how good it felt! I connected with it right away! I was in the market for a classic vibe but ended up walking away with the affinity🤘🏽🤘🏽 but I am upgrading the electronics and it’s getting a fender branded roasted maple neck🤘🏽🤘🏽
Landon, I've seen a ton of your videos and this is the best you've ever sounded (at least with a dirty tone). I wouldn't get rid of that fantastic sounding axe! I remember when Affinity series guitars were quite junky. Now they are really, really nice!
I picked one of these up today, in the black burst finish. The action was set up REALLY well. The fretwork was perfect. The neck is thin and fast with a basic satin finish on the back of the neck that feels pretty good. The neck is a bit on the raw side, but not as raw as the cheaper Affinity's. Same goes for the fretboard, it's got a bit of a finish, enough to keep the look clean and smooth, but it does look a bit dry and dull so I'll put some oil on it. The body is definitely thinner than my '98 MIM Stratocaster (which is already thinner than an American, I think). The fit and finish was pretty good. The neck fits the pocket perfectly, the frets are amazing, no complaints there. The bridge came setup to float. Compared to the basic cheaper Affinity's, these FMT HSS Affinity's seem to be a nice step up for a bit of extra money. I tried one of the cheaper basic Affinity's and it was complete junk compared to this nicer flame maple top Affinity. I really can't get over how good the fretwork is. This is a surprisingly actually nice playing guitar. The Squier China factory is doing a great job IMO. So far this is my second Squier from the Chinese factory (my other was a Paranormal Jazz Bass) and both have been really impressive in terms of fit and finish. I give the guitar an overall 8/10 with a big shoutout to the guy doing the fret-jobs over at the China factory, cuz they are the MVP.
I just want to make an additional comment after 1 week of buying it. The tuners were junk so I replaced them with some inexpensive ones from Amazon and they work fine now. And also, the nut slots on the high E and B strings need to be filed down a tiny bit because the strings keep slipping out of the nut slot when doing whole step bends close to the nut (bending from 3rd fret up a whole tone for example). Other than that, I still love the guitar, and the neck plays like an absolute dream.
Hey man I just got this guitar for my bday last month. It's amazing and I totally agree with everything in your summary and the video aswell. any chance you can shoot me the link to the tuners? I play piano this is my first guitar so I'm sure I'm in the honeymoon phase but idk alot of people on comments where saying tuning problems but idk I tune it out of habit to make sure but it's never off to the point where it sounds terrible just depends on how hard you hit the trem bar but I try going crazy on it didn't notice much of a difference idk maybe I'm lucky but either way tyvm.
Wow.. Squier is really crawling up behind Fender. I while back I said to myself that I wouldn't get more Squiers simply because the feel of the neck didn't feel like a Fender, and that's just what I prefer.. BUT now I*m reconsidering trying out these. They also upgraded the "Squier Strat" logo to a proper "Squier Stratocaster" logo which is a nice little touch.
It might be time to pick a few up before Fender realizes just how competitive these guitars are with their big money guitars. I’m looking at one of these and a classic vibe, with just a few mods, they can be great, and replacing the tuners and pots will be first on my list.
I had the lake placid blue and the neck carve felt just like my player strat. It was definitely thicker than the older affinity guitars. Fingerboard was finished in satin or something. Almost bare wood feeling. Definitely worth checking out.
@@michaelolz I had a thinner strat body once (probably an affinity) and the thicker block was poking out at the back. Not by much, just a couple of mills, but it wasn't perfect.
although one might argue that learning to play on crummy, heavy, fat necked, a-mile-from-the-fretboard-action guitars AND sticking to it helped build our collective character, hahahaha Naaaaah, in all seriousness, those dark days really do seem like a lifetime ago, something most young players won't have to experience....
I realize that I'm late to the comments section, but well done Landon. I enjoyed this. Fender is doing a great job with the Squier line improvements and unique product introductions. I hope this continues.
You really can't go wrong with these guitars at the price.. Paid £180 a few years ago for mine and it's one of my favorite guitars. Just great to play. Definitely recommend 👍
Yeaah just bought this baby as my first electric guitar. I have the black burst look and definitely worth the money. (230 in Hungary) I use the a Fender champion 20 amp with it and just sounds awesome! Thanks for the great review, now I know what's inside! This is a great beginner guitar easy to play and very comfy for me.
This is a great guitar! Just bought one. The price point makes it even greater! $320.00 out the door at Guitar center. I'm a working musician and it's my #1 gigging axe now
Great review as always . I just got this new 2021 upgraded Affinity series Strat HSS in black burst . I must say that this is the very BEST Affinity series ever . Perfect in every way right out the box . Incredible quality control . Close your eyes , play it , and you will know you have a great quality Strat in your hands . Some think to diss that 5 way switch , guessing its cheap . I've never had any problem with them . They also feel just fine , and work very well , no worries . Its a pc board with enclosed copper traces . Good protected contact pressure area . I have a well played 2008 Affinity Strat with the same original 5 way switch in it still working A-1 The clunky old style wide open mechanics of the USA type switches can give plenty troubles and the contacts wear out , oxidize and become noisy and cut out . I think this new upgraded Affinity series are much better than the recent classic vibes . The CV series took a major downhill cheapo dive compared to when they first came out . I retuned one last year . It was so bad . Horrible frets and finish , and way cheaper quality pot metal parts . Even the tuners were junk . Love my new axe . Nothing to do or change on it . Just full enjoyment playing it . Top notch . Rock-on
Thanks for the excellent, comprehensive and entertaining review, Landon. I bought one of these shortly after seeing your review. This is a great $$$ value and a solid guitar. Got a setup done at New York Guitar Repair (as I do with all my guitars) and this guitar now plays like a dream. The switch feels solid to me, so maybe it varies from guitar to guitar. I like this guitar almost as much as the first electric that I bought, way back in 1973, a Gibson L6-S. Thanks again for the observations, advice and helpful details in your review (and all of your reviews, really).
While I'm not a huge Strat fan, I acknowledge their uses, flexibility, and iconic sounds. My pawnshop Affinity Strat was $60 and well-played. It doesn't sound bad at all. HSS has always tugged at me. I should pull off the pickguard and see if it's routed to take a bridge humbucker.
I hate the older Affinity Strats. For 20 they improved the finish and maybe the body wood. I am very impressed with everything on this new Affinity 🎸 Enjoyed the Deep Dive Landon!
Nice review. First Affinity Strat I would buy. The Tuners, neck and pickups are nice, the FMT rather bland but overall pretty. It does have a more expensive look as you say. Fender is paying attention to the competition. What will the Classic Vibes offer when upgraded….
Landon, I absolutely love your videos and enjoyed this one in particular as I am considering making this my first electric guitar. It's great that you do pros and cons also but I tend to get too hung up on the cons and then have a change of mind. As you say though, as a first guitar, it seems pretty decent. Thanks again!
I played the same model at my local guitar center recently. Easily the nicest affinity I’ve played. The pickups didn’t sound bad either. But I tried a player series HSS right after it. Made the affinity feel like a toy. The neck was so much nicer, and the pickups were warmer and clearer on the player series. But it costs over twice as much, so it should. Would have been super happy to have an affinity like that as a first guitar. Good value for $299 imo.
Agreed, as much as i liked my Tele Affinity, Classic Vibes and Players are simply much better instruments. Especially the pickups. I now always recommend CV series.
@@niceguy6325 No offense meant! I absolutely love my Tele now that i upgraded the pickups and hardware. If you know how to do it yourself, then you'll save a pretty penny AND end up with a great guitar.
Great video man! Hey I mean absolutely no disrespect by this but you sound exactly like Garfield. Lol. I was like why does he sound so familiar, then boom! Garfield cartoon from my younger years. Anyway, great video man I always enjoy your stuff!
This guitar still kicks ass. I'm always skeptical about gigging(or jamming with a band) with this guitar. But it ALWAYS holds up very well. I've also put a fender neck on mine and I've set it up perfectly. I'm still debating on if I want to replace the neck and middle pickups with alnicos and the bridge humbucker with my spare Les Paul bridge humbucker.
That guitar and a good Amp for a beginner and they would be Set for quite a while ! I like the Classic Rock tone You were getting.. Some Black Crows would sound really good on that !!
At least you didn't light the thing on fire. When I saw the title I immediately thought of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival squirting lighter fluid on the burning Strat.
I have both a 2019 affinity strat and a 2021 and I prefer the new 2021. It is lighter, the trem system is better and the neck width I find easier to play. Fender made the right improvements on this guitar.
I've been wondering how that new flame veneer Affinity looks in a "real life" review and it's very nice! Pickups aren't bad, so probably it's not worth modding, as stock it's good enough and the thinner body makes upgrades tricky. Great beginner guitar!
That looks and sounds greats for a beginners guitar. Was going to get one of these, but instead ordered a Jet Guitars strat £149 with roasted maple neck. We’ll see how it is when it comes but the guitar geek reviews show them in a good light.
Body is beautiful. Been looking at these for years (formerly the "standard" series).... & love the body. The neck is great. But yes... per your comment... the head-stock is hideous. Man I hate that big 70's head-stock. Deal-killer for me. I just want the body LOL to throw it into another project. The guitar sounds OK. Pickups not overly inspiring. But hard to tell, without your own rig. Good vid.
I’ve been playing for nearly 50 years and I picked up a 3 tone sunburst with laurel fretboard on sale at GC for $225 plus tax. I was beyond impressed and just had to buy it. It played so well and was light as a feather. Definitely a great beginner guitar but also great for anyone on a budget. No matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro these guitars are great!
I had a player plus in that color , it looks great, since then I’ve ordered a squire affinity Strat hh artic white with black pick guard. Haven’t recieved it yet but heard one played and the tones sound great. I hear it’s great for the price.
I agree, the split head tuners can be very useful. When I did a mod to a guitar, I was able to save the strings which came out/went back into the tuners so easy.
A perfect step up axe methinks. Love that they glossed the headstock and used that veneer, looks pretty sharp! Oh yeah, I just played a newer one of the last line, and it kinda sucked (even for the pricepoint). Hopefully this version is all the right bits better, seems to be!
There is actually a SECOND layer of plastic on the pickguard and rear tremolo cover on these! At least on mine anyway. I found out by accident while trying to remove a little stubborn piece around the volume knob stem. It also had TWO little round plastic covers on the back of the tuners!
Landon - If I'm not mistaken.... Squier used to make these guitars and call them.... their "Standard Series." I think they made 2 of them with the fancy bodies. One in this finish, and the second was the red to black fade. I think they just stopped branding that way - and incorporated those into the Affinity series. ?? No sure, but that's what I am thinking. Solid guitars, I just hate the head-stocks.
@@landonbailey I think so too. The more I think about it.... I remember them having those 2 AWESOME bodies with the killer finishes. And the big ole' 70s head-stocks. I actually bought one of them - the red to black fade. Flame (ish) maple. I tore the neck off of it, and threw on a Jackson 22 Fret (80s style bent headstock) neck. It's now one of my favorite axes. It looks LILLER! Plays killer too. I also threw the 2 high-output Jackson pickups into a black 2HB Squier pick-guard. Then proceeded to throw that baby on the Strat. Oh man did it turn out killer. Anyway... that's how I remembered these "Standard Series." I always said I was going to go back & get the Amber / Sienna fade. Just never did. Now i regret that, as $$ prices are way higher.
The Squier Standard Strats were different (although they also had the 'Gold' Squier logo on the headstock). I have two SSS Squier Standard Strats, an Indonesian one from 2009 and a Chinese one from 2018. Great guitars, both have two point trems, block saddles, Alnico V pups, full thickness bodies and modern tuners.
@@landonbailey oh I didn't catch it. But I watched the deep dive Tele deluxe one. I loved that guitar. If they have necks like the other affinity series I am possibly going to get one just for the lulz
Like everything else, "cost savings" = cheating the customer. I would pay another few bucks to get a good switch. That kind of stuff turns me off from buying a Squire even though the rest is pretty good. I've had to change a few switches so it's not just Squire I have to admit but I guess that's how some corporations have to operate. Thanks for doing these videos, very enjoyable.
I own one and I must admit I like it , Fender made nice upgrades on the affinity series but...for the same price you get a Harley Benton with flamed roasted maple neck, stainless stell frets, alnico pickups, locking tuners, 2 point tremolo with full size block, and flamed maple veneer also so...
@@landonbailey I do agree, the good thing is Fender will have no other choice than bringing a Squier serie with the same specs and price as HB Fusion serie
First viewer; first liker 😉 I'm eyeing this one and the black tele deluxe or charcoal frost but would have preferred it to have black pickguard. I'll continue to watch.. 😄
I had one sold it, 2016 Model , the pickup's were cheap sounding, tuners etc, the neck was nice I must admit but that's about it, I wish they would have Alnico pups like Harley Benton low end strats come with , but being here in the UK we have plenty decent aftermarket pups like Wilkinson, Vanson , that would be perfect upgrade, cost effective, that's what I would do with the one you have, and make it a hard tail, but the body is really nice,
Pretty sure this IS the first Affinity Strat with a FMT, but they HAVE had the "Squier" stamp in the neck plate for years... and years. Great job on the demo tho Landon. They are a fantastic low cost guitar that really looks the part, and sounds a stack better than the cost would suggest 😁
Hey, Landon, nice review! :) I've played at least 100 affinities through the years. Looks like, from what you're saying, that they changed almost everything on the Affinity. This looks same to me as the Squier Standard Stratocaster (2-point trem, different tuners, etc). And the headstock logo - it used to say Squier S T R A T Affinity, but now, the headstock logo looks the same as the Squier Standard Stratocaster logo. :) That's pretty interesting. Did you find any ''Affinity'' marks on the headstock to be sure that's an Affinity? :) Btw, there used to be a Squier logo on the neck plate, for decades now). Great Channel, btw. Regards from Serbia!!! :D ,
such a beautiful guitar when i saw it n played it in the store ive been wanting to go back n buy it ever since... throw a jb in the bridge some locking tuners n boom... might buy it tmrw Lol
Looks like a Squier Standard with a flamed maple veneer....I got a black metalic standard back in 2011 made in Indonesia when Squier made a huge huge improvement in quality and it plays great...just replaced the tuners with the vintage F style made by Schaller and put some Malmsteen Fury pickups.
@@atlejohnnyrygg7124 Correct, they did. I have two, an Indonesian one from 2009 and a Chinese one from 2018. Great guitars, both have two point trems, block saddles, Alnico V pups, full thickness bodies and modern tuners. The only thing I changed was roller string trees to replace the bent steel (gull wing) ones.
I see a lot of special run Classic Vibe's and now I'm wondering why we don't see special run flame tops? I don't really seek out flame tops, but I would love to see a Jaguar or Jazzmaster with one.
The recovering guitar snob in me is dumbfounded by the fact that I like the feel of this model over the Classic Vibe 50’s. I just can’t jive with the Classic Vibe fret board radius.
Hi Landon, enjoyed your thorough review. I have an older Squire Affinity Strat, a Classic Vibe Strat, and also just bought the new upgraded Affinity Strat model in blonde w/maple neck. The neck is definitely thicker and chunkier. Is this how the regular Fender Strats are and feel? I guess Squire is giving us something closer to a regular Fender here with better neck, better tuners, 3-ply pick guard vs single ply in the other two. Could you comment or do a future video on the new Squire Affinity Strat vs Fender MIM? Thanks.
Hey Landon, great review, but I've been looking everywhere on the internet, and havent found my answer yet, Do you know what the pickup models are exactly, like how much they cost? I would like to change them and upgrade, but I'm trying to compare prices from their stock pickups and new better ones.
From Leo: That looks like a pretty nice guitar, the thin body will work fine, consider how thin the body is on an SG. The 70's crazy headstock reminds me of flab hanging from a fat woman's arm, I would like the smaller one better. It did sound pretty good. Good playing in this demo.
@@barbmelle3136 "The 70's crazy headstock reminds me of flab hanging from a fat woman's arm, I would like the smaller one better." Have it both ways then.
Thank you for the review. I don't see any shielding inside the body cavities. I have one 15 year-old Affinity that doesn't have shielding but 2 new Bullets have paint shield. I thought all new Squiers had shielding now.
The first guitar I owned was a Squier Affinity Strat and I tell everyone to just save up a bit more and get a Classic Vibe. The quality of everything that's not wood on this guitar is subpar. Mine was an early 2000s model and some things changed but it doesn't look like massive improvements were made. On mine the jack would crackle, the switch broke, the pots broke, the screws holding the pickguard rusted into dust and started breaking off after 1-2 years, the bridge and saddles were made from the cheapest chinese pot metal possible, the tunners felt terrible, they were clicking instead of having a smooth motion, the chrome started peeling off, the frets were very soft and had dents in them after just one month and the ceramic pickups were very harsh.
I too had an Affinity hss strat (made in Indonesia) and didn’t keep it too long. They’re “economical” for a reason. Save your cash and put it towards a Player series. Myself, I have given up on offshore made guitars. They look good however, you get what you pay for. If you’re good with a pretty looking instrument that has more issues than anyone should put up with then fine. There are better instruments out there that are reasonable in price.
@@landonbailey Delivery was a little late but I finally have it! I really love this guitar. The neck is awesome, Sound great in my EVH. It holds tune well. Had to try it. I really think it plays right at as good as my Highway One.
Get the Squier Affinity Stratocaster FMT HSS
Sweetwater imp.i114863.net/zaey20
Thomann bit.ly/3id2R82
Amazon geni.us/SquierAffStratHSS
------------------------------------------------------------
This is my full deep dive review of the new:
AFFINITY SERIES™ STRATOCASTER® FMT HSS
Model #: 0378152547
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro and Hello
0:15 - What this video is about and Disclosure
0:48 - Quick walkthrough
1:15 - the deep dive
1:40 - ASMR plastic removal
1:48 - Opening up the guitar and looking inside
2:53 - Putting it back together
3:40 - more ASMR
3:50 - Rear plate removal and inspection
4:20 - the guitar weight
4:30 - pickup resistance
4:58 - Neck and body measurements
5:35 - the gallery - Detailed features and specs
7:30 - Clean Guitar Tone Samples
9:35 - Dirty Guitar Tone Samples
12:28 - Summary - Pros & Cons
If I got this, what quality replacement 5-way switch would you recommend?
Just picked one of these up as my first guitar and I love it! Obviously I have no perspective to compare it to, but for me it plays great, feels great and looks great.
I got the black burst and I'll be honest, the flame maple top is what sold me. I was leaning towards a Yamaha Pacifica but got this simply because of the looks. I just can't help but look at it constantly, like when you get a new awesome car or something, it's fantastic.
I'd say you made the right choice for a lot of reasons, but that black burst is indeed lovely. 👍👍👍
HSS is a great configuration.
It has all the sounds I love. Favorite shape too
I wanna get this guitar and make it HHS
Thanks again man!
Hopefully about to lick one of these up with the package front man 15g and all that crap for a song to service, setup and move on plus might be the first of my crappy review vids.
Jeep it up man. Dig it.
Is HH good?
I'm getting the hss pack in two weeks
I have an Affinity Strat and enjoy it a lot. It plays well and recommend them. I’ve it for 6 years now and it has held up very well. No complaints. Getting a better amp does make the guitar sound great.
I just played that exact same model today and I was blown away on how good it felt! I connected with it right away! I was in the market for a classic vibe but ended up walking away with the affinity🤘🏽🤘🏽 but I am upgrading the electronics and it’s getting a fender branded roasted maple neck🤘🏽🤘🏽
have fun! 👍🎸
Landon, I've seen a ton of your videos and this is the best you've ever sounded (at least with a dirty tone). I wouldn't get rid of that fantastic sounding axe! I remember when Affinity series guitars were quite junky. Now they are really, really nice!
Rock on!
Landon, You make the best guitar review videos on the web. The attention to the details are unique. Keep doing it man.
I appreciate that!
Shame he cant play
This guitar plays like a dream
I picked one of these up today, in the black burst finish. The action was set up REALLY well. The fretwork was perfect. The neck is thin and fast with a basic satin finish on the back of the neck that feels pretty good. The neck is a bit on the raw side, but not as raw as the cheaper Affinity's. Same goes for the fretboard, it's got a bit of a finish, enough to keep the look clean and smooth, but it does look a bit dry and dull so I'll put some oil on it. The body is definitely thinner than my '98 MIM Stratocaster (which is already thinner than an American, I think). The fit and finish was pretty good. The neck fits the pocket perfectly, the frets are amazing, no complaints there. The bridge came setup to float. Compared to the basic cheaper Affinity's, these FMT HSS Affinity's seem to be a nice step up for a bit of extra money. I tried one of the cheaper basic Affinity's and it was complete junk compared to this nicer flame maple top Affinity. I really can't get over how good the fretwork is. This is a surprisingly actually nice playing guitar. The Squier China factory is doing a great job IMO. So far this is my second Squier from the Chinese factory (my other was a Paranormal Jazz Bass) and both have been really impressive in terms of fit and finish. I give the guitar an overall 8/10 with a big shoutout to the guy doing the fret-jobs over at the China factory, cuz they are the MVP.
thanks for sharing. that's a good summary that agree with
A MiM Stratocaster has the same body thickness as a US one.
I just want to make an additional comment after 1 week of buying it. The tuners were junk so I replaced them with some inexpensive ones from Amazon and they work fine now. And also, the nut slots on the high E and B strings need to be filed down a tiny bit because the strings keep slipping out of the nut slot when doing whole step bends close to the nut (bending from 3rd fret up a whole tone for example). Other than that, I still love the guitar, and the neck plays like an absolute dream.
Hey man I just got this guitar for my bday last month. It's amazing and I totally agree with everything in your summary and the video aswell.
any chance you can shoot me the link to the tuners? I play piano this is my first guitar so I'm sure I'm in the honeymoon phase but idk alot of people on comments where saying tuning problems but idk I tune it out of habit to make sure but it's never off to the point where it sounds terrible just depends on how hard you hit the trem bar but I try going crazy on it didn't notice much of a difference idk maybe I'm lucky but either way tyvm.
All the new Affinities are essentially the same, all the 2 point vibrato ones. You must have tried one of the older models in solid finish.
Wow.. Squier is really crawling up behind Fender.
I while back I said to myself that I wouldn't get more Squiers simply because the feel of the neck didn't feel like a Fender, and that's just what I prefer.. BUT now I*m reconsidering trying out these.
They also upgraded the "Squier Strat" logo to a proper "Squier Stratocaster" logo which is a nice little touch.
Man..do you hear the clean tones? It sounds like the usa
Made. Its astonishing how similar each position sounds just like a 1300 Fender.
It might be time to pick a few up before Fender realizes just how competitive these guitars are with their big money guitars. I’m looking at one of these and a classic vibe, with just a few mods, they can be great, and replacing the tuners and pots will be first on my list.
I had the lake placid blue and the neck carve felt just like my player strat. It was definitely thicker than the older affinity guitars. Fingerboard was finished in satin or something. Almost bare wood feeling. Definitely worth checking out.
Hi, I'm considering buying the SSS Lake placid blue Strat, would you recommend that? Otherwise I'll take the affinity tele
omg, I wish the cheap instruments were that good when I was learning to play... Kids (I mean beginners) today are sooooo lucky. Great demo, as usual
It’s really nice. I’m wondering if the overall thinner body would accommodate an upgrade for the trem block, but this is a nice guitar.
@@michaelolz I had a thinner strat body once (probably an affinity) and the thicker block was poking out at the back. Not by much, just a couple of mills, but it wasn't perfect.
Budget is a better word, cheap implies bad quality
although one might argue that learning to play on crummy, heavy, fat necked, a-mile-from-the-fretboard-action guitars AND sticking to it helped build our collective character, hahahaha Naaaaah, in all seriousness, those dark days really do seem like a lifetime ago, something most young players won't have to experience....
My 1st guitar and amp came from a Sears catalog. They sure didn’t make ‘em that good back then!
I have the HSS Charcoal Frost finish that was in the strat pack partly because of your reviews . very nice!
I realize that I'm late to the comments section, but well done Landon. I enjoyed this. Fender is doing a great job with the Squier line improvements and unique product introductions. I hope this continues.
Hey, thanks!
Man this sounds really good for what it is. Sounds somewhat compressed but love the warm non chimey tone.
You really can't go wrong with these guitars at the price.. Paid £180 a few years ago for mine and it's one of my favorite guitars. Just great to play. Definitely recommend 👍
"I know, I know, I get it." So true -- kick-ass amp.
:)
Flame top looks great! Great deep dive Landon!
Thanks for watching
Yeaah just bought this baby as my first electric guitar. I have the black burst look and definitely worth the money. (230 in Hungary) I use the a Fender champion 20 amp with it and just sounds awesome! Thanks for the great review, now I know what's inside! This is a great beginner guitar easy to play and very comfy for me.
This is a great guitar! Just bought one. The price point makes it even greater! $320.00 out the door at Guitar center. I'm a working musician and it's my #1 gigging axe now
thanks for sharing!
@@landonbailey you're welcome 😊
Great review as always . I just got this new 2021 upgraded Affinity series Strat HSS in black burst . I must say that this is the very BEST Affinity series ever . Perfect in every way right out the box . Incredible quality control . Close your eyes , play it , and you will know you have a great quality Strat in your hands . Some think to diss that 5 way switch , guessing its cheap . I've never had any problem with them . They also feel just fine , and work very well , no worries . Its a pc board with enclosed copper traces . Good protected contact pressure area . I have a well played 2008 Affinity Strat with the same original 5 way switch in it still working A-1 The clunky old style wide open mechanics of the USA type switches can give plenty troubles and the contacts wear out , oxidize and become noisy and cut out . I think this new upgraded Affinity series are much better than the recent classic vibes . The CV series took a major downhill cheapo dive compared to when they first came out . I retuned one last year . It was so bad . Horrible frets and finish , and way cheaper quality pot metal parts . Even the tuners were junk . Love my new axe . Nothing to do or change on it . Just full enjoyment playing it . Top notch . Rock-on
cheers!
Thanks for the excellent, comprehensive and entertaining review, Landon. I bought one of these shortly after seeing your review. This is a great $$$ value and a solid guitar. Got a setup done at New York Guitar Repair (as I do with all my guitars) and this guitar now plays like a dream. The switch feels solid to me, so maybe it varies from guitar to guitar. I like this guitar almost as much as the first electric that I bought, way back in 1973, a Gibson L6-S. Thanks again for the observations, advice and helpful details in your review (and all of your reviews, really).
cheers! ya great value
The way you speak kind of reminds me of some of the characters on inter-dimensional tv on Rick and Morty. Love it and great review! 👍
do they sing too?
While I'm not a huge Strat fan, I acknowledge their uses, flexibility, and iconic sounds. My pawnshop Affinity Strat was $60 and well-played. It doesn't sound bad at all. HSS has always tugged at me. I should pull off the pickguard and see if it's routed to take a bridge humbucker.
I think this was the bestest review I have seen about this guitar. Pretty good.
About to pick one of these up today with a Fender Mustang LT 25 amp, can’t wait. Thanks for this awesome review.
Rock on!
I’m actually about to pick up the exact same setup as you are! How did things end up going?
I hate the older Affinity Strats. For 20 they improved the finish and maybe the body wood. I am very impressed with everything on this new Affinity 🎸 Enjoyed the Deep Dive Landon!
ya it's a bunch of nice updates
Super comprehensive review. What an absolute steal, a nice high end loaded pickguard and you'd have yourself something very special for no money
ya the top looks sharp
Looks pretty sweet for the $! Looks like it could hang with my made in Mexico Fender Strat HSS!
Nice review. First Affinity Strat I would buy. The Tuners, neck and pickups are nice, the FMT rather bland but overall pretty. It does have a more expensive look as you say. Fender is paying attention to the competition. What will the Classic Vibes offer when upgraded….
Oh this is the kind of review I was looking for.
Very good work friend!
Have a nice day.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks now Im buying this one, hopefully I’m not disappointed
Landon, I absolutely love your videos and enjoyed this one in particular as I am considering making this my first electric guitar. It's great that you do pros and cons also but I tend to get too hung up on the cons and then have a change of mind.
As you say though, as a first guitar, it seems pretty decent.
Thanks again!
Go for it!
That’s a decent guitar for the money. Thanks for a very thorough review Landon!
cheers Dale!
I played the same model at my local guitar center recently. Easily the nicest affinity I’ve played. The pickups didn’t sound bad either.
But I tried a player series HSS right after it. Made the affinity feel like a toy. The neck was so much nicer, and the pickups were warmer and clearer on the player series. But it costs over twice as much, so it should.
Would have been super happy to have an affinity like that as a first guitar. Good value for $299 imo.
the necks on the Player models are awesome
Agreed, as much as i liked my Tele Affinity, Classic Vibes and Players are simply much better instruments. Especially the pickups. I now always recommend CV series.
@@BladeDoomer86 I can aford a affinity but not a CV, not everybody has a choice Kev... But of course they are better :)
@@niceguy6325 No offense meant! I absolutely love my Tele now that i upgraded the pickups and hardware. If you know how to do it yourself, then you'll save a pretty penny AND end up with a great guitar.
I love the guitar Squier Affty always rock IMO
Great video man! Hey I mean absolutely no disrespect by this but you sound exactly like Garfield. Lol. I was like why does he sound so familiar, then boom! Garfield cartoon from my younger years. Anyway, great video man I always enjoy your stuff!
Lorenzo Music! Look him up :)
I dig the head stock and must point out that the flamed grain matched ur red PRS behind u almost perfectly lol
ya looks good!
This guitar still kicks ass. I'm always skeptical about gigging(or jamming with a band) with this guitar. But it ALWAYS holds up very well. I've also put a fender neck on mine and I've set it up perfectly. I'm still debating on if I want to replace the neck and middle pickups with alnicos and the bridge humbucker with my spare Les Paul bridge humbucker.
thanks for sharing!
That guitar and a good Amp for a beginner and they would be Set for quite a while ! I like the Classic Rock tone You were getting.. Some Black Crows would sound really good on that !!
Love the plastic ripping. Nice looking strat!
Thanks! 👍
At least you didn't light the thing on fire. When I saw the title I immediately thought of Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival squirting lighter fluid on the burning Strat.
ya I was referring to the flame top, which is probably a Jimi reference in itself :)
HSS, nice guitar. I haven't had on of those, or played one, but it sounds pretty dang good.
Nice playing man. Those bends are sounding sweet ass.
I have a 2018 Affinity Strat and it still plays great!!! Zero mods too!!
Zero Mods sounds like a good name for a company
I have both a 2019 affinity strat and a 2021 and I prefer the new 2021. It is lighter, the trem system is better and the neck width I find easier to play. Fender made the right improvements on this guitar.
thanks for sharing!
I've been wondering how that new flame veneer Affinity looks in a "real life" review and it's very nice! Pickups aren't bad, so probably it's not worth modding, as stock it's good enough and the thinner body makes upgrades tricky. Great beginner guitar!
I was GAS'ing for one of these bad, and the thinner body turned me off it. I would rather pay an extra $20-$30 and have them make them full thickness.
@@Anjohl they are pretty much the only option for those actually looking for a thinner strat though. the next tier would be the Cory Wong signature.
That looks and sounds greats for a beginners guitar. Was going to get one of these, but instead ordered a Jet Guitars strat £149 with roasted maple neck. We’ll see how it is when it comes but the guitar geek reviews show them in a good light.
Let us know!
I hope you will enjoy it greatly ! Happy new guitar day up front.
l like lightweight guitar and this one also sound great thank for reviewing this lovely guiatr
cheers!
Looks really dang nice! Feel like my only gripe would be with the ceramic pickups, but they don't sound totally lifeless. Cool review -- thanks!
cheers!
Body is beautiful. Been looking at these for years (formerly the "standard" series).... & love the body. The neck is great. But yes... per your comment... the head-stock is hideous. Man I hate that big 70's head-stock. Deal-killer for me. I just want the body LOL to throw it into another project. The guitar sounds OK. Pickups not overly inspiring. But hard to tell, without your own rig. Good vid.
I’ve been playing for nearly 50 years and I picked up a 3 tone sunburst with laurel fretboard on sale at GC for $225 plus tax. I was beyond impressed and just had to buy it. It played so well and was light as a feather. Definitely a great beginner guitar but also great for anyone on a budget. No matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro these guitars are great!
Cool guitar. Hss has such a tone flexibility
ya it adds a lot for sure
Thanks Landon for the review
I had a player plus in that color , it looks great, since then I’ve ordered a squire affinity Strat hh artic white with black pick guard. Haven’t recieved it yet but heard one played and the tones sound great. I hear it’s great for the price.
This is the guitar that I’m thinking of buying so this is great
cool!
I really love the big headstocks!!!
ya it's love or hate. I see a mix of responses
@@landonbailey I don't get it!!!
Me too haha I don't get the hate is it just preference?
@@FeelLykeWise Pretty much!!!
Thank you Landon great review from England UK
My pleasure!
They clearcoat tbe headstocks now nice. I love squier
thx for that restringing tip for vintage tuners!
might put that killswitch on my special strat soon
Go for it!
I agree, the split head tuners can be very useful. When I did a mod to a guitar, I was able to save the strings which came out/went back into the tuners so easy.
A perfect step up axe methinks. Love that they glossed the headstock and used that veneer, looks pretty sharp! Oh yeah, I just played a newer one of the last line, and it kinda sucked (even for the pricepoint). Hopefully this version is all the right bits better, seems to be!
There is actually a SECOND layer of plastic on the pickguard and rear tremolo cover on these! At least on mine anyway. I found out by accident while trying to remove a little stubborn piece around the volume knob stem. It also had TWO little round plastic covers on the back of the tuners!
Landon - If I'm not mistaken.... Squier used to make these guitars and call them.... their "Standard Series." I think they made 2 of them with the fancy bodies. One in this finish, and the second was the red to black fade. I think they just stopped branding that way - and incorporated those into the Affinity series. ?? No sure, but that's what I am thinking. Solid guitars, I just hate the head-stocks.
I think you're right about the old Standard series
@@landonbailey I think so too. The more I think about it.... I remember them having those 2 AWESOME bodies with the killer finishes. And the big ole' 70s head-stocks. I actually bought one of them - the red to black fade. Flame (ish) maple. I tore the neck off of it, and threw on a Jackson 22 Fret (80s style bent headstock) neck. It's now one of my favorite axes. It looks LILLER! Plays killer too. I also threw the 2 high-output Jackson pickups into a black 2HB Squier pick-guard. Then proceeded to throw that baby on the Strat. Oh man did it turn out killer. Anyway... that's how I remembered these "Standard Series." I always said I was going to go back & get the Amber / Sienna fade. Just never did. Now i regret that, as $$ prices are way higher.
The Squier Standard Strats were different (although they also had the 'Gold' Squier logo on the headstock). I have two SSS Squier Standard Strats, an Indonesian one from 2009 and a Chinese one from 2018. Great guitars, both have two point trems, block saddles, Alnico V pups, full thickness bodies and modern tuners.
im super close to pulling the trigger on the all black affinity tele deluxe.
Υou bought the whole line?! Also big props to squier. The new affinity series sure do look awesome!!
no, I just got the Tele Deluxe and HSS Strat. I did a live stream last week about it
@@landonbailey oh I didn't catch it. But I watched the deep dive Tele deluxe one. I loved that guitar. If they have necks like the other affinity series I am possibly going to get one just for the lulz
I bought this guitar. Looks very nice! ANd it's very good platform to play with some mods!
Enjoy!
There was an FMT option available in the now discontinued Standard series.
I'm wondering if this is the Standard series replacement
Like everything else, "cost savings" = cheating the customer. I would pay another few bucks to get a good switch. That kind of stuff turns me off from buying a Squire even though the rest is pretty good. I've had to change a few switches so it's not just Squire I have to admit but I guess that's how some corporations have to operate. Thanks for doing these videos, very enjoyable.
I own one and I must admit I like it , Fender made nice upgrades on the affinity series but...for the same price you get a Harley Benton with flamed roasted maple neck, stainless stell frets, alnico pickups, locking tuners, 2 point tremolo with full size block, and flamed maple veneer also so...
Thanks for sharing! ya the harley benton stuff is pretty good. I still think the biggest obstacle they face is the horrible name :)
@@landonbailey I do agree, the good thing is Fender will have no other choice than bringing a Squier serie with the same specs and price as HB Fusion serie
First viewer; first liker 😉 I'm eyeing this one and the black tele deluxe or charcoal frost but would have preferred it to have black pickguard. I'll continue to watch.. 😄
Absolutely love your reviews
Glad you like them!
Landon is classic vibe still better?
it still has some hardware upgrades that I would consider better
Excellent video. Nicely done.
👍🎸😊
I feel a possible "modding experiment" coming on.... ❤️🎸🎸🎸🎵
nope :)
Just needs some shielding and a high quality 5 way switch.
I had one sold it, 2016 Model , the pickup's were cheap sounding, tuners etc, the neck was nice I must admit but that's about it, I wish they would have Alnico pups like Harley Benton low end strats come with , but being here in the UK we have plenty decent aftermarket pups like Wilkinson, Vanson , that would be perfect upgrade, cost effective, that's what I would do with the one you have, and make it a hard tail, but the body is really nice,
Thanks for sharing!
Pretty sure this IS the first Affinity Strat with a FMT, but they HAVE had the "Squier" stamp in the neck plate for years... and years. Great job on the demo tho Landon. They are a fantastic low cost guitar that really looks the part, and sounds a stack better than the cost would suggest 😁
cheers
Hey, Landon, nice review! :)
I've played at least 100 affinities through the years. Looks like, from what you're saying, that they changed almost everything on the Affinity. This looks same to me as the Squier Standard Stratocaster (2-point trem, different tuners, etc). And the headstock logo - it used to say Squier S T R A T Affinity, but now, the headstock logo looks the same as the Squier Standard Stratocaster logo. :) That's pretty interesting. Did you find any ''Affinity'' marks on the headstock to be sure that's an Affinity? :)
Btw, there used to be a Squier logo on the neck plate, for decades now). Great Channel, btw. Regards from Serbia!!! :D
,
cheers!
such a beautiful guitar when i saw it n played it in the store ive been wanting to go back n buy it ever since... throw a jb in the bridge some locking tuners n boom... might buy it tmrw Lol
Looks like a Squier Standard with a flamed maple veneer....I got a black metalic standard back in 2011 made in Indonesia when Squier made a huge huge improvement in quality and it plays great...just replaced the tuners with the vintage F style made by Schaller and put some Malmsteen Fury pickups.
I think standards used to have full thickness body and alnico pickups.
@@atlejohnnyrygg7124 Correct, they did. I have two, an Indonesian one from 2009 and a Chinese one from 2018. Great guitars, both have two point trems, block saddles, Alnico V pups, full thickness bodies and modern tuners. The only thing I changed was roller string trees to replace the bent steel (gull wing) ones.
I see a lot of special run Classic Vibe's and now I'm wondering why we don't see special run flame tops? I don't really seek out flame tops, but I would love to see a Jaguar or Jazzmaster with one.
Not to shabby. I too, love that HSS configuration.
The recovering guitar snob in me is dumbfounded by the fact that I like the feel of this model over the Classic Vibe 50’s. I just can’t jive with the Classic Vibe fret board radius.
isn't the radius the same?
@@landonbailey I think so. But maybe it’s the lacquer on the fretboard and neck. It just feels odd to me.
Great video as always
cheers!
Hi Landon, enjoyed your thorough review. I have an older Squire Affinity Strat, a Classic Vibe Strat, and also just bought the new upgraded Affinity Strat model in blonde w/maple neck. The neck is definitely thicker and chunkier. Is this how the regular Fender Strats are and feel? I guess Squire is giving us something closer to a regular Fender here with better neck, better tuners, 3-ply pick guard vs single ply in the other two. Could you comment or do a future video on the new Squire Affinity Strat vs Fender MIM? Thanks.
ya the MIM models are generally thicker feeling and have a really nice sating finish
ohhh guess i will have to hunt an older model, because i am looking for those thinner necks 😈 probably the seafoam (or was it surf?) green 😅
Looks like the standard Squire of 20 years ago.
I think this is the replacement
Not a fan of the big headstock on a Strat, but that sure is a purty guitar.
I love the bigger headstock lol, but maybe it's because I started on a larger headstocked Jagmaster
@@Madchris8828 Don't get me wrong, I dig the 70's headstock look on the offsets, just not on the Strat.
@@Mandobird1 ohh okay fair enough
I didn't either, but my 70s CV strat is so fun to play that it's grown on me.
Long live the CBS headstock - love it!
Great video, thanks!
Glad you liked it!
A person on UA-cam experienced ringing on the G string for lack of string trees, did you experience that?
I didn't in this case, but I've heard that having them can help
Throw in some Fender pickups and it's ready to rock
Hey Landon, great review, but I've been looking everywhere on the internet, and havent found my answer yet,
Do you know what the pickup models are exactly, like how much they cost?
I would like to change them and upgrade, but I'm trying to compare prices from their stock pickups and new better ones.
I have no idea what brand they are using :)
From Leo: That looks like a pretty nice guitar, the thin body will work fine, consider how thin the body is on an SG. The 70's crazy headstock reminds me of flab hanging from a fat woman's arm, I would like the smaller one better. It did sound pretty good. Good playing in this demo.
Impressive. It takes real talent to fat shame while talking guitars.
@@lpmama1196 No shaming from this side.
@@barbmelle3136 "The 70's crazy headstock reminds me of flab hanging from a fat woman's arm, I would like the smaller one better." Have it both ways then.
Very cool thank you.
hss is always the answer
who cares what's the question
The finish is really nice.
I bought one in Olympic White sss configuration these guitars are very cool
If Squier just upgraded the block, 5 way switch,and pickups it'd make them much better
Coming from experience sometimes upgrading the block is difficult (non standard sizes) and I didn't know you could upgrade the switch tbh
Thank you for the review. I don't see any shielding inside the body cavities. I have one 15 year-old Affinity that doesn't have shielding but 2 new Bullets have paint shield. I thought all new Squiers had shielding now.
ya no shielding in this one
The first guitar I owned was a Squier Affinity Strat and I tell everyone to just save up a bit more and get a Classic Vibe. The quality of everything that's not wood on this guitar is subpar. Mine was an early 2000s model and some things changed but it doesn't look like massive improvements were made. On mine the jack would crackle, the switch broke, the pots broke, the screws holding the pickguard rusted into dust and started breaking off after 1-2 years, the bridge and saddles were made from the cheapest chinese pot metal possible, the tunners felt terrible, they were clicking instead of having a smooth motion, the chrome started peeling off, the frets were very soft and had dents in them after just one month and the ceramic pickups were very harsh.
I too had an Affinity hss strat (made in Indonesia) and didn’t keep it too long. They’re “economical” for a reason. Save your cash and put it towards a Player series. Myself, I have given up on offshore made guitars. They look good however, you get what you pay for. If you’re good with a pretty looking instrument that has more issues than anyone should put up with then fine. There are better instruments out there that are reasonable in price.
this is not like the older models though. Much better quality than an early 2000s model.
Looks nice, not a fan of the big headstock but for the price point 👍
Mine will be here Friday so there!
nice! let me know how it works out
@@landonbailey Delivery was a little late but I finally have it! I really love this guitar. The neck is awesome, Sound great in my EVH. It holds tune well. Had to try it. I really think it plays right at as good as my Highway One.