Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

[Nashvillebound]

Redundant to the thread I already have going but I want a focused opinion on the Titled guitar.
I am interested in the body and neck. Will it be a good platform for high end pickups?
I don't want to waste my money by putting expensive pickups into a guitar that would not take full advantage of the attributes of the pickups.

 

[Artie]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

The thing is, do you think it's a good guitar? If you like it, then it's a good guitar. And the good news is, as easy as pickups go in, they come back out again. You can always move them to a new, better guitar later.

My Tele is also a Squier. Not an Affinity, but still a lower level axe. It had Antiquities in it, but now has the Jerry Donahue bridge. Plays great. Sounds great.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

My Tele is a Squier Affinity. It is probably the most resonant, best sounding guitar, unplugged, I've ever owned. I love playing this guitar. I'm more of a humbucker guy, but I love the shape. I will be putting a full sized humbucker in the bridge soon. But that shouldn't sway you. The only problem I would foresee would be the top-load bridge, if you decide to change it. They are not as easy to find as the string-through, but tonewise, it doesn't really matter (ask the guys at TDPRI and they'll tell you the same).

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

The affinity series was generally pretty good for the price, but not all were winners. I have played some that simply blew me a way with how well they played and some that...well...simply blew.

Get your hands on it before you buy it. If the fit, finish and feel check out for you, then, yeah, don't be afraid to throw a few generous upgrades on top

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

Are Affinity Telecasters narrower nowadays?

The necks on Affinity guitars are... Better on the more recent guitars than old ones, but can be blocky, esp. at the heel. I was impressed by the neck on a Strat Pack Affinity, but it still felt like running my hand along a piece of toilet paper. And the pure white color just makes me think "cheap;" I'd refinish.

The frets and nut were good. Do you care about string-through? I'd say there is a difference; but both sound good.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

One of my Teles is a Squier Affinity series - Like Skyydogg up there, very loud acoustically, very resonant. Neck is a *little* thick back to front, but not too narrow across the nut. Still comfortable.

It also happens to be for sale - not because it's a bad guitar, but because it doesn't do anything my other Tele can't. They're both SS format instruments, and I bought it because I'd always wanted a Tuxedo Tele aaaaand I didn't really neeeeed it.

Not that that's ever really stopped us, now, has it? :banana:

The Tele I'm building is basically an Andy Summers Tribute - humbucker at the neck, single at the bridge. So, it has something the other one doesn't. And I'm building it on a Squier Custom Vintage body.

 

[cvansickle]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

I bought a new Squier Affinity Tele last month, and it's a damn good guitar for $200. Unfinished neck, minimal body routs (in other words, not cut for a humbucker in the neck slot). I played it in a store unplugged first, and it resonated beautifully. Plugged in, it sounds great clean and dirty. I'm not changing a thing with the pickups or bridge. All I did was replace the stock white pickguard with a tortoise shell one.

But try before you buy - gems and pigs at every price point, I always say.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

I have a Squier Affinity from China and it's a great workhorse guitar. I got it for $50 off craigslist. I have a Fender Vintage Noiseless in it and it can do about everything.

 

[arath060]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

I've been to a few guitar centers and tried the squier and fender telecasters. Both serve their purposes well and both sound fine, it's up to you which you'd want. Personally I'm saving up to get a tele myself.

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

Affies are quite true to their nature: a baseball bat and a square wooden plate attached with screws, has some minimal electronics, cheap, functional, immortal. Wonderful if I might say. They twang if you know how to spank them. Wood is not AAA but functions so an Affy is a nice modding platform.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

I personally can't find a reason to justify a Squier when a used, 3-4 year old genuine MIM Strat is just 100-200 bucks more, with quality nearly on par with MIA Strat.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

^ Yeah, the MIM would be the way I'd go. The more recent ones I think are loaded with switchcraft and CTS electrics, so no upgrade needed there.

 

[daan]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

If you have to get a Squier, look for an "SE" model-the ones that came in the "starter packs" with the cheap amps (which are fine if you only play clean/bedroom volume) a LOT (but not 100%) if the Affinity ones had thin (1.5") bodies (instead of 1.75 like "real" Fenders) and won't be thick enough to put decent switches/pots into, unless you're VERY careful routing out the cavity. And then the "floor" of said cavity will be paper thin... Lots of used Affinities have stickers and whatnot covering up holes under a badly routed cavity... This is on Teles. Strats won't be thick enough to take a decent tremolo without it sticking out the back of the body. Anyway the SE bodies are all full-depth, and are just as likely to be found at yard sales/Craigslist/pawn shops for stupid low prices... Several of my parts casters started out as $50 yard sale scores, and it's fun to give the "Frontman 15" amps to kids starting out, so they don't have to play thru the crappy "Gorilla" amp like I had when I was a newbie...

 

[Artie]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

The Tele I'm building is basically an Andy Summers Tribute - humbucker at the neck, single at the bridge.

That's cool to know. I didn't know that. My Squier Tele is also SH, with a JD at the bridge and I believe, a '59 at the neck. It's a sweet axe in its own way. Keep us updated on the progress of yours.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Squier Affinity Telecaster is it a good guitar?

It's going to be a few months - I've decided to give it a good neck, instead of a budget job, so need to save up the cash... which means waiting until I pay off some other purchases (namely, my GC card... *sheepish grin*).

Right now, I'm wavering between full maple neck (which would be canon for an Andy Summers (may go with a little flame, a little roast, and abalone face dots)), or an ebony/maple (to better match the 'burst, which is on the dark side, and would retain the trebles/sparkle for a Tele).