I like your new Affinity line but I have one important question. Are the bodies of the new Affinity Series guitars as thin as the Bullet Series guitars? Is the thickness of the body the same as Fender guitars?
Don't you think if you were honest with people, you could take over the market? I mean, you have incredible returns to scale. The problem is that because you (and all the other manufacturers) have been 'lying' to people about that those expensive guitars are worth it, they don't believe you when you try to sell these. I mean, give me another fret, replace the ceramic with ALINCOs and you have just a good guitar as any $1,000 guitar. In fact, isn't it more expensive to have two different magnets and two different fretboard sizes anyway? Think of all the headaches of inventory, management and control. And with your presence around the whole world, and the fact that anyone can mod any of your guitars easily, why would anyone buy anything else?
Affinity series is wonderful. My favorite is the tele. I've recorded and gigged forever with them. 'Played guitars since '53. Have a house full of expensive and 'cheap' guitars. One Affinity tele I replaced the worn frets twice (huge hours of play), replaced them again 12 years later and finally replaced the neck with a Mitey Mite fender licensed neck, (worn divots in wood); same exact neck. Glad to see a Jazzmaster. It's supposed to be different; too bad they used the wrong vibrato and hotter pickups..... wrong view of the market IMO. Oh well.... Thanks fellas!
My advice to anyone looking at Squires- buy the classic Vibe. If you have to settle for an Affinity, they're not bad- not great, but not bad. But the classic vibe is surprisingly good for its price range- plays like a guitar that costs way, way more. If I were about to buy an Affinity new- I would buy a used Classic Vibe instead- I honestly believe you would be happier with the end result. The electronics are no different than the Affinity from what I understand but- the build quality is quite a bit better and the neck is perfection- best neck on any guitar I've ever played. And yes, I've played some really high-end stuff. I didn't own any of it but, I got to play it. As of yet I've never found a better neck- roasted maple, satin finish, and it's the perfect width for my big hands. I would avoid the gloss finish necks- they do make CVs with gloss necks- but man my hands stick to that finish like glue. I don't understand how anyone plays those things. One more piece of advice- don't forget these guys are playing through some really high end, nice amps guys- makes a massive difference. Don't be surprised if yours doesn't sound quite as good through your solid-state, budget amp. And no, I'm not poking at you- that's what I play through as well- hey, tube amps aint cheap. It's hard to justify the price when you're fifty and no longer play in bands or gig or anything. Especially when you start weighing it against stuff like using a DAW and some good plugins or just buying a modeling amp like a Spider or Catalyst. You may not get that true, authentic tube amp sound but- look at what you do get, it's staggering. I think the Spider Jam has like 200 presets on it- hard to imagine you couldn't find a good sound in there somewhere.
Happy to see some love for the sub-CV Squiers. I picked up a *Bullet* tele earlier this year and have been blown away by how good it is for $180. CV is fantastic but these days Squier is doing great work all the way down the range. What a great time to be guitar shopping on a tight budget.
I want to see an sold school Andertons blind fold challenge.. These VS, the rest of the fender range… all the way to custom shops. Heck even more awesome if there were some vintage thrown in.
Honest question. What would such a blind fold comparison really tell you? Obviously there is entertainment value to be had but what do you actually learn? What can a video really convey when comparing something that is as much about how something feels in YOUR hands as it is about sound through YOUR setup? The blindfold videos are entertaining and they are obviously going to get a lot of views (since they are kinda "click-baity") but when you are comparing guitars across an entire brand, the most important, most meaningful differences are not going to come through in video or audio recordings. There is another question to be asked. What are you looking for in such a video? One of the recurring themes I see in online discussions about comparing less expensive versus more expensive guitars (and everything in between) is that there is always going to be certain subsets of people looking to have their preferred price range "win" in some arbitrary, wildly subjective fashion. Sometimes this means those with more expensive guitars get too dismissive of the value of entry level guitars and how the benefit the guitar scene as a whole. Sometimes this means those who stick to entry level guitars try a bit too hard to push a "just as good" narrative that doesn't actually make sense on a practical and technical level. Here is my stance. I have been playing guitar for more than twenty years now and in that time, I have played a lot of different guitars in a lot of different price points. When I go to a guitar shop that takes care of its guitars, properly sets them up, and restrings them when needed, I can absolutely see, hear, and feel why a Squier costs as much as it does in the same way that I can see, hear, and feel why a more expensive American made Fender costs as much as it does. Comparing them via CZcams video isn't really going to give me even close to a good picture when compared to actually playing them with an open mind and some attention to detail.
@@scottjua I just feel that the blindfold comparison videos just kinda feed into a part of the online guitar culture that gets pretty annoying to deal with. The comparisons are often used as ammunition in stupid debates between those who like mid/higher end stuff and those who (by principle or by necessity) stick with entry level stuff. There is a specific place in the overall guitar ecosystem for all price points and there shouldn't be any shame in acknowledging that one often gets what they pay for.
@@startrekmike I understand that as well.. .certainly. I personally sometimes find it fun to see what your ears vs eyes lead you to. If price wasn’t a factor… in fact even covering logos completely and having it be solely an audible test would be fun.
@@scottjua See. that whole "eyes versus ears" thing is kinda what I am talking about. When you go on guitar forums (and even in some conversations in guitar shops), you always have that person who dismisses anything that happens to sit just above their own preferred budget as "all marketing" and that their guitar (that usually sets their upper budget limit with its price) is "just as good" or perhaps even "better" than anything more expensive. In all my years of playing, I have honestly yet to find a situation where I have picked up a guitar that was actually, technically "better" or even "just as good" as one that was notably more expensive. Obviously things get fuzzy as the prices get closer to one another but whenever I have picked up a Squier and then picked up a American Fender, the differences were obviously apparent and not trivial. To be clear. This isn't really to say that entry level guitars are "bad" or that one shouldn't be happy with owning entry or even mid-priced stuff. Inexpensive guitars (perhaps unlike amps and pedals) have consistently gotten better and better in terms of baseline quality. I have no trouble telling someone who wants a entry level guitar that they are going to get their money's worth with modern $150 to $300 offerings. Perhaps it is that I have a problem with the posturing and aggressive defensiveness that is so pervasive among a subset of guitarists who don't just buy entry level stuff because that is what their budget allows but because they think it somehow makes them more savvy, more "real" consumers who haven't "bought into the marketing hype" or "only buy the label". There is this need to aggressively trivialize and attack anything beyond whatever arbitrary price point one happens to set and anyone who bought something more expensive is clearly "more interested in buying guitars than actually playing them". I don't know. I had to step away from a lot of guitar communities because the bickering and posturing was just so irritating. Guitars are priced for certain reasons and to fit into certain parts of the overall market. I will end this rather long tirade with a experience that I had some years back that really made me think. A while back, I had two American Strats. The first was a old late 90's Lone Star (back when they were essentially American Standards with a Pearly gates in the bridge) that I got for perhaps $600 used and the second was a American Deluxe that I had bought after getting a bonus. I considered the Lone Star my "main" guitar. One day, I was in a guitar shop and saw a white Mexican 70's Classic Strat. I played it and really took to liking it. The price was probably somewhere around $700 (maybe $650) and it had been a long time since I had bought a guitar. I figured I would treat myself. After some time of owning it, the "Honeymoon period" kinda wore off and I was able to really honestly evaluate it alongside my other guitars. It was fun to play and it sounded like a Strat but the hardware in general wasn't great and the electronics were pretty rough. The fit and finish was fine but the lack of rolled fingerboard edges (a feature exclusive to American Fenders at the time) was pretty painfully obvious. Even with those flaws, I liked the guitar for what it was and I liked it because I didn't really feel the need to elevate it beyond what it was trying to be. The interesting part is that it probably costed more than my Lone Star Strat did (at least out of my pocket) so financially driven emotional investment wasn't really a factor. It just didn't play as well, feel as good, or sound as good. It was a fine guitar and I enjoyed playing it but (again) I didn't try to think of it as something it wasn't trying to be. With all that in mind, you can kinda appreciate why I cringe a bit when I see the whole "eyes instead of ears" line. I think it misses a lot of important factors and only really serves as a convenient generalization and not much more.
I really look up to these two in terms of guitar players. Their ability to put sooo much feel in their playing and their improvisation skills is pretty insane.
@@voiceofexperience nice! Been looking at the butterscotch one looks incredible with the contour and everything it’s just so high quality for what you’re getting it used to be epiphone owned Squiers but ever since the classic vibe came out in 2012-10 squiers have been reclaiming the affordable guitar market seeing more and more people play these
That JM sounds surprisingly good. Usually the Affinity range is decent, but benefits massively from a pickup upgrade. I think this JM actually works really well as it is though.
Guitar to get: Burgundy Mist Jazzmaster Modifications: Black pickguard, blocked off trem, (maybe,) black strap buttons, and shielding in the body cavity. 👌
I can tell Pete is genuinely appreciating that HH strat. I might have to pick on of these up as my trusty squier standard is getting a bit worn out now
Here's an idea for a comparison video: compare sound, plability, looks, etc of jazzmasters with the traditional j-style whammy bar vs. The s-style tremelo. Does a JM with the s-style wammy really retain a different sonic color from a Stratocaster? Hope you like the idea.
Love the new looper!! It's always nice to hear the guitars in a 'real' mix situation...and these Affinititties sound fine..no excuses anymore...affordable guitars are able perform well. A decent amp helps, of course.. :)
I have Strats with both six screw and two point style bridges, and there's really no difference in how well they work and stay in tune when floated. My Am Performer Strat, which is my favorite Strat of all time, still has the vintage six screw style, and it works just as well as the two point one on my Am Pro Strat. Now I really want the BM Jazzmaster even more, 'cause I prefer a Strat bridge/vibrato to the fiddly Jag/JM one
All my Strats have the bridge flush with the body; According to the guitar tech I go to; he told me that does in fact add a bit more sustain. Pete's correct.
I think the biggest upgrade to the new Affinity line is the 1.650 nut width, opposed to the thinner one. Fits much better within the fender range and is just better overall.
Wow that intro! Your guy's playing is so good! I think I'm most impressed with how drastically Lee's playing has improved. Spot on and keep making great content like this
@@karlisstrautins It kinda does matter when you really stop and think about it. Regardless of one's individual feelings about various Squier models, Fender uses the Squier brand to target the entry level market pretty specifically. New, prospective players who will inevitably look up Squier guitars on CZcams will see videos like this and not really understand that when they go to the guitar store, they are going to get pressured to by one of those largely disposable 10 or 15 watt solid state practice amps with the tiny 8" speaker. When a store like Andertons demos entry level guitars, it would make sense for them to at least quickly plug them into a entry level practice amp so the target market will hear what it sounds like through something they will probably end up with.
My first guitar was a Gibson “The V”. I paid $600 for it used in 1989. Today that same guitar goes for about $2000 in excellent condition (which it was when it was stolen from me). My first *amp* was a crappy 8” gorilla beginners amp. I don’t have to tell you it made that awesome guitar sound like crap. The amp has a big effect on the sound and it is misleading to play a cheap guitar through a fancy rig.
@Mark Seymour in that case the most accurate representation of what the guitars sound like would be to listen to it plugged in direct with no eq or effects at all. That’s not really a real-life scenario either. I’m just imagining how one might create a realistic simulation. Someone looking to buy a $250 Squier isn’t going to throw down $3000 on a rig. You see what I’m saying? It’s not misleading that professional level equipment sounds great. What’s misleading is showcasing beginners guitars with pro amps and effects.
A Squier Affinity versus Fender Player series comparison would be great. It is getting harder to make a good choice when the gap between cheaper and more expensive guitars is reducing.
I got a few starts I've been playing a while and I got the white and blk hh strat and I love it and the pick ups and the tone pit works really really well....
I got thee hh Strat liked the looks white and black, ordered it , from what I’ve heard they’re great for the price. Great demo guys, really appreciate the reviews. I think I will enjoy mine.
Left-handed guys arent always left out, I'm constantly seeing when a particular guitar sold out, left handed still available, or a guitar I'm looking for, the left handed version is like 30% off !
I love these things. I wish that tele deluxe in black had the laurel fingerboard. Would almost be worth buying two of them and swapping the neck and selling the second one.
Hey Lee, I bought 'Dorothy' the other week ! Just grabbed it of the hanger as my mate was checking out with his (feckin sensationally finished) Squier Paranormal Cabronita Thinline Tele. Seeing as it had been hanging around so long, I was wondering if anyone in the shop realised just how terrible the setup was...or how the fretboard was a dry as a nun's socket. No probs, I got it all sorted, rounded off the fret-ends and rolled the edges of the board and it plays like a dream. Doesn't make me any less shit though unfortunately.
I've got a 2018 Affinity Tele and I have grown to love it. I put some black Gotoh tuners on and I am just about to put a Seymour Duncan Little '59 humbucker in the bridge.
I watched this video to decide which guitar I should buy with the money I earned working this summer. (This is the first guitar I haven’t borrowed from someone and after a year of playing I definitely want my own). I ended up deciding on the Fender Squire Affinity deluxe! It’s coming in the mail shortly and I am beyond excited. (And for those who care I got it in the metallic charcoal color). I also got the fender mustang headphone amp. I play for my youth group and I’m starting a band with my friends so its kinda exciting to have my own guitar without having to worry about protecting it like it’s someone else’s (because it won’t be)
I got in a used demo Affinity Tele Deluxe about a week ago. I have a lot of parts, so I thought I'd do some work on it. I wound up changing the nut and tuners. That's it. The guts were pretty nice. Full size pots, and a real mech switch. Much nicer than I expected. The rep at the store told me that Squier is upgrading the Affinity series similar to the Classic Vibe.
@@benlogan430 well all I know is that the Strat I’m after is £55 cheaper everywhere else… I can even get it cheaper from the Fender website! I like Andertons though so asked them to price match but said they couldn’t lower their price 🤷🏼♂️
I just got a Amazon fender Squier strat pack and oh my gosh! They stepped it up! Only bad was the frets unfortunately. They put really small one's in the transparent series one's that have the tremolo system. I got the blue. It has a gold headstock logo and the frets feel amazing. I won't have to do a thing but lower the action. That's it!
Affinity HSS strats have been my go to guitar for a while now. I like some of the upgrades but not digging the new finishes, never been a maple board guy. Might hold off for a while, see if they add some more variety in the future (and see if some of the older models get discounted hehe)
The Jazzmaster probably doesn't come with the traditional 1 meg potentiometers but more likely 500k or even 250k which gives this specimen that "more approachable" sound (at least with dirt) and less jangly. It instantly took the gain pedal really nicely, on a JM with 1meg pots you'd be really winding back the tone knobs and volume knobs to take out the brittle high end. Jazzmaster pickups themselves are amazing in my opinion.
7 years ago I bought a Squier telecaster with a fender Mustang 2 amp and have never fully learnt how to play I would really like to see videos about how you both learnt to play And any advice you can offer would be grand Thank you in advance Adrian
How am I ever going to save for a journeyman relic or vintage strat when Squier keeps coming out with awesome budget guitars!? I want the hss and tele deluxe. Cheaper guitars keep improving!
Loving these Guitars and the Prices , I'm seriously considering buying one of each , because I can't decide on which one to buy , I also love all of them , and they are unbelievably priced . It would be nice to have one laying around in every room . Fender just can't do no wrong in my eyes , also I'm not a beginner guitar player I just appreciate a quality instrument. Just be great to have knocking around my gaff. Brilliant.
Both of the Tele's sounded nice and full. Big Big improvement from a lot of squier teles I've heard in the past. Wasn't too impressed with these strats though, sounded quite thin even loaded with humbuckers.
Remember your most affordable pedalboard vid, you said you’ll use that board for vids with affordable guitars. I think you should have because I’m guessing not many who buy a Squire has got a pedalboard worth 10 of those guitars. Anyhow, great vid again!
Bought an older Squire Affinity Strat for $35 at a pawn shop. Amazing bargain. It's my "Frankenstrat" because at $35 you're not afraid to tinker with it. Really nice guitar.
@@Healcraft I bought a fender MIM Tele and I agree however if you can't afford pickups or higher models these are ideal I also bought and returned a squire fsr afinity Tele didnt like the pickups on it
@@RebeccaHindle I was sarcastic, both are good. However I did not know they put ceramic on MIM teles, since I thought they were trying to make those just like American. That is interesting when classic vibe squiers have alnico pickups
Nice opening, Captain!! Great pickup, Pete! Greats swaps! Best opening to any demo video, ever! Pete’s going off!! If you’re not going wrong, you’re not trying hard enough! You guys!! 👍🏻
Decking the trem is a 5 minute job. So long the nut is cut well and strings stretched then there should be no reason it dont stay in tune. Personally I find setting up with less springs is better than more springs. The less springs mean they are under more tension and return to pitch better than more springs that are not as stretched. Hope that makes some knida sense !
i thought i was going to have buyers remorse seeing these new Squiers but none of these beat the surf green strat from the current range. The updated hardware on these seem really nice especially the trem but slimmer bodies is a negative not a selling point. The main benefit of going Affinity over the bullet series is that the strats were full bodies and easier to modify.
Awesome video, you guys sound great!
I like your new Affinity line but I have one important question. Are the bodies of the new Affinity Series guitars as thin as the Bullet Series guitars? Is the thickness of the body the same as Fender guitars?
@@Poldek.Misiak I won’t buy an expensive guitar until it feels just like bullet mustang in my hands
I just bought a new road worn telecaster in lake placid blue; I'm in love. Keep up the good work
@@Poldek.Misiak I saw another video that measures the new affinity as 1,5 inches, and compared to a fender which measured 1,7
Don't you think if you were honest with people, you could take over the market? I mean, you have incredible returns to scale.
The problem is that because you (and all the other manufacturers) have been 'lying' to people about that those expensive guitars are worth it, they don't believe you when you try to sell these. I mean, give me another fret, replace the ceramic with ALINCOs and you have just a good guitar as any $1,000 guitar. In fact, isn't it more expensive to have two different magnets and two different fretboard sizes anyway? Think of all the headaches of inventory, management and control. And with your presence around the whole world, and the fact that anyone can mod any of your guitars easily, why would anyone buy anything else?
I wanted to take a sec and recognize how far the Captain's playing has come along over the past three years especially. Keep it up, Lee.
Absolutely... I thought exactly the same thing!
In this he was actually maybe better than Pete 😮
I noticed too.. really killin' them jamz Cap'n
That’s because he’s hanging with a super cool player like Danish Pete and not the Widdley-Diddley reverse headstock bandanna headed malarkey Chapman!
I definitely agree! More confidence “leaving the box” -
I like how Squier has embraced the large 1970s headstock. Kind of becoming their own signature look.
Affinity series is wonderful. My favorite is the tele. I've recorded and gigged forever with them. 'Played guitars since '53. Have a house full of expensive and 'cheap' guitars. One Affinity tele I replaced the worn frets twice (huge hours of play), replaced them again 12 years later and finally replaced the neck with a Mitey Mite fender licensed neck, (worn divots in wood); same exact neck. Glad to see a Jazzmaster. It's supposed to be different; too bad they used the wrong vibrato and hotter pickups..... wrong view of the market IMO. Oh well.... Thanks fellas!
All i want to see is an Affinity Meteora.
Do you have one
THAT WOULD BE AMAZING I would buy and mod it to make it my go-to guitar.
You got the point.
@@Espec_Music Id like the original butterscotch model but with a humbucker in the tele bridge instead of a single coil.
@@serfillustrated4018 Throw a stacked humbucker in it and you'd be set
I still have my Affinity Tele. It was only $99 back in the year 2000. Amazing features for the price!
What a dirt cheap price
My advice to anyone looking at Squires- buy the classic Vibe. If you have to settle for an Affinity, they're not bad- not great, but not bad. But the classic vibe is surprisingly good for its price range- plays like a guitar that costs way, way more. If I were about to buy an Affinity new- I would buy a used Classic Vibe instead- I honestly believe you would be happier with the end result. The electronics are no different than the Affinity from what I understand but- the build quality is quite a bit better and the neck is perfection- best neck on any guitar I've ever played. And yes, I've played some really high-end stuff. I didn't own any of it but, I got to play it. As of yet I've never found a better neck- roasted maple, satin finish, and it's the perfect width for my big hands. I would avoid the gloss finish necks- they do make CVs with gloss necks- but man my hands stick to that finish like glue. I don't understand how anyone plays those things.
One more piece of advice- don't forget these guys are playing through some really high end, nice amps guys- makes a massive difference. Don't be surprised if yours doesn't sound quite as good through your solid-state, budget amp. And no, I'm not poking at you- that's what I play through as well- hey, tube amps aint cheap. It's hard to justify the price when you're fifty and no longer play in bands or gig or anything. Especially when you start weighing it against stuff like using a DAW and some good plugins or just buying a modeling amp like a Spider or Catalyst. You may not get that true, authentic tube amp sound but- look at what you do get, it's staggering. I think the Spider Jam has like 200 presets on it- hard to imagine you couldn't find a good sound in there somewhere.
I love the way Lee explains guitars to novices. Such a good way of explaining things without sounding patronizing. WELL DONE
I feel like the demoing budget guitars with budget boards and amps was short lived haha. Love the videos regardless of what you are playing through!!
I wish Anderton’s would drop an album that is just all of their demo tracks, I would buy their whole stock! 🔥
100% I could listen to Pete's clean tone demo's all day.
That blue strat with the black guard and vintage tuners… that’s gonna be mine! Can’t wait!
I just bought an affinity strat, but that is tempting.
not vintage, cheap diecast
Congraz man 🤟how is the guitar playing?
A lefty in blue and black please.
Happy to see some love for the sub-CV Squiers. I picked up a *Bullet* tele earlier this year and have been blown away by how good it is for $180. CV is fantastic but these days Squier is doing great work all the way down the range. What a great time to be guitar shopping on a tight budget.
No afford-a-boards for this demo?
I want to see an sold school Andertons blind fold challenge.. These VS, the rest of the fender range… all the way to custom shops. Heck even more awesome if there were some vintage thrown in.
Honest question. What would such a blind fold comparison really tell you? Obviously there is entertainment value to be had but what do you actually learn? What can a video really convey when comparing something that is as much about how something feels in YOUR hands as it is about sound through YOUR setup? The blindfold videos are entertaining and they are obviously going to get a lot of views (since they are kinda "click-baity") but when you are comparing guitars across an entire brand, the most important, most meaningful differences are not going to come through in video or audio recordings.
There is another question to be asked. What are you looking for in such a video? One of the recurring themes I see in online discussions about comparing less expensive versus more expensive guitars (and everything in between) is that there is always going to be certain subsets of people looking to have their preferred price range "win" in some arbitrary, wildly subjective fashion. Sometimes this means those with more expensive guitars get too dismissive of the value of entry level guitars and how the benefit the guitar scene as a whole. Sometimes this means those who stick to entry level guitars try a bit too hard to push a "just as good" narrative that doesn't actually make sense on a practical and technical level.
Here is my stance. I have been playing guitar for more than twenty years now and in that time, I have played a lot of different guitars in a lot of different price points. When I go to a guitar shop that takes care of its guitars, properly sets them up, and restrings them when needed, I can absolutely see, hear, and feel why a Squier costs as much as it does in the same way that I can see, hear, and feel why a more expensive American made Fender costs as much as it does. Comparing them via CZcams video isn't really going to give me even close to a good picture when compared to actually playing them with an open mind and some attention to detail.
@@startrekmike purely fun and entertainment... and to satisfy curiosity since most of us don't have all of them to put together to play around with.
@@scottjua I just feel that the blindfold comparison videos just kinda feed into a part of the online guitar culture that gets pretty annoying to deal with. The comparisons are often used as ammunition in stupid debates between those who like mid/higher end stuff and those who (by principle or by necessity) stick with entry level stuff. There is a specific place in the overall guitar ecosystem for all price points and there shouldn't be any shame in acknowledging that one often gets what they pay for.
@@startrekmike I understand that as well.. .certainly. I personally sometimes find it fun to see what your ears vs eyes lead you to. If price wasn’t a factor… in fact even covering logos completely and having it be solely an audible test would be fun.
@@scottjua See. that whole "eyes versus ears" thing is kinda what I am talking about. When you go on guitar forums (and even in some conversations in guitar shops), you always have that person who dismisses anything that happens to sit just above their own preferred budget as "all marketing" and that their guitar (that usually sets their upper budget limit with its price) is "just as good" or perhaps even "better" than anything more expensive.
In all my years of playing, I have honestly yet to find a situation where I have picked up a guitar that was actually, technically "better" or even "just as good" as one that was notably more expensive. Obviously things get fuzzy as the prices get closer to one another but whenever I have picked up a Squier and then picked up a American Fender, the differences were obviously apparent and not trivial.
To be clear. This isn't really to say that entry level guitars are "bad" or that one shouldn't be happy with owning entry or even mid-priced stuff. Inexpensive guitars (perhaps unlike amps and pedals) have consistently gotten better and better in terms of baseline quality. I have no trouble telling someone who wants a entry level guitar that they are going to get their money's worth with modern $150 to $300 offerings.
Perhaps it is that I have a problem with the posturing and aggressive defensiveness that is so pervasive among a subset of guitarists who don't just buy entry level stuff because that is what their budget allows but because they think it somehow makes them more savvy, more "real" consumers who haven't "bought into the marketing hype" or "only buy the label". There is this need to aggressively trivialize and attack anything beyond whatever arbitrary price point one happens to set and anyone who bought something more expensive is clearly "more interested in buying guitars than actually playing them".
I don't know. I had to step away from a lot of guitar communities because the bickering and posturing was just so irritating. Guitars are priced for certain reasons and to fit into certain parts of the overall market.
I will end this rather long tirade with a experience that I had some years back that really made me think.
A while back, I had two American Strats. The first was a old late 90's Lone Star (back when they were essentially American Standards with a Pearly gates in the bridge) that I got for perhaps $600 used and the second was a American Deluxe that I had bought after getting a bonus. I considered the Lone Star my "main" guitar.
One day, I was in a guitar shop and saw a white Mexican 70's Classic Strat. I played it and really took to liking it. The price was probably somewhere around $700 (maybe $650) and it had been a long time since I had bought a guitar. I figured I would treat myself.
After some time of owning it, the "Honeymoon period" kinda wore off and I was able to really honestly evaluate it alongside my other guitars. It was fun to play and it sounded like a Strat but the hardware in general wasn't great and the electronics were pretty rough. The fit and finish was fine but the lack of rolled fingerboard edges (a feature exclusive to American Fenders at the time) was pretty painfully obvious. Even with those flaws, I liked the guitar for what it was and I liked it because I didn't really feel the need to elevate it beyond what it was trying to be.
The interesting part is that it probably costed more than my Lone Star Strat did (at least out of my pocket) so financially driven emotional investment wasn't really a factor. It just didn't play as well, feel as good, or sound as good. It was a fine guitar and I enjoyed playing it but (again) I didn't try to think of it as something it wasn't trying to be.
With all that in mind, you can kinda appreciate why I cringe a bit when I see the whole "eyes instead of ears" line. I think it misses a lot of important factors and only really serves as a convenient generalization and not much more.
Lee's playing has drastically improved since the early days
he's definitely practicing between videos
So has mine, but not by that much!!
I think i would like to try an intense workout regimen of jamming with pete on the regular.
this other guy is also developed a superb player.
Doesn't Pete play professionally around Europe, in sessions and the like?
I really look up to these two in terms of guitar players. Their ability to put sooo much feel in their playing and their improvisation skills is pretty insane.
Is is just me or are these Squier's legit some of the best guitars on the market?
It is incredible how good they sound. I have 20 yo squire and it is garbage compared to these new squires that sound almost like 1k guitars....
I didn’t pay attention to the title at first. I legit didn’t know they were affinity
@@jonfarah8529 The material will be s***, tremolo won't really work and parts of it won't last long but they sound great.
@@voiceofexperience nice! Been looking at the butterscotch one looks incredible with the contour and everything it’s just so high quality for what you’re getting it used to be epiphone owned Squiers but ever since the classic vibe came out in 2012-10 squiers have been reclaiming the affordable guitar market seeing more and more people play these
@@voiceofexperience same... saw it, played it, looked at price... walked out with it lol
Looks like they've upped the game again! These remind me of the older Standard series. Squier/Fender is kicking ass right now!
That JM sounds surprisingly good. Usually the Affinity range is decent, but benefits massively from a pickup upgrade. I think this JM actually works really well as it is though.
" The home of tone ". How about Andertons ' intonation for the nation '. Do I get a prize? :)
Yes. 🥳🥳🏆🏆🏅🎖🥇You win a naked picture of my hairy body.
Rhyming nation with nation!!! You’re a poet and don’t know it!!!
Intonation Nation
"Do I get a prize?" Ask your mommy for one, you pathetic, whining, little millennial.
@@guillermo3564 I beg your pardon?
The "new" trem system is the old one that has been in use since the old Standard series.
That intro jam was astoundingly cool. I’m talking smashingly radical. Like absolutely awesome. Completely rock & roll.
Guitar to get: Burgundy Mist Jazzmaster
Modifications: Black pickguard, blocked off trem, (maybe,) black strap buttons, and shielding in the body cavity.
👌
The Cap is an inspiration to us all. :)
I'm so happy to see him play with so much flair and "umpfh".
Loved the Jazzmaster and Tele Deluxe Master!!!🤯
I can tell Pete is genuinely appreciating that HH strat. I might have to pick on of these up as my trusty squier standard is getting a bit worn out now
Here's an idea for a comparison video: compare sound, plability, looks, etc of jazzmasters with the traditional j-style whammy bar vs. The s-style tremelo. Does a JM with the s-style wammy really retain a different sonic color from a Stratocaster? Hope you like the idea.
Love the new looper!! It's always nice to hear the guitars in a 'real' mix situation...and these Affinititties sound fine..no excuses anymore...affordable guitars are able perform well. A decent amp helps, of course.. :)
I have Strats with both six screw and two point style bridges, and there's really no difference in how well they work and stay in tune when floated. My Am Performer Strat, which is my favorite Strat of all time, still has the vintage six screw style, and it works just as well as the two point one on my Am Pro Strat. Now I really want the BM Jazzmaster even more, 'cause I prefer a Strat bridge/vibrato to the fiddly Jag/JM one
So should I buy an affinity or not? I love the Clapton Blackie look and want something similar, although I know it won't sound the same!
All my Strats have the bridge flush with the body; According to the guitar tech I go to; he told me that does in fact add a bit more sustain. Pete's correct.
I think the biggest upgrade to the new Affinity line is the 1.650 nut width, opposed to the thinner one. Fits much better within the fender range and is just better overall.
Wow that intro! Your guy's playing is so good! I think I'm most impressed with how drastically Lee's playing has improved. Spot on and keep making great content like this
lets hear them plugged into a 15w practice amp? thats more likely to be what they get played through rather than a £1k+ set up
Boss katana 50
a £1k+ set up guitar won't sound that great through a 15w practice amp either, so it doesn't matter
@@karlisstrautins It kinda does matter when you really stop and think about it. Regardless of one's individual feelings about various Squier models, Fender uses the Squier brand to target the entry level market pretty specifically. New, prospective players who will inevitably look up Squier guitars on CZcams will see videos like this and not really understand that when they go to the guitar store, they are going to get pressured to by one of those largely disposable 10 or 15 watt solid state practice amps with the tiny 8" speaker. When a store like Andertons demos entry level guitars, it would make sense for them to at least quickly plug them into a entry level practice amp so the target market will hear what it sounds like through something they will probably end up with.
My first guitar was a Gibson “The V”. I paid $600 for it used in 1989. Today that same guitar goes for about $2000 in excellent condition (which it was when it was stolen from me). My first *amp* was a crappy 8” gorilla beginners amp. I don’t have to tell you it made that awesome guitar sound like crap. The amp has a big effect on the sound and it is misleading to play a cheap guitar through a fancy rig.
@Mark Seymour in that case the most accurate representation of what the guitars sound like would be to listen to it plugged in direct with no eq or effects at all. That’s not really a real-life scenario either. I’m just imagining how one might create a realistic simulation. Someone looking to buy a $250 Squier isn’t going to throw down $3000 on a rig. You see what I’m saying? It’s not misleading that professional level equipment sounds great. What’s misleading is showcasing beginners guitars with pro amps and effects.
A Squier Affinity versus Fender Player series comparison would be great. It is getting harder to make a good choice when the gap between cheaper and more expensive guitars is reducing.
Even the Affinity pickups this time around sound really pretty Great; sounds like "Pro Level" passable for the single coils at least. Finally.
I got a few starts I've been playing a while and I got the white and blk hh strat and I love it and the pick ups and the tone pit works really really well....
My first two guitars were a strat and a tele Affinity. That tele is probably my best guitar, even after a MIA I have.
Great video. That Jazzmaster is speaking to me!
This was so cool! I usually don't comment! And this vibe was done with Affinities? Wow...
Really wish that hss strat was around when I bought my first axe, it would have been right up my alley
Wow that blue one looks and sounds fantastic....
I got thee hh Strat liked the looks white and black, ordered it , from what I’ve heard they’re great for the price. Great demo guys, really appreciate the reviews. I think I will enjoy mine.
Left-handed guys arent always left out, I'm constantly seeing when a particular guitar sold out, left handed still available, or a guitar I'm looking for, the left handed version is like 30% off !
Haha yeah. Truly a sight for our sore eyes
But no matter what you’re stuck backwards. Bummer
I love these things. I wish that tele deluxe in black had the laurel fingerboard. Would almost be worth buying two of them and swapping the neck and selling the second one.
Hey Lee, I bought 'Dorothy' the other week ! Just grabbed it of the hanger as my mate was checking out with his (feckin sensationally finished) Squier Paranormal Cabronita Thinline Tele. Seeing as it had been hanging around so long, I was wondering if anyone in the shop realised just how terrible the setup was...or how the fretboard was a dry as a nun's socket. No probs, I got it all sorted, rounded off the fret-ends and rolled the edges of the board and it plays like a dream. Doesn't make me any less shit though unfortunately.
I like the jazzmaster with the two point trem
Just got a Jazzmaster and damn!!! Amazing !! that Tele is next.
OMG Finally!! AN Affinity Tele with string through!!!!! 😍
I've got a 2018 Affinity Tele and I have grown to love it. I put some black Gotoh tuners on and I am just about to put a Seymour Duncan Little '59 humbucker in the bridge.
At 6:45, if you're going to point to the corner of my screen, and say watch this video, make sure there's a link to click!
I watched this video to decide which guitar I should buy with the money I earned working this summer. (This is the first guitar I haven’t borrowed from someone and after a year of playing I definitely want my own). I ended up deciding on the Fender Squire Affinity deluxe! It’s coming in the mail shortly and I am beyond excited. (And for those who care I got it in the metallic charcoal color). I also got the fender mustang headphone amp. I play for my youth group and I’m starting a band with my friends so its kinda exciting to have my own guitar without having to worry about protecting it like it’s someone else’s (because it won’t be)
They got a whole lot better and a whole lot more expensive.
I want that burgundy mist tele as a lefty so bad!
That jazzy sounds amazing!!
I got in a used demo Affinity Tele Deluxe about a week ago. I have a lot of parts, so I thought I'd do some work on it. I wound up changing the nut and tuners. That's it. The guts were pretty nice. Full size pots, and a real mech switch. Much nicer than I expected. The rep at the store told me that Squier is upgrading the Affinity series similar to the Classic Vibe.
Captain on that jazzmaster. Ooooow you had me going!
Bring back price-matching Andertons! Please!
Everyone charges the same for instruments now. From Maine to the UK. MAP pricing or something dumb like that?
@@benlogan430 well all I know is that the Strat I’m after is £55 cheaper everywhere else… I can even get it cheaper from the Fender website! I like Andertons though so asked them to price match but said they couldn’t lower their price 🤷🏼♂️
@@tdc_2021 then buy from other place then. Also Fender site doesnt have these yet. They have old models which are cheaper.
Fender/Squier keeps making all the right changes with their guitars. These all look and sound very good. Thanks.
I just got a Amazon fender Squier strat pack and oh my gosh! They stepped it up! Only bad was the frets unfortunately. They put really small one's in the transparent series one's that have the tremolo system. I got the blue. It has a gold headstock logo and the frets feel amazing. I won't have to do a thing but lower the action. That's it!
Affinity HSS strats have been my go to guitar for a while now. I like some of the upgrades but not digging the new finishes, never been a maple board guy. Might hold off for a while, see if they add some more variety in the future (and see if some of the older models get discounted hehe)
The Jazzmaster probably doesn't come with the traditional 1 meg potentiometers but more likely 500k or even 250k which gives this specimen that "more approachable" sound (at least with dirt) and less jangly. It instantly took the gain pedal really nicely, on a JM with 1meg pots you'd be really winding back the tone knobs and volume knobs to take out the brittle high end. Jazzmaster pickups themselves are amazing in my opinion.
7 years ago I bought a Squier telecaster with a fender Mustang 2 amp and have never fully learnt how to play
I would really like to see videos about how you both learnt to play
And any advice you can offer would be grand
Thank you in advance
Adrian
You guys sound great! 😎
How am I ever going to save for a journeyman relic or vintage strat when Squier keeps coming out with awesome budget guitars!? I want the hss and tele deluxe. Cheaper guitars keep improving!
Great guitar playing, both! What an outro! The Captain's playing is at its best when he is with Pete.
Love blue Tele and Strat as well as Burgundy Jazzmaster
That Blue and Black maple strat 😍😍😍
Pete’s little under the breath comment @8:40 made me spit out my water lol.
2:49. Oh yeah.
Keep the DB meter!! It's one of my favorite parts of these videos!
These boys are really great. Good gear to start with!
Loving these Guitars and the Prices , I'm seriously considering buying one of each , because I can't decide on which one to buy , I also love all of them , and they are unbelievably priced . It would be nice to have one laying around in every room . Fender just can't do no wrong in my eyes , also I'm not a beginner guitar player I just appreciate a quality instrument. Just be great to have knocking around my gaff. Brilliant.
The pickups on the jazzmaster are actually p90’s in jazzmaster pickup enclosures. Hence the different sound the guys were talking about.
Your video was fantastic 🎉im getting the guitar for my birthday next week thanku for your review it was best one i seen yet
Split shaft sealed tuners is a great update!!! Schaller use to make them a long time ago.
Olympic white thank you. Those clean tone single coils are the ants pants. The clarity just rings. That will suit my fender amp perfectly.
I have an olympic white strat and it makes my wife squirt.
Both of the Tele's sounded nice and full. Big Big improvement from a lot of squier teles I've heard in the past. Wasn't too impressed with these strats though, sounded quite thin even loaded with humbuckers.
That Tele Deluxe sounds incredible!
Dual fulcrum trem is going to make a huge difference. And omg finally a proper jazzmaster electronic system
If Pete tells ya to get ya pull, you're definitely a player. Captain has gotten crazy good.
That screw in the middle of the pick-ups though...nooooooope!
But the way you guys play all guitar in one jam is so awesome!
Superb whammy bar action by Danish Pete in the intro!!!
Remember your most affordable pedalboard vid, you said you’ll use that board for vids with affordable guitars. I think you should have because I’m guessing not many who buy a Squire has got a pedalboard worth 10 of those guitars. Anyhow, great vid again!
just ordered the gray burst hss strat, cant wait to play it!
Bought an older Squire Affinity Strat for $35 at a pawn shop. Amazing bargain. It's my "Frankenstrat" because at $35 you're not afraid to tinker with it. Really nice guitar.
loved the ceramic telly guys, real guts to it, fab vid
BUT CERAMIC IS BAD AND WILL SUCK YOUR TONE ALNICO FOREVER BRO /s
@@Healcraft I bought a fender MIM Tele and I agree however if you can't afford pickups or higher models these are ideal
I also bought and returned a squire fsr afinity Tele didnt like the pickups on it
@@RebeccaHindle I was sarcastic, both are good. However I did not know they put ceramic on MIM teles, since I thought they were trying to make those just like American. That is interesting when classic vibe squiers have alnico pickups
Opening Jam totally awesome tnx guys.
You guys are Killin it now!
Captun'...? You're coming along like a champion, my dude!
That jazzmaster setup is probably my dream setup and I just got my guitar last year, fook
Nice opening, Captain!! Great pickup, Pete! Greats swaps! Best opening to any demo video, ever! Pete’s going off!! If you’re not going wrong, you’re not trying hard enough!
You guys!! 👍🏻
Decking the trem is a 5 minute job. So long the nut is cut well and strings stretched then there should be no reason it dont stay in tune. Personally I find setting up with less springs is better than more springs. The less springs mean they are under more tension and return to pitch better than more springs that are not as stretched. Hope that makes some knida sense !
Pete
Hats off to your outtro tremolo work
Legebd
I really like the large headstock on that white Strat pete played.
Lovely. I wonder if we'll see any in a left?🤔
I’f we do it’ll be in white or black.
@@mikestibor1 😅😅 or sunburst. So many options 🙄🙄
Well, just finished the video and apparently not.
As others have said though, Jimi made it work and I reckon he sounded alright.
@@aaronwebb1548 hmmm. not quite the same as a proper left handed model.
@@steventhomas231 God! I hate sunburst! Its the one color you find in lefty. I wish somebody would hide the black paint from the paint dudes.
Best opening jam ever lads
i thought i was going to have buyers remorse seeing these new Squiers but none of these beat the surf green strat from the current range. The updated hardware on these seem really nice especially the trem but slimmer bodies is a negative not a selling point. The main benefit of going Affinity over the bullet series is that the strats were full bodies and easier to modify.
Yeah . ‘Slimmer bodies means light weight’ yeah right LOL
i have the black flame strat...awesome guitar. full size pots and nut. VERY cool
Tasty licks there Cap'n. I'll also take that Tele deluxe that Pete played.
I'd like to see you compare this to the other tiers of Squier.
Always thought the jangly tone comes from the 1M pots in the lead circuit ... but sure it could be the trem tooo
Guys, what happened to pairing the budget pedalboard and amps with the budget guitar vids?