Everything about this guitar is first rate, the machines, the frets. 14 Of The Best Guitars On The Market For Kids(Get Them Jammin Young!). Does what it's supposed to now. Needs better strings. "Best guitar value on the market today period!". I use it as a backup guitar, and to use when I play old school stuff that requires a twangy tone that I dont get from my les paul. I usually plug straight into my Fender Champion 300, but occasionly if i want a brighter tone i'll use my Boss DS-1. I cut it for a hunbucker and messed it up, so now Im back to a shiny white guard and I guess itll wear in over the next 20 years! Ahh, the mighty Telecaster. Happy customers, one piece of gear at a time! While the tone in the Fender Squier certainly is no replica of the guitars more expensive big brother, it gets the job done for a budget guitar (and then some). The folks at Fender really hit a home run with this one. I cannot believe the quality of workmanship that came out of this instrument. I wanted a durable guitar that delivered the classic sound, and I found it with this Squire. The tone is okay, but the output is low. Excellent for the price. No Hassle Return Policy. It sounds amazing, and playability is awesome. It Rocks! 29 of 30 people (97%) people found this review helpful. "Great guitar with an even greater price". I wanted a modern guitar with that 'vintage' look and a simple, basic design. This combines wonderfully with the natural tone of the alder body and the choice of single-coil pickups to provide the Tele classic vibe that is so sought after. The neck pocket is a perfect fit, no gaps whatsoever, and the finish is superb. You simply cant resist slamming your first fat chord or busting out blues riff up to the 21st fret and back when you first pick it up. Did you? CAVEAT-1: Frets are sharp! The pickups are little noisy, but nothing that affect the tone or the volume. Did you? rock, blues, R&B, folk, Adult contemporary. Did you? You should stop thinking about it and buy one. 40 plus years playing all around the country, "Don't be mislead by the fact that its a Squire. What dork leaves the sticker on? No accessories included other than the two allen wrenches. Unfortunately it is not as variable as it could be and I plan on replacing the entire harness in the future. I found this out when I swapped out the stock hardware on my affinity Tele for better quality stuff. Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Electric Guitar - Butterscotch Blonde with Maple Fingerboard, Music background: Luthier/Professional musician, Affinity Series Telecaster Electric Guitar - Butterscotch Blonde with Maple Fingerboard, Classic Telecaster feel, tone, and looks at an incredibly affordable price point, Solid C-shape maple neck offers great playability and comfort, 2 single-coil pickups provide signature Tele tone bright, full, and bold, 21 medium jumbo frets provide you with added playing comfort, Master volume and master tone knobs give you plenty of tonal control. Strings thru body, body is maple and telecaster is spelled out on the headstock as a Affinity. The 'aged' blonde color (butterscotch) is very appealing and well done, with just the right amount of wood grain showing for a tasteful, elegant look. after modifying it to my specs, it works well. I don't worry about it breaking, it handles the normal inevitable clashes with walls and tables and gravity quite well and there are, after five years now, no dings on the body! Everything about it is top-notch. We aim to provide aspiring musicians with options and ideas for anything guitar-related. They didn't dress them properly. I'm shocked completely! Thanks a lot! Nice fat distortion tone or jangly clean tone, whatever you're in the mood for. Featuring a lightweight, resonant poplar body with a solid C-shape, bolt-on maple neck, this Tele offers endless hours of comfort and playability on stage, in the studio, or in the garage as you explore your own style across genres. The hardware seems to be the area that Fender Squier went cheap on more than anything else, very different from the Classic Telecasterwhich is kind of good because cheap hardware is better than cheap tonewoods. 7 of 7 people (100%) people found this review helpful. ALL The reviews are completely true. A really really good guitar. Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keys, Mandolin. Fender should be embarrassed to put their name on it, Epiphone entry level guitars are light years ahead of these. Our Sales Engineers are a world-class team of music gear experts whose sole job is to provide you with helpful advice and unparalleled service completely free of charge. I expect to use this guitar for years to come. Press J to jump to the feed. You can learn more About Us here. It's a time-tested, classic design as evidenced by its continued popularity more than 50+ years after its initial debut. I have always been a Brand name whore and this has totally changed my mind. One of the best guitars in its price range. the finish and components are shiny and attractive, you get that great Telecaster look. started playing in the 60's, I play lead guitar. the first mass-produced guitar with a bolt-on neck, Beautiful matte finish maple neck with maple fingerboard, Versatile for clean/mildly-distorted genres, Pickups are okay, but you may want to replace them. Surprisingly, the tuners are pretty solid and dont beg to be replaced right away. The nut is narrower than other Fender teles and the body 1/2 inch thinner too so that may be a concern for some. This is the effect of actual aging. I would recommend it to any level of guitarist, from beginner to seasoned pro. I have a 2021 model, strings come from the back, some people say the pickups are weak, they are not, i found them to be as hot as my jazzmaster, the fret work is great no fret sprout, the nut was cut pretty good, it plays with action 2/64 at the 12th fret. The sound is exceptional for a guitar in this price range. You can feel as soon as you strap it on! If you want the best 200 dollar Telecaster, buy one before they are gone forever. If I can sing it, I can play it! The Affinity Series Telecaster (often incorrectly referred to as thesquire affinity telecaster) has an iconic body shaped out of a single piece of alder wood, a tonewood that lends itself to clear, well-rounded tone with highly responsive lows and thick mids. Its very eye catching in appearance. A steal.". Compared to other guitars in this price range, this is without a doubt the best value for the money, and I have looked at them all. My review is for the two tone sunburst with rosewood fingerboard. Electric guitars are among the sexiest inventions of all time, to me, anyway -- they are a running Freudian nightmare, actually -- and my Affinity Telecaster, with its clean, sharp-edged look and its sheer functionality makes me proud to escort it onstage. Overall, the hardware is fine, but its definitely not great. This guitar is simple one of the best for this price on the market today. The action is set up sweet and it plays like BUTTER! I got a great model. I have seen other Squire Telecasters that had really bad necks with sharp fret wires on them, this neck was not like that. It's a basic tele, mostly impressed with the smooth neck and finish, Mine came with bad pots, so outside of that it's pretty straightforward, Gonna have to put the quality as the low point here, since the pots were bad from the start, 200 is a bit high, I'd say it needs to be in the 120-150 range, Didn't have to deal with the manufacturer. Considering the level of quality, I doubt I'll ever have any problems as long as the guitar is properly treated and cared for. Fortunately, Fenders child-company, Squier, produces a more affordable version of the Fender Telecaster, bringing the revolutionary axe to both beginners and starving artists. Good quality tuners Tuning keys are a little slack but not overly so. also make sure to get an 8 hole one instead of a 5 hole one. I bought this guitar as a proof of concept before I shelled out big bucks for the Fender version. Someone left a sticker on it for awhile. I have 3 Jacksons, a Fender, a BC Rich, 5 Sqiers,an Epiphone, an Ovation, and a couple of customs, and I still love to play this guitar on stage, and at home. This guitar is Rock Solid and put together very well. Professional. I was skeptical when I read reviews but having owned a squire previously as a travel guitar I knew at least the neck would be good. not something to lust over but a great something to listen to. no flaws any where. Our contributors use and test each instrument, accessory, or service in their real lives and we never recommend anything we wouldn't use. No literature of any type? Great sound. Still a good article. A black or white pearloid pickguard added to it will make it even more gorgeous. I don't mind the top loaded strings, and I was impressed to see that the tone nob actually does something. The next model up is 399 the Vibes but I would just buy two of these instead! It only had one pick-up, for example, which was promptly changed, and the makers left out a truss rod, meaning bent necks were a strikingly common occurrence. I recommend this guitar to anyone who wants so save some money. I rated 10 'cause there arent any, just some knobs. Especially the fret issue, which IMO is inexcusable these days.In the end, I am very glad I got the instrument and I will slowly fix those shortcoming which of course, will drive the price much higher than its original amountmaking you wonder how "good" of a deal it really is :)I would recommend this to other players, beginners or not, keeping in mind those aforementioned caveats. Despite these cons, adjustment will fix the neck, the volume and tone controls are very responsive. Although both pickups are the same mechanically, the bridge pickup is set at an angle. After playing this Squire Tele, I wouldnt hesitate to buy another Squire Tele and definately would by a Fender version. If you are looking at firefly or Glarry guitars STOP. Obviously it's a tele, no special switches or knobs, just a straight forward guitar. It's a total club! To be honest I will be replacing the pickups and electronics, as well as the tuners in time. Used to be semi pro player, "Ignore The fact That It says Squier on the headstock !". You play it. what have you. I am very satisified with this guitar! I was a bit turned off by a Squire, I always thought of Squire as being cheaply made and sound not up to par. Although i wouldn't mind switching the neck pickup, maybe. Price does not equal quality in this situation.It has its own character and personality like a more expensive Fender Tele big brother guitar. I wish I would have switched from Les Paul's sooner. of 1 people (0%) people found this review helpful. The body and neck construction is overall pretty great, and the number one flaw on it is definitely the pickups, which could be easily replaced. It is perfect for a clean country sound, but also gives you a great classic/southern rock sound when distorted. I have always wanted to own a Tele, but didn't want to spend the money. I would've preferred string-through but top loader doesn't affect tone/resonance at all. Did you? The bridge screws are not the greatest and I had a heck of a time setting the action. Ordered this 8am on a Friday and had by 1pm Saturday. This guitar sounds like a telecaster. I'm buying another one as a gift for my brother. Strong on finger styles in most situations I can get by with flat picks. Don't miss out on a guitar that has all of this quality available at a great price. 3 of 4 people (75%) people found this review helpful. Classic Rock, '50's '80s.Classic and New Country, Blues, the usual club stuff! New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Did you? While other guitar manufacturers had been mass-producing instruments since the early 1900s, the Telecaster was: (That sure looks good on a resum, doesnt it?). Read our full Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Review. I was totally blown away by this guitar. Anything and everything. Okay, so I have a not-so-good amp, but it sounds even better, now, which is PERFECT, because All I'm gonna do is mic it for my next few gigs. 30 years. The stock pickups are weaker than most other variants but still retain that great telecaster sound. Now, this tele's awesome, but I'd buy a better one if it was possible for me. I like the sound alot. I've been playing 28 years and during that time I've performed live, recorded, jammed. All of the same features as a standard Telecaster,great sounding pickups. I just tweaked the intonation, pickup height and was good to go. It was such a relief, as I'd sold my SG copy, and My strat's neck annoys the hell out of me. Baltic Blue. That's why I hesitate if I should keep this pickguard or not. i will keep this guitar in my line up for the rest of my life as it will only get better through my playing n live shows, it as good as any frender i own as i am a country tribute cover act an it stand up to my style of playing and when i want to rock it rock away the night the only tip i have to make this product better is a good qualty amp n effects this guitar sound great live n people ask squire i say yes n i do my shows with it every night n people can't believe a squire can sound n look so good squire has come a long way i recomend buy one to day tony c of awrongsuffered guitar vocals, it has crome turners not like the squires befor that would not stay in tune n the neck is one of the best ive played on the body is made of quilty like no other guitars at this price, it easy just have a quilty amp plug it in n away u go u will be so impressed its easy to use with my studio gear n my live gear, this product is quilty n i have no complaints as it was set up perfect from factory and i did not have to set any thing to get it 2play n sound great, it as good as any epiphone gibson copy guitars its as good as a real fender squire has come a long way, if u need anything call the factory hotline there so helpfull, it came with classic butterscotch finish and just looking at it and seeing the quilty of the craftmanship is what will sell this to, "Big surprise in an inexpensive package!!!". It is a solid investment and easy on the pocket book. Big difference in terms of wages and quality IMO. I didn't get mine from zZounds.com ONLY because I got a great deal on the one I purchased because it had a blem from being a floor model for two years. I couldn't be happier with my decision to purchase it. Just came by it self but the Tele is just as close as the real thing. I've played for over 50yrs, and I need a lighter body so I bought this to convert a Tele on stairiods. Best Fender Precision Bass Guitars: Which is Right For You? The rest of it will be displayed later. Overall very well made, solid construction, very attractive finish. The picture just doesn't do it justice. For anyone to overlook the quality and value strictly due to the guitar being made in China and not in the US shows poor judgement, in my opinion. Hobby and semi-pro. I think of it as a rugged, dependable piece of gear that performs way, way better than you would expect for such a low price. Did you? Other than that it seems solid. The C shaped neck is fantastic to play on and there are no fret edges sticking out at all . I bought it with plans to use it as a mod platform. GREAT! Selector switch is flimsy. So if you want to get ripped off and spend a fortune for a name then go buy a Les Paul, but if you want a quality guitar that plays and sounds great, then buy this Tele. Rather than deal with a return situation I replaced both with new fender pots. )I play classic rock, blues, doowop, covers, originals -- like I said, this axe does it all, I just love it. Not a necessity right awayBridge and saddles also feel/look cheap. Haven't needed it and don't think I will. For about the first year that i had this guitar, i was still learning and didnt mess with the pickup selector, volume knob, or tone knob, mainly because i didnt know how to get tones from it. The quality of this guitar is excellent! 6 of 6 people (100%) people found this review helpful. Personally, with mine, i'd say no. Black teles look super cool with a red tortoiseshell or black pickguard. You can change it if youre not too keen on it, loads of places sell good quality pick guards though most of the holes wont match up with the holes on the body so youll have to re-drill them. I own 5 Squier's and other than the frets have never had a complaint. This is where I was blown away. Once you get used to it, it plays great. Sweetwater's Sales Engineers have the experience to help! The finish on the frets was horrible, many sharp edges, many frets not level. Rock, Blues, Jazz you name it I can play it. (Tight budget). A place for all things Telecaster related. It's there albeit a bit weak. Short and sweet- It plays like "BUTTER". I bought it for that Telecaster sound, lots of twang! Did you? It's a keeper!!!! I had to have a telecaster. Any new rock n rollers, this is a great guitar for a 1st guitar. Anyway, was excited to get this guitar as it had many good reviews. Change it if you want. You're all just paying for a name on a headstock. it is a great looking guitare w/ a kick ass sound. This offer includes guitars, basses, or amplifiers, $500 or less. Master volume and master tone knobs allow you to dial in the perfect sound for your style. I've had mine now for 2 years and love it need I say more. high end harmonics, but can sound like a straight-up acoustic on the front pickup too. Even if I had a Fender Tele this would be my left the good one at home guitar. This tele will do country, blues, funk, and rock with ease as it is. Buying music gear can be complicated, but your Sweetwater Sales Engineer is here to help. Thanks :). I do everything from blues to metal on it and it all works. We may receive compensation from the companies whose products we review. of 3 people (0%) people found this review helpful. "Affinity Series guitars represent the best value in solid-body electric guitar design. In order to deliver the crisp, full-bodied sound that the Telecaster is known for, this electric guitar is outfitted with two vintage-style single-coil Tele pickups. Decided to review it. Suprisingly well made. also the frets were sharp but that I expected ..well I noticed they want a order number to return I received so I will have to call no paperwork. It is as trouble-free as an electric guitar can be made. Unfinished neck is one of my favorite Fender models. This guitar isnt going to change your life, and you will probably want to make some mods on it before taking it on stage at a bigger room, but as a backup or a beginner guitar, the Squier Classic Vibe its more than satisfactory. Keep up the good work. Otherwise zZounds.com has my business. The Affinity Series Tele features two single-coil pickups and three-way switching. The neck was set up properly. "Fantasic guitar for the budget conscious". This will last me the rest of my life. That was unexpected. When shopping I played this guitar, then a $900 American Tele and I could barely tell the difference. This butterscotch finish with a black pickguard is a classic. zZounds.com. Exclusive deals, delivered straight to your inbox. The tuners work well. I like it because it's very lightweight, and I can travel with it and not worry if it gets scratched and loses a few hundred bucks in value. One grip of the neck and you could tell how flimsy it was. Overall this is a great guitar in every aspect. If it bugs you change it out. Neck Pickup, Unique Features: Black Plastic Parts, Top Hat Switch Tip, Black Silkscreen Logo, Dot Position Inlays, Chrome Dome Style Knobs, Most earlier models have the black logo, while new models have the gold (starting in 2013? Since the Affinity Tele is, after all, a budget guitar, the pickups are not going to be legendary, but they certainly deliver some solid, twangy Tele tone. No project is too big or small, so give us a call today and let's talk gear! The selector switch on mine works great. The tele blows it away! The finish chips very easily, so be careful. I played professionally for about 18 yrs , I quit for about 20 and started play, "Squier Affinity Telecaster: A Price/Quality Masterpiece!". Maybe at a dealer? The color is what drew me to it in the first place, but since it played well, I bought it. Thank you for your request. This guitar seriously plays and sounds very good. The Tele twang is iconic and bold and has been the choice of many famous players over the years, including Buck Owens, Clarence White, Keith Richards, and Jimmy Page (who also frequented a Gibson Les Paul). This product is definitely worth the money and more. If this guitar ever encounters any major damages I may replace it for a higher end one, but until that time I have no intentions of parting with it! I have never encountered a sub $200 guitar that plays as easy as this thing does. And the "sticker part" will probably more visible that way Only time will tell i guess . Get it set up and the frets dressed if you havent already. I'm not all that impressed with the machine heads but I am used to more quality, however I can tune the guitar, play the hell out of it and it will stay pretty well in tune, they just aren't super precision but they'll get you were you wanna go. We only recommend products that we believe in and test. I would stress, however, that careful adjustment and maintenance are critical to all guitars, and this one is no exception. I got it from a large retailer and needless to say it was set up perfectly as a demo. I stayed with bullets nickel wound light gauge for that twang. It's super fun to play with and I've tracked with it as well. I didn't expect much for a $162 guitar, and to my surprise I got a lot more value then $162 worth. Definitely one of the best guitars for the price. I especially like the slimmer body - very comfortable to play. The neck was within factory recommended tolerances. With proper care, this Squire Tele will last you a long time. The famous guitar catalyzed the electric guitar industry to become what it is today. Did you? This guitar is a steal for the money. I now have it set-up the way I like it and could not be more pleased. New strings really improved sound. "Squire out did themselve on this one". I never imagined that I would be getting such a great guitar when I purchased it, but this Tele has really impressed me. Features are first-rate except for the cheesy selector switch, which everyone complains about (even on Fenders). Be that as it may, everything works as it should.The pickups are ok and sound as one would expect for an instrument of this type. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Very easy use. It is a true Fender guitar. For rock I turn up the gain and use the bridge pickup. Ive been playing for over 35 years, Violin, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Mandolin and more. If you want features, don't buy a tele. It's a true, classic Fender instrument in every respect. Leo Fender and his team of innovators and luthiers spent about 15 years planning and perfecting this Telecaster special electric guitar design they called the Fender Esquire, which launched in 1950 and had well, some issues. No manual included and no manual needed. See below for more details. Sweet looking honey blonde, always wanted one. 5 of 5 people (100%) people found this review helpful. The plug input was already replaced when I got it. A Tele doesn't get much more basic. I'd pay a big buck for a guitar like this. this particular Tele. It has a few dings and the strings were a bit worn being a demo that is to be expected. The 21 medium jumbo frets provide you with added playing comfort, so you can continue for hours without hand fatigue. Squire out did themselve on this one. This beauty'll keep me runni'n for about 4 or 5 more years, when I get more money. It is thin but beefy at the same time. This is the guitar I wish I had started on!! 34 of 36 people (94%) people found this review helpful. Did you? 9 of 11 people (82%) people found this review helpful. I would never gig with anything without a backup, but once the switch and pots are changed I would trust it if I had to. Fender obviously maintains tight quality control, even on its import line. Only 50 Esquires were produced before Fender changed gears and began producing a similar guitar with a dual single coil called the Broadcaster. It came with a medium low action with no buzzing or fret problems. Responsive, with that famous Fender 'twang', even at high volumes. The neck is very nice, much better than that of my Squier Strat. It is DEFINATELY perfect for beginners, because they will be able to fret the notes easier, and play faster than they would on all other entry level guitars. Haven't had to use it and don't expect to. Required very little setup out of the box. Great job on this one, Squier! Overall great guitar, sounds like $1000, but costs less than $200. I've had mine for a few years! It was actually bought to have something to play on because I lost my other lost in a fire, until I reach the point I can replace it with a higher quality guitar. Because it will age. Let me put it this way: You remember B.B. For those two, i usually have the gain between 5 and 8 but then i back off the volume konb on the guitar for cleaner tones for those genres. If it continues to sound and feel like it does, I don't think I'll be looking for a while. the only problems i've had are that the volume knob fell off within a few days of having it(glued it back on. It is easy to get the tele sound. Frets were not perfect but really good.The neck is different than most Fender Telecasters. if you're gonna get a new pickguard get one from fender.com so the holes align. I love the middle selection with both pickups, extremely balanced, and the front pickup works great for my instrumentals. Quiet. Better switch and pots. The neck is not high gloss polyurethane, it feels like natural wood and plays slick. 84 of 86 people (98%) people found this review helpful. 1st thing I did was using 250grit sand paper removed "Squier and made in China". I also bought a $129 squire strat for the bathroom. I set up all of my guitars so I cant really comment on how it was set up out of the box however, I can say that it was playable and the actin and intonation weren't too far off. 1 of 1 people (100%) people found this review helpful. If you want an entry level tele that you can make a project out of this is a good starting point. Works very well with both. Did you? With the slimmer body,and neck it cannot be beat. This is my third Aff.series tele. The top-loading bridge makes changing strings a breeze. A true Telecaster sound. Squier Affinity Telecaster Review For All of You to Love, Logic Pro vs Pro Tools: Which is the Best DAW for You? People should realize that these models are built in a democratic Taiwan factory, not communist China. I don't know about the strings as I always change to D'Addario NYXL .09/.46 strings outta the box so no comment there. Designed for beginners, this Squier Telecaster features two single-coil pickups and a 21-fret Maple neck and comes in a Butterscotch finish.