Is the Squier Affinity Telecaster any good? Do they sound good? Are these guitars durable? Do these guitars look good? If you are looking for an entry-level Telecaster guitar, then maybe you have already heard of Squier Affinity Telecasters. Let us find out if these guitars are worth their value.
So, when was the Squier Affinity Telecasters introduced to the market? The first version of Affinity Telecasters was introduced in 1996 when Fender ordered Squier guitars that were made in China. Telecasters were usually made in Japan, Mexico, Korea, and rarely in the USA, but the Affinity Telecasters were first manufactured in China.
How Good Is The Sound Quality Of The Squier Affinity Telecaster?
Squier Affinity Telecasters are entry-level guitars, but they sound better than what they are advertised to be. These guitars produce impressive low-end and incredible high frequencies. They have a crisp and bright tone, although it is not the same as those Telecasters that are really from the Fender product line.
Compared to Fender Telecasters, Affinity Telecasters have a thinner sound, which is expected as they are much cheaper than the Fender product lines. It has a nice high-end, but it cannot match what the Squier Affinity Stratocaster guitars can produce.
These telecasters may not work for your liking if you are a metal, screamo, or hard rock guitar player, as their sound does not really fit these genres. But it would be best if you still tried it; maybe you will like its tone for these genres.
Although Affinity Telecasters’ sound cannot match high-end Fender Telecasters, they are still a great option if you are looking for budget telecasters with great tones.
How Good Is The Build Quality Of The Squier Affinity Telecaster?
Squier Affinity Telecasters are guitars made for novice and student guitar players at an affordable price. Although the materials that were used for these guitars cannot match those high-end guitars from Fender, it is still a great guitar with the impressive build quality.
Body
Squier Affinity Telecasters’ bodies are made of Poplar. Poplar guitars produce a flat tone, so there is no emphasis on either high, mids, or lows. Poplar’s tone does not have real dynamics, which is why guitars made of Poplar are better when pedals are used.
Poplar is usually used for entry-level guitar, which is why there is no wonder that Squier used this wood, but it is still a durable and great-sounding guitar. These guitars are also thin and lightweight, which is great for novice guitar players who are still adjusting to the weight of a guitar.
Squier Affinity Telecaster guitars are available in eighty finishes: Black, Blue, Burst, Gray, Pink, White, and Butterscotch Blonde. All of their finishes are gloss polyurethane.
Squier Affinity Telecasters have thinner bodies compared to Fender Telecasters, but all in all, these guitars have one of the best bodies in the market when it comes to the entry-level category, so you should look into these guitars.
Neck
Squier Affinity Telecasters’ necks are either made from Maple or Indian Laurel. Guitar necks made from Indian Laurel are known for their balanced tones, while guitar necks made of Maple have a tight low end and a brighter tone.
These Telecasters have a C-shape neck which is comfortable for playing, especially when you are still a beginner. It is also great for playing all genres, as guitar players can move their hands easily compared to other neck shapes.
Affinity Telecasters have 21 frets and have medium jumbo fret sizes, which is great for guitar players who have an average hand size, as it will be difficult for them to move their fingers from one fret to another.
These Telecasters have a scale length of 25.5, which is the standard for all Telecasters manufactured by Fender and Squier. The scale length of these guitars also gives you a feel of how long the necks of top-end Fender Telecasters are. Their fingerboard radius is also identical to some high-end Fender guitars, so you can see how thin these fingerboards are.
If you feel the need to adjust the guitar’s neck, you can find it in the headstock. It has a head adjust model, so it is easier for you to adjust the guitar’s neck for playing comfortably.
Electronics
Squier Affinity Telecasters have two ceramic single-coil pickups that produce crisp tones that are perfect for an entry-level Telecaster. Ceramic pickups are known to have a better retain of high-end frequencies, which is why they have a great balance with the neck’s balanced sound.
The single-coil pickup near the bridge has a slant position, which is pretty standard for Telecasters, as they have a better response from lower strings and have more control with the higher strings. These Telecasters have a three-position switch that gives these a variety of impressive tones.
These guitars have two controls: the Master Volume and Master Tone. These pickups really complement these guitars, which is why many novice guitar players love their sound.
Hardware
Some Affinity Telecasters are equipped with a “6-Saddle Strings-Through-Body” bridge design, which helps the guitar’s resonance through the body, and it is able to increase the string tension of the guitar for a better feel.
These guitars come with sealed die-cast tuning machines, which is an improvement compared to other entry-level guitars as they have a more accurate tuning. It also split shafts to help novice guitar players change their strings faster and easier.
The guitar necks have a 4-bolt neck plate design to hold the guitar neck and its body securely. All of its control knobs have a knurled flat-top, which gives a nice feel when turning the knobs. The guitar’s hardware finish is all chrome, which is pretty expected for an entry-level guitar, as it has become an industry standard for electric guitars.
So, is the Squier Affinity Telecaster any good? This guitar is not good, but a great entry-level guitar perfect for novice guitar players who like to sound good immediately. Affinity Telecasters are also durable, so you can expect that they will last for a long time, and they look good too.
