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Post subject: Inquiry - Opinions appreciated
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:02 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Location: Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi and Tennessee seasonally
My Grandson wishes to start guitar lessons. Since I have been a bassist for 52 years, I have no experience with 6 string guitars, so your help would be appreciated.

We saw a Squire Affinity Strat at our local guitar shop and it seemed to be solid and manufactured with care. Would this Squire Affinity Strat be a good starter guitar for a young person?

Thanks ahead of time...

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Post subject: Re: Inquiry - Opinions appreciated
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 12:15 pm
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IMO , yes.

Why not a second hand Affinity from a beginner who upgrade ? Half price ?


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Post subject: Re: Inquiry - Opinions appreciated
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 1:43 pm
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Affinities are made to be "entry level" guitars, so the neck/nut dimensions and string tension/action suit young players. They also stretch well when the player develops - and a plus, they're often the first guitar a player mods; cheap parts are everywhere. So I'll give Affinities a YES.

BUT (there's always a but...), as any low priced guitars, they need a good setup to really be nice&playable. After those 52 years on bass, you probably know something about setups, but the Strat tremolo is seldom found in basses, and it may be a little kinky. Check the Strat setup guide and DIY. Or invest an extra hundred (or so) to buy the guitar from a store that does the initial setup, or to take it to a pro if you order online. Or choose the Telecaster version, at some point your grandson will buy one for himself anyway :mrgreen:

The second hand remark from st52 is good advice - often the second hand guitars are already well setup.


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Post subject: Re: Inquiry - Opinions appreciated
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 1:48 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:54 am
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Location: Alabama, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Mississippi and Tennessee seasonally
Thanks for the info. The shop where we do most of our business does a full setup (if needed) on everything that they sell, new or used, at no additional charge. You are right - setup's are nothing new to me (basses) but I have all of the tools and if things need attention down the road, I'll take care of it.

Since the opinions expressed are a GO for the Squire, we'll proceed with the purchase. Thanks again !!

(Attempting to find a left handed used Fender Squire Affinity Stratocaster may be next to impossible, so we'll go with new.)

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Post subject: Re: Inquiry - Opinions appreciated
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:56 am
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Affinity strats are great guitars for the price and highly recommended for either a beginner or the musician on a budget. I've used them in the past and have never had any issues with them.


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Post subject: Re: Inquiry - Opinions appreciated
Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2016 9:12 pm
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Check out Craigslist and similar websites for used ones, many new players give up after just a few lessons and you can save a lot of $, many go for 1/2 original selling price plus you may get extras including gigbag/case, strap, electronic tuner and amp in the deal. A month or so after Christmas around me is a great time to buy "used" so is when college students leave campus for the summer.

The Affinity Series Squiers are great guitars, I'm 53 and bought one last year, an Affinity Tele, the manufacturing processes used today are far superior to when we first started playing.

I did check out the Affinity Strats, they are sweet too, the tuning machines hold tune well and I don't see anyone but manic, heavy-handed strummers using heavy gauge strings having an issue with them. The only upgrades I would consider is strap locks (all my guitars have them) and GFS (GuitarFetish) steel bridge saddles (the stock ones are cast "zinc") they will help "brighten" the tone. You may have to reuse the stock saddle height adjustment screws (I had to when installing them on my 2015 Affinity Telecaster).

link: http://www.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-Sta ... p_773.html

Don't forget to tell the boy never to pick the guitar up by the strap, always grab it by the neck.

If you "buy new" just remember that a change in "climate" from where the guitar was manufactured to where it's sold and then to a home ("high" humidity to "low" humidity) can/may cause the neck to shrink a bit and develop "fret spout" within a few months (the sharp fret ends stick out). Keep an eye out for that, you don't want the kid tearing up his/her fingers and it's easily remedied with a file by someone who knows what they are doing.

The only other potential weak spot is the 5-way switch but as long as it's not manhandled or abused it should last a long time.

Almost forgot I saw you travel a lot, check the local music shops and second hand stores along your route for "trade-in's", a lot of players "upgrade". Also check Guitar Center's online "used" section, many Affinity Strat's in "Like New" condition routinely go for $79-$99 sometimes even less and they'll ship right to your door. Keep an eye out for the ones with 22 fret necks they aren't as common as the 21 fret versions and they have the "standard" thickness (1 3/4") body. The recent production Affinity Strats have a slightly "thinner" (1 5/8") body "front-to-back" (thickness) but only the most discriminating serious player may notice it. There is a "standard" version (not to be confused with Squier "Standard" Stratocaster) with the typical three (3) single coil pickup configuration and another with two (2) single coils (neck/middle) and a bridge humbucker from the factory.

If you do buy "new" make sure the nut is centered correctly at the top of the neck (I saw one that wasn't), that the string slots are cut to the proper depth, that the guitar has had it's neck relief and action set, has been intonated correctly and that the staff check and remedy any sharp fret ends BEFORE leaving the store/shop.


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