It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:58 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Why hate on the affinity!!!
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:32 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:48 am
Posts: 202
I recently bought a squier affinity made in china.It is really good.I cannot understand all the hate and stigma that it is a beginners guitar.I mean I have never played a 60s fender but isnt it molded after the same exact specs.And its costs a fraction.I know I know the pickups suck but if thats all more people should help promote its image.ANyways if anyone out there has something to say about a 60s model as I hope someday I am wealthy enough to own one for the time being I think this is the closest thing.Any info shared is apreciated.Thanks all!!!


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Why hate on the affinity!!!
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 6:53 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:32 pm
Posts: 701
freddyfingers82 wrote:
I recently bought a squier affinity made in china.It is really good.I cannot understand all the hate and stigma that it is a beginners guitar.I mean I have never played a 60s fender but isnt it molded after the same exact specs.And its costs a fraction.I know I know the pickups suck but if thats all more people should help promote its image.ANyways if anyone out there has something to say about a 60s model as I hope someday I am wealthy enough to own one for the time being I think this is the closest thing.Any info shared is apreciated.Thanks all!!!


With all due respect, it has the image of being a beginners guitar because it is a beginners guitar. Honestly once you have played a while and you pick up a more expensive strat you will know why the affinity is so cheap. With that said, they can be pretty good and serviceable guitars, just not the end all be all of Strats. I own one, it was my first guitar but it doesn't hold a candle to the more expensive Squiers I have owned or my American and Custom Shop Fenders.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Reply
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:54 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:48 am
Posts: 202
Hello and thanks for responding.I have actually played american strats and own a highway 1.So if you remove the parts you still have an alder body reminiscent of a 60s reissue fender right?? I was lucky enough to play one once and in my mind the best fenders out there.WHen I picked the affinity up which is an 08 also I had the same feeling its a little cheap looking finish but thats all.A starter guitar for me is a first act and then a starcaster but affinity in my mind should be in the same league at least to the cv 60 series I mean there isnt one in black.So just talking here not arguing here.I mean i love anything fender you will never see me on a gibson board haha thanks again though for the insight.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Reply
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 11:16 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2009 7:58 pm
Posts: 2121
freddyfingers82 wrote:
A starter guitar for me is a first act and then a starcaster but affinity in my mind should be in the same league at least to the cv 60 series I mean there isnt one in black.


LOL :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

The affinity isn't even close to the cv 60's.
The quality of the cv 60's are great, they say they are better than MIM standards sometimes. i dont see affinitys being called as good of gutiars as mim standards.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Reply
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 6:03 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 12:32 pm
Posts: 701
freddyfingers82 wrote:
Hello and thanks for responding.I have actually played american strats and own a highway 1.So if you remove the parts you still have an alder body reminiscent of a 60s reissue fender right?? I was lucky enough to play one once and in my mind the best fenders out there.WHen I picked the affinity up which is an 08 also I had the same feeling its a little cheap looking finish but thats all.A starter guitar for me is a first act and then a starcaster but affinity in my mind should be in the same league at least to the cv 60 series I mean there isnt one in black.So just talking here not arguing here.I mean i love anything fender you will never see me on a gibson board haha thanks again though for the insight.


Well they really aren't comparable at all. I'm not trying to offend you, but I have owned them all and the Affinity is no where near as close. It has a thinner neck, its thinner at the nut, thinner body, Cheap tuners, Cheap Ceramic pickups, Cheap mini pots, thin cast block, poly based finish etc. So in essence it has nothing in common with a reissue Fender. Also I don't know how you are figuring this, but because a guitar isn't offered in a particular color doesn't mean another is better than it.

I'm not trying to bash Squier or the affinity, like I said I own one, but rather I'm just trying to educate you on the plethora of differences. Having in common a body wood does not make a guitar equal to the next, there are many other factors that determine the quality of sound a guitar will produce.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 7:50 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:53 am
Posts: 5189
Location: Magnolia, Texas (just north of Houston)
No hate on Affinity Squiers from me. I have never owned one, nor will I ever own one in the future. I played them in the store and they are a great beginners guitar, sorry but that is just my opinion. I would even recommend one to someone if that guitar was in their price range.

But for someone who has played guitars for a couple decades, I just have better guitars in my herd to have to buy one. I did consider buying an Affinity Stratocaster for my daughter a couple years ago, but she decided on something a little different.

I say if you are happy with the Affinity Series, play the heck out of it. I just want as many people to play whatever guitar they feel the most comfortable playing. Even if it happens to be a Starcaster or even a First Act.

Keep playing and if you feel like you need to defend the Affinity guitars, keep doing so. Someone out here in cyber-land will appreciate the words of encouragement.

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 10:14 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:37 pm
Posts: 70
I can't defend the new Affinities but I have a '96 and a '97 and they're both great guitars. Full thickness (and heavy) 3 -piece alder bodies (no plywood), 1 11/16" nut, small '57 headstock atop a fast neck. The pups, pots, and tuners could have been better (upgraded now) but for the price ($179.00 then) I couldn't have asked for more. It was properly set up at the shop and has been an impressive player ever since. The Affinities built after 1999 have been suspect from what I read but they still are the best way to get a strat at a low price. I would not, however, assume that they are generally better than a MIM, but mine do compare favorably with three Mexicans I've played. Even though they are all computer-cut and routed, there have to be differences in the quality of wood used and the tone produced as a result. Some earlier models may have been assembled in China using Fender leftover bodies and necks. I stripped one to repaint it and found a burst under the black paint and over the fullerplast. I don't think they did the burst on the Chinese-made bodies. BTW, all strats/teles use poly (http://www.caraguitars.com/fullerplast.asp), and if there is any nitro it's there on top to appease and fool the purists who think poly is sacrilegious. One is unlikely to find nitro-only except when it is either a total redo or not a Fender - could be a partscaster that started raw by someone other than Fender.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Affinity
Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2010 11:04 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie

Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 11:48 am
Posts: 202
Well thanks again guys for the input.I will agree about nitro. A reputable source told me it does have a poly undercoat to protect but also in my mind I do think a poly guitar is not as cool as a nitro body.Also, If they say its cheaper to use nitro than poly and I know I have heard somewhere that some emision group had prevented any future guitar to have it?Has anyone heard if there is something to the effect of nitro in the works? Coz guitars need to look like guitars and not expensive rubbery toys.I have played guitar myself for a decade but not up until a year ago that I had really been intrigued with them.And have trolled on some interesting info on here.But back to the original topic I was just trying to gather what or why people consider affinitys beginer guitars becasu of it being solid wood in my mind brings it to another level as aposed to plywood.Yes the parts are cheap but fixable and man you can hold the guitar for more than 2 hours and not feel like your holding it.Like many others, hendrix got me intersted in guitar.I watched many videos of hendrix play and his guitar looks the size of an affinity.I was hoping to find some corelation of the 60s strat he played and this but I may be talkin out my butt because im not comparing apples to apples.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 3:18 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2010 5:26 pm
Posts: 56
Some music stores like Wildwood Guitars do special orders with Fender Custom Shop of nitro finished guitars with no poly undercoat. (Now, of course, the nitro used today and that used 30-40 years ago is formulated differently.)

That said, I doubt you'll see this option for a Squier.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:25 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:37 pm
Posts: 70
The reason Hendrix's guitars looked smaller was because his hands and fingers were larger/longer. He could bar across the entire fretboard with his thumb! Again, newer Squier Affinities have thinner bodies, and some have smaller necks at the nut. Were I you, I'd look for an old Affinity, any one from before 1999. You'll get a first-rate body, a great neck, and it will cost you less than a newer, less substantial Affinity. I bought my second on eBay for $24. A loaded pickguard or upgrades to the pups and pots will give you a really good instrument. I'v done all of that and am in the middle of a new paint job from the usual black to surf green (DuPont auto urethane with a 2-part catalyzed sealer (Spraymax), prime (Spraymax), and clear (Aeromax). I'm throwing in a new maple neck ($65 - eBay) to complete the change over. Not a bad total with a $24 initial investment - basically I bought a full-size body and have an extra rosewood neck to keep or sell. There's not much Affinity left! Oh, and I'm doing a real hardtail conversion, adding wood and re-drilling the string holes for the hardtail bridge. The bridge cost $20 and the wood was $4. So for about $230 I'll have the guitar exactly as I want it to be. Good luck with your decision.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 10:37 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:49 pm
Posts: 265
Location: Lincoln, CA
well, it is a beginners guitar but it's a damn fine beginners guitar i've had mine for years and still play it almost every day


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:56 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 2:55 am
Posts: 4017
Location: Australia, VIC
No hate here, i think there very good. I love those guitars

_________________
riley


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 2:44 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:49 pm
Posts: 143
Location: Knoxville, TN
I love 'em. Very good starting place, because you can upgrade the heck out of them and they've got great necks. The tuners don't feel that cheap to me, mine will stay in tune for over a week being played every day.

_________________
'07 Squier Affinity Sunburst Strat SE
Fender Frontman 25R
Boss DS-1 Distortion
Danelectro D-2 Fab Overdrive
Delta Lab Multi Effects


Top
Profile
Post subject: Affinity
Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:30 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 12:56 pm
Posts: 24
Location: Missouri/Iowa
I also own an Affinity strat. It is a great guitar to learn on as a beginner to really get the feel for things and see how the guitar works. Also, it really helps you see why the top of the line Fender's are the better guitar. The pickups are the main problem for me. They are cheap. Replace the pickups with some Fender Custom Shop single coils or whatever suits you, and you have a good strat. If you have the right effects it helps the overall sound quality as well. I have owned it for around 5 to 6 years. Still play the thing and love to crank up the sound. I enjoy playing it more than my SG.

_________________
MH

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

-Jimi Hendrix


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:36 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 2:58 pm
Posts: 2293
Location: Adirondacks
Nothing but love here. I have one and love it. Well crafted sounds good and plays good so it is a winner!
ABS :D


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: