Squier Affinity Telecaster

There are a few different features on this Tele. Slightly thinner body which I don't mind at all. A 9.5 radius which I actually prefer. And it s a Top-Loader string path which again I learned to really enjoy[owned a 51 for years]. They[top-loader bridges] bring a edgyness and clean Tone thats very usable with many different pick-ups and styles of music and picking styles. String Through has more Sustain but not the RAW EDGY CLEAN Tone a Top-Loader has. The bridge is the newer style Flat Plate six Strat type saddle Tele bridge. It needs a good set of [STEEL]saddles [the plate is STEEL]and better Tuning machines for sure. But new it all works fine for a time. Over the years I have always picked one up in the music shops when I passed through. I noticed some had terrible fret-work and now and then one would actually be very good.
Well my last trip to Guitar center I picked one up and noodled around on the neck.........the neck was DEAD ON, perfect fret-work, and a very comfortable C shape a little over medium thickness. The manager was right their and told me the Neck Pick-Up didn't work on the Tele and a Knob was missing....otherwise perfect. He would give me a new set of knobs and the guitar for $130.00. Needless to say I bought it. Teles are Teles and don't have or need TONS of features. But in my BOOK any great playing, sounding Tele is worth a TEN.

The Tele had a very good neck from the jump. I had some Tele parts hanging around and other pick-ups. I routed the Black single-ply PG to fit a Chrome covered Gibson 490 neck humbucker I had hanging around. Next I ordered a GFS Rail Vintage/Modern splittable humbucker bridge pick-up. Also a switch and 500k pots and a new cap. Added six Steel saddles and a better set of Gotoh Tuners which is the basic original style. Just not the same quality. The Tele is a BEAST. It cleans up Very Nice with the 490 Humbucker and bridge humbucker due to the Top-Loader bridge. It was some work routing the body and PG and hooking up the electronics right. But for the $$$$$$, its one HECK of a Tele. I have a few nice MIA Hamers, Gibsons and Fenders and this Squier is getting a LOT of play! That alone should tell you right there.
I never cared for the Gibson 490 in the neck, always sounded MUDDY to me. With this tele and wood combo and bridge? MAN the 490 sounds Darn GOOD. I like the GFS Rails also and prefer the GFS Bridge for a Tele and Strat to any other Rail pick-up I've played. And I've tried basically all of them from Hot Rails of SD to DiMazio Fast Track IIs and Cruisers. The GFS Vinatge Modern Tele Rail and the Strat Overwound set are both very good IMO. Check em out, if you don't like them? hey....you can say Gary doesn't know what he's saying.

I been playing fenders since the 60's and this is a Serious Nice TELE. I also played a COUPLE Classic Vibe Squiers that were KILLER. I bought a CV-60 Strat so I thought I would go the Butterscotch Affinity Tele route. Glad I did, I LOVE it. The body is Nice ALDER and a straight up 3-piece well seamed. And as I said the neck was the Bomb from the start.
These could EASILY be a HIT or MISS by ordering over the internet. But you try a couple in person and I can almost BET you'll come across one you like. I've seen a FEW new and was fortunate to have the extra bucks on me when I stumbled onto this Jewel. TOP-HAT switch tip, Butterscotch. I even did the Brown shoe polish trick on the maple neck. Tints it up amazingly well, and it lasts. I did a 51 Squire neck and it lasted for years with KIWI BROWN POLISH for SHOES.

This is a TELE. These are like TIMEX watchs.....They take a Licking and keep on Ticking!!!!

Fenders very good to deal with, especially if you bought from a Fender dealer in person.

If your pockets tight, or you just want a GREAT project TELECASTER? You can't beat this. Its the Real Deal!

Frankly every time I stopped at a GC or a Sam Ash I'd pick up one of these Squier Affinity Tele Specials. FINALLY I found one with a DEAD PERFECT fret job and a very straight neck. It was $139. so the GC sales man said he'd let it go for $100. plus tax [it was missing a knob] so it turned out to be a nice deal. The Butterscotch ALDER body is either 2-3 piece I se one line but can't see the other. So I think it might be two. The NECK I feel is a little on the chunky side as opposed to what I've read? Maybe larger in 09? For Ceramic pups stock they sound decent. BUT.....heres what I did. Ordered a three-way and a set of 500k Alpha Pots. I had a Chrome covered GIBSON 490 neck pick-up I swapped on my SG Standard for a BB-Pro. So a PERFECT place for the 490 to go[the Butterscotch Tele]. I also ordered a 10ohm RAIL Lil-Killer from GFS and installed that in the bridge. I haven't changed the saddles yet but I have a set of Six Brass Barrels that will go NICE on this bridge. Also have a set of slightly better TMs from a Vintange Modified Squier. But all in all now..............This thing is a BEAST. Instant LOVE for me! PERFECT platform for upgrading.

Upgraded its simply awesome the Gibson 490 humbucker in the neck is really CLEAR with the Maple board and Alder body. The GFS Lil Killer Rail is a sriously nice match for the neck Gibson 490. Yet it coips a straight out bridge Tone very well. I'm impressed with the Tele.

Well as I mentioned in the start. I have been checking for one of these with a DEAD RIGHT Neck/Fret-Job for about 18mths. But as soon as I picked up this one and played a few Riffs..........I knew it was the one. Nice tight neck pocket, 7lb total weight. And a perfectly straight neck with an exceptional fret job. With the upgrades its pure Killer.

Teles? They are like Strats.......virtually indestructable.

Don't know guys. I voided the warrenty immediatly. But never a problem in the past!

These Squier Tele Affinity Specials with the Alder body. Maple neck Butterscotch finish are a GREAT Platform to build YOUR version of a Perfect Tele. Black PG nice Top-Hat switch Tip. Theres just a lot there to get you started thinking, and then your on your way. I've been wanting to build a Albert Collins/Keith Richards Humbucker neck type Tele for some time. With the Alder body, Butterscoth finis,

Affinity Series Tele?? guitar features
-two single-coil pickups
-three-way switching
-truly classic Telecaster?? guitar style.

Guitar specs from Fender official site (http://www.squierguitars.com/products/view_specs.php?full_partno=0310202&name=Tele%26reg%3B )

I think this guy is more of a blues, mild type of guitar. If you want it to play hard rock it can still do a great job. But won't do too great when you put it on some death meatal distortion.

Ive plugged this into many amps, and used it sometimes by itself, or on my Zoom G1 MFX pedal.

Im not good at describing the sounds you can read other reviews on that, but it just generally gave me a goood impression!! For its price it gives you WAYY too much variety.

When I got it from that guy who took it apart, lost a few parts and broke the input jack. I had to reassemble it. Then took it to a free guitar repair event (promotion) and had the guy readjust actions in a rough 15 minutes or so. Now it plays as good as new.

Mine was in a nice low action. As a beginner that i was, I can finally play bare chords!! Everything just plays so nice.

The finish on it looks really good, infact i like how the neck look more than my new guitar now. Nice and glossy. Though the body has been abused by previous owner, but oh well that's now its problem.

One more thing, this guitar is really light, no stress on the shoulders.

If I can give it a 20 I would. the previous owner must have hated music, took everything apart, scratched the body with something really sharp (Meaning it doesn't look authentically old!!). I rewired the input jack with a little soddering, put all the pegs/plates/pickups(Still in wire fortunately) back together, and it actually worked. I regret not giving it a nice paint job it deserves.

One note on the pegs, you can actually pull them out, since one peg was lost when I got it, I pulled the lower pegs onto the other pegs and tunes the guitar that way! Genius

I would depend on it, and have used it on gigs. I ended up selling this guitar to a telecaster collector, who loves it dearly right now.The good life of an indestructable guitar!!

No idea, this thing was retailed for 150$ Canadaian. Why would they give you warranty?

Overall, it would be my recommended guitar for ALL beginners for its price. The pickups are a little better than what you pay for!! But everything else is WAY beyond what you paid for.

Its durable, don't have to worry about the actions and fitting falling apart, light weight, and durable.

Im a shallow person and prefers les paul bodies, which is why i sold this baby to someone who loves it more than I do.

Crafted in 2005, made in China. I bought it as new in September, 2007. You all know the features, this one is metallic red. Features are just like a Fender Telecaster's.

This guitar is one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played in my life, and I'm serious. Plugging it into a Boss GT-8 to a Fender FM65R amp, or into my Line6 KB37 and Pod Farm plugin, or EVEN into my Marshall 6100LM with a Hiwatt Custom 4*12 cab, this guitar always sounded amazing, I've never ever had problems with any sounds coming out of it. The bridge pickup is very even, harmonically rich, it's not too bright, not too harsh, a bit noisy, but not really. The neck pickup sounds huge, it has a real hollow sound, I probably like it even more than the bridge pickup. For cleans, I love the middle position of the selector, it's s bit twangy, but very even. You can make ANY sounds out of it, and I mean it. From clean noodling to high gain shredding or metal rythm palying, this thing sounds amazing. All in all, it's a f.cking huge 10.

I don't know about the factory setup as I asked them to set it up for me before taking it home. The finish looked very nice, until it started crackling at the side of the guitar (the side you're looking at when you're holding it at playing position) and the back. The finish is coming off the guitar, but I don't really care, it looks amazing relic'd. Anyways, this is a problem, and a bad thing. But everything else is fantastic on the guitar, it totally stays in tune, the tuning pegs are decent, and you can set it up really good. No real problems with it, except the finish.

This guitar would be really amazing to play live, I think you can't abuse it so much that it would ever fall apart. I'd love to give it a ten, but I can't do that because of the finish problem, what also fits into the reliability/durability category, so it's a 7, but if didn't have problems with the finish, it'd surely be a 10. I'd gig with it without a backup guitar. I actually played a gig with it, and I played it more than my Gibson LP Standard.

I can't say anything about this, because I never had to get in touch with Squier.

I play for 4 years now, and I owned lots of different guitars (Gibson Les Paul Standard, Fender Malmsteen Strat, Line6 Variax 600, Music Man Petrucci, Ibanez JEM) and I've played a lot others as well. I've tried out cheap guitars as well (and I currently have an Epiphone LP Special II as well), but this guitar stands out. I don't know if it's only my particular instrument, or all of them sound this great, but I'm amazed by the sounds I can get from it, and sometimes I like it's tone more than my JEM's or EBMM Petrucci's tone. It just sounds a lot more definite, characteristic.

All in all, this guitar will stay with me forever, until it (or me) falls apart. If it were stolen, I'd go to the FBI and ask them to get it back for me, because this instrument is my favorite instrument ever, despite having the JEM and the EBMM Petrucci. This guitar is as good as it gets for cheap guitars. If you want a really amazing instrument for a laughable price, go for this one. If you regret it, send your guitar to me, I'll surely like it as much as I like mine.

Crafted in China in 2000
Standard Tele controls, 1 volume, 1 tone, 2 single coil pickups, 3 way toggle switch
Maple neck and fretboard, Alder body, 21 frets

Sounds pretty good. It's no MIA Tele, but it is well worth the $179 they go for new. It has a nice clean tone (like you would expect from a Tele) and the pickups sound great with some gain. It growls much better than I had anticipated, though I'm sure it will hum like a biatch with loads of gain.

The nut on this guitar was cut nearly perfect. The G string goes about 2 cents sharp on the first fret, but the rest are dead on. Everything else is damn near perfect. The body isn't plywood, though I doubt it is a one piece body. I am highly impressed with the quality of this guitar.

I just got it, so I'm not sure about how reliable it is. If the build quality is any indication, I'm sure there won't be any problems.

Never had to deal with them

I've been playing for almost 17 years. I currently own an American PRS Custom 22, a Schecter C1 Classic, a Gibson Les Paul Supreme, an Ibanez RG7321 7 string, and this Tele. They get played through a highly modified 2 channel Mesa Dual Rectifier half stack and a Fender JAM practice amp (when the wife and kids are home). I traded an Epi Strat copy even up for this guitar. I made out in the deal for sure. Once I got home and plugged it in, I was immediately blown away by how well it plays and sounds. It is well worth the money. I probably won't play it much...I got it for more of a studio guitar. If it were stolen, I would be very sad. I would probably go out and buy another one, but it wouldn't be a priority.

Well, a Squier Tele Affinity 2009, with the features other comments described. Usual Tele's features, not more, not less.

I play from jazz-blues to old heavy metal, and this baby could play all of that in condition to take the time to find the tone that fits your taste.

I'm initially a sort of Strat and Les Paul guy and wanted to try an affordable Tele guitar with the spirit of it and much costless than the American or Mexican'ones. To speak honestly, I was a little afraid as much by the brand (I've kept a bad memory on an electric-acoustic Squier) as the harshing high ends I was expecting to have. I ordered this guitar on the net and tried it with some quite light effects and just through a UX2 Line 6.

Is it noisy ? If you're attempting to get a very metal and loud sound, well do not hope to have less than an infernal and permanent huming. To say the least, it's unbearable and unplayable. Even for very open minds and a kind of neo contemporay free jazz punk-hardcore style. To speak seriously, as other writers say, it's not its battle field. But if you're searching for a old hard rock manner or rock-punk purpose with a reasonable hot overdrive, you can find it here with some tube amps or pedals. It can produce very Stones-like tones and nice crunch. If you're experiencing a hum yet, well a noise gate will reduce the humming. Anyway it will become hardly audible in the bridge position and quite null in medium and neck.

Now if you play the clean. Record a blues with effects you like, then re-listen and close your eyes. You get the twang. No doubt about it. This entry model has not that sort of sweet chime of the American'ones, but if you like brilliant tones and a Tele's imprint, you can't go wrong. To tell the truth, I'm not a fan of acute and chime sounds. Indeed I'm first a bass player ! So I entered a new home here ! But instead of trying to lightly compensate the cut-glass (for which we choose this guitar after all) by processor effects and mellower strings, I tried the opposite and looked for a very magnetic and brilliant sound. I put well-known magnetic strings D'Addario ProSteels, with standard gauge 10-46, add some reverb, chorus and equalization's adjustements (maybe the most important with this guitar). Play with fingers and it's not a guitar any more. It's a harp ! Amazing. I must confess at the first notes of some 'Babe I'm gonna leave you'-like arpeggios that tears have flown away my eyes. In clean, that babe exploses my Fender Stratocaster Signature Clapton. So rethink about the famous combination 'noise / too chime' of the instrument, 'cause it does exist some ways to make it a friend of yours ...

As I said, I've got it by an order mail two weeks ago, and was surprised by the set-up. No problem with the action. Just the usual retuning out of the box. No defaul nor marks. Good fret job, no sharp edges. The neck exhibates a sweet and beautiful maple texture, not as sticky as some high gloss necks. Indeed excellent condition and finish. I won't even add '... for a cheap guitar' cause at first sight it doesn't look at a cheap model and exist by itself versus more expensive ones.

To sum up by one word the feel of the neck and fingerboard, I will say 'Pleasure'. I don't have had such fun for a long time ago. Neck is fast, smooth, perfect for smaller hands and maybe too narrow (less than both the others Squier and Fender Tele). Great for soloing, no matter your style. Old manner blues, country, legatos and sweep plans as much tapping ... It's a delight. Only subject of matter is the 21 squares fingerboard and maybe that narrowness not confortable for the quite big hands. As a matter of fact, it's difficult to move freely around first position chords (for instance a medium hand can't make ornements with the pinkie on a first Dm chord). But it's up to you to check if it does affect your actual style or not.

I mostly play sit down and do not have the opportunity to play live with it yet, hence I will not objective. Don't have enough time yet to tell about the jack or strap button, but it seems to be very reliable. However, the pickup selector may show some loose along the time. Perhaps it's just the model I've purchased. I don't know.

I've checked the stability of the tuning during an almost non-stop 12 hours playing (just two breaks for what you can guess :-) I've played the more manners I can, and particularly many strong one and half or two tones bends and raw rythmic as those you could play if you knew you would die tomorrow (or as if you try to break your guitar with the right hand). Human vs Tele Squier. The winner is ... Tele ! The human body changed more than this thing did. Does this guitar stay well in tune ?! During 12 hours she doesn't have moved even from a coma ! Amazing.

Do not have to complain yet.

I play guitar, bass and piano since 20 years and wanted to try a Tele-type guitar before I die or at least I grow older than I am. And I was astonished by the quality of such a budget guitar. I almost hesitate to leave a comment by fear to reveal a part of its magic. I wouldn't have thought that Squier rocks like that ! Without being too much dithyrambic nor making hundreds comparisons, I will just say it's a fine guitar for those people who don't want a metal machine and who are not afraid by treble chime sounds. From my past experiences with a bunch of metal models, I would say that this Squier Tele is by nature far less ear-wounding than some entry level modern metal-devoted guitars. So its major and traditional issues must put into perspective when you're hesitating to grab one of these. Then it's a matter of subjectivity and personal likes.

With the Classic Vibe 50's Squier and a fortiori with the best Mexican or American, you can get more sustain thanks to the string-thru body as well as a more balanced dynamic response with somewhat more sweetness and homogeneity on the spectrum. But for a less than current 180 USD guitar, needless to say it's a deal that can make some titans brands to worry a little ...

All in all, a good clean/crunch rock machine with a classic-looking physionomy for a friendly price.

2006 or 2007, China I believe. Standard confirguration for tele's: 1 Tone and 1 Volume knob, sliding pickup selector. 21 Frets.

I actually became interested it more for the look than the sound. As somewhat of a retro-geek, I liked the way it looked and how it was made to sound by Joe Strummer and the Boss. So I tried it out at the local Guitar Center. The sound was good enough for me to buy it, but really scored big when I took it to my brother-in-law's house(a staunch Les Paul man), and he hooked it up though his stomp box set up. After fine tweaking the tuning, he lit it up! Starting out with the intro of Neil Young's 'Rocking in the Free World' and just flew into other a host of rips, he stopped and asked how much I paid for it. I told him $170 new, and he just looked at me. He professed his passion for LP one more, but said this axe is one of the best he's ever played, and will be looking for me to come over more often. Just not alone!

Personally, I like re-reating the older sounds, setting the amp reverb on high and jamming into the intro of GLORIA by Van Morrison(My nephews commented on how it reminded them of the old Beach Boys songs). Setting the forward pickup, the sound is a warmer. For my expertise(novice), the range is versatile enough to explore grow my experience. I'll give it a 9 as there is always room for improvement by choosing the right amp, perhaps some higher end pickups, etc. But it's sounds great right out of the box...

From what I can tell, the set up was fine. Only needed some fine tuning by my brother-in-law, and that was about it.

I like the neck as my hands are small for guitar playing. ON other guitars, I had trouble just making a bar chord sound good, but this was easy. I also like that the neck is unfinished. It makes sliding down the neck alot easier than those that are finished.

I didn't notice it at first, but after ready other reviews, I found that the frets need a little filing. I will give that for my bro-in-law for my next visit. a 9 overall.

The finish is definatley a 10. I chose the blonde, and the gloss finish makes this eye-candy. I bought a wall mount for my basement to ensure this gets the attention it deserves(instead of sitting in a case). There were no dings or any imperfections. A beaut in the most simplistic form.

I only play with friends and it holds up during normal transporting. I won't Pete Townsend the thing, and have yet to drop it, so I really don't know how it will hold up.

The knobs are solid, but I would like more lubrication(oil, whatever)to turn them faster for quicker changes from treb to base and vise versa. The knobs have a cross-checker grip pattern to help with that, which is a good feature. The pickup switch is greatly criticized in most other reviews, but I haven't had any other experiences with other switches. I'll try out a Fender Tele to see the difference. Otherwise, it does what it's supposed to do: selects the pick-up.

Din't need it yet, so no experience to speak.

I've played around with guitars for over 10 years, but just now started to get more serious since last year. I play my Tele through a Randall R25, which sounds very good for $130 practice amp.

I love the way it looks, handles and plays. I have no dislikes about this whatsoever. Very satisfied with this guitar.

If it were lost, I'd get another one the same day(who couldn't for $170?). If it were stolen, and I found the guy who took it, I would then be able to test the durability of this axe. If it didn't break during my Pete Townsend impersonation on the thief, I wouldn't need to get another one!

Pritty simply really. Chiniese Squire around 2003 possible. Just 2 pick-ups with two knobs, one for volume and the other tone. Maple neck with 21.

For the price I payed, I was very impressed. Although not as good as an American Tele, the sound is not far off a mexican. There tends to be some buzz coming from the guitar when you are not playing but you only really notice it when you are in your bedroom but not on stage. Sounds it best I think through a Fender Frontman Amp. The Fender amp does tend to lift the sound.

Everything seems to be good. The only bad thing here is when you are changing the strings, it's not a string through the back of the guitar then through the bridge, its straight through the bridge which can be fidly and time consuming and may make you end up with bend strings but the more you change the strings the better you become, it's all about skill.

Been in a band now for 1 year and a bit now and it's my guitar for live play. This was my second guitar, first was some unknown copy of a stratocaster which is terible. I needed something more and the Squire Tele is the one. Been using it since my band started back in September 2007. Being only 15, there are time when I get a bit ruthless and throw my guitar down in some flush of anger, but, when I have retieve the guitar, it's still in tune and intact. It's a hero. There is the odd nick but that is what gives the guitar a bit of character. Perfect for first choice or a back up.

Never have I(touch wood) had a problem with this guitar. It stands up from the rest. Personaly, i think the American Series are weak compared to the Chinese squires. They are built to last. The shop i bought it from even phoned me up after the warinty was almost ran out to ask how my guitar was getting on!

Been playing guitar for 3 years now and stuck by my tele. My friends have all got fancy Fenders and Gibsons but none of them make me want to leave my Squire. I've been saving up the past few months to get a 69' Telecaster Thinline. It's great for people starting out or someone who wants a taste of what the Telecaster is like. Squire made a fantastic job on this guitar. Check out my band if you want, i'm vocals and rhythm guitar - www.myspace.com/theswitch1

Bought for ??15 pounds Black with maple neck. Solid construction compared to my Vox. Not working when i got it simple soldering job and away she went.

Very bluesy with my Carlsbro 50 Top like it though. Good rhythm sound as well

Not sure about the tuners though a bit hit or miss. Although do stay in tune for a while don,t know about gigging with it. Got a few dents nothing serious. Someone fitted a strat nut to it and filed it down poor job will replace at some point. Good action though surprising really how good it is

Never gigged with it no plans to

None. Dealt with fender for my 1980 precision special did not have any parts for it not interested said it was to old. I was looking for an electronics board so can,t blame them. Did help with the wiring diagram when i did find a replacement

Playing for 30 years tried allsorts from esoterica to complete garbage this sits some where in the middle. Not great not bad either. Tuning pegs are bit suspect neck is ace pickups not bad good for blues and rhythm. What do want for 15 quid overall a real bargain

Butterscotch, regular features

Like a telecaster should sound twangy, unplugged it sounds great

Action and fit Everthing superb,finish small scratch on back

Seems quite well although neck/body binding needs some care

n.a.

I've got it for 3 months, and everytime I'm suprised about the sound and playability.