Beginner's Guitar (Fender Squier Affinity Strat MN)

Member Name: robertjb

Product:	Fender Squier Affinity Strat MN
Date:	23/07/09 (60 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for beginners

Disadvantages: Pickups sound weak. The action on mine was awful

22 Frets, 3 single coil pickups, 5 way pickup selector, 2 tone and 1 volume knob, string through body.

The Affinity series is the higher end of the Squier line, some people have even compared them with made in Mexico Fender Strats. Mine was made in Indonesia, with a contoured alder body, bolt on maple neck with rosewood fretboard.

They come in a range of colours. Squier are generally seen to be beginner guitars but are also used for modding as they are so easy to customise. It definitely is a beginner guitar, the body is ok but obviously won't sound as good as a Fender made with better wood. The finish is nice but close up it doesn't look that natural. The tuners are good, which is a definite plus as often with cheap guitars they aren't. The neck is good but on my guitar the fret wires are too high so sliding actually hurts. One of my main disappointments with this guitar is the action (the height of the strings above the fretboard). Mine was terribly high and it wasn't until I picked up this guitar after playing my Tokai Love Rock that I realised this. I borrowed some Allen keys from a friend but when I lowered the strings I got terrible fret buzz, at the moment I have them adjusted so that this isn't the case but it still doesn't sound quite right, maybe if I took it to a guitar shop they could set it up properly I don't know.

The actual sound of the guitar is quite good much better than most beginner guitars but you get what you pay for. To my ears the pickups sound quite weak.

If you want a beginner guitar then get this but make sure you get it properly set up at the shop,

Summary: Decent Beginners guitar