Checking Out The Squier Affinity HSS Strat

SQUIER Guitars have often been a favorite choice for new players who are just taking the first steps of their guitar journey. They have also been a common choice for players with a limited budget. The Affinity Series is "Mid-Level" line of guitars and basses in the Squier family.
In this video, I check out an Affinity HSS Stratocaster and tell you what I think about it.
Contact Grumpy:
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[@adrian_V99]

When Mike is grumpy I know all's well with the world.

[@JuanJaim]

Let's not forget it's an entry-level model, and for a new player an Affinity Strat is actually a good place to start. I own a MIC '18 HSS Affinity Strat that I got second-hand over a year ago, I also had the same issue with the trem bar, it needed to be screwed all the way down for it to stop wiggling. Once I swapped the block the problem went away (either the hole's too big or the trem bar is smaller, either way you can fill the gaps putting some tape around the threads). My Affinity became a partscaster, only the body, neck and bridge plate remain intact, and I didn't have to break the bank with the upgrades. It's a great modding platform so turn it into a great guitar, Grumpy Mike!

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I agree with most of what you say, however, the Squier Bullet series is the entry level. The Affinitys are supposed to be a step up. Overall, it's a pretty nice guitar.

[@randywhitener834]

Man!!!! Thats a Great Guitar Too Many People Blame the Guitar for the Lack Of Skills

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Some people blame bad QC for defects

[@flippergd]

After modding the pickups, i can say that this guitar beats anything in its path.

[@shellydrew100]

A BIG "thumbs" from me , i LOVE those 70's head-stocks , these are great guitars to modify :)

[@Charles75N]

Love that burst as well. Thanks Grumpy Mike. Been too long. Eagerly awaiting the Squire Tele video.

[@gouravseal5785]

Just found your channel. Sounded so Grumpy until I noticed your channel name.❤

[@bretspangler8717]

Mine is arriving today, I plan on doing a lot of upgrades, all new electronics, pickups, and Hipshot tuners, they have a universal staggered set, and I will be installing a Vega-Trem, eventually, I want a much nicer neck too, so this was a planned project and my first bolt-on neck in my collection, so it naturally becomes a Frankenstein by proxy. I got the Black Burst FMT, so it should be a stunning guitar once finished. I appreciate your review, hopefully, my neck will be ok, but I have no issue getting out my sandpaper and smoothing her out, I relic most of my necks so there are no stickiness or sharp edges, takes a few hours of work, but well worth the results.

[@ernieb3626]

Hey Mike I’ll start by saying great video and thank you. I can appreciate a well rounded video like this. I’m thinking it was you who sent a message to Phil on the live show about the raised skunk stripe and he mentioned using the steel wool and that it would level out quicker than we would think. I also saw a video on 60 cycle Where Ryan used Teflon tape on his wiggles sticks to stiffen them up. I have tried it and it works well. I’m not saying that it’s OK that it wiggles as much as that one does and I totally understand switching the bridge out anyways. Anyways thanks Mike I’m looking at Squires right now And I love that finish. Being good

[@barriehercock8612]

Sounds better than viagra for the wiggle stick lol

[@stanparsley9186]

Just found your channel. Very good video. Thanks Mike.

[@RedEyedPatriot]

Always been a fan of the 70s Headstock. 😎🎸🤘

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yup, I know a lot of folks really like them, but I just never cared for the look.

[@RedEyedPatriot]

@@grumpymikeguitar we've all got different preferences. As long as we all love playing then nothing else matters. I play some on my page too and fool with old Chevy Trucks 😎 I have an addiction to Rust and Patina 😆

[@caseylee12]

@@RedEyedPatriot can I use "Rust and Patina" for the name for my garage band? 😆

[@caseylee12]

@@RedEyedPatriot no, wait, I'm serious!

[@RedEyedPatriot]

@@caseylee12 Hell Yes!! 😎🎸🤘

[@BrentAdams]

Looking forward to following along to see some of those "improvements" that you have in mind for it. Take Care....

[@Banditman]

You might consider buying your guitars from Sweetwater, their 55 point inspection certainly would have caught the problem with the skunk stripe. Not sure if the trem would have passed or not. Appreciate the review.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I just shot an unboxing of a guitar from Sweetwater an hour ago. I do like how they do business. Thanks for watching.

[@PatrickGeneLeBlancHardy]

Thanks For Sharing 🎸 🎶 🎶

[@bluwng]

If I had to guess, I would say they put finish on the neck first then inserted the truss rod finishing it off by adding the skunk stripe. An unfinished, raw strip of wood. The correct thing to do is finish the neck after assembly.

[@fuzzypanda1684]

Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. I recently picked one of these up in black burst, beautiful guitar! As far as his complaints, he may have gotten a bad one, the skunk stripe on mine is completely flush, no ridge or anything like that, and the trembelo arm isn't wobbly at all, it's nice and firm. Just thought I'd mention that since those seem to be his biggest issues, neither of which are present on mine. So either I got lucky or he got unlucky. Curious what other people's experience is.

[@alanbralan9670]

i have one in sienna burst - no such issues! think he got unlucky

[@mikescott3370]

Mine is very solid!

[@keithh8661]

Hey Mike,I've herd so much talk bout these guitars,it's great ta be able to check one out,and now I feel I have,at your expense,lol lol thanks. Great job

[@robertthomas906]

The slop in the whammy bar is a common issue in Strats including American and Mexican made. Fender sells special springs that drop into the screw hole for the whammy bar that takes up the slack and gets rid of the slop.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yes, I have a about a dozen of those springs in my shop. This spring make absolutely difference with what im talking about. I've owned 7 or so strats that I can remember, and none were this badly out of spec.

[@robertthomas906]

@@grumpymikeguitar Oh in that case it looks like it`s time to upgrade the bridge to something more stable.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I've got one all ready to go in. I'm planning Ning to have that as part of a video. I just have to find time to set up cameras in my shop, but it will be coming eventually.

[@tonyboombotz]

I have the same Strat but in the black. I tell you I feel bad you got one that slipped through. my guitar neck is smooth if u don't look u can't feel or tell it has a skunk line. and almost no play in my tremolo. similar 2 point as my mim super Strat. totally agree about the pickups. glad I found your channel

[@lomoholga]

What a cool setup!!! Get another white light on the right side and it will Look even better

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Actually, I'm in the process of redoing the whole studio. But, yes, I need better lighting. I'm working g on that. Thanks for watching. Be good.

[@valueofnothing2487]

Couldn't believe how good the frets were on mine. I guess I wouldn't buy another since I prefer tall frets. But I was shocked at how good it was.

[@j7cc]

Thanks. ✌️🎶🎸

[@LovinMusic1965]

I own so many of the lower line fender squires, and I play them a lot, live, all the time. I haven't gigged in 30 years with any American guitar, and only own one anyway. Open it, set up for yourself, and go play. I've never replaced any bridges except the Teles.

[@sethcall2916]

I used to be a tele person but lately I’ve been using strats

[@senseiruss]

Hi Mike - glad to see your review, finally - thanks for sharing it. It's interesting about quality control, in Squier, and most likely all brands. I bought the same guitar you're reviewing here and the skunk stripe is beautifully sanded down to match the rest of the neck. And the tuning machines on mine are reliable and accurate with no gear slippage, so far (I've had this guitar since September 2021). Same goes for the bridge/trem bar - none of the issues you've had. I agree about the pickups; they're OK, but not great. My only complaint was a ringing/harmonic that sometimes happened on the open g string, on top of the sound of the plucked string. But my luthier here in NYC easily fixed that. So, overall, based on the one that I bought, I'd highly recommend it, with the proviso that quality can vary from guitar to guitar of the same model. But I've seen variance in quality on some fairly expensive Gibsons I've had, too.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yup, I am inclined to believe these issues are not widespread throughout the whole line. I'm glad you are loving yours.

[@rksmith18]

That feedback on the G is from no string tree, vibrates above the nut. I just stuck a piece of the foam packaging up there next to it to silence it.

[@senseiruss]

@@rksmith18 Did the same - easy fix!

[@tonedriverss8629]

Mine came in PERFECT . Pro level player guitar with an awesome factory set-up . Amazing neck , beautifully finished and polished fretwork , great sounding pick-ups . Can not ask for better . So I got a second one ! It too was flawless right out the box . I now have 2 of the very best Strats I ever bought brand new . This superbly revised series is kicking it out the park , big time . I've been at this for over 40 years . I have my trusty 2007 American strat to compare to , so I know what makes a good strat . These are where the smart money goes . I would not pay the ridiculous price for the shitty over-priced low quality workmanship with new US made strats ! These Squiers are REALLY better in every way . You'd have to be either a grumpy old die-hard or a zero talent young collector wanna -be who can barely play a couple chords to complain anything about these guitars ... lol :) Best series ever from Fender-Squier ... the whole line-up !

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Clearly, the one I got that slipped thru the QC cracks. I've since played a few at my local GC and they were great. However, I must disagree about the American made Fenders. They are far and away better guitars. The Squier pickups, though not horrible, aren't even close. The pots, the tuners, the wood, the fretboards, etc, are just better. The real question is whether or not the huge jump in price is worth it to you. I'll be posting a video soon on the Affinity Tele. I have had a much different experience with this one. It's a really fun guitar to play. That said, the pickups and tuners and possibly the bridge will most likely be going bye bye.

[@spencerboston7870]

I just got a classic Vibe put a Boss guitar synth on it and I love it

[@Nugmania1]

Mike, I think the main thing about the guitar should be how it plays, if I was to buy one, I would swap everything out, 100%. Used pickups can be had fir a great place as well as heads, the bridge replaced by a Wilkinson vintage and you should have a stunning player

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Hey Rik, Sorry i missed your comment. Yes, the main reason I bought the guitar was a: to review it on the channel, and b: to use it as a test platform to try out various pickups, trems, and other strat related parts. Over time, it may end up with a whole different neck. My intention is for there to be an ever-changing evolution of this guitar. My intention in the video, however, was to assess it by the standards of its intended market, that being a beginner. Someone on that level should not have to deal with such issues right out of the box. The good news is that the issues I experienced do not seem to be the norm.

[@Nugmania1]

Mike going out for Birthday dinner, I’m catching up to you , not for a bit, lol, 5 months average time respond, hope your well

[@grumpymikeguitar]

@@Nugmania1 happy birthday!!! Hope you have a great time.

[@DanSaso]

Love this guitar

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I've fixed the neck issue on mine. And, I have a new trem to go in it. I plan to install it in an upcoming video. I just need to figure out the best way to position cameras and the the lighting in my shop. With the new trem, I have no doubt I'm gonna really like it.

[@blkjckgtr3075]

Sweet Strat Mike thank you for your honest unbiased opinion,I guess now your Grumpy again,lol,Cheers!

[@michaelballard4095]

Teflon tape on the threads of the arm should fix the loose play.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Please read my replies to the previous same suggestion. It will explain why I don't do that. And, please understand the overarching point. I shouldn't have to if it were made properly.

[@Nugmania1]

Are you sporting a wicked skillet under that hat? lol Cheers Rik

[@grumpymikeguitar]

If by skillet, you mean a receding hairline... 🤣

[@Nugmania1]

Sorry Mike I meant skullet I hate autocorrect

[@Nugmania1]

Also check out Kim Mitchell when he played with a band called Max Webster, he was the master of the skullet, and also some pretty nifty arpeggios

[@grumpymikeguitar]

@@Nugmania1 I saw Max Webster open for Rush way back in the day. I am a fan.

[@Nugmania1]

@@grumpymikeguitar 1980, I was almost there. Universal Juveniles Tour

[@stopthink9000]

I have the same guitar - I don't have the same issues but the items you mentioned as bad seem like easy fixes? I've not met a screw-in strat-style yet that doesn't have a wobbly stick. They have cheap "trem arm tension" springs you put in the bottom of the trem hole that fix that issue if it bothers you. They're like a buck a piece if you get the Fender branded ones. The neck on mine is really smooth. If I felt a small ridge I'd probably take a few swipes with scotch-brite pad or 320 grit sandpaper. So for less than $10 you're fixed up. Guitars are rarely "perfect" out of the box and to poo-poo a sub $300 one with a premium flame top, excellent frets, a block saddle and chromed 2-point trem and serviceable pickups and tuners seems a little too grumpy.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

A consumer shouldn't have to fix anything on a brand new product. If you buy a new refrigerator and immediately have to fix things on it, are you going to be a bit grumpy? I reviewed it as I got it, except for one thing. I did put a spring in it since I have a bunch of them laying around. And, yes, I do realize that screw in bars have a bit of inherent wobble, this was far worse than any I've experienced before or since. Thanks for the input, but please realize that most guitar players want to buy a guitar and play it not work on it.

[@stopthink9000]

@@grumpymikeguitar I guess I don't consider these fixes, more addressing imperfections. Small tweaks, definitely not abnormal for the price point and common issues on guitars costing 5x as much. You probably wouldn't go over a $300 fridge with a thermometer and level and think it was defective if it wasn't 100% perfect out of the box. It's a nice guitar for the price and has the potential to be a really good value with some small inexpensive optional tweaks. I really enjoyed your playing btw.

[@littlewolf8875]

Actually have the same Affinity down to the gorgeous finish. Well, not actually the same. The one I received earlier this year has none of GM’s issues. The neck is smooth and well suited for playing w/o any issues. And there is zero wobble. Perhaps GM’s review prompted Fender’s QC honchos to step up their game.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Actually, not long after I posted this video, I played one at my local GC. It was really good. This just shows that, although, budget guitars can be really good, they are often hit or miss when it come to quality. BTW, I seriously doubt that anyone at fender has watched any of my videos or even know my channel exists. Maybe someday. But, thanks for watching. I really appreciate it.

[@rksmith18]

I think you just got a bad unit, Mike. I've got a 2022 SSS Affinity Strat that has no real issues. Neck is nice & smooth, trem arm tight, works great. I think this is an excellent guitar, I'm very happy with it.

[@ctcards2636]

Isnt there an allen screw that tightens the whammy bar ? I think there is. Thatd be why its doing that. Take the back cover off and look at the block near the top. There should be a small allen screw.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Nope, setscrews are normally only found with push in style trem bars. About the best you get with screw in bars is a little spring in the hole.

[@BrianSGuitars]

Nice top on that one!

[@chizorama]

Wrap some teflon tape around the whammy bar, might help.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Ok, yes, for the last time, yes, Teflon tape will work temporarily and ultimately create a huge mess. Not a solution I am keen on. I have already purchased a replacement. As soon as I get the chance, I'll have a video about it.

[@bluwng]

Put Teflon tape on the tremolo bar or buy a Wilkinson bridge with a pop in bar it’s roughly $35 to $60.

[@JuanJaim]

I put a round of electric tape on mine (I leave a few threads at the bottom uncovered so these can grab onto the threaded walls and get it going). Nice and tight, can leave it slightly loose also and it won't wobble. Gonna try the teflon tape though!

[@mikebalenzano]

What are your thoughts about the Yamaha Pacifica 112 compared to Squire Affinity HSS? I'm just starting out and trying to choose a great first electric guitar on a budget.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Unfortunately, I have yet to check one out. I hear they are pretty good, but I have no first hand experience.

[@mikebalenzano]

@@grumpymikeguitar thank you. Most reviews say it's a better quality guitar compared to the Affinity series. I wanted your opinion because you don't sugar coat the reviews!

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Please let me know what you end up getting.

[@mikebalenzano]

@@grumpymikeguitar will do. I'm new to playing so I'll do my best to let you know what I think. Cheers!

[@grumpymikeguitar]

@@mikebalenzano enjoy your guitar journey.

[@danaowens30]

Well i have 3 SSS,HSS,and HSH Fender Affinity models after tweaking them all upgrading to the highest you can buy D Marzio all guitars switch coil spliting on all i would not ever.😂😂😂these stay with me for life. Also changed all my bridges and all new paint. All Mexican bridges. And neither are they bad American trussrods all new my builds

[@grumpymikeguitar]

The Affinity's seem to be excellent modding platforms. They have good bones from which you can build exactly what you want. I love it. 🤘

[@ArleyMcBlain]

my fender skunkstripe also has a ridge…. seasonally!

[@grumpymikeguitar]

This is interesting. Are you saying that it appears and disappears with the change of seasons? Please elaborate.

[@ArleyMcBlain]

@@grumpymikeguitar Yes - I need to pay better attention to be more accurate, but if I recall correctly last winter it was noticable enough on one side that I was tempted to do somtehing like sand it, and in the summer I couldn't feel it... I guess it makes sense that different woods act differently?

[@grumpymikeguitar]

@ArleyMcBlain is it possible that it's responding to changes in humidity?

[@bradhienzachary]

I bought one for $40 AUD on market place FB! Had it set up polished the frets new strings and it plays beautiful!!!! Looking at best ways to upgrade it.

[@raysaade]

Teflon tape around the trem thread and you're all set

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yes, I know. The problem with that is it is only temporary and wears out. After redoing it a couple of times, it leave a big mess in the hole and it's a huge pain in the ass to get all of that crap out. The broader point is that the bridge should simply be made better.

[@raysaade]

@grumpymikeguitar yeah you made about 10 good points there 😅 But yeah I meant as a simple fix for beginner guitarists instead of paying for a better bridge that'd cost them almost as much as the guitar

[@grumpymikeguitar]

@raysaade I know and I do appreciate that. I hope you understand that when I review a guitar or any other gear, I have to point out the shortcomings when and where I find them. I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't. Also, companies have to be called out when they are producing a product with low quality parts. That said, I do appreciate your suggestion and I hope you will continue watching the channel. I am truly grateful for all of my subscribers and viewers.

[@PBonner18018]

You get what you pay for, it’s cheap and meant for beginners and it can be modded and upgraded and still be cheaper than its more expensive counterparts.

[@caseylee12]

Wiggle stick that bad on a new guitar, I'd send it back for a replacement. I've bought used Affinity strats with a six screw trem that worked fine. I've got 3 Squier telecasters and they're great. Can't wait to see if you like yours.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Had I not bought it with the intention of replacing things on it many times over, I would have definitely sent it back. For me, the the biggest issue is the neck. Fortunately, I can fix that fairly easy. I do intend, however, to do some follow-up on this model. I want to checkout some more examples to see if I can determine how widespread these issues are.

[@caseylee12]

@@grumpymikeguitar yeah and modding for me is a lot of the fun of guitars. I know Music Lily sells a short brass block for replacement on an Affinity, so I wonder if they have a while trem set

[@bluwng]

Mine was OK, after a good setup, it’s great. No matter how straight I have the neck and how low (3/32) the action it won’t buzz or fret out, in fact it feels a bit high. It’s a player and feels and plays great. I buffed and waxed the neck, I love smooth gloss, I am opposite of people who claim they like a natural neck. A raw 2x4 is not meant to be played. Negative, hate the pickup tone. Pickups are high output for such low resistance. Tremolo is smooth and stays in tune. Setting up a vibrato system is a science a process and a system, you can never blame the bridge directly, it just doesn’t work that way. Blaming the bridge is like saying my car sucks it doesn’t run well, when in fact you have 4 flat tires, it’s not the car it’s the tires.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

With the issue on mine, you can definitely blame the bridge. The tolerances are way out of spec for the trem arm. Over the years I've played hundreds of guitars with strat style trems, I've never experienced anything close to the slop on this one. The issue with the neck is no big deal. I'll take care of that as soon as I decide on how I want to finish it. The bridge, on the other hand, is different. Short of findi g a slightly larger arm that screws in snug, the only other option is replacement.

[@bluwng]

@@grumpymikeguitar 6mm strat arms are all over Amazon and cheap or you can buy a Wilkinson bridge with a pop in arm.

[@MattJarz]

Nice guitar for the money

[@mykneeshurt8393]

Great review. Wood shrinking because they don't dry the wood properly before building the guitars.. Seems like they are trying to crank out instruments to meet demand..

[@grumpymikeguitar]

In this case, I don't believe it is from shrinkage. It just feels like it wasn't in contact with sandpaper for much more than a couple of seconds.

[@frc293]

Wow! Great video quality, which camera did you use...

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I use 2 Lumix G85's and the occasional shots from my Samsung Galaxy Note 10

[@ImNotOld_ImVintage]

Good review on a nice looking guitar. I would have never noticed the slop in the trem. My 2004 USA strat that looks almost identical (with small headstock) still has the sticker over the hole for the trem that the factory put on it. How was the cut of the nut? The intonation sounded a little off down on the cowboy chords when playing clean, but sounded better when you came up the neck. But maybe that's just an artifact of the tuner issue on the high e, and my bad hearing :)

[@grumpymikeguitar]

The nut was cut fairly well. If anything, I will do just a bit of extra polishing in the slots. As far as the intonation is concerned, it definitely needs some tweaking. Of course, that's pretty much true on most budget level guitars. Once I take care of the neck issues, I'll do a full setup.

[@alastair6356]

Buy a Wilkinson replacement bridge with a brass block . Problem solved.

[@floydthebarber9956]

Mike ... How would you describe the thin or thickness of the neck? I'm looking for a thin neck to ease my carpal tunnel. TIA

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Sorry I missed your question. The neck feels very similar to may MIM Strat. I'd give you exact measurements but I seem to have misplaced my calipers. I have the same issue as you and I find the neck to be fairly comfortable.

[@tomflynn2912]

Hi, cant you tighten up the trem springs to get that wiggle room out?

[@grumpymikeguitar]

No, the issue is with either the trem arm being too small or the hole is too big. And yes, as some have pointed out, you can wrap plumbers tape around the threads, but that is only a temporary fix. Trust me, you end up having to repeat the process over and over. For me, it's not a problem. What I wanted to emphasize in the video is that, for a beginner, it would be. And, considering this guitar is aimed at the beginner to intermediate player, I could definitely see things like this being a disappointment.

[@danielboeckner6680]

Did you put the spring under the trim arm

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yes, I did.

[@danielboeckner6680]

Did you try putting some tephon tape on it

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I hate using Teflon tape. It wears out and is a pain in the ass to clean out of the hole. The point is that even on cheap parts tolerances shouldn't be this bad. If I'm wrong, then every guitar should come with a roll of tape and a dentist pick to clean that crap out.

[@danielboeckner6680]

OK, I bought a Squier strat from the pawn shop for 120.00 did not come with the spring, it has a hhs pickup setup in it, the only thing I don't like is the volume know placement

[@danielboeckner6680]

It also has locking turners and a coil split switch

[@Ra-gv6lx]

👏😎

[@blkjckgtr3075]

PS Mike was that made in Mexico or Indonisia?Cheers

[@grumpymikeguitar]

The Strat was made in China. The Tele comes from Indonesia.

[@frc293]

Guitar sounded good, which year is it from?

[@grumpymikeguitar]

It's new from this year

[@jameswilson6374]

Seems that Fender's qaulity control has gone to crap in the last 22 years since a bought my American standard strat. I bought and returned not one but two American pro II strats this last spring. One had unacceptable blemishes in the finish and the other the nut was so bad the guitar wasn't even playable. I bought a MIM strat that was delivered perfect and kicks ass! Goes to show you that the high dollar guitars are not always better. Sadly the big guitar makers will charge what ever people are willing to pay!

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Honestly, I'm not sure if the legacy brands have gotten that much worse, or if the more budget friendly lines have gotten that much better. I tend to think it's the latter of the two. Certainly, the budget brands have improved a lot. I played many Fenders and Gibsons back in the day that were, to say the least, substandard. Back then, however, the Epi's and Squiers were completely unacceptable. That has changed considerably. Asia is really starting to give "made in the usa" a run for its money. Believe me, I hate saying that, but it's true. One thing to keep in mind, I think the past couple of years, let's call it the "Pandemic Era," has not been the best for QC all the way around. I don't mean to absolve the big guys completely, but it has had an effect that is, to some extent, beyond their control. I think it will be interesting to see if things will improve as the world get back to more stable conditions, if that is even possible. Only time will tell.

[@tball5677]

New subscriber

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Welcome and thanks for the sub.

[@calbrockocat8728]

Too bad about the neck and bridge and the tuners, which would makeit a return for me. Seeing as you intend to mod it, careful about that replacement bridge as the Squier is way thinner than the Fender Strat.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yup, I have to be careful about which bridges I get to try out for it. But, that's kind of the point for this project in a way. I want to be able to show ways to make your Squier really shine. Things like bridges have to be much more specific, where as stuff like the electronics can apply to most any strat. Personally, I'm not going to let the issues with this guitar sour my opinion about Squiers. So far, I've been having mostly good experiences with Squiers.

[@bluwng]

I own one it has great playability, only thing I don’t like are the pickups. I am an engineer in defense and aerospace, let me tell you, understanding mechanics and some electronics helps. Understand how things function, don’t rely on an individual’s opinion, most are not experts and their misunderstanding will mislead you. The skunk stripe is raw on mine only where it starts near the neck, only about half an inch but it annoys me. The wiggle stick is fine all strat designs suck, put some Teflon tape.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

The Teflon tape fix can work, but it is, at best, a temporary fix. Ultimately, you end up having to do it over and over again. This issue is the one that concerns me the most. With the neck, it's easy enough to think that not every guitar will have this problem. The trem, however, seems like it might be a much more widespread issue.

[@bluwng]

@@grumpymikeguitar mine is very smooth. You can find high grade replacements cheap. I have a strong knowledge in setting up floating bridges, it is a lot more work than people realize. I think a Wilkinson for $40 will fix your issue.

[@JuanJaim]

​@@grumpymikeguitar Musiclily makes brass blocks that fit Squier Strats (Bullet & Affinity models, Made in China and /or Indonesia). I put one on my MIC '18 Affinity Strat and it fit like a glove, what a great upgrade it is! (even if it makes the guitar heavier!). Amazon and or/ebay is where you can find them, not too expensive as well.

[@joekelly9369]

Sounds like tinitus

[@grumpymikeguitar]

🤣

[@armax00]

I do not buy the price argument mostly because in my opinion it begs the question as of what are you getting for the money. If I were to find a scratch on a new pair of headphones I would send them back :) have you tried asking for a discount as the defects make it basically a B-stock? I have had a similar experience with an affinity p-bass, and I got a 15% off for the defects which I can fix myself. The point Is, for me, that after all you are paying for something new. For some reason the market of instruments is incredibly weird :D

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I agree, if you are not satisfied with the condition of the guitar, you should send it back. As for this guitar, the issues it has are irrelevant to me because I bought it with the intent on changing out pretty much everything on it. Think of it as a test strat.

[@armax00]

@@grumpymikeguitar that's good but if you manage to get a discount out of it it makes it also cost effective 😉

[@bluwng]

Tighten the nuts on the tuner, I doubt it’s the actual tuners.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

That's a good suggestion, however, it is not the problem here. To be clear, it not a huge issue. It's just takes a little more ti.e to get that high E dialed in. Once there, it holds tune just fine.

[@bluwng]

@@grumpymikeguitar I feel for you, seems you got a bad product. I had all these little tissue but went away with minor adjustments. The one thing that drove me nuts is the dry feel of the skunk stripe, only in one area but I can feel it when I play. My original intent was to buy the new Fender roasted maple neck with Jumbo frets and bolt on, but the existing neck setup so well I decided to play it until the frets wear then get the neck.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

@@bluwng no worries, I knew when I decided to start this channel that not everything I buy to demo/review would be a winner. For the most part, this guitar is actually pretty nice. The big takeaway is that there can be some pretty significant Q/C problems.

[@adriansvarela]

The guitar looks amazing! But the pickups gotta go imo

[@eertje01]

So is this a full size body?

[@grumpymikeguitar]

No, it is about 1/4" thinner than my MIM strat. That said, it is also almost a pound lighter. Sorry for taking so long to respond.

[@eertje01]

@@grumpymikeguitar No problem at all!

[@ahabshell3571]

Affinity series can be problematic... I wouldn't buy one unless I was planning to mod it (it does sound like a good series.....). I would stick to a used classic vibe or MIM Fender. Some of the issues might not be QC, I've seen several squiers from Asia come in with rusted strings and a popped skunk stripe... my guess being issues with moisture during transit.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

You may be onto something regarding moisture issues during g transit. With the recent backup at ports, it's reasonable to assume that some of these guitars have been sitting on ships for extended periods of time. I do, however, believe that most of the Affinity Series guitars are something I would recommend to a beginner. I have the Tele video coming up and it is certainly a great guitar for any beginner or even an intermediate player. I love playing it and am looking forward to doing a few upgrades. It has tons of potential.

[@ralphandsandyscustomshop3768]

I dont agree at all my stripe is fine and the trem bar is just plain to high. Not the trem , Fella take your trem bar ou to the vise and rebend it. no issue. Personally i dont think you video will ruin their reputation.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Nope, you completely missed what the issue is. Try watching again. The height of the trem arm has nothing to do with it. That said, you are correct in that Fender hasn't got a clue who I am and wouldn't give a dam about what I say if they did.

[@billsedge7360]

You must have got a bad one coz mine is perfect,!

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Yup, I've checked out others at the local GC and they were fine.

[@paulievee8830]

$339 freaking dollars. you don't have any sandpaper? or any steel wool that's what you going to complain about the skunk stripe I'm just glad it came with one but then again I'm probably not the great guitar aficionado that you are that broke down and spent a whole $339

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Don't know if your a guitar aficionado, but I am pretty sure you have a somewhat rude disposition. Not only that, it's pretty clear you are an expert at missing the point.

[@paulievee8830]

@@grumpymikeguitar just seem to be a little picky? I bought one of these and to my amazement it was one of the straightest guitars I've ever gotten out of a box. It came in the fender box not a squire box. Maybe that was the reason why, it was all set up just about perfect. Sure I'll do some polishing and tweaking here and there but the neck of these guitars are pretty amazing even compared to some of the most expensive Fenders . The medium jumbo frets are so nice. I didn't have to polish mine. The new classic vibes with those narrow tall frets are horrible. They need definitely need to be polished, probably just to get the caked on polyurethane off! Anyway I'm going to keep following your channel I didn't mean to be nasty I was just surprised that all the critiquing without any kind of praising. Have a good night.

[@paulievee8830]

I did get a spring for the term arm and it keeps it tight. And some 1000 grit sand paper smoothed out the back of the neck, which I would have done anyway

[@grumpymikeguitar]

No worries, I'm glad you got a good one. That seems to be more common than not. However, I can only review the one I got. I have to report the bad along with the good. I'll be doing a video on the Affinity Tele soon. SPOILER ALERT: It's tons better.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I do have e a spring in mine. It doesn't help the issue at all. The issue is side to side wobble. Yes, I could wrap a bunch of plumbers tape around it but that is a temporary solution and can make a mess that's a pain to deal with down the road. Picking shreds of plumbers tape out of that hole sucks.

[@davisworth5114]

Bro, the "double coil" pickup is called a "humbucker", okay? You're disappointed in the guitar, your playing is disappointing.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Hmm, after numerous hand injuries and the resulting nerve damage and the onset of arthritis, I'm fairly pleased that I can still play at all. Also, after over 30 years of working on guitars, I'm thrilled that a genius such as yourself came along to let me know what a humbucker is. BTW, I hope whatever conditions in your life that made you such a rude and hateful person improves. Peace ✌️

[@ds97853]

Life is too short to play shitty guitars.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

I prefer to view them as diamonds in the rough. 🤣

[@cofieleven]

hey whats the string spacing on your bridge?

[@grumpymikeguitar]

2.04"

[@Al3xmsuk]

Hello there,sorry for your issue regarding your guitar,I was so close to buy this one,but after your review I decided not to buy it.Can you please recommend me a good one from Fender under 300 please.Many thaks👍

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Howdy, the thing about guitars in this price range, no matter the manufacturer, is they are going to be "hit or miss." Over all, the quality of the Affinitys is quite good for the price. That doesn't mean there aren't any duds. I played one at my local GC and it was surprisingly good. That said, if I were you, I would save up a little more money and look at the Sire S3. Hope this helps and thanks for checking out the video.

[@rickenglish8038]

How about learning how to EQ your amp properly.SMH

[@grumpymikeguitar]

Actually, the trick has been learning how to compensate for how youtube processes the audio.

[@chuinator9918]

I believe you can just replace the block under the bridge with a guitarfetish heavy block.

[@mr8ty8]

Do you perhaps by any chance know if its triple S slotted or HSH? I'm thinking of getting one of these sienna or honey affinities and putting in p90s and a single Texas special neck PU in the middle. Wilkinson has some great tremolos with wiggle stick lock system. I would change the tuners to the vintage style or locking tuners and use some copper foil for the pickup and knobs cavity. Doubt that these are very well shielded with good paint.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

It is routed to accommodate HSH.

[@mr8ty8]

@@grumpymikeguitar Cheers

[@aladolfsenjustanoldguy2045]

One of the better reviews on KZbin. Only thing I would like to know is was amp and pedals were used. Keep up the good work 👏 🙌 👍. By the way, did it come with that small spring that goes into the hole for the stick? I'm constantly losing if for my strat, bought a bag from fender.

[@grumpymikeguitar]

The amp is the Supro Delta King 10. I used an SM 57 to mic it and the only pedal used was the Keeley Compressor + Yes, it has the spring. I lose them a lot as well so I bought a hole box of them from StewMac. 😂

[@JaniceLalla]

Does it neck dive with that big headstock?

[@grumpymikeguitar]

No, it's fairly well balanced.