Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster FMT Electric Guitar, Black Burst, Maple Fingerboard

I will give a detailed review and explain why this is an excellent guitar for anyone wanting to learn how to play, or it could be used in a gig.This is my first electric guitar, with me moving up from the acoustic guitar. The package came with the body and strings for me to get started. However, I wish it came with a strap, but I really don't need one since I'm always sitting down during play/practice. The maple fretboard feels very good in the hands, being my sweaty hands don't slip, and it feels of high quality and is very smooth. The rest of the body feels solid and with a little weight to it. There are no quality issues with my copy. The guitar was super easy to tone up. It is equipped with 9 gauge strings. For me, that is very light from the 12s I'm used to with acoustic, It almost feels like rubber bands. I ordered some 10s strings when I'm ready to change my strings.The only thing that has to be done once you unpackaged it is to remove the thin plastic film that protects the shiny pickguard. This is a pain as the toning and volume knobs will now always have plastic underneath them. But when I'm ready to mod this guitar I will remove it then.The only thing that drew concern was the humbucker pickup was loose to the touch. Not a big deal because it doesn't move around during play, and I can't hear anything changing in tone. Tightening up the screws next to the pickup only pushes it closer to the strings. In fact, they shouldn't be touched unless you are making an adjustment for your own preference.I have no complaints this is such a great experience for me.Things I had to buy with this guitar:Carry Strap: https://amzn.to/3B3Xa6bGuitar App: I choose Blackstar https://amzn.to/3cktuHFExtra Strings: https://amzn.to/3z1C8Tn

Great instrument, stays in tune, great action

I favor Gibsons, but just for variety I thought it would be nice to have a Fender-like instrument, as well as one with a tremolo, which my other instruments don't have. For $300 I'm prepared to do some set-up to put an instrument in optimal shape, though this one took a little more work than expected.-----The bad; CONS first:* Beware razor blades! This critique is aimed at ALL guitar brands, not just Squire. As I was unpacking this instrument I grabbed it by the neck and almost dropped it -- it was like grabbing hold of the blade of a cross-cut saw SHARP edges on virtually every fret, both sides. Gives a whole new meaning to to the term "shred"!Why guitar makers seemingly can't be bothered to DRESS the ends of the frets before they declare the instrument finished is beyond me. I've noticed this problem with $1000 guitars, and with $100 guitars.First thing I did was take the strings off, and sand the fret-ends on both sides of the neck with 320, 400, 600, and 1000 grit sandpaper to get rid of the dangerously sharp edges. Took about 15 minutes. At the factory, with the neck off and an electric buffer, it would probably take less than a minute.* Tremolo springs. Strats can take up to 5 springs on the tremolo mechanism, and you use more or fewer depending on the gauge strings used, and how stiff you want the tremolo to feel. You can always take springs off -- but you can't put them on if they're not there. The Squire only came with three springs, and no more in the guitar or the box. Since I want to use heavier strings, I had to order extra tremolo springs.* No spring for the tremolo arm. To be fair, even a lot of people with expensive vintage Strats don't have a spring in the tremolo arm, because they never knew there was there, and lost it the first time they took the arm off.Without a spring, when you move the arm back out of your way, it flops down over the controls, and it won't stay in playing position unless you tighten it to the point where you risk stripping threads. A simple little spring in the hole the arm screws into solves this problem, and the arm will stay where you put it.You can get a pack of 4 springs for $5 fro Allparts -- but, really, at least one should have come with the guitar.* No case. Once upon a time no reputable seller would have dreamed of selling a guitar without throwing in at least a chipboard case or a gig-bag. Now they'll cheerfully hand you even a $1000 guitar in a cardboard box. It's gotten so that when I shop guitars, I automatically add $100-$150 to the price, figuring that's how much extra it's going to cost to get a basic hard-shell case for the instrument.Case for this one went for about $90.-----The Good; PROS now:* Well set up. Once I got the frets smoothed and new strings on, it played like a dream. Strings were in tune everywhere on the fretboard and the bridge was properly compensated for the strings that it shipped with.* Great action. Again, well set up for the strings it came with. Fabulously low action, you barely have to think about fretting the strings and it happens. Effortless playing all the way across and up the neck.* Good pickups. Not high end, but not wimpy either. All pickups were strong, non-noisy, and the array produces a pretty authentic "Strat sound". Controls feel solid, and work correctly, without any noise or stiffness.* Feels great. The body is a tad thinner than a USA Strat, but that's probably something only confirmed Fender junkies might notice. The maple neck and fingerboard are very comfortable, and have the feel of a higher end instrument. For me, it's a very comfortable guitar to hold and play.* Solid tuners. Worked smoothly and held where I set them. As with all instruments with a non-locking tremolo, tuning is a bit of give-and-take. But once I got it tuned, it stayed there.* Tremolo is solid and worked as expected. Not quite as stiff as I'd like it, but I'll have to wait until I get the extra springs to adjust that.* It looks beautiful. I got the "black burst" finish, and it's pretty much flawless. Pick guard, back plate, screws, knobs -- everything is in place and overall the look is that of a much more expensive instrument.(All the more reason to protect it with a case!)-----PERSONAL stuff:These are quirks that I felt a need to tweak -- not necessarily cons, and for some people they might even be pros.* Arrived with very light gauge strings 0.009 on the high E. I prefer something closer to 0.011, which means I'm going to have to stiffen the tremolo action, and possibly refile or replace the nut.* The low action is a little TOO low for my tastes. I like to feel a little more positive resistance when I'm playing. This is something that I'll adjust when I put on heavier strings, and again, I may have to replace the nut to raise things up a tad.* Strap buttons. Once upon a time you typically got one strap button on a guitar, and you tied the other end of your strap to the headstock with a thong or a shoelace--not ideal, since the strap was often then either putting stress on the tuners, or bumping against your hand in 1st position.These days you more often get two buttons, but they always seem to put the second button in an asinine place. In this case it's on the upper horn of the body (and yes, I know they do this on high-end Strats, too). This is one of the narrower (and hence weaker) parts of the body, and sooner or later either the button screw is going to work it's way out, or worse.I relocated mine to the back of the body.Again, this is personal preference, and you may be happy with the button where it is.All in all, with some work and a little love, this is a good guitar for a beginner or intermediate player at a fraction of the cost of a US Strat, and I can even see using it in a professional gig, for the odd number here and there that my Gibsons don't quite fit.Also might be handy for the dedicated Strat player who wants to experiment with setups and wiring, before committing them to his vintage '61 axe. :)Worth checking out.

I wanted to upgrade my son’s guitar and after hearing respected guitarist I know personally give good marks on this guitar, I decided to make the purchase. My son played it nonstop for over 2 hours when he first opened it! He loves it as do I. He remarked,” wow, what a difference the guitar makes in playability!”I realize it’s not the “American Fender Strat”, but it’s surprisingly well built. Considering buying one for myself later.

A great starter guitar! My first guitar was back in 1966! It was almost unplayable, high string action, heavy strings, bad intonation and warped neck. This Squier / Fender Strat is exceptional right out of the box! The neck set up was good, I adjusted string height and intonation and is now a joy to play. I have a 1995 Fender American Standard Strat and wanted this guitar as a project guitar because it has the humbucker pickup. Having owned Gibson SG's I loved the tone but not the neck. My aim is to get the Gibson tone with the Strat maple neck. I have played professionally and owned a variety of guitars and amps over the years. Still trying to find my guitar sound!Signed by a frustrated Bass player / Wanna be guitarist!