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Squier Affinity vs. Standard - Actual difference?


redpoint

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I think these threads pop up all the time.. but I searched and found a lot of threads about this cheap guitar or that one, but nothing that answered what the $50 gets you between an affinity strat and a squier standard strat...

 

The web says an affinity has:

* Contoured solid alder body

* Die-cast tuners

* Maple neck

* Classic '70s "big" headstock

* Vintage 6-screw rocking trem

* Rosewood fingerboard

* 21 frets

* 3 single-coil pickups

* 5-way switching

* One volume, 2 tone controls

* Single-ply white pickguard

 

and a standard strat has:

* 2-point fulcrum trem

* 22-fret neck

* 3 alnico single-coil pickups

* 3-ply pickguard

* Die-cast tuners

* Rosewood or maple fretboard

* Solid agathis body

 

Is it the extra fret, the alnico pickups, and the agathis vs alder body?

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I have a Standard fat ( to go with my American series 50th anniv Limited Strat, My MIM with sperzels and EMG DG-20 pickups,

and my 2000 American Series Strat bone stock).

I'll say that the Fat Standard is a Very good Strat. The neck lacks that solid feel that's hard to describe but it has very good fret work and it really sounds quite good. I did put a Duncan Distortion in the Bridge position though but the stock pup wasn't too bad. It really is decent guitar for the money and I bought it on a whim one day because I love the headstock and it had this cool black subtely sparkeling finish to it.

The affinitys I've tried (and that's a lot because a lot of my students have them) seem to run a gamut from complete crap to some damn fine axes.

One kid has ont that is just amazing to play!! The notes and chords just leap out of that bad boy!!.

I think his mom paid like $129.00 for it!! How can you go wrong?? He hit the jackpot on that one.

Mine isn't as good as that one. and it was $120.00 more (nearly twice the price).

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Originally posted by KarateSchnitzel

isn't the standard also a full depth strat whereas the affinity has a thinner body depth....

 

 

Yes, it is. Standard also has:

 

- better tuners (better hardware generally)

- better finish

- skunk stripe on the back side of the neck. Besides that, both neck are declared as "modern C shape", but i found Affinity's neck a bit thinner.

 

Actually i like Affinity's thinner neck and body depth - very comfortable to play

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Originally posted by flyguitar



Yes, it is. Standard also has:


- better tuners (better hardware generally)

- skunk stripe on the back side of the neck. Besides that, both neck are declared as "modern C shape", but i found Affinity's neck a bit thinner.


Actually i like Affinity's thinner neck and body depth - very comfortable to play

 

 

My Affinity has both of these. They've been doing this for the past couple of years. The really thin neck is my only complaint.

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Originally posted by flyguitar



Yes, it is. Standard also has:


- better tuners (better hardware generally)

- better finish

- skunk stripe on the back side of the neck. Besides that, both neck are declared as "modern C shape", but i found Affinity's neck a bit thinner.

 

I just got one, and it doesn't have a skunk stripe (not that I'm bothered...)

 

I bought it 2nd hand though, so it may be a more recent edition.

 

Originally posted by jhall


I love the headstock and it had this cool black subtely sparkeling finish to it.

 

I love the headstock too! Mine also has the 'black sparkle' finish - it's nice....

:cool:

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I'm trying to decide between the same 2, just in a Tele, not a Strat. From what I've gathered, the tuners are slightly better, the neck is a standard Fender width while the Affinity is slightly narrower. I think the pickups are supposedly different as well.

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Originally posted by blinz

I'm trying to decide between the same 2, just in a Tele, not a Strat. From what I've gathered, the tuners are slightly better, the neck is a standard Fender width while the Affinity is slightly narrower. I think the pickups are supposedly different as well.

 

 

Alnico on the Standard vs. ceramic on the Affinity.

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Originally posted by Save The Pine Weasel


I've seen both from each country.

 

 

They probably moved some production of the Affinitys to China after that huge tsunami they had in Indonesia. I know that originally the Standards were MIC, and the Affinitys were MII (I had a Squier P-Bass Affinity that was MII).

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I bought an Affinity Tele Special Butterscotch mainly because it was so darn purdy and cheap - $140 with gigbag. :D

 

It's "Crafted in China".

 

It could use some mods. New pickups for one since it's a little lifeless and I'm tempted to convert it to string-thru.

 

AffinityTele.jpg

 

 

But check out the grain and finish. Very nice for $140!

 

AffinityTele001.jpg

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hey Gas man,

 

i have been eyeballing one of those too. i dont have a tele, or anything with single coils. so, how is the fretwork on it? i played one at a shop a while back and it felt like razors.

 

i wish i was handy with a file and could fix it myself.

 

:mad:

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I was very impressed with the Squier's I played back in May. I wasn't planning to buy anything (I was actually testing out Amps), and asked a sales guy to open up a butterscotch affinity tele.

 

I was really surprised. It was a great guitar right out of the box. Setup was good and the fretwork was perfect, and it had the tele twang and what not.

 

I ended up with a Black & Chrome Standard, though, and I was incredibly happy with it. One of the best guitars I'd ever owned. :thu:

 

I think with Squier right now, if you get a good one, you have either a really good beginner/practice guitar, or with a couple of simple upgrades, a serious player for not very much money at all. Of course, if you get a bad one, you're going to be cursing the entire brand... ;) I'd never buy one online, though. They have to be tested out first.

 

Good luck.

 

//S

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