Why I Bought A Squier Strat For $89!

In this video I talk about why I bought a used Squier Strat for $89. I also do a review and sound demo. I compare it with a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster and 2 Fender Player Series Stratocasters. Should I keep this thing or part it out and sell it?

[buzzbabyjesus]

Keep it. I bought a black Squier Affinity for $50. Once I cleaned it up I realized it was a pretty good guitar. The neck and body were solid. I spent $400 replacing everything. It's killer now.

[misterknightowlandco]

Tbh I don’t think beginner guitars were ever that bad, I think when they came out back in the day we just didn’t know what we were doing so we thought the guitars sucked. I recently bought a bunch of old beginner strat copies from the 90’s for 50 a piece from a second hand shop that was going out of business. They’re weren’t nearly as bad as I remembered as a kid. They all intonated and worked fine after a clean up and restring. I think we’re all just victims of the power of branding and advertising.

[rocketpoolpki]

A great example of how a starter instrument instantly becomes semi pro in the hands of a professional musician, the years have evened out the difference in the components and hardware, the manufacturing technology has removed the human error aspect from assembly and milling...it has a fantastic shape for any headstock fans of classic design, can be instantly improved with a pick up swap, new nut & fret job...you just don't know how good any neck can feel until you've taken it out for a spin, my best stat neck is from a Peavey Raptor/Predator, great upload man \m/

[ryanbilly]

Keep it! I'm browsing yt for my newly bought squier for 50Aud and went back here to comment. Yes these units are crazy for the price. Found out mine is from 1996 and hard to trace it back but it has a YN6 serial. Just a lucky buy as I'm looking for a relic project guitar in sunburst and it suddenly pops up in fb marketplace. Too long I have been looking for one or near deals but some sellers are hard to deal with or never replies. lol Got amazed when I brought it home. Dirty and not so good picture on marketplace. Mine is full thickness body, small head like 60s 22 frets/42mm, nice rosewood fingerboard/maple neck and tight joints. I disassembled it to start the relic but I find out ceramic pups and big pots. The cavities are nice too. I cleaned and put it back, setup and new strings. crazy unit. It is nice to play now. I researched more about it as it is not on any squier production but few infos on the forums. It is about a year production before the affinity series of 2000, the by fender is on the ball headstock, and strat only name and squire logo. Alder body in standard specs and 2 tone burst they say but not on catalog. I don't even knew a 2 tone until now. lol I just leave it like this without relic'ing but the small dents and chips originally. Ordered tuners, bridge and still researching on the block size. First time to comment this long too. :D Sub and have a nice day always, mate! \m/

[timmyv]

Those Indonesian Squiers have great necks and are great modding platforms.

[catzndolz]

Love the color! I picked a black one up at the Goodwill.
It's a 2000, made in China, Squire Affinity. We're changing out the pickups, pots and switching out the plain white pickguard for a black and silver grey pearlized one.

[AuntAlnico]

That guitar is looking awesome ! Never see em that color !
I got myself a $60 squier stratocaster and didn't expect much but it turn out to be the best strat I've got !

[mylon]

I bought a used Squire Affinity Strat in January 2019 when I started playing again. I am still playing it, I think it is a great guitar!

[zincChameleon]

If you want to try something interesting, try creating a hard tail by inserting a block of brass between the whimpy tremolo block and the wood of the body. I used a sawed-in-half brass pipe nut, and the effect on sustain was amazing. It makes the unwound G string sing!

[joebob]

Damn. I hear good riffs and I get all excited. Music moves me!

[adrian_V]

Keep it! I have one and love it. I swapped out the crappy ceramics by putting in a cheap loaded alnico V pickguard system. The neck is great, love the fat headstock too.

[jimmyz]

I'm watching at the end now. My take on your channel since you asked:

Don't change a thing, and don't do anything different. Just keep the good stuff coming! I love this channel, and Marty I think this is one of the most fun & creative channels out there, for guitar nerds like me. Keep rockin! You know.... I've been thinking about a "Rising Sun" guitar lately. Straight out of our 80's.... maybe even with a couple Japanese characters on it. White with Red Rising Sun! Just an idea. I'll brain-storm for a few more ideas. But shoot man.... you are doing a great job of bringing fun content.

[thewjw]

I found a 2010 black Chinese affinity strat for $79 with a gig bag. Put in a Wilkenson trem that fits the affinity body and a Stratosphere hot Texas blues alnico 5 loaded pick guard. Just a great guitar. I have "better" guitars but play this one more.

[stevepotter]

That was great! I pick up used Squier Standard and Vintage Modified etc, all of the time and they can be absolutely phenomenal guitars. Unfortunately they stopped making their Standard Stratocaster and Telecaster models a few years back but I highly "recommend to a friend". When you luck up and see one used GET IT BROTHER!

[ronmorey]

The Indonesian Squiers are really good guitars. Jack Pearson plays one professionally. You got a great sound out of that one. I would keep it!

[AdrianLugo]

Picked me up a CV 50s Strat practically brand new for 100 bucks and it sounds pretty good. I'll be swapping out the pickups, nut, and bridge very soon.

[yomommaahotoo]

I fondly remember my old Pignose strat - there was just something about it, playable and implausible good sounding ceramic pups.

[wjewell]

I personally love the Indonesian squires..I have an 05 affinity and I pick it up more than the others.mostly because I'm preserving the others from the wear and tear....lol

[patrickfoster]

I'd keep it. I've similar situation where an old 1989 Squire II blCk Strat that was given to me. It sat in it's gig bag for years because I have a collection of nice guitars including a couple of vintage US Strats, a 1982 Vintage Series '62 Reissue Tobacco Sunburst and a few Gibson's. One day I got a wild hair and pulled out the old Squire and put some new light gauge strings and lo and behold it plays like a dream! Certainly doesn't have the solid quality feel of the US made ones but it certainly plays great- an actual speed demon with very low action with no buzzing! There are no dead frets and no sprout. Plus it has a maple neck whereas both my others are rosewood. I was impressed, so I'm about to do similar upgrades and make this thing into a real workhorse! I've already bought a new set of tuners and the pups are next. The ones in it sound decent but with any volume at all and it goes to sqealing and sqauking. Anyway, my vote: keep it!!

[benallmark]

I think she’s a keeper. Nothing wrong with having an affinity in the collection, I do.