Squier Affinity Telecaster Electric Guitar, Laurel Fingerboard
You can't go wrong with a Telecaster! This beginner-friendly Squier sports a pair of single-coil pickups with 3-way switching and a string-thru-body bridge.
$249.99
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Overall User Ratings (based on 4 ratings)
Submitted June 15, 2023 by Scott P in Springfield, OR
"Squier Affinity Telecaster LPB/Laurel FB"
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A great guitar for very little money.
Sound
Well, the sound is awesome, after finding the sweet spots after adjusting the height of the pickups. The bridge pickup sounds great. Classic Tele bridge pickup sound. The neck pickup sounds a little mushy when playing with higher gain.Clean, both pickups sound great. Each pickup by itself have a long note sustain, and sound really full and clear, even with using neck and bridge together. Tone and volume controls work really well, and change the sound throughout the entire rotation of the knobs.
Features
For the most part, the hardware on this guitar are pretty good. I had to tighten the tuners a little bit in order for them to stay tuned once adjusted.The bridge has six individual saddles, and as such, deliver a finer adjustment to the intonation. The saddles are better than what usually comes on a Squier. But be careful, as they can strip easily when adjusting the action.I would recommend that you define the string, prior to raising the saddle height. Less chance of stripping the screw holes that way.
Ease of Use
There is going to be a learning curve with these guitars, if you are not accustomed to setting up guitars.The truss rod seems to have a bit of a delayed reaction when making adjustments. If you have to make a big adjustment, let the guitar sit overnight before checking the relief in the neck. Mine actually had a flatter adjustment the day after I set it, and I then had to loosen it a bit.
Quality
The guitar is actually made very well. Mine had the tightest neck pocket I have ever dealt with on a Fender product. That is a good thing. I won’t have to be worried about realigning the neck. However, as the seasons change, it may be more prone to getting a finish crack at the pocket. Just F.Y.I. Keep the temperature and humidity relatively constant during the year and this can be avoided.Also, check the levelness of the frets with a rocker before you change the strings. I discovered five frets that were sticking up. After tapping them down, they were all level.I did have pokey feet ends on this guitar. There is a special file used for addressing this, and if you aren’t a repair person, you probably don’t have one.
Value
This guitar is really good at its price point and should serve you well for many years to come.As it is less than 250 dollars, one would do well to get a pro setup done before making any judgements about the playability or build quality.
Manufacturer Support
I have had to deal with Fender customer service only once in the 40+ years I have been using their products. If you have a concern with your Fender product, reach out to Zzounds first as they can usually facilitate getting any problems resolved, and have good relations with manufacturers reps.
The Wow Factor
I am really impressed with the quality of this guitar at this price point. The issues I had with it are typical of any electric guitar, at many even higher prices. I was really impressed that the guitar sounds as good as it does. This probably isn’t going to be the best pickup configuration if you play with really high gain. It’s not going to get the tone you want for death metal or doom. But it has a classic tone great for classic rock, jazz, country, or many other genres. I play through a Mesa/Boogie Mark V head. With the gain between 12 and 2 O’clock I can get some really great Rock tones.
Musical Background:
Playing and repairing guitars since 1983
Musical Style:
Classical and Rock
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Submitted January 25, 2023 by a customer from usa.com
"great little tele"
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I got this little gem for a steal of a price and replaced the pickups with a set of alnico's for 30 dollars more. quick setup for low low action.it sounds a bit dark IMHO for a tele but it's pretty amazing for lead. I've had very expensive teles that played better and sounded better but I have less than 2 bills in this just the way it sits. I really like the new tuners because I like old fender stuff.they hold tune ok but could be better. got it in that beautiful blue color brand spanking new.
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Submitted January 3, 2024 by Eric C in Rome, NY
"FIRST TELE AND I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED"
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I was looking for a new electric and was interested in a telecaster, I was not ready to spend the higher price if it was going to be something I was not going to like. This guitar was at a price point that I could not hate myself if it was junk but if I liked it would be a steal. This guitar is awesome!! The fret work was clean and no burred or uneven fret ends. It was perfect right out of the box. I run it through my headrush mx5 and into my ev30m and it is great!!! This is my main gigging guitar now and I used to be exclusively an acoustic player. I absolutely love it. My one issue and its not anything with zZounds or anything is the neck pickup is a little muffled. I purchased a set of fender tex mex pickups that I am planning on putting in but this guitar was great as is.
Musical Background:
Singer and Guitar Player for over 20 years
Musical Style:
90S ALTERNATIVE, ACOUSTIC, CLASSIC ROCK
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Submitted January 16, 2024 by Michael G
"exceeds expectations"
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I'm in the middle of relocating and all of my guitars are in storage. I needed something to play but didn't want to spend a lot of money when I'll be reunited with my collection soon enough. Here's my thoughts on the Affinity tele and buying from zzounds1. Ordering/Shipping: The guitar arrives 18.5 hours after I ordered it! I t was packed well2. Finish: The finish is flawless, not a scratch, dent, overspray or buffing swirl. Very impressive finish3. Parts: The tuners are small but tight and solid. Pots are firm and smooth to turn, the knurled knobs are solid and surprisingly hefty. The saddles are higher quality than expected and the selector switch is sturdy and smooth. The frets did need a quick filing on the ends, they weren't horrible but didn't pass the sock test. I also had to do a quick setup and fix the intonation. The nut was well cut and the action is low without fret buzz.4. Sound: Unplugged the guitar sings and has great sustain. The plugged in sound is decent, the bridge pick up is clear, bright and articulate, the neck pickup however is muddy and leaves a lot to be desired. Not a big deal though, at this price point a pick up upgrade would still keep it in budget rangeAfter a quick setup and some minor fret work it's a great player and punches well above it's price point and with a pickup upgrade it would hold it's own with the $1000-1500 range of guitars
Sound
Solid sound, neck pickup is a bit muddy. A pickup upgrade would take this guitar to the next level
Features
Solid components, the nut is cut well, tuners are solid and saddles are better than expected
Ease of Use
Very playable guitar, comfortable neck, inspiring to play
Quality
Fit and finish far exceeds expectation for the price point. Every bit as good than any guitar in my collection and a fraction of the cost of most of them
Value
Plays well above it's cost, great value and far better than the $250 price tag would indicate
Manufacturer Support
No interaction with customer service
The Wow Factor
Great looking, great playing instrument. The Lake Placid blue finish was flawless
Musical Background:
Almost 40 years playing, used to be a serious player (touring, recording etc.), now mostly for fun
Musical Style:
Hard rock, indie, alternative, worship
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