Guitar reviews

I'll qualify this by saying that I'm definitely no expert, but I just bought a Squier Affinity for my daughter. It seems like a very nice guitar for the money. I checked it out to the best of my ability, which is not necessarily saying much, but I thought it played and sounded pretty darn good. Hers is a "Fat Strat", which means it has a humbucker in the bridge position. I like the way it sounds. And I think it LOOKS great! We got it for 129 bucks at Guitar Center.

There's my $0.02 worth. Happy shopping.

-Scott

Thanks Snarfy.

I'm not sure what the significance of the bridge position is (cos i'm literally a noob!) but the showmaster has a singer, single, humbucker.

Good to hear, thanks.

Mart.

I'm not sure what the signifigance of the humbucker being in the bridge position is either ('cause I'm pretty much a newbie too....and not very smart to compound the problem... :lol: )

I'm sure somebody on here can tell us, though.

You get more crunch in the bridge position than you would otherwise but you lose some higher frequencies. I've got a fat strat type guitar and I like the humbucking bridge for rhythm play and rock.

See......told ya :)

Thanks, Musenfreund!

You get more crunch in the bridge position than you would otherwise but you lose some higher frequencies. I've got a fat strat type guitar and I like the humbucking bridge for rhythm play and rock.

To clarify a bit further: Generally, a humbucker provides more crunch, higher level and a bit of HF loss as compared to a single coil pickup no matter the position (both in neck or both in center or both at bridge). As any pickup is moved from the neck position to the bridge position its output will drop a bit, the tone will become thinner, harsher and more cutting. Putting a humbucker in the bridge position counteracts these tendencies somwhat -- beefing up level and rounding out the tone more as compared to a bridge single coils. But ... some players really dig a cutting single coil bridge tone (classic Tele and to a lesser extent classic Strat bridge tones).

Thanks for the explanation gnease.

Incognito, I didn't mean to hijack your thread and turn it into a pickup discussion. Let me reiterate, I really like the sound of my daughter's inexpensive Squier Fat Strat.

My advice would be for you to go play one (or ten) of them and see what you think.

I'm a big fan of Squiers....bought a Squier Strat starter pack, cost around £200, the guitar was beautifully set up....only problem I've had, tends to buzz through the amp a little in positions 1 3 & 5....especially if you're near a computer or other electrical equipment....

Bought a Squier Tele earlier this year, tried a cople of Fenders, didn't sound as good ar feel as nice as the Squier...so guess what I bought?

I wouldn't reccomend using a whammy bar with a Squier though...they do go out of tune very easily....

But whatever you decide to buy, I hope you have fun with it....

:D :D :D

Vic

Yes, I have a Squier. The wood work is fabulous, it plays great(now) and it looks killer.

Things to be aware of or things that I have had problems with.

The tuning machines were the worst piece of crap on the planet. I replaced mine with Gotoh's

The Floyd Rose was cheap low quality metal and stripped the screw holes where you set intonation. I replace mine with a Schaller built hardened steel unit which required modifications to the body. I had my tech put a block plate on it like EVH so the not to be able to pull back, even though the new trem would handle it fine.

The electronic you will find are just OK, I will be replacing ever bit of the electronics by the end of next month. This will leave the wood as the only piece that has not been replaced.

Also if you get one with a trem system make damn sure it has a locking nut!!!!! If it doesn't it will go out of tune every time you do a dive on it.

I would recommend that guitar be in the store for about a month before you play it. The wood will change once it gets ac lamented to the new climate. Also play it unplugged to feel the vibration and look down the neck to make sure it's straight.

Everything else can be fixed :mrgreen:

I'm not trying to discourage you. My Squier cost $400.00 and was MIJ from 93. My tech wanted to buy it because after he was done with the setup it played better then most of his stage stuff.

I'm just more picky now.

You do mod's a little at a time and you will end up with a great guitar.

A regular Squier Affinity would do. Try to get a free-setup, and spend the few dollars on a proper nut and maybe new tuners and you'll have a great guitar to start with. I myself can't stand bridge single-coils without setting every tone/treble knob I can find to zero, but try for yourself which you like most. Squiers do have by design harsher single-coil (to my ears) so the difference between singlecoil and humbucker might be quite huge.

Mine actually came with a Dimarzio humbucker

Thanks for the advice guys, that was exactly the kind of owners's comments and experiences i wanted to know about.

I'll go and try it out, or i may just make up my own little package in store rather than go with a pre-made company one.

Thanks again.
Mart.

....only problem I've had, tends to buzz through the amp a little in positions 1 3 & 5....especially if you're near a computer or other electrical equipment....

This is a problem faced by every Strat owner (even Custom Shop Strats) - other than those with Lace Sensors, Kinman's or Fender Noiseless pickups.