Very clear, fair comparison. That`s true, there seems to be so many different versions of these models over the years. I had an Affinity Squier a long time ago (2006-ish), it was very similar to your Bullet one - white, rosewood, ceramics, one ply pickguard, trapezoid tuners. But it had a tremolo, and the body was full thickness. It also had 22 frets. It was a very cool guitar, wish I'd kept it.
Exactly ! I remember playing a red Affinity with maple fretboard like 10-13 years ago or something, wasn't mine though just played it a couple times...even though my playing/influences changed a lot since then obviously, I do remember the neck being a bit more chunky and the full thickness body. I really wonder what make them that much more expensive than the Bullet nowadays though ? Even just a full thickness body could be a nice "upgrade". The thinner body definitely don't bother me on the Bullet as I feel it resonating when I'm playing, I feel there's enough to serve the guitar (if that makes sense). On this Affinity it's the complete opposite, I don't "feel" it much. Really wonder if mine was just a not so great one, it happens !
Definitely comes down to that string spacing for me and on that the bullet always wins for feeling more strat like. Both guitars in my experience need a few mods anyway.
Thanks for the video. I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have an old Bullet Strat from CY plant in China, made in 04. ❤ IT! The original tuning pegs are Rubbish. Easy swap! I'm trying to gift a "replica" of a friends sons US Hss, Rosewood fb, Special Strat, with the big headstock. I've been looking for an Affinity but the 2nd hand prices are Ridiculous. I've found a couple of older CY & Indo STDs but the price of those aren't far off New prices. I've found a grey HSS I like, from 2022 (40th ann') which is only slightly more than a 09 CY STD & it's lived in a cupboard. I may be wrong but I think they have Alnico P'ups & does have a 2 point Trem. So much for finding a cheap version but an extra $100 (Aussie money) will more than likely Hit the Jackpot! Cheers from Aus!
My 2000 bullet strat hardtail has a Thin body and neck (something like ibanez). Super Light weight guitar!! I love it !!! i can Play it hours and hours standing without break my back, feel uncomfortable or tired. Can't play full body strats anymore.
I have one of those too! Mine is a 2001 IS02 and it exactly everything you described and i couldn’t believe that how well it resonates and sounds acoustically… it really breaks the myth that weight is needed for resonance and a fuller sound
Ditto here man, mine is a '00 Indonesian, hardtail fankly it's the neck, fast, accurate and just gorgeous with birdseye & a light flame with rosewood, I call her the 'resonator' simply one of the most lively axxes I've ever owned, a pleasure and inspiring everytime I jack in, did the usual improvements myself and a couple of custom touchs to make her truely mine and the best part.. She was FrEe ! 🎸🤣
Hola ,es. Cierto que es bastante delgado, y en corcondancia menos firme, pero si sabes cuidar y guardar tu guitarra durará más de lo que esperas, un saludo@@BukanIbuMu
I got a bullet last week and felt the basic playability was decent enough to spend the same amount I paid for it again on mods lol. I like that it’s slightly thinner and the neck is very comfortable.
I do agree with you about the neck. I also prefer the bullet one (a bit more chunky). I played in couple affinity models and I found both very different even being the same model. If I'd like to upgrade I'd buy the Bullet model. Nice vídeo, Johan
Thanks Jeff ! Yeah I'd expect even in the same series 2 guitars (like two Affinity) would be quite different. Especially since I feel like there has been SO many "variations" of these ? I remember the Affinity from 10-15 years ago wasn't like the ones that are selling today at all...neck profile, the finish, the pickups/electronics, etc...seems like there has been improvements/adjustments (or not, depending on where you sit aha) every two years or so ?
@@JohanJoosLaur I do agree about the improvements from few years ago. I guess in the last years the market of budget guitars increased a lot and the Squier needs to improve. Did you try the Squier classic vibe? I tried a Telecaster model and I did like it....maybe a good copy.
@@jeff.vasconcellos I had one ! The CV50 Tele, kept it for two years before finding my Vintage Modified Strat. Really loved it except the neck on mine was SO thin...that's why I had to sell it, or else I'd have kept it. Strangely I read a lot (and Jason confirmed a few days ago) that these CV50 Teles can have a much bigger neck than the one I had...all depends on which guitar you buy I guess aha !
I currently own 2 Bullet and 1 Sonic Strats. I sold my Affinity Strat a few years ago because I didn’t like it. All of my Squier Strats, 5 total, were made in Indonesia. They do a great job. They aren’t great guitars but they are good and good enough to gig with.
On my opinion Affinity series is more comfortable(I have this one). Of course somewhere it have a flaw compared with Bullet series. But I like you view about both of them. it's a matter of everyone's taste. Good luck
Great review...great player. I've just aquired a s/h bullet which was in parts and now putting back together. It's a China made 1994 model and seems great to me with full thickness body. (Not sure of wood type but feels like quality). Thanks for the review!
Probably basswood but yours being older might be alder Basswood w a maple cap is even better Actually EVH Ernie Ball guitars are basswood w a maple cap Nice and light w excellent tone
i have both and prefer the bullet ht, it needed a little work on the frets but the pickups sound better to me, the neck on the affinity needed less work on the fret edges. i have the indonesian affinity and i believe it has the wider nut [42mm] like the bullet. the bridge saddle adjustment screws on the bullet are crap but it stays in tune better than the affinity even without the tremolo bar. the bullet did need a bit of fret leveling and the affinity did not and the nut was also low on 2 strings [nothing a little baking soda and superglue can't resolve] but theres something about the bullet i just like better, after the little extra work to it, i actually play it more than my mexican strat which is a fine instrument right out of the box
I play gibson mostly. Dont you think the bullet is just easier to bend on with the hardtail? Of course the strings are slightly tighter on the affinity, and resonate differently. Tough choice
I have the Bullet & Affinity in SSS. I play the Bullet more, I prefer the Bullet. The Affinity was more a matter of FOMO on the Tremolo. So I have & will keep both because HT vs Tremolo is about the only difference when it comes to the 2 guitars. I will add I swapped out the Zinc Alloy trem bock on the Affinity, which makes it feel more like the full body Squier SSS Trem Strats. And the other difference is the Bullet is a gloss polyurethane neck vs the matte finish on the Affinity. I don't prefer either neck finish though like others dislike the gloss polyurethane for it's stickier feel for sweaty or more humid environments. I play in a stable house for 45-55% RH in FL, USA. I don't sweat enough for a gloss vs matte finish to matter. The nut is slightly narrower on my 2005 Bullet, but that is a matter of hundredths of an inch/fractions of a mm and neither seem to be exactly 42 mm or obviously 43 mm. I think if one is buying the Strat as a beginner, the HT is going to be that lighter Tele like experience. But I can also see why one would want the Tremolo, because if they ever need the Tremolo, want to learn how to set one up & use it, that's the same guitar with that next step of growth. Let's face it to. Only 1 iconic artist is associated with the HT, Robert Cray, the Tremolo Strat is what we're all used to visually perceive as a Strat for Rock, Country, Surf, Blues even. The list of Tremolo Strat artists is just a never ending list of names. I can see someone wanting to go to the next level of Squire for a Tremolo for the full thickness body. I think Fender/Squier has realized that the Bullet & Affinity are better unified as a single product line. That is the new Sonic thinner body and then offer a HT version, a Tremolo version with all the different pickup combinations & price them closer to the Affinity pricing. Also think that Sonic is a 2023, Corporate move away from the "Bullet", because of the association with guns and the target market of beginner guitarists being quite often children. Squier execs probably feel they can no longer be tone deaf to social issues. Anyway, the Bullet was named that because of the Bullet shaped truss rod nut. The Squier simply doesn't have a Bullet shaped truss rod nut. I mean if Fender were to change names for their amps, Black Face vs Silver Face is another place to start, but maybe that's more the consumer that identifies pre-CBS vs CBS era amps as Black Face or Silver Face, like the headstock sizes & shapes.
I own the squier affinity sss. It plays well. But had to adjust the bridge saddles to correct the intonation and fret buzz. And had to add one more spring to the bridge for the tremolo
I only want/have "hard tails" so I bought a Bullet. I would caution to buy local, and check it in person. Out of 4 budget (sub $400) guitars, It is the one I grab most. Great video, thank you.
Muito obrigado Rogério ! Sorry my português is terrible ahaha, but thank you for the kind words and you really can't go wrong with the Bullet for sure ! Such a great guitar, especially for the money !
Here I am thinking I should've bought the Affinity instead but now after watching this I'm convinced the store sent me an Affinity instead of the Bullet I ordered 😅
Hi Di Hi... The HSS BulletStrat wins for me... Not a great differance ?? but the BulletStrat has more dynamics / harmonics... and "Tones" wins the Day ! (possibly reasons are hidden in ALL the small details) ?????????????????
I've got the new affinity and the bullet strat, the new affinity is alot better than the bullet, didn't like my 2019 affinity telecaster with the40mm narrow nut my two strats are 42mm and feel more comfortable to play with my fat fingwrslol
I got the hardtail Bullet FSR (Fender Special Run). Pretty much the same guitar as your Affinity, neck, pups, tuners, etc.. The best guitar for an long time, very well made, good parts. Bute there was one issue, the frets are bad, RAW i would say. That is the true cost cutting part in the deal. The Bullet stands in the lowest legaue so things in overall are expected to be a bit worse. Bullet stands as very affordable (more things to fix) so therefore I avoided the Bullet.
With the Affinity, you're really just paying for the name. There is literally nothing worth about this line. For an entire $70 to $150 more (depending on the region you live in), you get: Ceramic pickups..again. Why? Wood: likely just the same. Tuners are still quite bad, everything's the same really. The one and only difference I find between the two are the pots - the affinity has way better ones than the bullet. Does this always translate into better sound? No, not at all, but it can. For something personal, in my hands, bullets just feel...better. Don't pay for the name, guys. Another thing I'd like to mention, considering you're likely here to weight your options on budget guitars, is Harley Benton. If you're looking at these two strats, consider checking out their ST-70. It has actual Alnico pickups, not these ceramic ones, the neck is miles ahead, and iirc the guitar has a standard strat body, which for some reason the Affinity/Bullet series does not??? This comes into play the most when it comes to personal preference and upgrading/changing parts - speaking of which, neither the Bullet nor the Affinity have a quad wired humbucker, which means *you'll need an entirely new pickup for coil splitting*.
Why is almost no one talking ab how incredibly good he is at guitar, your amazing bro
It's the chickichicki for me. To good.
Yes..the.first time I heard this guy...I was blown away ...he's amazing guitarist
because its a comparison of guitars not a talent showcase
Very clear, fair comparison. That`s true, there seems to be so many different versions of these models over the years. I had an Affinity Squier a long time ago (2006-ish), it was very similar to your Bullet one - white, rosewood, ceramics, one ply pickguard, trapezoid tuners. But it had a tremolo, and the body was full thickness. It also had 22 frets. It was a very cool guitar, wish I'd kept it.
Exactly ! I remember playing a red Affinity with maple fretboard like 10-13 years ago or something, wasn't mine though just played it a couple times...even though my playing/influences changed a lot since then obviously, I do remember the neck being a bit more chunky and the full thickness body. I really wonder what make them that much more expensive than the Bullet nowadays though ? Even just a full thickness body could be a nice "upgrade". The thinner body definitely don't bother me on the Bullet as I feel it resonating when I'm playing, I feel there's enough to serve the guitar (if that makes sense). On this Affinity it's the complete opposite, I don't "feel" it much. Really wonder if mine was just a not so great one, it happens !
Definitely comes down to that string spacing for me and on that the bullet always wins for feeling more strat like. Both guitars in my experience need a few mods anyway.
they have the same nut width and string spacing now.
Thanks for the video. I'm in a bit of a pickle. I have an old Bullet Strat from CY plant in China, made in 04. ❤ IT! The original tuning pegs are Rubbish. Easy swap! I'm trying to gift a "replica" of a friends sons US Hss, Rosewood fb, Special Strat, with the big headstock. I've been looking for an Affinity but the 2nd hand prices are Ridiculous. I've found a couple of older CY & Indo STDs but the price of those aren't far off New prices. I've found a grey HSS I like, from 2022 (40th ann') which is only slightly more than a 09 CY STD & it's lived in a cupboard. I may be wrong but I think they have Alnico P'ups & does have a 2 point Trem. So much for finding a cheap version but an extra $100 (Aussie money) will more than likely Hit the Jackpot! Cheers from Aus!
My 2000 bullet strat hardtail has a Thin body and neck (something like ibanez). Super Light weight guitar!! I love it !!! i can Play it hours and hours standing without break my back, feel uncomfortable or tired. Can't play full body strats anymore.
I have one of those too! Mine is a 2001 IS02 and it exactly everything you described and i couldn’t believe that how well it resonates and sounds acoustically… it really breaks the myth that weight is needed for resonance and a fuller sound
Ditto here man, mine is a '00 Indonesian, hardtail fankly it's the neck, fast, accurate and just gorgeous with birdseye & a light flame with rosewood, I call her the 'resonator' simply one of the most lively axxes I've ever owned, a pleasure and inspiring everytime I jack in, did the usual improvements myself and a couple of custom touchs to make her truely mine and the best part.. She was FrEe ! 🎸🤣
Is it true that bullet neck warp and twist easily?
Hola ,es. Cierto que es bastante delgado, y en corcondancia menos firme, pero si sabes cuidar y guardar tu guitarra durará más de lo que esperas, un saludo@@BukanIbuMu
I got a bullet last week and felt the basic playability was decent enough to spend the same amount I paid for it again on mods lol. I like that it’s slightly thinner and the neck is very comfortable.
What mods did you do?
@@paawanshrestha I drilled through the body and got a new bridge to make it string through, new pickups and tuners.
I do agree with you about the neck. I also prefer the bullet one (a bit more chunky). I played in couple affinity models and I found both very different even being the same model. If I'd like to upgrade I'd buy the Bullet model. Nice vídeo, Johan
Thanks Jeff ! Yeah I'd expect even in the same series 2 guitars (like two Affinity) would be quite different. Especially since I feel like there has been SO many "variations" of these ? I remember the Affinity from 10-15 years ago wasn't like the ones that are selling today at all...neck profile, the finish, the pickups/electronics, etc...seems like there has been improvements/adjustments (or not, depending on where you sit aha) every two years or so ?
@@JohanJoosLaur I do agree about the improvements from few years ago. I guess in the last years the market of budget guitars increased a lot and the Squier needs to improve. Did you try the Squier classic vibe? I tried a Telecaster model and I did like it....maybe a good copy.
@@jeff.vasconcellos I had one ! The CV50 Tele, kept it for two years before finding my Vintage Modified Strat. Really loved it except the neck on mine was SO thin...that's why I had to sell it, or else I'd have kept it. Strangely I read a lot (and Jason confirmed a few days ago) that these CV50 Teles can have a much bigger neck than the one I had...all depends on which guitar you buy I guess aha !
I currently own 2 Bullet and 1 Sonic Strats. I sold my Affinity Strat a few years ago because I didn’t like it. All of my Squier Strats, 5 total, were made in Indonesia. They do a great job. They aren’t great guitars but they are good and good enough to gig with.
You are a great player Sir.
Thank you Mark ! Very kind !
On my opinion Affinity series is more comfortable(I have this one). Of course somewhere it have a flaw compared with Bullet series. But I like you view about both of them. it's a matter of everyone's taste. Good luck
Great review...great player. I've just aquired a s/h bullet which was in parts and now putting back together. It's a China made 1994 model and seems great to me with full thickness body. (Not sure of wood type but feels like quality). Thanks for the review!
Probably basswood but yours being older might be alder Basswood w a maple cap is even better Actually EVH Ernie Ball guitars are basswood w a maple cap Nice and light w excellent tone
i have both and prefer the bullet ht, it needed a little work on the frets but the pickups sound better to me, the neck on the affinity needed less work on the fret edges. i have the indonesian affinity and i believe it has the wider nut [42mm] like the bullet. the bridge saddle adjustment screws on the bullet are crap but it stays in tune better than the affinity even without the tremolo bar. the bullet did need a bit of fret leveling and the affinity did not and the nut was also low on 2 strings [nothing a little baking soda and superglue can't resolve] but theres something about the bullet i just like better, after the little extra work to it, i actually play it more than my mexican strat which is a fine instrument right out of the box
I play gibson mostly. Dont you think the bullet is just easier to bend on with the hardtail? Of course the strings are slightly tighter on the affinity, and resonate differently. Tough choice
A mí me pasa igual, creo que es por su ligereza y comodidad, la bullet es un encanto,saludos
You have awesome Rhythm when playing funk tones !!! 👍🏼
For some reason, I liked much more the Affinity sound
I have the Bullet & Affinity in SSS. I play the Bullet more, I prefer the Bullet. The Affinity was more a matter of FOMO on the Tremolo. So I have & will keep both because HT vs Tremolo is about the only difference when it comes to the 2 guitars. I will add I swapped out the Zinc Alloy trem bock on the Affinity, which makes it feel more like the full body Squier SSS Trem Strats. And the other difference is the Bullet is a gloss polyurethane neck vs the matte finish on the Affinity. I don't prefer either neck finish though like others dislike the gloss polyurethane for it's stickier feel for sweaty or more humid environments. I play in a stable house for 45-55% RH in FL, USA. I don't sweat enough for a gloss vs matte finish to matter. The nut is slightly narrower on my 2005 Bullet, but that is a matter of hundredths of an inch/fractions of a mm and neither seem to be exactly 42 mm or obviously 43 mm. I think if one is buying the Strat as a beginner, the HT is going to be that lighter Tele like experience. But I can also see why one would want the Tremolo, because if they ever need the Tremolo, want to learn how to set one up & use it, that's the same guitar with that next step of growth. Let's face it to. Only 1 iconic artist is associated with the HT, Robert Cray, the Tremolo Strat is what we're all used to visually perceive as a Strat for Rock, Country, Surf, Blues even. The list of Tremolo Strat artists is just a never ending list of names. I can see someone wanting to go to the next level of Squire for a Tremolo for the full thickness body. I think Fender/Squier has realized that the Bullet & Affinity are better unified as a single product line. That is the new Sonic thinner body and then offer a HT version, a Tremolo version with all the different pickup combinations & price them closer to the Affinity pricing. Also think that Sonic is a 2023, Corporate move away from the "Bullet", because of the association with guns and the target market of beginner guitarists being quite often children. Squier execs probably feel they can no longer be tone deaf to social issues. Anyway, the Bullet was named that because of the Bullet shaped truss rod nut. The Squier simply doesn't have a Bullet shaped truss rod nut. I mean if Fender were to change names for their amps, Black Face vs Silver Face is another place to start, but maybe that's more the consumer that identifies pre-CBS vs CBS era amps as Black Face or Silver Face, like the headstock sizes & shapes.
I own the squier affinity sss. It plays well. But had to adjust the bridge saddles to correct the intonation and fret buzz. And had to add one more spring to the bridge for the tremolo
Add me ... i will show you how to intonate... and fret buzz free tips
Nice cross fades between guitars. I have a white Squier full body Strat but not the affinity or bullet. It has a slightly chunky neck. But I like it
Thanks John ! Ohh awesome !! ...don't tell me it's a Vintage Modified series ? These are my fav' 😉😂 Is it an old one maybe ?
I only want/have "hard tails" so I bought a Bullet.
I would caution to buy local, and check it in person.
Out of 4 budget (sub $400) guitars, It is the one I grab most.
Great video, thank you.
What does "hard tail" mean?
@@Spidr-Mandoesnt has a tremolo arm thing
Affinity pickups are rated around 5-6 kohm and bullet at 3-4 kohm
Affinity are great mod platforms , great playing bro !
Great playing, thanks for the demo
Muito obrigado pelo vídeo! Excelente! Vou de Bullet, sem dúvida! Bends!
Muito obrigado Rogério ! Sorry my português is terrible ahaha, but thank you for the kind words and you really can't go wrong with the Bullet for sure ! Such a great guitar, especially for the money !
Team bullet ! J’ai adoré ce que tu as joué pour la démo, merci !👍🏼🍒
Merci beaucoup Poupi ! J'espère que tu vas bien ! 🙏🍇
@@JohanJoosLaur mais oui, je vais très bien merci beaucoup 😉🍒
The middle pickup on the affinity definitely sounds better than the bullet, with the bridge and middle I couldn''t pick any difference
thumb for brave and honest review.
Unfair comparison, with that playing both sound like Fenders!
Very nice playing!!
Here I am thinking I should've bought the Affinity instead but now after watching this I'm convinced the store sent me an Affinity instead of the Bullet I ordered 😅
Nice comparison. Thanks....
Phil
NYC/Jersey Shore Area
Thanks. ✌️🎸🎶
Hi Di Hi... The HSS BulletStrat wins for me... Not a great differance ?? but the BulletStrat has more dynamics / harmonics... and "Tones" wins the Day ! (possibly reasons are hidden in ALL the small details) ?????????????????
Both of the guitars in this review are now discontinued and replaced with all new Affinity and Sonic Stratocasters
True, but you can still find new Bullets......just got another one from GC for 149 bucks.
I've got the new affinity and the bullet strat, the new affinity is alot better than the bullet, didn't like my 2019 affinity telecaster with the40mm narrow nut my two strats are 42mm and feel more comfortable to play with my fat fingwrslol
where is the Squier Vintage Modified?? I miss her so much here on the channel :(
merci!
Le sentí mejor tono a la Affinity
I play my Bullet more than my Fender. Weird. Cheers!
Currently,i have a cheap 50$ guitar,planning to get a proper beginner guitar,so affinity or bullet?
Affinity all the way bro
Yamaha PAC 112J
And, try before you buy.
How to know bullet and affinity difference ?
Bullet stratocaster
I got the hardtail Bullet FSR (Fender Special Run). Pretty much the same guitar as your Affinity, neck, pups, tuners, etc..
The best guitar for an long time, very well made, good parts. Bute there was one issue, the frets are bad, RAW i would say. That is the true cost cutting part in the deal.
The Bullet stands in the lowest legaue so things in overall are expected to be a bit worse.
Bullet stands as very affordable (more things to fix) so therefore I avoided the Bullet.
Hi what gauge of strings u had on the guitars?
i thought bullet strat neck was thinner
My Bullet has a 65 style C profile
Affinity
So should i go for affinity or bullet for my first electric guitar?
Bullet HSS strat
Squier Bullet
@@ahmadhassounmusic6053iwant to buy sss, isnt it good?
So why are the affinity more expensive?
With the Affinity, you're really just paying for the name. There is literally nothing worth about this line. For an entire $70 to $150 more (depending on the region you live in), you get:
Ceramic pickups..again. Why?
Wood: likely just the same.
Tuners are still quite bad, everything's the same really.
The one and only difference I find between the two are the pots - the affinity has way better ones than the bullet. Does this always translate into better sound? No, not at all, but it can. For something personal, in my hands, bullets just feel...better. Don't pay for the name, guys.
Another thing I'd like to mention, considering you're likely here to weight your options on budget guitars, is Harley Benton. If you're looking at these two strats, consider checking out their ST-70. It has actual Alnico pickups, not these ceramic ones, the neck is miles ahead, and iirc the guitar has a standard strat body, which for some reason the Affinity/Bullet series does not??? This comes into play the most when it comes to personal preference and upgrading/changing parts - speaking of which, neither the Bullet nor the Affinity have a quad wired humbucker, which means *you'll need an entirely new pickup for coil splitting*.
But Harley Benton has 12 inch radius fretboards.
Акцент лютый
neither..if you are going to buy a guitar made in china..get a Chibson