Im a harley benton guitars price range guy i have a SC400 black and a TE62 with Roswell pickups id love to be able to afford more expensive guitars even just to have and to hold as i can't get my fingers to do what i want without me thinking too hard
I buy Squiers used. I have paid $40 for my 2004 Squier Standard P Bass and $65 for my Squier Standard Telecaster. I pick them up played and slightly neglected someone else can take the retail hit. Now in 2020 I did buy what turned out to be a very strange Squier Partscaster (Squier Standard Telecaster neck and the body looks to be a Squier Affinity Telecaster body because it's three pieces and very shallow) for like $220 when ALL THE SQUIER PRICES WERE INSANE! I ended up doing a Trem on it (GFS X Trem), my buddy kicked me Fender Noiseless Telecaster pickups, and I pretty much replaced every part on here except the body (crappy refin in a Midnight Blue, the neck (loads of machine head screw holes that I had to fill, 24 to be exact) and what turned out to be a cool (but cheap on Amazon) Abalone looking pickguard. The finished guitar has Tiki decals on it, mixed black and chrome hardware, and it basically succeeded as being a "inspired by 1970s Lawsuit Japanese guitar" but ironically with Fender and Squier parts! I also got a Gotoh Tele bridge plate that I LOVE that is scalloped on the back for a Bigsby vibrato. So it beautiful and ugly at the same time. It looks like a Tiki Bar threw up on a Tele (also what I was going for). I did the majority of the work on this and it definitely is loud visually, with the Fender Noiseless pickups and 1 Meg pots (shut up Meg!) this is my LOUDEST TELE and that's saying something because I have Teles with Filtertrons (loud pickups for sure!!!)! All my Squiers are better than stock, over the years I have modded the hell out of all of them but really that's where the fun lies.😉👍✨
Scottish guitar jesus, sorry my messiah I was out with the lady when this dropped. I will do better please don’t smite me oh wise and powerful smiter!! Another great insight thank you my friend, keep up the great work!
Definitely helps to get a strat guys opinion. I pick up a spire in GC the other day because I was curious to see how the tuner were and was a very surprise how good they felt. I’m not sure what it was . Think it was a little under $200.
Nice one mate - I'd guess that might have been a Squier Sonic you tried - I've had one of those too, fantastic guitars (for the money). It's crazy (and awesome!) what we can get for the cash these days 😀👍
Cheapest Squier I bought is a recent run Affinity Strat and it plays better, is more stable and sets up better than a really nice CV Strat I had. The CV felt more refined but didn’t play better. I love the newer Affinities, I did do a good setup and rolled the edged ( $2.50 sanding block) only turn off is the big headstock.
I've had great experiences with the newer Affinities too, was it 2021, the series got the makeover/upgrades? I got one of the "Jazzmasters" (only used the body) but great quality guitar for the price 😎👍 It's been a long time since I've checked out a Squier CV, but they still seem to have a great rep.
I like the satin/matt finish on the new Squiers. The fret ends being smooth is good at that price, in the late 80's and early 90's they were really bad. I actually broke the skin on my fingers lowereing a very heavy Marlin Sidewinder Strat back onto the stand in the shop. How were the tuners? Great video too.
Solid vid. I played a Squier Affinity Strat last week that I really liked. Bought an Affinity Tele a week before that. I’m a big fan of the necks on these latest Squier Affinity’s.
Cheers mate - was a bit of a lower effort vid (I need to belt out more of these 😅👍). I have to admit, I do like what they're doing with the newer affinity models - some very cool finish options too 😎👍
Oh shit, it has a headstock! I've been looking for a guitar with a headstock for quite some time now. Great video as always, Steve :) You always make me laugh. Cheers! Have to say, though. That guitar kinda sounds like ass. I'm sorry. It sounds muffled in every position.
The trem is tightened down to work as a hardtail because it's faster to do in the factory and that's the way beginners will use the guitar anyway. You have to loosen the springs to make it just decked or floating, depending on how you like it.
I really like the finish and how dark the fret board is. The pickups are about what I would have expected for an entry level guitar. Also, I'm not surprised that the guitar is shipped with a "Decked" trem. I've always wondered about expecting a guitar that has been shipped halfway around the world in a container and then spent unknown months in a warehouse, to be perfect "Out of the Box". I look forward to seeing the guitar after you change the strings and give it a proper setup. The biggest drawback I see when considering an Amazon online guitar purchase compared to a store such as Sweetwater, is that I cannot get the guitar setup or upgraded at purchase time. Of course, that could benefit a local guitar store and/or tech.
Very good points well made sir. I was thinking the same thing Re the shipping around the world changes/movements. This one didn't even have the truss rod engaged at all though. But fiar play - ggod effort on the frets 😀👍
Love the glasses and your hand wiggle of the in the comments section. Im a new learner and I'm shit i cant seem to stop getting dead notes caused by my fat fingers lol
Ha cheers mate! The glasses actually put a lot of people off - I've just had to make a video about that today 😂🙈. Keep at it mate - top tip (If you don't already know) try to get your finger tips as close to the actual frets as possible, almost touching them 🤓👍
I had the same experience as you did.I was very disappointed at first but after i rounded the fret ends , oiled the fretboard,changed the strings ,lowered the action and changed the grub screws in the bridge ( they were cutting into my hand ) its a totally different experience now ,I quite like it but its nowhere near as good as my jet js 300 which felt amazing straight out of the box .The necks alone on the jets are worth the £150 you pay for them .I would have thought fender would have liked to show people that this is how you make a budget strat but i think they failed and brands like Jet have the edge on them at the moment .By the way love the channel Steve ,keep up the good work mate 😀🤘
Thank ya kindly mate! 😃🙏 Good on ya for putting in the extra effort to get the guitar set up right 👍 They've definitely got potential..but potential isn't really ideal for a beginner. You're spot on about the Jets. If someone was looking to get a Squier debut... I'd definitely recommend investing another £30-40 and get a Jet instead. 👍 Although some new jets have a wee issue with the saddles - vid in the works 😁👍
@@stevecassidyguitar To be fair i did have to change the grub screws in the bridge on the Jet js 300 too as they were to long and caught my hand too but i did have to change them on a fender player also. I have my action quite low so guess thats just a problem with most of that particular bridge design . Smaller grub screws which are cheap to buy solve this problem though . I have the link to where to buy them if anyone needs them.😀
All in, it seems like a decent place to start for a beginner. The tuning issues will probably settle down with a bit of use and a string change. Knowing that Fazley do their guitars often for this price, it's difficult to recommend the Squier however
Right enough I've seen some of the Fazley Sunset Dawn's with the Roasted Maple necks etc for around this price. Tough competition these days - Lucky for us! 😁👍
@@stevecassidyguitar oh yeah, it makes for great choice at this price point. My pal got a Fazley sunset for this price and it's much better spec than the debut
Good shout mate 😀👍 I've got about another 15 strat vids in the works tho 🙈 People are gonna get sick of em quick 😂 The wee truss rod tweak I gave it in this vid has made a massive difference, I've been picking it up quite a lot for a wee quick noodles (unplugged mainly). Might gig it tonight 😬
@@bradmiddleton412 I brought it to 2 gigs as a spare but never used it 🙈 But it's very closely specced to the Squier sonic I took out recently. I'm sure you could gig the Debut - no problem (with a good set up) but with it being SSS I've been reluctant to use it 😬
I got the 2 tone sunburst one. Overall, I really like it. The only shortcoming was the electronics, but I always have some loaded pickguards laying around, so I put one in this guitar that has single coil sized hot rails. Now it sounds awesome. Also put on a set of cheap locking tuners and a roller tree.
Nice one mate! I really wanted the Sunburst one - I think that looks the best in the matt finish. But they didn't have any in stock when the sale was on. Nice upgrades tho mate 😀👍
Yeah but 119 in 2019 is more that 129 in today's money 😜 Jokes... But going by the price increases of Jammie Dodgers... It could be right! 😂 Heard good things about the Squier Bullets tho 😎👍
The only redeeming factor for lower end Squiers is their resale value. My cheapest Squier was and is a Squier Strat SE for 40 Euros. Full thickness body now has a MIM trem block, A TexMex loaded pickguard and vintage Fender split post tuners. All in all less than 200 Euros. Plays a dream and rings like a bell. I'm a tight Geordie that doesn't give a damn what name is on the headstock. When I bought and modded this guitar there weren't many budget alternatives. Today I would probably lean to a Jet or something similar but at the moment I have enough guitars (don't bloody well dare say it!)
I was gonna ask about the body thickness. I have mentioned my fondness for my bullet strat and that also has the thinner body. The only downside is that the trem block is also shorter and a regular replacement will not fit into the cavity
Good point sir, but you can get trems that fit, I think it's wilkinson that do a "shorty" block that is made for this very reason and compatible with a lot of trems. I think GFS have a similar product too 👍
Oh yeah, I'll definitely change the strings - not sure how in depth I can go with this one. I might bring it to tomorrows gig and see if I can get a clip or 2 😜
The cheapest Strat available here in Turkey is the Squier MM hardtail Strat, I always want to buy whenever I see one cuz its cheap and I dont really use a term
The cheapest Squier was a classic vibe 50s strat. I got it used for approx 230 Eur. After many years I sold it, because I didn‘t like the laquered neck and fret board.
That's a good price for a CV! 😎👍 I know what you mean about the Glossy necks and fretboards, not my favourite either. But fixable with a wee bit of steelwool in a few mins 😀👍
@@stevecassidyguitar I was struggling whether I likes it so much to mod it or better sell and get something different. I have a Peavey Strat copy from 90th, a Harley Benton St-25th, a 🇺🇸 Fender Pro Strat solid rosewood neck and a PRS SE Silver Sky. More than enough Strats 😆🫣😬
Hi Steve, I thought it sounded like a cheap guitar, but that's okay because that's exactly what it is. Maybe when you get some better strings on and tweak it a bit things will spark up a little. It does say Stratocaster on the headstock and that will mean something to a lot of new players, so it's really not a bad deal for £100. My first electric guitar was a proper monstrosity so back then I would have loved it.
Yeah that seems to be the main comparisons being made here, it's great compared to what used to be available for that price, but these day's with about another £30 you can get far better.
Got a bullet mustang for my daughter, £118 and a great starter guitar. Slightly off topic but Fair Deal Music have got one of those 40th Anniversary Jazzmasters in the seafoam green you like on eBay… 😬
I'm a big fan of Squiers. I have quite a few. But I've been leery of these. That price just seems too low for Squier to make a good guitar. Now many years ago, I bought THREE Squier Bullets when they were retailing for $99. But that was almost 20 years ago. I can't see how they could make something nearly as good for pretty much the same price in 2024.
You might be right! 😁👍 Althought this one has been fun to noodle around with unplugged since the wee truss rod tweak. I don't really want to hear the pickups or use the trem tho 😜
Ah that's a shame - I'd imagine they can't all be hugely consistent at these prices. Unfortunately the Fesley's aren't easy to get a hold of in the UK - I'd love to try one out though 😀👍
Just catching up on this one now mate. Hope all is good with you. Btw, I gotta reply to a point you made on on of your recent videos. I don’t like the headstock on the new Jet Elites either 🤦♂️ more Fazley budget than Elite anything imo 👎. Dealbreaker? Btw,this video was so funny. You’re really trying your best not to say ‘This is the greatest piece of shit you ever …..’ 🤣🤭
Ha! You noticed my disdain 😂🙈 Re The Jet Elites, out of the 5 they've shown so far, I think it's only the Tele I'm into as it's the only option with maple board. I'm not too big on rosewood 😬 and yeah, don't love that pointier headstock design either
@@stevecassidyguitar I did of course. Anything Jet related 😉. But I see they’ve released more models today (upgraded 300’s & 400’s) and they have the regular headstock we like 🤷♂️
@@thelolguy007 Just had a look - Nice! But I'm only seeing rosewood 😬. I'd love to see just more JS400's in more colours 😂👍 And an offset with a trem, and a thinline Tele 😁
I'd say for the price an OK guitar, should be better once you put on new strings, polish the frets, sort the nut out etc., thought it sounded alright, quite liked the matt finish 👍🎸😆
Yeah this pretty much sums it up mate. 😀👍 To be fair, I've been playing it more than I thought I would. That wee truss rod adjustment made a world of difference. It's fun to pick up for a quick wee noodle here and there
I have many years ago when I was at college, but it was just an unplugged couch noodle, can't remember too much about it. I have tried other 24" scale guitars since then, like the JagStang, the shorter scale is fun for a wee while, but then I always want to go back to 25.5". A Jag definitely needs a revisist tho - cheers 😀👍
@@stevecassidyguitar I haven’t been able to get my hands on P2 yet to but it might not be 5x better. I didn’t think the squire debut was a bad budget guitar. It’s certainly a great first guitar.
@@SearchingForTone I think a lot of the reviews I'd previously seen, perhaps the guitars had better action out of the box than the example I got. 🤷♂ With this one the Truss rod wasn't engaged at all. But after that wee tweak, it's been a night and day difference, and I've been enjoying noodling on it 😀👍 So with that set up, i'd agree it's a great first guitar. But if a beginner gets one with the "playability" like I did out of the box, and they don't know how to correct it, that could be a non-starter ☹ In that case it wouldn't be a great first guitar 😬
@@stevecassidyguitar my 1st guitar played so bad back in 97….which is probably why I am a rubbish player today🤣 But it’s also $30 US cheaper than my first. Properly setup I think it could be inspirational. I’m not sure why their competition can get better out of the box results than a huge company like this, and for less. That’s why I like these reviews cause they don’t know who it’s going to so it’s not “cherry picked”
Nice one mate 😎👍 I checked out a Sonic strat recently too. There's not much difference between the Debut and the Sonic. I do really like the new affinity stuff though - A lot of cool new colours and upgrades post 2021. I love beans on toast too! 😀
@@stevecassidyguitar It was about the big T looking part of the cardboard package. BTW, I'm just curious, if by any chance you might have any plans to be in or around London in the 2nd part of August.
@@GuitarQuackery Ah! Of course! 😂👍 Soz, I'm too slow 🙈 I'm going to Germany 14th Aug for a week. Trip is costing a bit, so unlikely to make London. Are you visiting the UK? 😀
Pick ups didn't sound to good to me. I did have an affinity strat at one point and the stock neck pickup in that was really good, bridge and middle was not the best sounding mind.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure these are the same pickups as on the Sonic Series strat. I gigged that one recently, pickups were quite dull, in comparison to the Jet and Ibanez AZes i was also playing that night
It sounds exactly like... a strat. OK, so the set up was manky (as were the strings), but it out performed what I was expecting. For all its faults, it's still looks a better beginner guitar than what we had in the 70s & 80s (Marlin Sidewinder, anyone?). Cheaper in real terms too.
You're spot on as usual mate 👍 Kids these days have had it too easy! 💪🧐 😜 But nah, it's a decent guitar. Decent for the price, but these days for another £30 ish, there's definitely some better options from the younger brands.
It's not a keeper for me mate, but only because I currently have way too many strats 🙈 I was just too curious. If you're comfortable setting a guitar up - it's decent. But there are other options.. Jet JS300 for about £30 more (some retailers) would be far better imo
There were no signs it was a return. But these all sit in an Amazon warehouse for months. It's unlikely the action will be uniform across all samples. Around 2mm at the 12th is pretty much industry standard for most brands these days. The nuts are usually high too, to give the user the option to file it down lower (most do), as if it's already low players won't have the option to increase the height, they'd have to buy and install a new nut instantly if they prefer the higher action
I find this a bit of a rip off, on Amazon UK this is £129.99 which is $173.97 whereas in the US it is $119.99. I think a better guitar can be purchased with 130 quid.
Yeah the global pricing is weird 🤷♂️. Agreed, better options out there for just a wee bit more. Another £30 or so, can get you a pretty great strat these days 😎👍
Amazon will move a ton of these guitars to complete novices who hav no inkling of how to set up a guitar. Now, if this were a "dealers only" guitar with set up pricing included, this would be an okay beginner's guitar. As it is, paying the extra $100 for a set up makes this tough. But, hey, as a cheap guitar to bring to a gig and give a sh%& about? Sure!
That's a fantastic idea mate - Re the Dealers set up 😎👍 And you're right these will sell well! Black Friday week on Amazon in the lead up to xmas - oooft! 🤑
@@chrisstephens6194 I've actaully never tried one of the cheaper HB's. But I do know I'm not a fan of the HB neck profiles. Doesn't mean the Squier would be "better" just more my neck preference 👍
For the starters these guitars are well spend, when your grandma just went to heaven.... Or the other way and leave you sum money, i should take a Harley Benton! Thanx again for your beautifull body.... says the wife! 😜
It sounds and probably feels like what it is...a cheap guitar. But who are these aimed at because a newbie might pick that as their first axe and be instantly put off by it - a beginner cant play anything let alone know how to tweak things on a guitar to set it up and neither should they. Get a Jet JS300 or 400 for a few quid more and out of the box is a much better starter guitar
Yeah, I don't know how companies can fix this 🤔 There needs to be more focus on that set up out of the box experience, but when the guitars are travelling from the factories across the world, the "set up" (if any) it left the factory with can't be guarenteed. I think it was Cal B who suggested "dealer only" starter models that can come with a set up from an in house tech. Great idea, great for the consumer, but probably not enough profit in it for anyone 🤷♂️
Cheap guitars can end up being a pain in the backside a guitar like that is more likely to put of a newcomer. Save your penny's and go middle ground not to say that their are not donkey's I e ery price range 😂
I had a feeling that it would not be that good out of the box. By the time a beginner has paid for a full set-up and then found out very quickly why satin paint on a guitar is not a good idea they are going to less than happy.. You cant make a silk purse out of a pigs ear, this guitar like a lot of other entry level ones best are left in it's box, or better still returned to Amazon. Buy cheap, Buy twice.😟👍💔
They're definitely marketed to beginners. Investing some time at the factories on set up could be a good idea, but by the time they travel from the other side of the world, perhaps things move/change too much to make it worthwhile a factory set up? 🤔🤷♂️
@@stevecassidyguitar This is why i have been saying buy a used guitar that has been setup correctly. At this pricepoint there is no margin left to attempt any form of factory setup. I have seen more badly setup guitars than good ones at all price points including Fenders infamous "Custom Shop " ! Guitars will change by the time they are sold, but any adjustments required should only be for personal preference, how can you play any guitar with buzzing frets and an action of 2.5mm to clear them. Send it back Steve, i wouldn't waste any more time or money on it.
@@Barbarapape Good points as always 😎👍 The wee truss rod adjustment I gave it made a world of difference. I've actually been playing it more than I thought I would, picking it up for a quick wee noodle here and there unplugged. But that's the experience a beginner should get out of the box. I think I could be past the returns window now though anyway 🙈
@@stevecassidyguitar If you bought it on Prime days (16/17 July) you have a 30 days window to return it in. Tweaking the truss rod won't cure any high frets, Make your video's and return it, then spend the refund on a better guitar.
Brother, it's $120... You can get a set of Alnico 5s and electronics for around $100 and problem solved. $220 and some elbow grease, you're competing with $1000 instruments. And I love the maple board on my Fender, but this is totally acceptable for this price point. I'm probably gonna buy one for a beater
This is a guitar you buy a kid when you know he is gonna quit. Waste of money. Harley benton makes a better guitar for 90 eur and a lot better for 120.
I have to admit, I've only ever tried a students Harley Benton ST20 HSS , and it was no better or worse than this. I do prefer the Squier C necks and 9.5" radius. But no doubt Harley Benton do make some incredible guitars 😎👌
@@stevecassidyguitar Thanks for replying, yeah the ST20 I played might have been a fluke, pretty decent (and red, therefore better 🤣). Totally agree on the necks, the big radiuses are the sole reason I don't own a HB ST62, just feels wrong. Still think this is a pretty uninspired effort on Squier's side. No knock on your review, it was honest and playing is of course on point. Keep up the good work.
@@plamenpenkov2865 Cheers mate! But yeah it seems a fairly obvious attempt to get in on the "Cheap Amazon Guitars" market. There's so many of them now, a new brand pops up every other week 😂
This product seems to be a contracted item from the Cort factory. It seems the guitar experts have been pushing this guitar on the general public. The guitar world people know what they have to do in order to make this guitar playable. YOU HAVE TO MODIFY THE GUITAR! You and the guitar playing world can afford to buy the item. I would rather have the beginning guitarist or novice spend their money wisely. Too many modifications occur. I've been a touring guitar tech and "roadie" since the 70's. I'm retired now. I have time to watch your channel. I constantly asked to make recommendations on purchasing musical gear. Cheers!
@@CPellman Oh! I didn't realise they were Cort - That's interesting 🤔 I agree, a beginner shouldn't be expected to adjust a truss rod, but I've got to admit, I've been playing this thing quite a bit since that wee adjustment. It's fun to pick up and have a quick wee unplugged noodle on. As far as me making recommendations for gear that's worthwhile buying - it's no easy feat these days, as QC can be quite inconsistent across the board.
Dude. Just to get back with you. They could be a Cort made guitar. Anyone can contact the Cort factory and have them make any type of guitar they design or order. Also the amount guitars per group, color, or type. This how the cheap guitars flood the guitar market. So, buyers beware.
What's the Cheapest Squier you've ever got? 🫳⌨⬇
£40 squire Mustang 🐎 had to walk 100 yards round the block to pick it up
$199 Bullet HH Mustang and $199 Sonic Single humbucker Strat.
Im a harley benton guitars price range guy i have a SC400 black and a TE62 with Roswell pickups id love to be able to afford more expensive guitars even just to have and to hold as i can't get my fingers to do what i want without me thinking too hard
I buy Squiers used. I have paid $40 for my 2004 Squier Standard P Bass and $65 for my Squier Standard Telecaster. I pick them up played and slightly neglected someone else can take the retail hit.
Now in 2020 I did buy what turned out to be a very strange Squier Partscaster (Squier Standard Telecaster neck and the body looks to be a Squier Affinity Telecaster body because it's three pieces and very shallow) for like $220 when ALL THE SQUIER PRICES WERE INSANE! I ended up doing a Trem on it (GFS X Trem), my buddy kicked me Fender Noiseless Telecaster pickups, and I pretty much replaced every part on here except the body (crappy refin in a Midnight Blue, the neck (loads of machine head screw holes that I had to fill, 24 to be exact) and what turned out to be a cool (but cheap on Amazon) Abalone looking pickguard. The finished guitar has Tiki decals on it, mixed black and chrome hardware, and it basically succeeded as being a "inspired by 1970s Lawsuit Japanese guitar" but ironically with Fender and Squier parts! I also got a Gotoh Tele bridge plate that I LOVE that is scalloped on the back for a Bigsby vibrato. So it beautiful and ugly at the same time. It looks like a Tiki Bar threw up on a Tele (also what I was going for). I did the majority of the work on this and it definitely is loud visually, with the Fender Noiseless pickups and 1 Meg pots (shut up Meg!) this is my LOUDEST TELE and that's saying something because I have Teles with Filtertrons (loud pickups for sure!!!)!
All my Squiers are better than stock, over the years I have modded the hell out of all of them but really that's where the fun lies.😉👍✨
@@gringogreen4719 Sounds bonkers yet fun, But my favourite part was "Sut up Meg!" 😂👌
Enjoyed the Still Game reference at the beginning :)
Ha! Cheers mate! I've used that one a few times now 😂👍
Scottish guitar jesus, sorry my messiah I was out with the lady when this dropped. I will do better please don’t smite me oh wise and powerful smiter!! Another great insight thank you my friend, keep up the great work!
HA! Cheers mate no worries 😂👍 You are forgiven 🙏
This time! 🧐
😜
Definitely helps to get a strat guys opinion. I pick up a spire in GC the other day because I was curious to see how the tuner were and was a very surprise how good they felt. I’m not sure what it was . Think it was a little under $200.
Nice one mate - I'd guess that might have been a Squier Sonic you tried - I've had one of those too, fantastic guitars (for the money). It's crazy (and awesome!) what we can get for the cash these days 😀👍
Cheapest Squier I bought is a recent run Affinity Strat and it plays better, is more stable and sets up better than a really nice CV Strat I had. The CV felt more refined but didn’t play better. I love the newer Affinities, I did do a good setup and rolled the edged ( $2.50 sanding block) only turn off is the big headstock.
I've had great experiences with the newer Affinities too, was it 2021, the series got the makeover/upgrades?
I got one of the "Jazzmasters" (only used the body) but great quality guitar for the price 😎👍
It's been a long time since I've checked out a Squier CV, but they still seem to have a great rep.
I like the satin/matt finish on the new Squiers. The fret ends being smooth is good at that price, in the late 80's and early 90's they were really bad. I actually broke the skin on my fingers lowereing a very heavy Marlin Sidewinder Strat back onto the stand in the shop. How were the tuners? Great video too.
Thank you mate 😀🙏 The tuners.. work. They're nothing special, they do the job, pretty much what you'd expect from these newer lower end Squiers 👍
Solid vid. I played a Squier Affinity Strat last week that I really liked. Bought an Affinity Tele a week before that. I’m a big fan of the necks on these latest Squier Affinity’s.
Cheers mate - was a bit of a lower effort vid (I need to belt out more of these 😅👍).
I have to admit, I do like what they're doing with the newer affinity models - some very cool finish options too 😎👍
Oh shit, it has a headstock! I've been looking for a guitar with a headstock for quite some time now.
Great video as always, Steve :) You always make me laugh. Cheers!
Have to say, though. That guitar kinda sounds like ass. I'm sorry.
It sounds muffled in every position.
I agree - It doesn't sound great 👎 I'm sure you'll find the right headstocked guitar for you 😜👍
Love this , like me a cheap Squier
You'll need to check one out mate 👹👍
The trem is tightened down to work as a hardtail because it's faster to do in the factory and that's the way beginners will use the guitar anyway. You have to loosen the springs to make it just decked or floating, depending on how you like it.
Cheers for that mate - Makes sense 👍
Will investigate soon 👍
I had some spare springs that erred a lot less strong...fender btw...and changed out the originals which are too strong. Perfect floating trem now.
I love how Zeus (BB king) came down from mount Olympus ( Loch Ness) to say hello!!
😂, yeah he didn't like that dodgy "blues" note 😂
I really like the finish and how dark the fret board is. The pickups are about what I would have expected for an entry level guitar. Also, I'm not surprised that the guitar is shipped with a "Decked" trem.
I've always wondered about expecting a guitar that has been shipped halfway around the world in a container and then spent unknown months in a warehouse, to be perfect "Out of the Box". I look forward to seeing the guitar after you change the strings and give it a proper setup.
The biggest drawback I see when considering an Amazon online guitar purchase compared to a store such as Sweetwater, is that I cannot get the guitar setup or upgraded at purchase time. Of course, that could benefit a local guitar store and/or tech.
Very good points well made sir. I was thinking the same thing Re the shipping around the world changes/movements. This one didn't even have the truss rod engaged at all though. But fiar play - ggod effort on the frets 😀👍
Nice looking Guitar 🎸👍
Thank ya Muggs! 😀🙏. The Matte does look cool, just a shame they don't stay matte 😜
Love the glasses and your hand wiggle of the in the comments section.
Im a new learner and I'm shit i cant seem to stop getting dead notes caused by my fat fingers lol
Ha cheers mate! The glasses actually put a lot of people off - I've just had to make a video about that today 😂🙈.
Keep at it mate - top tip (If you don't already know) try to get your finger tips as close to the actual frets as possible, almost touching them 🤓👍
I had the same experience as you did.I was very disappointed at first but after i rounded the fret ends , oiled the fretboard,changed the strings ,lowered the action and changed the grub screws in the bridge ( they were cutting into my hand ) its a totally different experience now ,I quite like it but its nowhere near as good as my jet js 300 which felt amazing straight out of the box .The necks alone on the jets are worth the £150 you pay for them .I would have thought fender would have liked to show people that this is how you make a budget strat but i think they failed and brands like Jet have the edge on them at the moment .By the way love the channel Steve ,keep up the good work mate 😀🤘
Thank ya kindly mate! 😃🙏
Good on ya for putting in the extra effort to get the guitar set up right 👍 They've definitely got potential..but potential isn't really ideal for a beginner. You're spot on about the Jets. If someone was looking to get a Squier debut... I'd definitely recommend investing another £30-40 and get a Jet instead. 👍
Although some new jets have a wee issue with the saddles - vid in the works 😁👍
@@stevecassidyguitar To be fair i did have to change the grub screws in the bridge on the Jet js 300 too as they were to long and caught my hand too but i did have to change them on a fender player also. I have my action quite low so guess thats just a problem with most of that particular bridge design . Smaller grub screws which are cheap to buy solve this problem though . I have the link to where to buy them if anyone needs them.😀
All in, it seems like a decent place to start for a beginner. The tuning issues will probably settle down with a bit of use and a string change. Knowing that Fazley do their guitars often for this price, it's difficult to recommend the Squier however
Right enough I've seen some of the Fazley Sunset Dawn's with the Roasted Maple necks etc for around this price. Tough competition these days - Lucky for us! 😁👍
@@stevecassidyguitar oh yeah, it makes for great choice at this price point. My pal got a Fazley sunset for this price and it's much better spec than the debut
This guitar might be good as a mod platform. Possible video idea where you give it a good setup with some potential mods?
Good shout mate 😀👍 I've got about another 15 strat vids in the works tho 🙈 People are gonna get sick of em quick 😂 The wee truss rod tweak I gave it in this vid has made a massive difference, I've been picking it up quite a lot for a wee quick noodles (unplugged mainly). Might gig it tonight 😬
@@stevecassidyguitar did you end up gigging it? How was it?
@@bradmiddleton412 I brought it to 2 gigs as a spare but never used it 🙈 But it's very closely specced to the Squier sonic I took out recently. I'm sure you could gig the Debut - no problem (with a good set up) but with it being SSS I've been reluctant to use it 😬
I got the 2 tone sunburst one. Overall, I really like it. The only shortcoming was the electronics, but I always have some loaded pickguards laying around, so I put one in this guitar that has single coil sized hot rails. Now it sounds awesome. Also put on a set of cheap locking tuners and a roller tree.
Nice one mate! I really wanted the Sunburst one - I think that looks the best in the matt finish. But they didn't have any in stock when the sale was on. Nice upgrades tho mate 😀👍
Bullet squier tele. 119.00 Amazon in 2019. Killer guitar. I miss it. Sold it during covid. Made a review with it and played the hell out of it.
Yeah but 119 in 2019 is more that 129 in today's money 😜
Jokes... But going by the price increases of Jammie Dodgers... It could be right! 😂
Heard good things about the Squier Bullets tho 😎👍
The only redeeming factor for lower end Squiers is their resale value. My cheapest Squier was and is a Squier Strat SE for 40 Euros. Full thickness body now has a MIM trem block, A TexMex loaded pickguard and vintage Fender split post tuners. All in all less than 200 Euros. Plays a dream and rings like a bell. I'm a tight Geordie that doesn't give a damn what name is on the headstock. When I bought and modded this guitar there weren't many budget alternatives. Today I would probably lean to a Jet or something similar but at the moment I have enough guitars (don't bloody well dare say it!)
😂👍
40EU tho! Total bargain, and you've made the most out of it with the mods too - g'an yersel mate!
I was gonna ask about the body thickness. I have mentioned my fondness for my bullet strat and that also has the thinner body. The only downside is that the trem block is also shorter and a regular replacement will not fit into the cavity
Good point sir, but you can get trems that fit, I think it's wilkinson that do a "shorty" block that is made for this very reason and compatible with a lot of trems. I think GFS have a similar product too 👍
Forgot to mention the strings on the Debut l tried they also needed changing... looking forward to the in-depth review!🙂
Oh yeah, I'll definitely change the strings - not sure how in depth I can go with this one. I might bring it to tomorrows gig and see if I can get a clip or 2 😜
@@stevecassidyguitar love to hear it live!
The cheapest Strat available here in Turkey is the Squier MM hardtail Strat, I always want to buy whenever I see one cuz its cheap and I dont really use a term
Sounds Ideal! 😀👍 I'm not sure if i've seen an equivalant model here in the UK 🤔
How cheap to get the teeth done? Asking for a friend 😂
The cheapest Squier was a classic vibe 50s strat. I got it used for approx 230 Eur. After many years I sold it, because I didn‘t like the laquered neck and fret board.
That's a good price for a CV! 😎👍 I know what you mean about the Glossy necks and fretboards, not my favourite either. But fixable with a wee bit of steelwool in a few mins 😀👍
@@stevecassidyguitar I was struggling whether I likes it so much to mod it or better sell and get something different. I have a Peavey Strat copy from 90th, a Harley Benton St-25th, a 🇺🇸 Fender Pro Strat solid rosewood neck and a PRS SE Silver Sky. More than enough Strats 😆🫣😬
Hi Steve, I thought it sounded like a cheap guitar, but that's okay because that's exactly what it is. Maybe when you get some better strings on and tweak it a bit things will spark up a little. It does say Stratocaster on the headstock and that will mean something to a lot of new players, so it's really not a bad deal for £100. My first electric guitar was a proper monstrosity so back then I would have loved it.
Yeah that seems to be the main comparisons being made here, it's great compared to what used to be available for that price, but these day's with about another £30 you can get far better.
Got a bullet mustang for my daughter, £118 and a great starter guitar.
Slightly off topic but Fair Deal Music have got one of those 40th Anniversary Jazzmasters in the seafoam green you like on eBay… 😬
Thanks for the hot tip mate 😀👍. I'm keeping an eye out for a used one that's at a more tightfisted Scotsman friendly price 😂👌
Steve,
I had an ad. 😂
Ha! Cheers for reporting mate 😂👍 Yes we get ads on the vids soz. It's just the Livestreams that are ad free 😁👍
I'm a big fan of Squiers. I have quite a few. But I've been leery of these. That price just seems too low for Squier to make a good guitar. Now many years ago, I bought THREE Squier Bullets when they were retailing for $99. But that was almost 20 years ago. I can't see how they could make something nearly as good for pretty much the same price in 2024.
You might be right! 😁👍
Althought this one has been fun to noodle around with unplugged since the wee truss rod tweak. I don't really want to hear the pickups or use the trem tho 😜
The one I purchased from Amazon had sharp fret edges and buzzing unlike the Fesley which was smooth as glass.
Ah that's a shame - I'd imagine they can't all be hugely consistent at these prices. Unfortunately the Fesley's aren't easy to get a hold of in the UK - I'd love to try one out though 😀👍
Just catching up on this one now mate. Hope all is good with you. Btw, I gotta reply to a point you made on on of your recent videos. I don’t like the headstock on the new Jet Elites either 🤦♂️ more Fazley budget than Elite anything imo 👎. Dealbreaker?
Btw,this video was so funny. You’re really trying your best not to say ‘This is the greatest piece of shit you ever …..’ 🤣🤭
Ha! You noticed my disdain 😂🙈
Re The Jet Elites, out of the 5 they've shown so far, I think it's only the Tele I'm into as it's the only option with maple board. I'm not too big on rosewood 😬 and yeah, don't love that pointier headstock design either
@@stevecassidyguitar I did of course. Anything Jet related 😉. But I see they’ve released more models today (upgraded 300’s & 400’s) and they have the regular headstock we like 🤷♂️
@@thelolguy007 Just had a look - Nice! But I'm only seeing rosewood 😬.
I'd love to see just more JS400's in more colours 😂👍
And an offset with a trem, and a thinline Tele 😁
@@stevecassidyguitar I hear ya mate. I hear ya 👍
I'd say for the price an OK guitar, should be better once you put on new strings, polish the frets, sort the nut out etc., thought it sounded alright, quite liked the matt finish 👍🎸😆
Yeah this pretty much sums it up mate. 😀👍 To be fair, I've been playing it more than I thought I would. That wee truss rod adjustment made a world of difference. It's fun to pick up for a quick wee noodle here and there
Steve,
Have you ever played a Fender, or Squier, Jaguar electric guitar?
I have many years ago when I was at college, but it was just an unplugged couch noodle, can't remember too much about it. I have tried other 24" scale guitars since then, like the JagStang, the shorter scale is fun for a wee while, but then I always want to go back to 25.5". A Jag definitely needs a revisist tho - cheers 😀👍
It's all about debut. 🦗🦗🦗
I know I'm missing some reference here - can't get it soz! 😂 It's been a long day tho 🥴
@@stevecassidyguitar 🤣🤣🤣 de...but...I'm a simple man. Some say... VERY simple.
@@MajorUpgrade 😂🙈 OK it was the Emoji's that threw me off - I'm still not getting them 🤔 ants? Insects? 🤷♂
@@stevecassidyguitar crickets ... As in... Bad joke
I Imagine this is no contest for the player 2
Oh yeah - The Player 2 is definitely the better guitar. But is it 5x better?
Yeah.. probably 😂 Maybe I won't bother with that comparison then 😜
@@stevecassidyguitar I haven’t been able to get my hands on P2 yet to but it might not be 5x better. I didn’t think the squire debut was a bad budget guitar. It’s certainly a great first guitar.
@@SearchingForTone I think a lot of the reviews I'd previously seen, perhaps the guitars had better action out of the box than the example I got. 🤷♂
With this one the Truss rod wasn't engaged at all. But after that wee tweak, it's been a night and day difference, and I've been enjoying noodling on it 😀👍
So with that set up, i'd agree it's a great first guitar.
But if a beginner gets one with the "playability" like I did out of the box, and they don't know how to correct it, that could be a non-starter ☹
In that case it wouldn't be a great first guitar 😬
@@stevecassidyguitar my 1st guitar played so bad back in 97….which is probably why I am a rubbish player today🤣 But it’s also $30 US cheaper than my first. Properly setup I think it could be inspirational. I’m not sure why their competition can get better out of the box results than a huge company like this, and for less.
That’s why I like these reviews cause they don’t know who it’s going to so it’s not “cherry picked”
Im 53 now, i still love a squire,they like beans on toast,but i bought sonic and much easier too play than the 1994 affinity i had new
Nice one mate 😎👍 I checked out a Sonic strat recently too. There's not much difference between the Debut and the Sonic. I do really like the new affinity stuff though - A lot of cool new colours and upgrades post 2021. I love beans on toast too! 😀
I need to replace the letter T on my old Typewriter, LOL.
Is this a "T Type" Joke? 🤔😜
@@stevecassidyguitar It was about the big T looking part of the cardboard package.
BTW, I'm just curious, if by any chance you might have any plans to be in or around London in the 2nd part of August.
@@GuitarQuackery Ah! Of course! 😂👍 Soz, I'm too slow 🙈
I'm going to Germany 14th Aug for a week. Trip is costing a bit, so unlikely to make London. Are you visiting the UK? 😀
@@stevecassidyguitar I thought I already replied to this... In any case... yes, I'll be in London for about 10 days.
Pick ups didn't sound to good to me. I did have an affinity strat at one point and the stock neck pickup in that was really good, bridge and middle was not the best sounding mind.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure these are the same pickups as on the Sonic Series strat. I gigged that one recently, pickups were quite dull, in comparison to the Jet and Ibanez AZes i was also playing that night
It sounds exactly like... a strat. OK, so the set up was manky (as were the strings), but it out performed what I was expecting. For all its faults, it's still looks a better beginner guitar than what we had in the 70s & 80s (Marlin Sidewinder, anyone?). Cheaper in real terms too.
You're spot on as usual mate 👍 Kids these days have had it too easy! 💪🧐
😜 But nah, it's a decent guitar. Decent for the price, but these days for another £30 ish, there's definitely some better options from the younger brands.
Steve ❓is this a keeper ❓ tell the people am ready to buy wan 😂
It's not a keeper for me mate, but only because I currently have way too many strats 🙈 I was just too curious.
If you're comfortable setting a guitar up - it's decent. But there are other options.. Jet JS300 for about £30 more (some retailers) would be far better imo
@@stevecassidyguitar 😂😂😂
Hi Steve, do you think it's fair comment that with the Squier line was Fender inventing the Quality Budget Explosion?
Ooooh! You could be onto something there 🤔👍
Drop K15 4 and a half flat :-)))
I hear it's popular among the Math Rockers 🤷♂
😜
Korean Squier Strat: £46.00 one of the best Strats I ever bought.
Soz... I have to know how it was specifically £46 😂👍
Seller wouldn't go down to £45? 😜
Still a great deal tho mate 😎👌
@@stevecassidyguitar Ebay.....wasn't taking offers ha ha.
Action is low on these guitars from the factory maybe you got a return.
There were no signs it was a return. But these all sit in an Amazon warehouse for months. It's unlikely the action will be uniform across all samples.
Around 2mm at the 12th is pretty much industry standard for most brands these days. The nuts are usually high too, to give the user the option to file it down lower (most do), as if it's already low players won't have the option to increase the height, they'd have to buy and install a new nut instantly if they prefer the higher action
I find this a bit of a rip off, on Amazon UK this is £129.99 which is $173.97 whereas in the US it is $119.99.
I think a better guitar can be purchased with 130 quid.
Yeah the global pricing is weird 🤷♂️. Agreed, better options out there for just a wee bit more. Another £30 or so, can get you a pretty great strat these days 😎👍
Amazon will move a ton of these guitars to complete novices who hav no inkling of how to set up a guitar. Now, if this were a "dealers only" guitar with set up pricing included, this would be an okay beginner's guitar. As it is, paying the extra $100 for a set up makes this tough. But, hey, as a cheap guitar to bring to a gig and give a sh%& about? Sure!
That's a fantastic idea mate - Re the Dealers set up 😎👍
And you're right these will sell well! Black Friday week on Amazon in the lead up to xmas - oooft! 🤑
It's not great considering other budget options
Yeah, the under £150 competition is quite fierce these days. And at about £200 you're starting to get some really great guitars now
@stevecassidyguitar 89 quid harley benton telecaster is awesome I know they are a bit of a lottery
@@chrisstephens6194 I've actaully never tried one of the cheaper HB's. But I do know I'm not a fan of the HB neck profiles. Doesn't mean the Squier would be "better" just more my neck preference 👍
For the starters these guitars are well spend, when your grandma just went to heaven....
Or the other way and leave you sum money, i should take a Harley Benton! Thanx again for your beautifull body.... says the wife! 😜
😂👍 I'm guessing these are song lyrics? 🤔 But I can't place em - soz 😬🤷♂️
@@stevecassidyguitar 🤪
Apologizing for terrible playing that’s better than I’ll ever be.
I think we're all our own worst critics. We've both just proven that 😂👍
Thank ya kindly tho mate 😃🙏
It sounds and probably feels like what it is...a cheap guitar. But who are these aimed at because a newbie might pick that as their first axe and be instantly put off by it - a beginner cant play anything let alone know how to tweak things on a guitar to set it up and neither should they. Get a Jet JS300 or 400 for a few quid more and out of the box is a much better starter guitar
Yeah, I don't know how companies can fix this 🤔 There needs to be more focus on that set up out of the box experience, but when the guitars are travelling from the factories across the world, the "set up" (if any) it left the factory with can't be guarenteed.
I think it was Cal B who suggested "dealer only" starter models that can come with a set up from an in house tech. Great idea, great for the consumer, but probably not enough profit in it for anyone 🤷♂️
Cheapest was 2019 a red and a black Squier hard tail Teles new from Argos £80 each.
Load of shit.🤣👍
😂 Thatr's a good rule of thumb - If they're no good - make sure you get 2 of em 😂👍
Cheap guitars can end up being a pain in the backside a guitar like that is more likely to put of a newcomer. Save your penny's and go middle ground not to say that their are not donkey's I e ery price range 😂
You're spot on mate 👍 This is the best argument for buying in store. There's no guitar techs in the Amazon warehouses 😜
@@stevecassidyguitar if your keeping it and don't like the finish relic it lol be a fun video you can go to town with it 😉
Hope this is a strat 🤥
SURPRISE!!!! 😀
Soz 😂🙈
I had a feeling that it would not be that good out of the box.
By the time a beginner has paid for a full set-up and then
found out very quickly why satin paint on a guitar is not a good idea
they are going to less than happy..
You cant make a silk purse out of a pigs ear, this guitar like a lot of
other entry level ones best are left in it's box, or better still returned to Amazon.
Buy cheap, Buy twice.😟👍💔
They're definitely marketed to beginners. Investing some time at the factories on set up could be a good idea, but by the time they travel from the other side of the world, perhaps things move/change too much to make it worthwhile a factory set up? 🤔🤷♂️
@@stevecassidyguitar This is why i have been saying buy a used guitar that has been setup correctly.
At this pricepoint there is no margin left to attempt any form of factory setup.
I have seen more badly setup guitars than good ones at all price points including Fenders infamous
"Custom Shop " !
Guitars will change by the time they are sold, but any adjustments required should only be for personal
preference, how can you play any guitar with buzzing frets and an action of 2.5mm to clear them.
Send it back Steve, i wouldn't waste any more time or money on it.
@@Barbarapape Good points as always 😎👍 The wee truss rod adjustment I gave it made a world of difference. I've actually been playing it more than I thought I would, picking it up for a quick wee noodle here and there unplugged. But that's the experience a beginner should get out of the box.
I think I could be past the returns window now though anyway 🙈
@@stevecassidyguitar If you bought it on Prime days (16/17 July) you have a 30 days window to return it in.
Tweaking the truss rod won't cure any high frets,
Make your video's and return it, then spend the refund on a better guitar.
@@Barbarapape Oh That's sneaky! But... I kinda like it 😁👍
Pass. The light weight, nice frets & low price can't make up for those awful pups & lack of a maple 'board....
I hear ya mate - I'm all about dat smooth Maple too 😎👍
Brother, it's $120... You can get a set of Alnico 5s and electronics for around $100 and problem solved. $220 and some elbow grease, you're competing with $1000 instruments. And I love the maple board on my Fender, but this is totally acceptable for this price point. I'm probably gonna buy one for a beater
@@TheRealxVincent I know this story all to well 😁👍
ruclips.net/video/ihd-k_8NLX0/видео.html
I love a good mod platform.
This is a guitar you buy a kid when you know he is gonna quit. Waste of money. Harley benton makes a better guitar for 90 eur and a lot better for 120.
I have to admit, I've only ever tried a students Harley Benton ST20 HSS , and it was no better or worse than this. I do prefer the Squier C necks and 9.5" radius. But no doubt Harley Benton do make some incredible guitars 😎👌
@@stevecassidyguitar Thanks for replying, yeah the ST20 I played might have been a fluke, pretty decent (and red, therefore better 🤣). Totally agree on the necks, the big radiuses are the sole reason I don't own a HB ST62, just feels wrong.
Still think this is a pretty uninspired effort on Squier's side.
No knock on your review, it was honest and playing is of course on point. Keep up the good work.
@@plamenpenkov2865 Cheers mate! But yeah it seems a fairly obvious attempt to get in on the "Cheap Amazon Guitars" market. There's so many of them now, a new brand pops up every other week 😂
What a waste of money if you purchase this rubbish. Please think about spending your money on a better product. Be smart.
I was too curious 🙈 Most reviews I'd seen of this were mainly positive 🤷♂️
This product seems to be a contracted item from the Cort factory. It seems the guitar experts have been pushing this guitar on the general public. The guitar world people know what they have to do in order to make this guitar playable. YOU HAVE TO MODIFY THE GUITAR! You and the guitar playing world can afford to buy the item. I would rather have the beginning guitarist or novice spend their money wisely. Too many modifications occur. I've been a touring guitar tech and "roadie" since the 70's. I'm retired now. I have time to watch your channel. I constantly asked to make recommendations on purchasing musical gear. Cheers!
@@CPellman Oh! I didn't realise they were Cort - That's interesting 🤔
I agree, a beginner shouldn't be expected to adjust a truss rod, but I've got to admit, I've been playing this thing quite a bit since that wee adjustment. It's fun to pick up and have a quick wee unplugged noodle on.
As far as me making recommendations for gear that's worthwhile buying - it's no easy feat these days, as QC can be quite inconsistent across the board.
Dude. Just to get back with you. They could be a Cort made guitar. Anyone can contact the Cort factory and have them make any type of guitar they design or order. Also the amount guitars per group, color, or type. This how the cheap guitars flood the guitar market. So, buyers beware.