Cheap Stratocaster Comparison - Squier Guitar Shootout! 

this is definitely one of the best comparisons I've ever seen and had the privilege to listen to. You did a fantastic job describing the differences of these three guitar and although I already knew the information the way you explained it all was very refreshing. keep up the good work and God bless you

Excellent comparison, no fancy finger work or crazy stupid stuff or weird effects and distortion, just a quick simple riff that you can remember and relate to the next one and a clean sound. These are what I need to know and from this I can make areasonable judgement. A standard of review that I wish others would follow !!!! Bravo!!!

I've been playing for 30 years and I have owned many guitars. This was a very good video which makes a great point. There is a lot you can get out of what most would consider a "modest" instrument. You'd be surprised at how much of your tone depends on you and your playing. Certainly, you need decent equipment but we are too often conditioned to only think about high end stuff. Often, those instruments, as good as they are, are surprisingly not that much better than their more modest counterparts.

the thing I take most from these demo's is that a great guitar player can make any guitar sound good. Excellent Demo!

I think your a great guitarist and can make anything sound great..

The Classic Vibes are really good, but I like the small headstock, 22 fret, full width body early Affinities even better. They were made from about '96 to '99, and they are amazing players that sound fantastic.

I really like the Afinity sound. The Classic Vibe sounds like Eric Clapton's sound.

I think the affinity series sounds smooth and the classic vibe sounds a little bit too bright.

Glad to see you testing the Squier Affinity HSS Strat, it's what I have, I like it, very beginner friendly imo

"Fret sprout." I've been playing for 35 years and have never heard that term. I like it!

Classic vibe is the clear winner in my book.

I really enjoyed all of these guitars tones. The affinity is certainly different and not in a bad way. I believe any of them would make a nice addition to any guitar stable, why not all three. :)

Excellent and thorough comparison, Darrell. It's remarkable how similar they all sound. The cheapy sounds best to me.

I’m a huge fan of squiers man. I mean all of them. Bullet, affinity, SE, standard, contemporary, VM and Cvs. I plan on owning one of each. Of both tele and strats. I love playing a cheap guitar and pulling a nice tone out of it. The cvs are spectacular in every way. Cheap, outstanding tone and finish quality. Probably my favorite. But all squiers are awesome!!!!

If you would like to see a comparison between a Squier Standard and a Squier Deluxe, you can check it out here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XAFi-VlEQik.html :)

Best comparisons as ever!!!! Everything is perfect: timing, examples, riffs......... Great work Darrell. And, OF COURSE, congrats for your playing!!!

Darrell. Thanks for another very professional demo. I've seen more guitar demo videos than I care to remember where the guitar was tied to a string of pedals all set to 11. It's good to show how a guitar sounds with pedals as long as it include some clean tones for reference Many players forget that a demo should be about the device being demo'd but you nail it every time.

I must say, in feb of 2020, you have come a long way and have improved greatly in making videos

You make some of the best comparison videos out there, great job man! And to all you who are looking for any of these guitars, my opinion is that they all sound surprisingly good! The Classic Vibe sounds just a tiny bit thicker and nicer in my ears, but the way I see it is that you couldn't go wrong with either of these. Very impressed!

This channel has came so far in 5yrs. Love it

Love watching and hearing you play, Darrell. Your comments are always honest, articulate and fair. Thanks for helping us decide!

This was done very well. Darrell does a good job of teaching you what to listen for. I have learned so much from his videos.

I listened through some pretty decent headphones and my ears like the Affinity best...more of a classic rock/warmer tone...The CV has it's own personality...modern Nashville type sound...the Bullet was my least fave...just my 2 cents :) Thanks for the compare !!!

Close you eyes first friends-. The cheapest cut really well through with the distortion! Affinity sound is unique. Very balanced. The Classic Vibe beats them all with a stick. Those PUPS sound like Texas Special-ish. Love em. GJ!

Thanks for playing these, I have an Affinity on order ,my first electric. Double humbucker, comes with an amp, it sounds pretty good on these videos. Your channel is becoming one of my favorites, thanks for testing my future guitar. I have an acoustic now that I lost my patience with, I agree with you that electric will be easier to learn on, for me anyway

I bought a 15 year old Affinity strat off ebay, to modify. I scalloped the rosewood fingerboard, replaced the die-cast block saddles with (non Fender) bent steel saddles, replaced the awful string trees with roller trees, and floated the trem. Stays perfectly in tune, even after whammy dives and extreme lifts. I actually like the hot(ish) pickups, and as I said stays in tune, so no need to change the tuners. I recently bought the 'cheap as chips' strat like the first guitar you featured, and the difference in playability, tone, and quality between the two is immense, the Affinity winning hands down!

I'll never buy any guitar without checking your vid first... PS: do not change your formula for presentations format or timing, they are the best just the way they are.

Dude, you make each guitar sing. You are a great guitarist. When you have mad skill you can make anything sound good. Rock on!

this compairising really helps because i am looking to buy my first guitar and i was thinking the first strat but now that i can really hear a diffrence i really think of getting the hss strat instead. thanks for the vid and sorry for my english

The best comparison on the web. Please add a vintage modified and a deluxe! It would be the best!!!!!!! My favourite guitar in this is the classic vibe! Love you

I know I thank you for all your video, but I'm sure I speak for others when I say how much the time, effort and talent you put into your productions is appreciated. I watch some of your videos just to learn some new riffs. Anyhow, I own that same CV. I was so impressed with the Classic Vibe series that I ordered a butterscotch blond 50's CV telecaster the other day... patiently awaiting it's arrival. They all sounded good and as you pointed out the overall quality is pretty good for entry level instruments. I never really took the time to try out a strat with a humbucker in the bridge... sounded quite nice. A nice tone option. With some minor and inexpensive mods, anyone of these guitars could be "fine tuned" to a person needs/preference or just leave them as they are. I'm rambling,thanks again!

They all sounded suprisingly good but I d i find myself preferring the classic vibe it had a cleaner tone to me. Thanks for the video this just does show that a good player can make anything sound good.

That was a great comparison! I just bought that HSS version of the Bullet Strat and I think it's fine for me starting out. My feeling is that the Affinity sounded really good maybe better than the expensive one but overall they all sound great. Obviously you are a great guitarist so anything would sound good in your hands! I like the idea of having the humbucker as an option. A friend of mine bought a Squier Strat 20 years ago and it still sounds great. Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together.

Your videos are very helpful!! I always watch your videos when I would buy a new guitar.

For those who would like to create a 'hardtail' Strat, just get a brass pipe connector ring of dimensions radius 3 inches by 5/16th, and saw it in half across the radius. Polish off the rough edges, then tap it into place just behind the tremolo block. This block of brass will allow string vibrations to traverse the entire body, and you will hear an instant improvement in the midrange, plus increased sustain. The price? About $2.00 Cdn, plus you if can handle a hack saw, you get two.

Very thorough and cool comparison for someone like me who is just learning about Strats. It was interesting to watch the light reflecting off the body of each guitar as you played. In addition to hearing their unique sound, you could also clearly see the difference in the quality of the finish between the three instruments. Beautiful playing! The Alnico pickups really sound different and funky. Definitely good to know about - for later when I learn to play. I ended up going with a pristine gloss black Affinity from '02 with all single-coil PUs. It's the best $80 I've ever spent!

Me siento afortunado de tener una affinity.. la verdad que el sonido es admirable y muy buena guitarra en sí

Nicely done! Thanks for taking the time to make this video

Awesome well detailed and knowledgable review thanks so much darrell. Really helped me decide which guitar to pick!

You can always tell 50's vs 60's strats by the fretboard: Rosewood boards were introduced by Fender in '59, I think, though it could be very early in '60's. '58 is when they went from 2 tone to 3 tone burst; I've got a Japanese FSR Lmt Ed '58 strat. Maple board strats are like that (reissues) usually made on a vintage '50's profile :-)

Love my CV 50s, best guitar I've owned

I used the starter pack strat for about 5 years and it was fine, then I played a different guitar and my world has never been the same since.

Would love to see a comparison of the squier and fender jazzmaster... A big fan of your channel. Keep up the good work!

I have a great Squire. A CXS from China. The only problem was the cheap electronics. I put a Sigler Everything Axe Seymour Duncan Pick guard in to it. It is my favorite electric guitar now. Has so many variable sounds and it plays great.

You've come such a long way. Great here and definitely hear your voice and atmosphere on newer ones feel more comfortable as though you found your strengths. You've done well man. I have enjoyed the journey and will keep watching. Thanks for the wonderful show.

They all sound like Strats and your skillful and tasteful playing made this an enjoyable and informative video thanks!

In this comparison, the CV Squier sounds best, and it is because of the pickups. Assuming all guitars were playing through the same setup, and they were, then the CV guitars ring more true to my ears...Just my opinion. The pickups matter, when sound is the focus, and when playing through the same amp/set up, there is a definite difference...As for Darrell, my friend, I have watched for years, and you are the most unbiased, honest gear reviewer I've ever seen...And you really know your stuff. I'm always impressed by your gear knowledge. God bless you

Let me just give props for the Star Wars AT-AT and Imperial Guard merchandise on the bookshelf/desk!

Honestly, I've owned a bullet strat for almost 6 years now, bought it a few months after I started playing on my Melody Menges from 1987 classical guitar, set it up myself, slapped some Elixirs on it and I've never had tuning issues, or any hardships with the tuning pegs (machine heads, whatever you wanna call them). Currently, that's the only electric guitar I own, don't have the money for a new one, yet, but that's about to change in the near future. :D It rarely goes out of tune, unless I really go ham on the wammy bar and use dives a lot. Neck is awesome, frets are nice. I would change the pick ups and that's about it. I did play on "higher end", more expensive guitars such as the, at the time, $450 Epiphone Les Paul Traditional and some $600 Ibanez (meh, that's what I was told it cost), I'd rather stick to this one, but that's just me. :) I've got a digitech RP300A sound processor that I put in between the shitty little Fender Frontman G15 amp, but since I'm using the AUX IN port on the amp, I get to completely bypass it's own soundboard which is crap and just enjoy the pure sounds that the guitar makes with just the RP300A. :) I did try out an American Standard Stratocaster in the shop on a 200W Marshall amp, and sufficing to say, I was literally blown away. xD

Really helpful video, I was looking for a good cheap guitar and this actually helped alot :) thank you :)

Wow! Once again, you have done an amazing job of describing the main differences between these guitars. You made all three sound amazing with your superb playing style. I did enjoy the sound of the higher end Squire most of all. I am really narrowing it down to what I want. I love your video’s

My favorite is the cheap guitar from the package. It has a slightly old sound that reminds me of the '60s, Or maybe it reminds me more about the production of sound from the 60s. Many find the sound too thin and would rather sustain, But there is a difference between sustain, and the classic vibe had not the sustain I liked. My own preference as a guitarist is Punk Metal Surf Boogie and Folk. I like an instrument that is stretched to the breaking point with all the buttons at ten, so the cheap Strat fulfill my purpose.

You are a master. I think that a very good setup for a guitar is one of the big secrets to may a cheap guitar playable and with a good guitarist like you it will sound very profesional.

I’m thankful to have come across your channel. Great tips, you play great and you know your stuff. Thanks for all that you do

Indonesian made Affinity's are great! Even Jack Pearson uses them! His tone is unbelievable.

A perfect comparison video as usual Darrell, you can really get the best out of these guitars. All of them sound surprisingly good to me, even if the Affinity strat seems a little thinner and less warm than the other two. Does anyone else hear that? Could it be the thinner body?

Love the playing! A couple of things - Firstly, I believe you have the 50s classic vibe there, particularly as you said they have alnico IIIs... Secondly, as a point of interest, it's my understanding the affinity and the package guitar (bullet?) all use squier's "standard" pickups, though I could be wrong! If I'm right though, it's interesting to here the subtle tonal differences between the two! CV50s blows them away (though it should at the price difference!). Would love one to match my 60s!

I just bought that starter Squier pack. Got idea how to play it yet, but I’ll get there! It’s a brilliant little thing and perfect for a beginner like myself 😊 the amp that came with it is lovely, too.

Last week I decided I want to start playing guitar and I came across Darrell's videos. This video convinced me that the Classic Vibe Squire is a good beginner guitar at the least. In other words I wouldn't want to start with anything less and this video was very helpful in making my decision. And ya I already subscribed.

I am really impressed with the Affinity. I like Squiers because I had a Korean Strat with my favorite neck but I didn't like the Affinity ones. I chucked my pickups but these are nice. I don't think I would want to change.

I came back to this video because in the shop they told me the guitars from the starter pack are BETTER than the affinity stand alone....and I thought "wait, I'm sure that dude said the opposite and he seemed to know about guitars!" so I came back...and you did say the opposite! I'm looking for my first ever electric guitar and I love strats....the affinity in the shop feels and sounds great....gonna buy it now that I've listened to what you had to say again! Thanks man!

I just got the Squier Stratocaster with the bundle in the brown sunburst, the locking tuning knobs definitely needs to be upgraded other then that I’m happy with it and I’ve never played before so it’s a good starter, I’ve been enjoying watching your videos

Awesome comparison. The humbucker on the Affinity was a curveball but a really great and useful demo/comparison video.

Hi Darrell I think it would have been easier to hear the best guitar during the blues backing track if you has played the same notes on each guitar, as you did with the riffs and clean chords. Having said that it seemed to me that the thinner body adversely affects the tone of the Affinty Strat, making its pick-ups sound less lively and powerful than the other two Strats. Thanks for making your comparison videos I have learnt a lot from them.

Skilful renditions, Darren. Greetings from Scotland.

Excellent comparison Darrell. Thanks. No.3 was distinctively different and more pleasurable by itself. But in the mix, the thinner sound didn't blend too well. Tone needs to be fattened up! ☺

Squiers are really underrated. Some Squiers even have a better feel and tone than many Fenders and some other big brands. I've been playing for like 30 years now. I've owned and played many brands such as Jackson, ESP, LTD, Fender, Epiphone, JD Brothers, etc. All of them are good guitars, but in the end of the day, I always come back to my first love, my first guitar, a black 89 Squier Stratocaster SSS with a polished maple neck and stock pickups. Made in Korea of course. Nothing even comes close to its sound and feel. Love Squiers.

Thanks for the info - here's my recent experience schlepping around the internet and the land, for a suitable Squier Strat: I tried out a Squier Affinity identical to yours, but it was made in Indonesia, last month in York here in England, UK. Surprisingly good, though I am no expert and actually not picked up a guitar in a long time anyway. I tried and bought a Classic Vibe 60's however, the last one in Candy Apple Red in the country, down in Norwich, England. Believe me, I googled the heck out of it. Drove for over four hours to try it, and while I wasn't at even MY best (pretty poor - blistered finger due to Affinity encounter a couple days earlier!), it was not I think as good-sounding as the Affinity. However, I could not pin this down to anything except it had been sat on the 'shop floor' of Cookes instruments in Norwich, and I decided the strings were past their best. On that basis I bought it, and will fit new strings and clean it up a bit now it is home. My point - no really, there is one - is that new strings (the Affinity Squier Strat they literally had to unpack and tune for me in front of my eyes - Gear4music in York), and setting up and so on, probably make AS MUCH difference in practice, as whatever difference there appears to be. In other words, here in the UK, I could sense the new-new Squier Affinity Stratocaster, was actually pretty sweet sounding, but the Classic Vibe sounded less so, even dull. I looked carefully at those strings though - not shiny like the Affinity, so they've had fingers all over them, sweat, etc, corroding them, and over-abused for too long I would say. Point is, with the new Fender bullet-end strings I will fit this weekend, I expect the Classic Vibe 60's to take off. Here in the UK, the prices are Affinity £185 and the Classic Vibe 60's about £400 ish. Over double. These are new-stock prices. Is it worth double? You would surely say - if it is to YOU, then it is! If you are pressed for cash, all I can say is, the Indonesia Affinity Strat was awfully decent at any price, the one I tried. I am expecting the one I plumped for - the CAR Classic Vibe 60's - to really up its game with new strings and any tuning I take advice on doing at the time. No shame at all once you are at the Affinity level, is my up-to-date experience. Any player can improve a lot with one of those. Now, older ones, maybe go back to 2007 or something? Can't say, might not be as good, or might be better. These things can go through quality phases either way? I honestly wouldn't even steer clear of the Squier 'Bullet' strat if I were an absolute newbie, because let's face it, you will probably accidentally abuse, damage or otherwise sling it around in a car boot to your friends place etc. For less than a ton (£100 or $100US ish) for the guitar, better not to have to worry about it. A diligent year in, yeah, perhaps time to upgrade. Lastly, I am reminded of an experience with a late friend of my brother's, an inspirational player Dave Thompson, I moaned my imitation Les Paul was buzzing a lot during one late smoky jam session. He extended a stubby arm and took it into his care, this allegedly buzzing guitar, and voila! no buzzing. 'Finger trouble' he announced. Lovely guy, no malice, just stated the fact. I laughed - although I was rolling my eyes at the time...practice more, push down harder, get that wrist aching more, I mean, stronger.

Personally prefer the lighter thinner affinity bodies over the thicker Fender bodies. All of my cheaper thinner strats sound great even when unplugged where as the Fenders are barely audible unless plugged in. Another awesome thing about the Affinities is that if you kind of make a hobby out of dropping by pawn shops or checking Reverb from time to time (never go to guitar center, they have by far the dumbest used guitar policies out there) and shop around you can find ones with flamed necks, birdseye necks, or a combination of the two. You can find chipped guitars that reveal a second color underneath that would look awesome when reliced and can be bought cheap due to the damage. I have a black strat that has metallic silver underneath, a white one that was daphne blue underneath, and almost just bought a black one with red underneath that also had a birdseye maple neck for $120. You can also find ones with upgraded parts for no extra cost. Best part is the employees never know anything about guitars so you can make a basic setup sound like a major problem. "The strings are just...way high, see that? Could mean the neck is ruined....won't know til I get it home. See how this switch is missing the tip? Yeah....see they sell that part as one unit. You cant just buy the tip...that's a $15 replacement part...." and before you know it you're out the door tax and everything for $60 with a gorgeous guitar that needs maybe an hours worth of work to make it right. Just...know your limit haha got addicted to this process and wound up with 32 guitars at one point. Got easier to hide the new ones after I reached about the 20 mark haha.

Good videos informative without to much waffeling and to the point as well as some fine playing !

I don't know if it is just my ears, The affinity wins my vote in these awesome comparison

Great playing. Always a joy to watch. You could probably pick up any guitar and make it sound great!

Damn D, you can make anything sound good. Proof again it's more about player than instrument. That being said I like the CV, I might be biased, as I like maple finger boards on Fenders. Just looks better IMHO. I have an original Squire 51 which is my everyday guitar.I actually like playing it more than my American Strat. It took a few hours to dress the fret ends, but now I love how this feels and plays. Great guitars for the money.

As a newbie guitarist, I love going through your videos Darrell - learning or in this case, deciding what guitar to buy. I play a Yamaha f310 at the moment and have far to go till I can even call myself competent, but being on the fence regarding which electric guitar to buy, I have finally settled on the Classic Vibes '50 after the giddying heights of an American Standard. From this video I have to say I loved the brighter, 'grittier' sound of the CV to the other two. To my ears, it was almost like you could hear the strings independent of each other. That does it for me. Apart from the obvious better looks that is. Thanks again for helping make my mind up.

Really awesome comparison.

LOVE U MAN! BEST GUITAR VIDEOS!

The Infinity series is narrower which make after market mods more problematic as well as a narrow nut width, which makes it feel different of you're used to the older Strats.

I like you dude! Subscribed! I've been looking at an affinity stat think I'm gonna buy it! Thanks for the video!

great comparisons. you're a great player too! awesome vid

Seems like it'd be worth it to have both an Affinity and a Classic Vibe, they suit different styles.

I think notes played were a little more distinct with the classic vibe. But if I wasn't concentrating and listening very carefully I might never know which was being played strictly by the sound. That said, I think the big difference is play ability, ease of tuning, and staying in tune more than sound. I'd go with the classic vibe all the way.

No doubt that the presenter is a very accomplished guitarist. He plays with feeling and of course, he transfers it to the guitar. I agree with most comments and would like to also mention "Longevity" While all 3 models shared the sound and feel we've become accustomed to hear from a Stratocaster, there is another attribute worth mentioning. Durability, if you're a new user, then the entry level guitar is good model to start with. If you're a casual player then the buy the next level up, but if you are a musician, and you will be gigging' every night, a lower quality guitar will not last very long. In my humble opinion, there are guitar players, and then there's the rest of the herd (myself included) While learning to play, you will suck at it until you don't, no matter what device you use. The same way with a race car, you can drive a normal car well enough in the freeway, but put yourself inside a Ferrari and you will do well to Sunday-Drive it until you are able to manage the speed. You also have to factor in the "Eye of the beholder" in most people's eyes the guitar known as #1 for SRV looked like it was hit by sandblaster then run over by a truck. But in SRV eyes, it was a beautifully aged guitar full of character and history. If using a top of the line guitar makes you feel good whilst playing, then by all means do it! Even if you sound like crap, you will continue to play because it feels good to do it.

oh and thanks for another awesome video(two years ago that is)

Great video, but nobody has mentioned the quality of the amp that players use. My electric guitars are lower end cost wise, eg, Yamaha telecaster copy, Squier Strat,( not sure which model - I bought the neck and the fully loaded body separately.) My amps are a Marshall 20 watt Valvestate model, and a Laney LC15 valve model. These lower end guitars sound great through these amps, along with some good pedal effects as well.

It's sounds good but I think they installed those microphonic pick ups if I said that right, I apologize if I said it wrong

Did not know that older Affinities have 22 frets! I must get my hands on one...

i prefer the starter pack sound. i also own a 2000 which was hardley ever played.

I feel like you can't beat an affinity. i wouldn't even buy classic vibes. just get a nice Indonesian made affinity for 100 bucks and call it a day

Just traded my squire. After watching this video, now I miss it.

Really enjoyed this!! Helped. Lots. Very nice playing, too. Only complaint with any of your videos is the hum from your amp. Thanks.

Killer production from the start.

When you are that good even the cheapest guitars sounds of good quality! But I'd say that vintage has the best tone to me

enjoyed the comparison, thought you did an excellent job. from what my ears hear, I would say the classic vibe had crisper more defined tone. that would be my choice of the 3.

Good detailed comparison Great video !

I'd have to say that the classic Vibe is the one for me......you can tone down the brightness by changing the cap and adding the bridge to the tone circuit...if they aren't CTS pots change them as well. They are only about 3 bucks each and the caps two to 8 bucks depending on which ones you want and the tone......there are youtube vids on how to do this and it's really easy....

just orded the Squier Affinity Stratocaster 2 color Sunburst!! I think the Affinity is awsome love your chanel!! Darell

Best review of lower end strats on you tube...

I can definitely appreciate the fact that you didn't add opinion to this review...I, for one, simply want the tones. No need for opinions in this format. Let the music speak for itself. Great job, I wish you would go back to this simple style. It's funny how progression tends to take us backward at times.

I had the starter pack Squier as my first guitar. Had it 4 years and cursed Squier up until I recently played a Classic Vibe. Man, Squier has come a long way. Personally I thought the CV50 sounded the best but it's pretty pricy for most beginner guitarists. I liked that starter pack (Bullet?) quite a bit too. I was not a fan of the Affinity at all...it sounded muddier and darker in all positions (and I'm actually a humbucker guy myself). Thanks for this! Great playing as always.

Very cool mate. Top notch!