Squier Affinity vs Harley Benton ST62 (Hot Rodded Strats) 

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I don’t understand why guitar companies put a trem/whammy in a cheap guitar that’s geared towards beginners. It’s cheap and will more then likely throw the guitar out of tune thus creating more frustration for beginner who will probably have more of a reason now to quit guitar.

I always say it along with you. "Plexi , which isn't entirely clean". Lmao 🤣🤣🤣😊

Nice review, once again. Extra points for the the fast show reference!

The Harley Benton is a good value for it's price but I would go with the Squire Strat. I think the Squire Strat is better looking, easier playing (love that 9.5 inch radius) and better sounding.

I've had the Squier Affinity HSS FMT that you are playing here for about a year and a half. I got it when it first came out in Sept. 2021, for $299. I was pretty much ready-to-play right out of the box. Having played it for 1 1/2 years, I'm happy to say it's one of my favorite and most-played electrics. The feel of the neck, weight and comfort of the body are very nice. the electronics are solid and the frets have stayed in place without any sprout or change in height. And it looks beautiful! I think at that price it's a bargain.

Both guitars are nice, affordable & sound good! The Squier may have a bit better resale value but at this price point not really significant. I have a 2015 Affinity strat, nice guitar. Thanks for the demo Elmo!

Very Cool, Thankyou. I have A Squier Affinity SSS Strat in a stunning 2 Color Burst, such a beautiful finish and plays Amazing. Cheers

Thanks for the review Elmo…cheers ✌️

Love you're right hand picking. Cheers

I really enjoyed your playing, brother; off to a good morning now:)

Cheers for the review Elmo ;)

cool video Elmo. New content! Gotta say I thought the Squier sounded better. Just built a Strat partscaster with a scalloped fretboard because of you. I am converting quickly, now I have to learn how to scallop myself.

Love your tone, man.

Excellent comparison, I actually liked the tone better at HB, both decent. Thanks for great job!

The harley benton has such a better sound wow. Very noticable

I have 2 pretty old Squier Stratacasters an 04 and an 08. I bought a Harley Benton Telecaster, there TE-62. The 2 Squiers are O.K. the frets have plenty of fret sprout and tuners are not to good. I am going to do some mods on them because I am really a bass player that plays some guitar but just started playing again after about 20 years of not realy playing. Last year I got a HB Thunderbird bass for C# tunning and was happy. The Telecaster blows away the Squiers right out of the box. Frets very exceptable, pups are good and so are the tunners. It not a good comparison because there is almost 20 years difference.

Elmo I hope you get one of the Harley Benton strat copies that just came out a couple days ago to celebrate their 25th year in business. I snagged one immediately and it will be here tomorrow. The ST-25 in Firemist with flame maple neck, bone nut, locking tuners, SSH configuration. 2 point trem etc etc. I have a feeling this particular model is going to be a really good one. I just checked their website and they're sold out of it, I knew this was going to happen that's why I snagged one instantly.

Squier sounds so much better to my ears, less shrill and more harmonics

All matter of taste. They both sound nice. For the looks I like more the harley benton...besides the headstock... for the sound I prefer the more creamy sounding affinity pickups... with distortion the hb humbucker sounded the best to me.

Always enjoy The Fast Show quotes!

The Benton may have had a bit more crunch, The Squire gave the impression of a tight sound, I f I was only listening would be the squire. but nut width and neck is most important if your hands a large. Great playing..

I purchased the Harley Benton ST 90sa. It had a lot of problems. Output jack just didn't work. 5 way switch stopped being a 5 way switch. The neck never would intonate properly even after taking it to a luthier. The pickguard was so cheap that the fake tortishell rubbed off in the first couple days (but that's not a playing problem). It was inexpensive but it cost nearly that much to make it play. I was disappointed. Your videos are great!

The Squier is a bit crunchier to my ear, while the HB is a bit more expressive.

I think you could make a broom handle sound good Elmo. Anyway, I liked the Affinity more.

The Sienna burst is even better in person. The HB has a more "vintage" sound on the singles, the Squier sounds better for OD/distortion imo. The 2 pt trem is different that the 2 pt on my Squier HH Strat. The 2 pt works very well, but I don't see any advantage over a 6 screw really.

Got my Squier (same as this one), I paid 149.99 About the same for my HB.

harley Benton has released a 25th anniversary Strat that can you review that one? It has the same pick up config as the st62 but has roasted maple and locking tuners

I love maple fretboards, so I'll be waiting for you to send me the Squier. Thank you 😀

I get what you are saying about feel and look but the Harley Benton sounded much better for most of the demo for me. I do think though that Squier have improved the Affinity models a lot since my 2005 Affinity Strat which is not good at all despite me upgrading it quite a bit; and I've been slowly hardtailing it for about a year now.

I like your Queen sweater)

The Harley Benton ST-20HSS SB would make a direct comparison. The Harley Benton ST-70 would be closer than the rail to compare...

Great but how about wooly bully watch it now

What is your opinion with trem blocks ? I haven’t really noticed too much of a difference between heavy and light ones and in terms of materials but maybe you’d be able to shed some light on what makes a cheap vibrato unit better than another

Hi congratulations for the videos. Difficult to extricate yourself, if you wanted a Mayer-like sound, more soulful with a cheap stratocaster, would you have any models to recommend?, thanks.

Beware the weight of Harley Bentons especially the S and T ones. What's the difference between a Harley Benton and syphilis? You can get rid of syphilis. 😂

I’ve also seen the Volgoa strat with stainless steel frets, if you could review that guitar if you get one, would be awesome! 🙂

Eddie Van Halen played a $130 guitar on the first Van Halen albums. The Harley Benton sounds great for the price. I'll take two!

Sounds like I should get a Cort G110

please compare this Squier Affinity and Cort g260

are you going to try some of the 25th anniversary harley benton firemist guitars?

I would definitely say the squire strat is much better sound wise, and quality wise, the HB are not bad, but in comparison to fender squires?....I personally think they're definitely inferior to squires. I own a fender squire myself and I've checked out the HB at my music shop and I have to say that it just has a different feel action wise compared to the squire. Plus the overall quality just feels a little bit under a squire in my opinion. But that's just my opinion. Not a fact.

The Squire had more of the classic Fender ice pick on the high end. The Harley Benton had more low end, but it seemed to get muddy and detract from the seperation and articulation. If you're looking for something that could do punk and metal with a little EQ work, the HB will be fine. More classic style rock or that 80s Alligator Records sound is the Squire's thing. That is just my two pennies.

- Professor J, daddy says Inviii is waaay overrated - Emily, hand your father this glove, tell him I'll wait for him April 15th 5AM by Nokia lake. Also tell him to pay your fee before that date.

Hi Elmo, since I never played a real Fender but I have an Squier Affinity, how's the neck compared ? Because I tried other guitars but no one has the thin neck as Affinity has, which I love it. I'm planning to buy a Squier Classic Vibe or Fender Player but don't know if neck is similar to the Affinity, it's somethig I'm a little concerned.

Not even close, the Squier all day. The reason the neck feels more at home to Elmo is its 9.5 radius which he is used to…. Those Benton (and most other copies) are anywhere from 12” to 16” pancake flat radius, which feels nothing like a real strat.

Nice noodling Elmo

Hi Did you checked if your HB had coil split? I ordered mine mid February and mine does, some reviews said theirs also had split even tough the website doesn't mention that, looks like some batches include it and some doesn't.

I bet the Jet JS-400 would beat them all. I have one, and it hits way above its league.

HB puts out some phenomenal gear for the money (and some mediocre stuff as well), but the Squier looks better, sounds a bit better, and has much more solid resale value if you don't trash it. On the other hand, for the price of the Squier, you can get the HB AND put together a basic pedal board of HB mini pedals. Bottom line is that both of these are primarily either beginner guitars or mod platforms. If you're sure you're going to sell it again later, then get the Squier, because the name on the headstock is the number one criterion on the used market (because most guitarists are knuckleheads who live and die by marketing bullshit), and anything that isn't a Gibson/Epiphone, Fender/Squier, or high-end PRS, depreciates like crazy the minute you buy it. On the other hand, if you want to use the extra 100 bucks or so getting a better first amp or some cheap pedals, that's not a bad idea either. Just keep the HB for reasons of first guitar nostalgia, then, unless you really need the 50 bucks you'll get for it used 😂

Squier bodies used to be a bit thinner than Fender, so you had a bit of trouble when you wanted to exchange the trem block. How about these two, are both bodies equally thick?

😂 great but how about wooly bully watch it now

2:25 whats song riff is this

I’ll see the liiiight toooniiiight 11:37

Personally I prefer the sound of the Squire although both are perfectly acceptable for what they are. Not wiring the tone to the bridge is a big mistake for a humbucker pickup. In the end you are still in the cheap seats (where I belong !) guitar wise. I suspect that I would be fine with either.

Elmo's mother is black? I would never have guessed. lol

I prefer the strat..jk..ohh the affinity that is. Better tone

Sire S3 Sire S7 Sire S7 Vintage Sire T3 Sire T7 Please Elmo...

I would go with the Harley Benton ST62... 22 frets... 2 Alnico 5 single coils and a ceramic double blade mini humbucker... a good match that would not need swopping out... add new pots and caps (perhaps Dunlop speed pots... and Sprague oil can caps...) heavy gauge cloth covered wiring... a THICK brass tremolo block... a new 3 prong jack... copper shielding in the cavity... perhaps new tuners... some fret leveling... and there you go... a keeper guitar...

Man you have addiction to E major chord hahaha, however really good compared.

HB sounded better i think

Squier sounds better to my ears

The Squier looks 3 times better, at least - and eyes are listening too 😂

In view of recent political developments you should check out more guitars with a "NATO" - fretboard 😅

My experience of Squire Affinty Strats that were made in China is not good, the cheap hardware and non-existant attempts to set them up from the factory left me sending it and the replacement back. Entry level Harley Bentons are what they are, the quality is mehh, and also neeed new hardware and a full setup. Go further up the Harley Benton range to the Fusion models, and they show even Squire Classic Vibe's how it should be done. My motto is that most but not all guitars that are made in China are best avoided. Eart are one brand from China who on a good day can make a realy good guitar, again just avoid the entry level models. As the old saying goes, "Buy Cheap, Buy Twice".🤔

your videos are great but cheap guitars are actually shit sounding. shrill, brittle, harsh, 2 dimensional.. but yes, good for money. yawn