Squier FSR Aff Strat HSS LRL NAT

I bought this guitar to use for gigs where I didn't want to use my really expensive guitar, I liked this limited edition look with then natural finish so gave it a go and I was very pleased with the quality.

This natural finish on this squire is really nice on the eye, each one will of course have different wood grain patterns, but really pleased with how it looks to say its not an expensive wood,

I think these squires have slightly thinner bodies to the fenders, but this is actually great for this guitar as this body wood material has some weight to it, so evens it out nicely.

Pickups sound good and came ready to play with no set up really needed. The trem system seems to work well.

I have bought some Kluson machineheads from Thomann to go on these, as the stock ones are Okay but I like to upgrade these for improved tuning stability . That would be my one recommendation.

Neck feels nice to play, and frets are not sharp. Gloss finish on the headstock is nice too.

Overall really great for the money and it's amazing how good value you get for your money these days. I would recommended this for beginners and for seasoned players.

Pros I had read about and expected:
1. The bridge humbucker was supposed to sound fuller than a single coil and not produce interference.
2. The Affinity series was supposed to have better quality than the Sonic series, so the guitar wouldn’t need a trip to a technician right after purchase.

But aside from the humbucker and the nice appearance, there were no real advantages.

Cons I discovered after buying:
1. Frets sticking out on the sides, scratching my fingers.
2. Frets slightly raised above the fingerboard, as if not fully pressed in.
3. A drop of lacquer on the fingerboard that can’t be removed.
4. Glue stains around the frets.
5. Uneven control knobs with visible stamping marks.

Less than a year ago, I bought a Squier Sonic bass here — a cheaper series than Affinity. It had a beautifully made neck: straight, with no protruding frets, a fingerboard with pleasant rounded edges, and no glue or lacquer stains.

Maybe I had overly high expectations for this guitar because of how well the cheap bass was made.