A superb gateway into the time-honored Fender family, the Squier Affinity Series delivers legendary design and quintessential tone for today's aspiring guitar hero.
This guitar and bass lineup features player-friendly refinements such as a thin, lightweight body and a slim, comfortable "C"-shaped neck profile. Each model sports Squier pickups and sealed die-cast tuning machines with split shaft (guitars) or vintage-style open-gear tuning machines (bass) for smooth, accurate tuning and easy restringing. These models are ready to help lay the foundation for any player at any stage. Available July 2021.
Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
The Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster features a 2-point tremolo bridge for superior tremolo action and is loaded with a trio of Squier single-coil Strat pickups with 5-way switching. Available in 3-Color Sunburst (laurel fingerboard), Olympic White (maple fingerboard), Black (maple fingerboard) and Lake Placid Blue (maple fingerboard).
$249.00 USD
Exploring The Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Models | Fender
Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster HH
The Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster HH is loaded with a pair of Squier humbucking pickups with 3-way switching for genre-defying sonic variety. Available in Olympic White, Burgundy Mist and Charcoal Frost Metallic with a laurel fingerboard.
$249.00 USD
Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster FMT HSS
The Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster FMT HSS features an eye-catching flame maple top (FMT) and is loaded with a Squier humbucking bridge pickup and single-coil neck and middle pickups. Available in Sienna Sunburst or Black Burst with a maple fingerboard.
$299.00 USD
Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster is loaded with dual Squier single-coil Tele pickups with 3-way switching. Available in Lake Placid Blue (laurel fingerboard), Olympic White (laurel Fingerboard), 3-Color sunburst (maple fingerboard) and Butterscotch Blonde (maple fingerboard).
$249.00 USD
Exploring The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Models | Fender
Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Left-Handed
The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Left-Handed guitar is available in Butterscotch Blonde with a maple fingerboard.
$249.00 USD
Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Deluxe
The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Deluxe has the refinements of the Squier Affinity Series Telecaster guitar and is loaded with two Squier humbucking pickups with individual volume and tone controls. Available in Burgundy Mist (laurel fingerboard), Charcoal Frost Metallic (laurel Fingerboard) and Black (maple fingerboard).
$279.00 USD
Squier Affinity Series Jazzmaster
The Squier Affinity Series Jazzmaster has a modern 2-point tremolo bridge for superior tremolo action and is loaded with two Squier single-coil Jazzmaster pickups with 3-way switching. Available in Burgundy Mist and Lake Placid blue with a laurel fingerboard.
$279.00 USD
Exploring The Squier Affinity Series Jazzmaster | Fender
With fresh colors and an expanded range of models – plus thinner, lighter bodies and upgraded pickups – the new Squier Affinity Series is the perfect entry i...Squier Affinity Series Jaguar Bass
The Squier Affinity Series Jaguar Bass H features an easy-playing 32" medium scale length and vintage-style open-gear tuning machines. Loaded with a Squier humbucking pickup for a fat, punchy tone. Available in Lake Placid Blue (maple fingerboard), Black (maple fingerboard) and Charcoal Frost Metallic (laurel fingerboard).
$249.00 USD
Exploring The Squier Affinity Series Bass Models | Fender
Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ
The Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass PJ features vintage-style open-gear tuning machines for smooth, accurate tuning. Loaded with a Squier split single-coil P Bass neck pickup and a single-coil J Bass® bridge pickup. Available in Lake Placid Blue (laurel fingerboard), Charcoal Frost Metallic (laurel fingerboard), Olympic White (maple fingerboard) and Black (maple fingerboard).
$279.00 USD
Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass
The Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass is loaded with two Squier single-coil J Bass pickups for a wide variety of tones. Available in Burgundy Mist (laurel fingerboard), Charcoal Frost Metallic (laurel fingerboard), 3-Color Sunburst (maple fingerboard) and Black (maple fingerboard).
$279.00 USD
Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass V
This 5-string Squier Affinity Series Jazz Bass V is loaded with two Squier single-coil J Bass pickups for a wide variety of tones. Available in 3-Color Sunburst (laurel fingerboard) and Olympic White (maple fingerboard).
$299.00 USD
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Phat Machine
The Phat Machine
The Phat Machine is designed to deliver the tone and responsiveness of a vintage germanium fuzz with improved temperature stability with no weird powering issues. Loaded with both a germanium and a silicon transistor, the Phat Machine offers the warmth and cleanup of a germanium fuzz but with the bite of a silicon pedal. It utilizes classic Volume and Fuzz control knobs, as well as a four-position Thickness control to dial-in any guitar and amp combo. Also included is a Bias trim pot and a Kill switch that allows battery lovers to shut off the battery without pulling the input cord.
Silk Worm Deluxe Overdrive
The Silk Worm Deluxe -- along with its standard Volume/Gain/Tone controls -- has a Bottom trim pot to dial in "just the right amount of thud with no mud at all: it’s felt more than heard." It also offers a Studio/Stage diode switch that allows you to select three levels of compression.
Both pedals offer the following features:
- 9-volt operation via standard DC external supply or internal battery compartment
- True bypass switching with LED indicator
- Pedalboard-friendly top mount jacks
- Rugged, tour-ready construction and super durable powder coated finish
- Made in the USA
Static Effectors’ Street Series pedals carry a street price of $149 each. They are available at select retailers and can also be purchased directly from the Static Effectors online store at www.staticeffectors.com.
Galloup’s Plek tech Adam Winarski preps a Yamaha acoustic for the machine.
Presently, many certified guitar-repair specialists possess the expertise required to deliver an instrument that both sounds and plays wonderfully. The standards set by manufacturers and distributors have significantly risen, safeguarded by rigorous quality protocols to guarantee the best possible acoustic experience for customers. Additionally, lutherie training has raised the bar for critical processes, and one of the most tricky is fretwork.
Traditional fretwork once involved manual labor, with technicians utilizing sandbags or similar supports to steady the neck as they straightened it with a truss rod during the filing process. A notable advancement in this field came in the mid 1970s when Don Teeter, an author and repair expert, imposed a new method: fixing the guitar body to the bench and using blocks to maintain the neck in a playing position. This refinement was one of many in the continued quest to produce superior instruments by standardized methods.
An example of the Plek’s readings from an acoustic guitar.
Photo courtesy of Galloup Guitars
In the late 1970s, another pivotal innovation was introduced by Dan Erlewine. He created an advanced fret jig with a specialized body-holding system and neck supports, adding another layer of precision to the repair process. During my collaboration with Dan in 1985, we developed a rotating neck jig that counterbalanced the forces of gravity, keeping the instrument in its playing orientation while adjusting the neck supports. This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry. By 1986, our approach had evolved into a freestanding workstation coupled with a sophisticated hold-down mechanism and enhanced neck supports, culminating in increased accuracy, efficiency, and consistency. Over the decades, the Erlewine/Galloup rotating neck jig has become a benchmark in numerous shops, enhancing fretwork performance.
"This step represented a significant leap in establishing control and standardization of fretwork procedures in our industry."
By the 1990s, automated and computerized technologies permeated the guitar manufacturing and repair sectors. Initially applied by import companies in the mass production of guitars, the technology, although expediting processes, did not immediately achieve high execution standards. However, the tech dramatically improved over time, with computer-driven systems eventually transforming the industry. Contemporary automated production utilizing such advancements meets exceedingly high standards of precision. Some bespoke guitar manufacturers, such as Steve Andersen, were pioneers in adopting these methods, but it was companies like Taylor that established them in the modern era.
Inevitably, the progression of technology extended beyond the mere production of parts. Around 1995, German engineer Gerd Anke envisioned the integration of computer-assisted technology into enhancing instrument playability, giving rise to Plek technology, which uses computers to precisely measure and analyze the various components of a guitar, like neck relief, fret height, nut and bridge specs, and more. Nashville guitar-repair tech Joe Glaser was among the first to recognize the machine’s value, followed by San Francisco luthier Gary Brawer. When Heritage Guitar Inc. invested in a Plek machine, the guitar industry could no longer disregard the significance of this innovation.
“The machine’s scanning data confirmed that there was one nature of an ideal fret plane, done by hand or machine, and unsurprisingly, it conformed exactly to what physics predicts, not personal mojo.”
In the spring of 2022, Galloup Guitars obtained its first Plek machine. Promptly, our technician Adam Winarski paved the way for the Plek’s integration in our shop. Now, it’s a rarity for an instrument to leave our shop without having undergone Plek analysis and machining. Impressed by the results of our integration, we created “Intro to Plek” as a course for all students enrolled at the Galloup School of Lutherie, offering our students a practical introduction to this technology. We furthered this educational initiative with a comprehensive one-week intensive “Plek Certification Training Course” for both students and the public. This advanced Plek course serves those seeking to boost their knowledge base and employability in this high-precision field.
Plek is rapidly becoming an industry standard for major manufacturers and smaller shops alike. However, this does not mean that those without access to this technology cannot execute proficient fretwork. Personally, I continue to use my Erlewine/Galloup neck jig—not only out of nostalgia, but also because it remains an excellent method for delivering accurate and reliable guitars. Still, it’s undeniable that the process of fretting, fret dressing, and analytics of fretted instruments has undergone significant transformation, resulting in better sounding—and playing—guitars. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.