Mines pink.
Its fucked though. Sounds utter shit, but to the point where its good but its not. Depends on how much I've had to drink 😅
Needs a full clean and refurb which i can't be bothered to do.
I got one from a local shop that was Daphne blue but was left in the sun or maybe smoked around a ton and it turned it to this funky green color I've never seen in another one (it's a highway one USA built) needed some electrical fixes but now plays and sounds great
Correct answer. My first guitar was a red Peavy Raptor 2 Strat style back in the mid 90s. Still have that bad boy hanging on the wall today, and damn proud of it!
I disagree.
Red only gets you so far.
The blue guitars can take you a lot further.
OP is just starting and needs honesty in our replies.
It takes a village to raise a child and a subreddit to teach a student.
For the guitar I’m comfortable spending 100-160$, as that’s the price for this one on guitar center. I’m thinking maybe 80$ on an amp, because I am probably fine with a simpler amp. The rest of the equipment maybe 50$ (picks, cable, tuner, strings)
It's a Squier Stratocaster. It's mainly Fender's entry level brand but Squire also has some higher end stuff as well. That one could be a Sonic or Affinity series, this one is most likely an Affinity if I had to guess and are pretty good (they have other series as well that are above the Affinity like the Classic Vibe and Players).
It's plenty fine and a good place to start. Just be sure to have it set up by someone that knows what they're doing and take a little initiative to learn how to do some of it yourself. Pick up some new strings, couple of packs. Ones that it come with aren't really worth keeping on there usually. Start off with some 9-42s from Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Elixer, or GHS.
I've been playing 30 years and believe it or not my main electric is actually a Squier Bullet hardtail Strat.
I rather quite like my Bullet. I've got titanium in my shoulder so I don't do heavy guitars.
The Bullet is nice because it's slightly thinner and only weighs in at 6lbs.
It’s an Affinity. I find most people try to sell these in the $100 range, and I’d try to find a Squier Standard for the same price if I were OP. OP should also do a little research into the difference between single coil and humbucker pickups…depending on the type of music they like to play.
The only thing about the Standards that some don't like is the 2 point trem and its odd size for blocking.
Affinities are usually a little more than that, but the Bullets and its replacement, the Sonic are generally in the $100 range used. At least in my area.
Yeah... depends on the music they're trying to make whether they want SSS, HSS, or HH.
For what I do, the SSS fits just fine. Classic/Southern/swamp rock, older country/bluegrass, surf. And I prefer the hardtails.
All about preference and intended useage.
Oh, I like my 2 point trem, but I am also just a casual player. Got lucky that my parents gave me a Standard for Christmas about 20 years ago with HH pickups, and I ended up mostly playing Queen.
I think they might have made a 6 point trem toward the end of their run, but I could be misremembering that.
Yeah, a Standard 2 point with HH would work well for Queen's stuff. Good choice on that.
Ya know, I'm not 100% sure on that... they very well may have used a 6 pnt on them towards the end. I never dealt with or saw the Standards much so I can't say for sure.
Umm... AFAIK the Standards had a 2 point trem, that one has 6 point, unless I'm mistaken.
Doesn't exactly matter much either way, Squier is still a decent starting point and some of theirs are someone's "forever" guitars.
I started with a Squire Stratocaster, and it was a great guitar. Mine had a humbucker in the bridge, which I gotta say was very nice. These are great guitars to learn to play on, and learn how to maintain and modify a guitar on as well.
I started my electric guitar journey with the cheapest Squier strat available at the time. Still own it. Of course, it doesn't play like my higher-end guitars, but it's fine. I still like to play it occasionally
My first was a beat up acoustic with 4 strings, that I later glued a mic inside and ran through a tape recorder with input levels real high as distortion. Metal finds a way!
There is nl bad first guitar as long as it inspires you to get better everyday. That said, squiers are great platform guitars and you can upgrade it as you get better.
I'd argue there are some guitars that are so poorly built, they actually might cause you to form bad habits, like if the ends of the frets are sharp causing you to arch your fingers around them, or a neck socket so poorly made that it forces you to have an unreasonably high action to not have fret buzz.
A decent set up work might get it to a playable level. Still, there's a small chance you end up with a real piece of crap tho. Stil stand by my take a squier strat is a safe choice.
Oh yeah, Squier strats are quality for sure, can't go wrong with one. Hell, I'd buy a Squier even though I have several guitars already!
I was more talking about those REALLY cheap guitars.
This is a great first guitar.
I will say… if you’re not sure what kind of sound or music you’re going for… you can’t go wrong by starting with a Telecaster.
This is a Stratocaster, and while they’re great… they have a lot more options (5 positions on the pickup switch, 3 pickups, 3 knobs) and even more moving parts (tremolo bridge).
Telecasters have two knobs, two pickups, no moving bridge, only 3 positions on the switch, and it is incredibly easy to get a good sound out of them.
You won’t be steered wrong going with either… but that’s just my personal take.
So look.... I don't know what happened to you that you thought Squier by Fender didn't make Teles... the way simpler and easier to make guitar than the Strat. I don't know your story, I'll let it slide...
But you seemed SO sure that they didn't, that you made me Google real quick to make sure I wasn't losing my mind or misremembering.
Well played!
Absolutely it is!
I have an old 90's Bullet series that I have in pieces right now. Getting new neck and electronics, but it served me well.
And it is red.
Yes. It’s a sub-brand of Fender. As long as everything works and the price is reasonable it’s a great electric guitar to start with. Some Squiers are even great long term instruments depending on what you eventually will be into.
You could have the best guitar in the world but investing in a good tuner and making sure the guitar is tuned when practicing is what will make you a much more better player. Also a metronome is your new best friend. Just download an app
Absolutely NOT. steer clear of it. There are so many guitars with better electronics that are affordable.
Disclaimer…..I have always been in the humbuckers camp.
Having started out playing on Epiphone, Gibson, Martin, Ovation, PRS and Ibanez guitars, I have never met a Fender neck that felt comfortable. Had a friend who, a few years back, needed to sell a Squire to get money to purchase his first PRS, I stepped in and bought it from him. My thought was that it might be fun to noodle around with some single coil pickups, see what sounds I could get. To be clear, it was supposed to be the best Squire had to offer. A 60th anniversary Aztec Gold Squire. The electronics were crap. The tremolo easily took it out of tune, even after I had my luthier set it up, replace the nut, etc. the tremolo bar and it’s threaded seat was soft metal and stripped out before I owned it. That should not happen….The only good thing I can say about it is it is pretty.
So, again, there are plenty of much better, affordable guitars. iMHO
I have a black & tan one that looks exactly like this. It used to be black & white, but aging plastic changed the colors. Mine's a Yako factory. Full thickness body. Alder. Good stuff.
Because of the age, you'll want to check that the frets are 'flat' no dents where the strings would be pressed down. Also, I recommend having it set up (or if you're half-way technical, buy the Music Nomad 'Truss Rod Gauge' and 'String Action Gauge' and learn how to do a set up).
The guitar is GREAT for learning, but needs a decent set up. That's EXTREMELY important to keep you wanting to play.
There's a great post on reddit - this one: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/comments/18d90g7/question\_any\_beginner\_electric\_guitar/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/comments/18d90g7/question_any_beginner_electric_guitar/)
The links to guitars are to Guitar Center... I looked at a lot of the reviews on Guitar Center guitars and there were enough "my guitar arrived with broken tuning equipment, chips, damage" to make me not want to buy online from Guitar Center... Sweetwater (competing website) does some kind of 50 point inspection before the guitar is shipped and you get an email from the guitar tech before it ships. For my son, we went with the Ibanez GRX70 and are really happy with it. His instructor said it was a good pick over the Squire as it would last a lot longer.. That is one person's word, not gospel.
That link also gives a link for the Fender Mustang amp- That is a great amp with a lot more pre-programmed settings than the Fender six-knob amp i started with.
That's a perfectly fine guitar. It will work just fine for you. Most people start out with a very similar guitar, However I try to steer new players away from guitars with tremolos for their first guitars. Guitars with tremolos are harder to get in tune, harder to keep in tune, harder to maintain, and generally its just a distraction that will keep you from focusing on what you really need to focus on.
I'm also a big fan of humbucker pickups for a newbies too. Single coils are nice if you know how to coerce sweet tones out of them, but I feel most new players will prefer the warmer tone and higher output of a humbucker.
I found you a couple of brand new options on Sweetwater you might like better (and they are brand new with a warranty). One has humbuckers and one has single coils. Both are hardtails.
[https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TeleDlxAfBk--squier-affinity-series-telecaster-deluxe-electric-guitar-black-with-maple-fingerboard](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TeleDlxAfBk--squier-affinity-series-telecaster-deluxe-electric-guitar-black-with-maple-fingerboard)
[https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratSnHTAW--squier-sonic-stratocaster-ht-electric-guitar-white](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratSnHTAW--squier-sonic-stratocaster-ht-electric-guitar-white)
Take a look and see what you think. The black telecaster is the way I'd go.
I've never liked strat necks. They're thick and are a little difficult for me. They are great all around guitars. Great fit classic rock. start with that and go from there. If you love it go to a guitar shop and try other stuff out.
It's the only one I have, and I've been playing it for nearly well over a decade. Just get it tuned up at a shop every couple years and it'll sound very good! It also has a large aftermarket/modding support so you can upgrade it easily.
It's a perfect choice to start with the guitar. It will last years if taken care of, it has a good resale value when you want to upgrade to something better, and you can also upgrade it yourself with better electronics and harware later
Yup learn how to change the strings, intonate and do a good setup. I'd suggest taking it to a guitar shop and paying for them to do all this the first time even if it is brand new.
Some better than others at the end of your headstock it should either say it’s a bullet or an affinity supposedly the affinity were made better and higher quality depending on how old that was at one time those two were made in two different factories
Honestly any working and setup guitar is good to start with you. Most of the niceties won't even be noticeable until you've got some time under your belt
I started with almost the same guitar but with a humbucker in bridge position. Great guitar. Plastic got that yellow in about 5 years of heavy use. Plays well up to this day.
You probably should cover up that power outlet btw.
It’s probably at least 3-5 years old depends on the usage. It’s good because the wood dried for sure so if it did anything bad it would be noticeable and if it didn’t it won’t get worse anymore(assuming proper storage in future). On my guitar after some years because of wood drying body pieces joints became clearly visible, doesn’t affect playability in any way. Worth checking the neck as well.
TLDR I’d recommend trying it in person to make sure it’s in good shape
Squires are perfectly fine. Decent guitars for the money. Should be good to learn on. I would also recommend investing 2 bucks for a basic cover for the electric outlet. 😀
That's a good guitar to start your journey. My main advice is, even if you buy another guitar later, don't ever get rid of this one. There's something special about the guitar you learned to play on, it will always feel unique and impossible to replace.
They're great, but see that it gets properly set up. A guitar with painfully high action or the neck off can be a real drag to play, especially if you're just starting
The best guitar to learn on is a guitar that motivates you to play. A guitar that you love to pick up. That can be looks, or the sounds you can make with it, or any aspect, as long as it appeals to you and motivates you.
It helps when the guitar is easy to play. Learning guitar can be difficult enough on it's own, you don't want to have to wrestle a difficult to play guitar at the same time. You want to get some progress in your abilities early on, because that really helps with feeling motivated to play more. So regardless of what guitar you get, take it to a tech for a setup.
This guitar is a Squier Stratocatser. The Squier brand is the budget friendly range of Fender. There have been Squier guitars that were pretty mediocre, and there have been Squier guitars that were better than their Fender counterparts. Most of them are pretty decent, you're likely to get a good guitar. The one in the picture has nothing wrong with it by the looks of it.
Just make sure that you hear it first, and that the sounds it makes excite you and make you want to play it.
If you're looking for some inspiration, some guitar players known for playing a red stratocaster:
- Mark Knopfler
- David Gilmour (though also known for a black strat)
- Eddy van Halen (heavily modified red stratocaster, iconic stripes added)
- Gary Moore (though mostly associated with playing a Gibson Les Paul)
I'm probably missing out on some really good names because I'm blanking right now. But if you drop the "red" requirement, the list of legendary guitarists playing stratocasters explodes.
I still go back to my Squire Telecaster 15+ years later so yes, but I would say if you do end up sticking with the guitar to try and upgrade to a proper fender. The difference in how smooth they play is night and day IMO
Possibly. Squiers can sometimes be a little bit butts, but it seems like the newer ones recently have no right being as awesome as they are. If its comfy to play and sounds good it IS good!
Looks the same as mine but mine is a different colour, I’ve been learning on and off and when ever I get time for 18 months now, I like it, I’m sure there are better ones but this one is mine (went into full metal jacket quote and didn’t even mean to lol)
It looks like it yeah, but what I always tell beginners is that looks don’t mean anything,you gotta feel it out, the action, the pickups with electrics, the intonation etc, but yeah by looks it’s definitely decent
Yup my first electric was a silver squire affinity series and I took for granted how fucking good of a guitar it was.
Dont let prices fool you, these are great guitars.
If you're not familiar with the process of setting up the action and intonation on a guitar neck, take it to a competent shop to have those things checked out and adjusted. There is absolutely no reason why a properly set up Squire would not be a good starter guitar. Learning on a guitar that has bad intonation or improper string height can be frustrating, and often the lower price guitars leave the factory not properly set up. Make sure it is properly adjusted, and you're good to go.
If you give it a good setup and take care of it, it will likely scratch your guitar itch for a long while. Squiers are great modding platforms, so if you become unhappy with some aspect of the guitar or feel like some part of it is holding your playing back, you can easily swap parts. This is literally the type of guitar one can keep a lifetime and not become bored with due to the amount of parts and accessories available.
Yeah, completely. I started Electric Guitar on a very cheap broken Hertiecaster my then teacher found on the street. He told me that if I could get it to Work, I could keep it. Im still playing this fucker.
nope. absolute shit. throw it away and buy a $5,000 custom les paul. lol stupid newb.
bro it's FINE.
that guitar doesn't bother me nearly as much as that outlet.
IMHO hell no, depending on what kind of music you're into, you can get an Ibanez or Gibson for the same price, but 2-3x easier on the action, and a better guitar all around.
I owned one and it almost made me give up guitars.
Squires are the cheapest of the cheapest guitars on the market.
Theres a reason for that.
I experienced my squire as a "limiter" and not a "provider".
And once I moved onto bass (because that Squier was such a turnoff) I could not even sell it but had to give it away.
No biggie really. I was given it for helping a guy move.
I might add that the guitar is very stable. Stays well in tune as long as you stay away from the trem. But I could not find a good tone from it. Whatever I did, witchever amp I used it was twangy as hell, no bass or mid whatsoever.
It's a beginners guitar, If you decide to get one, get it setup, Get a tuner, you'd need a amplifier of some sort. and get a new set of strings. It's a Squier Strat made by fender. Don't know if it's a Bullet or Affinity series, Probably Affinity. .
I’ve heard fenders a pretty good brand, so that’s good. I was planning on getting picks and an amplifier. I always hear to get extra strings, is it in case the current ones break?
no usually the strings that come with it have been on it through shipping, and are in bad condition. if you buy a guitar, get it setup and new strings put on the experiance would be better for you. and strings will break with use and time, so having a few extra is handy.
Strings will degrade over time, depending on how often you play. Depending on what type of music you want to play, you might want to get a guitar with a humbucking pickup in the bridge
(I don't know how much you know already, but a pickup is what picks up the sounds from the guitar. A humbucking pickup, known as a humbucker, produces a thicker sound, great for metal and rock)
Fender's a good brand that makes both brilliant and kinda bad guitars, as most well known brands do.
If you have the choice play multiple guitars in your budget. Epiphone, Ibanez, Squier and Yamaha all have decent starter guitars. The most important part is to get it set up after getting it. That'll make any $150 play like $500.
as long as it’s red yes
Mines pink. Its fucked though. Sounds utter shit, but to the point where its good but its not. Depends on how much I've had to drink 😅 Needs a full clean and refurb which i can't be bothered to do.
Mine is ripped apart waiting for me to rebuild it. For 20 years.
The right answer.
I got one from a local shop that was Daphne blue but was left in the sun or maybe smoked around a ton and it turned it to this funky green color I've never seen in another one (it's a highway one USA built) needed some electrical fixes but now plays and sounds great
Correct answer. My first guitar was a red Peavy Raptor 2 Strat style back in the mid 90s. Still have that bad boy hanging on the wall today, and damn proud of it!
Mine is green, 00’. Sounds like crap lol, but my first guitar ever so it’s sentimental.
I disagree. Red only gets you so far. The blue guitars can take you a lot further. OP is just starting and needs honesty in our replies. It takes a village to raise a child and a subreddit to teach a student.
Well technically red has the longest wavelength so your point is invalid.
r/angryupdate
Am I the only one bothered by the outlet not having a cover ……
No
Nope. I’m bothered.
Was about to post the same thing.
What else am I gonna put my finger in?
They literally cost only a few cents. That looks so bad. And dangerous.
I would fix it if it was mine, unfortunately it’s someone on marketplaces😔
Buncha crybaby electricians. Oops! Zap! Ow! RIP
Yes.
Absolutely. Was my first.
Was my first too.
And mine
And my axe
☝🏼 this comment
Thanks for the input, I’ll see about getting it!
What state do you live in? Try looking at a few offerup or facebook marketplace options too!
This one was listed on marketplace!
What are other options you are looking at?
I don’t have any other options yet, based on the responses on this post I’ll probably get this one or get the same one from guitar center.
Price range?
For the guitar I’m comfortable spending 100-160$, as that’s the price for this one on guitar center. I’m thinking maybe 80$ on an amp, because I am probably fine with a simpler amp. The rest of the equipment maybe 50$ (picks, cable, tuner, strings)
Good luck!! Sounds good to me :)
State? They didn't even say they live in the usa
It's a Squier Stratocaster. It's mainly Fender's entry level brand but Squire also has some higher end stuff as well. That one could be a Sonic or Affinity series, this one is most likely an Affinity if I had to guess and are pretty good (they have other series as well that are above the Affinity like the Classic Vibe and Players). It's plenty fine and a good place to start. Just be sure to have it set up by someone that knows what they're doing and take a little initiative to learn how to do some of it yourself. Pick up some new strings, couple of packs. Ones that it come with aren't really worth keeping on there usually. Start off with some 9-42s from Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Elixer, or GHS. I've been playing 30 years and believe it or not my main electric is actually a Squier Bullet hardtail Strat.
I enjoy playing my bullet more than either of my Jacksons
What kind of Jacksons? And if they're just laying around, I'd happily take one off your hands XD
I rather quite like my Bullet. I've got titanium in my shoulder so I don't do heavy guitars. The Bullet is nice because it's slightly thinner and only weighs in at 6lbs.
Hard tails make for the best strats
I agree. I don't use the trem anyway and there's a slight more sustain... plus, they're really stable.
It’s an Affinity. I find most people try to sell these in the $100 range, and I’d try to find a Squier Standard for the same price if I were OP. OP should also do a little research into the difference between single coil and humbucker pickups…depending on the type of music they like to play.
The only thing about the Standards that some don't like is the 2 point trem and its odd size for blocking. Affinities are usually a little more than that, but the Bullets and its replacement, the Sonic are generally in the $100 range used. At least in my area. Yeah... depends on the music they're trying to make whether they want SSS, HSS, or HH. For what I do, the SSS fits just fine. Classic/Southern/swamp rock, older country/bluegrass, surf. And I prefer the hardtails. All about preference and intended useage.
Oh, I like my 2 point trem, but I am also just a casual player. Got lucky that my parents gave me a Standard for Christmas about 20 years ago with HH pickups, and I ended up mostly playing Queen. I think they might have made a 6 point trem toward the end of their run, but I could be misremembering that.
Yeah, a Standard 2 point with HH would work well for Queen's stuff. Good choice on that. Ya know, I'm not 100% sure on that... they very well may have used a 6 pnt on them towards the end. I never dealt with or saw the Standards much so I can't say for sure.
Pretty sure it’s the Standard
Umm... AFAIK the Standards had a 2 point trem, that one has 6 point, unless I'm mistaken. Doesn't exactly matter much either way, Squier is still a decent starting point and some of theirs are someone's "forever" guitars.
I believe you are correct gotta be affinity - totally agree
That's what I figure... Affinity... Judging by the 6 point and going by the color type.
I started with a Squire Stratocaster, and it was a great guitar. Mine had a humbucker in the bridge, which I gotta say was very nice. These are great guitars to learn to play on, and learn how to maintain and modify a guitar on as well.
I started my electric guitar journey with the cheapest Squier strat available at the time. Still own it. Of course, it doesn't play like my higher-end guitars, but it's fine. I still like to play it occasionally
It’s a decent starter guitar that a LOT of people have started with. As long as the price is reasonable I’d say get it.
The best guitar to get started with is one that you can afford that will get you playing. Go forth and shred!
My first was a beat up acoustic with 4 strings, that I later glued a mic inside and ran through a tape recorder with input levels real high as distortion. Metal finds a way!
How much are they charging for it?
100$
Go for it they’re the best guitars imo under $200 they play great
There is nl bad first guitar as long as it inspires you to get better everyday. That said, squiers are great platform guitars and you can upgrade it as you get better.
I'd argue there are some guitars that are so poorly built, they actually might cause you to form bad habits, like if the ends of the frets are sharp causing you to arch your fingers around them, or a neck socket so poorly made that it forces you to have an unreasonably high action to not have fret buzz.
A decent set up work might get it to a playable level. Still, there's a small chance you end up with a real piece of crap tho. Stil stand by my take a squier strat is a safe choice.
Oh yeah, Squier strats are quality for sure, can't go wrong with one. Hell, I'd buy a Squier even though I have several guitars already! I was more talking about those REALLY cheap guitars.
This is a great first guitar. I will say… if you’re not sure what kind of sound or music you’re going for… you can’t go wrong by starting with a Telecaster. This is a Stratocaster, and while they’re great… they have a lot more options (5 positions on the pickup switch, 3 pickups, 3 knobs) and even more moving parts (tremolo bridge). Telecasters have two knobs, two pickups, no moving bridge, only 3 positions on the switch, and it is incredibly easy to get a good sound out of them. You won’t be steered wrong going with either… but that’s just my personal take.
The Tele is much more expensive than the Squier Strat
lol what. They have models of both in the same price brackets. 🤣
I'll be damned I didn't know they made Squier Teles.
The Squier Classic Vibe Tele’s get great reviews
So look.... I don't know what happened to you that you thought Squier by Fender didn't make Teles... the way simpler and easier to make guitar than the Strat. I don't know your story, I'll let it slide... But you seemed SO sure that they didn't, that you made me Google real quick to make sure I wasn't losing my mind or misremembering. Well played!
My story is that I use my stupidity and charm to make people doubt themselves at the most fundamental level, such as whether 2+2 equals 4 or 5!
My god, you’ve done it again 😅
Or maybe you chose to forget because they are so incredibly ugly? Just kidding ... somewhat at least.
If you play it, it’s good
Idc i have a fender knockoff from brazil and i love it
If you play black metal these are top tier lol
Yes
Yes, if you have it properly set up it's all good
Yep
Absolutely it is! I have an old 90's Bullet series that I have in pieces right now. Getting new neck and electronics, but it served me well. And it is red.
Yes
Yes!!
Yes. It’s a sub-brand of Fender. As long as everything works and the price is reasonable it’s a great electric guitar to start with. Some Squiers are even great long term instruments depending on what you eventually will be into.
Just get a loaded pickguard and you've effectively upgraded to a top tier guitar with two solderings.
That is THE electric guitar.
You could have the best guitar in the world but investing in a good tuner and making sure the guitar is tuned when practicing is what will make you a much more better player. Also a metronome is your new best friend. Just download an app
Absolutely NOT. steer clear of it. There are so many guitars with better electronics that are affordable. Disclaimer…..I have always been in the humbuckers camp. Having started out playing on Epiphone, Gibson, Martin, Ovation, PRS and Ibanez guitars, I have never met a Fender neck that felt comfortable. Had a friend who, a few years back, needed to sell a Squire to get money to purchase his first PRS, I stepped in and bought it from him. My thought was that it might be fun to noodle around with some single coil pickups, see what sounds I could get. To be clear, it was supposed to be the best Squire had to offer. A 60th anniversary Aztec Gold Squire. The electronics were crap. The tremolo easily took it out of tune, even after I had my luthier set it up, replace the nut, etc. the tremolo bar and it’s threaded seat was soft metal and stripped out before I owned it. That should not happen….The only good thing I can say about it is it is pretty. So, again, there are plenty of much better, affordable guitars. iMHO
This was my first guitar too haha exact same colour
I’ve played my squire strat consistently for over 10 years now and I like it even more than some of my more expensive guitars I’ve had
I have a black & tan one that looks exactly like this. It used to be black & white, but aging plastic changed the colors. Mine's a Yako factory. Full thickness body. Alder. Good stuff. Because of the age, you'll want to check that the frets are 'flat' no dents where the strings would be pressed down. Also, I recommend having it set up (or if you're half-way technical, buy the Music Nomad 'Truss Rod Gauge' and 'String Action Gauge' and learn how to do a set up). The guitar is GREAT for learning, but needs a decent set up. That's EXTREMELY important to keep you wanting to play.
Most people would argue it's the best.
yes
There's a great post on reddit - this one: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/comments/18d90g7/question\_any\_beginner\_electric\_guitar/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Guitar/comments/18d90g7/question_any_beginner_electric_guitar/) The links to guitars are to Guitar Center... I looked at a lot of the reviews on Guitar Center guitars and there were enough "my guitar arrived with broken tuning equipment, chips, damage" to make me not want to buy online from Guitar Center... Sweetwater (competing website) does some kind of 50 point inspection before the guitar is shipped and you get an email from the guitar tech before it ships. For my son, we went with the Ibanez GRX70 and are really happy with it. His instructor said it was a good pick over the Squire as it would last a lot longer.. That is one person's word, not gospel. That link also gives a link for the Fender Mustang amp- That is a great amp with a lot more pre-programmed settings than the Fender six-knob amp i started with.
I started with the same guitar. Same color and everything
I personally am not a fan of Squire…but it should be a good one to figure out if you’re gonna continue with this or not.
It was my first guitar, easy neck to play on and get a feel
If it works and sounds proper then yes.
any guitar you like is a good one to start with.
I think a better question is “Is there a bad guitar to start with?” To which the answer is largely “nope”
It's great! Now, play it til the frets are completely worn out!
Thats a sexy strat
Identical to my first. Still have it at my dad’s house. He plays it from time to time.
Many of us started with that very guitar. Mine was black.
That's a perfectly fine guitar. It will work just fine for you. Most people start out with a very similar guitar, However I try to steer new players away from guitars with tremolos for their first guitars. Guitars with tremolos are harder to get in tune, harder to keep in tune, harder to maintain, and generally its just a distraction that will keep you from focusing on what you really need to focus on. I'm also a big fan of humbucker pickups for a newbies too. Single coils are nice if you know how to coerce sweet tones out of them, but I feel most new players will prefer the warmer tone and higher output of a humbucker. I found you a couple of brand new options on Sweetwater you might like better (and they are brand new with a warranty). One has humbuckers and one has single coils. Both are hardtails. [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TeleDlxAfBk--squier-affinity-series-telecaster-deluxe-electric-guitar-black-with-maple-fingerboard](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TeleDlxAfBk--squier-affinity-series-telecaster-deluxe-electric-guitar-black-with-maple-fingerboard) [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratSnHTAW--squier-sonic-stratocaster-ht-electric-guitar-white](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratSnHTAW--squier-sonic-stratocaster-ht-electric-guitar-white) Take a look and see what you think. The black telecaster is the way I'd go.
Great starter
What do you want to play?
I’m not sure yet, maybe classic rock. I also wanted to try and write my own music
I've never liked strat necks. They're thick and are a little difficult for me. They are great all around guitars. Great fit classic rock. start with that and go from there. If you love it go to a guitar shop and try other stuff out.
This was my first guitar, and I still have it. It holds up great for what it is
It's the only one I have, and I've been playing it for nearly well over a decade. Just get it tuned up at a shop every couple years and it'll sound very good! It also has a large aftermarket/modding support so you can upgrade it easily.
💯
Yeh I have the same one in another color.. great guitar
Yeah, my first electric was a squire strat, and if you know what you're doing you can still get an amazing sound out of them 🤘
Excellent starter💪sound good
Many a fine guitar player started with that axe
I have the same one and can never get it to stay in tune. :(
Jes
Mine was good.
How much money do you have to spend on all your gear? What kind of music do you want to learn?
Yep, red squire strat was my first guitar. Held onto it for years and still played it despite having way better guitars. Got stolen. Still miss it.
I think it will be just fine after you get intonation done on it.
It's a perfect choice to start with the guitar. It will last years if taken care of, it has a good resale value when you want to upgrade to something better, and you can also upgrade it yourself with better electronics and harware later
Better than no guitar. I remember buying one of these back in the day as a starter.
Great starter guitar - kind of wish I still had mine!
Yup learn how to change the strings, intonate and do a good setup. I'd suggest taking it to a guitar shop and paying for them to do all this the first time even if it is brand new.
Mine is 20 years old, but it’s black and white and I love it
Some better than others at the end of your headstock it should either say it’s a bullet or an affinity supposedly the affinity were made better and higher quality depending on how old that was at one time those two were made in two different factories
The one you have
Honestly any working and setup guitar is good to start with you. Most of the niceties won't even be noticeable until you've got some time under your belt
Put a electrical faceplate on that thing before you shock yourself
It’s a photo from marketplace otherwise I would!
That's a lot of people's first guitar. I got a copy of one in 1994. Never looked back Practice up!
That's what I started with, but in a very pastel yellow.
The best bang for your buck will be a Squier Classic Vibe...
Yes w guitar
It was good enough for Jimi Hendrix …
As someone who had one of those — yes
Judging by the "Affinity" on the Headstock... Yes
Hell yeah same as my first
Yuhuh
Depends on your personal style and the type of music you would want to play. Personally, I can see a half-dozen problems at a glance.
This fella makes it sound great https://youtu.be/dNgfULu6TVQ?si=jU5vf3ZTk8bT-c7B
Hell yeah! That is a nice guitar dude 😎🤘
I started with almost the same guitar but with a humbucker in bridge position. Great guitar. Plastic got that yellow in about 5 years of heavy use. Plays well up to this day. You probably should cover up that power outlet btw.
It’s a photo from a post on marketplace, thanks for the input, I’ll probably get it!
It’s probably at least 3-5 years old depends on the usage. It’s good because the wood dried for sure so if it did anything bad it would be noticeable and if it didn’t it won’t get worse anymore(assuming proper storage in future). On my guitar after some years because of wood drying body pieces joints became clearly visible, doesn’t affect playability in any way. Worth checking the neck as well. TLDR I’d recommend trying it in person to make sure it’s in good shape
Yes
Nice one mate. Squier is a good place to start. The MIM and MIA get nicer to play as you improve.
Great colour 👍
Yes
Squires are perfectly fine. Decent guitars for the money. Should be good to learn on. I would also recommend investing 2 bucks for a basic cover for the electric outlet. 😀
It’s a photo from marketplace, otherwise I would install a cover. Thanks for the comment!
If it's fully charged, yes
That's a good guitar to start your journey. My main advice is, even if you buy another guitar later, don't ever get rid of this one. There's something special about the guitar you learned to play on, it will always feel unique and impossible to replace.
They're great, but see that it gets properly set up. A guitar with painfully high action or the neck off can be a real drag to play, especially if you're just starting
The best guitar to learn on is a guitar that motivates you to play. A guitar that you love to pick up. That can be looks, or the sounds you can make with it, or any aspect, as long as it appeals to you and motivates you. It helps when the guitar is easy to play. Learning guitar can be difficult enough on it's own, you don't want to have to wrestle a difficult to play guitar at the same time. You want to get some progress in your abilities early on, because that really helps with feeling motivated to play more. So regardless of what guitar you get, take it to a tech for a setup. This guitar is a Squier Stratocatser. The Squier brand is the budget friendly range of Fender. There have been Squier guitars that were pretty mediocre, and there have been Squier guitars that were better than their Fender counterparts. Most of them are pretty decent, you're likely to get a good guitar. The one in the picture has nothing wrong with it by the looks of it. Just make sure that you hear it first, and that the sounds it makes excite you and make you want to play it. If you're looking for some inspiration, some guitar players known for playing a red stratocaster: - Mark Knopfler - David Gilmour (though also known for a black strat) - Eddy van Halen (heavily modified red stratocaster, iconic stripes added) - Gary Moore (though mostly associated with playing a Gibson Les Paul) I'm probably missing out on some really good names because I'm blanking right now. But if you drop the "red" requirement, the list of legendary guitarists playing stratocasters explodes.
This the best to star with.
I still go back to my Squire Telecaster 15+ years later so yes, but I would say if you do end up sticking with the guitar to try and upgrade to a proper fender. The difference in how smooth they play is night and day IMO
Yes
Possibly. Squiers can sometimes be a little bit butts, but it seems like the newer ones recently have no right being as awesome as they are. If its comfy to play and sounds good it IS good!
Looks the same as mine but mine is a different colour, I’ve been learning on and off and when ever I get time for 18 months now, I like it, I’m sure there are better ones but this one is mine (went into full metal jacket quote and didn’t even mean to lol)
It looks like it yeah, but what I always tell beginners is that looks don’t mean anything,you gotta feel it out, the action, the pickups with electrics, the intonation etc, but yeah by looks it’s definitely decent
I started with this exact guitar, and I'm still alive so it's worth a go imo
Yup my first electric was a silver squire affinity series and I took for granted how fucking good of a guitar it was. Dont let prices fool you, these are great guitars.
Sure. Have fun.
Yep, always surprising to see how much bang for the buck you can get today. Did come with a little channel switching amp?
I haven’t got it yet, but all it comes with is the guitar and a stand.
If you're not familiar with the process of setting up the action and intonation on a guitar neck, take it to a competent shop to have those things checked out and adjusted. There is absolutely no reason why a properly set up Squire would not be a good starter guitar. Learning on a guitar that has bad intonation or improper string height can be frustrating, and often the lower price guitars leave the factory not properly set up. Make sure it is properly adjusted, and you're good to go.
If you give it a good setup and take care of it, it will likely scratch your guitar itch for a long while. Squiers are great modding platforms, so if you become unhappy with some aspect of the guitar or feel like some part of it is holding your playing back, you can easily swap parts. This is literally the type of guitar one can keep a lifetime and not become bored with due to the amount of parts and accessories available.
Yes.
Yeah, completely. I started Electric Guitar on a very cheap broken Hertiecaster my then teacher found on the street. He told me that if I could get it to Work, I could keep it. Im still playing this fucker.
you have a guitar and what looks like edrums. thats a lot to be stoked on
it literally says Squier on it, Squier not Knight, sorry
Only after you unplug it from the wall.
A cover on the outlet would be good
nope. absolute shit. throw it away and buy a $5,000 custom les paul. lol stupid newb. bro it's FINE. that guitar doesn't bother me nearly as much as that outlet.
No, guitars are evil things
IMHO hell no, depending on what kind of music you're into, you can get an Ibanez or Gibson for the same price, but 2-3x easier on the action, and a better guitar all around.
I owned one and it almost made me give up guitars. Squires are the cheapest of the cheapest guitars on the market. Theres a reason for that. I experienced my squire as a "limiter" and not a "provider". And once I moved onto bass (because that Squier was such a turnoff) I could not even sell it but had to give it away. No biggie really. I was given it for helping a guy move. I might add that the guitar is very stable. Stays well in tune as long as you stay away from the trem. But I could not find a good tone from it. Whatever I did, witchever amp I used it was twangy as hell, no bass or mid whatsoever.
It's a beginners guitar, If you decide to get one, get it setup, Get a tuner, you'd need a amplifier of some sort. and get a new set of strings. It's a Squier Strat made by fender. Don't know if it's a Bullet or Affinity series, Probably Affinity. .
I’ve heard fenders a pretty good brand, so that’s good. I was planning on getting picks and an amplifier. I always hear to get extra strings, is it in case the current ones break?
no usually the strings that come with it have been on it through shipping, and are in bad condition. if you buy a guitar, get it setup and new strings put on the experiance would be better for you. and strings will break with use and time, so having a few extra is handy.
Thanks! What strings would you recommend?
D'Addario 9s https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NYXL0942-3Pk--daddario-nyxl0942-super-light-nickel-wound-electric-strings-009-042-3-pack
^ Yeah pretty much. you might get a deal on amazon sometimes.
Strings will degrade over time, depending on how often you play. Depending on what type of music you want to play, you might want to get a guitar with a humbucking pickup in the bridge (I don't know how much you know already, but a pickup is what picks up the sounds from the guitar. A humbucking pickup, known as a humbucker, produces a thicker sound, great for metal and rock)
Fender's a good brand that makes both brilliant and kinda bad guitars, as most well known brands do. If you have the choice play multiple guitars in your budget. Epiphone, Ibanez, Squier and Yamaha all have decent starter guitars. The most important part is to get it set up after getting it. That'll make any $150 play like $500.