Affinity Strat Specs (Chinese)

[linuxmann]

Hi, I am new to the forum, but reading some posts so far I am very impressed with this community. I have owned a couple of Squier Strats, but never really knew what I had exactly. After a short hiatus from playing, I picked up an Affinity Strat from a local music store. It's red with a rosewood fingerboard and white pickguard. It's a very simple looking guitar, but I kind of like it that way.

Anyway it's supposedly a Chinese made Squier. S/N: CY99087375 on the headstock. Problem is, I'm not sure it's the original body for the guitar. It has a really nice neck, good feel, no fret buzz anywhere, etc. But, the neck plate is blank/generic and I haven't taken it apart to check for internal s/n, etc.

The guitar feels very heavy. It has good tone and plays very well. I'm just trying to figure out what I actually have. Is it a stock Affinity Strat with a different neck plate, or is it a Affinity neck with some odd body?

Any ideas of how to figure this out? If I start tearing it down, what do I look for? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm just curious what guitar I actually own. Thanks.

[Paulbiz]

That seriel number definietly seems Affinity Squier...but my 03' affinity's body is very light and the neck plate says "Squier" on it. So something does sound suspicious about that body...but it being heavier may be a good sign, it may be a better body than the stock Affinity. Can you post some pics so we can see whats what? Welcome to the board!

[Blackmore Fan]

Welcome to the forum!

If it sounds good and plays well, I'd just enjoy your find and play the hell out of it. I have an 08 Affinity that is a great guitar.

[linuxmann]

Good points...I'm very happy with this guitar! I'm just curious because of the generic neck plate. I know the Affinity Strats are supposed to be alder, but lower end pieces that the China shops could get a hold of supposedly. The Affinity Strats that I have played in stores feel lighter, but still have a nice sound to them. Being a '99 I assumed it would be a pretty cheapo body. Either way I like it as is. I'm going to look for a new pick guard to replace the cracked and too plain white one. Maybe a loaded one with better pickups. The ones in it now sound ok, but not great. Not sure what's in there. Probably going to go with a red/black pearl..ish pick guard if I can find one.

[shakey64]

I have a Affinity Tele...1999 chinese...just checked, and has the Squier neck plate.

[linuxmann]

Originally Posted by shakey64

I have a Affinity Tele...1999 chinese...just checked, and has the Squier neck plate.

With the big "S" stamped on it? That is what I was expecting my strat to have. Maybe I inherited someones FrankenSquier, lol. It's cool either way. Haven't taken it apart yet to try to figure it out. Might not. It sounds pretty good. Basic SSS strat sound with a decent fretboard. Stays in tune, doesn't make any crazy noises at high volume, etc. Best cheap Squier I've ever come across. Want to replace the cracked and scratched white plain-o pick guard, but now it's starting to grow on me as a whole guitar. This thing plays well and maybe shouldn't be messed with. I'm an aspiring/wannabe guitarist, so it would be pretty damn cool to one day step on stage for a gig with a crappy red/white squier strat and play the **** out of a set or two. It's slowly becoming my baby, lol.

[GlenS]

I have a similar Squier, I picked it up in a trade for some old computer parts. The headstock just has the Squire Strat in black no Affinity markings on it, blank neck plate, sealed tuners with Squier script on them. No serial number located anywhere on the neck or body. The body on it is very solid and has some heft to it. I compared it to a buddies Affinity and there is a difference in weight. It plays and sounds great.

[GlenS]

I just picked up another one of these guitars off of CL for 40 bucks yesterday. It was pretty beat up. Tore it down as soon as I got it home. Cannot find any type of serial number at all. There are a few pencil marks on the neck itself but no indication of a serial number. Will post some pics of the tear down when I get a chance.

[blueguitone]

i just bought a 01 affinity it has the squier on the neck plate and seems kind of light, it's my first squier though.

[TwoMartinMan]

[quote=linuxmann;188350]
Problem is, I'm not sure it's the original body for the guitar.
The guitar feels very heavy. It has good tone and plays very well. I'm just trying to figure out what I actually have. Is it a stock Affinity Strat with a different neck plate, or is it a Affinity neck with some odd body?QUOTE]

What is the body thickness? Stock Affinitys have the slimmer body of 1 1/2" compared to a Standard Strat at 1 3/4".

[daniboy79]

I have an Indonesian year 2000 Affinity Squier, and it has the 1 1/2" thick body. It has very good resonance so I'm thinking about sticking with the stock body ...come to think of it, the body and input jack plate are about the only stock Affinity items left, lol

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by GlenS

I have a similar Squier, I picked it up in a trade for some old computer parts. The headstock just has the Squire Strat in black no Affinity markings on it, blank neck plate, sealed tuners with Squier script on them. No serial number located anywhere on the neck or body. The body on it is very solid and has some heft to it. I compared it to a buddies Affinity and there is a difference in weight. It plays and sounds great.

Sounds similar to a Squier Strat I picked up recently for £40.

The logo says "Squier Strat by Fender" in black, no "Affinity" logo.

The s/n (CAE-0041207854) is on a sticker on the back of the headstock. No logos on the neckplate or tuners.

There were the remains of a sticker on the neck heel ("Made in China" possibly?).

The holes on the trem cover plate don't even come close to lining up with the holes in the trem block but I might have a better plate in my box of bits.

It's a medium weight guitar that sounds pretty good and plays well after a setup, well worth the money I paid.

[softwarejanitor]

Originally Posted by A.B.Negative

Sounds similar to a Squier Strat I picked up recently for £40.

The logo says "Squier Strat by Fender" in black, no "Affinity" logo.

The s/n (CAE-0041207854) is on a sticker on the back of the headstock. No logos on the neckplate or tuners.

There were the remains of a sticker on the neck heel ("Made in China" possibly?).

The holes on the trem cover plate don't even come close to lining up with the holes in the trem block but I might have a better plate in my box of bits.

It's a medium weight guitar that sounds pretty good and plays well after a setup, well worth the money I paid.

CAE-00 is a Squier SE serial number prefix. They are "Made in China" as to the little sticker you mention, which usually wears off or is removed. The 00 means made in 2000 by the best of my knowledge. They came bundled with a little 10 watt amp, strap, cord, etc... in a "Strat Pack". In my opinion they are better than Affinities or Bullets, in that they come with a small size headstock and full width neck at the nut and a full thickness body.

[softwarejanitor]

Originally Posted by GlenS

I have a similar Squier, I picked it up in a trade for some old computer parts. The headstock just has the Squire Strat in black no Affinity markings on it, blank neck plate, sealed tuners with Squier script on them. No serial number located anywhere on the neck or body. The body on it is very solid and has some heft to it. I compared it to a buddies Affinity and there is a difference in weight. It plays and sounds great.

It also sounds like an SE. Is the headstock the small size and the body full thickness? The CAE-00 Squier Strat SE I have has the serial number on a sticker that is really easily removed. The neck plate is just blank with no Squier logo or serial number. The difference in weight of the body is due to the thickness. The Affinity bodies are usually only about 1-1/2" where the SE is usually close to 1-3/4" (the Fender standard thickness).

[lee2112]

I agree with softwarejanitor. I've got one of these that had no stickers on it and all my research comparing pictures led me to conclude it was an SE. Logo tuners, full size body thickness and 3-ply pickguard seems to set them apart from the Affinity. I thought I read somewhere the wood was agathis. I stripped mine to repaint and the wood was maybe five pieces with lots of light, dark and greenish stripes in it. Once I fixed all the neck pocket issues, new tuners and nut and now the thing is a really nice guitar. Very resonant once I got a good tight neck connection going.
Lee