NUGD! Squier Affinity Strat from????

[Winston Psmith]

Last week, I was looking at Used Gear online, and saw a cheap used black Squier Mini-Strat at my nearest GC. I didn't pursue it, because I didn't see a real need to buy a cheap Guitar right now.

 

Then, the other day, my SIL sends me a photo of a black Squier Affinity Strat, asking if I want it? Her neighbor is moving, and divesting a LOT of stuff, the Guitar included. I asked what he wanted for it, and waited to hear back . . .

 

The short of it is, he gave me the Guitar, and a slightly worn Digitech RP80 MFX, because he was just happy to have someone use them.* The Guitar needs a good bit of attention, but overall, it's not bad, and for free, it's well worth the price of some new strings. There's nothing wrong with it that some basic care shouldn't address. According to the Guitar Dater, it was made in 2004.

 

Funny thing - the Guitar has a small sticker on the pick guard, with a graphic that looks like a flame, which I recognized from a set of stickers I'd gotten at RobotFest, up near Baltimore, a few years back. I have a larger version of the same logo on an old MacBook.

 

The folks giving out the stickers are called Baltimore Hackerspace - they're essentially a group of dedicated gear-heads, not a bunch of Black-Hat hackers. Still, it's not a logo you'd see just anywhere, so I have to wonder how this Guitar, with this sticker, came around to me?

 

Oh, yes, the RP80 had a VERY loose Expression Pedal, but after a quick tightening of the side screw, all's well. Beyond that, it works, so I got a new used MFX to go with the Affinity Strat.

 

*We did, however, buy a sectional couch from him, so he still got some $$$ out of the deal.

 

 

[KuruPrionz]

Nice, one of the things I've done with an extra guitar is make a fully intonated Nashville tuned guitar for recording. Just replace the low 4 strings with the octave strings you'd use on a 12 string and dial in the intonation. 

For me it's a recording tool, my current one is a Johnson "smaller" Strat with a 22" scale length. If I put the switch in the 2nd or 4th position, the pickups are hum cancelling.

 

I've found that using it underneath an acoustic guitar sounds like an acoustic Nashville and electric of course sounds electric. 

 

Great score on the multi-effects too!!!!

[Scott Fraser]

Score! Great price.

[Winston Psmith]

Thank you both!

 

It needs some serious attention, as almost everything that can be adjusted is slightly wrong. The Bridge Saddles are all lined up, side by side, like soldiers in formation, and they're all set at the same height, as well. The Treble Pickup is set so high on the side towards the controls that the 1st String hits it as I play up the neck.

 

The pickups work, and the sound is better than I expected, even before I do anything to it. The knobs all work, the switch is good, and the tuners are decent, not the super-cheap ones that you see on bottom-feeder import Guitars. I'm going to open up the control cavity and check the Output Jack, but there are no signs of damage nor abuse. FWIW, the Indonesian-made Guitars seem to be a cut above the Chinese-made Squiers, if only marginally.

 

Looking at used Affinity Strats on GC's website, it looks like I got a much better bargain than I realized at first. Time to do some useful things with it.

[Caevan O’Shite]

We will require photodocumentation of said Squier Affinity Strat on said sectional couch...  
 

31 minutes ago, Winston Psmith said:

almost everything that can be adjusted is slightly wrong. The Bridge Saddles are all lined up, side by side, like soldiers in formation, and they're all set at the same height, as well. The Treble Pickup is set so high on the side towards the controls that the 1st String hits it as I play up the neck.

Aaaahh... Clearly the work of an unwitting saboteur.

Oh, the sounds they must have made with that guitar through that multi-effects...
       
 

[Larryz]

Congrats WP!  I would love to hear a tape of you playing that Squier before you go adjusting those bridge saddles LoL!  😎👍 

[Caevan O’Shite]

And I am remiss- CONGRATULATIONS and Coincidentally Synchronous Happy NUGD!

[Winston Psmith]

15 hours ago, Larryz said:

Congrats WP!  I would love to hear a tape of you playing that Squier before you go adjusting those bridge saddles LoL!  😎👍 

 

It's not really bad enough to be entertaining, or funny, just slightly off. The most interesting, or wrong sound, is the 1st String hitting the Treble Pickup, so right around the 20th fret, it just goes 'plink'.

[Caevan O’Shite]

21 minutes ago, Winston Psmith said:

 

It's not really bad enough to be entertaining, or funny, just slightly off. The most interesting, or wrong sound, is the 1st String hitting the Treble Pickup, so right around the 20th fret, it just goes 'plink'.

It might not be the most expensive machine in the hospital, but it is the machine that goes 'plink'...   

[Winston Psmith]

1 hour ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

It might not be the most expensive machine in the hospital, but it is the machine that goes 'plink'...   

 

Indeed . . .

[KuruPrionz]

My favorite Strat has a Squier body. I chose it primarily because it is a pale blue green color, I also chose it because it is slimmer than a stock Strat body and quite a bit lighter than most. 

Some of the other parts might be Squier, I don't know since I tend to just put parts in boxes without labelling them. 

What I like about the Squiers is you can just screw another neck on there and swap in electronics and everything will just fit.

So, Warmoth super-wide (1 7/8" at the nut) fatback neck, scalloped. 2 EMG SA with 3 way switch and middle pickup hole covered with white plastic. SPC and volume. Locking tuners (a must if you want to gig with just one guitar). Bit of tweaking and dialing, done. Screwdriver guitar, thanks Leo!!!!!

 

Parts is parts...

[Winston Psmith]

I like that! Nicely done. Any recommendations for affordable after-market parts would be greatly appreciated.

 

My day got somewhat derailed yesterday, so I didn't get around to dealing with the Squier, or any of several other things I wanted to do.

 

Early start today tending to clients, so I'm trying to get back on track, as always.

 

 

 

[Caevan O’Shite]

11 minutes ago, Winston Psmith said:

I like that! Nicely done. Any recommendations for affordable after-market parts would be greatly appreciated.

That EMG SPC replacing the Tone control pot that Kuru mentioned above is FANTASTIC, and a LOT of bang-for-the-buck, especially compared to what a pedal that might do something similar would likely cost... HIGHLY recommended!
 

  

5 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

 

Indeed . . .

 

 

  

 

[Winston Psmith]

Every Synth should have a Patch named "Machine That Goes 'PING'!"

 

Right next to the "Krell Music" Patch . . .

[KuruPrionz]

2 hours ago, Winston Psmith said:

I like that! Nicely done. Any recommendations for affordable after-market parts would be greatly appreciated.

 

My day got somewhat derailed yesterday, so I didn't get around to dealing with the Squier, or any of several other things I wanted to do.

 

Early start today tending to clients, so I'm trying to get back on track, as always.

 

 

 

My best advice is to buy quality parts but look on eBay for "victim auctions", these are auctions that were posted so they end at an absolutely stupid time, like Weds morning at 4am. They never go anywhere near as high as something that ends in the afternoon on Sunday, never. 

 

SPC is a midrange boost and a mild treble roll off. It's still plenty bright but it can give a single coil pickup a rip-roaring humbucker tone. 

 

I happen to be a fan of the EMG pickups - these are EMG SA which means Strat Alnico, they are very low noise and low magnetic field, no string ground required and they sound great. Honestly, I leave the SPC cranked up almost all of the time. 

I've gotten a couple of the Warmoth necks in the $150 to $175 range which may seem a bit high but so is the quality and they have a huge variety of nut widths, back of neck contours, headstock shapes, etc. The one on my blue Strat is a true left handed neck with position dots only on the "wrong side", so it went for less than a right handed one since fewer players will want it (I'm a lefty but I play right handed, go figure). I just took a small paint brush and some black paint and added the dots, works fine so far. 

 

I got another 1 7/8 wide fatback Warmoth Strat neck for around $120 delivered, the seller had "converted" the Strat headstock to a Tele and it wasn't perfect (but not bad really). He was asking $175, I offered $165 and he counter offered $110 and shipping. I snapped that up, it's going on a sunburst Squier Strat body as soon as I get around to it. Not sure if I'll scallop or just put gigantic frets on it, both options are possible. 

 

Patience, persistence and speed when needed will set you up with parts. Craigslist is worth watching, thrift stores have stuff that comes and goes and I don't do garage sales but I have and I have found interesting items. 

[Caevan O’Shite]

5 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

SPC is a midrange boost and a mild treble roll off. It's still plenty bright but it can give a single coil pickup a rip-roaring humbucker tone. 

And "MORE!" with a humbucker, too! NOT just for single-coils! And it always sounds and feels so natural, smooth, and not hyped, gimmicky or 'electronic'/'effecty'. Almost 'passive', even! In a good way!
    
 

[KuruPrionz]

7 minutes ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

And "MORE!" with a humbucker, too! NOT just for single-coils! And it always sounds and feels so natural, smooth, and not hyped, gimmicky or 'electronic'/'effecty'. Almost 'passive', even! In a good way!
    
 

I haven't tried the SPC on a humbucker but I've heard it does work. I agree that it simply sounds great, natural, organic, not disturbing. It's a great circuit.

Maybe I need one on my 335 but it has always sounded great as it is so I tend to just go with things if they make me smile. 

[Caevan O’Shite]

54 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

I haven't tried the SPC on a humbucker but I've heard it does work. I agree that it simply sounds great, natural, organic, not disturbing. It's a great circuit.

Maybe I need one on my 335 but it has always sounded great as it is so I tend to just go with things if they make me smile. 

If ever I rewire my Les Paul, I just might install an SPC, even if I keep its stock passive, hot ceramic 500T and 496R humbuckers.

My biggest hesitation is experience long ago when I tried a few old, vintage pedals that I could have gotten fantastic dirt-cheap deals on, but passed up because I thought there was something wrong with them. It wasn't until much later that I discovered that many such stompy oldsters don't get on with some buffers and active electronics and the like- and I suspect the SPC in the guitar that I tried them with to be the reason they sounded so bad. If there were a simple way to have a click or push/pull function to hard bypass the SPC, I'd jump on it for my Les Paul!

[KuruPrionz]

17 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

If ever I rewire my Les Paul, I just might install an SPC, even if I keep its stock passive, hot ceramic 500T and 496R humbuckers.

My biggest hesitation is experience long ago when I tried a few old, vintage pedals that I could have gotten fantastic dirt-cheap deals on, but passed up because I thought there was something wrong with them. It wasn't until much later that I discovered that many such stompy oldsters don't get on with some buffers and active electronics and the like- and I suspect the SPC in the guitar that I tried them with to be the reason they sounded so bad. If there were a simple way to have a click or push/pull function to hard bypass the SPC, I'd jump on it for my Les Paul!

Don't quote me on this but I think when you turn the SPC all the way in the opposite direction of the mid-boost, it's off. 

[Larryz]

According to EMG, the "SPC and EXG are Active tone circuits."  "when the controls are at zero (fully counter-clockwise) the effect is bypassed.  Rotate the controls clockwise to gradually increase their effect."  "The SPC is designed to simulate a dual-coil tone from the single coil SA Pickup while the EXG make the tone bright and full.  Start with both controls at zero and go from there."  Hope this is helpful.  

 

How the SPC is wired and works with Passive humbuckers and single coils, and whether or not a push/pull is a good idea, is beyond my paygrade LoL! 😎

[Caevan O’Shite]

6 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

Don't quote me on this...

OK...    
 

 

6 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

...but I think when you turn the SPC all the way in the opposite direction of the mid-boost, it's off.

It is- more or less. Just how 'off' is 'off' is similar to buffered-bypass vs true/hard-bypass in pedals.

I contacted EMG about these matters last year, and even asked if I could buy (even offering to pay up front) a custom ordered SPC unit with push-pull or click 'off'/'true-bypass', and they politely said that at that time they couldn't do that.

I'll someday actually put an SPC to the test with a number of vintage and/or vintage-style pedals; even if it proves to mess with said stomps, I could always wire-up some sort of additional switch like a push-pull tone or volume pot to hard-bypass it out of the circuit in the Les Paul, or perhaps even some other guitar.

I just didn't want ANY added switches in the project I was considering the SPC for at the time, wanting that guitar to be as stock-looking and stealthy as could be. And if I do add push/pull tone and volume pots to that axe, they'll be for other functions that I've already decided on (switching between tone-caps, and switching a middle-pickup hidden beneath the pickguard in and out, respectively).
     

[KuruPrionz]

40 minutes ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

OK...    
 

 

It is- more or less. Just how 'off' is 'off' is similar to buffered-bypass vs true/hard-bypass in pedals.

I contacted EMG about these matters last year, and even asked if I could buy (even offering to pay up front) a custom ordered SPC unit with push-pull or click 'off'/'true-bypass', and they politely said that at that time they couldn't do that.

I'll someday actually put an SPC to the test with a number of vintage and/or vintage-style pedals; even if it proves to mess with said stomps, I could always wire-up some sort of additional switch like a push-pull tone or volume pot to hard-bypass it out of the circuit in the Les Paul, or perhaps even some other guitar.

I just didn't want ANY added switches in the project I was considering the SPC for at the time, wanting that guitar to be as stock-looking and stealthy as could be. And if I do add push/pull tone and volume pots to that axe, they'll be for other functions that I've already decided on (switching between tone-caps, and switching a middle-pickup hidden beneath the pickguard in and out, respectively).
     

Just get one of these here kind, every possible possbility is possible. You won't even have to play, just change switches and controls. 🤣

[Caevan O’Shite]

So stealthy... and sharp! 😆

Too many controls and pickups on that guitar? Nay, 'tis too much guitar on those controls and pickups!
 

28 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

Just get one of these here kind, every possible possbility is possible. You won't even have to play, just change switches and controls. 🤣

 

[KuruPrionz]

2 hours ago, Caevan O’Shite said:

So stealthy... and sharp! 😆

Too many controls and pickups on that guitar? Nay, 'tis too much guitar on those controls and pickups!
 

 

It needs more switches, there's only one. Should be one 3 way switch for the two pickups near the neck, one 3 way switch for the two pickups near the bridge and one 3 way switch for the other two 3 way switches. With 12 knobs, you can have a volume, dullness knob (also called a "tone" control, AND an SPC on each pickup. 

So the top 4 knobs are all volume controls for the pickups. In the Gibson tradition, when you turn one of the volume knobs all the way down, all of the pickups are silent. The middle 4 knobs are all dullness knobs and turning any one of them all the way to full dullness will make all the pickups sound dull. Last but not least, all the SPCs are the 4 knobs at the bottom, those will try to make everything sound good but you'll need push pull switches on all the knobs for series/paralllel, phase, and 4 special "tweaky-deaky switches to add the tweaky to the deaky.

 

That way, you can eventually and tediously go from one sound to every other similar variation of that same sound that sounds slightly different but not that much. 

It will be the best thing ever, just so and no other way! 😂🤩😍🤔😎😇😇😇

[Caevan O’Shite]

How ya doin' with that New Used Free Guitar, Winston?

 

  

7 hours ago, KuruPrionz said:

It needs more switches, there's only one. Should be one 3 way switch for the two pickups near the neck, one 3 way switch for the two pickups near the bridge and one 3 way switch for the other two 3 way switches. With 12 knobs, you can have a volume, dullness knob (also called a "tone" control, AND an SPC on each pickup. 

So the top 4 knobs are all volume controls for the pickups. In the Gibson tradition, when you turn one of the volume knobs all the way down, all of the pickups are silent. The middle 4 knobs are all dullness knobs and turning any one of them all the way to full dullness will make all the pickups sound dull. Last but not least, all the SPCs are the 4 knobs at the bottom, those will try to make everything sound good but you'll need push pull switches on all the knobs for series/paralllel, phase, and 4 special "tweaky-deaky switches to add the tweaky to the deaky.

 

That way, you can eventually and tediously go from one sound to every other similar variation of that same sound that sounds slightly different but not that much. 

It will be the best thing ever, just so and no other way! 😂🤩😍🤔😎😇😇😇

Sounds like mostly stuff I was avoiding... !  😆
     
 

[Winston Psmith]

That mutant LP reminds me of the old Science-Fiction movie, The Beast With A Million Eyes. Not for me, thanks . . .

 

I was out working yesterday, bouncing between jobs, so got exactly nowhere on the Squier Strat. Today, I'm working at home, planting up a bunch of flowerpots for a client to set out this weekend, so I'll have some time to get to the Squier . . . I hope. For now, it's time to break out a big bag of potting soil.

 

Ah, before I forget, any suggestions for CHEAP Strat parts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Larryz]

WP, I like the parts and selections from Stewmac.com...I also like quality parts that they carry like Switchcraft, Gibson, Fender, etc., at reasonable prices.  😎

[KuruPrionz]

1 hour ago, Winston Psmith said:

That mutant LP reminds me of the old Science-Fiction movie, The Beast With A Million Eyes. Not for me, thanks . . .

 

I was out working yesterday, bouncing between jobs, so got exactly nowhere on the Squier Strat. Today, I'm working at home, planting up a bunch of flowerpots for a client to set out this weekend, so I'll have some time to get to the Squier . . . I hope. For now, it's time to break out a big bag of potting soil.

 

Ah, before I forget, any suggestions for CHEAP Strat parts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Used Squiers ARE cheap Strat parts. I've had quite a few come and go here. I've sold many as complete guitars and a few as parts. And I have some of the parts here still, mostly the cheap pickups which are pretty OK. 

That said, most of them could use better tuners. The pickups don't sound bad but they aren't that great either. I'm with Larryz on the Switchcraft stuff, any guitar I keep gets a Switchcraft jack at a minimum, the jacks in Squiers and other cheap guitars are total junk. So are the switches and pots. Of all the things to not go cheap on, the electronics are the most important since the ones Squiers come with are not reliable or high quality. 

But, before that comes the neck. If you like the feel of the stock neck and the truss rod is adjusted correctly, check the frets for wear. If they are in decent shape then it's a great neck to learn basic fret work. EVERY guitar I own gets the frets leveled, crowned and polished - that will make the biggest difference in having a guitar that plays well. 

 

Knowing how to take care of your own frets is a solid skill that will save you money and serve you well in life. I highly recommend that, smooth level frets can make all the difference in how we can play our guitars. 

[Winston Psmith]

Mostly, I'm looking at cosmetics, like a new pickguard. I would probably swap out the switch and the pots to go with a new set of pickups, but for now, everything works, and that's good enough.

 

After I got my flowerpots put together and dropped off, I had some time to work on the Affinity, so here's the story so far . . .

 

I took off the strings, of course, then unscrewed the back plate to have a look underneath. All good, nice and solid, same thing looking under the pickguard. I did a good cleaning and polishing, everywhere. Side note - those "Lemon Oil" cleaners are quite good for cleaning crud off of metal and plastic parts.

 

Loosened, then tightened the Truss Rod to take out some of the relief, adjusted the height on the string saddles, tightened the screws attached to the Trem Block, tweaked and turned and tweaked and turned some more. Put on a set of DR Pure Blues .010-.046, and tuned it up. At this point, it's certainly playable, and with a little more attention, it should be more than just playable.

 

Plugged into one on my MFX, I could definitely hear some Belew-like tones coming through, distinctly Strat sounds, if not the beefiest. Turning the knobs and flipping the switch, I got no noise, no snap, crackle, pop, not even a bad 60-cycle hum.

 

The tuners are decent, no need to swap them out for now. First real expense, once I'm fairly sure I'm going to keep it, would be an affordable HSC.

 

Clearly, this was a happy hobbyist's couch Guitar. There are no signs of abuse, but no real signs of basic care and maintenance, either. It doesn't look like he played it much above the 3rd or 4th fret, and really, it doesn't look like he played much at all. There isn't really any fret wear to speak of, and I don't think he really did anything to the Guitar short of maybe changing the strings? It's entirely possible he bought it used, in the condition I found it in, as far as the mal-adjustments go.

 

Long day ahead tomorrow, so I'm off to get something to eat, and try to get my usual 3 to 5 hours of sleep somewhere in there. No rest for the wicked . . .

 

 

[KuruPrionz]

Any more, for less expensive screwdriver guitars (I gig with them, just calling it as it is), I'm happy with a decent padded gig bag. They seem to be abundant at thrift stores and run between $5 and $15.

I always check all the zippers and make sure there is nothing nasty or smelly inside. A couple of times I got a cord or a Snark or maybe some strings or picks. 

 

I only want the well padded ones, the thin fabric ones suck. And I need good backpack straps that are well fastened. It's easy to get picky when they seem so common. I live in a medium small city, about 100,000 people here and lots of gig bags. Larger urban areas may have more bags but probaby more buyers too.