Squier Affinity Tele SH FMT CRT

Squier Affinity Tele SH FMT CRT review

The Squier Affinity Tele SH FMT CRT is a budget-friendly take on a familiar solid-body electric guitar, with a pickup layout that broadens its tonal range. It combines a ceramic single-coil pickup at the bridge with a ceramic humbucker at the neck, controlled by a three-way switch and master volume and tone knobs. The listed price is 266, and the model has been available since August 2024.

The specifications describe a poplar body with a flamed maple top, a bolt-on maple neck, and an Indian laurel fingerboard. The transparent crimson red finish lets the top's grain show through, although customer reports differ on how attractive or consistent the top looks in person. As with many instruments at this price, inspecting the exact guitar matters more than relying on photos alone.

Construction and playing feel

The guitar has a 648 mm (25.5-inch) scale, a 42 mm nut width, a C-shaped neck, and a 241 mm (9.5-inch) fingerboard radius. Its 21 medium jumbo frets and synthetic bone nut are conventional choices for this format. The six-saddle bridge uses through-body stringing and block steel saddles. There is no tremolo system, and neither a case nor a bag is included.

Several owners describe a comfortable body shape, including a rear contour that helps the guitar sit comfortably against the player. Reports put the weight at around 3.7 kg for one example, though individual instruments can differ. Some players find it light and easy to handle, while others notice slight neck dive when standing. A wide or grippy strap may help keep the instrument in position.

Neck feel is a point of disagreement in the owner feedback. Some players praise the comfortable shape and report that the guitar was easy to play straight from the box. Others found the untreated neck unpleasant or encountered an uneven feel along the rear seam. Reports also conflict on whether particular examples have a visible skunk stripe. These variations may reflect differences between production batches, so try the instrument in person when possible. If ordering online, check the neck carefully before making modifications.

Setup and hardware

Factory setup reports range from excellent to needing adjustment. Some owners say the intonation and nut slots were right on arrival, while others corrected intonation, string height, or neck relief. One player resolved an unwanted sitar-like string sound by lowering the bridge pickup. These are familiar setup checks on an affordable guitar, but they underline the value of inspecting each instrument rather than assuming every example will arrive identically adjusted.

The closed die-cast tuning machines have split shafts. Reviews describe them variously as stable and direct, or slightly loose in feel. A few owners mention minor fret-edge roughness, uneven fret heights, or a loose saddle screw. Most describe the general finish and construction positively for the price, while occasional quality-control issues mean a close inspection is sensible. The supplied strings are nickel-plated steel in a.009,.042 gauge set.

Pickup sound and controls

The bridge single-coil provides the sharper, more cutting voice associated with this style of guitar, and owners often describe it as lively or country-oriented. The neck humbucker has a rounder, warmer character that suits blues and thicker rock tones. Ceramic magnets give the pickups useful output, though they are not intended to reproduce every detail of a vintage-style sound. Several players find the stock set perfectly usable; others prefer to change pickups or adjust the controls to suit their taste.

The humbucker is not listed as coil-splittable, so the guitar does not offer a separate single-coil mode for that pickup. The middle switch position blends the two pickups. One reviewer liked the resulting sound, while another noted that the volume control's position can get in the way when reaching for the pickup selector. That control layout is worth checking if you switch positions frequently while playing.

Verdict

The Squier Affinity Tele SH FMT CRT offers a useful contrast between bridge bite and a warmer neck humbucker, along with an eye-catching finish and a familiar, practical specification. Many owners are impressed by its playability and value, and several report using it without replacing the pickups. The main cautions are inconsistent reports about neck feel, setup, fret edges, and individual finish quality. At this price, it makes sense to assess the specific instrument, then make any needed setup adjustments. Players who want a versatile first guitar or an affordable second instrument may find a lot to like, provided they are comfortable checking the neck and setup before settling in.