Guitar of the week #108: Squier FSR Affinity Telecaster HH

These are some seriously good Telecaster digs for dirt cheap.

What you see here is a Squier Affinity Telecaster HH, but this orange one truly is "FSR" (Fender Special Run).

Cheap to buy? Yes. Worth more than its selling price? Also a yes.

Something you'll notice about a lot of Fender and Squier guitars is that the headstock isn't painted. There's a reason for that. Cost. Because the neck is bolt-on, to match the color on the body always adds in extra cost because it's a completely separate painting process.

Fender would (and still does) charge extra for any Stratocaster or Telecaster they make that has a painted headcap that matches the body color.

When Fender or Squier does black or white body with matched headcap, that really doesn't add in too much cost because those two colors are easy to match up. But when you get a color that's not black or white, especially one that's a metallic color, that means extra commitment was made to make that very specific color matched on the headcap...

...and that's why this truly is FSR. Metallic orange + metallic orange headcap + blackout hardware on a Telecaster - any Telecaster - is basically unheard of. Combine that with the fact this is HH and oh yes, this is a rare bird, especially considering how cheap it's selling for.

I'm not one to collect guitars, but this is a stupidly easy collector's buy. Or if you just want a rocker Telecaster that really has some pop and wow to it, this is your Tele.

How would you know if you'd like this guitar or not? Go and play any Squier Affinity Series Telecaster. If you've played any of those, you already know how it feels. As for the sound, this is just a basic HH model.

Let's say for the moment you don't collect guitars but just want a nice bang-around beater Telecaster. This one definitely fits the bill and it easily looks twice as expensive as what it sells for. I've seen Squier Metallic Orange before, and believe me, the color looks good. This is a Tele that can easily be used for country, rock or even metal and totally fit right in.

Again, if you want to know how this guitar feels and plays, go try an Affinity Telecaster and you'll know. Same guitar, same neck. This FSR just happens to be Metallic Orange with matching headcap, HH electronics and blackout hardware.

I'll put it another way. This is a look you would ordinarily only see from the Fender Custom Shop. I'm not kidding. If you're a Tele fan and want something cool, collectible and cheap, get this guitar.

Published 2017 May 10