Guitar Nerds Anonymous

Just bought this, for a much lower offer price. Anyone know anything about them?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305552363694

Looks European, maybe Egmond or something Italian?

Good sleuthing. I'm almost certain it's an Egmond alright... late fifties or early sixties?

Nice spot. I look forward to uncovering a host of massive issues that makes it unplayable once it arrives. Cost £100 delivered so I thought it'd be a fun and low-stakes project.

Anyone got any experience of the ‘sonic’ and ‘affinity’ tier Squier guitars?
If my lessons go well and I get back into playing I figure something with a full size neck instead of the tiny 21” scale on my fender swinger. It’s lovely and I’d never part with it but a skinny neck with clumsy fingers is a tricky combo lol
Had another play on that cheap sg I bought, nothing wrong with it, just not for me and guess I’m a fender fanboi ;)

We were only talking about this here the other day and I ended up buying a 90s Squier Stratocaster for €180... I'm planning to make it fretless though so I really didn't want to spend much money at all.

All depends on budget I would say... Classic Vibe seem to be the elite Squier these days and you can pick a nice used one up around £200-250 which isn't much money at all! They're arguably nicer than a MIM Fender even from what I've heard.

Do you have a preferred model of Fender and a budget in mind?

Thanks for the thoughts, much appreciated!
So this is pie in the sky for now as I’m just noodling around at this point(last time I played regularly was 15+yrs ago), but if I enjoy the lessons I’m about to start I kinda feel it makes sense to own a guitar with a full length scale, not a tiny one as I’m sure having a decent sized neck will make life a little easier.

I’d say £250 would be my top end budget, a quick look on eBay suggests there’s plenty in this price bracket from new affinity strats to late 80s/early 90s Korean made ones which are supposedly very well made.
No idea why but I’m drawn to strats with humbuckers and always loved a mustang body(my bro had a lovely old duo-sonic for years).
So yeah, I’m fairly flexible but I have a bit of a sticking point when it comes to off-brand strats and teles from other brands. I’m sure the Benton’s are fab but absolutely not for me.

I’m seeing the sonic tier hss Strats and hh mustangs on GAK for sub-£150 so tempted to take a punt if I keep playing but well aware something a little older that’s been played will probably be a bit nicer.

I was basically wondering if the difference between sonic and affinity was fit n finish so a good setup would result in something nice.

I’m very much back to beginner status at this point and I’m more than happy with my swinger but like bikes there’s always the potential for N+1….

Used Squier Classic Vibe HSS Stratocaster (60s or 70s versions available) sounds like it would be exactly what you're after! Start scouring FB Marketplace.

Alternative view - max out your budget on this in the fender sale

https://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier-electric-guitars/other/paranormal-super-sonic/0377015569.html

Reversed jag body? Weird!
Not rushing into anything right now, spotted a hss CV in budget on fb a minute ago so looks like if/when the time comes there’ll be something for me.

Gonna keep an eye on this as well, collection only so might go cheap. Looks like the perfect stoner rock setup that ticks my aesthetic boxes.

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I have an affinity P bass and have had an affinity Tele in the past. The Telecaster did the job and a setup would probably have made it fine for an adequate player like myself, but the cheap tuners, rough frets and bone dry fingerboard made it not very nice to play, especially string bends. I don't do much of that on the bass (😄) so I'm perfectly happy playing that.

Just buy this off me instead:
https://www.lfgss.com/comments/17391918/

Good to know, these are the sort of things I probably wouldn’t notice as a beginner. At least a fret polish and oil is a relatively straightforward bit of servicing.

That daphne blue strat is glorious and if I wasn’t so poor I’d be tempted. Bit out of budget for me though but thanks for the offer :)
Edit- is that the one you’re selling or just another ad for reference?

That daphne blue strat is glorious and if I wasn’t so poor I’d be tempted. Bit out of budget for me though but thanks for the offer :)
Edit- is that the one you’re selling or just another ad for reference?

That ad is just for reference, but exactly the same (albeit with OG pickups and without the neck pocket cracks 😃)

The dangers of lfgss:
Ask advice on sub-£200 instruments, couple of hours later I’m eyeing up stuff more than double my budget 😅

If you're thinking of spending £660 you should really just get a Custom Shop Strat; totally worth the upgrade. Then, if you're doing that you should go Master Built. Might as well.

For what it's worth I had a squire affinity Tele many years ago, it was fine, I tried a few in the shop though and the quality wasn't too consistent. Its probably worth going to a big guitar shop for an afternoon of noodling to see what's what.

Alternative budget-friendly option: take a look at Thomann's Harley Benton Strat/Tele knock-offs. I took a punt on the TE-62 Tele for £130 a year ago (there are even cheaper options on there now, including 25th Anniversary specials) and am really happy with it. Incredibly well made and when you add the caveat 'for the money' it's even better. It's currently the guitar I pick up the most.

I know that’s the logical and correct answer to my question but it’s never going to happen. Weird headstocks on familiar guitars boils my piss. I’d rather spend twice as much for ‘the perception of heritage and brand identity’ if you will, as daft as that might sound..

Yeah fuck it, why pay my mortgage next month when I could buy a guitar well outside my skill range?! ;)
I could always sell my swinger and probably buy 3 or 4 real strats but that’s not really an option because it was the first ‘real’ thing I ever worked/saved for and bought myself.

@n3il yep, I think a trip to a shop might be in order. I’m in Brighton at the weekend, assume that big shop on the lanes is still there?

Each to their own. I can't say I notice the headstock while I'm playing, but YMMV.

If you're in Brighton, that big shop on the Lanes (GAK) is still there. Ironically, it's where I tried out a Classic Vibe Tele that didn't really impress me.

I have weird ocd about things being ‘correct’. I know for a cold hard fact if I got myself an HB I’d never play it, regardless of how good it might be.
Will pop into GAK if I have time(down for a wedding). Last time I looked in the window there they had a real, original Jag-Stang with an eye-watering price tag.

Hehehe. Won't 'Squier' instead of 'Fender' set that off or is it just the shape?

Ibanez AZES would actually be a fantastic alternative, in budget, with a proper headstock!

I can just about cope with squier. Anything vaguely fender-shaped needs to at least be under their corporate clutches ;)
There’s no rhyme, no reason to how the crazy side of my brain works. Things are either correct or they’re not ;)
I’d love a silly Charvel or something equally garish and 80s but definitely way out of budget and I’d be embarrassed to be seen with it.

Nope, for now it’ll be a Squier or, if I’m really lucky and something cheap pops up, a fender.
Again, for now it’s pie in sky and I don’t want to rush anything just for the sake ok it.

100% this, models and individual guitars can vary a lot and you need to find a good example.