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Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
VS
Playability
70
Sound
69
Build
59
Value
81
Score
66
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Playability
67
Sound
67
Build
55
Value
78
Score
63
FIND IT ON:
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Show Full Spec Comparison
Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS vs Affinity Series Stratocaster Specs Comparison
Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS Affinity Series Stratocaster
General
Brand: Fender Squier Fender Squier
Year: 2023 2019
Configuration: HSS SSS
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia China
Series: Sonic Affinity Series
Colors: Pink Black, Green, Orange, Red, Gray, 2-Color Sunburst, Brown Sunburst
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Poplar
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo with Block Saddles 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Bolt-On
Tuners: Die-Cast Sealed Standard Die-Cast
Fretboard: Maple Indian Laurel
Neck Material: Maple Maple
Decoration: Black Dot Pearloid Dot
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.5"
Shape: C Shape Modern C
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.84'' (21.3mm) - 12th Fret: 0.89'' (22.6mm) 1st Fret: - 12th Fret:
Frets: 21 Narrow Tall Nickel Silver 21 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 9.5" 9.5"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Synthetic Bone
Nut Width: 41.9mm (1.65'') 42mm (1.654'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: Ceramic Humbucker (Humbucker / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Middle Pickup: Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: Ceramic Single-Coil (Single Coil / Passive) Standard Single-Coil Strat (Single Coil / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 5 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 1
Tone Controls: 2 2
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS's switch options
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster's switch options

Reasons to Get
Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS over Affinity Series Stratocaster

Country of Manufacturing
Indonesia vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2023 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Narrow Tall vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups
HSS vs SSS
High output with beautiful cleans and tone versatility
Nut Width
1.65'' (41.9mm) vs 1.654'' (42mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Value Score
81 vs 78
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster over Sonic Stratocaster HSS

Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Narrow Tall
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Pickups
SSS vs HSS
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Nut Width
1.654'' (42mm) vs 1.65'' (41.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle

Other Key Differences
Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS vs Affinity Series Stratocaster

Bridge Pickup
Ceramic Humbucker vs Standard Single-Coil Strat
Different Bridge Pickup
Middle Pickup
Ceramic Single-Coil vs Standard Single-Coil Strat
Different Middle Pickup
Neck Pickup
Ceramic Single-Coil vs Standard Single-Coil Strat
Different Neck Pickup
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Laurel
Different Fretboard Wood

Shared Features
Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS vs Affinity Series Stratocaster

Body Wood
Poplar
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple
Same Neck Wood
Headstock
6
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Switch Positions
5
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
1
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Number of Frets
21
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
9.5'' (241.3mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Bolt-On
Allows you to detach and swap the neck

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS favors large hands more than the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster.

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable neck
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster

Laurel wood pattern used for guitar building
Laurel

There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS has an HSS configuration while the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster has SSS pickups.

HSS provides a great balance if you like to play with a lot of distortion, but also love to use clean tones. You'll get a lot of output at the bridge position, but you'll be able to play bright clean tones at the other positions.

On the other hand, SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

Pickups Quality

The Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster pickups from a more specialized brand than the Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS. Its pickups should give you a fuller, richer sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Funk and similar genres.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
Pickups 60
Sustain 80
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 69
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
Pickups 70
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 67

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS compares to the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS is built in Indonesia while the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster is made in China.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

Winner: Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Synthetic Bone nuts. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

Both come with a similar bridge: Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS's are Die-Cast Sealed while the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster's are Standard Die-Cast

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 59
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 55
Build Quality 55

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS Nut Width
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS Nut Width
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Nut Width
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster has the wider nut with 42mm (1.654'') vs 41.9mm (1.65''). This is a 0.1mm (0.004'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS and Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.5".

This is the scale used in most Stratocasters. It's slightly longer than the typical 24.75'' size found in Les Pauls, and it's one of the main reasons why Stratocasters have such a bright sound in general. A longer scale also means that the strings will have higher tension. This will help you get lower action without suffering fret buzz, which will also be helpful when playing in lower tunings without having to increase your string gauge.

However, this also means that there will be more separation between frets, which can make it more difficult to play. Also, bending the strings will require more strengths due to the increased tension, but remember that a tremolo guitar will offset this difficulty.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS Neck Profile
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS's neck profile
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Neck Profile
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS and the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS and the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster have the same fretboard radius of 9.5". This is the most common radius for Stratocaster guitars. It's considered curved when compared to most other models. This allows you to play chords very easily without muting strings accidentally and gives you more space between strings for fingerpicking. However, this curve also gives the guitar less allowance for lower action. If you bend too hard at the high frets, some of your notes might get muted because the curve will make the string fret out.

Fret Size

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS Frets Size
Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS's Frets Size
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster Frets Size
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster's Frets Size

The Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS has Narrow Tall frets, which should be taller than the Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Fender Squier Sonic Stratocaster HSS
Bending & Vibrato Ease 70
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 70
Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 80
Solo Playability 60
Playability 67