Squier have quietly made themselves one of the most interesting brands out there. Whilst being seen - rightly or wrongly - as Fender’s younger sibling, Squier have actually proven themselves to be adventurous, savvy and open to understanding the wants and needs of its customer base.
Where Fender offer lots of guitars at lots of price points, Squier are always an affordable option. There are levels of affordability, of course, but none are above £500 at time of writing, and many are only £159!
There are loads of cool models within Squier subranges, so today I’ll break down those subranges and explain what you can expect from each. For each series, I’ll also pick out a personal favourite, to help show off what’s unique to each series.
If you are thinking of buying a Squier, then this guide is for you! If you’re looking to get clued up on the brand, start here! If you are sceptical about Squier guitars, prepare to have your mind changed!
Okay, onwards!
The Squier Subranges at a Glance
Squier Sonic
- Entry Level range which punches above its weight
- Some nice surprises in the models and colours
- Finally, something exciting for beginners
The Squier Sonic Range is a collection of very cool entry-level guitars and basses. Featuring bright colours, interesting models (that you can’t find elsewhere from Squier or even Fender) and exceptional value for money, these are pretty perfect first guitars.
They’re more than that though: they are unique (a purple Esquire with a bridge humbucker? YES!) and available to anyone who requires a good, affordable guitar with a bit of vibe.
Squier Sonic instruments have slightly thinner bodies, which helps keep them nice and lightweight. Otherwise, it’s pretty classic ‘Fender’ in terms of design, shape and dimensions. Since Fender set the standard for the majority of guitar companies, this is good news!
Squier Sonic Top Pick: Squier Sonic Esquire H Ultraviolet
I’ve already mentioned this one, but it is just too cool not to be my choice for this series! The Squier Sonic Esquire H is a straight-up punk rock machine. Cool purple colour, classic Telecaster design (the Esquire is simply a single pickup Tele) and one fat sounding humbucker at the bridge: it’s everything you need and nothing you don’t! This inexpensive guitar has swagger to spare and I love it.
Squier Affinity
- The ‘standard’ range for Squier
- Lots of classics here beyond usual Strats and Teles
- Great price/performance ratio
Squier Affinity is what I would term the Squier ‘Standard’ range. Indeed, the Affinity guitars have been somewhat promoted within the brand’s hierarchy, since there used to be an actual Squier Standard range which sat above the Affinity. So, the Affinity range is the new Standard, and you’ll find all of the expected Strats, Telecasters, Jazz basses and Precision basses within.
That’s great, but it's the additional models that get me excited. Some are limited edition whilst others are part of the core lineup, but we’re talking Starcasters here! And Thinline Teles, and unusual looking Jaguars with minimalist control layouts. Even the option for an HSS Strat (one humbucker pickup, two single coils) with a black pickguard floats my boat in a ‘mod shop’ way!
Affinity Series Squiers are quite exciting, given the low price point. In fact, all of the guitars I’ve looked at so far appear to be punching pretty far above their weight, with ascending series offering more complex creations. I’m impressed, and I still have two series to show you!
Affinity Top Pick: Squier Affinity Telecaster FMT SH
This lovely Squier Affinity Telecaster FMT SH looks like a guitar of four times the price! This handsome beast is a fancied-up take on various Telecaster Custom models, with its neck position humbucker and decorative black binding on the body’s top.
So far, so good but the real icing on the cake is a veneer of flame maple on the top, giving this guitar an up-market, distinguished look that is very rare at this price. It’s a solid, good sounding Tele with a dependable feel and very suave visuals!
Squier Paranormal
- Genuinely excellent design ideas here
- Boldness, but always in a practical way
- Inexpensive way to buy some cool and different guitars
The Squier Paranormal series is where some truly unusual instruments exist. ‘Paranormal’ here isn’t about ghosts and UFOs: it's about a slightly different dimension of guitar design, where familiar features and parts are used in compellingly new ways. Whilst staying within the general style wheelhouse of Fender, the Paranormal guitars really switch up the colours, features and specifications to make sort of ‘heavily modified’ guitars straight from the factory.
I love the invention on show here! Again, much of the offerings are limited edition, so I don’t know how long, say, the Paranormal Offset Telecaster will be available, but the mixture of Jazzmaster body, neck and neck pickup with a Tele bridge, control panel and bridge pickup is like something from some boutique custom shop! The fact that it's a super-affordable Squier is awesome, in my opinion. Now everybody can have something that is just a little bit different, without breaking the bank. A 12-string Jazzmaster? It’s here! A very ‘LP-like’ Troublemaker Telecaster? Right here.
Paranormal Top Pick: Squier Paranormal Jazzmaster XII
How often do you get to have a strum on an electric 12 string? And how often are they actually playable? I was skeptical about the Squier Paranormal Jazzmaster XII when I first heard about it, purely because low-cost 12 string guitars are so often horrible to tune and play. Kudos then to Squier who have delivered a proper instrument, with all of that characteristic chine and shimmer that you’d hope for. Plus, it looks super-cool with that Jazzmaster body and ‘hockey stick’ headstock!
Squier Classic Vibe
- Classic Fender designs done cheap
- An overwhelmingly good idea executed well
- Wide range of guitars and basses
- Every single model is super-cool
Squier Classic Vibe guitars to reference from specific historical eras of Fender’s history. You’ll find 50s Teles, 60s Strats and 70s Jaguars amongst more esoteric fare like the wonderful Bass VI, 70s Thinlines and the Starcaster.
What impresses me the most about the amazing Classic Vibes series is how Squier get the important parts bang-on correct. Take the Jaguar, for example. For around £400, you get a pretty historically correct Jaguar, complete with dual circuit switching and the ‘strangle’ switch, all in period-correct colours for both the body paint and pickguard.
For context, you don’t get that on any lower-priced Fender guitars! You need to go to the Vintera range, where a similar Jaguar is almost three times more expensive. Whilst it’s unfair to compare a £400 Squier to a £1200 Fender, the point here is that players on a budget don’t have to miss out: they can be as specific in their tastes as players further up on the spending ladder. They can decide if they want a Bigsby tremolo on their Tele or not, because the Classic Vibe series offers both.
Classic Vibe Top Pick: Squier Classic Vibe 70s Jaguar
For my pick, I had to go with the Classic Vibe 70s Jaguar. Why? Because I love how much they’ve stuck to the blueprint here and just delivered a proper Jag, complete with all of the idiosyncrasies. Rhythm/lead switching, strangle switch, 24” scale, neck binding and block inlays…it’s all here! Actually, they’ve even decided to swap out the dodgy Jaguar bridge for a Mustang-style one, a popular after-market modification.
Squier are Serious Contenders
Looking at what’s out there in 2025 in terms of Squier guitars, it's both surprising and heartening. Surprising in the number and variety of models available, and heartening in the respect given to the brand by Fender, and by guitarists. Bands are taking Squiers on tour because they look great, sound right and are easily fixable and replaceable.
Squier guitars put classic designs into your hands for very little money. If you’ve always wanted to check out a Bass VI or Jazzmaster, then Squier guitars allow you to explore a little without having to spend a lot. There’s loads to love with Squier, for beginners and experienced players.
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