Squier Affinity Series Telecaster

The best Tele for beginners on a budget.

RRP: $489 Body: Alder Neck: Maple (C-shape) Scale: 25.5 inches Fingerboard: Indian Laurel Frets: 22

Pickups: Two Vintage-Style Single-Coils

Controls: Master Volume / Master Tone

Hardware: Chrome

PROS

No cheaper Fender-made Tele Plenty of finish options

CONS

Not much at this price

The Squier Affinity series is Fender’s shot at offering unique designs and historic tones at the budget end of the market. For those starting their journey in guitar, these instruments offer tremendous value for money – and though they can’t offer the full Fender experience, costing around a fifth of the cheapest American-made models, these guitars are virtually unbeatable within the sub-grand end of the market.

Whether you’re a beginner or you’ve just always wanted to add a basic Tele to the collection, with some classic finishes including the Butterscotch Blonde (favoured by Bruce Springsteen) and tantalising racing colours, this could very well be the best Telecaster for you.