Photo of Squier Bronco Affinity and more gear

Photo of Squier Bronco Affinity and more gear in a guitar

Squier Bronco Affinity

^# 31

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$246.80 Price Tier: Budget

4.0 (61)

1 Critic Review

15 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Squier Bronco Affinity

8 community setups

12 wishlisted

156 saved

Page last updated Jul 04, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated July 4, 2026.

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Reviews

Price

5.0 (23)

$246.80 2 available New

$149.00 8 available Used

View Deal

Average Price: $198

Budget/Beginner

$400

$1001+

Price Tier

In the Electric Basses category, Squier Bronco Affinity is priced in the Budget/Beginner range. This is great gear to get started with or for creators on a budget.

Budget

Standard

High-end

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Description

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Designed for the beginner bassist, the Squier Affinity Series Bronco Bass Guitar revives Fender's iconic student model, offering vintage vibes at an economical price. This model, with its streamlined agathis body and 30" scale maple neck, is an excellent choice for young musicians or players with smaller hands. Equipped with a unique single-coil pickup and chrome two-saddle bridge, the Bronco delivers unmatched tuning stability. It's not just for the novices, though. This versatile four-string is also a great addition for guitarists seeking variety in their playing.

Key Features:

Vintage-inspired design
Economically priced, making it ideal for beginners
Compact agathis body and 30" scale maple neck, perfect for younger players and those with smaller hands
Specially designed single-coil pickup
Chrome two-saddle bridge for superior tuning stability
Four-string model, also suitable for guitarists looking to diversify their repertoire.

Product specs

Brand	Squier
Model	Affinity Bronco Bass
Finish	Arctic White, Black, Shell Pink, Torino Red
Year	1998 - 2025
Made In	China, Indonesia
Categories	4-String Basses, Short Scale Basses
Active / Passive Pickups	Passive Pickups
Active Preamp	No Preamp
Body Material	Poplar
Body Shape	Double Cutaway
Color Family	Black, Pink, Red, White
Finish Style	Gloss
Fretboard Material	Maple
Model Family	Squier Bronco Bass
Neck Material	Maple
Number of Frets	19
Number of Strings	4-String
Offset Body	Offset Body
Pickup Configuration	S
Right / Left Handed	Right Handed
Series	Squier Affinity
Wood Top Style	Opaque

FAQs

What kind of pickup does the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass use?: The Squier Bronco Affinity Bass is equipped with a single-coil pickup, providing a clear and articulate tone suitable for various music styles.
Is the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass suitable for beginners?: Yes, the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass is ideal for beginners due to its lightweight design, short scale, and comfortable playability.
What materials are used in the construction of the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass?: The body of the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass is made from poplar, while the neck and fretboard are crafted from maple, offering a balanced and resonant sound.
What is the scale length of the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass?: The Squier Bronco Affinity Bass features a short scale length, making it easier to play for those with smaller hands or those seeking a more compact bass.
How many frets does the Squier Bronco Affinity Bass have?: The Squier Bronco Affinity Bass has 19 frets, providing a range of notes suitable for various playing styles.

Videos

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LowEndLobster

Squier Affinity Bronco Bass - Low Effort Bass, Low Effort Review -LowEndLobster Review

LowEndLobster

Squier by Fender Affinity Bronco Bass Guitar Review

The Guitar Manifesto

Squier Affinity Bronco Bass - Review & Demo

cheers.com.au

Squier Affinity Series Bronco Bass Guitar

Music & Arts

Reviews

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PROS

Perfect for smaller hands or guitarists due to its short-scale design
Bright sound with good tonal range using the stock pickup
Lightweight and comfortable body, ideal for extended play
Excellent platform for modifications and upgrades
Affordable price makes it accessible for beginners and pros
Solid construction and durable for its price point
Easy to play with smooth action, great for learning
Unique color options like shell pink add personality
Good balance of tone from dark to bright with controls
Fun, versatile instrument for both practice and performance

CONS

Stock hardware, especially the bridge, can feel cheap
Intonation can be difficult to adjust without proper tools
Unfinished neck texture may not suit everyone's preference
Some units may suffer from fret buzz and require setup
Pickup might not satisfy those seeking high-end sound quality
Tuners are difficult to replace due to their unusual size
Body lacks contouring, which might affect comfort for some

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Squier Bronco Affinity.

Comparisons

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The Sonic series Bronco has improved tuners and a 4-saddle bridge with 18mm string spacing, unlike the Affinity's 2-saddle bridge with 17mm spacing.
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The body and pickup remain consistent between the Affinity and Sonic series, focusing differences on hardware and neck dimensions.
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The Affinity P Bass is preferred for its superior hardware and electronics compared to the Bronco.
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The Affinity P Bass is recommended for players who enjoy RHCP and Iron Maiden due to its iconic sound.
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Features and functionality

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The Sonic series features a slightly slimmer neck at 38mm, compared to the 41.3mm nut width of the Affinity.
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The bridge's lip is appreciated by some as a comfortable palm rest, despite its 2-saddle design.
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User experience

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Despite old strings, the Affinity model sounds brighter and thinner, while the Sonic retains lows, suitable for chord-heavy styles like Lemmy's riffs.
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The quality of components in the Bronco felt cheap to one user, affecting their perception of durability.
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Some owners note a weak E string, suggesting lighter plucking for improved sound on short-scale basses like the Bronco.
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Build quality

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Some finish blemishes are present in the Sonic version, though they don't detract from overall sound quality.
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Setup and maintenance

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Proper intonation is challenging due to the Bronco's bridge design and scale length.
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The Affinity Bronco Bass often requires a truss rod adjustment out of the box, but users report no fret buzz or sharp fret ends thereafter.
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Use cases and applications

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The Bronco's single Stratocaster pickup may sound too harsh for pops and too muffled for slaps.
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The tone knob can provide versatility, allowing for P tone grooves or punk and metal sounds with a bit of drive and a pick.
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Mods and upgrades

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Owners frequently replace the stock pickup with a GFS rail bucker or Lace Alumitone, often adding coil splits for tonal versatility.
Source

Critic Reviews

Review: Squier Affinity Bronco Bass & Höfner Ignition Violin Bass SE – Kitarablogi.com – Finland's premier Guitar and Bass blog

kitarablogi.com

The Squier Affinity Bronco Bass impresses with its affordability and quality workmanship, making it a great entry-level choice. Its playability is smooth with no mechanical buzzes, and the lightweight design is a plus. However, the simple bridge design compromises intonation in higher frets, but this is a small trade-off for its surprising acoustic tone and full-bodied sound from the single-coil pickup. Ultimately, it's a budget-friendly instrument that doesn't compromise on delivering a "real" bass experience.

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4.0 out of 5

Based on 15 Reviews and 61 Ratings

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2 star

1 star

leon_asen

138

over 3 years ago

Auf der Bühne unschlagbar, im Studio der letzte Müll

Ich habe drei verschiedene Bronco Bässe, die ich immer bei Live Auftritten mit der Nude Ranch verwende. Dafür sind sie das Beste, was es gibt, Riffs kommen gut durch, Bass ist reichlich da, Akkorde klingen nicht verschwommen, also ideal für das Trio. Bei Aufnahmen muss man allerdings echt richtig viel nacharbeiten, bis man einen halbwegs benutzbaren Sound hat. Wenn jemand die Version mit Badtz Maru hat, hit me up.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Pop Alternative rock

seth_proctor

218

over 7 years ago

Very average

The pickup is a 6 pole chinese strat pickup covered, so I replaced that, and it sounds infinitely better. I made some cosmetic mods adding a black pickguard and black knobs, and set it up well with heavy strings for more tension. The short scale is really fun to run around, it's nice and light, very good value for the price, around $150 new. It stays in tune enough for a 30 minute set, but changing the tuners out is a hassle due to their odd size, so the stock ones will do.

Roles:

Guitarist

Genres:

Rock New Wave Alternative rock

lottielovesdogs

222

almost 8 years ago

Fun little bass

It's not fantastic quality but at the price you wouldn't expect it to be! It weighs a little bit more than a Les Paul and it's a bit longer but it's not as heavy as most basses. It's a great bass to start learning on, or if you're more experienced with playing bass, it's a fun little project to mod. Swap the hardware and pickup (the stock one is pretty good though!) and you've got a solid gigging instrument at a fraction of the cost of something boutique or high-end, without the worry that you'll dink or damage it.

toonlink682

170

about 9 years ago

Great bass for a low price

I was in a Guitar Center one day, looking for a Rogue LX200B Series III bass guitar, and ended up walking out with one of these instead. The body, although not contoured, is light, thin, and extremely comfy, the neck is short scale, and the neck profile is extremely nice. The pickup is incredibly smooth and sweet, and is positioned so that the tone is pretty evenly balanced. All in all, I would certainly recommend this as a first bass to anyone who wants to learn.

hamnotthefood

397

about 4 years ago

Garbage

This was my third bass I had it for a day. I don’t know what I expected.

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Genres:

Rock Funk / Soul Jazz

mason_ray

138

about 7 years ago

The best cheap thing I have ever played

This bass guitar isn't anything to right home about but if you are just starting out on bass, or you are a veteran who just needs a bass to thrash around on and not care about, it will hold up, and not sound to bad while doing it (even thought the pickup is just a strat style single coil without the pole pieces showing)

bamasbananas

111

over 10 years ago

First bass

One doesn't start to play bass on a high end Warwick, so this Squier is a necessary evil. Is it? Not per se. It obviously depends on what kind of music you want to play. If you are a starter or "just want to play some bass" then go for the this one. I had loads of fun with this bass and I still keep it around (after 10+ years).

philip_bernard

150

almost 9 years ago

It has its place, but it really sucks.

I got this bass when I was nine and just learning. It is smaller than a regular bass so it fit, and I didn't need anything of quality at nine years old. Now it's my only bass and It can be problematic when its warped neck and cheap pickup limit creative potential. It is a very beginner bass so it's supposed to suck, and I like that there is a very cheap, smaller option out there. But still, one star from me.

dailydoze

385

about 7 years ago

My first bass

This was my first bass ever. I got it for my 12th birthday from my cousin. It plays really well and is light as a feather. I changed the pickup as well as the bridge. It still is a complete workhorse.