More of the recent, higher-end Squiers have had special runs of instruments made of pine, alder, and other woods. For nearly all guitars, there will be a cost to upkeep and to upgrade. Launch price: £749/€819/$909 | Body: Alder | Neck: Maple | Scale: 25.5" | Fingerboard: Pau Ferro | Frets: 21 | Pickups: 60s Single Coil Strat | Controls: Master volume, 2x tone, five-way pickup selector blade switch | Hardware: Chrome/nickel Vintage-Style "Synchronized" vibrato, vintage Kluson-style tuners | Left-handed: No | Finish: Ice Blue Metallic, 3-Colour Sunburst, Surf Green. It's like a hood ornament on a vintage Cadillac. Here's one that won't break the bank…, Launch price: £449/€491/$545 | Body: Pine | Neck: Maple | Scale: 25.5" | Fingerboard: Maple | Frets: 21 | Pickups: Custom Vintage Style Single Coil Tele | Controls: master volume, master tone, three-way pickup selector blade switch | Hardware: chrome six-saddle bridge, die-cast tuners | Left-handed: No | Finish: Butterscotch Blonde. After a dispute with Gretsch, Fender rechristened its new guitar the Telecaster in 1952 and it's been in production ever since. Fender's customers loved the Tele but requested some spec tweaks. The bodies are generally formed by gluing many more pieces of wood together than is the case with USA-made models. While for decades, Squier's product catalog mostly consisted of basic low-end takes on core Fender models, their offerings have diversified in recent years to include dozens of unique models, including some that were traditionally only available from the Fender Custom Shop. The 15 best guitar amps for beginners and experts, Read more: the 11 best guitar amps under $/£500, The 10 best rock drummers in the world right now, as decided by you, The 10 best new electric guitars in the world right now, as voted for by you, The 10 best bassists in the world right now, Free music samples: download loops, hits and multis from SampleRadar, The best new acoustic guitars in the world right now, as voted for by you, The 15 best rock guitarists in the world right now, as voted by you, The 10 best acoustic guitarists in the world right now, as voted by you, Chris Cornell's final completed studio album is released by his family. Telecasters have a more meaty tone, particularly with the bridge pickup.It’s a bigger single coil and sounds fatter than the bridge pickup of a Stratocaster. They wanted an extra pickup, a more comfortably contoured body, and a vibrato unit. If you’re just starting out, the sound of your pickups or the thickness of your finish might not matter as much as it would to someone who has been playing for years and is familiar with the alternatives. This kind of product diversity makes it easy to find an instrument that is exactly—or at least most of the way toward—what you’re looking for. Tele addict? Hardware is where you’ll find the largest difference between models and production centers. Ash, mahogany and other tonewoods have also been used. As I mentioned in my earlier Affinity Stratocaster review, the Squier family of electric guitars was bought by Fender in 1965. You will receive a verification email shortly. Tele Deluxe Thinline/Classic Vibe Thinline. For our purposes we will be focusing on the standard Squier line, including the Vintage Modified and the Classic Vibe series. Solid colours usually conceal an alder, poplar and basswood carcass. And the prettiest. These things have more punch than Rocky Balboa. First with Fender decal and with Squier Series decal in 1982. The Stratocaster was born and like its older brother has never been out of production. A Fender Telecaster Demo. Telecaster vs. TE. The latter feed off the resonance of the body wood to unlock some classic Tele country, rock and blues tones. The Telecaster Deluxe is very similar to another Fender model sold in the 1970s – the Telecaster Custom. Tuners are usually upgraded and of a sealed variety, and those on reissue models are generally similar to their vintage counterparts—for better or worse. Fender's Strat and Tele changed the world. Bang for your buck. Cut him and Rolling Stone Keith Richards will always bleed Telecaster. The Fender Squier JVs were manufactured between 1982 and 1984. Fender vs. Squier: The Differences That Matter. Fender Vintera ‘60s Telecaster with Bigsby, Buyers' guides to all the best music gear, These are the best electric guitars on the planet right now, Play for less with the best budget electric guitars under £/$500. Rosewood has been an option ever since, on Japanese and American Fender models. Given that it's a ‘70s throwback, this guitar features the big version of the iconic Strat headstock. Don't miss the latest deals, news, reviews, features and tutorials. The new slim-necked Vintera Series ‘60s Telecaster comes with a Bigsby direct from the factory. Which one is best for you. Apples and oranges come to mind. Bottom Line: Squiers tend to use what are considered to be inferior woods, though the degree that this actually matters is ultimately up to the buyer. They might have come off the same drawing board but the Tele and Strat have very distinct tonal palettes. The glossy urethane finish on most of these models tends to be quite thick, which is off-putting to many players. Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster Burgundy Mist. But recently, the line has expanded to include Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Tele Thinlines, signature models (J Mascis, John 5, and others), Bass VIs, baritones, Strats and Teles of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, and nearly all of the basses Fender has ever made. It has 22 frets, one more than your classic Tele, and a modern 9.5" fingerboard radius for choke-free string bending above the 12th fret. We all yakked ourselves senseless over how great the guitar sounds are on the first Led Zeppelin album (1968). Generally speaking, Squier uses lower-quality metals for most of its hardware. Most Squier Telecaster are eligible for free shipping. Squier by Fender Vintage Modified ’72 Thinline Telecaster – Recommended Thinline Telecaster I think that the stock pickups in the Fender Standard ‘50s Strats sound great, so I personally wouldn’t upgrade them. Are these the best electric guitar strings in the world today? Read the Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster review, Launch price: £2,349/€2,599/$2,499 | Body: 2-piece Ash | Neck: Maple | Scale: 25.5" | Fingerboard: Rosewood | Frets: 21 | Pickups: 2x Fender Jimmy Page Custom '59 Tele | Controls: master volume, master tone, three-way pickup selector blade switch | Hardware: nickel/chrome 3-saddle bridge with threaded steel saddles, Pure Vintage Fender Deluxe tuners | Left-handed: No | Finish: White Blonde. Fender Then you'll know whether you're a Strat fan, Tele nut, or one of those people that loves both of Leo Fender's mechanical wonders. For example, if you’re looking to try out a less common model—like a Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Bass VIs, baritone, or vintage reissue of some kind—the Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe series are an affordable way to do so. For both brands, this is easy, as Leo Fender’s instruments are one of the finest examples of manufacturing with interchangeable parts ever achieved. Bringing the first solid body electric guitars, Fender really is responsible for kicking off a whole new era in music and allowed artists to express themselves in … For the ultimate comparison, try this and the Tele version. But overall, material is a matter of taste. That is, it shows off its classic DNA while offering modern performance under the hood. Squier, much like Fender, has factories in the USA, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, and China. The Squier Classic Vibe Tele at a Glance: (4.5 / 5) The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 50’s Telecaster Guitar is synonymous with classic guitar designs in the United States. Also, a setup and fret-dressing will be needed in most cases for the instrument to play optimally. Fit and finish can be very model-dependent across all price points. Strat pickups should sound warm and woody with a hint of 'plink', like flicking the rim of a wine glass with your fingernail. For years, we all assumed he'd used a Les Paul. 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