| I've acquired a few guitars over the years and | | | | original, or better. |
| one of my favorites has always been my Thinline | | | | I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about the |
| Telecaster. There's no doubt that Fender puts out | | | | micro-tilt neck, with 3 screws securing it, but |
| great guitars, and this one is no exception. If you | | | | actually, the neck action is terrific. The semi-hollow |
| ever have a chance to try one out, you too will | | | | sound has a distinctive tone and it is great for |
| love the sound and feel of this vintage | | | | blues, country and alternative rock music. In fact, |
| masterpiece! | | | | sound is where this guitar absolutely shines. It is |
| A Thinline Telecaster is a semi-hollow body | | | | versatile and the wide range on the bridge is |
| version of the Fender Telecaster, that is | | | | fantastic. This guitar plays very smoothly and |
| characterized by the f-shaped hole and reshaped | | | | tunes even better. |
| pickguard. It was originated as an attempt to | | | | For durability, this Tele is built strong and can hold |
| make a lighter weight guitar in the 60's when the | | | | up to the heaviest heavy metal action. The |
| supply of light ash wood started dwindling. | | | | craftsmanship is excellent. About the only |
| There are two versions made, the '69 version | | | | complaint, (and one I've heard from other Thinline |
| which has two Telecaster pickups and a | | | | Telecaster owners), is the guitar has a lot better |
| mahogany body and the '72 version that has two | | | | effect if you change out the 250k volume pot to |
| Fender wide range pickups and a solid natural | | | | 500k. Almost everybody seems to be making this |
| swamp ash body. | | | | slight alteration because it makes a dramatic |
| I love my '72 version. It features a semi-hollow | | | | difference, and the humbuckers are much more |
| ash body, C-shaped maple neck and bullet truss | | | | open now. That's as close to perfection as it gets. |
| rod, a Strat bridge, three-bolt neck plate and two | | | | The finish is like glass, with the strong poly finish |
| wide range humbucking pickups. It also features | | | | that holds up to the toughest acts. My friend |
| the f-shaped hole to give it a warmer and more | | | | accidentally dropped a cymbal on it and it didn't |
| rounded sound than the other Telecasters. The | | | | even make a dent. I was relieved and surprised! I |
| sound is definitely meatier than the original classic | | | | have the Natural Maple finish and I love the way |
| version. The humbuckers give it a big stadium | | | | that the grains of the wood show through. I also |
| rock concert tone. In fact, my buddies are always | | | | like the pearloid pickguard, which makes it a great |
| egging me to swap guitars with then when we | | | | classic looking guitar. |
| get together to play a few songs. They love the | | | | The parts are all solid, which is something that is |
| sound and feel as much as I do! | | | | important, especially in reissues. Sometimes, they |
| When Fender came out with the original | | | | just don't make them like they used to. That's |
| Telecaster, they were really on to something . | | | | not a problem with this model. I like how it's clean |
| Then they came out with these reissues, and | | | | on the bridge pickup for heavy picking or even |
| after checking them out, I really liked the feel but | | | | string skipping and then I like to throw it to the |
| I was a little leery of making the purchase at first | | | | neck position for blues solos or jazz/blues |
| because it seems that the reissues are never as | | | | rhythms. It gives a lot of versatility for different |
| good. I ended up with a '72 version and it | | | | genres of music. |
| surprised me- it was every bit as good as the | | | | |