Squier thinline Telecaster - opinions

bshpmark · #1 08-19-2010, 06:21 PM

I have a Squier Affinity series Stratocaster and have been thinking about getting a Squier Thinline Mahogany Telecaster. Well I went and played one yesterday and really could not tell that much difference between the three different switch positions. Was it just my ear or what? I mean with the Strat there is a definite difference in the five positions all the way from kind of a warm muffled tone to a definite sharp bite twang sound. What should I be expecting from the Telecaster?

swsman · #2 08-19-2010, 06:55 PM

Part of the problem could be how the guitar was setup - what I mean is how were the pickups set up - I have Fernandez strat style guitar and I have all three pickups set up different, my neck pickup is pretty high, it is slightly higher at bass strings and lower on the trebles, my middle position pickup is lowest of the three, on my bridge pickup I got it a bit higher on the trebles and a bit lower on bass strings, both neck and bridge are as high as I could get them without extreme humm. i can tell which one I am using as soon as I flip the switch. Maybe toggle switch was defective - wouldn't be the first time I have seen that. Hope any of this helps you. I have also looked at Afinity Tele's and they are great guitars for the price, like Squier's Vintage line even better.

TomHB · #3 08-19-2010, 07:05 PM

Maybe there's a problem with the switch? One person recently got a Classic Vibe 50s Tele that had a "solder bridge" on the switch, causing a condition like you describe. I haven't played a Thinline yet, but all three positions should be quite different. Mellow at the neck, quacky in the middle, and hotter and more treble at the bridge.

I've been tempted to grab a Classic Vibe Thinline (waiting for a good sale). I have the 50s Classic Vibe, and love it, and have heard good things about the Thinline model as well.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...LAID=456494279

vbf · #4 08-20-2010, 05:19 AM

I've got a 50 vibe tele as well...great little guitar

bkharmony · #5 08-20-2010, 08:17 AM

You couldn't tell a difference because they're lousy pickups.

Save your money and buy a Squire or -even better - an actual Fender. Just stay away from anything that says "Affinity" on it, no matter how inviting the price.

Antonio Salieri · #6 08-20-2010, 04:18 PM

Plus one for a possible problem with the selector switch or the PUP itself. Regardless of the quality of the PUPs you should be able to hear a difference between them.

You, or better yet a store employee, can tap on the PUP when it's selected. I use a small philips screwdriver, but a coin will work. If you get a sound through the amp the PUP is working, although it might not be functioning fully.

bshpmark · #7 08-21-2010, 10:51 AM

Thanks for the input. Went to three different guitar stores today and played several different telecasters, both Squier and Fender and was able to tell the difference in the switch positions. The one I originally played must have just been a bad one. The one I liked the most was the Fender American Standard in the Lake Placid Blue. Sounded great and I loved the neck on it. Gonna have to get one as soon as I unload one of the acoustics.