Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Thinline Electric Guitar

This Squier is the perfect semi-hollow body guitar for any genre. It comes packed with Alnico V single coil pickups and a three-saddle bridge.

Overall User Ratings (based on 16 ratings)
  • Overall:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Sound:
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Features:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Ease of Use:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Quality:
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Value:
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Manufacturer Support:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Wow Factor:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(16) (see rating details)
Submitted July 5, 2012 by Jey G in San Jacinto, CA

"This is the guitar you're looking for..."

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This guitar is a gem. I was an early purchaser of the Highway 1 series from Fender before they realized they were pretty much giving them away and doubled the price. This is on par. Fender/Squier will eventually realize that these things are worth considerably more and jack the price up.
Sound
The neck pickup is pure single-coil Fender sound. In fact, this thing sounds more like a beefy Strat than my Texas Special Strat. The middle position is nice and creamy and the bridge pickup has some serious spank to it.
Features
I've read rumors that the pickups in this guitar are unbranded versions of a $160 set. The arguments are pretty compelling, and I have to say, the sound is right on. The looks of this guitar are amazing. It's definitely an eye-catcher.
Quality
Let's call this the fit and finish section. Notwithstanding my comment under Manufacturer Support, the fit and finish of this guitar are a solid 7 of 10. I have to be hypercritical to find something wrong with this guitar, and so, here are my very minor gripes. The setup was a little out... That is to say, I had to adjust the bridge saddles to fix some fret buzz and do a little intonation with the saddles... And I mean, a VERY little intonation. Picky people like me may want to tweak. Newbies won't know the difference. I pulled the neck and pickguard off and cleaned out some saw dust (which I usually do on all my guitars anyway). Manufacturers seem to be cranking these things out at breakneck pace lately, and they aren't taking the time to clean sawdust out of their factories. Again, not a big deal.
Value
This is not a just great guitar for the price... This is a very, very good guitar for any price. In fact, this has become my preferred player and I own a few guitars that retail for over $2K. PLUS, if you want to tinker with some guitar electronics, this is the one to do it on. It's wired up dead simple, and cheap enough that you won't feel bad about practicing your soldering on it.
Manufacturer Support
This is the one big drawback. I bought this as a scratch n dent model, which Zzounds, AMS, MF and all other sellers claim are fully tested and are 100% working according to manufacturer's specs. This is not so. When my Tele arrived, right out of the box, the bridge pickup did not work. After a couple hours of tinkering and wondering, I broke out the multimeter and tested the pickup. It was dead. Contacting Zzounds to get a replacement pickup just yielded a return authorization. I wouldn't have minded them just sending me a new pickup. Instead I wound up just using some of the money I saved to buy a stock replacement.
The Wow Factor
This is probably the best looking guitar I've owned. The photos on the web site don't really do it justice. Natural, vintage-looking, mahogany finish. Maple neck. Chrome hardware. Very very nice and I'd put it against any of my other guitars for looks.

Musical Background:

Been playing in gigging bands for 18 years

Musical Style:

I play mostly Rock and Blues
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Submitted November 18, 2012 by chris b in penn valley, PA

"way better than the Fender tele i played back in 1970"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
Obviously, I've been playing a long time. I'm not a pro, but play out a few times a year and have a steady weekly rehearsal with a blues harp buddy.Back in high school my regularly my older brother's white Telecaster..a guitar he just sold a few years ago for collector money. I knew that guitar well, and my take on that original is that it was good for a couple 'signature' tones but not much else. Maybe explains why for a guy who has 8 guitars, this is the first tele I ever owned.This Classic Vibe Squire Tele has made a convert of me.. actually more rewarding to play than an 'original' Fender Tele from the late 60's
Sound
The pickups on the 'original' tele, particularly the bridge pickup, always sounded a little thin to me. In contrast , the CV thinline pickups are much more musical... still bright but richer, a quality that may be partly due to the extra resonance of the chambered body. Really nice sustain that illustrates how wrong headed we use to be about needing a heavy guitar to get good sustain. completely wrong.
Features
One of the main reasons i decided to try this guitar is to have something that didn't feel like a cinder block hanging around my neck at the end of the night. Many of my other guitars are American made guitars from the late 70's early 80's - great guitars but way heavier than this tele. The CV tele has a light but resonant mahogany body.. seems to be chambered on upper and lower bouts with a solid block through the middle. The neck looks like a single maple billet .. not the straightest tightest grain I've ever seen, but with a center stringer to reinforce it (hopefully) should be stable over time.
Ease of Use
Great sound... every and any pickup combination. it quacks, it sings and everything in between. Very easy to play, setup was good right out of the box- nut contour to the fingerboard/ string height was right on, and fret work is clean and pretty. I like the quick and easy string change with the center hole tuners.
Quality
agree with the person who suggested replacing the input jack... mine came apart and i had to 'lift the hood' to reassemble it. That being said, it gave me the opportunity to look under the pick guard. Happy to see the shielding on the backside of the pick guard. wiring appeared clean, pots looked to be fairly standard, pickup selector was a bit too much plastic for my taste, but not an issue for me as I will be dropping in a new 5way selector to add 'pickups wired in series' and 'wired out of phase' to my pickup selections. that being said, all switches work smoothly and feel like good quality in use. The finish is clean with no blemishes. I'd like it better if it were a little thinner, but certainly doesn't seem to hurt the tone one bit as it is.
Value
Fit and finish on this guitar is equal to the best I've seen at this price point, and better than most. but the true value of the CV Tele is how wonderfully it plays and sounds. I sold a '57 Les Paul Jr to a collector a couple years ago. It was worth a lot more money than this CV Tele, and it had it's charms, but in the end I didn't keep it. I grew up playing a fender tele that in time would become another expensive collector guitar that I wouldn't keep. I am keeping this CV Tele, and in fact it has taken the top spot in my guitar rotation. Value to me is not measured in dollars, but this CV tele is completely worth the price of admission.
Manufacturer Support
no problem except the input jack and that was a easy fix that didn't merit a service call
The Wow Factor
Don't let the Squier brand put you off. This is a good looking, lively, great sounding, easy to play, well made and finished guitar with insignificant compromises to reach the price point. The only Telecaster I have played that I want to keep

Musical Background:

40+ years guitar/ bass/ keyboard -play clubs, rehearse and record in home studio

Musical Style:

country folk rock blues
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Submitted October 10, 2012 by Heather P in Portland, OR

"I looked past my bias about the Squier line, and am very glad I did."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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I have always sought American made Fenders, and had recently played a Mexican made Nashville Tele. But when I picked up a Squier Telecaster, I was blown away by how it felt and sounded. Honestly, a $900 US-made Tele I'd recently tried out didn't charm me the way this guitar did. And when I found the Thinline model, I was hooked. Don't let the name or the price fool you, this is a lovely, solid instrument, and plays and sounds like a dream. Also, my very first brand new guitar in over 40 years of playing.

Musical Background:

From the analog 70s through the home studio revolution of the 80s, the digital dawn of the 90s and into the 21st Century.

Musical Style:

I started out with guitar and synth, but I will play anything the song requires. My style is mostly electronic these days - but
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Submitted August 15, 2012 by Stephen G in Haverford, PA

"This Squier in indeed a Squire"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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I own a room-full of expensive American-made guitars. I have many thousands invested in two Gretsch guitars, in a J 160 Gibson, in a 325 c58 Rickenbacker, on and on. And when it comes time for me to sit down and play, I always pick up the Thinline Squier Tele. Why? Because it is so easy and fast playing. This is an instance where outsourcing has worked, perhaps too well for the comfort of American makers, who are being outdone. I really hate to admit this. But the truth is the truth.

Musical Background:

Amateur

Musical Style:

Old show tunes, The Beatles
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Submitted July 27, 2019 by Anthony Gentile in West Chester, PA

"This guitar can hang with the best!"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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I gig heavily... play with world-class musicians and this thing absolutely holds it own. I bought it based on reviews and AM NOT disappointed!!!I never thought I would say this but my much more expensive American Les Paul Studio and Parker Fly have become backups to a Chinese-made Squier....

Musical Style:

Reggae, funk, rock
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Submitted February 28, 2014 by Ivan S in Durham, NC

"What a wonderful times we live in"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Beautiful instrument. Everything is in place. Looks, sound, finish, value, product quality control, friendly/responsive merchant (ZZounds). Wood grain was very nice. Not a single flaw in finish. Polished frets with finished ends. Sounds crisp but also full. Stays in tune. I am a self-thought amateur, playing folk/pop music on parties and occasional gigs.

Musical Background:

Amateur. Mostly jam at home, occasional gigs.

Musical Style:

Folk, pop
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Submitted December 3, 2020 by a customer from yahoo.co.uk

"This guitar is brilliant it’s a keeper"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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Having had all the usual suspectsEpiphone casino Dot, Mexican thinline Modern player, etc Always something missing Then along comes The Squire classic vibe Thinline, Never been interested in Squire The name puts me off sure I’ve seen them in Argos, So finally played a friends one and have now sold all my guitars this is the only one that I want to pick up and play.Pros lightweight less then 6ibSmall neck especially if you don’t have long fingers,The action is the lowest I’ve come across The tone and sounds are cover a good range. The price is fantastic My playing has improved drastically Cons You can’t put it down makes you want to play all day and night
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Submitted March 5, 2015 by Tony Rhodes in Asheville, NC

"Squier Classic Vibe Tele Thinline"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Guitar arrive earlier than expected, and after a few weeks suprised to find set up was perfect playability great, finish excellent with the exception of adding new strings everything was good. One of the best values around.

Musical Background:

Longer than i care to admit

Musical Style:

Christian, covers
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Submitted November 12, 2017 by Frank C in Long Island, NY

" Great Guitar, but be comfortable with the Neck"

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
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I purchased a this Squier Classic Vibe Thinline some time ago. The guitar is built in Indonesia, and the build quality is outstanding, just perfect. I loved this guitar for it being so light,and the great tones I could get out of it. I could go from a nice jazzy mellow tone, to making it growl when I needed it to. And of course the price! Talk about bang for the buck! No need to be a label snob, this is a really nice axe. It was competing with my 1966 Jazzmaster as my regular player. The bad news for me anyway, is the neck. It's really narrow and thin. Best way I can describe, reminds me of a banjo neck. I was having too many hand problems, pain and playing wrong chord notes, I had to let it go. My advice try it out in your local store, and really spend some time with it. If you feel good with the neck, then get it, you won't be disappointed.

Musical Background:

Over 50 Years, home player

Musical Style:

Rock, Jazz
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Submitted December 24, 2013 by mike murphy in waterloo, IA

"tele vintage vibe thinline squier"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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light as a feather plays like a dream so versatile can play any kind of music with thisprice was just right wont part with this...

Musical Background:

playing 40 years

Musical Style:

folk country oldies rock teacher writer and performer
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Submitted April 8, 2016 by Aric I in Jurupa Valley, CA

"My Favorate So Far..."

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Great feel and sound. One of the best looking guitars out there.

Musical Background:

I'm preaty new to guitar, only about 18 months.

Musical Style:

Rock, Blues, Pop, R&B, and Alternative.
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Submitted July 15, 2011

"Great sound and feel for a solid-body costing less than $3K, regardless of the cost. It is the guitar I've been looking for."

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
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it will be along time before I want another one. I can't imagine one better than this is.
Sound
I have been trying guitars from basic through $3000 or so. I tried this one at #3 then tried 18 more. I came back again and again to the sound and feel of this one.
Ease of Use
don't have to fiddle with the simple but effective controls at all. it does what it should.
Quality
as good as any i've seen up to and including the $3K price point
Value
excellent value
The Wow Factor
it has good looks and the fit and finish is as goos as any that I have tried up to $3K
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Submitted June 12, 2010

"Very nice guitar. Great value for money."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
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If you're looking for a budget thinline tele with single coils this is it.
Sound
looks great, plays great, sounds great. awesome value for money.
Ease of Use
good job on the neck and fretboard, plays very well.

Musical Background:

pro guitarist and teacher

Musical Style:

rock pop blues jazz
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