Fender '72 Telecaster Thinline

[samerater]

When people say '72 Telecaster Thinline Reissue, is that the classic series? I'm considering buying a Classic Series. Anyone got one?

 

[TS808]

When people say '72 Telecaster Thinline Reissue, is that the classic series? I'm considering buying a Classic Series. Anyone got one?

I did own one for a while. It is a very well built guitar for the price. The only thing that I didn't like about it however was that the neck pickup was very dark sounding in my opinion. I think it would be an excellent guitar with different pickups.

 

[guitarlifestyle]

I've owned two of them. To me, the pickups were the issue. On one of the guitars, the neck pickup was extremely muddy. Unfortunately, due to the fact that the wide-range humbuckers are wider than normal humbuckers, there aren't as many after-market pickups (although they are more today than when I owned mine), and the pickups that are available are $400 or so, which is almost what I paid for the guitar in the first place. The second one I owned I wish I'd kept. The pickups didn't seem as muddy and the build quality was really nice.

 

[kbshakedown]

Yeah, that's almost always going to mean the Classic Series. There is an American Vintage version too, though.

I agree, the pickups are just not amazing. And they're a different size than normal humbuckers so swapping isn't very convenient.

 

[gtraddict]

yes, I have had two MIM, they do not remind me anything of a tele, very dark and muddy like everything else that was said

 

[coldfingaz]

Bought a CIJ in '04 & sourced original Seth Lover pups from USA 70's models.

They were expensive as hell, but it was cheaper than buying a vintage one doing it this way & I love how the CIJ neck/fit/finish feel.

Sounds freakin' amazing now & plays like a dream too. Love this guitar!

I also upgraded the cheap CIJ pots, caps & switch, plus changed the pickguard out to a black one. Here's a crappy photo of it:

 

[joeburke]

Keep in mind that you can have a new pickguard made for about $50 and then put in whatever humbuckers you want.

Quality guitar though.

 

[LarryN]

I thought I heard they were re-doing the pickups on that model, or an upgraded model with better pickups. I've had many original widerange pickups and the reissues didn't get close.

 

[((TechnicolorSkyline))]

Great guitar, very well made but horrible, horrible pickups. I have one and replaced the wide range humbuckers with Gibsons and redid the wiring and pots and now it's perfect! Highly recommend if you don't mind a little work!

 

[omfg51]

Great guitar, very well made but horrible, horrible pickups. I have one and replaced the wide range humbuckers with Gibsons and redid the wiring and pots and now it's perfect! Highly recommend if you don't mind a little work!

Yeah, I have one of these and I really don't like the pickups. I was thinking I'd go for a '69 config instead, but I think I'll just stick with humbuckers.

 

[televox]

As most have said, great guitars with horrible pick ups.
The CIJ versions have slightly better pickups but the electronics are average, especially the selector switch.
The Mexican versions have better electronics but unfortunately most, if not all, are fitted with 250k pots which are wrong for these guitars. The Mexican version pickups are awful in my opinion, dull, no clarity. I installed lollar Regals into mine, night and day difference.

 

[samerater]

I heard that with early Classic Series they accidentally put the wrong pots in, leading to this muddy sound.... Is this right? is it better now?

 

[wi3465]

I like 'em. Last year ran across a MIM re-issue in Lake Placid Blue on CL in Atlanta, had to have it. The limited editions in car colors from back in the day are sweet! Agreed, pick ups were muddy at first. Spent some time adjusting pick up height and more importantly the individual pole pieces and made a huge difference. My complaint with the '72 as well as a '69 re-issue is the nuts need to be replaced. Enjoy

 

[cdiaz]

I just bought the American Vintage version and the new pickups are amazing!

 

[samerater]

Does the "Classic Player" model have different pickups?

 

[samerater]

bump

 

[vortexxxx]

I don't get why Fender with all the money they have at their disposal don't get some cunife screws made like on the original.

 

[Troy T. Blues]

500K pots will take care of the mud. I have the Lollar Regals in mine and those pups sound fantastic!

 

[brianhealy2001]

+1 Lollar Regals and 500k pots.

Sounds great and quite versatile.

 

[Boris Bubbanov]

I don't get why Fender with all the money they have at their disposal don't get some cunife screws made like on the original.

It is said that getting threaded Cunife magnets would break the bank.

I say, quit offering these models until it can be done right.