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The History of the Telecaster Thinline - Ask Zac 137
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- čas přidán 10. 10. 2022
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The Telecaster Thinline story begins with Fender's engineers experimenting with the removal of wood under the pickguard to lighten the weight of heavy ash bodies. They found that the weight loss was insignificant, so Fender's engineers set out to make an entirely new model. The resulting Telecaster Thinline was a standard Telecaster, with a partially hollowed-out body, and a stylized Pearloid pickguard released in 1968. To spruce up the model in late 1971, the model was completely revamped with a new bridge, pickguard, Wide Range humbuckers, Bullet Truss Rod, and Micro-Tilt neck adjustment. In this episode, we will detail the differences between the standard Telecaster, and the version I & II Thinline models. We will also look at the important differences that Seth Lover engineered into his 50s Gibson PAF humbucker model, and the 70s Wide Range he later designed for Fender.
Gear Used:
2022 Vintage II Fender 72 Telecaster Thinline
1967 Fender Telecaster
Pick:
D'Andrea Medium-Heavy
Amp:
1965 Deluxe Reverb with a 60s JBL D120F gray frame speaker with its original cone. Used with AmpRX Brown Box set to 113v
Effects used:
Amp reverb
#askzac #telecasterthinline #zacchilds
When I saw Merle Haggard 's tour around 1979 his lead guitarist sat front and stage left with a black Tele Thinline 2, sounding sooooooo good. This was the first one of these I'd ever seen, and I've been fascinated with them ever since.
Would that have been Roy Nichols? I could have sworn that I’ve seen pics of him playing a wide range bucker thin line in the 70’s.
@@ChazMatt Maybe in his late 40s with dark hair? Yep, probably. Never got out of the chair but looked like he owned the front of the stage with Merle.
Did any of them have the flatter 12° radius neck like the Deluxe? If not, they should have!!!
Of course I am a 69 Telecaster player and still have my original 69 Thinline that my parents gave me when I was about 19. Good presentation. Thanks.
My church gave me a mim72 thinline in 2017. I loved it, switched to a strat for a while, because everyone I loved played a strat. But when i switched amps to a marshal, the wide-ranges just began to sing and it's back to my no.1
I have the Squier Classic Vibe version of the Series 2. It was Olympic white and has black pickguard and black block fretboard inlays. I stripped the body finish and repainted it in coral and it looks cool as hell.
My first proper, big boy guitar was a classic series 72 thinline and I literally only bought it because I fell in love with the look of it.
It's still probably my favourite guitar for that same reason.
This remains on a short list of guitars I need to have in my stable. Tab Benoit is a favorite player and he goes straight into the amp from the Thinline. What amazing tone. Great explanation of the weight problem and the solutions developed in the evolution of the Telecaster. Love it!
Tab is also one of my favorites. I've seen him live 3 or 4 times. Straight into a Super Reverb and Twin Reverb (before he got his own line of amps). I understand he picked up his first Thinline used at a music store in Houston when he was here recording his first album around 1992. Probably got a good deal on it back then. I got my first one in Dec, 2022. Heavier than I thought it would be.
@@MichaelSmith-rn1qw
I ended up with a custom shop thin line with cunife due to Tab… at the time I got it, no others were available except even higher priced 72’s.
Tab engraved his name on back of it for my last year in Memphis.
My "one that got away" story is a '73 I had a chance to buy in the mid 80's for $350.00. It was pretty pristine in the original case and looked virtually identical to this one.
Sadly, $350.00 was a lot of money to a 19 year old college student... I've been kicking myself ever since!
Wonderful video as always Zac, I've grown up with a fondness for Thinlines, my father has owned an early 2000s MIM '69 Thinline in Surf Green since I was a kid.
As others have noted the Thinline was Roger Rossmeisl's best regarded contribution to Fender design history, most of his work fell flat like the Coronado, LTD, and Montego. He did an okay job with the acoustic line, but returning to his earlier work at Rickenbacker (building on the work of another unsung hero Paul Barth) and the chambered design he really knocked it out of the park. Thanks for all the info on the WRHBs too, I never knew how different they were.
I wish I could have visited the Songbird Museum while the collection was still there, its incredible to see their complete rainbow of custom color Thinlines. I've also only seen one photo of it in Reverb's video on the museum of the green 1967 Wildwood Thinline prototype which they had in their vault room, it's a beautiful piece with 2 F-holes, and a unique pickguard. Perhaps Davidson's Well Strung Guitars has that still, I know they still have most of the custom color collection in stock, which you can view on their website and Instagram. Maybe you can reach out to them and do a follow up video, featuring their collection?
Brilliant as usually! Just a clarification, CuNiFe is an alloy of copper (Cu) + nickel (Ni) + iron (Fe).
This caught my attention because I have one of the 80s Japan models. I would like to find out more about this model. No one has much to say about them. I have had it since close to when it was made in the 80s. I love it. Thank You for this episode.
I really love the (original) 60s Thinlines with the Tele pickups. They just look so classy without being at all pretentious. Got a Squier Classic Vibe version of one, and it looks & sounds amazing for what I paid for it.
These sound so good clean! A Thinline through a Bassman is one of my favorite guitar sounds ever. I need to get one!
You should!
I would like to add to your wonderfull description that this guitar also has four (4) adjusting screws for every pickup ! This is extremelly usefull for players who know how to adjust the distance '' string- pickup '' according to their picking . For me lowering the pickup gives woodier tones ,,,and bringing the pickup closer to the strings gives more electric sound ...( You need a good amp for these adjustments.)
I noticed this because I had one from Fender Japan and was my main instrument for hotel jobs where you have to play little of everything ...Bridge pcp for rocknroll ,both pcps for disco , funky ,soul , neck position for everything and also jazz ...Very light instument and keeping the tuning in outdoors situations ! The jazz tones are not so fat like the Gibsons ES models (137 ,,,175,,,165,, 775 ) but closer to the L5 family ,,,that means more alive ,punchy and clean ...This keeps the audience awake (and drinking ! ) even at the hot summer nights ...Queen of ''No worries'' guitar !
Hi Zac, I took my pick guard off for the first time ever on my 74 telecaster thinline and it does have the 1 Meg pots. It’s a 74 as near as I can tell all original with mocha or walnut brown finish I believe. It was stamped with NATURAL in the neck humbucker cavity
When I worked at the "Country Music Hall of Fame' in 2001, I got to know Webb Wilder who was working for SM as a music announcer. I went to one of His concerts where He played His Thin-line during part of His concert, and His Stock "Tele" during the rest. That convinced me that I liked the original Tele "Woof" the best. he played through a Fender "deluxe" and a Hiwatt 50- I still LOVE my 60th anniversary tele to this day. I do love my 335 custom copy just as much for it's Fat tone-but I will never "sell" my Tex-me Tele with six brass bridge pieces !
Excellent vid, Zac. I knew very little about the nuts and bolts of the Thinline Telecaster. Nor did I realize Fender hired Seth Lover away from Gibson, a real coup. But as in many things, turnabout is fair play: Fender made Tim Shaw an offer he couldn’t refuse after being with Gibson from the late ‘70s til mid ‘80s. Now his expertise resides with Fender. Such is Life!
Maybe a decade ago I bought a 72' Thinline reissue like yours, and it is a pop-rock machine. Extremely versatile. Not a Telecaster sound nor LP sound at all. I believe it has the original type thin frets, not medium jumbo frets.
more than a decade ago, i changed from ES-335 and a Strat to the Thinline with wide range. have now two of them, one MIJ and one CIJ. They both from the early 90s. the sound is just awesome. really fat and thunderous, if desired, but also nice clean. wont go to anything different now.
I have a Classic Vibe 60’s Thinline. Love that guitar.
I just bought an American Original 60's Telecaster Thinline with natural ash body and mapple neck. It's a reissue from 2020. I've always loved the thinline look, and it sounds very good. I don't know why the pickgard is not perloid on this reissue, but parchment aka mint green (aged white actually).
While mentioning Seth Lover, you should also note that the Tele Thinline was designed by Roger Rossmeisl, formerly with Rickenbacker. He designed the classic Rick guitars and 4001 bass. He also designed the Fender Coronado.
The Thinline is made exactly like Rickenbacker hollow bodies. Because the same person designed both. Roger linked hollow bodies. I think he designed the Thinline just to make it more like a Rickenbacker. Not so much for the weight reduction. The ash Fender basses at the time weighed a ton!
Great video, thanks, Zac! In this story we need to mention Roger Rossmeisl, that helped Fender design the version 1 Thinline. He’d been designer at Rickenbacker, and thus the backside routing manufacture style and inside chambering have similarities with Rickenbacker 330/ 360 style bodies. I have a newer reissue, always get positive comments from other guitarists.
You are correct. I should have mentioned Roger.
@@AskZac Anyway, fantastic video you posted. We always learn so much from your talks!
@@aluminati9918 One of the things I love about the 2nd version of the Tele Thinline is it's really a collaborative effort of Leo, Seth and Roger. Three of the design geniuses of electric guitar. There is absolutely no arguing that the end result is a truly fantastic instrument! I picked up a used MIM version from 2007 recently and added the newly accurate reproduction Cunife WRHBs along with a pair of 1 meg pots. It's Soooo good and covers a lot of ground musically. I wish I could afford a good vintage model.
Loved this video. I never knew the history of my guitar. I have a 1977 model that I bought brand new in 1978. it is almost mint condition. It has the white pick guard and of course the Humbucker pickups and a natural finish. It could use a fret job but is still very playable. Not sure what it's worth is if I were to sell it but it is worth a fortune to me. I paid about $ 800. for it back then. It has served me well for a lot of years.
Thank you Zac! Always learning something new about the telecaster from your channel. Now you've covered the thinline, the wrhb as well and its peculiarities!
Very interesting! Thanks, Zac! That particular thinline you've got is gorgeous. I love the grain especially on the back. Coldplay has always been one of my favorites, so I've wanted a thinline like Jonny Buckland for a long time. These new American vintage II Thin lines have me interested for sure!
Thank you kindly!
@digital dirtbag Did you get one? I still haven’t. 😢
In my unending search for light weight guitars, this has always been a contender....
Glad I found your channel, Zac. I must say that I tried out a Squier Classic Vibe Thinline SS, and it had the best neck (as in impeccably playable) I have ever played. Great quality even on a Classic Vibe. Cheers!
Squier has gotten really good.
Tab Benoit and Leo Nocentelli in Louisiana have used them, especially Tab; it’s his main axe. Somewhere I heard the reissues have regular humbuckers; those Fender humbuckers are different from a regular Gibson one.
Thanks for this Zac. I picked up a thinline back in July and it's been my main guitar ever since. It's awesome to know the history behind it. Also, thank you for the pick shipment!
I have several telecasters and strats and les pauls, bought a squier thinline that is identical to the natural your holding and everything about the pickups is on point. It's a great guitar for the price but it's got subtle differnces from it's sisters. I would buy a fender thinline if the price was right , just wanted the experience of the design so I got the squier. Thanks for the lesson on these.
Just bought my 2nd Thinline yesterday ('72 reissue 2021) My first one was the exact guitar you have with the wide range pick ups ..Absolutely LOVE these guitars ! Fantastic range of sounds from both ! ❤
Enjoy your content very much !
I was selling these brand new in the early-to-mid '70s. I loved them then, still do. They have a nice mid-range tone you pretty much cannot get from any other Fender guitar.
The '72+ Thinline is such a great, all-round guitar. An MIJ reissue has been my #1 for years, and I would love one with actual widerange pickups.
You can actually buy new Fender CuNiFe WRHBs, they're being manufactured again
@@camillaquelladegliaggettiv4303 yes, I may do that. However, I'm also wanting a different colour, fretboard radius, etc.
Thanks mucho for the tip regarding Cocaine and Rhinestones!!! Its an excellent account of those days. I did a demo at Shelby Singleton when I was 16 in 1969. I wanted to correct a mistake and the producer said " no,dont worry about it the farmers dont know and the teenagers dont care" of course it was just a songwriters demo. Parking lot had some spaces that said Studio Musicians Only. It was a good experience.
Really enjoyed this one, Zac! The direction you've taken this channel is fantastic, and I look forward to every new upload.
Much thanks Amigo! You know I love your work.
Hey Zak, I really enjoyed this one! I own a black 1972 or 73 Thinline II with a Mahogany body and factory Bigsby, which is a rather rare beast, as sb told me. Thx for your video!
Super rare!
Hey Zac, what a great video. I’ve been waiting for a Thinline history lesson for some time now. I got a 73 version 2 in 1976 and had it until 1980 when I traded it
straight across for a Goya LP style guitar which was listed for $800. Still have the Goya and really love it but almost immediately regretted giving up that Tele. About a year later I ran into an old bud who had a 72 Thinline that he bought new and was no longer playing. Ended up trading him an echo unit for it.. basically stole it…but he was happy and I was over the moon! Those Seth Lover pups have a real snarl to them and are very unique sounding. I didn’t know Fender had to change the magnet type to accommodate the threaded pole pieces. Very ingenious. Really love your channel Zac and your knowledge and insight is always appreciated. 🇨🇦
Have a AVRI 69 thinline as my main tele which was my dream guitar growing up and love it ❤
Thanks Zak for the great bud 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, I recently bought a 73’ and it sounds glorious, not everything was bad in the 70ies in terms of guitars.
And yes it has an original 72’ 1 Meg pot, unlike what the book says.
Great video. I had some weird memory of Eric Clapton using a mahogany Thinline on Blind Faith, but after searching and searching I know that's not true, I don't know where I got the connection in my head. However, I had a black (ash) HB Thinline stamped Nov. '71 and it was one of the best guitars I've ever had, to this day. BTW, "Fe" is the atomic symbol for iron. I'm no machinist, but I really don't think you can machine or "thread" ceramic materials. Thanks for covering one of my favorite guitars.
I bought one of those new in '73! Beautiful guitar, and still one of my favourite Fenders. I did sell it a little later as I found the tone was nice, but a bit in no man's land between a single coil and humbucker, and I ended up buying an SG Gibson with P90s to suit the heavier rock material I was playing back then. Probably should have kept the Tele ;-(
Interesting. I didn't know that the Telecaster Thinline was for weight reduction. I owned an early 80's USA Telecaster Custom. It had a normal solid body with a standard Telecaster bridge/pu but it had the wide range Fender humbucker in the neck. Also it had the 3 bolt micro tilt and a 3 position pu switch on the upper horn with 4 pots. They are fairly rare but they are not super valuable. I sold mine as I needed the cash at the time and eventually replaced it with a standard USA Tele. I wish I still had the Custom but such is life. Thanks for your video Zac!
I have a newer Fender Thinline Mexican second issue, that had 250k pots. And it had an awful sounding
distortion on the bass strings until I swapped the pots with 1meg units, then the guitar sounded great!
I have one, and it has a very beautiful amplified acoustic sound to it. Great for chords and strumming, and long sustained open notes.
I bought a Squire Version 2 at a pawn shop for $175. Made in Indonesia, 4 bolt neck, 9.5 radius neck. It’s better that the MIM replica IMHO. I’m thinking of putting the reissue Wide Range pickups which would cost $400.
The new Fender Wide Range's are actual cunife.
I’m thinking of doing the same! Please let me know how that turned out and if it’s worth it! They’re on sale right now for $153 on Fender’s website.
What a sound! That middle position on the three-way selector…
These type of Teles are great for R & B + Blues & Jazz Genres IMO!! The tone variation is so nice ‘n convenient for adjusting on the fly during a performance!! My version you’re wondering perhaps?? It’s a “Frampton ThinLine Telecaster” built by Matsumoto Guitars / Aria in Japan in ‘72 to honor a brief partnership with none other than ‘70s Rock Crooner Peter Frampton Model!! (I🇺🇸reside in Japan 🇯🇵 so,..that’s where I got the info..😒) The Guitar plays like a charm and the tones are warm & cool,..just what I want from a “ThinLine Type” Tele!! (I’m a Telecaster Player so biased I guess..🫤) Thought I’d comment on here since I monitored for Greco for decades and want to put out that the Aria Frampton ThinLine Teles versions also are rare and should get honorable mention!! b(‘_< )
Rocky Stone, guitarist many years for Mickey Gilley, played one of those. I have a MIM mahogany’69 reissue that I love. Has Fralin blues specials in it, an added middle pickup, 5-way switch and 250k pots. Great video. Thanks!!
Always a very informative show, love the lick you played at the end, real funk. Thank you 🙏
Thanks! I’m a drummer, not a guitar player, but I do love me some gear, and I love history, and vintage instruments. Found you by way of Keith at 5 Watt. I’ll be watching some more of your videos for sure!
I bought a Fender American Pro 2 Tele with V mod single coil pick ups two years ago. I had a local luthier route out almost everything below the pick guard and install two cunife p/u’s I went with the 1 Mg pot. I have neck and shoulder problems so I need to try and keep things below 7 pounds if I can and this weighs 6 lbs. 14 oz. I love this guitar. Great video Zac!
Brilliant episode again, thanks!
I have one of those JV thinlines that You mentioned from early 80s.
I bough it around 8/9 years ago and guitar still is in mint condition. What i heard from the guy i bought it, the original owner had this guitar litteraly in closet. When he got it, it still had some plasticshields on pickups, so it really was "closet classic"
I replaced pickups right after i got it, i found original ones a bit muddy and they souded a bit dull.
So i ordered pair of Widerange humbuckers from Creamery Pickups, Manchester England. And boy, they sound sweet.
Highly highly recommended, Jaime -owner of creamery- makes just fantastic and really interesting pickups and desings
5:26 -It kind of puts things in perspective when you know the “then and now” prices. Interesting video as usual, Zac. Cheers.
Telenator was the first company to offer a WRHB with CuNiFe threaded magnets, after Fender discontinued them. They ultimately went out of business, because they had trouble sourcing the CuNiFe alloy used in the magnets. I was fortunate, to have them install their WRHB, in the neck position, of an American Standard Telecaster, which had a Fender Broadcaster pick up in the bridge, from the factory. The guitar has 1 Meg pots, because Telenator recommended them, as best for their pickup. I also had them install a four way switch, so that when I selected both pickups, I could play them, either in series or in parallel. The guitar sounds awesome. I was sad when they went out of business, but from what I read, Fender is making a true to spec WRHB now, with the correct alloy magnets.
Much appreciated! Your depth of knowledge, level of research, is always beyond reproach. You know more than the books! I've always been leery of those thinlines with the humbuckers, but after this I may have to try one. I do like the one thinline I have, a budget brand copy that's actually quite nice with a flamed maple neck.
Always enjoy the content here, regardless of topic. And of all the guitar people on CZcams, you're the one I'd like to sit down and play with most. I've stolen a few licks, happy to pay you back!
My Tele Thinline is a ‘78. 1MOhm pots. One of my favs: lightweight, beefy neck, lively sound.
Great history lesson! Thanks for that. I got a Squire version of this guitar, and it is my favorite and I have some "nicer" American Fenders. It has a very special sound and is great for Blues and Indie, like Zac stated in the video. I might get an American Fender version one day, but man. What a great couch guitar that you can also gig and record with.
Thanks for the info and Nice little tribute to Curtis Mayfield.
You bet
My first Tele was a '74ish Thinline sunburst. Loved that guitar!! Bought it for $650 in 1990.... sold it in 2000 for $1200 to drum up a down payment on my first house!
Hey Zac, new to the channel. Excellent video, thanks! I found it while waiting for the Squier Classic Vibe '70s Telecaster Thinline I'm getting for Christmas. I'm a fairly new guitarist and "discovered" the Thinline when I saw Ken Bethea from Old 97's playing a non-Fender/custom version at a recent show. I figured the Squier was an affordable option that I can Frankenstein down the road.
Again, great video, I'll check out your others, keep 'em coming!
Thanks, Roy!
Thanks for the Thinline video. I just got a MIM ‘72 reissue. Mine is an ash body with a tortoise guard. I like the sound of the humbuckers and it’s quickly become one of my favorite guitars.
Very cool!
If you go back to Vintage Guitar Magazine, March of 2020, page 84 You can read about the development of the Thinline by Roger Rossmeisl & Phil Kubicki. Great article.
I love my ´73 thinline and my early 80´s Japan JV Thinline. These guitars are underrated but pick up on fast in the vintage market.
Thank you for this. I have always wanted a thin line, in an H-S config. One of these days!
In 1977 the band I was in got a one-night gig opening for and backing up Doyle Holley, who had been the bass player with Buck Owens and the Buckaroos in the ‘60s. By ‘77 he was playing guitar (maybe he’d started as a guitar player), and the only hit that I remember him having was Queen Of The Silver Dollar. He had a second-iteration (two humbucker) Thinline Tele in the Mocha Brown finish that Fender made a lot of back then. The first set, he did all right, but by the second set, he’d had a bit too much to drink and stopped playing! At some point I broke a string on my guitar, and Doyle handed me the Thinline. I finished up the night on it-it was actually pretty nice, and I made Doyle an offer to buy it! But he wasn’t interested in selling it.
I got a kick out of the “aged” headstock. I’m still loving my Thinline with Seymour Duncan Phat Cats and stacked tone, volume/tone controls! This episode just made me smile. I’m curious if you will put out one episode strictly on capos. 😀
Building a thinline telecaster partscaster. Good timing for this video :).
Very interesting. Side note: My 1978 Strat (owned since new) has developed that very dark headstock tint. I never knew why.
I am so happy that Fender brought the American Vintage series back! They all look fantastic and the specs are perfect!
Nice!
In 1969 I was 17, just graduated from high school, working for a year before I (hopefully, my lottery number in the draft was 88) went to UT Austin where a few of my friends were studying and had added my name to the utility bills so I could enroll as a Texas resident. I'm in Evanston, IL (1st burb north of Chicago). Next door to my job building film splicers for a company that made film inspection machines (Bell Labs guys), was a music instrument retailer, The Sound Post (the owner was a violinist). I was in there so much! Probably most days. I had lots of friends that played rock 'n' roll and figured I pretty much knew the score re Gibson Fender Martin Gretsch, et al. When the Thinline showed up in the store, EVERYBODY that worked there pronounced it a total POS - and, really, they'd A/B it with ANYTHING showing you how it wasn't even the equal of a Mustang or some other crap guitar. Even worse scorn was heaped upon those "full-range" pickups a couple of years later. I must say, though, that your musical example at the end sounds really great and really funky. Who'd you steal that from?
Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth used to play one too, a lot of photos of them in the early 80's you can see him playing it B)
Great vid Zac! B)
Enjoyed the history lesson thanks Zac. I have a MIJ ‘72 Thinline RI, lefty which is rare, and I adore it. How can it be that with humbuckers, a six saddle bridge and a semi hollow body it still “fundamentally” sounds like a Tele? And it does!
Thanks for the history nuggets. More playing on your part would have been appreciated as I hardly got a sense of it.
Found the right video thanks Zac ! My Thinline is from 77 and I love it !. The Poly was flaking off badly; Love to hear the Nitrocellulose on the headstock that's a fun fact. BTW I see that you love teh T Birds this first album is incredible !
I had one of the 68's - in great condition. Bought it in Atlanta in '76 from a guy at my sister's apt. while visiting. Mine had single coil pickups and the natural wood finish. Like a dummy, I felt the tone was bright and tinny so I sold it about a year later for what I paid for it which was about $300. Wish I still had it!!
Great post. Please consider a post on the Custom and/Deluxe models if you haven’t already. Thank you.
Wish you’d played it more Zac. Perhaps a follow up, mostly playing episode with V1 and V2 to A/B?
I have a MiM reissue from 2009. I love the neck and feel, but it’s been a battle with it being dark / woolly sounding. It had 250k pots which was part of problem. I moved to 500k and was better, especially on bridge, but neck still not right. So now the neck pickup is disconnected from the tone pot. That’s almost there. 1k pots is my next step before reverting for different pickups… 😅
I'm so grateful for this episode, Zac! I've always admired the Thinline 2, and even though I had a '08 mexican reissue, which I totally hated (awful pickups, terrible fret and neck work and a ton in weight), I'm sure it was just a bad example. I'm looking forward to save enough for a Thinline VRII. Thanks!
I have a ‘68 Tele, rosewood board, with a super lightweight ash body. Original finish was apparently the “see through blonde.” But someone before me stripped the finish (very stupid) to the wood then put a light sealer coat on it. Beautiful wood grain, extremely lightweight. All the numbers match up; definitely a ‘68. Fender did still produce ash bodies into 1968. We think they only used ash for that finish, so the grain would show through. Very fine guitar; don’t care if it’s pre- or post-CBS. It’s a beauty.
Thanks for all the info... I find this very interesting...
My pleasure!
The great singer/songwriter, Paul Westerberg, has regularly used that exact one you’ve got (except original) for years. And he’s a killer rhythm guitarist. Those wide ranges with the 1meg pots give you all Fender Chime and top end, but also with the beef and thickness of a Gibson humbucker. They truly put out a very wide frequency range. I don’t think the importance of the 1 Meg pots to those pickups can be overstated. If you really want the full “Fendery” tone from them, 250 or even 500 just don’t quite cut it.
Great episode! Nice little group of LPs you have featured back there as well
I like the good stuff
Very educational, thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
I'm kind of glad I don't have a Tele jack socket on mine. I just have a LP-style rectangular jack plate. I'm sure I could install an Electrosocket in the 1/2 inch hole that's there or however big it is. There'd he 4 visible screw holes around it but it wouldn't matter. I don't sell my guitars so it won't ever matter to anyone except me.
Yes, this is about the 5th time I've watched this lol. And I comment something new every time 🤣👌
I have a 2004 Fender Custom shop thin line, ash, rosewood. 91/2 “ radius . Slight V neck. Twisted tele neck Broadcaster bridge. Absolutely Killer
Hello. I always liked the necks on the older Mexican 69 series thin line, nice and fat but the painted on (super tiny somehow smaller than vintage?!) frets never left me with enough material to level them. It’s great to see a video about the thinline.
Thanks for this video Zac. Love your work.
Thanks Zac for more of your "Tele-Education"....oh, btw, when I wore my 'ask Zac' shirt with the fender amp wiring diagram, and asked about it, I just respond...."That's Just The Way I'm Wired" !!.....Russell D.
Love it
Conway the Pimp. "You've Never Been This Far Before" is so funny but so great. His drummer bashing away and Conway no selling it, Conway's confidence seemingly coming from nowhere, getting the grannies all hot and bothered... it's the best.
My Dad left me his thinline when he passed. Got some good battle scars, needed a refret in 2016. Has Dec 72 stamped on the neck heel.
Really enjoyed this episode thanks Zach
This is one of those videos I didn't know I needed until I saw it. Great show! I have 3 Thinlines, so I might be biased. -- Bluesholyman
Lee Ranaldo from Sonic Youth played or plays one with the wide range humbuckers. Also a Jazzmaster with wide range humbuckers.
Peter Holstrom of The Dandy Warhols plays a pink 1972 thinline in the "Bohemian Like You" video. it inspired my shell pink FrankenTele i've been playing for the past decade or so.
Thanks for the history lesson. I'll have to pick up that book. I've always liked the look of the thinline. I'd want one with a splittable humbucking bridge pickup and a single coil in the neck.
Great show. I hope Fender gave you that guitar. Especially with all the light you shine on them…
I had a sunburst/rosewood Thinline Tele in the 1990s. I bought it after I was in a car crash and injured my neck. My late 1970s Les Paul and Strat were both too heavy to play for quite a while, so I bought a Thinline. It was more or less a version 2, with the humbuckers. Sweet guitar, but I didn't keep it very long, alas.
A few notes to add, myth or legend, I always heard the early routed bodies referred to as the Smuggler body. I also relate to three versions, dual single coil, single with neck humbucker and then the dual humbucker custom you showed. I really like the version 2. Cheers
On that note...do any fellow gen xers remember pearloid being referred to as crushed pearl?
Gordan Gano of the Violent Femmes also used a Thinline in the early 1980s for a bright, searing tone that cut through the mix with a decidedly 50s flavour, while still sounding unique at the same time.
cool stuff.. thanks fer sharin'...