Thinline Teles ...

lovestrat74

What you got/had? I am particularly interested in the 72 version but any Thinline stories/knowledge welcome. Pics too, especially if you have custom built your own flavour of thinline - doesn't have to Fender, could be an old MIJ from the 70's etc...

joeyowen

I had the Fender 72 RI.

Stunning guitar, put I never got on with the pickups.  Just a bit too muddy for my tastes

So pretty though.

Winny_Pooh

72 only works with proper widerange repros. With the stock pickups its quite bland. The MIM re-issues have great necks but vintage fretwire etc. I've not tried the US models from a few years back. I'd recommend doing a DIY build with wideranges and meg ohm pots which makes for a fat and clear tone. More akin to a snappy les paul. 

joetele

Funnily enough I've got a Vintage V72 Flame Tobacco Burst. It's pretty obvious what it's 'inspired' by but for a sub £300 guitar it's fantastic value - great build quality, Wilkinson parts and plays very nicely. Nice clear, articulate pickups which really roar with some drive. The bridge pickup sounds more like a Tele than my actual Fender Tele. I appreciate it's not actually 'vintage' or unique but it's a really nice player and looks great. 

Ignore the RRP, I got mine for about £270 from the local dealer. 

https://www.jhs.co.uk/brands/vintage/vintage-electrics/vintage-v72-custom-spec-tl-electric-guitar-flame-tobacco-burst

HAL9000

I’ve got a G&L Tribute semi-hollow with a single coil at the bridge and a humbucker in the neck position...


https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/PeG1ZvjR36OZr3wN1mLwMn7Xzr3Dr9TzgiNNglwh8Gt


 An excellent guitar. 

lovestrat74

Winny_Pooh said:

72 only works with proper widerange repros. With the stock pickups its quite bland. The MIM re-issues have great necks but vintage fretwire etc. I've not tried the US models from a few years back. I'd recommend doing a DIY build with wideranges and meg ohm pots which makes for a fat and clear tone. More akin to a snappy les paul. 

Yeah I think this might be an option as I like a rounded or soft V neck profile without all the poly on - i've stripped a neck before and I won't be rushing to do another!

lovestrat74

joeyowen said:

I had the Fender 72 RI.

Stunning guitar, put I never got on with the pickups.  Just a bit too muddy for my tastes

So pretty though.

Yeah I heard more bad than good about the pups

lovestrat74

lovestrat74 said:

Winny_Pooh said:

72 only works with proper widerange repros. With the stock pickups its quite bland. The MIM re-issues have great necks but vintage fretwire etc. I've not tried the US models from a few years back. I'd recommend doing a DIY build with wideranges and meg ohm pots which makes for a fat and clear tone. More akin to a snappy les paul. 

Yeah I think this might be an option as I like a rounded or soft V neck profile without all the poly on - i've stripped a neck before and I won't be rushing to do another!

I've seen these and they look really good. Only issue with these for me, is the necks are quite slim.

stickyfiddle

I have a custom thinline La Cab. Obviously different pickups from the 72, and I spec'ed mine to be a little closer to a Duo Jet at each stage, and it's a wonderful instrument. Chimy and growly and jangly and twangy all at the same time.

I love a good 72 thinline, but most MIM ones aren't that as the pickups are just PAFs in fancy covers. The proper 72 thing needs WRHBs.

lovestrat74

HAL9000 said:

I’ve got a G&L Tribute semi-hollow with a single coil at the bridge and a humbucker in the neck position...


https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/PeG1ZvjR36OZr3wN1mLwMn7Xzr3Dr9TzgiNNglwh8Gt


 An excellent guitar. 

Yeah, I would like to try one, although the jury is still out on the headstock for me

lovestrat74

stickyfiddle said:

I have a custom thinline La Cab. Obviously different pickups from the 72, and I spec'ed mine to be a little closer to a Duo Jet at each stage, and it's a wonderful instrument. Chimy and growly and jangly and twangy all at the same time.

I love a good 72 thinline, but most MIM ones aren't that as the pickups are just PAFs in fancy covers. The proper 72 thing needs WRHBs.

Sounds like a monster! Any pics?

stickyfiddle

lovestrat74 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I have a custom thinline La Cab. Obviously different pickups from the 72, and I spec'ed mine to be a little closer to a Duo Jet at each stage, and it's a wonderful instrument. Chimy and growly and jangly and twangy all at the same time.

I love a good 72 thinline, but most MIM ones aren't that as the pickups are just PAFs in fancy covers. The proper 72 thing needs WRHBs.

Sounds like a monster! Any pics?

Of course! It's ace. I really must get some soundclips done at some point..

peteri

I had (until recently) an original 72 Thinline (with the wide range pickups).

Wonderful guitar, ultimately I moved it on - but nothing wrong with the guitar at all, definitely an instrument in it's own right - it's not just another Tele, something different and unique about it

guitars4you

stickyfiddle said:

lovestrat74 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I have a custom thinline La Cab. Obviously different pickups from the 72, and I spec'ed mine to be a little closer to a Duo Jet at each stage, and it's a wonderful instrument. Chimy and growly and jangly and twangy all at the same time.

I love a good 72 thinline, but most MIM ones aren't that as the pickups are just PAFs in fancy covers. The proper 72 thing needs WRHBs.

Sounds like a monster! Any pics?

Of course! It's ace. I really must get some soundclips done at some point..

That looks awesome - Love TV Jones on a Tele and love the Cab

lovestrat74

stickyfiddle said:

lovestrat74 said:

stickyfiddle said:

I have a custom thinline La Cab. Obviously different pickups from the 72, and I spec'ed mine to be a little closer to a Duo Jet at each stage, and it's a wonderful instrument. Chimy and growly and jangly and twangy all at the same time.

I love a good 72 thinline, but most MIM ones aren't that as the pickups are just PAFs in fancy covers. The proper 72 thing needs WRHBs.

Sounds like a monster! Any pics?

Of course! It's ace. I really must get some soundclips done at some point..

GULP! What a beaut!

EricTheWeary

I was reliving my yoof a bit the other day and watching NWOBHM band Vardis on youtube. If you are unfamiliar with them something like a single guitar Status Quo on amphetamines. They are still going to some extent ( somewhat older, fatter and balder) and it looks like he is using the Fender modern player thinline. These are Chinese built, I think, about £390 new. I quite like the look of these and if they are good enough for Vardis ... 

The_Whisper_Thief

I've got a CS Thinline that I think they called a "50's Nocaster Thinline" so is completely inaccurate from a historic point of view but sounds absolutely filthy. She has a massive baseball bat U neck. I can never remember if she is HLE or Frost gold. '>

shuikit

I have an AVRI when they were doing a deal on them a few years ago.  Putting Mojo WRHB in has made a massive improvement!

Gassage

I have a completely original 1973 with WRHB.

some things to note: as @Wazmeister will confirm, it’s an incredible guitar and I’ve had about ten offers for it off the forum but it’s not representative of others of that era which of course was very variable. 

Waz am was so impressed he bought a 73 but then decided it wasn’t quite like mine is....part of the reason for that is the bridge pup in mine is ever so slightly microphonic, but in a good way.

the key to these are the WRHB’s and the ones in the reissues are random HBs with a wide range cover. They are rubbish compared the the real CuNiFe ones.

the ri guitars are very good though, so get a nice one and then get either creamery, mojo or oil city wRHb replacements.

personally I don’t like the single coil late 60s guitars; they’re weedy and reedy compared to the monster tones of the WRHB models

Philly_Q

The_Whisper_Thief said:

I've got a CS Thinline that I think they called a "50's Nocaster Thinline" so is completely inaccurate from a historic point of view but sounds absolutely filthy. She has a massive baseball bat U neck. I can never remember if she is HLE or Frost gold. 

I've got a similar CS Nocaster Thinline, but mine has a '50s sunburst finish, 4-way switching and, weirdly, a rosewood-board neck with a '65 C profile.  I'm not particularly fond of the neck, I might swap it for a proper fat one-piece maple Nocaster neck.

I used to have a Fender USA '90s Tele Thinline (I think that was the model name) with American Standard style hardware - the sealed tuners made it annoyingly neck-heavy.

And I've got a couple of Warmoth bodies and Fender necks which - like all my partscasters - I've never got round to assembling.  One's a blue sunburst '72 style which I intend to put TV Jones pickups in.... but it may never happen.

Gassage

And here is my 1973

Literally not one change on it of any kind. Totally original.