Squier FSR Classic Vibe Thinline Telecaster. A unique looking and sounding tele!

I got a new telecaster!!! My 4th one. I kinda like Telecasters.
So I picked up the Squier FSR Classic Vibe Thinline Telecaster from Andertons in the UK and while I was initially disappointed after a string change it looks like Squier have produced the goods again.
This is the coolest looking Telecaster outside of the Fender Custom Shop I've seen and Kudos to Lee Anderton for speccing out such an eye catching guitar. It really is gorgeous!
With its semi hollow chamber in the upper bout its very light to hold and also very airy sounding. In my opinion the neck pickup isn't up the task (only just though) and will need to be replaced but at £310 UK pounds its a steal and still a bargain with a pickup upgrade.
Combine that with the amber varnish neck, 15' radius fretboard and anodised pickguard and this is a really great guitar.
Fair play Andertons. www.andertons.co.uk/squier-fs...
Please leave a comment if theres any questions I can answer and if you enjoy the video please like and subscribe.
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/ theguitareffect

[@beaucroftrecorders]

I bought the same guitar from Andertons. This is quite a long story but stick with it! Tried 3 in the shop and picked the one I liked best. Got it when they had a special on - £299! First thing I found is that it has neck droop. Not as bad as a 61 SG I had but the lightweight body allows the neck to droop a bit. You only notice when you put a strap on it, which I didn't in the shop. It's ok though with a suitable strap. My thought was that the neck pickup was fine but the bridge pickup was just a bit too ice-picky. The tone and volume controls really made a difference and made it very useful but I couldn't get a great both pickups sound due to the over-strident bridge pup. Then I found a deal on a second hand Lollar 52 bridge pup so I bought that and put it in. Sounds fantastic! But now it's out of phase with the neck pup! I didn't know that different manufacturers use different phases. So I bought a new Lollar 52 neck pup and put it in. Wow! This is now a phenomenal guitar! I compared it to my Custom Shop 60's Custom that has the Broadcaster/Twisted Tele combo. I struggle to tell the difference between them. So, for £486 I've got a Custom Shop sounding guitar. It plays well and looks cool. That's my backup guitar sorted.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Alan. I’ve never actually been to Andertons. I’d really love to visit it some time. Yeah I experienced the neck dive too. Actually to be honest one of my biggest problems with this guitar was how light it is. It just didn’t feel right to me so I moved it on. I’d say the pickups you installed made a huge difference alright. Thx for the comment

[@craiglogue8815]

Thank YOU !!! Great demo!! I have that same Thinline and I love everything about it EXCEPT the neck pickup! I'm glad it wasn't just me that was a little underwhelmed with the neck Pickup. I'm most likely going to install a set of Fender Tex Mex but that's no slight against the stock Bridge pickup .

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Craig. Thx for the comment. I actually sold mine. Didn’t bond with it at all. Shame one of the most beautiful looking guitars I’ve ever seen. Best of luck with the pickup upgrade!

[@jamesgretsch4894]

Something about Fenders look great in black. Love black Strats, Teles, Jaguars and Jazzmasters.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Couldn’t agree more mate. Check out the Jazzmaster I had built. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqTLpK2PZq-HnbMsi=MS9JM-GU1VwU-2qc

[@josephhatchett9489]

So much better with the second set of strings!❤

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Yeah it’s mad the difference it made. I sold the guitar since.

[@adamsachaweston]

Thanks for this review, please post an update when you change the pickup!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Thx for the comment Adam. Will do.

[@kevinsmyth77]

great review Rob

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Cheers Kevin.

[@pktrelford]

Beautiful- bought one and can't wait for it to arrive!!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Congrats. It’s a belter of a guitar!! Enjoy.

[@fmartin09]

I own both a professional tele US made (Johnny Greenwood's model) and a luthier made Tele with Lindy Fralin blues special pickups and I can tell you that the pickups make a HUGE difference. I think that swapping those pups will make a huge improvement over the stock Squire ones.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Fmartin. Thx for the comment. Yeah I have 4 different Teles myself all with different pickup configurations so I do totally get what you are saying and yes it would have made a significant difference but the guitar just didn’t few right. It was too light. I just never bonded with it unfortunately. Replaced it with the classic vibe 72 custom. Great guitar.

[@jackymarc4801]

Hello from Normandy, and thank you for this test. You're absolutely right, your Mexican telecaster mics are really better.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hello from Ireland!!! Thx for the comment mate! Yeah the pickups on this squier just weren’t up to the task unfortunately.

[@BudgetPedalChap]

I really like the sound of those standard pickups, I'll be honest 🤣🤣 I switched out the pickups in my MIM thinline and I replaced the neck pickup for a tonerider (which these CV pickups are supposed to be). I love the necks on the CV stuff too tbf and I would play my thinline more if it had that neck 🤣🤣

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey man. Yeah different folks different strokes I guess. I don’t mind the bridge pickup but the neck pickup just isn’t doing it for me. Great guitar though.

[@superelectic45]

@@TheGuitarEffect I swapped out my Squier neck pickup for a low cost Iron Gear slightly overwound one (8k) and happy with it. The Mexican Tele's have ceramic pickups which tend to be gritty and lively IME. You might want to try a German silver pickup cover if it doesn't have one too. (personally I'd like to replace the neck pickup with a P90!!)

[@aliengrey6052]

I really don’t think cvs have tone riders in them. Same factory but cheaper version pups. They are not bad pickups. I have purchased a set of blues 11 tone riders and they are constructed differently and are heavier in weight.

[@barrycreed9886]

Stupid question, but how do you find the weight v standard and the thinline. I had a standard last year (not much of a tele player) and it was bloody heavy! Thinline appeals to me.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Barry. Not a stupid question at all mate. Actually to be honest to me it feels a little light. I wouldn’t mind if it was a little heavier. But it certainly is a very comfortable weight that wouldn’t be a problem for long shows or anything.

[@barrycreed9886]

@@TheGuitarEffect decisions, decisions!

[@georgefromgreece4119]

Not a stupid question at all, weight is always a critical issue, for ease of use, timbre, feel, aesthetics etc!!!

[@ormondflyer]

Great review, enjoyed it. I’ve been looking at these at Anderson’s,but what’s making me pause,is the import duties etc. what was your experience and were there many other charges? Thanks in advance

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey. I presume you are in Ireland? If so with the import charges and the stg to euro conversion it cost me a total of €407. Hope that helps.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Pretty hassle free overall

[@ormondflyer]

That's pretty good all things considered. Yeah looking to import into Ireland from the UK is a pain now unless it's from a .ie domain or Amazon . Thanks for the reply 👍👍

[@voiceofexperience]

That neck pup sounds just fine to me...

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Jeffrey. Thx for the comment. There’s a good few people commenting that. It’s just personal taste I suppose. I’m not mad on it at all.

[@tadoverbaugh2190]

I really like the Squier bridge pup tone.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Tad. Do you mean the tele bridge pickups in squires in general? Or specifically in this guitar?

[@tadoverbaugh2190]

@@TheGuitarEffect sorry to not be clear. Specifically this guitar. I like an airy, chimey, punchy bridge tone for rhythm and singing. That tone would be perfect for me, but of course not for everyone. Great video!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Oh I get you. Yeah I just didn’t like the lack of mid range overall from this guitar. I got the 72 custom instead and I’m much happier with both pickups. I’m assuming since they’re both classic vibe the bridge pickup is the same in both and it sounds much better to my ears in a solid body. But that’s purely a taste thing and is completely subjective

[@changestrangers]

What's the laurel fretboard like? I've always found them on the dry side.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Changestrangers. So unfortunately I sold the guitar last week. Just couldn’t get on with it. However I don’t ever remember thinking the fretboard was particularly dry. However it may have been. I just really didn’t like the guitar. Maybe that was one of the reasons why.

[@changestrangers]

@@TheGuitarEffect Fair enough. Squiers can be a bit hit and miss these days. T-style Thinline guitars are cool though - I should get myself one in the future.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey. Generally the Squier Classic Vibe guitars are belters but the thinline just didn’t work with the build materials and pickups for me. I’m actually putting a video live on the channel about it next week. I have a Japanese 72 Thinline reissue that’s my oldest and most prized guitar. Thinline Teles are amazing. This one just didn’t work for me

[@changestrangers]

@@TheGuitarEffect Have you seen any G&L Tribute Thinline Blues Boys? Apparently made in the same factory as Squiers and of phenomenal quality.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

I played a G&L tribute tele a few years ago at a studio and was mega impressed. I know this is a big faux pas but I just can’t deal with the headstock design. They’re brill guitars though.

[@darranj85]

Was just looking at the deal on there buddy. Did you get hit with duty or Anderson’s look after it?

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Darren. So andertons didn’t charge me UK VAT but I had to pay import duty and eventually it came to around €400

[@darranj85]

@@TheGuitarEffect still a decent price for a nicer looking instrument than the ones available here. Great video by the way. Cheers

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey man. Yeah it’s a great deal.

[@toneranger]

I just watched your used Revstar 502 video as I was about to buy one, but I just bought the sonic blue of this tele this evening for 285gbp including delivery to the continent, going cheap on GAK at the moment. Then this pops up. So the Revstar will need to wait. I bought it because the PRS se I bought, my 1st and last, won't stay in tune at all it's desperate

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Toneranger. Thx for the comment. A few thoughts. I had a PRS SE hollowbody for a while and while it was a stellar guitar (no tuning issues) I just didn’t gel with it. It just had no MOJO for me. No personality or character. Completely personal thing though. I’m my opinion there is no change Māoris on between a squier tele and the Revstar. Both are there to did single coil stuff in my originals band and the Revstar is just leagues ahead in every way. It’s outrageously good.

[@toneranger]

@@TheGuitarEffect I viewed a Revstar up close today for the first time, just looking closely at the nut alone, it's in a different league to the PRS and every other guitar I viewed today. The D and G string guides in the Revstar nut are angled towards the respective tuning keys, the strings in the PRS on the other hand are buried so far in the nut channels you can't see them in the nut, all PRS's in the store today we're like that. I will be selling the PRS and buying a Revstar, I have seen the light. Great channel 👍🏻

[@moist5208]

Great riff you played, is the first one a song? And is it standard tuning?

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey. Thx so much for the comment and the kind words. Yeah it’s standard tuning Just an Eminor barre chord thing really.

[@adrian_V99]

I'm in love...again..I'd leave that unique pickguard on it, and change the neck pickup if required. Try Toneridet Hot Classics. Cheers!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hi Adrian. Thx for the comment. Unfortunately I sold the guitar as while I thought it looked insanely good I just couldn’t get along with it.

[@adrian_V99]

@@TheGuitarEffectHi Rob, I rented one with a dark brown finish and for me it had the best Tele neck I've ever played, but I couldn't get into the reedy tones. I guess I'm a solid- body Tele guy. Cheers from 🇨🇦!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Adrian. Do t rule out thinlines altogether my fave guitar is my thinline tele. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIvFm4tnmbidZrM

[@eugenedevere7687]

Disagree about the neck pickup. A beautiful mellow sound for Jazz especially.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Eugene. That’s fair enough horses for courses I guess. But one thing I’d say is I guess it’s down to how you define mellow. To me it’s low output (so mellow) but lacking in midrange (so not mellow) personal taste I suppose. I’m definitely going to be replacing it anyway. But I don’t and never will play jazz.

[@hlrgrr66]

May 14 2022 just ordered one 20 min ago from andertons for 299.99--367$ us including delivery.

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hey Gee. Thx for the comment. I think Chicago Music Exchange have them too. Or at least had them. But that’s a massive bargain!!!

[@hlrgrr66]

@@TheGuitarEffect yes they had them also but they are $499 ..great video!!

[@dannystereo]

Unsure from this angle, but it looks like the Thinline’s neck pickup is lower. Plus Mexican Standard pickups have ceramic pickups and the CV will have Alnico V pickups. Not quite ‘the same style’ by a good stretch

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Hi Danny. Thx for your comment. To be honest I’ve played all sorts of teles by all sorts of brands as this one just didn’t speak to me regardless of pickup height or magnet choice. However I would conceed it’s an entirely subjective thing. Other people have commented on this video thinking it sounded great. It just want for me at all.

[@dannystereo]

@@TheGuitarEffect totally. I am more just recognizing the differences. I much prefer an Alnico II Tele pickup over Alnico V, and certainly over ceramic. But like you, I’ve had countless guitars not speak to me over the years for whatever reason, and that’s why they have moved on!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

I will admit I’m not up on what the tonal differences are between magnet types. But overall it’s such a personal thing. I replaced this with a squier 72 custom and then replaced that with a p90 Yamaha Revstar. The Revstar is a really formidable guitar in every way.

[@dannystereo]

@@TheGuitarEffect GENERALLY speaking, the “numeral” rating of an Alnico magnet signals to its magnetism rating. The higher the number, the higher the pull. Hence, an A2 magnet will be softer, rounder, and more ‘vintage’, whereas an A5 will be sharper, clearer, more bite. This goes for singles and humbuckers alike. However, P-90s for the win regardless!

[@TheGuitarEffect]

Ah right. That actually makes total sense. Thx