Classic Vibe - the guitar everyone is talking about

[Robert]

Have you heard? The Classic Vibe is getting raves like crazy. It's $299 and apparently of VERY good quality. It might a good idea to get one soon, since it's now selling like hotcakes and what happened to another guitar that sold like hotcakes and was cheap (Squier '51) ?? Discontinued!

People are saying it's as good as any American Fender (heard it from several sources), and of course way, way better than the ol Squier '51.

Who's getting one?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-CLASSIC-VIBE-Telecaster-50s-Electric-Guitar-?sku=519376&src=3SOSWXXA

In comparison to the Squier Standard Telecaster:
- the body is made of pine
- the neck is tinted to look vintage
- the pickups are different
- the bridge has brass saddles

Specs:
* Body: Pine
* Finish: Polyester
* Neck: 1-Piece Maple, Modern C Shape
* Fingerboard: Maple, 9.5 (241 mm)
* Frets: 21, Medium Jumbo
* Scale Length: 25.5 (648 mm)
* Nut Width: 1.65 (42 mm)
* Hardware: Chrome
* Tuning Keys: Vintage style tuning machines
* Bridge: Vintage style Tele© bridge plate w/brass barrel saddles
* Pickguard: 1-ply black
* Neck pickup: Custom Telecaster pickup (AlNiCo III)
* Bridge pickup: Custom Telecaster pickup (AlNiCo III)
* Pickup switching: 3-Position Blade Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Neck Pickups, Position 3. Neck Pickup
* Controls: Volume, Tone

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/6/9/8/553698.jpg

[wingsdad]

Pine? :thwap:

[Robert]

Pine, yes. I have never played a guitar with pine body. I heard it sounds really good. Anyone know more?

Oh, I realized there is also a Classic Vibe Stratocaster! Man, this could lead to two (!) new guitars! :eek:

See the Squier website:
http://www.squierguitars.com/products/

[Ro3b]

I've had mine for a couple of weeks now.

http://www.thefret.net/imagehosting/2704889d918485cf.jpg

Briefly, everything you've heard is true. It's very nearly identical to the MIM 50s Classic -- in fact, I had been planning to buy one of those when this thing came out. Differences include that lovely resonant pine body, a flatter fretboard radius, brass saddles (the MIM has stainless steel), big wide frets. All of which make the Squier more desirable imho. The pickups are Alnico 3; to my ear they sound like everything a Tele should sound like. Lots of true spank and shimmer.

Two truly cool things about this axe: first, the setup was spot-on, right out of the box. I haven't had to adjust anything. There's some speculation on TDPRI that the factory is plekking them. Second, the pickups are DEAD QUIET. Even with a fair amount of gain there's no hum. It flies in the face of reason, but I'm not complaining.

These instruments evidently represent an effort to bring back the glory days of the 80s-era Squiers, and I think they've succeeded amazingly.

[Spudman]

Arrrrgh! Don't do this to me guys. :nono: I'm trying to behave. :rolleyes:

[Robert]

I think we have a winner.... and Spud's castle is going to need room for yet another Squire (haha - what a pun!) to serve the mighty Sir Spud Knight of Shiny Geetars!

[marnold]

When I was frequenting the TDPRI, it seems that a number of guys over there were building pine Teles with great success. I don't know that the tonal aspects are.

[tjcurtin1]

The Squire Tele (same as yours, Robert) that I had was made from a wood (I forget the name, begins with an 'A") that was described as essentially an Asian pine. Maybe it's that same wood and they're calling it pine since no one knows what the heck that other wood is by it's name...?

[Gil Janus]

Agathis :thwap:

And I still want this guitar - it is at the top of my GAS list.

Gil :cool:

[just strum]

The Squire Tele (same as yours, Robert) that I had was made from a wood (I forget the name, begins with an 'A") that was described as essentially an Asian pine. Maybe it's that same wood and they're calling it pine since no one knows what the heck that other wood is by it's name...?

Alder or Ash Body?

[mrmudcat]

Pine? :thwap:


Wings ,Trivia: what was the first nocaster/tele made of?????:poke:


Tick Tick.....................

[Rocket]

Doesn't Arlo West play those PineCasters? Sounds pretty good to me.

[Ro3b]

The Squire Tele (same as yours, Robert) that I had was made from a wood (I forget the name, begins with an 'A") that was described as essentially an Asian pine. Maybe it's that same wood and they're calling it pine since no one knows what the heck that other wood is by it's name...?

Dunno, but the grain that I can see through the finish on my guitar looks like your basic piney kind of pine.

[wingsdad]

Wings ,Trivia: what was the first nocaster/tele made of?????:poke:


Tick Tick.....................
tick tick....Time zone lag here from the Left coast, muddy. But you picked up why I went :thwap:

Pine. :thwap:

1949 prototype #1 was a pine body. #2 proto was ash. I think it was built to be the Esquire first, with 1 pup, then the Broadcaster (to be the nocaster, thanks to Gretsch) added the 2nd pup.

EDIT: There were reasons why Leo ditched pine for ash at the proto stage. His goal with his first solid body guitar was to make a durable, easy to maintain and repair guitar that could take a lickin' from gigging country-western pickers. Pine proved too soft a wood, dented too easily, was too difficult to maintain uniform body size cuts (no cnc back then) to fit the bolt on necks in the pockets tightly, consistently for mass Model T type prodction, and didn't give the bright sustain he wanted, to emulate that which he was getting from his lap steels built with Doc Kauffman. Ash solved those issues, and also, since the choice of finish, like the Model T, was 'any color you want, as long as it's natural', had more consitent grain patterns and took the finish better.

So...while this is a guitar 'everyone' is raving about and is probably really good, the 'Fender Purist' (as in: Leo Fender, not Fender The Brand Only) in me wonders: this isn't the guitar that Leo invented, it's more like the one he rejected, so it's innacurate and a misnomer to classify it as a 'vintage vibe'. But that's just me, it's my opinion, and I'm sure that's a mighty unpopular position to take. Sorry.

[Ro3b]

What sealed the deal for me was when a guy who works at the factory in China where these guitars are made turned up on TDPRI to talk about them. The people who are making these things are evidently pretty psyched about them. It shows.

[Rocket]

What sealed the deal for me was when a guy who works at the factory in China where these guitars are made turned up on TDPRI to talk about them. The people who are making these things are evidently pretty psyched about them. It shows.
Sorry for being a dolt... what is TDPRI?
ICFIO!

[just strum]

Sorry for being a dolt... what is TDPRI?
ICFIO!

http://www.tdpri.com/

I didn't know either, had to google tdpri

[Rocket]

Ahhh... I obviously gotta get a Fender for the stable!

[Katastrophe]

Ahhh... I obviously gotta get a Fender for the stable!

What????? No Fender? Everyone should have at least one!:D

Those Teles are a major source of GAS. The Strats look great, too. I would have bought one of those if they had been around when I got my MIM.

[Brian Krashpad]

http://www.tdpri.com/

I didn't know either, had to google tdpri

Btw, the initials tdpri stand for Telcaster Disussion Page Re-Issue. Apparently the page was around for awhile with one person running it or at a certain URL, and then later someone else had to take over and/or move it to another web address, thus the "RI" part of it, which has always struck me as overly web-geeky.

The astounding thing to me is that they also own a MUCH better web address for the same page:

http://www.telecaster.com

But they don't use it or actively promote it! Using telecaster.com will get you to the same place as tdpri.com though.

[birv2]

I'm assuming there's also a strat version of the classic vibe? Anybody have one?

Bob

[oldguy]

Don't have one but yes, there is one (as per Robert's post #3). :)



Pine, yes. I have never played a guitar with pine body. I heard it sounds really good. Anyone know more?

Oh, I realized there is also a Classic Vibe Stratocaster! Man, this could lead to two (!) new guitars! :eek:

See the Squier website:
http://www.squierguitars.com/products/

[mrmudcat]

Wings great stuff brother !! I am beginning to think you are versed in all things fender,even more so than me:master:

Rocket what strat do ya want??

I have got one for ya im sure!!!!!;)

[wingsdad]

Wings great stuff brother !! I am beginning to think you are versed in all things fender,even more so than me ...
Oh, I wouldn't go that far, muddy...after all, you actually tossed the trivia question. :beer: :master:

[Rocket]

Rocket what strat do ya want??

I have got one for ya im sure!!!!!;)
Doubt it... I want a new one. I'll decide on one of these after playing both.
0110402769 American Standard [Charcoal Frost Metallic/Maple]
0101402750 American Deluxe Ash [Butterscotch Blonde/Maple]

What are you willing to give up?

[mrmudcat]

Rocket:

I like both but the butterscotch more.


You are right I have a big mouth and most likely will keep any of that caliper.(meaning all us made):thwap:

[Robert]

I think I am going to have to get one.... ;)

Are you still digging yours?

[sumitomo]

Still diggin mine Robert,The only thing I'm gunna change is the volume pot,to a smoother one for volume swells.Sumi:D

[Jimi75]

I have played one. Excellent guitar, it feels great, sound superb and the pine wood does a good job, really. The only thing I found was that the frets were a little sharp.

[Tig]

I have played one. Excellent guitar, it feels great, sound superb and the pine wood does a good job, really. The only thing I found was that the frets were a little sharp.

I found them to be a little inconsistent, especially at the fret ends. I played several at two different stores before I found the Strat that was nearly perfect and sounded just right. The CV Tele's I've played were a little more consistent with fret quality.

I was demoing a few pedals yesterday with a store's Road Worn Strat, and if felt and sounded inferior to the CV 50's Strat.

I can see buying a CV Tele Custom before the end of the year if I don't get an acoustic instead. Sometimes GAS and marriage don't mix!

[marnold]

I've got friends here who are big Fender guys and they complain about fret sprout on everything that Fender puts out, not just Squiers. '51s had that problem in the beginning too. Mine was one of the later ones that was over zealously filed to the point of removing fretboard wood.

[Jimi75]

I've got friends here who are big Fender guys and they complain about fret sprout on everything that Fender puts out, not just Squiers. '51s had that problem in the beginning too. Mine was one of the later ones that was over zealously filed to the point of removing fretboard wood.

Yep, the "bad" fretwork is really a point of complaint with a bunch of Fender products recently.

[Commodore 64]

My CV50s tele is nice...but I'm not enamored with it at all. It was an impulse buy....

The neck is too thin for my taste. I like a nice C or D shaped thick neck, I think. I love the neck on my 2002 MiM Strat, for example. I think I might REALLY love the neck on my EPi Special II.

It's a guitar like any of my others. It's a nice player, sounds very crisp, I like the Alnico 3 PUPs. But, is it better than my MiM Strat or MiM Tele? I'm not sure. If I had to do it over, I'd take that $250+tax I spent and put it towards a Blues Jr.

Quite frankly, I'm finding at my skill level, and price points I'm getting guitars at (From a El Cheapo Epi Special 2 up to my MiM Strat), the guitars are all pretty good quality. Replacing an output jack or switch here and there isn't a big deal whatsoever. In fact, I'm feeling really guilty about liking this bottom of the barrel Epi SPecial with a baseball bat neck. It plays awesome, sounds great...I had to replace the input jack, and the tuners are asstastic. But as far as a player? I think it's just as good as every other guitar I own.

Maybe it's the pricepoint of the excessive amount of gear I've gone through in the past 8 months...or maybe I have to be a much better player for a specific guitar to speak to me so much that I blow a load in my pants or something. But even the $119 Squier Affinity at GC seems like a pretty nice little guitar.

[Eric]

Maybe it's the pricepoint of the excessive amount of gear I've gone through in the past 8 months...or maybe I have to be a much better player for a specific guitar to speak to me so much that I blow a load in my pants or something. But even the $119 Squier Affinity at GC seems like a pretty nice little guitar.
I think it's pretty cool that you're honest enough with yourself to say this. I'm with you, in that I have general preferences, but don't really notice the super-minute differences. I guess cheap guitars are the way to go for me for the time being.

[Commodore 64]

Well, it is depressing to figure out that my search for the magic guitar is probably more dependent on my skill level than it is on Craig's List. I'm hoping this realization is just a subconscious diversion in my brain to get me to spend money on fishing gear since the weather is getting nice.

Now, who wants to trade a nice GPS/Sonar unit for a CV Squier? :)

[MAXIFUNK]

I absolutely LOVE my CV ThinLine Tele. No it did not show up perfect there were some smalls scratches on the bottom edge of the pic guard and one spot where I think they did not spread the stain evenly but neither would be noticeable unless you held the axe for hours yourself.

Sounds great I really like the neck its a keeper for sure I highly recommend this Axe to anyone looking for a Tele. I have played the CV Tele Custom and like it as well I would swap out the pickup selector knob but that's just me not liking the selector on the custom as much as the one on the ThinLine.
Both are great guitars period IMHO.

[tjcurtin1]

Maxi - any chance you could post some clips of that thinline? Have you compared it tone-wise to the custom and the 50's CV teles?

[duhvoodooman]

Have you compared it tone-wise to the custom and the 50's CV teles?
+1 on that question. I'd be very interested to hear how the three CV Tele models compare tonally.

[MAXIFUNK]

@ TJC & DVM

I do not have a video cam or a fancy enough phone to record any music.
Sorry guys I have played all of the CV's series Tele's and Strat's I'll give my opinion on all 3 Tele's when I have a little more time.

[duhvoodooman]

Well, I can answer the question now for two of them....

I really liked the looks of the new CV Tele Custom model and wanted to try one out. So I e-mailed a couple of the local guitar shops (not GC!) last week and asked if they had one in stock. No luck with either, but they both said they'd let me know if they got one in.

Well, this morning I get an e-mail from one of them, saying that they just got one in, so I drove up there during lunch to try it out. I told the young fellow that was helping me that I wanted to play it side-by-side with the CV 50's model, to hear the difference. So he grabs a CV 50's off the wall, which happens to be a used one marked $230. I played 'em both through a Princeton Reverb, and while both played great, I really preferred the sound of the 50's model. The Custom was brighter & spankier sounding--must be the Alnico 5's in that model. Great country chicken pickin' tone, but that's not my cup o' tea. I thought the 50's model with the Alnico 3's had a warmer & richer tone, but still very much a Tele. Didn't go up there looking for a used instrument, but I started looking the guitar over more closely and found it was really in great shape. Couldn't see paying $100 more for a new one, so I bought it! Got it out in the car right now. Funny how things work out sometimes....

[Tig]

Well, I can answer the question now for two of them....

Couldn't see paying $100 more for a new one, so I bought it! Got it out in the car right now. Funny how things work out sometimes....

Thanks DVM, that answers exactly what I was wondering. I think I'll go for the CV 50's.
Now if I can only find one for $100 off! :eek:

[sumitomo]

Ha! But that really dosen't surprise me.Welcome to the club Vood.LOL!Sumi:D

[Tone2TheBone]

Welcome welcome welcome you're gonna love that baby I just know. :)

[tjcurtin1]

Yeah, yeah, yeah! I have just received my 50's tele, and I can finally really appreciate what everyone says about this guitar. Have only begun to get to know it, but what sounds, and what a feel. It sounds just tremendous with all the tweed models on the Vox VT30!

We have seen this tele before here on the Fret - I helped Commodore64 move on to greener GAS pastures by taking it off his hands.... BTW, C64 is a great person to deal with and I would not hesitate to do business with him if he ever has any gear for sale or trade.

In addition to the sound, I have been pleased to find that I also really like the look of this guitar, though I've never been attracted to white guitars. Pictures of it had not much appealed to me, and I was lusting for the CV Custom, but in person it is quite attractive. It is hard to photograph well, so that you see that the pine grain shows through - it is not at all just stark white; it is a warm, semi transparent white.

This guitar has, like many of these tele's apparently, a quartersawn neck; tho not as spectacular as Spud's, you can see (at the right angle) some tiger-striping in it - purty! Happy to be a member of the CV Tele club:D :happy :AOK

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm144/tjcurtin1/CVTele3d.jpg

[Commodore 64]

I want to put an ashtray bridge (toploader though) on my MiM Tele (Top Loader). That MiM is pretty much the only reason why I got rid of the CV. I like the neck on the MiM better, although I really did LOVE the PUPs in that CV. I think it looks cool too. That finish is supposed to show more woodgrain as it ages (according to the guy at GC, so take that with a grain of salt).