2 Squier Thinline Telecasters…which would you choose?

markslade07

Hypothetically (yeh, as if!)…if you were presented with the following 2 guitars, which would you pick (both the same price - both from the same shop)

1. Squier FSR Classic Vibe 60s Telecaster Thinline - Aztec Gold
2. Squier Vintage Modified Thinline Tele (2008) - Shoreline Gold

Both at £295

Would you plump for the newer CV Tele, or the older VM. I can’t remember much about them but I have a feeling the VMs were pretty decent back in the day, but not sure if they are ‘worth’ the same price as a newer Classic Vibe?

I know the answer is always ‘go and try them both out’ but interested in the CV v VM comparison

Schnozz

I'd get some smelling salts and then ask myself why I was thinking about toy guitars with gunky necks, soft frets, stiff tuners and a profile that comes with carpal tunnel syndrome? Followed by a coffee with a gold bar.

victorludorum

Is the VM one the model they did with the 24.75" scale?

markslade07

victorludorum said:

Is the VM one the model they did with the 24.75" scale?

The advert doesn’t mention it so I assume not

markslade07

Schnozz said:

I'd get some smelling salts and then ask myself why I was thinking about toy guitars with gunky necks, soft frets, stiff tuners and a profile that comes with carpal tunnel syndrome? Followed by a coffee with a gold bar.

I get the distinct impression that perhaps you don’t like them…

victorludorum

markslade07 said:

victorludorum said:

Is the VM one the model they did with the 24.75" scale?

The advert doesn’t mention it so I assume not

I would do some digging as I think it does.

markslade07

victorludorum said:

markslade07 said:

victorludorum said:

Is the VM one the model they did with the 24.75" scale?

The advert doesn’t mention it so I assume not

I would do some digging as I think it does.

Off to Google…

guitarjack66

Whichever has the chunkier neck. If any do.

thecolourbox

I like my CV 60s thinline, mine is in the standard wood colour though rather than the fancy gold. I have a VM Mustang which is my day to day instrument as I think it can cope better with being left out etc and it's small so nice and easy to play with. I like that very much too for different reasons, though I know that probably doesn't help as it's not a direct comparison with that specific model. My Mustang is also modified, different pickups than normal and the fretboard edge has been rolled, so not sure how different that makes it from the standard VM quality. 

I find purely from a vanity point of view that the colour choices were nicer on the VM ones than the Classic Vibes which typically seem to just be different versions of beige or cream - however that's not relevant in this case as they are both lovely gold colours so can ignore that trivial point

Lez325

I would go into the shop plug them both in and see which I prefer

Littlejonny

I don’t know why they insist on making CVs with such dark lacquer on the necks - I think they look silly. 

mark123

Schnozz said:

I'd get some smelling salts and then ask myself why I was thinking about toy guitars with gunky necks, soft frets, stiff tuners and a profile that comes with carpal tunnel syndrome? Followed by a coffee with a gold bar.

I ordered the thinline when it was on offer at Amazon for £230  sent it back , it did feel like a toy with a strange neck shape  , pick ups were poor , just felt cheap ,
I'm not a classic vibe hater the strats and tele's are in another league and i currently own 2 classic vibe tele's that have seen off a baja and a vintera tele.

Humboldt

I was dropping off my G&L Tribute Thinline at the local guitar shop to sell for me and had the chance to try out a used CV Thinline which he had in stock. The G&L is, in my opinion, just so much more guitar although the neck humbucker isn't to everyone's taste. But, value wise, they are about the same. You should be able to pick up a mint used G&L for not much more than £300 and it's one of the best quality guitars that I've owned. 

Funkfingers

thecolourbox said:

… my CV 60s thinline … modified, different pickups than normal and the fretboard edge has been rolled …

I have a cunning plan, my lord.

thecolourbox said:

not sure how different that makes [my VM Mustang] from the standard VM quality. 

The Lace Sensors reject hum.

The switching is more versatile. 

The blocked off vibrato holds pitch. 

The tumbled fingerboard edges make "thumb over" fretting more comfortable. 

The fingerboard itself is rosewood rather than pau ferro, laurel or baked maple.

bluenile

I believe the classic vibes moved to Indonesia back in 2019 and changed some specs including pickups and so on, I've not compared them to the older Chinese models but worth mentioning some of the rave reviews online might be for the older models. I like the look of the tele custom model with binding Squier do

Sesh

I have a CV thinline tele. It is a replacement for the first one I order which went straight back to the supplier due to multiple issues. This one is not perfect, but plays and holds tune well. Well, it did. It's well down the pecking order with what I have. I haven't picked it up for a while and I really should sell it.
I've had a vm mustang and a VM jaguar. These I got secondhand so I can't comment on out of box quality but they were pretty good. I'd put them above the cv quality wise. 

thecolourbox

Funkfingers said:

thecolourbox said:

… my CV 60s thinline … modified, different pickups than normal and the fretboard edge has been rolled …

I have a cunning plan, my lord.

thecolourbox said:

not sure how different that makes [my VM Mustang] from the standard VM quality. 

The Lace Sensors reject hum.

The switching is more versatile. 

The blocked off vibrato holds pitch. 

The tumbled fingerboard edges make "thumb over" fretting more comfortable. 

The fingerboard itself is rosewood rather than pau ferro, laurel or baked maple.

I like the combination of things that you did to it, thanks for clarifying further than I knew as you know I'm not very technically minded. Do you recall if it was nice to play before all that, or was that indeed why you did the changes?

Funkfingers

thecolourbox said:

Do you recall if it was nice to play before all that or was that indeed why you did the changes?

Long story, likely to take this Discussion further off topic and, hence, unlikely to help the OP.

FWIIW, the Indonesian-made CV series is to almost all intents and purposes the old VM series design with minor cosmetic changes. Go back further and the VM is a mildly altered Standard series. 

Epsilon

Get the aztec gold one. Ditch the neck and pickups and replace with aftermarket. You'll have a very nice guitar for not much more money.

Gilly

Epsilon said:

Get the aztec gold one. Ditch the neck and pickups and replace with aftermarket. You'll have a very nice guitar for not much more money.

Might as well replace the body as well while you’re at it.

lovestrat74

We needs pics. Best looking one wins