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Post subject: Vintage Modified Tele Thinline...worth upgrading?
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 11:27 am
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I've been poking around guitar shops lately and keep getting drawn to the 1972 and 1969 (68?) Mexican made Thinline reissues. Anyhow, knowing I shouldn't be buying anything else anytime soon I put it on the backburner.

By chance yesterday for $125 I snagged a used 2010 Squier Vintage Modified Tele Thinline in shoreline gold. Great feeling neck for a cheap Chinese guitar and the overall fit and finish look nice. Haven't tested with my own amp yet, but sounds nice even unplugged.

So who knows what mods can be done to these to turn them into real players and get closer to the Mexican reissue tone territory? I generally replace pickups, capacitors and such, but am unfamiliar with interchange of Tele hardware.

Anyone know what wood is used for the body construction of these?

Thanks for any insights ;)


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Post subject: Re: Vintage Modified Tele Thinline...worth upgrading?
Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:55 pm
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jeffo46 wrote:
The only thing I would change on that would be the stock Capacitor which is attached to the tone pot. Put in either a Orange .022 Cap or a Fender Ceramic cap. The pickups on those are Duncan designed and are quite good so, I don't see any reason to change them IMO.


Just got to finally plug the guitar in tonight and am impressed!

I love the neck Duncan pup thru my Blues Jr and I'll say the neck and fretboard were the easiest for me to transition to out of any guitar I have. I was suprised to find this is a 7.25" radius fretboard, not a 9.5" like I assumed.

I agree with changing the capacitor. Cheap and simple upgrade. I have a .022 paper in oil capacitor I'll pop in and maybe some CTS pots. Can you tell me if .022 was the original capacitor size? Were the potentiometers cheapos as well?

I do want to find a replacement quality bridge plate and saddles. Anyone know of a compatible unit?


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Post subject: Re: Vintage Modified Tele Thinline...worth upgrading?
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:53 am
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First thing I would do is replace the string tree and put another for the D and G strings as I find my strings pop out every now and then. I have the same guitar in black and I love mine- I was thinking about the pickups but in all honesty they sound brilliant! :)

Also, the bridge on mine is soon going to be replaced with a better quality 3 saddle bridge.. I prefer them and plus, something rattles in mine. I was thinking of a wilkinson 3 peice with compensated saddles:)

Also, remember that the VM Thinline Tele has a shorter scale than other strats and teles making it an easy & very comfortable guitar to play

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Post subject: Re: Vintage Modified Tele Thinline...worth upgrading?
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 7:30 am
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Blertles wrote:
First thing I would do is replace the string tree and put another for the D and G strings as I find my strings pop out every now and then. I have the same guitar in black and I love mine- I was thinking about the pickups but in all honesty they sound brilliant! :)

Also, the bridge on mine is soon going to be replaced with a better quality 3 saddle bridge.. I prefer them and plus, something rattles in mine. I was thinking of a wilkinson 3 peice with compensated saddles:)

Also, remember that the VM Thinline Tele has a shorter scale than other strats and teles making it an easy & very comfortable guitar to play


I had been eyeballing this bridge on ebay which looks to be the actual Fender version of the bridge on the Squier, but seller said not compatible. One thing for sure is that the adjustment screws for the saddles are much shorter (due to the longer scale for Tele necks) http://www.ebay.com/itm/190598702223?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

Of course there are the 3 saddle vintage style bridge by Fender available as well. (used on their current tele models) I dont think sourcing longer saddle screws would be tough...but I wonder if the 4 mounting holes would line up to the Squier body. Hmmm. :?:


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Post subject: Re: Vintage Modified Tele Thinline...worth upgrading?
Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 4:07 pm
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Hmm, on close inspection, that bridge is exactly the same as the one on your tele- in all honesty you wouldnt ben gaining much by installing it>>

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But here's an idea- maybe the existing ones may work? worth a try. Otherwise go to your local hardware store and they will be able to get one for you no doubt :)

Perhaps one of these?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-52-RI-U ... 2c60da1f52

One thing seems certain, the american standard bridges certainly wont fit

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