Electric Guitar Review

The Fender ’72 Telecaster Thinline is for the guitarist who loves the raw, crunchy sound of a Tele, but longs for a tone just a little bit warmer and rounder than a standard Telecaster can offer.

I played one of these exclusively for about three years, and found the Thinline’s semi-hollow body (made of ash,) and dual “Wide-Range” humbuckers, provide for a surprisingly versatile range of tone, from punchy and bright to warm and airy.

Another advantage of this guitar? It’s singular sound is easy to pick out in the din of a live show, and unlike some of my previous guitars, the ’72 Telecaster Thinline teamed with a 60-watt Fender tube-amp was more than capable of making itself heard above the rhythm section.

At less than $700 I’d be quick to add one of these to my collection again––if only I could justify buying another guitar ;)

The Fender ’72 Telecaster Thinline Features–

• Semi-Hollow Ash Body
• Maple Neck
• Maple Fingerboard With 21 Frets
• Dual Fender Humbucking Pickups
• Master Volume & Master Tone Controls
• 3-Way Pickup Switching
• Vintage Style Strat Strings-Through-Body Hardtail Bridge
• Fender/Schaller Tuning Machines
• Chrome Hardware
• 4-Ply White Pearloid Pickguard
• “F” Hole

It seems silly now, but one of the things I loved about this guitar was the pearloid pickguard – it’s got a great vintage look. The ’72 Thinline comes in 3-Color Sunburst or Natural finishes…but my personal favorite is the “Natural.” It really brings out the natural beauty of the ash body.

Stand-out features for me include the single-piece maple neck––sporting Fender’s comfy “U” shaped profile––and of course that light-weight semi-hollow body… a very comfortable and reliable guitar for long nights on stage.