Telecaster Pro-Tone Review

1996 made in Japan 2 piece ash in blond finish, single coil in the Bridge humbucker in the neck. 21 fret maple neck with maple fret-board.

Features:	9
Sound:	9
Action:	9
Reliability:	9.5
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	7.5
Reviewer rating:	9.2
Users rating:	5.7
Votes:	3

Reviewed by: unregistered, on march 01, 2011

Features: 1996 made in japan 2 piece ash in blond finish, sinle coil in the Bridge humbucker in the neck. 21 fret maple neck with maple fret-board. String thru body with modern teli bridge. Stock tuners work excelent no need to replace them. Standard telicaster controls 1 volume, 1 tone and a 3 way switch. If it didn't say squire you'd swear it was a Fender custom shop model. // 10

Sound: This model was only made for 2 years and Fender stoped production due to the high quality(this puts USA telis to shame). The teli twang is there in abundance. But being the tone snob I am I had a JB jr modified and placed in the Bridge now all I can say is the sound is like a Bright LP. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: Plays amazing fret work is top notch, neck is smooth. The body is a little thicker than a normal teli but still comfortable. I can not say enough great things about this "POS" squire, except that it is far from a "POS" Squire. I got compliments from every one on how nice the finish was for a "country guitar"! And if they played it they always wanted to buy it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Never had a problem with it yet and I had it for about 6 yrs and sold it now I wish I could eather buy it back or find another one but they are going for $600+ now if you are even lucky enough to find one. This is a quality made instument with out a doubt. I've put it up aganst $1400 Usa Teli's and it destroys them. Don't belive me google them. // 10

Impression: Teli's are the only fenders I like, don't know why they just are. I've been playing for 16+ yrs now and know a little about a good guitar, and it don't always have ot have a big name on the head stock. I would love to own another one but they are almost impossible to find now days. If you ever come across one buy it you will not be dissapointed. // 10

overall: 8.6

Reviewed by: Robbgnarly, on december 16, 2011

Purchased from: Traded for MIM P-bass

Features: Made in 1996 by the Samick factory in Korea. It is 25.5" scale with 21 med frets. Maple neck with a rosewood fret-board. Very thin neck for a Telecaster. The body is a beautiful 2 piece Ash in Vintage blond. Modern string through Tele bridge. Neck PAF style HB and a Tele single coil in the bridge (I modded mine with a Seymour Duncan JB JR bridge pickup). Even for a Squier The hardware and tuners are as good as most Fender models under $700. // 8

Sound: This guitar is the only Ash body guitar I have, and it sounds really nice and snappy. The Neck HB is actually pretty nice, but the JB JR in the bridge is excellent. I can run it as a HB or coil tap it to get a more traditional Tele sound. I use this with a Line 6 SVHD100/Bugera 333 and a Krank Rev 4x12. I think it sounds like a bright LP with the pickup change. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar plays amazing. I really find it hard to believe that this is not a US made guitar. The body is a beautiful 2 piece Ash that you'd be hard to find on a sub $900 fender. I have let many people try this guitar and most like it better than their Fender Tele's. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This is a 1996 model, so that means that it is 16 yrs old. It still has all the original prts minus the Bridge pickup I swaped out. I would not hesitate to play it live, because I have been for the last 6 yrs I have owned it. The strap buttons were replaced with Schaller strap locks. The finish is still in very good condition for a 16 yr old guitar that has been giged quite often. // 9

Impression: Over all I am extremely pleased with this guitar. I play everything from Blues to metal with this and it copes just fine. It has a distinctive sound compared to my other guitars. If you look for one used, you'll be surprised at how much it will cost for a used Squier, they go for typically $400-$600 on eBay! After owning this for several yrs now I can see why Fender stopped this line. It is everything that a diecent USA Fender is, at a fraction of the price new. // 9

Comments

[rv_phoenix]

I don't see any humbucker in the bridge position: just a stock "lipstick" Tele single coil.
Then, the first reviewer awarded the guitar a 9 for sound, despite the fact hat he replaced the bridge pickup. And then claimed that a Squier copy of a Tele Thinline semi-hollowbody can play metal (perhaps it does, but with a little help of a ton of hi-gain amplification and Line 6 digital modelling: in such conditions, any guitar would do, even my electro-acoustic Seagull!).
The only true thing is that a '96 Squier is better than many contemporary "Made in Mexico" or "Crafted in China" Fenders. Too bad for Fenders.

[Robbgnarly]

rv_phoenix wrote:

I don't see any humbucker in the bridge position: just a stock "lipstick" Tele single coil.
Then, the first reviewer awarded the guitar a 9 for sound, despite the fact hat he replaced the bridge pickup. And then claimed that a Squier copy of a Tele Thinline semi-hollowbody can play metal (perhaps it does, but with a little help of a ton of hi-gain amplification and Line 6 digital modelling: in such conditions, any guitar would do, even my electro-acoustic Seagull!).
The only true thing is that a '96 Squier is better than many contemporary "Made in Mexico" or "Crafted in China" Fenders. Too bad for Fenders.

Well the one picturd is a thinline, which mine is not. Mine is a solid body(ash)in blonde. It came stock with a full sized HB in the neck and a single coil in the bridge.
My SV has the Strymon SV Pre installd, so it sounds much better than a stock SV.