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Average Price: $650

Standard/Professional

$500

$1201+

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Description

Embrace the vintage vibes and modern reliability with the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline. Taking inspiration from the hot-rodded Teles of the late '60s, this guitar offers an aesthetic and tone that is both nostalgic and fresh. Its Wide Range Humbuckers provide a fiery sound, while the '70s-style neck, replicated from actual vintage pieces, adds an authentic touch. The semi-hollow ash body encased in a glossy polyurethane finish not only looks stunning but also contributes to its rich and resonant sound.

Key Features:

  • Modeled after the customized Telecasters of the late '60s
  • Equipped with Wide Range Humbuckers for a hot, full-bodied tone
  • Features a chunky '70s-style neck recreated from vintage specimens
  • Semi-hollow ash body enhances resonance and tonal richness
  • Glossy polyurethane finish accentuates the guitar's aesthetic appeal

Product specs

Brand Fender
Model Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline
Finish 3-Color Sunburst, Natural
Year 2000 - 2018
Made In Mexico
Categories Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitars
Body Material Alder, Ash
Body Shape T-Style
Body Type Semi-Hollow Body
Bridge/Tailpiece Type String-Through
Color Family Brown, Tan
Finish Pattern Sunburst
Finish Style Gloss
Fretboard Material Maple
Fretboard Radius 7.25"
Model Family Fender Telecaster
Model Sub-Family Fender Telecaster Thinline
Neck Construction Bolt-On
Neck Material Maple
Number of Frets 21
Number of Strings 6-String
Nut Width 1.65"
Offset Body Non-Offset Body
Pickup Configuration HH
Right / Left Handed Right Handed
Scale Length 25.5"
Series Fender Classic Series

FAQs

What is the neck profile of the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline?

The neck profile of the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline is a U shape, which provides a comfortable and solid grip, suitable for players who prefer a thicker neck feel.

What type of pickups does the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline have?

This guitar features Fender's wide range humbucking pickups, which deliver a rich, full-bodied tone suitable for a variety of music genres, from rock to jazz.

Is the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline suitable for live performances?

Yes, the semi-hollow body design and wide range humbucking pickups make it ideal for live performances, offering a versatile sound and reduced weight for easier handling on stage.

What is the body material of the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline?

The body is made from ash, which contributes to its bright tone and lightweight feel, making it comfortable for extended playing sessions.

Does the Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline come with a case?

Yes, this guitar comes with a gig bag, providing basic protection for transport and storage.

Matt The Guitar Guy

Matt The Guitar Guy

Fender '72 Telecaster Thinline Guitar Demo & Review

Video thumbnail for Fender '72 Telecaster Thinline Guitar Demo & Review by Matt The Guitar Guy

Fender '72 Telecaster Thinline Guitar Demo & Review

Matt The Guitar Guy

Matt The Guitar Guy

Video thumbnail for Fender Classic Series '72 Thinline Telecaster Natural by 2tu Guitars

Fender Classic Series '72 Thinline Telecaster Natural

2tu Guitars

2tu Guitars

Video thumbnail for Classic 72 Telecaster Thinline by Robin Smith

Classic 72 Telecaster Thinline

Robin Smith

Robin Smith

Reviews

PROS

  • Versatile sound range from country twang to smooth jazz and hard rock

  • Excellent combination of acoustic feel and classic Telecaster format

  • Comfortable, light build with a chunky neck

  • Durable, glossy poly varnish finish

  • Distinctive, bright Fenderish sound from pickups

  • Effective and functional volume and tone knobs

  • Wide range humbuckers provide a lively tone

  • Great intonation and tuning stability

CONS

  • Pickups can be muddy and require swapping for optimal sound

  • Common buzzing issue that needs technical adjustment

  • Heavier than typical Thinline models, around 8 lbs

  • Thick plastic finish can feel less premium

  • Bridge saddle pins may be too short for some adjustments

Add

5.0 out of 5

Based on 8 Reviews and 57 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
andris_gabor

It has everything normalm teles don't.

I used to be a big fan of the Baja telecaster. I am the only guitarist in the band and single coil teles were somehow not really cutting through the band mix. I have always used one or two dirt pedals so the single coil hum got pretty annoying after a while. Mine is a made in Japan 72 Thinline and it is such a great guitar. Pretty noiseless wide range humbuckers it has, bigger output, but still has the teletwang. My only complaint is the size of the frets. I have never been keen on slim vintage frets so I am thinking of changing them into mediou jumbos, or narrow tall frets.

guitarmstrwlane

Good sounding, Great intonation

The first thing I looked for when I was trying out guitars was intonation. All the ones I had played before I picked the 72 tele from the top, they were all craggy with intonation. This guitar is not tone-def, and has great intonation. The current WRH are apparently a shadow of the original WRH, but I like them. The guitar has a poppy, crisp sound not often seen in humbuckers. Pickup selection goes from most umph to least umph, good for cleaning up a tone that needs less low end. Bridge selection sounds good for hard rock high-gain, neck for worship guitar fullness.

The only complaint I had about this guitar is that the bridge saddle pins were a little short when I bought the guitar. I tried adjusting the height of the strings without messing with the truss rod, and didn't have much pin to move the string up. But I got it at a reasonable height.

jimmarchi1

you know that by adjusting the saddles you can fix the intonation? Look for a player with bad intonation and then demand a discount because it needs work, LOL

Your saddle height problem is just a tele neck angle thing. You could take the neck off and see if its shimmed. If so, remove the shim and take all the relief out of the neck. See if the action is where you want it then....

mattjonessunsetavenue

My main studio and live guitar.

I use my '72 reissue for just about everything. The neck is perfect and the intonation is great! The wide range humbuckers in my opinion are a bit less dark then the humbuckers on my Blacktop Strat and gives the guitar a very lively tone. Overdriven or clean, this guitar fits the bill. It is also light, and because I love to jump around on stage, low weight is fairly important for me!

codywellons

Great overall tones

Love the sound and feel of this guitar, although I did swap out the pickups with Lollar Regals which made a nice difference. Only complaint is that the finish is very fragile and began to chip apart after only a year or two of ownership.

ferdelazerda

Modded

This guitar has the new fender 2020 cunife wide range humbuckers, the original pickups has been changed 2 times, first with the mojotone clone wide range humbuckers, and now the fender new wide range. It also has a black pickguard and 1 Meg CTS pots

sindre

Good guitar, mediocre pickups.

I have the rare custom colour version (Lake Placid Blue). The pickups are a bit dull and lacklustre, and the neck is too hefty for my taste. Still more than a decent guitar; with clearer pickups it'd be pretty good, actually.

black__jack__official

Great guitar

With a surprising tone similar to our gretsch this guitar won us over and gave us an excellent blues tone.

rikoflishas

that is a beautiful guitar. I've seen the guitarist of Full of Hell playing with one, but in seafoam color. Looks like it is very very versatile even though is semi hollow

willemtk

Such a nice sound! A real Coldplay guitar!

One the favorite guitar of Jonny Buckland thats why i bought it and it was a good choice.

mohammadnaderi

I See a Perfect A Electric Guitar, it is Very Powerful for Blues & Jazz Genre

jimmarchi1

ya ever just sit back and think "I am glad my name isn't Buckland?" I just did....

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Stefan Olsdal uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Stefan Olsdal

Guitarist, Bassist

Placebo

...
Verified via YouTube

In the YouTube video titled "Placebo - Live at Bizarre Festival (18.08.2000) [HD]" by Дмитрий Федин, Stefan Olsdal of Placebo is seen performing with a Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline.

See how Kirk Fletcher uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Kirk Fletcher

Guitarist

The Mannish Boys

...
Verified via YouTube

Kirk is using his thinline tele in this video, among many others

See how David Sullivan uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

David Sullivan

Guitarist

Red Fang

...
Verified via YouTube

In this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv2T4LLtQPc&t=304s at 1:50, David says he loves Telecaster's, but especially Thinline because they have two humbuckers. At 2:04 he notes that he specifically likes the '72 version of the Thinline Telecaster. Also, At 2:08 he says that the one he uses (his favorite) is Mexican made. The Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline has two humbuckers, and is made in Mexico. Earlier in the video (0:50) he shows that he has a Fender Telecaster Thinline that was actually made in 1972, but taking it on the road was too harsh of an environment for it, which implies that the one he currently uses was not made in 1972.

See how Jonny Ashburn uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Jonny Ashburn

Guitarist

Caspian

...
Verified via YouTube

For guitars, Jonny has been seen using a Classic Series Thinline Telecaster.

See how Doyle Martin uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Doyle Martin

Singer, Guitarist

Nothing

...
Verified via YouTube

at 0:09 in the video you can clearly see the make of the guitar.

See how Jake Clarke uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Jake Clarke

Guitarist

Superheaven

...
Verified via YouTube

In the YouTube video by Run For Cover Records, Jake Clarke of Superheaven discusses and plays his Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline.

See how John Nolan uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

John Nolan

Guitarist

Taking Back Sunday

...
Verified via Photo

In this user-uploaded photo on Flickr, John Nolan is seen playing a Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline. In an interview with Guitar World, Nolan expressed his preference for Telecasters, stating, "I love the feel of the Telecasters, although I don't like the sound of the pickups that come on the regular Telecaster. I prefer P90 pickups a lot better; that way, you get a feel of the Telecaster and get a sound that's more like a Les Paul."

See how Tiny Moving Parts uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Tiny Moving Parts

Tiny Moving Parts

...
Verified via Instagram

Riff posted on instagram 11/9/17

See how Keaton Henson uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Keaton Henson

Singer, Guitarist

...
Verified via YouTube

In this tiny desk session Keaton Henson is clearly shown to be using his Fender Classic Series ‘72 Thinline Telecaster, which he uses in all his performances dated back to 2011. It is clearly identifiable by the f-hole and double humbucker pickups, unique to the 72 Thinline Telecaster, rather than the American Special or Deluxe as previously claimed. It is sunburst.

See how Nick Steinborn uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Nick Steinborn

Guitarist, Drummer

The Wonder Years

...
Verified via reddit

In this Reddit post, Nick states that he uses a Thinline Tele with a StewMac body, AllParts neck, a Seymour Duncan Vintage Stack in the bridge and a Bill Lawrence Keystone in the neck.

See how Jordan Rakei uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Jordan Rakei

Singer, Keyboardist

...
Verified via YouTube

Jordan Rakei is seen using this guitar in youtube videos, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlbXpM_RRP8&ab_channel=JordanRakei at 0:39 and also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaVhwLb8N9E&ab_channel=MontreuxJazzFestival at 16:57. In both videos, he is shown to play the instrument without the use of a plectrum but in less of a fingerstyle manner and more of a hand-strumming fashion.

See how Eric Cannata uses Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline

Eric Cannata

Guitarist

Young the Giant

...
Verified via YouTube

In the Fender Sessions YouTube series featuring Young the Giant, Eric stands with his Thinline Telecaster at :26 of the video. He uses the Thinline in the tracks Wake Up, The Walk Home, and Dollar $tore from the album American Bollywood featured in the video. Eric is seen holding and playing the Thinline throughout the video.

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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Community setups

Show yours
anthony_lovegood

anthony_lovegood

Gear IQ 196

sean808080

sean808080

Gear IQ 131

tastatore

tastatore

Gear IQ 544

ggentle

ggentle

Gear IQ 355

1 alternative for Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Thinline, curated by the Equipboard community.

Squier Classic Vibe '70s Thinline Telecaster

$389.00 - $529.99

cheaper alternative

Never played one personally, but I know they are just a cheaper Far Eastern made Squier equivalent. Can’t go wrong with Squier for the money. Set it up correctly and you’ve got a great guitar!

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