*Leave your comments and opinions about these guitars below! What other comparisons would you like to hear?* Please help support my lessons by donating here: paypal.me/MZabel335 Squier Classic Vibe vs Affinity Telecaster: ua-cam.com/video/UjZ-4zfaLPc/v-deo.html Mark Z’s Guitar School: mark-z-guitar-school.teachable.com/courses
I met some early 2000s indie band my wife was doing a meet and greet with. We got to the show early to set up the event. The guitarists were playing matching vintage vibe telecasters. I think they had just recently come out. They let me play them when I made some snide remark about Squiers. I was put in my place. I was very impressed. I have been meaning to get one for two decades now. Got sidetracked by modular synth.
I have a CV 60's Custom Telecaster (Chinese era) that has been one of my main players for over a decade now. The frets are still fine, I think I've made 2 minor neck adjustments in that whole time, and it is my most tuning-stable guitar I own. Rock solid guitar and I love it.
I honestly prefer the sound of the CV all the way through. More "sparkly" and crisp and "vintage". The Vintera sounded a more modern take on a Tele sound. Not as well-defined as the CV.
Yeah and if he drops it and it breaks no big issue , Id say Fenders are more for 1 off large gigs where your established as a musician , Squier guitars are more to have fun with and play daily as they are so cheap to buy.
I learned in a 50’s Tele that my guitar teacher “had lying around!” I can definitely hear differences but I’m not sure they are $600 worth. I think it comes down to what you plan to do with it. For the average player, adding the Squire to your collection is affordable and worth it. If you’re a pro…definitely worth the extra money.
Thanks for your input! Many of us learned on far, far worse guitars than are available today for dirt cheap. The Squier Classic Vibe is a fine guitar. And it ticks the boxes right for beginners mainly because it has decent-to-good fretwork and playability, which is the most important thing for beginners and IMHO average players too. The Fender beats it (IMHO) in all those categories, but having a real professional setup remedies a lot of the playability difference as well. Lots of approaches.
@@MarkZabel You nailed it about playability. Learning on a 50’s Tele was quite deceiving. When I bought my first guitar at 17, I felt like I was learning to play all over again.
I guess you could say I am a 'pro'. Musicians now have different oppertunities to those who lived in the old days. Back then musicians (if they weren't signed) only had paid gigs or open mic nights. Now musicians are also producers and can work with everything. My point being is, the instrument no longer matters and in actual fact, never mattered. I can play a shitty £50 guitar from ebay and adjust the EQ and compression to my liking and make it sound like it's £1k+; any competent producer can. The Classic vibe is phenomenal for what it does out of the box and I've had other tele players in my studio playing it more than other guitars I have which are worth way more. What I'm saying is that times have changed and 'cheap' guitars are actually fucking great. Don't forget, The Beatles started off with cheap gear and still made great music (Hofner bass/Rickenbacker, which was cheap back in the days).
I have the Squier 50s classic vibe and love it. I have a mexi strat, epiphone Les Paul custom, Gibson SG, and several other cheap guitars, Harley Benton and Eart.
Great playing as usual! You can hear the quality difference in the Vintera but the Classic Vibe is a great affordable Tele. I have the Baja Tele which became the Vintera modified series and it is a superb guitar. 😊
Thanks so much! You're absolutely right. The Classic Vibe is a great guitar too - especially for the money. Spending the extra depends on what you want and how much you want to pay for it. An extra $600 is nothing to sneeze at for most people (like me!)
Squier ALL DAY for me. The differences are so minor, the Fender should be $100 more. Not $600. You're just paying to have the Fender stamp on your headstock, which is kinda silly
I watched the first bit then just closed my eyes and listened, I really couldn’t tell any real difference in the sound, I did like the color of the fender more
No, you’re paying for it being made in this country. It will be made using better quality woods and parts. Our country should’ve never allowed importing goods from the third world because it’s screwed up the perception of what goods should be priced at when comparing our own wages used to buy goods. If we stopped importing products from the third world where labor is so cheap we’d have companies manufacturing here. Which would mean more jobs and the wages would be on the same level as the products we buy because they’d be made here, by American workers making enough money to buy the USA made products. It would be balanced. We have a service based economy here which equals lower wages. Can one work at a Burger King and buy an American strat? No. But they can buy one imported here from a country that pays very little for skilled labor.
@@wyattsdad8561 that dude is clueless, lol. I bought the exact same squier direct from the fender warehouse, made in indonesia... it was even inspected in cali. well, it arrived and the frets weren't even seated all the way down and had sprout, the setup was garbage, neck bowed wayyy too much, fret ends looked heat damaged, scratches in the finish of the neck, tuners barely moved, among many other issues. the squier quality control is absolute garbage. I returned it immediately.
I think the Fender Tele sounds just a little more spanky however, if I'm buying I think I would choose the Squire Classic Vibe Tele. You can clean up the nut, get brass saddles for around $30.00, and if the tuners are that much of a pain, you can get good ones for around $50.00. I have a cousin who does luthier work on the side, and could make a broomstick play like a custom shop guitar. I would rather spend my time playing and improving my chops, than working to payoff the Fender. 😀
Great video. The interesting thing about the classic vibe is you can partcaster it into being a more authentic Tele than the Fender Vintera model...for around the same amount of money of the Fender. Just buy a Fender neck and bolt it on, and swap the pups...the Mexican made necks are around $200, a lot of the times can find cheaper and since this is a Mexican Fender it makes sense. The same twisted pup kit is around $200...the out of phase switch is a gimmick so not needed. The Pine body should sustain better and be a bit warmer than the Alder body on the modern Fender...and the pine body is the spec of the original teles. All these mods are really easy to do, swapping necks is literally screw off, screw on...Pup swap is easier than people think...and in the process it's a good learning XP.
I found a asc strat copy that played amazing and I put about 800 bucks in parts and electronics in it and it plays like an American strat it's a workhorse guitar and it was well worth the time and effort in putting it together and setting it up myself I want to mod my squire cv 50s tele
I have a 2010 CV and love it. I changed the bridge out for a Fishman piezo with pre-amp for acoustic versatility but the original bridge was a three BRASS barrel and very nice. I left the guitar original otherwise and use it as one of two for gigs. Cost me $350 cdn. Killer deal.👍🎶
My first electric was a Pacifica. Couldn't get on with it so I sold it. Bought a Fender which was nice and still have. Since then I've bought 4 Squiers which I still have including a brand new CV '50s Butterscotch black guard Tele that just arrived. What a great guitar! Will probably never buy another Pacifica or a Fender but would not hesitate for a single second to buy another Squier. Would like to see some different colors released from Squier for the CVs in 2023. A CV in Midnight Wine, Antique Olive or Agave blue would be great. I'd buy one of each. Cheers!
I have a CV tele (bought used) that I changed out the pups to SD Antiquities, added cloth wiring, new pots/ caps and a Switchcraft jack and switch and steel wooled the gloss off the neck. Also added brass saddles. The stock tuners hold tune well. Got a great set up and it is a gigging machine. Probably spent 350$ all together. It’s awesome and will hang with any American made tele.
@@mikehurley5052 A good amp is obviously important, but it’s not everything. Just wanted to say it’s already a well made guitar and I had fun doing easy and inexpensive upgrades. Truth be told, the real tone is in the fingers more than anything else.
I've played guitar for 25 years. I own 8 guitars and have played and owned a lot more. I recently picked up a dirt cheap mint squier classic vibe after reading some great reviews and wow! I gotta say it is an amazing guitar. I've got American strats and USA les Paul's and whilst this guitar doesn't quite reach the same level it feels like it deserves to be in that 'premium' guitar range rather than 'budget'. I don't think you can buy a better guitar for the money.
The maple neck and fretboard on mine is the easiest playing guitar I got I was blown away at how easy it was to play I could hit notes up and down the fretboard with ease you have to play it with a very light touch I was able to do some leads that I couldn't quite get on my american deluxe tele or a dean select series exile that's like a walk in the park as far a playability costing 3x the price of the CV 50's tele love the neck it makes me sound like I know what I'm doing it's improved my technical playing significantly
Finally I found a video comparing the CV 50s and the Vintera 50s mod, the 2 guitars I was really torn between! And also, thank you so much for not using pedals or anything like that. Super comparison! I was so tempted to buy the CV but I think I will go for the Vintera. Lots of people seem to have issues with the tuners on the Squier, and 2 or 3 other smaller annoying things. Sure you can modify the Squier but I'm not a handyman and my luthier here in Norway takes $100 an hour. New tuners, brass saddles, fret setup including the work is a few 100 dollars right there, and you still have squier on the headstock. Also the Vintera no doubt in my mind sounds clearer and brighter. Oh and I love that blue colour.
Hi Gert! Glad you found the video helpful. They are both good guitars. The Vintera is clearly a better made guitar, but paying the additional money is a personal decision. I had the same thinking as you - I could hire someone to change pickups, switches, nut, tuners, hardware ... or I could do it myself (but I already have enough to do!) ... or I could spend the additional money. The last option was right for me. But for some the CV works fine even without modifying. Seems like you're thinking it through in the right manner! Thanks for stopping by my channel!
j ai toujours fait le choix d acheter la serie classic vibe , et j ai toujours fait une mise a niveau au top , avec des accessoirs que j ai choisi , et a chaque fois j ai un instrument unique pour a peine le prix d une fender mexicaine , et bien mieux equipée .
I own Fender Custom Shop, a USA Hamer and many other guitars. I bought my CV Tele in Feb 2021. It's one of my main players. Okay, it needed a fret level/profile out of the box but for me, that's a couple of hours work. Brilliant guitar. I have always mewant to upgrade the pickups though I have not done that yet: testament to how good it is! Victor... PS: Sound-wise, there is a tad more clarity in the Fender pickups (on this video) but certainly nothing that you would pick up on. Classic Vibe all the way for me (I sold my 2008 Standard US Tele to buy it)...
Excellent comparisons. The original Fender has (what I would call) better tonal definition -at least to my ears, particularly on the clean sounds and that magical forth position. That said, the Squire seems to be a good deal for what you get. Since I recently purchased the Squire CV, I might consider some simple mods.
I used to have a CV50's and now Im getting a Modified 50's Tele. The Squier is great, sounds very good. But for me is the thin neck that I dont like and the reason I sold it back then and that I havent grabbed one again. The Fender has that thick neck that I like, plus the pickups that come in the Vintera I know them well and like them very much, is what I want on a Tele. The broadcaster on the bridge and twisted on the neck suits me perfectly. Also the satin neck is something I like as well. The brass saddles and better tuners, also a plus. I actually used to have an American Original 50's. Such a great tele but disliked the sticky neck (there is somethig weird about the nitro of Fender usa, other fender had the same thing) and very small frets. the pickups were great but, very vintage tele, but myself is not the sounds por voice i looking for. So actually for me is the fender vintera modified is cheap compared to the american original. like half the price. But if you like the CV neck ,then yeah, is hard not to go for that one. I would mod it myself, but the good thing of the fender vintera modified is that I need no mods on that guitar.
To my ear the Fender Tele has the edge all the way, not that the Squier is in anyway a bad guitar (especially for the money). Somehow the Fender plays better and just sounds spot on in every way.
These comparison videos are the best, partly because you can really hear the difference. But also what you're playing is nice to listen to so you can hear the difference in the feeling you want the sound to have. To be honest, the tone I want from a Tele i feel I'm hearing more in the Squire. The Fender sounds slightly muted, like the edge is buffered out. The Squire had that sharpness to it's tone and a nice resonance. I've got a strat and an sg so I want that country and blues sound I felt you were getting better on the Squire. I prefer the character of the sound. Thanks for demonstrating :)
As I am just learning and will never gig with my guitar I’m going to have to go with the Classic Vibe. Maybe down the road, if my playing gets to a much higher level, I will be able to justify to myself the cost of that sweet Fender but I’m not there yet. I have a Classic Vibe 50’s Strat and I love it.
Hey! Buy some parts and throw together your own personalized tele. I’m a super fan of the original 52 telecaster pickups. I have 4 teles I’ve built with them. The squier is great. How much do you play? Are you jamming with friends? Gigging? If you care about the fender logo buy a fender neck and slap it on your squier. I’ve done that. The Vintera s are great sounding and playing too. As for the 3 saddle bridge intonation , it’s fine . I’ve used both 3 and 6 saddle bridges. They both work. My most recent build is a 75th anniversary diamond metallic with a player neck, 52 original pickups with a Wilkinson compensated 3 saddle bridge. Amazing! Cost me like $750 to put together. There you have it . Play on! Oh yeah, new tele has the four way switching. Very nice. The s 1 out of phase sounds are just weird.
@@MarkZabel my first tele was a mid 90’s Mexican made. Purchased for $325 . Very nice. Traded it for a Japanese made strat after a short period . Also very nice. I was heavy into strats at the time. Then les Paul’s . Then built my first tele with a really nice red transparent mahogany quilt top body from rock audio. All other parts were fender. It’s a keeper . Mahogany body, 52 original pickups , American six saddle bridge , Mexican made modern c neck. Came together nicely as a stand out instrument. After that my only fender made tele is the Broadcaster anniversary model. Had to have it , ya know. All teles are GREAT ! As long as you play them 😁👍
I sold my Tele, missed it, it took me 5 years looking to replace it. Got the American professional and love it. I did try a Brad Paisley Esquire and was blown away. Really these are both great guitars in this demo, you really can’t go wrong here.
I've had all sorts of Fenders.Looking back at it now, I think it is far better to buy a used American Fender.Or brand new one.The feel , playability and quality can leave me speechless. But, I still bought a new Butterscotch Blonde Squier Tele Thinline just last week , because of the 6.2 lb weight and it is great for that price. Thank you
I'm really impressed of the Squier Classic Vibe, and I actually prefer the glossy neck over satin. The pickups are really nice too as is the sound in general. Hardware is not especially nice, but perfectly acceptable for a 400€ guitar. Impressive.
j ai toujours decidé d acheter les telecaster et stratocaster de la serie classic vibe parce que ca me plait de faire une mise a niveau avec les accessoirs que j ais choisi , ainsi j ai a chaque fois des instruments de qualité professionnel pour bien moins cher qu une Fender mexicaine , et equipé au top , avec ce que j ai choisi , et pourtant j ai toujours eu le budget pour acheter des Fender americaine , mais pour moi l esprit de la telecaster ce n est pas une custom shop a 4 ou 5000 dollars , c est justement cette Classic vibe , guitare accessible a tous comme l a creer Leo en 1950 , une guitare pas cher , ultra simple , et que l on peu bricoler tyrers facillement .
I don't have a ton of guitars, but what I've always done is that I take a simple used Squier Classic Vibe, which is not very expensive, and modify it myself. By changing the nut, pickups, and pickguard, in the end, it's worth it because even if it raises the bill by $400 or whatever, I end up with an instrument that is well set up, well finished, and well upgraded. After that, it depends on what you're looking for. Some people don't want to modify it; they want to buy a guitar, and that's it for them. I would recommend getting a Fender and sticking with that
That works! I'd leave the pickguard but add tuners (for ease, not tuning stability), bridge, and electronics. A 4-way switch is a huge plus. I never knew how much it added until I did it. Makes an already versatile guitar more versatile. I also personally like the pickups on the Squier CV. Great classic Tele sound IMHO, so I would probably leave them.
@@MarkZabel And the trick is to buy as much as possible second-hand because you can get really good deals, and I'm aware that it's not a solution that works for everyone, but for me, taking a guitar that's originally cheap and changing all the important parts for me has proven to be profitable, especially if I do it myself, which means that afterwards I end up with two Squiers that are absolutely awesome in terms of setup and hardware, for the same price, I would have had something worse because I would have paid the 'brand tax’ .
I own a squire contemporary tele and it’s better than my previous two teles I owned; one was a Mexican standard and the other was a parts caster with an all parts neck and a warmoth body.
Both are nice guitars. I just traded for a 2021 Squier CV 50's Telecaster. They are made in Indonesia now. The nut on mine is cut perfectly. Super low and consistent nut action. The 3 way switch is not a PC board box switch like the China ones. It is the same CRL style switch that is in my MIM Fenders. That is a plus in my opinion. Dime sized pots, however, they do function well. I have not played a Vintera, but I do have a MIM Charvel San Dimas and I concur that the craftsmanship is to another level. My Player Strat is to another level as well. My older MIM Strats though are closer to the standard of the Squier CV's. The older MIM price point was closer too. lol Oddly enough, when I compare my instruments to one another, I can appreciate the quality differences, but when I'm playing, I don't really seem to care.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I think you nail it on the head in the end. The differences can be appreciated. Both will get the job done. It really is a question of what you'll enjoy. Money spent on something you'll enjoy is money well-spent. Thanks again!
Good review. I think the vintera sounded pretty good in all cases, but the CV held its own in the bridge with gain...a little more raw. Currently the vintera modified goes for $1200 new and I just can't justify it, especially when the CV is no slouch. That Daphne Blue looks sharp though!
If you played a gig, literally no one in the audience could tell the difference between the two. Good guitar players will make either guitar sound great. But having the true iconic Fender or Gibson head stock means a lot to the player and other guitar players. It's worth the extra money to me and I have quite a few guitars on the wall. Great playing in the video, Mark.
Thanks! Yes, I agree ... except a few guitarists who were in the audience ... would see the sticker and say "that guitar sucks." LOL! The Squier is a good instrument. If you buy the Fender (or a more expensive one even) you should buy it because you really will get more enjoyment out of it. It's definitely a better built instrument, but yes, no one listening would care.
As it is now, the better choise is the Player Nashville telecaster. It comes with noiseless pickups + a middle pick-up that gives you a tele and a strat all in one guitar. The build q. is amasing.
I have a Tele performer series, American made Yosemite pick-up’s and came with the 3 barrel bridge, which l changed to Gohto compensated 3 barrel brass bridge. The fender barrels were brass but had no intonation compensation or string guides. This was a great improvement. This guitar sold in the neighborhood of $1400.00 so it is even more than $600.00 than the squire. But if you want a guitar with quality and holds its value and probably in the future gain value. I will go American all the way. All my guitars acoustic and electric are USA made.
Hi Mark, in my mind I feel that the Fender Telecaster is the aspirational guitar, one you work up to so in that respect is worth the money but the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster is a very well made budget instrument for getting up and running when buying a Telecaster for the first time, so is also worth the money so take your pick and enjoy that bridge pickup!... 🙂
l have a buttercream vintera telecaster 70’s Limited Edition with a maple fretboard. It has steel rather than brass saddles. The pick ups are custom shop twisted tele pick ups. It can rock and l love playing pink floyd stuff on it as well as blues and jazz.
Both are great guitars. Played them both at the guitar shop. The Vintera's sound is more pleasant for my ears (I avoid the term "better") and if I must chose between these two, I would go with the Squire and put Vintera pickups :D 'cause I like 9.5" fretboards. I bought a MIM strat and switched the picks to Vintara 60s, sound better. But I guess I will buy a Larry Carlton T7 FR.
I was lucky enough to have a squier cv tele as my first electric guitar. I loved it. It was one of the original Chinese factory models which came with brass saddles and I think the overall build quality was better than the next generation Indonesian ones. When it came to upgrading I went for the Fender Vintera Modified 50’s tele (I managed to get hold of one of the few BSB ones which they discontinued early on. This has an ash body (think they are all alder now). It has everything you could possibly want in a tele and more. Recommend both guitars.
Put some vintage or Seymour Duncan puckups and some locking tuners in the squier, and you will still be WAY under the budget of that other telecaster yet still have a rock solid guitar. That's what i did and it's my favorite guitar
As someone who is a satisfied owner of an Affinity Telecaster they both sound pretty darn good to me. The Fender is a touch cleaner but not by much. If play with the gain up I'm not sure you could tell the difference.
Cool ... and yes, with a bunch of gain it doesn't much matter. Neither of these guitars are meant for that though. Charvel (a Fender company) makes some very good guitars meant for high gain and with all the "shred style" features like a compound radius neck, rounded heel joint, locking tuners and so forth. Pretty well-priced I think.
Hello, i'm a beginner player and just got a CV 50s Tele as my first guitar. How did you take off the gloss on the neck? Did you leave some finish on or have the entire thing off?
Something else that matters to some is resale value. I have a 1994 Fender MIM PBass. I gave $125 for it several years ago. The day after I bought it, I was offered what it cost nee in 94. I still have it but I'm offered $$ for it regularly. The Squier isn't going to hold the value like that. That doesn't matter to everyone, but to many it does. Just like my Jeep Wrangler and Harley. If I ever sell, I know I'll come out on top.
I'm so impressed by the great super affordable guitars you can get today - but the truth is if I bought one just to tinker around on I know I would never pick it up because I'm super happy with the current guitars in my stable!
Yes, I end up that way too. I only upgrade the stuff I really like but want to keep and make better. Like maybe putting a new neck on my old Strat. (Love the sound, have always disliked the neck.) I've been getting rid of a number of mine lately because I just don't play them any more.
Your an absolute Legend Mark, this is years of experience, time, and Money and more that I did not have to waste thanks to you, you took me right to the result. A Rockstar, thanks a million brother, this is for you 👑
Thanks. Today I watched several Squier Tele reviews and fully expected to NOT hear that much difference between the two -- certainly not enough to justify $600+. However, aside from the better neck (subjective) and tuners on the Vintera, the sound, in every case, was just fuller, richer, and punchier from the Vintera. Now, depending on one's needs, I could see where the Squier would be just fine. And if the difference had been in the thousands, vs hundreds, I could definitely see leaning towards the Squier. But as you said, over the course of years, decades, or a lifetime, the Vintera seems to justify the cost because it brings the best bang for the buck to the table. (Although I could probably live without the extra switch on the vol control.) Just my 2 cents.
@@MarkZabel 💯 And skill set. I think too often some people think getting a better guitar is going to make them better. It's an illusion. OTOH, I've heard Justin Johnson play a 3 string shovel guitar that will blow away a lot of other guitars and guitar players, because he's a real artist. Still, if a guitar has action that's suited for slide, and the tuners won't stay in tune, then that's different. But the Squier is a fine guitar. It's just that the Vintera is more refined.
I have a Squire affinity ...less than 300 bucks. I put locking tuners ,a new bridge a Graphtec nut, and a good set up and I'll put that up against a fender anyday.
Amazing; well done. I’m a new ear (March 2024) and not (yet) a guitar player, yet .. I could hear the difference between the two Tele variations, however, I want to listen carefully to this guitar comparison again (and maybe again!) in order to more fully appreciate and understand each model variation.
I love the blue colour of the fender, BUT buy the Squier and spend the $600 you save on a decent amp and some effect pedals. You will feel so much better for doing it., and buy some sand paper to sand the squier neck
Hey Glyn. Yeah, that makes sense for some folks for sure. I would use a 3M pad though, because unless you're sure you're going to like the bare neck you should try it first. I have never had an issue with glossy necks. I prefer satin or bare, but they're all fine.
My favorite Fender/Squier telecaster that I own is my Fender deluxe Nashville Tele. My 2nd favorite is my Squier CV 50s Tele in the natural pine finish. But I love the color on that blonde Tele! And that blue Tele sounds beautiful!
You want that "Fender" tone (what ever that is), simple, change the caps and pots, easy simple cheap !! kits cost about £40 tops. Want that Fender name on the neck? change it, original tele second hand ones always kicking about for £100 your still saving £300 but you can start low and upgrade as you desire. Your Fender also has the Gloss Urethane neck difference? very little if any unless you get a Rosewood yeah I like mine on other guitars I own but seriously its not critical and a good one potentially costs as much as the Vibe on its own or get the Vibe 60 !!! The pickups Alnico 3s on the Vibe 50 are more than good enough for most players but the caps upgrade does I think improve them a lot, smoother and deeper depends on the rating you can change tone with different rated caps. same saddle bridge on both I prefer individual so its an upgrade I would personally do to BOTH GUITARS. Conclusion for the money the Vibe really is a good guitar !! with potential for future upgrades
Great sounds, sir! I'm starting to study country guitar and next month I'll go to find one classic vibe 50: on clean bridge position sounds very better than Vintera. Thanks!
wonderful comparison. thank you. i am happy to have ordered the surfgreen modified today. sounds really fantastic. I started with Fender, changed to G for a while and now i remorsefully came back to F. Interesting somehow. Merry Christmas, Mark !
I’ve got the CV and upgraded the pots, switch & jack and also put some brass saddles on it and now it’s my favourite guitar and is also the cheapest I have. It’s on par with and in some ways better than my Mexican Fender.
Honestly I don’t own a telecaster I own a strat and since playing for 3 yrs I’ve always been a strat guy, was at college the other day and left my guitar at home, so for practicing I went and borrowed one of the colleges guitar, I picked up that same exact classic vibes telecaster that you have there and started playing it and loved it, it was a lot lighter than I thought I thought it would be in les paul territory for weight but I was wrong and I loved playing it which is why I’m now on the market for a telecaster
I recently picked up a Harley Benton Tele clone. If you're willing to change the bridge pickup it's otherwise excellent. Cost is about $150 plus shipping ... then you'll mostly likely want to change the pickup ... another $100 or so.
@@jmdyt3626 Yeah, that shipping fee to the USA is a killer. Seriously though, it's nice. I think the model number I have is the 62 series. Nicely built.
There you go! Of course I might not know how to play the Squier! 😀 Seriously, I like the Squier CV and recommend it for people who just don't want to pay ... or wait as the case may be. But yes, add the build quality and extra tones and I know the best choice for me and probably you too. I bet you never thought I'd be a Fender man, eh? 😀
There actually is quite a difference to me. The Fender has a more authentic, vintage egde-of-breakup punchy twang while the Squier sounds more controlled and contemporary. I wouldn't mind owning both though
I bet your right but my hearing is shot when it comes to high pitch. I tried one at guitar center, it was a 50s top shelf one. The associate had to get it down for me. When I was done, I asked him what he wanted me to do with it? He replied, I would like you to buy it. I think he was disappointed but I would of got a good arse chewing had I bought it. It was a sweet guitar though. I'm thinking the mim for my style of playing.
I had a square telli that had a serial number 00603 which I don't know is low or normal but dam it played great I wore it out in 900 gigs or about 6500 hours there abouts the frets wore first then the other electronics started doing funny things slightly all at once but dam it was heavy played great drop d .I just changed back to a strat and found it a pig of a guitar for ages after the telli I will get another but my new strat has chosen me and I love it think its the best guitar I've owned now but that took ages to happen
I just ordered a vintera 50's modified (same colour, incidentally!). I thought about a Squier but the quality control scared me off. The Player series just dont seem better enough to justify the increase, so I spent (just a little!) extra and got one of these on special. Delivery cant come fast enough!
Thanks for your comp video. I just ordered a CV tele today. It weighs in at just under 8 lb. Even with the lower quality tuners and saddles, at the price point it was hard to pass up. I'm looking forward receiving it soon.
Thanks! Interesting. Funny thing is that those pickups are among the most expensive Fender makes. Personally I like them, but the main reasons I like the Vintera are the neck, bridge, switching options and overall craftsmanship. Spend $250 on your favorite pickups and a solid body guitar will sound as you like it.
@@MarkZabel my first electric I ever bought as a kid was a 1989 Squier Strat. I fitted it with DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers in bridge and neck and it totally transformed it!
The sound difference is very slight. Also the older I get the more I accept that an audience will literally never tell the difference. Tone is really in the ear of the beholder. I think the bigger difference here is feel which obv we can't tell from a video. The thick laquer on the Squier vs the thinner finish on the Vintera. For me, it's not worth the price difference. However I would take an American vintage '62 tele custom over both of them if money was no object.
Hi Ted. 1. *Definitely* the audience will not know. The 4-way switching is nice. IMHO the pickups are more versatile. Both can be changed. 2. The neck profile will matter more than the finish IMHO. If you don't like gloss, sanding with a 3M pad literally takes a few minutes and $5. 3. The build quality is going to be the biggest thing all around. Cheaper tuners and hardware, fit of neck, better electronics. Slapped on nut vs nicely rounded. You're not guaranteed to get all of these things and they may not matter to you. (E.g., "rough" tuners hold tune just as well as "smooth" tuners, but the experience is different.) In the end, either you care about the differences or you don't. If you don't, you shouldn't over-spend. If you do - even if it's just the Fender sticker! - then you should ask, "Do I want to buy for less and do myself or have a luthier do it?" If you want the new guitar out of the box, buy it. That's why I work, I tell myself as I buy my next guitar!!! :)
When all is said and done, go for the real thing especially if you are a gigging guitarist, I have three 1979 Les Paul deluxes and gigging with them to this day, I have never even had to take the truss rod covers off of those guitars ! I sold a grotty strat full of 60 buzz way back, when Id spent the extra dollars on the Les Pauls I never looked back, it's stupid to purchase cheap guitars and then spend lots of dollars modifying the dopey things, spend the extra, your audiences will love to listen to what you are doing and you will feel great and produce great music by having a decent guitar on your shoulders
I don't know how they sounded in the room but for me - over UA-cam - these are my conclusions. Preferred the neck-only position on the Fender Vintera. It had more clarity. Preferred the middle position on the Fender Vintera. It had more clarity. Preferred the bridge only position on the Squier Classic Vibe. It had more twang and Tele mojo compared to the Fender. The Fender had less clarity and more low end on its bridge-only position. Overall the Fender is a more versatile guitar because of its additional pickup combinations. So if you wanted one guitar to cover all bases then it would be a good choice. If you were specifically after Telecaster tones - I'd be tempted to go for the Squier Classic Vibe as the bridge pickup is so important to that Tele mojo. Plus the neck-only and middle positions are still pretty good on the Squier CV.
The Chinese made Squier (the butterscotch) had an alnico V and brass saddles that was better. The neck pocket wasnt looser but the screws had to be tightened. That and the pots were questionable in the Squier, but that's nothing a bit of soldering and a few pots cannot change. This is my only non-USA guitar and it sounds better than my USA ones if I have to be honest. The neck on these chinese Squiers were very comparable to my Suhrs in profile (albeit less refined). Eitherway, it fought me just enough to be always fun.
@@honzamerta8177 Classic Vibe. I don't believe the other ones have alnico pickups. I am pretty sure they are Toneriders too. They don't hold up to higher gain, but great for my purposes.
I’ve got the exact same cv tele in white blond. It was between it and a players series. Couldn’t hear much difference. My first electric and great guitar regardless of price. Since I’ve had it for 2 years, I’ve changed the pick guard to mint green, swapped saddles for compensated brass, changed tuners to Kluson Supreme, got some locking strap hardware and filed the the nut down some. Fun upgrading parts and making your own. Also sanded down back of neck. Gloss was too sticky for me.
Ive never played a Tele, but I kept watching because I loved all the bits you kept playing. The blue one is obviously better, but the white one would be a great beginner guitar. Have you ever played a schecter? Ive preordered the solo 2 custom in the aged black satin finish. Be here in Sept. Anyhow, nice to see ya today man, good shootout with the teles😁
I've never owned any Schecter, but I've played a few. Nice guitars. The Solo 2 looks great. I would go for the gloss natural myself, but yeah, it looks great. A bit heavy for me though.
Awesome play!! Each has different tone even perfectly the same model. In this case dirty tone on CV is better to my ears. In my case I prefer my Fender 60s strato tone to CV 60s.
Great comparison video. I have the butterscotch Squier Classic Vibe 50s so was nice to hear how it stands up to the Fender Player. One question though. Are you using the same strings on each and I’m curious as to the size of the strings you were using.
Can I ask are rumours about the fret wear true. Did you find your frets wearing fast? I just picked up a classic vibe exactly the same as the video same colour 2nd hand for 219 dollars. It's barley been played sent it off to a luthier as it Had a stripped screw on it and for a set up as I'm new to playing and only had an acoustic up until this point so dont know much about setting them up. At 38 years young it feels abit late to get into but I've been self teaching for about 8 months now and love it.
I haven't played the Fender model you have in this video... but I've played the classic vibe next to several other telecaster models and I like the sound of the CV more than most... though I really like the sound of the performer and professional too. But I think the CV sounds better then anything less than the performer. The CV neck is perfect size for me... and I actually prefer gloss back of neck... which is how it is on my core PRS custom 24, Gibson Les Paul, etc. I don't like the satin feel in the performer or player... they feel and look cheap to me... but each to their own. The CV I played recently was built like a tank and craftsmanship was just as good as any higher end telecaster I've played... though the fret metal edges were slightly sharper. As for the CV pickups... They are fantastic... but I notice you have to crank the bass all the way up in your amp to get them to come alive. Is buying a more expensive telecaster worth it? Hell no... but I still may buy one because of the color or look I want...or for variety of tones... which is the same reason I have more than one Les Paul guitar... they all sound and look a bit different. Is the fender really better than the CV? I would say no... not at all... unless you want more pickup options or different colors...or a satin neck... otherwise the tone won't be better just slightly different. I think the CV sounds as good as any of my expensive guitars... PRS core custom 24, CE 24, PRS Chris Robertson, Gibson Les Paul, American Fender stratocaster, etc...yes they are that good...at least the ones I've played... you can always get a lemon with any guitar...
The CV is good certainly. Totally solid choice. You seem to be in the minority with glossy necks. (Either one is fine with me, but people today seem to favor satin. Maybe just fashion.) But yes, the CV is a great choice!
@@MarkZabel agreed... most people these days seem to prefer satin necks. I had a CE 24 PRS also with a satin neck and liked it fine but the wood looked better than what is on the fender player and performer... but maybe it was just the stain... guess I don't like the white finish on the satin necks. All of the choices are great though depending on tone you like.... Nice video thanks
FYI... I just bought an American Perforner Telecaster too. It sounds and feels completely different than my CV. You would never think they were both telecasters. The performer is much warmer and fuller sounding... like a Les Paul oddly... and the CV is very bright and biting. I think the build on my CV is just as good in every way... maybe I got lucky with mine but it's flawless. The Fender may look and feel slightly more premium... but maybe because I prefer the honey vs blonde finish and rosewood versus maple fretboard... because they are both beautiful and solid. I don't think an expensive fender blonde tele will look or feel any better than the CV. So which sounds better? I think they both sound stellar... and the pickups are phenomenal on both. The resonance on the CV is better actually but I may prefer the warmer tone on the fender for my playing style... but it's just preference one not better than the other. They really are completely different sounding guitars though... I think the CV is very classic tele sounding and the performer very modern sounding... I don't even think the performer sounds like a telecaster really... but I love it because it's different sounding. I really want to try the Fender model in your video too...it sounds great and has lots of tone options...
@@MarkZabel - I prefer a satin neck because for me they are far more comfortable to play on. My hands get sticky on gloss necks. My preference is nothing to do with fashion!
Ill add that all the Squiers Ive seen in this model have a 3 piece body. The Vinteras usually are 5 pieces. Getting away with that because they are painted. If the Squier frets do really wear faster (I haven’t played mine long enough yet to verify) that isn’t a problem really, because they are tall frets than can be leveled several times. If you want vintage sound the Squier is your Tele!
Thanks! I think the recommendations in the video are in line with my thinking on the Player Series. You won't get the more versatile sounds you get in the Vintera Modified and you'll get a modern C profile neck, 6 saddle bridge. But the core of the guitar is great and it's going to be a better build than the Squier CV (which is also a nice guitar). Personally I would spend the extra $300 and get the Fender Player Series, but it depends on your own thinking and budget.
I think the Squier CV 50s sounds great. Just remember that sound is not the only thing that matters. (I'm not saying that the Vintera is the right choice for everyone, but it's a different level of quality.)
Tele is all about utility and ease of use so I really think Squier fills that role perfectly with the price of $400. I don’t see a problem dropping huge money later on with Fender if you really dig Tele and wants the best out of it but as the jack of all trade guitar I would want this so I can just play it anywhere not thinking about damaging it.
Nice comparison Mark. The lacquered neck on the Squier is a no go for me. I much prefer the satin finish. Also, I found the Squiers to be a bit heavier which is also not desirable.
Thanks Frank! I understand. I don't mind the gloss, but if you don't like it, it's really easy to use a Scotchgard pad and some cornstarch to get a satin finish. I mentioned the weight issue in the video as well. Most are well above 8 lbs and often 9.5 lbs or so. Too heavy for me. The one I'm playing in the video is 7.5 lbs, but I waited quite a while for it.
@@MarkZabel Mark, I find the best all around models to be the Fender Players Series. The Tele’s, Strats and even the Basses all seem pretty consistent. They are the closest I have played that resemble the former American Standard Series. Shame the price seems to keep going up as Fender appears to be closing the quality gap between the Players Series and the American models.
ive owned fenders and gibsons , gretch, ibanez, godin, ive had my 04 epiphone les paul studio since then and i LOVE it i became very afraid of losing it so i stopped bringing it on the road, tried MANY replacements, even another epiphone les paul studio. grabbed 2 affinitys at differnt points but recently grabbed a classic vibe and stuck a p90 in the neck. love that thing
*Leave your comments and opinions about these guitars below! What other comparisons would you like to hear?*
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Your way of speaking is real calm and comfortable. Real pleasure to listen to.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I met some early 2000s indie band my wife was doing a meet and greet with. We got to the show early to set up the event. The guitarists were playing matching vintage vibe telecasters. I think they had just recently come out. They let me play them when I made some snide remark about Squiers. I was put in my place. I was very impressed. I have been meaning to get one for two decades now. Got sidetracked by modular synth.
Modular synths would be so expensive aha, I know what you mean. I keep seeing great deals on 2nd hand squires I never have the cash for lol
I have a CV 60's Custom Telecaster (Chinese era) that has been one of my main players for over a decade now. The frets are still fine, I think I've made 2 minor neck adjustments in that whole time, and it is my most tuning-stable guitar I own.
Rock solid guitar and I love it.
I honestly prefer the sound of the CV all the way through.
More "sparkly" and crisp and "vintage".
The Vintera sounded a more modern take on a Tele sound.
Not as well-defined as the CV.
Yeah and if he drops it and it breaks no big issue , Id say Fenders are more for 1 off large gigs where your established as a musician , Squier guitars are more to have fun with and play daily as they are so cheap to buy.
I learned in a 50’s Tele that my guitar teacher “had lying around!” I can definitely hear differences but I’m not sure they are $600 worth. I think it comes down to what you plan to do with it. For the average player, adding the Squire to your collection is affordable and worth it. If you’re a pro…definitely worth the extra money.
Thanks for your input! Many of us learned on far, far worse guitars than are available today for dirt cheap. The Squier Classic Vibe is a fine guitar. And it ticks the boxes right for beginners mainly because it has decent-to-good fretwork and playability, which is the most important thing for beginners and IMHO average players too.
The Fender beats it (IMHO) in all those categories, but having a real professional setup remedies a lot of the playability difference as well. Lots of approaches.
@@MarkZabel You nailed it about playability. Learning on a 50’s Tele was quite deceiving. When I bought my first guitar at 17, I felt like I was learning to play all over again.
Well put sir ✔️
The comment that I needed to read
I guess you could say I am a 'pro'. Musicians now have different oppertunities to those who lived in the old days. Back then musicians (if they weren't signed) only had paid gigs or open mic nights. Now musicians are also producers and can work with everything. My point being is, the instrument no longer matters and in actual fact, never mattered. I can play a shitty £50 guitar from ebay and adjust the EQ and compression to my liking and make it sound like it's £1k+; any competent producer can. The Classic vibe is phenomenal for what it does out of the box and I've had other tele players in my studio playing it more than other guitars I have which are worth way more. What I'm saying is that times have changed and 'cheap' guitars are actually fucking great. Don't forget, The Beatles started off with cheap gear and still made great music (Hofner bass/Rickenbacker, which was cheap back in the days).
I have the Squier 50s classic vibe and love it.
I have a mexi strat, epiphone Les Paul custom, Gibson SG, and several other cheap guitars, Harley Benton and Eart.
Great playing as usual! You can hear the quality difference in the Vintera but the Classic Vibe is a great affordable Tele. I have the Baja Tele which became the Vintera modified series and it is a superb guitar. 😊
Thanks so much! You're absolutely right. The Classic Vibe is a great guitar too - especially for the money. Spending the extra depends on what you want and how much you want to pay for it. An extra $600 is nothing to sneeze at for most people (like me!)
Squier ALL DAY for me. The differences are so minor, the Fender should be $100 more. Not $600. You're just paying to have the Fender stamp on your headstock, which is kinda silly
Probably worth ~$250 more but they won’t retail a guitar for less than 1k for image reasons
I watched the first bit then just closed my eyes and listened, I really couldn’t tell any real difference in the sound, I did like the color of the fender more
No, you’re paying for it being made in this country. It will be made using better quality woods and parts. Our country should’ve never allowed importing goods from the third world because it’s screwed up the perception of what goods should be priced at when comparing our own wages used to buy goods. If we stopped importing products from the third world where labor is so cheap we’d have companies manufacturing here. Which would mean more jobs and the wages would be on the same level as the products we buy because they’d be made here, by American workers making enough money to buy the USA made products. It would be balanced. We have a service based economy here which equals lower wages. Can one work at a Burger King and buy an American strat? No. But they can buy one imported here from a country that pays very little for skilled labor.
@@wyattsdad8561 that dude is clueless, lol. I bought the exact same squier direct from the fender warehouse, made in indonesia... it was even inspected in cali. well, it arrived and the frets weren't even seated all the way down and had sprout, the setup was garbage, neck bowed wayyy too much, fret ends looked heat damaged, scratches in the finish of the neck, tuners barely moved, among many other issues. the squier quality control is absolute garbage. I returned it immediately.
@@wyattsdad8561 the player series are made in mexico lol
I think the Fender Tele sounds just a little more spanky however, if I'm buying I think I would choose the Squire Classic Vibe Tele. You can clean up the nut, get brass saddles for around $30.00, and if the tuners are that much of a pain, you can get good ones for around $50.00. I have a cousin who does luthier work on the side, and could make a broomstick play like a custom shop guitar. I would rather spend my time playing and improving my chops, than working to payoff the Fender. 😀
Agreed! The Classic Vibe is the bomb for the price
tuners work fine!!!! no issues on mine or my CV mustang.
Great video. The interesting thing about the classic vibe is you can partcaster it into being a more authentic Tele than the Fender Vintera model...for around the same amount of money of the Fender. Just buy a Fender neck and bolt it on, and swap the pups...the Mexican made necks are around $200, a lot of the times can find cheaper and since this is a Mexican Fender it makes sense. The same twisted pup kit is around $200...the out of phase switch is a gimmick so not needed. The Pine body should sustain better and be a bit warmer than the Alder body on the modern Fender...and the pine body is the spec of the original teles. All these mods are really easy to do, swapping necks is literally screw off, screw on...Pup swap is easier than people think...and in the process it's a good learning XP.
The price of American made fender tele or strat necks cost as much or more than the classic vibes tele guitar!
I found a asc strat copy that played amazing and I put about 800 bucks in parts and electronics in it and it plays like an American strat it's a workhorse guitar and it was well worth the time and effort in putting it together and setting it up myself I want to mod my squire cv 50s tele
I have a 2010 CV and love it. I changed the bridge out for a Fishman piezo with pre-amp for acoustic versatility but the original bridge was a three BRASS barrel and very nice. I left the guitar original otherwise and use it as one of two for gigs. Cost me $350 cdn. Killer deal.👍🎶
My first electric was a Pacifica. Couldn't get on with it so I sold it. Bought a Fender which was nice and still have. Since then I've bought 4 Squiers which I still have including a brand new CV '50s Butterscotch black guard Tele that just arrived. What a great guitar! Will probably never buy another Pacifica or a Fender but would not hesitate for a single second to buy another Squier. Would like to see some different colors released from Squier for the CVs in 2023. A CV in Midnight Wine, Antique Olive or Agave blue would be great. I'd buy one of each. Cheers!
my first was a pacifica too! cheers
I have a CV tele (bought used) that I changed out the pups to SD Antiquities, added cloth wiring, new pots/ caps and a Switchcraft jack and switch and steel wooled the gloss off the neck. Also added brass saddles. The stock tuners hold tune well. Got a great set up and it is a gigging machine. Probably spent 350$ all together. It’s awesome and will hang with any American made tele.
And after all that you realised the sound is in your amp.
@@mikehurley5052 A good amp is obviously important, but it’s not everything. Just wanted to say it’s already a well made guitar and I had fun doing easy and inexpensive upgrades. Truth be told, the real tone is in the fingers more than anything else.
@@timfaul1733 True.
It's the guitarist,not the brand
I know some guitarists that have expensive named brands, but they don't help them with their playing though!
I've played guitar for 25 years. I own 8 guitars and have played and owned a lot more. I recently picked up a dirt cheap mint squier classic vibe after reading some great reviews and wow! I gotta say it is an amazing guitar. I've got American strats and USA les Paul's and whilst this guitar doesn't quite reach the same level it feels like it deserves to be in that 'premium' guitar range rather than 'budget'. I don't think you can buy a better guitar for the money.
Well said!
The maple neck and fretboard on mine is the easiest playing guitar I got I was blown away at how easy it was to play I could hit notes up and down the fretboard with ease you have to play it with a very light touch I was able to do some leads that I couldn't quite get on my american deluxe tele or a dean select series exile that's like a walk in the park as far a playability costing 3x the price of the CV 50's tele love the neck it makes me sound like I know what I'm doing it's improved my technical playing significantly
If price is not of concern then I would buy the one that inspires me the most. Based on your comparison, definitely that would be the Fender.
Totally makes sense.
Finally I found a video comparing the CV 50s and the Vintera 50s mod, the 2 guitars I was really torn between! And also, thank you so much for not using pedals or anything like that. Super comparison! I was so tempted to buy the CV but I think I will go for the Vintera. Lots of people seem to have issues with the tuners on the Squier, and 2 or 3 other smaller annoying things. Sure you can modify the Squier but I'm not a handyman and my luthier here in Norway takes $100 an hour. New tuners, brass saddles, fret setup including the work is a few 100 dollars right there, and you still have squier on the headstock. Also the Vintera no doubt in my mind sounds clearer and brighter. Oh and I love that blue colour.
Hi Gert! Glad you found the video helpful. They are both good guitars. The Vintera is clearly a better made guitar, but paying the additional money is a personal decision. I had the same thinking as you - I could hire someone to change pickups, switches, nut, tuners, hardware ... or I could do it myself (but I already have enough to do!) ... or I could spend the additional money. The last option was right for me. But for some the CV works fine even without modifying.
Seems like you're thinking it through in the right manner! Thanks for stopping by my channel!
@@MarkZabel I wasn't dissing the Squier by any means though. I think it's very good value. No question.
@@gertvanrooy428 Yep. I didn't get that impression at all from you. I feel the same.
j ai toujours fait le choix d acheter la serie classic vibe , et j ai toujours fait une mise a niveau au top , avec des accessoirs que j ai choisi , et a chaque fois j ai un instrument unique pour a peine le prix d une fender mexicaine , et bien mieux equipée .
I own Fender Custom Shop, a USA Hamer and many other guitars. I bought my CV Tele in Feb 2021. It's one of my main players. Okay, it needed a fret level/profile out of the box but for me, that's a couple of hours work. Brilliant guitar. I have always mewant to upgrade the pickups though I have not done that yet: testament to how good it is! Victor...
PS: Sound-wise, there is a tad more clarity in the Fender pickups (on this video) but certainly nothing that you would pick up on. Classic Vibe all the way for me (I sold my 2008 Standard US Tele to buy it)...
Excellent comparisons. The original Fender has (what I would call) better tonal definition -at least to my ears, particularly on the clean sounds and that magical forth position. That said, the Squire seems to be a good deal for what you get. Since I recently purchased the Squire CV, I might consider some simple mods.
Glad you liked it!
How you play em is the main thing.
I’ll keep my Nashville Tele. Thanks for sharing.
I used to have a CV50's and now Im getting a Modified 50's Tele. The Squier is great, sounds very good. But for me is the thin neck that I dont like and the reason I sold it back then and that I havent grabbed one again. The Fender has that thick neck that I like, plus the pickups that come in the Vintera I know them well and like them very much, is what I want on a Tele. The broadcaster on the bridge and twisted on the neck suits me perfectly. Also the satin neck is something I like as well. The brass saddles and better tuners, also a plus.
I actually used to have an American Original 50's. Such a great tele but disliked the sticky neck (there is somethig weird about the nitro of Fender usa, other fender had the same thing) and very small frets. the pickups were great but, very vintage tele, but myself is not the sounds por voice i looking for. So actually for me is the fender vintera modified is cheap compared to the american original. like half the price.
But if you like the CV neck ,then yeah, is hard not to go for that one. I would mod it myself, but the good thing of the fender vintera modified is that I need no mods on that guitar.
To my ear the Fender Tele has the edge all the way, not that the Squier is in anyway a bad guitar (especially for the money). Somehow the Fender plays better and just sounds spot on in every way.
These comparison videos are the best, partly because you can really hear the difference. But also what you're playing is nice to listen to so you can hear the difference in the feeling you want the sound to have. To be honest, the tone I want from a Tele i feel I'm hearing more in the Squire. The Fender sounds slightly muted, like the edge is buffered out. The Squire had that sharpness to it's tone and a nice resonance. I've got a strat and an sg so I want that country and blues sound I felt you were getting better on the Squire. I prefer the character of the sound. Thanks for demonstrating :)
Thanks James! Yes, I totally get your appraisal. That's why I'm open about my opinion as it applies to me, but also that others will have their own!
Classi vibe is my choice..scotch bright on the back of the neck and new tuners plus maybe brass saddles and its a winner..thats what i did
As I am just learning and will never gig with my guitar I’m going to have to go with the Classic Vibe. Maybe down the road, if my playing gets to a much higher level, I will be able to justify to myself the cost of that sweet Fender but I’m not there yet. I have a Classic Vibe 50’s Strat and I love it.
Hey! Buy some parts and throw together your own personalized tele. I’m a super fan of the original 52 telecaster pickups. I have 4 teles I’ve built with them. The squier is great. How much do you play? Are you jamming with friends? Gigging? If you care about the fender logo buy a fender neck and slap it on your squier. I’ve done that. The Vintera s are great sounding and playing too. As for the 3 saddle bridge intonation , it’s fine . I’ve used both 3 and 6 saddle bridges. They both work. My most recent build is a 75th anniversary diamond metallic with a player neck, 52 original pickups with a Wilkinson compensated 3 saddle bridge. Amazing! Cost me like $750 to put together. There you have it . Play on! Oh yeah, new tele has the four way switching. Very nice. The s 1 out of phase sounds are just weird.
Thanks for your comments Thomas!
@@MarkZabel my first tele was a mid 90’s Mexican made. Purchased for $325 . Very nice. Traded it for a Japanese made strat after a short period . Also very nice. I was heavy into strats at the time. Then les Paul’s . Then built my first tele with a really nice red transparent mahogany quilt top body from rock audio. All other parts were fender. It’s a keeper . Mahogany body, 52 original pickups , American six saddle bridge , Mexican made modern c neck. Came together nicely as a stand out instrument. After that my only fender made tele is the Broadcaster anniversary model. Had to have it , ya know. All teles are GREAT ! As long as you play them 😁👍
I sold my Tele, missed it, it took me 5 years looking to replace it. Got the American professional and love it. I did try a Brad Paisley Esquire and was blown away. Really these are both great guitars in this demo, you really can’t go wrong here.
Right on!
I've had all sorts of Fenders.Looking back at it now, I think it is far better to buy a used American Fender.Or brand new one.The feel , playability and quality can leave me speechless.
But, I still bought a new Butterscotch Blonde Squier Tele Thinline just last week , because of the 6.2 lb weight and it is great for that price.
Thank you
Thanks for your comment. I don't feel as strongly about Fenders, but I definitely like this one - the Squier is good as well, but not *as* good.
I'm really impressed of the Squier Classic Vibe, and I actually prefer the glossy neck over satin. The pickups are really nice too as is the sound in general. Hardware is not especially nice, but perfectly acceptable for a 400€ guitar. Impressive.
Agree. The Squier CV is a good guitar. If one *does* prefer satin, it's a 2-minute job to do it with a 3M Scotch-brite pad.
They wear out patch marks from fingers those necks but I like worn look especially if its worn by you nothing wrong with a square and they thief proof
j ai toujours decidé d acheter les telecaster et stratocaster de la serie classic vibe parce que ca me plait de faire une mise a niveau avec les accessoirs que j ais choisi , ainsi j ai a chaque fois des instruments de qualité professionnel pour bien moins cher qu une Fender mexicaine , et equipé au top , avec ce que j ai choisi , et pourtant j ai toujours eu le budget pour acheter des Fender americaine , mais pour moi l esprit de la telecaster ce n est pas une custom shop a 4 ou 5000 dollars , c est justement cette Classic vibe , guitare accessible a tous comme l a creer Leo en 1950 , une guitare pas cher , ultra simple , et que l on peu bricoler tyrers facillement .
I don't have a ton of guitars, but what I've always done is that I take a simple used Squier Classic Vibe, which is not very expensive, and modify it myself. By changing the nut, pickups, and pickguard, in the end, it's worth it because even if it raises the bill by $400 or whatever, I end up with an instrument that is well set up, well finished, and well upgraded. After that, it depends on what you're looking for. Some people don't want to modify it; they want to buy a guitar, and that's it for them. I would recommend getting a Fender and sticking with that
That works! I'd leave the pickguard but add tuners (for ease, not tuning stability), bridge, and electronics. A 4-way switch is a huge plus. I never knew how much it added until I did it. Makes an already versatile guitar more versatile.
I also personally like the pickups on the Squier CV. Great classic Tele sound IMHO, so I would probably leave them.
@@MarkZabel And the trick is to buy as much as possible second-hand because you can get really good deals, and I'm aware that it's not a solution that works for everyone, but for me, taking a guitar that's originally cheap and changing all the important parts for me has proven to be profitable, especially if I do it myself, which means that afterwards I end up with two Squiers that are absolutely awesome in terms of setup and hardware, for the same price, I would have had something worse because I would have paid the 'brand tax’ .
I own a squire contemporary tele and it’s better than my previous two teles I owned; one was a Mexican standard and the other was a parts caster with an all parts neck and a warmoth body.
Both are nice guitars. I just traded for a 2021 Squier CV 50's Telecaster. They are made in Indonesia now. The nut on mine is cut perfectly. Super low and consistent nut action. The 3 way switch is not a PC board box switch like the China ones. It is the same CRL style switch that is in my MIM Fenders. That is a plus in my opinion. Dime sized pots, however, they do function well. I have not played a Vintera, but I do have a MIM Charvel San Dimas and I concur that the craftsmanship is to another level. My Player Strat is to another level as well. My older MIM Strats though are closer to the standard of the Squier CV's. The older MIM price point was closer too. lol Oddly enough, when I compare my instruments to one another, I can appreciate the quality differences, but when I'm playing, I don't really seem to care.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I think you nail it on the head in the end. The differences can be appreciated. Both will get the job done. It really is a question of what you'll enjoy. Money spent on something you'll enjoy is money well-spent. Thanks again!
Good review. I think the vintera sounded pretty good in all cases, but the CV held its own in the bridge with gain...a little more raw. Currently the vintera modified goes for $1200 new and I just can't justify it, especially when the CV is no slouch. That Daphne Blue looks sharp though!
Thanks! All makes sense.
I have a MIM and a Squire. I replaced the wiring in the Squire but left the pickups. They both sound good.
If you played a gig, literally no one in the audience could tell the difference between the two. Good guitar players will make either guitar sound great. But having the true iconic Fender or Gibson head stock means a lot to the player and other guitar players. It's worth the extra money to me and I have quite a few guitars on the wall. Great playing in the video, Mark.
Thanks! Yes, I agree ... except a few guitarists who were in the audience ... would see the sticker and say "that guitar sucks." LOL! The Squier is a good instrument. If you buy the Fender (or a more expensive one even) you should buy it because you really will get more enjoyment out of it. It's definitely a better built instrument, but yes, no one listening would care.
As it is now, the better choise is the Player Nashville telecaster. It comes with noiseless pickups + a middle pick-up that gives you a tele and a strat all in one guitar. The build q. is amasing.
Thanks. For people who want noiseless pickups and who are looking for a Strat, that's a viable option for sure.
As much as I like squier budget guitars I like the sound of the fender...blows my mind how the presence of the pick ups sound
I hear you. The Squier CV is a good deal, but yes felt it too. Everyone will have a different opinion. It's important to go with what works for you!
I have a Tele performer series, American made Yosemite pick-up’s and came with the 3 barrel bridge, which l changed to Gohto compensated 3 barrel brass bridge. The fender barrels were brass but had no intonation compensation or string guides. This was a great improvement. This guitar sold in the neighborhood of $1400.00 so it is even more than $600.00 than the squire. But if you want a guitar with quality and holds its value and probably in the future gain value. I will go American all the way. All my guitars acoustic and electric are USA made.
Hi Mark, in my mind I feel that the Fender Telecaster is the aspirational guitar, one you work up to so in that respect is worth the money but the Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster is a very well made budget instrument for getting up and running when buying a Telecaster for the first time, so is also worth the money so take your pick and enjoy that bridge pickup!... 🙂
Well put!
l have a buttercream vintera telecaster 70’s Limited Edition with a maple fretboard. It has steel rather than brass saddles. The pick ups are custom shop twisted tele pick ups. It can rock and l love playing pink floyd stuff on it as well as blues and jazz.
Cool! Glad you did it!
Black star clean impressed me I thought they couldn't get clean clean they great Amos I've heard
Both are great guitars. Played them both at the guitar shop. The Vintera's sound is more pleasant for my ears (I avoid the term "better") and if I must chose between these two, I would go with the Squire and put Vintera pickups :D 'cause I like 9.5" fretboards. I bought a MIM strat and switched the picks to Vintara 60s, sound better.
But I guess I will buy a Larry Carlton T7 FR.
I was lucky enough to have a squier cv tele as my first electric guitar. I loved it. It was one of the original Chinese factory models which came with brass saddles and I think the overall build quality was better than the next generation Indonesian ones. When it came to upgrading I went for the Fender Vintera Modified 50’s tele (I managed to get hold of one of the few BSB ones which they discontinued early on. This has an ash body (think they are all alder now). It has everything you could possibly want in a tele and more. Recommend both guitars.
Put some vintage or Seymour Duncan puckups and some locking tuners in the squier, and you will still be WAY under the budget of that other telecaster yet still have a rock solid guitar. That's what i did and it's my favorite guitar
As someone who is a satisfied owner of an Affinity Telecaster they both sound pretty darn good to me. The Fender is a touch cleaner but not by much. If play with the gain up I'm not sure you could tell the difference.
Cool ... and yes, with a bunch of gain it doesn't much matter. Neither of these guitars are meant for that though. Charvel (a Fender company) makes some very good guitars meant for high gain and with all the "shred style" features like a compound radius neck, rounded heel joint, locking tuners and so forth. Pretty well-priced I think.
I have 3 Squires and play all three. Love em. I did take off the gloss finion the neck. Plays much easier
Great! Glad you like your Squiers!
Hello, i'm a beginner player and just got a CV 50s Tele as my first guitar. How did you take off the gloss on the neck? Did you leave some finish on or have the entire thing off?
Something else that matters to some is resale value. I have a 1994 Fender MIM PBass. I gave $125 for it several years ago. The day after I bought it, I was offered what it cost nee in 94. I still have it but I'm offered $$ for it regularly. The Squier isn't going to hold the value like that. That doesn't matter to everyone, but to many it does. Just like my Jeep Wrangler and Harley. If I ever sell, I know I'll come out on top.
Yes, that's true. The Fender sticker means something today ... 10 years from now, not 100% sure. But definitely true today.
I'm so impressed by the great super affordable guitars you can get today - but the truth is if I bought one just to tinker around on I know I would never pick it up because I'm super happy with the current guitars in my stable!
Yes, I end up that way too. I only upgrade the stuff I really like but want to keep and make better. Like maybe putting a new neck on my old Strat. (Love the sound, have always disliked the neck.) I've been getting rid of a number of mine lately because I just don't play them any more.
Both sound great guitars, but if I had a choice I would go for the neck pup in the vintners and the bridge pup in the CV50s
Your an absolute Legend Mark, this is years of experience, time, and Money and more that I did not have to waste thanks to you, you took me right to the result. A Rockstar, thanks a million brother, this is for you 👑
Glad I could help
Thanks. Today I watched several Squier Tele reviews and fully expected to NOT hear that much difference between the two -- certainly not enough to justify $600+. However, aside from the better neck (subjective) and tuners on the Vintera, the sound, in every case, was just fuller, richer, and punchier from the Vintera.
Now, depending on one's needs, I could see where the Squier would be just fine. And if the difference had been in the thousands, vs hundreds, I could definitely see leaning towards the Squier. But as you said, over the course of years, decades, or a lifetime, the Vintera seems to justify the cost because it brings the best bang for the buck to the table. (Although I could probably live without the extra switch on the vol control.) Just my 2 cents.
It makes sense. It's definitely a personal decision based on cash availability, needs, and so forth.
@@MarkZabel 💯 And skill set. I think too often some people think getting a better guitar is going to make them better. It's an illusion. OTOH, I've heard Justin Johnson play a 3 string shovel guitar that will blow away a lot of other guitars and guitar players, because he's a real artist. Still, if a guitar has action that's suited for slide, and the tuners won't stay in tune, then that's different. But the Squier is a fine guitar. It's just that the Vintera is more refined.
I have a Squire affinity ...less than 300 bucks. I put locking tuners ,a new bridge a Graphtec nut, and a good set up and I'll put that up against a fender anyday.
The new Player II series is my preference now and I can’t believe I’m saying that. I avoided Player I like the plague.
Amazing; well done. I’m a new ear (March 2024) and not (yet) a guitar player, yet .. I could hear the difference between the two Tele variations, however, I want to listen carefully to this guitar comparison again (and maybe again!) in order to more fully appreciate and understand each model variation.
Thanks!
I love the blue colour of the fender, BUT buy the Squier and spend the $600 you save on a decent amp and some effect pedals. You will feel so much better for doing it., and buy some sand paper to sand the squier neck
Hey Glyn. Yeah, that makes sense for some folks for sure. I would use a 3M pad though, because unless you're sure you're going to like the bare neck you should try it first. I have never had an issue with glossy necks. I prefer satin or bare, but they're all fine.
My favorite Fender/Squier telecaster that I own is my Fender deluxe Nashville Tele. My 2nd favorite is my Squier CV 50s Tele in the natural pine finish. But I love the color on that blonde Tele! And that blue Tele sounds beautiful!
Very cool! Can't go wrong with a Tele IMHO!
You want that "Fender" tone (what ever that is), simple, change the caps and pots, easy simple cheap !! kits cost about £40 tops. Want that Fender name on the neck? change it, original tele second hand ones always kicking about for £100 your still saving £300 but you can start low and upgrade as you desire. Your Fender also has the Gloss Urethane neck difference? very little if any unless you get a Rosewood yeah I like mine on other guitars I own but seriously its not critical and a good one potentially costs as much as the Vibe on its own or get the Vibe 60 !!! The pickups Alnico 3s on the Vibe 50 are more than good enough for most players but the caps upgrade does I think improve them a lot, smoother and deeper depends on the rating you can change tone with different rated caps. same saddle bridge on both I prefer individual so its an upgrade I would personally do to BOTH GUITARS. Conclusion for the money the Vibe really is a good guitar !! with potential for future upgrades
Beautiful playing! The guitar comparison is well done, too. 😀
Thanks! You wouldn't be biased now would you?? LOL!
@@MarkZabel I am totally unbiased.
Wonderful review!!
I love your OPINION and HONESTY!!
Thank you so much!
Great sounds, sir! I'm starting to study country guitar and next month I'll go to find one classic vibe 50: on clean bridge position sounds very better than Vintera. Thanks!
Thanks! I prefer the Vintera myself, but the CV is a fine guitar too. Whatever works for you!
Blue witha black guard looks so good 👍
wonderful comparison. thank you. i am happy to have ordered the surfgreen modified today. sounds really fantastic. I started with Fender, changed to G for a while and now i remorsefully came back to F. Interesting somehow. Merry Christmas, Mark !
Thanks so much! Merry Christmas to you too!
@@MarkZabel thank you !
1st time I watched one of your videos. Awesome. No more Mr Nice Guy is my fav rock tune of all time. You play great. Thanks
Thank you! Rock on!
I’ve got the CV and upgraded the pots, switch & jack and also put some brass saddles on it and now it’s my favourite guitar and is also the cheapest I have. It’s on par with and in some ways better than my Mexican Fender.
Good way to do it.
Honestly I don’t own a telecaster I own a strat and since playing for 3 yrs I’ve always been a strat guy, was at college the other day and left my guitar at home, so for practicing I went and borrowed one of the colleges guitar, I picked up that same exact classic vibes telecaster that you have there and started playing it and loved it, it was a lot lighter than I thought I thought it would be in les paul territory for weight but I was wrong and I loved playing it which is why I’m now on the market for a telecaster
I recently picked up a Harley Benton Tele clone. If you're willing to change the bridge pickup it's otherwise excellent. Cost is about $150 plus shipping ... then you'll mostly likely want to change the pickup ... another $100 or so.
@@MarkZabel luckily I live in England so if I wanted a Harley benton I wouldn’t have to pay a shipping fee
@@jmdyt3626 Yeah, that shipping fee to the USA is a killer. Seriously though, it's nice. I think the model number I have is the 62 series. Nicely built.
@@MarkZabel to be fair I was looking at that model not long ago
The fender sounds more rich and complex. Love my Machias. Squire is worthy and in the family...
Great review Mark. Seriously, my ears can tell no difference between the two guitars. I must be easy to please. LOL...
LOL! Well, being easy to please is part of having a happy life! Thanks for watching!
I was listening blind. Everytime I liked and looked, the Fender was the guitar you were playing!
There you go! Of course I might not know how to play the Squier! 😀
Seriously, I like the Squier CV and recommend it for people who just don't want to pay ... or wait as the case may be. But yes, add the build quality and extra tones and I know the best choice for me and probably you too.
I bet you never thought I'd be a Fender man, eh? 😀
There actually is quite a difference to me. The Fender has a more authentic, vintage egde-of-breakup punchy twang while the Squier sounds more controlled and contemporary. I wouldn't mind owning both though
I agree there's a difference in the sound as you describe.
I bet your right but my hearing is shot when it comes to high pitch. I tried one at guitar center, it was a 50s top shelf one. The associate had to get it down for me. When I was done, I asked him what he wanted me to do with it? He replied, I would like you to buy it. I think he was disappointed but I would of got a good arse chewing had I bought it. It was a sweet guitar though. I'm thinking the mim for my style of playing.
@@goingbonzo5923 LOL! Great little story. Fender MIM (player series) are good guitars.
@@goingbonzo5923 Lmao 🤣
@@MarkZabel Great stuff Mark 👍🏼
I had a square telli that had a serial number 00603 which I don't know is low or normal but dam it played great I wore it out in 900 gigs or about 6500 hours there abouts the frets wore first then the other electronics started doing funny things slightly all at once but dam it was heavy played great drop d .I just changed back to a strat and found it a pig of a guitar for ages after the telli I will get another but my new strat has chosen me and I love it think its the best guitar I've owned now but that took ages to happen
Both great guitars, but really just came to say that you play very well!! Rock on!! 🎸
Thanks brother! Rock on!
I just ordered a vintera 50's modified (same colour, incidentally!). I thought about a Squier but the quality control scared me off. The Player series just dont seem better enough to justify the increase, so I spent (just a little!) extra and got one of these on special. Delivery cant come fast enough!
Enjoy!
Thanks for your comp video. I just ordered a CV tele today. It weighs in at just under 8 lb. Even with the lower quality tuners and saddles, at the price point it was hard to pass up. I'm looking forward receiving it soon.
Awesome! The tuners will hold tune just fine. I just find them uncomfortable, so that's the only reason I would change them. Very nice guitars!
@@MarkZabel Thanks Mark. I'm an impulse buyer so I often do the research after I've placed the order 🤣. I appreciate your feedback and channel 👍
Great video, Mark - thanks for sharing! Nice playing, I thought the Fender pickups sounded really cheap and not as clear as Teles usually are.
Thanks! Interesting. Funny thing is that those pickups are among the most expensive Fender makes. Personally I like them, but the main reasons I like the Vintera are the neck, bridge, switching options and overall craftsmanship. Spend $250 on your favorite pickups and a solid body guitar will sound as you like it.
@@MarkZabel my first electric I ever bought as a kid was a 1989 Squier Strat. I fitted it with DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers in bridge and neck and it totally transformed it!
The sound difference is very slight. Also the older I get the more I accept that an audience will literally never tell the difference. Tone is really in the ear of the beholder. I think the bigger difference here is feel which obv we can't tell from a video. The thick laquer on the Squier vs the thinner finish on the Vintera. For me, it's not worth the price difference. However I would take an American vintage '62 tele custom over both of them if money was no object.
Hi Ted.
1. *Definitely* the audience will not know. The 4-way switching is nice. IMHO the pickups are more versatile. Both can be changed.
2. The neck profile will matter more than the finish IMHO. If you don't like gloss, sanding with a 3M pad literally takes a few minutes and $5.
3. The build quality is going to be the biggest thing all around. Cheaper tuners and hardware, fit of neck, better electronics. Slapped on nut vs nicely rounded. You're not guaranteed to get all of these things and they may not matter to you. (E.g., "rough" tuners hold tune just as well as "smooth" tuners, but the experience is different.)
In the end, either you care about the differences or you don't. If you don't, you shouldn't over-spend. If you do - even if it's just the Fender sticker! - then you should ask, "Do I want to buy for less and do myself or have a luthier do it?" If you want the new guitar out of the box, buy it. That's why I work, I tell myself as I buy my next guitar!!! :)
Great Demo, i know how a good guitar plays, just bought a CV60's made in China 2018' and im impressed, wont modify a thing !
Thanks!
Very nice job, Mark. Both reviewing and playing.
Thanks so much!
When all is said and done, go for the real thing especially if you are a gigging guitarist, I have three 1979 Les Paul deluxes and gigging with them to this day, I have never even had to take the truss rod covers off of those guitars ! I sold a grotty strat full of 60 buzz way back, when Id spent the extra dollars on the Les Pauls I never looked back, it's stupid to purchase cheap guitars and then spend lots of dollars modifying the dopey things, spend the extra, your audiences will love to listen to what you are doing and you will feel great and produce great music by having a decent guitar on your shoulders
I don't know how they sounded in the room but for me - over UA-cam - these are my conclusions. Preferred the neck-only position on the Fender Vintera. It had more clarity. Preferred the middle position on the Fender Vintera. It had more clarity. Preferred the bridge only position on the Squier Classic Vibe. It had more twang and Tele mojo compared to the Fender. The Fender had less clarity and more low end on its bridge-only position. Overall the Fender is a more versatile guitar because of its additional pickup combinations. So if you wanted one guitar to cover all bases then it would be a good choice. If you were specifically after Telecaster tones - I'd be tempted to go for the Squier Classic Vibe as the bridge pickup is so important to that Tele mojo. Plus the neck-only and middle positions are still pretty good on the Squier CV.
Thanks for your thoughtful commentary.
I like both I can tell the difference between them but its not enough to make me pay the extra money but both are very good sounding guitars
The Chinese made Squier (the butterscotch) had an alnico V and brass saddles that was better. The neck pocket wasnt looser but the screws had to be tightened. That and the pots were questionable in the Squier, but that's nothing a bit of soldering and a few pots cannot change. This is my only non-USA guitar and it sounds better than my USA ones if I have to be honest. The neck on these chinese Squiers were very comparable to my Suhrs in profile (albeit less refined). Eitherway, it fought me just enough to be always fun.
Cool!
affinity? classic vibe?
@@honzamerta8177 Classic Vibe. I don't believe the other ones have alnico pickups. I am pretty sure they are Toneriders too. They don't hold up to higher gain, but great for my purposes.
I’ve got the exact same cv tele in white blond. It was between it and a players series. Couldn’t hear much difference. My first electric and great guitar regardless of price. Since I’ve had it for 2 years, I’ve changed the pick guard to mint green, swapped saddles for compensated brass, changed tuners to Kluson Supreme, got some locking strap hardware and filed the the nut down some. Fun upgrading parts and making your own. Also sanded down back of neck. Gloss was too sticky for me.
What a Beautiful player you are ,,,,,,,, very good vid, thanks for sharing.
I went gor the 50's Modified and its my go too guitar
Thanks. Enjoy your guitar!
Ive never played a Tele, but I kept watching because I loved all the bits you kept playing. The blue one is obviously better, but the white one would be a great beginner guitar. Have you ever played a schecter? Ive preordered the solo 2 custom in the aged black satin finish. Be here in Sept. Anyhow, nice to see ya today man, good shootout with the teles😁
I've never owned any Schecter, but I've played a few. Nice guitars. The Solo 2 looks great. I would go for the gloss natural myself, but yeah, it looks great. A bit heavy for me though.
I agree with your conclusions. Thanks for posting this comparison.
You're welcome.
I agree I have a strat classic vibe 50s it ok but it is wonkie and buzzes alot. I’ve adjusted the truss rod etc but it’s never perfect
Awesome play!! Each has different tone even perfectly the same model. In this case dirty tone on CV is better to my ears. In my case I prefer my Fender 60s strato tone to CV 60s.
Cool, thanks!
Great comparison video. I have the butterscotch Squier Classic Vibe 50s so was nice to hear how it stands up to the Fender Player. One question though. Are you using the same strings on each and I’m curious as to the size of the strings you were using.
Thanks Bob! Yes, I believe it stands up pretty well. It's definitely a good guitar. I'm using Ernie Ball 9's on both.
Can I ask are rumours about the fret wear true. Did you find your frets wearing fast? I just picked up a classic vibe exactly the same as the video same colour 2nd hand for 219 dollars. It's barley been played sent it off to a luthier as it Had a stripped screw on it and for a set up as I'm new to playing and only had an acoustic up until this point so dont know much about setting them up. At 38 years young it feels abit late to get into but I've been self teaching for about 8 months now and love it.
I haven't played the Fender model you have in this video... but I've played the classic vibe next to several other telecaster models and I like the sound of the CV more than most... though I really like the sound of the performer and professional too. But I think the CV sounds better then anything less than the performer. The CV neck is perfect size for me... and I actually prefer gloss back of neck... which is how it is on my core PRS custom 24, Gibson Les Paul, etc. I don't like the satin feel in the performer or player... they feel and look cheap to me... but each to their own. The CV I played recently was built like a tank and craftsmanship was just as good as any higher end telecaster I've played... though the fret metal edges were slightly sharper. As for the CV pickups... They are fantastic... but I notice you have to crank the bass all the way up in your amp to get them to come alive. Is buying a more expensive telecaster worth it? Hell no... but I still may buy one because of the color or look I want...or for variety of tones... which is the same reason I have more than one Les Paul guitar... they all sound and look a bit different. Is the fender really better than the CV? I would say no... not at all... unless you want more pickup options or different colors...or a satin neck... otherwise the tone won't be better just slightly different. I think the CV sounds as good as any of my expensive guitars... PRS core custom 24, CE 24, PRS Chris Robertson, Gibson Les Paul, American Fender stratocaster, etc...yes they are that good...at least the ones I've played... you can always get a lemon with any guitar...
The CV is good certainly. Totally solid choice. You seem to be in the minority with glossy necks. (Either one is fine with me, but people today seem to favor satin. Maybe just fashion.) But yes, the CV is a great choice!
@@MarkZabel agreed... most people these days seem to prefer satin necks. I had a CE 24 PRS also with a satin neck and liked it fine but the wood looked better than what is on the fender player and performer... but maybe it was just the stain... guess I don't like the white finish on the satin necks. All of the choices are great though depending on tone you like.... Nice video thanks
FYI... I just bought an American Perforner Telecaster too. It sounds and feels completely different than my CV. You would never think they were both telecasters. The performer is much warmer and fuller sounding... like a Les Paul oddly... and the CV is very bright and biting. I think the build on my CV is just as good in every way... maybe I got lucky with mine but it's flawless. The Fender may look and feel slightly more premium... but maybe because I prefer the honey vs blonde finish and rosewood versus maple fretboard... because they are both beautiful and solid. I don't think an expensive fender blonde tele will look or feel any better than the CV. So which sounds better? I think they both sound stellar... and the pickups are phenomenal on both. The resonance on the CV is better actually but I may prefer the warmer tone on the fender for my playing style... but it's just preference one not better than the other. They really are completely different sounding guitars though... I think the CV is very classic tele sounding and the performer very modern sounding... I don't even think the performer sounds like a telecaster really... but I love it because it's different sounding. I really want to try the Fender model in your video too...it sounds great and has lots of tone options...
@@MarkZabel - I prefer a satin neck because for me they are far more comfortable to play on. My hands get sticky on gloss necks. My preference is nothing to do with fashion!
Ill add that all the Squiers Ive seen in this model have a 3 piece body. The Vinteras usually are 5 pieces. Getting away with that because they are painted. If the Squier frets do really wear faster (I haven’t played mine long enough yet to verify) that isn’t a problem really, because they are tall frets than can be leveled several times. If you want vintage sound the Squier is your Tele!
Great comparison. Great playin too. Any opinions a a squier CV50 vs Player Series. Which one u recommend between them
Thanks! I think the recommendations in the video are in line with my thinking on the Player Series. You won't get the more versatile sounds you get in the Vintera Modified and you'll get a modern C profile neck, 6 saddle bridge. But the core of the guitar is great and it's going to be a better build than the Squier CV (which is also a nice guitar). Personally I would spend the extra $300 and get the Fender Player Series, but it depends on your own thinking and budget.
I love ❤️ that classic vibe the best , I want one. 😊
I am such a fan of the Alnico llls in the Classic Vibe guitars.
And they are currently the ONLY such pups offered by Fender in ANY of their guitars.
I've seen 2 pros in the last month who used Squiers as their main stage guitar for the night - one a CV Tele. They sounded great.
The Vintera is a great Fender for the
money but the Squire sounds almost
as good.The Squire Clasic Vibe's are
the best budget Fenders on the market.
I think the Squier CV 50s sounds great. Just remember that sound is not the only thing that matters. (I'm not saying that the Vintera is the right choice for everyone, but it's a different level of quality.)
i prefer the Fender Tele. Just something in the fullness & warmth speaks to me.
Me too, but the Classic Vibe sounds great (IMHO) too. Thinner certainly.
Very surprised ending, I thought you were going to say $600 more, fender is not worthy.
I would buy fender if I play a lot.
Very good video
Thanks!
Tele is all about utility and ease of use so I really think Squier fills that role perfectly with the price of $400. I don’t see a problem dropping huge money later on with Fender if you really dig Tele and wants the best out of it but as the jack of all trade guitar I would want this so I can just play it anywhere not thinking about damaging it.
Nice comparison Mark. The lacquered neck on the Squier is a no go for me. I much prefer the satin finish. Also, I found the Squiers to be a bit heavier which is also not desirable.
Thanks Frank!
I understand. I don't mind the gloss, but if you don't like it, it's really easy to use a Scotchgard pad and some cornstarch to get a satin finish.
I mentioned the weight issue in the video as well. Most are well above 8 lbs and often 9.5 lbs or so. Too heavy for me. The one I'm playing in the video is 7.5 lbs, but I waited quite a while for it.
@@MarkZabel Mark, I find the best all around models to be the Fender Players Series. The Tele’s, Strats and even the Basses all seem pretty consistent. They are the closest I have played that resemble the former American Standard Series. Shame the price seems to keep going up as Fender appears to be closing the quality gap between the Players Series and the American models.
@@frankortega4280 I agree. The Player series is quite good and I miss the American Standards.
@@MarkZabel quick question, do you delute the cornstarch with a little water or use cornstarch in powder form straight on the pad.
They sound very similiar, but the Vintera has a power option in the switch! Great sound!
It does!
ive owned fenders and gibsons , gretch, ibanez, godin, ive had my 04 epiphone les paul studio since then and i LOVE it
i became very afraid of losing it so i stopped bringing it on the road, tried MANY replacements, even another epiphone les paul studio.
grabbed 2 affinitys at differnt points but recently grabbed a classic vibe and stuck a p90 in the neck. love that thing
The Fender has a bit more mid and treble presence, and the extra wiring variations are all usable sounds. I get your preference
Both are totally usable guitars for sure. For me, the extra spend is worth it. Not for everyone though, I'm sure.