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The first Squier JV – or Japanese Vintage – guitars hit the streets in 1982 and the Strats in particular proved popular immediately thanks to excellent quality and American pickups. Fast-forward to 2008 and here is latest range of Far Eastern (Chinese in this case) Squiers: the Classic Vibe series.

On first glance you might assume that Squier's Classic Vibe guitars are intended to be the first foray into a selection of Squier-branded vintage reissues, but the idea is rather focused more on the intention to hark back to those halcyon early eighties days of the JV and recapture that vibe.

Classic Vibe Telecaster '50s

The Tele's pine body is certainly a more than decent aesthetic substitute for ash as, beneath the off-white Vintage Blonde finish, there's just enough of that characteristic streaky grain on show.

One assumes that the appearance isn't quite so convincing under the arguably more authentic butterscotch finish but, once again, it is vibe rather that unbending accuracy that's the goal here.

"No-one's pretending that pine is as desirable a tonewood as the more traditional ash but the Classic Vibe acts exactly how any Tele should."

Pickups comprise a standard Alnico III Telecaster set selected by a barrel-tipped three-way lever switch, and the nickel-plated hardware is laid out in the standard formation.

The vintage bridge includes three brass barrel saddles to facilitate thru-body stringing. Although in no way as stout as those fitted to a US '52 Reissue, they do their job admirably and, should you desire, are easily changed out for replacements.

Sounds

Hear the Classic Vibe Tele in action in the following clips, starting with the bridge pickup and moving through the middle and neck settings: