NGD - White Blonde CV Telecaster

After putting it off out of laziness, I finally visited my nearest PMT (Bristol) with the sole intention of comparing the newer Indonesian CV’s against my own Chinese Strat, and the available Player II’s and even American models if they were available.

I had purchased a Squier CV P-Bass online earlier this year and it has been a bit of a let down in some areas, so before I considered another CV, I wanted to get a feel for their recent level of quality. I also really wanted to know if what I feel of my CV Strat really was comparable with a Player.

As soon as we got to the Squier’s and Fenders, my wife recognised a second hand white blonde CV Telecaster that didn’t show up on PMT’s website. They shared that they sell things pretty quick so second hand products don’t often reach their site in time. I couldn’t help but ask for the CV Tele, and was offered the opportunity to compare with a Player II chambered Tele and an American performer. I also asked if I could try a Player II Strat, and they had PII Modified HSS in cherry burst.

Though they’re lovely, the Players were for me too light, and I just happen to prefer the gloss neck of a CV. The Strat felt… insubstantial - I couldn’t put my finger on it but my impression was that it felt less well built than my Chinese Strat. The chambered Player Tele was just not for me as it was too light, but the one thing I tried to distinguish for myself, was the perceived quality of the higher end instruments vs. the CV’s. The second hand CV Tele felt better than those two guitars, and sounded much the same as the chambered Tele. They all felt much the same with regard to their poly finishes, but I just preferred also the maple neck (the others were all Rosewood of varying degrees of shade.)

The American Performer felt a little better balanced, and its pickups were hotter than the CV, but holding them together they felt of a kind. The performer was the better guitar by sat 10% of feel and sound. I think for now I’ve at least satisfied myself that CV’s do not in any way feel ‘cheaper’ than the more expensive guitars. Everything here is subjective but I don’t find too much discussion about the quality of ‘feel,’ but rather we simply hear the more expensive guitars have more expensive and better components. I suppose I still have this weird notion a cheaper guitar ought to feel like a toy or sound significantly worse. It’s just not the case it seems. Now I know I’m lucky with my CV Strat and now this CV Tele, as I believe my CV P-Bass is somewhat an example of ‘something missing,’ just like the Player II Modified Strat I tried today.

Anyway, I wasn’t expecting to buy a guitar today, but someone looked after this beauty and there isn’t a scratch on it (it’s six years old…) I’ve also never played a Tele and it’s a very different sound to the Strat. Going to enjoy getting to know the tones I can get out of this thing.