Any love for the Squire ProTone fat Telecaster?

DADGAD · April 29th, 2008, 09:53 AM

Picked this up at a Pawnshop on Saturday afternoon and gigged with it on Sunday. An amazing guitar! Hanging on a rack and missing four strings, I asked to see it. No fret wear and it had never been set up. Looks like it lived in a closet and had ten years of junk piled on it. Lots of scratches on the top and the back is clean. $100 even, out the door. It's heavy but once I start playing, it doesn't matter at all. Did I mention it sounds and plays amazing? The rosewood fretboard and ash body is a nice combination.

Anyone else have one? What can you tell me about these guitars?

Gary

wordfan · April 29th, 2008, 09:56 AM

You got a ridiculously good deal on that one. Good job.

mellecaster · April 29th, 2008, 10:06 AM

Helluva Deal...only thing I might add is, that all the Pro-Tones I've had (6 or 7)....had a 12" radius board, even though all spec sheets state 9.5"....you might want to upgrade the switch, pots and jack if you play out...but they are Great Guitars IMO

Fatmanstratman · April 29th, 2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DADGAD

Picked this up at a Pawnshop on Saturday....

You still have Pawn Shops in the States that sell geetars? The introduction of eBay ended that here in the UK a LONG time ago. The only things for sale in our "Pawn" shops (they all seem to be Trash, sorry, Cash Converters these days....) are seriously cheap-and-nasty guitars like 'Nevada' etc., that are bought in (usually as catalogue returns and the like) from the distributors just to sell.

The good old Pawn shops are a thing of the past here. Interestingly enough, most have been replaced by Porn shops......

DADGAD · April 29th, 2008, 05:40 PM

Yessir, we still have pawn shops. My best guitar scores have been from such places. With the economy as it is, perhaps people are dumping stuff for cash at pawns shops. (Where would one go after selling their computer on Ebay?)

With the price of new guitars constantly going up, pawn shops are quickly replacing guitar mega stores as my first place to go. I didn't find any nice & affordable Teles at the local "mega-emporium" on Saturday so I hit the pawn shops on a whim. Second stop had this Pro Tone.

Back to the guitar, it sounds great for Rolling Stones tunes. Anyone here play one of these?

Gary

yegbert · April 29th, 2008, 06:31 PM

DADGAD,

Nice score! I don't have one but I love Squier Teles and I especially love the spaghetti logo on the Protones.

What's the nut width on yours?

DADGAD · April 29th, 2008, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yegbert

DADGAD,

Nice score! I don't have one but I love Squier Teles and I especially love the spaghetti logo on the Protones.

What's the nut width on yours?

Thanks, Yegbert.

I just checked it. The nut measures 1.655" and the weight is 8 lb, 7 oz.

Think a black PG would do it justice?

yegbert · April 29th, 2008, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DADGAD

I just checked it. The nut measures 1.655" and the weight is 8 lb, 7 oz.

Think a black PG would do it justice?

Thanks!

Yes, a black/white/black might look good. That tortoise is a bit too red for my tastes, but if there is such a thing as a dark brown tortoise, something closer to the fretboard color, that might look good.

Beware of different screw hole placements and different size control plate among various pickguards. 1998 through 2003 or 2004 Indonesian Squier Standard Teles apparently had one standard screw hole pattern, then switched to the same standard screw hole pattern as MIM and MIA Teles. Apparently Indonesian made Squier Standard Teles from 1998 through at least 2005 (newest one I have) use the slightly wider/longer/thicker Mighty Mite spec control plates.

I've found a source for the early Indonesian Standard screw hole pattern pickguards, however that source doesn't have any with a humbucker sized hole, only the traditional size Tele single coil neck pup hole. If you're good with routing or carving you could enlarge one of those single coil holes to accomodate the bucker.

If the guard you have on there now is original, I'd hold on to it because one day you or someone else may want to put the original parts back on.

DADGAD · May 4th, 2008, 10:16 PM

I completed a major overhaul of the Fat Tele today. My son gave me a black pickguard off of his old MIM Tele that was routed for a humbucker. The guitar was completely torn down and detailed. The body was buffed out, the humbucker potted and the controls lubed and cleaned. Still, the picture doesn't do it justice. Check out those crazy yellow and purple saddle springs added by a previous owner.

boneyguy · May 4th, 2008, 11:56 PM

Yowza!! You did get one hell of a deal!! I think those ProTones are considered very collectible nowadays aren't they.

DADGAD · May 5th, 2008, 12:18 AM

They are nice. I had a Protone blonde Strat that I didn't care for but this Fat Tele is another story. Check out this Ebay Pro Tone that went for over $400.

Thinline Pro Tone

Too bad it didn't have purple and yellow saddle springs.

yegbert · May 5th, 2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DADGAD

Check out this Ebay Pro Tone that went for over $400.

Thinline Pro Tone

You're getting a good price nowadays if you can find a good Protone Thinline for as low as $400 .

This one just went for $521.

roth · May 5th, 2008, 10:53 AM

Love mine - found it on the 'bay about 2 years ago with a BIN of $200 with shipping and a tweed case!

Here it is with it's brothers and a new pearl guard (second from right):

Recently took the neck off to use on a killer Squier '51 project. Body is in cold storage - it will never leave me

:

Mike Bruce · May 5th, 2008, 11:16 AM

Nice axe, great deal!

My Thinline Tele started life as a ProTone, but has since had a new neck (Stew-Mac), pickups, saddles, and knobs added. I had a ProTone Strat which I liked (except again for the neck with flat-sawn fingerboard), and regret trading.

Mike Bruce

DADGAD · May 5th, 2008, 12:29 PM

Roth, is that Pro Tone body a 3 piece? Mine is two pieces, with the joint running between the B & G strings.

roth · May 5th, 2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DADGAD

Roth, is that Pro Tone body a 3 piece? Mine is two pieces, with the joint running between the B & G strings.

Yep - 3 piece. Not very good matching either. She is not a looker - but she IS/WAS a great player!

With the neck on another project and the loaded body in storage, I am actually considering pulling the pups for a new project I am working on...

Teleblooz · May 5th, 2008, 01:42 PM

Killer score, DADGAD. Maybe I'll have to start combing the hock shops around here too.

April 29th, 2008, 09:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
DADGAD Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palmdale, CA Posts: 764	Any love for the Squire ProTone fat Telecaster? Picked this up at a Pawnshop on Saturday afternoon and gigged with it on Sunday. An amazing guitar! Hanging on a rack and missing four strings, I asked to see it. No fret wear and it had never been set up. Looks like it lived in a closet and had ten years of junk piled on it. Lots of scratches on the top and the back is clean. $100 even, out the door. It's heavy but once I start playing, it doesn't matter at all. Did I mention it sounds and plays amazing? The rosewood fretboard and ash body is a nice combination. Anyone else have one? What can you tell me about these guitars? Gary __________________ "I need to learn some new scales and stop obsessing about this stuff." http://www.myspace.com/slickshoes Last edited by DADGAD; May 25th, 2008 at 11:20 AM.

April 29th, 2008, 09:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
wordfan Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Raleigh NC Age: 29 Posts: 106	You got a ridiculously good deal on that one. Good job. __________________ "The only thing we knew for sure about Henry Porter was that his name wasn't Henry Porter"

April 29th, 2008, 10:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
mellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,766 17 Photos	Helluva Deal...only thing I might add is, that all the Pro-Tones I've had (6 or 7)....had a 12" radius board, even though all spec sheets state 9.5"....you might want to upgrade the switch, pots and jack if you play out...but they are Great Guitars IMO __________________ I have never owned an Ipod or Blackberry..and doubt that I ever will......

April 29th, 2008, 05:40 PM	#5 (permalink)
DADGAD Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palmdale, CA Posts: 764	Yessir, we still have pawn shops. My best guitar scores have been from such places. With the economy as it is, perhaps people are dumping stuff for cash at pawns shops. (Where would one go after selling their computer on Ebay?) With the price of new guitars constantly going up, pawn shops are quickly replacing guitar mega stores as my first place to go. I didn't find any nice & affordable Teles at the local "mega-emporium" on Saturday so I hit the pawn shops on a whim. Second stop had this Pro Tone. Back to the guitar, it sounds great for Rolling Stones tunes. Anyone here play one of these? Gary __________________ "I need to learn some new scales and stop obsessing about this stuff." http://www.myspace.com/slickshoes

May 4th, 2008, 10:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
DADGAD Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palmdale, CA Posts: 764	I completed a major overhaul of the Fat Tele today. My son gave me a black pickguard off of his old MIM Tele that was routed for a humbucker. The guitar was completely torn down and detailed. The body was buffed out, the humbucker potted and the controls lubed and cleaned. Still, the picture doesn't do it justice. Check out those crazy yellow and purple saddle springs added by a previous owner. __________________ "I need to learn some new scales and stop obsessing about this stuff." http://www.myspace.com/slickshoes

April 29th, 2008, 06:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
yegbert Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland (US) Age: 54 Posts: 4,849 85 Photos	DADGAD, Nice score! I don't have one but I love Squier Teles and I especially love the spaghetti logo on the Protones. What's the nut width on yours?

May 4th, 2008, 11:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
boneyguy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: victoria b.c. Age: 50 Posts: 2,944	Yowza!! You did get one hell of a deal!! I think those ProTones are considered very collectible nowadays aren't they. __________________ "Shut up n' play yer guitar"

May 5th, 2008, 12:18 AM	#11 (permalink)
DADGAD Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palmdale, CA Posts: 764	They are nice. I had a Protone blonde Strat that I didn't care for but this Fat Tele is another story. Check out this Ebay Pro Tone that went for over $400. Thinline Pro Tone Too bad it didn't have purple and yellow saddle springs. __________________ "I need to learn some new scales and stop obsessing about this stuff." http://www.myspace.com/slickshoes

May 5th, 2008, 10:53 AM	#13 (permalink)
roth Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Age: 30 Posts: 314 36 Photos	Love mine - found it on the 'bay about 2 years ago with a BIN of $200 with shipping and a tweed case! Here it is with it's brothers and a new pearl guard (second from right): Recently took the neck off to use on a killer Squier '51 project. Body is in cold storage - it will never leave me : __________________ "Alright Brain, you don't like me, and I don't like you. But lets just do this, and I can get back to killing you with beer."

May 5th, 2008, 11:16 AM	#14 (permalink)
Mike Bruce Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Goderich Posts: 268	Nice axe, great deal! My Thinline Tele started life as a ProTone, but has since had a new neck (Stew-Mac), pickups, saddles, and knobs added. I had a ProTone Strat which I liked (except again for the neck with flat-sawn fingerboard), and regret trading. Mike Bruce

May 5th, 2008, 12:29 PM	#15 (permalink)
DADGAD Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Palmdale, CA Posts: 764	Roth, is that Pro Tone body a 3 piece? Mine is two pieces, with the joint running between the B & G strings. __________________ "I need to learn some new scales and stop obsessing about this stuff." http://www.myspace.com/slickshoes

May 5th, 2008, 01:42 PM	#17 (permalink)
Teleblooz Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 405 22 Photos	Killer score, DADGAD. Maybe I'll have to start combing the hock shops around here too. __________________ “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men play the banjo" http://www.myspace.com/chrisleonhard