Fender is continuing its mass rollout of new electric guitars with the launch of two limited edition Squier Paranormal models.
The series first launched in 2020 with the aim of reviving long-forgotten Fender builds for the modern era. A second wave followed a year later, but Squier saved its most bizarre batch for 2023.
This time, players have been treated to an affordable revision of Fender’s Troublemaker Telecaster Deluxe, and a newly tweaked Offset Telecaster SJ – two guitars that are absolutely oozing with personality.
‘Troublemaker’ is an apt name for the first model given its, erm, undeniable Les Paul-inspired design, which is headed up by dual humbuckers and a control layout that resembles a Gibson.
Now, this isn’t the first Troublemaker Tele we’ve seen – Fender issued versions of the model in 2018 and 2020 – but it is by far the most affordable one, undercutting that latter’s $2,399 price tag quite considerably and weighing in with a starting price of $449.99.
This variant, Fender says, is “ready to make some noise, Squier style”, and does so with the help of Fender-designed alnico humbuckers. These are bolstered with coil-splitting push/pull controls, which look to also tap into a traditional single-coil Tele twang.
Visually, it features a bound body and a block pearloid-inlaid fretboard, as well as a color-matched headstock. And, like many of the recent Fender releases (just take a look at those new Squier Affinity models, for instance) “player-friendly” refinements have been emphasized.
Its fixed bridge is fully adjustable for “superior setups”, apparently, and a slim C-profile neck with a gloss finish has been chosen for slick neck navigation. Vintage-style tuners, a Fender favorite, finish off the build, which is available in two finishes: Aztec Gold and Black.
The Offset Telecaster SJ ($449.99) is… well, it’s an offset Telecaster, which comes with a “quintessential mashup of Fender features”, presenting itself as the lovechild of a Tele and a Jazzmaster.
That concept isn’t taken lightly, either. The fixed three-saddle, string-through bridge, and single-coil alnico bridge pickup give off unmistakable Tele vibes, but widen your gaze to the neck and body, and you’ll find it also carries a lot of Jazzmaster DNA.
There are push/pull controls for series/parallel and phase shifting in the second position. Its control plate, which plays host to Volume and Tone controls and a three-way pickup switch, sprinkles a little more Tele into its aesthetic, as does its neck binding and matching headstock.
It’s available in a choice of Ice Blue Metallic and Olympic White.
The release continues what has been a fairly hectic week for Fender. The firm has already entered the wireless guitar system game with the Micro-sized Telepath, given its Squier Affinity series a major expansion, and added a tweed model to its Tone Master Pro amp range for the first time.
And that’s not all: Fender has also gotten experimental with tonewoods for its American Performer Timber series, and the six-string Jazz Bass VI has made its Squier Affinity debut.
Head to Fender for more information about the two new Paranormal models.
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