Squier: Cabronitas

The Cabronita fever has infected the Squier range. If you think the Mexican Cabronitas are still too much to pay for a simple guitar, then these might prove to be a reasonable affair. How much? Non-Bigsby: USD299, Bigsby: USD399

Squier Cabronita

You've seen this before- Fender's Cabronita Telecaster. It's currently a success story for the manufacturer, quite unseen here as local players are largely not receptive to Telecasters fitted with such pickups.

This commercial success triggered the inception of the Cabronita in the Squier range (Vintage Modified). The immediate implication here is that of price- it's even more affordable to own one.

More Cabro

Not too long ago, I featured Fender's Cabronita Tele & the manufacturer had gladly issued a thinline version of this gorgeous guitar.

And as if that's not enough, a solid body bass version is also in the catalogs. GAS...

Fender: Cabronita Telecaster

Here's a little deviant Telecaster that you might just like- the Cabronita. It's been getting lots of favourable appraisal from people who tried it, citing the pickups' tasteful chemistry with the guitar.

When I picked this guitar up from the stand, it felt rather hefty despite the body wood being Fender's regular alder selection. Everything else was a standard Telecaster affair; a simple, no-frills, slab body guitar, ready to rock. No complaints in terms of playability but that pickup toggle selector might be in the 'wrong' place for many Tele players who are accustomed to the 3-way blade-type positioned under the pickups (viewed from a strapped-on position) instead of this one being under the bridge.

Tone-wise, the FideliTron humbuckers were conceived to manifest a nice zing in use with the hollow body guitars of yore but in this guitar, they remain bright & chirpy. This is further compounded by the fact that the average Tele is a bright, twang-tastic player. Some of us might be a little disturbed by the fact that there's no tone control to help us accentuate some bass so if you decide to keep this guitar dynamic in this sense, do get a good EQ unit on the ready. Either that or plug this guitar into an amp with at least a 3-Band EQ on board.

Fender Cabronita Telecaster

Availability: Swee Lee Co (BB branch)

Price: $979