Squier's first Paranormal artist model puts the expansive tone of a 12-string within reach of players who've never owned one.
Troy Van Leeuwen’s second Fender signature swaps the Jazzmaster for something a little more paranormal– with twice the strings.
Built around the Queens of the Stone Age guitarist’s taste for shimmer, texture and layered harmonics, the Squier Paranormal Troy Van Leeuwen Telecaster XII is a 12-string, and the first artist signature to appear in Squier’s Paranormal series.
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Van Leeuwen took his cue from his own Paul Waller Custom Shop Masterbuilt 12-string Telecaster, then set out to make that sound reachable for players who’ve never owned one. “When creating my second signature with Fender, I wanted an instrument at an affordable price point that could inspire anyone who’s ever been curious about playing a 12-string,” said Troy Van Leeuwen. “Having worked with the team for over a decade, they easily connected with my vision for a guitar that’s designed for functionality, aesthetically striking, and would sound great right out of the box.”
Underneath the extra harmonic complexity, it keeps the raw backbone of a Telecaster. A resonant Nyatoh body pairs with the custom Copper Age finish, and a custom Telecaster XII headstock sets it apart from the standard line at a glance. A top-load/string-through bridge eases restringing and improves tuning stability, tackling two of the 12-string’s usual headaches.
For more than three decades, Van Leeuwen has brought textural, atmospheric guitar work to some of alternative rock’s most inventive records, with A Perfect Circle, Failure, Gone Is Gone and The Armed, and of course, his long run in Queens of the Stone Age. His approach to riffs, harmony and space runs right through the design, moving comfortably between ambient washes and chord-driven rhythm playing.
“Troy has always approached the guitar differently. He hears texture, harmony and space in a way that’s uniquely his own — and with Troy’s impeccable sense of style, we knew the guitar had to look every bit as cool as it sounds,” said Justin Norvell, Chief Product Officer, Guitar.
Finished in Copper Age and out under the Squier brand, the Paranormal Troy Van Leeuwen Telecaster XII puts a distinctive 12-string voice in the hands of players who dream of having their very own, with a recommended retail price of $1,099 AUD.
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