Fender launches first Squier Paranormal signature guitar, the Troy Van Leeuwen Telecaster XII: “That guitar can always be heard in the mix”

Squier has unveiled its first Paranormal Series signature guitar – a 12-string Telecaster built for Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen.

The Paranormal Series has been Squier’s most reliable range for bizarre and bonkers builds since its inception back in 2020. It has produced everything from the Jazzmaster XII to the Super-Sonic.

It made perfect sense, then, as the home for Van Leeuwen’s new signature: a recreation of his Masterbuilt Custom Shop 12-string Telecaster that he’s played with QOTSA and Iggy Pop.

Perhaps too niche for a Masterbuilt reissue, maybe a bit too daring for a standard Fender run, the Squier Paranormal Series is the perfect place for this oddball. And since Van Leeuwen wanted to keep it as accessible as possible, it made sense for all involved.

“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,” he says.

“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.”

The result is a 12-string like no other, inspired by one of Van Leeuwen’s main workhorse guitars. It features a nyatoh body and maple neck, as well as a pair of Fender Designed Alnico single-coils.

The Custom Telecaster XII headstock is drafted to help with those six extra strings, while a 12-string top-load/string-through bridge shoots for maximum functionality. Again, that was important to Van Leeuwen.

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“The Custom Shop has a more vintage-style bridge. I didn’t want that for this – I wanted something that was user-friendly right out of the box,” he tells Guitar World.

“Functionality is so important because it’s hard to get a 12-string bridge to work right. It had to be usable because when you’ve got 12-strings, you really need them to stay in tune.”

Other appointments include an Indian laurel fingerboard, 1.6875” wide nut, and gorgeous Copper colorway.

At $599, it’s a very tempting price point for an electric 12-string. And it’s no show piece, either. Van Leeuwen himself used the then-unannounced Squier version when he played with Michael Stipe on Jimmy Kimmel.

The Paranormal Troy Van Leeuwen Telecaster XII is available now for $599.

Visit Fender.com for more.

Matt is the GuitarWorld.com News Editor, and has been writing and editing for the site for five years. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 19 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. During his GW career, he’s interviewed Peter Frampton, Zakk Wylde, Tosin Abasi, Matteo Mancuso and more, and has profiled the CEOs of Guitar Center and Fender.

When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt performs with indie rock duo Esme Emerson, and has previously opened for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Keane, Japanese House and Good Neighbours.