Fender American Series
- Thread starter EEF13
- Start date
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Fender American Series
My creaky, old brain thinks that Fender's Cal-Mexi guitars were named the California Series. As you correctly point out, these were a hybrid of MIA and MIM parts and labour intended to reach an acceptable compromise between quality and price. Not sure whether they entirely succeeded? After this, the quality of Fender MIM guitars improved a bit and the H1 series appeared.
My creaky, old brain thinks that Fender's Cal-Mexi guitars were named the California Series. As you correctly point out, these were a hybrid of MIA and MIM parts and labour intended to reach an acceptable compromise between quality and price. Not sure whether they entirely succeeded? After this, the quality of Fender MIM guitars improved a bit and the H1 series appeared.
Re: Fender American Series
The Fender American Series guitars were not replaced by the Highway 1 models. The new American Standard guitars replaced them. I believe that the Highway 1 guitars were Fender's version of Gibson's Faded Studio models; American-made (unlike the cheaper MIM Strats or Epiphone), but not as nice as the more expensive Standard American-made models.
The Fender American Series guitars were not replaced by the Highway 1 models. The new American Standard guitars replaced them. I believe that the Highway 1 guitars were Fender's version of Gibson's Faded Studio models; American-made (unlike the cheaper MIM Strats or Epiphone), but not as nice as the more expensive Standard American-made models.
Luke Duke
PRSlustologist
Re: Fender American Series
Fender guitars go like this....
40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and earliest 80s-----Fender Telecaster/Stratocaster (series line etc)
82-2002 (IIRC)----- American Standard Series
2002-2008----------American Series
2008-Present------- New American Standard Series
The whole American Standard series was a result of needing to differentiate between the MIJ Fenders, at least that's what I've always been told.
Luke
Fender guitars go like this....
40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and earliest 80s-----Fender Telecaster/Stratocaster (series line etc)
82-2002 (IIRC)----- American Standard Series
2002-2008----------American Series
2008-Present------- New American Standard Series
The whole American Standard series was a result of needing to differentiate between the MIJ Fenders, at least that's what I've always been told.
Luke
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Fender American Series
Yeah. I think that we can all agree on the details listed above.
The OP was about a short-lived, mid-price series of Fender guitars that slotted into the range between the American Standard and MIM Standard series instruments - both in terms of pricing and quality. I am 99% certain that these instruments were called the California Series.
Yeah. I think that we can all agree on the details listed above.
The OP was about a short-lived, mid-price series of Fender guitars that slotted into the range between the American Standard and MIM Standard series instruments - both in terms of pricing and quality. I am 99% certain that these instruments were called the California Series.
ganzosrevenge
New member
Re: Fender American Series
One small correction, other than that you have it perfect.
The American Series started in 2000 / 2001.
As for the OP, the california series was made from 1991 to about 1997 or 1998, and then was replaced with the H1 series. The California series essentially was mexican bodies and necks (though the necks are all USA made), that were brought back into corona and assembled there. This idea was replaced with the Highway 1 series when someone at fender must have figured out to reship things into the USA for assembly was more expensive than just having the whole process kept stateside in the first place.
Great guitars though the california series. Underrated, and under the radar.
Jason
One small correction, other than that you have it perfect.
The American Series started in 2000 / 2001.
As for the OP, the california series was made from 1991 to about 1997 or 1998, and then was replaced with the H1 series. The California series essentially was mexican bodies and necks (though the necks are all USA made), that were brought back into corona and assembled there. This idea was replaced with the Highway 1 series when someone at fender must have figured out to reship things into the USA for assembly was more expensive than just having the whole process kept stateside in the first place.
Great guitars though the california series. Underrated, and under the radar.
Jason
