Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

[Shooter.556]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

I'm mostly a Les Paul guy but I do own 2 bolt guitars. An Ibanez Prestige RG655 and an American Standard Stratocaster. My RG is wicked and I own a Stratocaster because sometimes ya just wanna play a Stratocaster or at least I do.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

It is pretty crazy. That said, in a few months i'm going to get either an American Standard tele or an Elite series tele (although I think the jump in price for the Elite is kind of ridiculous).

Have also been having a look at John Page guitars as an alternative. Anybody have any experience with them?

Idk if the neck on the Elite series is the same as the Deluxe series they're replacing, but if it is, it is one of if not the best neck I've ever played on. At leat for me

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Different frets, colours, wood, hardware, electronics, pickups, pickup configurations, neck radius, era motif, controls etc...

That's a lot of options to all squeeze into one guitar. That's why there's so many models.
Discerning musicians require options, seems to be the ones that are so overwhelmed are also the ones that don't know what they want in a Strat in the first place...

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Idk if the neck on the Elite series is the same as the Deluxe series they're replacing, but if it is, it is one of if not the best neck I've ever played on. At leat for me

Deluxe and Elite = Delete...

Im on the fence as far as my opinion here. If they only offered one or two, people would complain there are no options. Since they offer bunches of options, its easy to complain there are tons of variations of the same thing.. So, can go either way. I guess its a good thing since not everyone can, or wants to swap pickups and or modify. So, choices are good in that aspect.

Personally, I rarely look at Fenders.. I have a strat Im happy with and a tele Im happy with.. But, if I was, say, John 5.... Id be shopping the tele section every model year... haha

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

What is it that you do not like about bolt on neck guitars?

My playing, mostly. But I try to improve.

 

[Squire]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

And yet you can pretty much guarantee that the model you want will not be available in a colour you like.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

My "Signature" Stratocaster is a G&L Legacy! Exactly the guitar I want; no mods needed. They make so many neck options, pickup options, colors, etc. Bought my first G&L in 1993. Far better guitar than my 1960 Strat.

Got no reason at all to even look at a Fender. G&Ls are the real Fenders!

Bill

 

[leevc5]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Deluxe and Elite = Delete...

Im on the fence as far as my opinion here. If they only offered one or two, people would complain there are no options. Since they offer bunches of options, its easy to complain there are tons of variations of the same thing.. So, can go either way. I guess its a good thing since not everyone can, or wants to swap pickups and or modify. So, choices are good in that aspect.

Personally, I rarely look at Fenders.. I have a strat Im happy with and a tele Im happy with.. But, if I was, say, John 5.... Id be shopping the tele section every model year... haha

I don't think anyone is complaining about the ~8,000 Telecasters and Stratocasters Fender/Squiers offers. It's just amazing.
However, offering so many varieties of the same two basic platforms has to add significant cost. IMO they should cut back on the offerings, focus on building better overall quality and reduce their prices.

 

[Shooter.556]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

The Elites just weren't worth the extra to me. I already have a superstrat and that's basically all they are. My new Standard plays amazingly! I love the neck on it!

 

[Mincer]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

I don't get it, but I am guessing if they offer a Fender at every price point, there is no excuse not to own even one. You can talk yourself into the next increment of $50 to get a better model. I guess it works for them...they seem pretty successful. I don't mind buying a lower priced Fender to mod, but if I was going higher end, there are other choices..I am not beholden to a particular name. I do think this makes it hard for a store...I mean, how many Fenders can your store hold? How many can the store afford to buy? Chances are, the guitar you looked at online isn't in the store.

 

[voggin]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Given the way strats and teles are made, it's probably pretty easy for them to offer a lot of configurations. Three or four neck shapes and a couple of body routes, and different pickup assemblies, and you've got a lot of possibilities without a lot of retooling.

I played one of the American standards with the shawbucker bridge and fat '50s the other day. That was a great combo. I'm glad they offer that configuration as well as the standard. If I had the money, I'd have taken it home, even though I have a great "classic" strat.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Clapton's "Blackie" was the original Frankie,I guess.

'Cept for the chisel-job.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

I don't think anyone is complaining about the ~8,000 Telecasters and Stratocasters Fender/Squiers offers. It's just amazing.
However, offering so many varieties of the same two basic platforms has to add significant cost. IMO they should cut back on the offerings, focus on building better overall quality and reduce their prices.

Yeah, thatll happen... haha Ques up Buddy Holly, That'll be the day.....

cracks me up how many are going for over $1k.

Id prolly buy a G&L if I was in the market

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

I suspect that for many years, Fender, Gibson, Martin and perhaps others have deliberately blurred the boundaries to prevent most of their offerings becoming collectors' items in the future.

In the past, they all just made one version of each model with nothing more than a couple of colour options. Those guitars went on to become highly sought-after, and would be competing with the same new versions of the time, hence lost business to the manufacturers as the money went into the s/h market instead.

I think they've learnt from that, and now offer so many variations each year that in the future, none of the current ranges will become particularly valuable (imagine the records that would have to be kept, and the research that someone would need to do in order to value some of these instruments in the future, or even to know exactly what they were and how they differed from the other 370 varieties of the time).

I doubt that in 50 years from now, any currently-new Fender guitar will attain the prices that a 1966 model can fetch today.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Not to mention, a 1971! :fingersx:

 

[Ascension]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

This is a new one to me. A Telecaster on the Fender site that is made in china. No mention in the write up about being made in China the only indication is the picture of the back of the headstock. Pine body Telecaster "crafted in China" with the Fender Logo...seems like they are diluting the Fender name with this type of offering. I would think they would have put it in their Squire line with the other Asian guitars.
http://shop.fender.com/en-US/electric-guitars/telecaster/modern-player-telecaster-plus/0241102569.html#start=1

http://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/ZoomJpg/10002/0241102542_gtr_hdstckfrt_001_nr.jpg

http://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/ZoomJpg/10002/0241102542_gtr_hdstckbck_001_nr.jpg

I own one of the MIC pine body Vintage modern Teles and it's a well built good looking unique sounding and great playing guitar! Might want to spend some time with one of these before you pronounce it unworthy!

 

[Ascension]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Yes. Or Carvin.

There is a well-known internet mail order outlet that dismantles electric guitars with the specific intent of reselling them as parts for self-builders. It is also possible to purchase Fender bodies and necks that have never been assembled into complete instruments. Of course, not everyone knows how to put them together properly and set them up to be playable and sound pleasing.

Warmoth yes Carvin NO absolutely not!!!
Been a Carvin player for many many years and IMO they are some of the most roadworthy guitars out there bar none. They are unique nothing else quite plays or sounds like a Carvin and i have owned more of them than I can count!!
Company is older than FENDER ( 1946) has been owned by only one family never sold out to anyone and never sold retail mail order only offers a 10 day trial and most everything is customizable because they are all built in house to order.

 

[leevc5]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

I own one of the MIC pine body Vintage modern Teles and it's a well built good looking unique sounding and great playing guitar! Might want to spend some time with one of these before you pronounce it unworthy!

I did not pronounce it unworthy! I just said it was maid in Asia and in the past Fender has identified these guitars and amplifiers by releasing them under the Squirename. I definitely consider Squier guitars worthy and some excellent instruments. Might want to spend some time reading a little more carefully before putting words in others mouth.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

I did not pronounce it unworthy! I just said it was maid in Asia and in the past Fender has identified these guitars and amplifiers by releasing them under the Squirename. I definitely consider Squier guitars worthy and some excellent instruments. Might want to spend some time reading a little more carefully before putting words in others mouth.

Did read through and was talking about worthy of the Fender brand. I was working for a fender dealer back in the early 80's when the MIJ Squires first came out and were better guitars in that time period than the USA's were. Those guitars were later relabled as MIJ Fenders.
My MIC VM Tele is simply a better guitar in fit finish and play-ability than most of the MIM real Fenders I have picked up and on par with the bottom end of the US stuff.

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Have you walked through the Fender section of your local music shop recently?

Did read through and was talking about worthy of the Fender brand. I was working for a fender dealer back in the early 80's when the MIJ Squires first came out and were better guitars in that time period than the USA's were. Those guitars were later relabled as MIJ Fenders.
My MIC VM Tele is simply a better guitar in fit finish and play-ability than most of the MIM real Fenders I have picked up and on par with the bottom end of the US stuff.

I have a MIJ Squier from the early 80s. excellent guitar!! Stock pickups were poo.. but otherwise...
Also, few years ago, I wanted to pick up a tele. Try bunches of them at all price points below 800. The 2 that most impressed me was the Fender Tex Mex and the Squier Vintage Modified. I went with the Squier as the diff wasn't 2 1/2 times more money..