New fender player series?

[FuseG4]

Looks like some affordable stuff with some new finishes, seems like a reworking of the MIM standard feature set.
New pickups , different body lines, new finishes, and a 22nd fret, looks like they got a strat, jag, jazzmaster, and p bass. They have plus top and floyded strats and a hh tele.
The strat got a 2pt trem which is nice.

You guys, what do you think of this product line?
More of the same old? Or is this a good update to maybe/hopefully consolidate the MIM standard and Blackout and other lines?

I like the new Tidepool color, looks classy.

Anxious to see what the pickups are like, they described the tele ones as "a foot in the past, but with an edge" or something, but they are alnico so...?

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: New fender player series?

The Jaguar stands out as interesting. Respectable additions to the canon but nothing to get too excited about or scorn at all.

 

[voggin]

Re: New fender player series?

Wow, with the 22nd fret and the two-point trem, there isn't a lot differentiating these from the American professional or whatever it's now called, let alone the special.

I think it's great they are doing this, but I have to wonder if they aren't eating their own lunch. But great news from a buyer's perspective.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: New fender player series?

Fender gets “it”...
Let’s see if Gibson follows suit.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: New fender player series?

What’s the price point?

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: New fender player series?

What’s the price point?

+\-$700

 

[Mincer]

Re: New fender player series?

I like the new colors, and the 22nd fret. These will be big winners, especially when they show up on the used market.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: New fender player series?

Good move for them I think, definitely makes them more attractive. According to some prices I've seen it looks like the strat is only going up like $70 or $80 Canadian as well.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: New fender player series?

*Very* happy to see the return of Sage Green Metallic. That's pretty much my favorite Fender color of all time. I bought my 2005 MIM Standard Strat solely because of that color, and even though the guitar is nothing to write home about, I have refused to ever sell it, and have put way too much work and money into modding and improving it, just because of that awesome color.

Can't complain about the other changes to Strats. Wish the offsets were more traditional, though. Love that Sage Green Jazzmaster, but don't care for the electronics setup. I want the traditional rhythm circuit, and single coils.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: New fender player series?

Another few thoughts regarding the Offsets- First off I'm glad they haven't slapped on tune-o-matics. But they appear to use the terrible Squier/Allparts un-labeled vibrato, and cheap adjustable-style Mustang bridge. I feel like those are the bridges & vibratos that (at least in the latter day) give Offsets a bad reputation.

I had three Squier vibratos that were just faulty from the factory; the pivots weren't right at all, and they would visibly/audibly shift under use and not return to tune under any circumstance. You can file them true, but it's tricky; US vibratos are consistent, as were the previous Classic Player threaded-bar vibratos. The Squier VM Mustang bridge being used is also a sore spot as far as stability; the saddles easily move laterally (high E in particular,) and the grub screws slip more than any other Mustang bridge I've encountered.

Another note on bridges; I've noticed more Fender Jazzmasters/Jaguars come off the line with a standard (non-adjustable height saddle) Mustang bridge. The implication is the Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge would be too troublesome, but I'm curious whether they just use the import (Japanese or Squier) Mustang bridges or have started making an actual US version of the Mustang bridge. I'd take a vintage/AVRI Jaguar bridge over any import Mustang bridge for stability. From pics even the Johnny Marr Jaguar appears to use a sloppy import bridge (tell-tale gives on the posts...) I'd love to try one to see if reality bears that out.

 

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: New fender player series?

The sonic red and buttercream finishes are a pleasant surprise.

 

[blakejcan]

Re: New fender player series?

Maybe I missed this.......but are they no longer made in mexico? Or is just a renaming and tweak on the features?

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: New fender player series?

Rename and tweak features. Can't wait to try one tbh, some long needed upgrades going on there.

 

[Mincer]

Re: New fender player series?

I think they tweaked the right features here. The MIM series was due for an update/upgrade. In a year or 2 these will be showing up used, I am sure.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: New fender player series?

Looks like the screwed up the Jazzmaster again, they do all this neat stuff to improve on it, and then they ditch the rhythm circuit? What's the big idea? Given they tossed humbuckers in the new models, they could have used it for series/parallel switching.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: New fender player series?

If they manage to convince us that MIM strats are now worth 700 dollars because of one more piece of fretwire, then I guess American made models will soon all be 1700 dollars plus.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: New fender player series?

I like the new upgrades, but I think $700 is high for a MIM. For not a ton more you're into a USA model. Hopefully the street price will be a bit lower. I think at $599 or so they'd make a lot more sense.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: New fender player series?

If they manage to convince us that MIM strats are now worth 700 dollars because of one more piece of fretwire, then I guess American made models will soon all be 1700 dollars plus.

You know, you made a good point that I initially overlooked.
If these are still a MiM with a couple of small upgrades then I’m not so sure anymore.
For some reason, I had it in my head that these were MiA for some reason.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: New fender player series?

They are upgraded MIMs. $700? Maybe worth it IMO. MIMs have got much better since the '90's, when they were pretty crummy. These are now closer to being diet versions of the regular USA models. If that's the U.S.A. bridge on the Strats, it eliminates the major weak point of the old MIM Standard Strats. Alnico-pole-peice pickups vs. the old P-90-esque ceramic pickups might be a notable improvement too.

Not a bad move IMO, considering that Squiers have been encroaching on MIM territory for several years now.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: New fender player series?

They are upgraded MIMs. $700? Maybe worth it IMO. MIMs have got much better since the '90's, when they were pretty crummy. These are now closer to being diet versions of the regular USA models. If that's the U.S.A. bridge on the Strats, it eliminates the major weak point of the old MIM Standard Strats. Alnico-pole-peice pickups vs. the old P-90-esque ceramic pickups might be a notable improvement too.

Not a bad move IMO, considering that Squiers have been encroaching on MIM territory for several years now.

I have a 2004 MiM Strat. The only two complaints I have is it only has 21 frets and I prefer the larger fretwire. But otherwise it plays and sounds great.
That said I’m a Gibson man, so the Strat doesn’t get a whole lot of play time.