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Post subject: My Fender Montara
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:53 am
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Hey I have mine since 1995 and I have been playing this axe since then. Many musicians who have seen this guitar had tried to bid on it but no dice... This is my first love of my life... I got it for $500 then, here in Manila, Philippines...
I tried a number of acoustic guitars then. I was carrying with me around $1500 in my pocket - my savings from my work as a pharmceutical sales rep. As slim I was then, wearing a white Hanes t-shirt, blue jeans and only flip-flops, nobody would suspect I had that money in my pocket. Anyways, I went in the rows of Guitar Stores in the mall and tried those really convexed-back guitars which to me seemed like turtles' backs, the dreadnought types, the blah-blahs... But, they all sounded muffled to me. I decided to just go back to the parking lot and head back home.

But, as Iwas nearing the exit of the mall, there was this last shop I didn't notice when I came in. It was on the other side of the isle between the mall's hallway. And, immediately, I walked in and I fell in love-at-first-sight with this beautiful, natural-color, shiny, sexy MONTARA on the display. I approached the Manager, confident, I have the money. But as I was about to utter the "I'd-like-to-try-it..." phrase, a group of assholes came in the store. I knew why the Store Manager left me for them, they were dressed better than I was.

I called on another of their sales person, I thought he was a trainee coz he was clad only in a white shirt with collar unlike the Store Manager who was on long-sleeved polo with a neck-tie. To cut it short, the trainee assisted me and he plugged MONTARA in an amp. I fingered and plucked on it, then banged with heavy strums which caught the attention of the $@!&#*% group who came in (who eventually left after tinkering with the cymbals and chimes in the store). This time the manager ws now approaching, but I didn't give any attention to him. I pulled out my cash, and told the trainee to wrap the guitar for me. I bluntly told the manager, "This sales had just been closed by this great salesman. You should promote guys like him." And he couldn't look me in the eye with embarassment.

Anyways, just a tale about my MONTARA. Here are it's pictures, though. Alive and kicking till now - 24 March 2009.

[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/9707819@N04/3381745789/in/photostream/[/img]

[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/9707819@N04/3381745159/in/photostream/[/img]

CIAO!!!


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Post subject: Re: My Fender Montara
Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:55 pm
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Wetzki wrote:
Hey I have mine since 1995 and I have been playing this axe since then. Many musicians who have seen this guitar had tried to bid on it but no dice... This is my first love of my life... I got it for $500 then, here in Manila, Philippines...
I tried a number of acoustic guitars then. I was carrying with me around $1500 in my pocket - my savings from my work as a pharmceutical sales rep. As slim I was then, wearing a white Hanes t-shirt, blue jeans and only flip-flops, nobody would suspect I had that money in my pocket. Anyways, I went in the rows of Guitar Stores in the mall and tried those really convexed-back guitars which to me seemed like turtles' backs, the dreadnought types, the blah-blahs... But, they all sounded muffled to me. I decided to just go back to the parking lot and head back home.

But, as Iwas nearing the exit of the mall, there was this last shop I didn't notice when I came in. It was on the other side of the isle between the mall's hallway. And, immediately, I walked in and I fell in love-at-first-sight with this beautiful, natural-color, shiny, sexy MONTARA on the display. I approached the Manager, confident, I have the money. But as I was about to utter the "I'd-like-to-try-it..." phrase, a group of assholes came in the store. I knew why the Store Manager left me for them, they were dressed better than I was.

I called on another of their sales person, I thought he was a trainee coz he was clad only in a white shirt with collar unlike the Store Manager who was on long-sleeved polo with a neck-tie. To cut it short, the trainee assisted me and he plugged MONTARA in an amp. I fingered and plucked on it, then banged with heavy strums which caught the attention of the $@!&#*% group who came in (who eventually left after tinkering with the cymbals and chimes in the store). This time the manager ws now approaching, but I didn't give any attention to him. I pulled out my cash, and told the trainee to wrap the guitar for me. I bluntly told the manager, "This sales had just been closed by this great salesman. You should promote guys like him." And he couldn't look me in the eye with embarassment.

Anyways, just a tale about my MONTARA. Here are it's pictures, though. Alive and kicking till now - 24 March 2009.

Image

Image

CIAO!!!


cool guitar!!


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Post subject: Fender Montara
Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:09 pm
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I know it seems like no-one has ever heard of these great sounding guitars. love the compact size and amazing sound, only downside is the battery access trough the sound hole. i was fortunate enough to have one given to me by my uncle. :P im surprised that these aren't more widely sold.


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Post subject: MONTARA
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 10:33 am
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Hi
I read a few of the comments. What kind of Dean pre-amp did you use?
Also, what guage strings are you using?

Thanks for Replying,

Jean-Pierre


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Post subject: Re: MONTARA
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:14 am
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jpklifa wrote:
Hi
I read a few of the comments. What kind of Dean pre-amp did you use?
Also, what guage strings are you using?

Thanks for Replying,

Jean-Pierre



Love these Montara's, wouldn't trade mine for anything either.

So you would like the info on a new preamp Dean? No problem. The info on it was "model # BG3TN" and I called Dean directly and ordered it with no problems, for $60 including shipping. The cool thing was it's the same width as the existing preamp, so the only cutting on the body that had to be done was in the length to accomodate the batter access on the outside, where it works much better!

Here's another thought. Mine came in as right handed but in order to go in the pre-existing hole on the guitar body it is installed upside down to match the curve of the body. I could have sent it back and gotten a left handed model but I didn't, it isn't that inconvenient, you get used to it very quickly. The built in tuner is great.

In fact, one of the other guitar players in our church group bought a Montara off of Evil-bay because he liked mine so much, he bought it knowing the pre-amp was bad and planned to buy the same preamp from Dean. He bought the left handed version and it fit nicely.

These are such cool guitars. 8) So comfortable and fun to play.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 11:36 am
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Thanks a lot for your help, If I understood this right, I should order the pre amp to fit a left handed guitar?
I bought the guitar on a whim, and actually read the blog and your comments before buying it, so the pre amp issue did not scare me.
I owned two Fenders Santa rosa, which are a rare breed of acoustic electrics. and I have actually major problems with the existing pre amp, so I may end up doing all of this at once, when I get my montara....

Thanks a lot,

jean-Pierre


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:17 pm
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jpklifa wrote:
Thanks a lot for your help, If I understood this right, I should order the pre amp to fit a left handed guitar?
I bought the guitar on a whim, and actually read the blog and your comments before buying it, so the pre amp issue did not scare me.
I owned two Fenders Santa rosa, which are a rare breed of acoustic electrics. and I have actually major problems with the existing pre amp, so I may end up doing all of this at once, when I get my montara....

Thanks a lot,

jean-Pierre



So is it the preamp in the Santa Rosa? or the Montara? If it's the Santa Rosa than I'm not sure it will fit since I'm not familiar with that other than photos.

I'm assuming the left handed one will work, here's why. When my Montara is in the playing position the preamp is to the left/front of the "indent" in the body, but with a Dean guitar in the same position the preamp is to the right/behind the "indent." So in order to match up with the curves of the guitar's body it had to be flipped around so mine is upside down. That's why I would suggest the left handed model, the curves might be right from the get-go. I'm not 100% certain of this just an assumption I'm making from experience.

Mine is upside down and literally it took me 5 mins to get used to it, if fit nice and sounds great so I took it in stride.

2 Santa Rosas? Those are pretty rare too aren't they, only seen them on Evil-bay from time to time, never actually touched one. Got photos?


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:21 pm
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I do
send me your email.
they are extremely rare, I have looked on ebay everyday for a long time for my second one and just got it.
my first one I bought in 92
the neck action is just unbelievable


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:37 pm
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jpklifa wrote:
I do
send me your email.
they are extremely rare, I have looked on ebay everyday for a long time for my second one and just got it.
my first one I bought in 92
the neck action is just unbelievable



Cool, my email is outtahandmusic@yahoo.com.

THanx.


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Post subject: Thanks for posting
Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 6:21 am
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Hey,

Had the same problem of not being able to find any info. I own the Montara beauty since 1994 and have been playing it since, almost daily. The warm and almost jazzy like sound and the easy playing that the stratneck makes possible makes her a very special guitar.

In recent months I start to have some problems with the pick up system, especially lower E string seems to fall out every once in a while. Will definitely have it repaired and will stick to this guitar for the rest of my life.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 6:13 pm
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had a thread on this forum early on around christmas i think bought one for my daughter flame maple front back and sides she loves it ( i did too but i had to give it to her anyway) so far her electronics are still in top shape


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Post subject: Re: Fender Montara Question
Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:38 am
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I've been searching, in vain at this point, for one of these guitars for about 9 months. It doesn't help that I'm in Australia. Not only do they sound great but I think that as an instrument they are one of the most beautiful examples Fender has made (Flame maple with abalone inlay model). I have an 89 Flame maple La Brea but eventually hope to add a Montara. The biggest issue that I have found has been that many US and Canadian stores simply don't even reply to emails, even though I have a US contact I can ship through. Just have to keep on pluggin' away I guess. :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Fender Montara Question
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:16 pm
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Holty69 wrote:
I've been searching, in vain at this point, for one of these guitars for about 9 months. It doesn't help that I'm in Australia. Not only do they sound great but I think that as an instrument they are one of the most beautiful examples Fender has made (Flame maple with abalone inlay model). I have an 89 Flame maple La Brea but eventually hope to add a Montara. The biggest issue that I have found has been that many US and Canadian stores simply don't even reply to emails, even though I have a US contact I can ship through. Just have to keep on pluggin' away I guess. :wink:



You have a LaBrea? Those are also very cool. You are correct in your assumption, the flamed maple Montara's are very sharp looking guitars. They really seemed to pay attention to the aesthetics on this guitar, I have the Tobacco Sunburst one, love the way it plays, and looks? The painted to match headstock is very sharp and such a playable neck.

If I could own any other Fenders I'd love to have a Maple and Black Montara to complete the set with my Sunburst one.

Good luck on your search, it's frustrating at times but worth it in the end 8)


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Post subject: Re: Fender Montara Question
Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2011 2:50 pm
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I have a Black Fender Montara since 1991. It is my main songwriting guitar. It is very versatile. If you put on 0.08 strings it works like an electric. If you put 0.10 strings, it becomes a solid sounding acoustic. The fingerboard and the frets kick $@!. And the body design is just drop dead beautiful. It's sound plugged in is distinctively smooth with just enough twang to it.

And I would not sell it for even $2000. :)


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Post subject: Re: Fender Montara Question
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:00 am
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WI KISSfan wrote:
Holty69 wrote:
I've been searching, in vain at this point, for one of these guitars for about 9 months. It doesn't help that I'm in Australia. Not only do they sound great but I think that as an instrument they are one of the most beautiful examples Fender has made (Flame maple with abalone inlay model). I have an 89 Flame maple La Brea but eventually hope to add a Montara. The biggest issue that I have found has been that many US and Canadian stores simply don't even reply to emails, even though I have a US contact I can ship through. Just have to keep on pluggin' away I guess. :wink:



You have a LaBrea? Those are also very cool. You are correct in your assumption, the flamed maple Montara's are very sharp looking guitars. They really seemed to pay attention to the aesthetics on this guitar, I have the Tobacco Sunburst one, love the way it plays, and looks? The painted to match headstock is very sharp and such a playable neck.

If I could own any other Fenders I'd love to have a Maple and Black Montara to complete the set with my Sunburst one.

Good luck on your search, it's frustrating at times but worth it in the end 8)



I bought a 90 labrea in 91 and after I got the string set up right it has been with me ever since. I got the blonde one and that tele style neck realy throws alot of people off. Some people get it confused with the classic country artist Lefty Frizzels Gibson custom. Thats right, his is a Gibson custom shop. The electronics crapped out years ago so i stripped all the controls out and put in a set of active fishman transducers that use no controls. It works great. Has better action than my 79 25th anniversary strat. If you want a wild sound do not put acoustic strings on it, put a set of electric guitar strings. You get that classic steely sound that is very close to the old ron wood and the faces sounds that had some of the best acoustic recordings like maggie may and hand bags and glad rags.


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