I was just wondering if everyone is content with just the Strat ,Tele and to very much lesser degrees the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. Or would people like to see a few new designs that are outside the box.

I , well I guess we all must notice that Fender probably has the least amount of guitar designs out of every company there is, which when you think of 60 plus years in business is really tiny.

I probably will get flamed for this but it wont be the first or the last time.lol But the Strat and Tele would be a toss up if I could only own one guitar and I have 4 of each. The thing is I would really like to see some new designs that are totally outside the box. Especially a guitar with humbuckers that is not a tweaked Strat or Tele. I say enough with all this relic stuff as it has been done to death and yes Mike Eldred you impressed me and a lot of guys by showing how you can make a guitar look like it is 50 years old.

Now really impress me and a lot of others by making something that is totally kick $@! and new and something we have never seen before.

I think we beat this one to death a few months ago: http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=28970

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I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.

Amen to that brother. We are nine years into the new millenium. Let's see what you guys can create from a clean slate.

Although I am thoroughly biased in terms of a Stratocaster being perfection for me, essentially, the real 'biggies' out there that have stood the test of time are in no particular order: Teles, Strats, Les Pauls, 335s and to a lesser extent, SGs, Jaguars and Jazzmasters, all with their mutations. That's pretty much it and the way I figure it, if someone asked me about what would be my, "fantasy" guitar, guaranteed, the first statement out of my mouth would be, "It would have to have the comfort of a Strat body...". So, as a point of reference, I kind of think whoever sat down to design something radical would probably come up with stuff like, "Les Paulocasters" and so on; simply more rehashing and mutations of established models. Remember too, all this tooling and retooling is mighty expensive, especially when a huge return on this investment would have to be 'logically' anticipated. YMMV.

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You dig?

For me...well...I think that the Tele is a work of sheer beauty and perfection...no need to change a formula for success!! JMO..

Isn't a "LesPaulocaster" a PRS?

I'd be happy if they only made thier current stuff, but I Hope they create a guitar that makes me consider a new front line axe. They nearly did it with the Showmaster, that was really nice, just a little small in the body for my comfort.

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"Persistence Is The Father Of Invention"
-Crazy Old Man In Training

Yeah I'd love to see a new design.
I love some of the quirky experimental guitars, don't forget the Flying V, the Firebird, also the Fender Starcaster, and the Gibson L6S and Marauder models too. Each of these had something unique about them, and a sound you couldn't get anywhere else. Some 'student' guitars were pure genius IMO. Fender Mustangs are a lot of fun. My favourite Les Paul would have to be the Special with two P90s and that skinny body, a guitar that feels good strapped on and sounds superb - Bob Marley certainly looked like he enjoyed his.

I guess the thing about guitars like the Strat and Tele is that Leo Fender did his research and development so thoroughly and with such insight and good design sense that he came up with something timeless and enduring - instant design classics, like Levi's original jeans they do exactly the job you need, at an affordable price, but with style, and they last a good few years too. It would be hard to come up with something equally as good. But I'd settle for a cool student guitar that did one thing with real style and quality!

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"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."

Personally I would like to see a Hollowbody Stratocaster, and make one Left Handed too!!

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Well I have 4 Strats a Beck, Clapton, Ultra and a new Deluxe. I also have 4 Teles a 62 resissue, a 72 Thinline reissue ,a Deluxe and a Blonde as far as I can see I have all the bases covered single coil wise and in that regard a better guitar I will not find.

I also like humbuckers and really do not care for Gibsons outside of a Les Paul, which is one of the two greatest guitars made. So I have been getting into EBMM guitars slowly.lol I love the old EVHs which turned into the Axis especially the feel of the Asymetrical neck and the color schemes they use are like when Fender first broke out and used the old car colors.

I have looked at the guitars they have made in the last 18 years starting with the EVH, Albert Lee, The Luke, Steve Morse, The Petrucci, Silho and there all top of the line guitars that did not bite off the Fender or Gibson design and are very popular models that are all equiped with humbuckers.

Why is it we cant produce one guitar outside the box that has humbuckers. Or if an Artist comes on board they do a Strat or Tele that is tweaked instead of there own thing.

It may not be a lot of guys cup of tea but Shred and Heavy Metal have a huge following of young guys and you cant really play that music on a Fender Guitar with Yngwie being an exception and probably the only one. Why not target that audience with something. I thought the Ultra was an amazing ax and a revamped model that is not shaped like a Strat and has humbuckers would be a killer shred machine.

I am sure that every guy on the forum in there 20s and younger if a poll was up would all say they would like to see a new ax that can really push the pedal to the metal and so would I and I'm 48. I am just wondering why these markets are not covered. So EBMM can turn out 7 models in 18 years and Fender nothing, I just dont get it.

In fact can anyone even say who runs Fender today, because I cant. And I cane name the head of just about every major guitar company. I would have to believe that all the blue collar players are sick of these relics already and lets face it we all know they are targeted toward the high end collector and believe me if Leo was alive I doubt he would of said I hit the head on the nail and dont have to create anything anymore. The thing that made him so great was he did not think like a player because he was not one. For cryin out loud he couldnt even tune a guitar and maybe that was the magic he brought.

My point is I am a die hard Fender guy but I can only own so many of the same guitars and it would be nice to see something new come out of the gate to get me excited. Even if it crashed and burned at least I know they gave it a shot. Gibson has had like 8 duds in a row but I give them credit for trying. I just think they have the wrong people designing as there new axes look like they were made from Grateful Dead fans. But you have a lot of companies turning out some wicked axes.

I bought a Tele and a Strat Deluxe this year and I would really say I think they are making the best guitars they ever did with those models but I really wish they would put the focus on a totally new ax. Believe me if Leo was around it would be no problem.

Indeed it is, I stand corrected!

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You dig?

LMAO!!!

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You dig?

I'd love to see fender generate some new concepts for guitars (even if they flop). But, have to agree the the bulk of the previous posters in that, if it aint broke dont fix it.

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

No!!

YES!, in 50 years theres going to be nothing good from this era to reissue.

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Rated "M" for meaty.