Sorry to double post, but I think you are right there, except the '57 hot rod is one BADASS guitar....

_________________
1965 Fender Precision Bass, 1994 Fender '54 Reissue Precision Bass, 2007 Applause Celebrity, 2011 Fender American Special Jazz Bass, 2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster, 2013 Fender American Special Stratocaster, 2013 Gibson LPJ

IMHO I think Fender is doing an ouststanding job. They are making guitars that are affordable for the average person to buy and higher end guitars for those who can afford them. You cannot make one single guitar that everybody will love, that is the reason for so many models.

The way some of you sound, you would be happy with 1 model for Stratocaster, 1 model for Telecaster, 1 model for the Mustang, and 1 model for the Jaguar. For the Bassist out there 1 P Bass, 1 J Bass, ect...If you want something different on it, moddify it yourself?

Sure I would like to see some Semi-hollow models, but isn't that what Gretch is for?

Do I like every guitar that Fender makes, no...but at least I have a choice of models to pick from. Be careful for what you wish for...Fender may decide that the Road Worn or the Pawn Shop series are the ones that they are going to continue making.

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

What I think most of us are trying to get across is to "trim the herd", have you opened up a music catalog and seen all of the different types of strats and teles? I mean don't only go one model, in fact no on has actually said that so not sure where you got that from, but try and focus some of their energy towards other models, such as the Jaguar, Esquire, Mustang...

_________________
1965 Fender Precision Bass, 1994 Fender '54 Reissue Precision Bass, 2007 Applause Celebrity, 2011 Fender American Special Jazz Bass, 2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster, 2013 Fender American Special Stratocaster, 2013 Gibson LPJ

I don't. I adore Japanese Fenders.

_________________
Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

I think Fender should consider how they are going to compete with this http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/ ... ric-guitar

MIA for $550 with quality parts is going to be a huge factor for new guitar buyers

and they should hire Nevin to investigate if Chuck Norris really does have a third fist in his beard
http://www.axlguitars.com/

Sorry I did come accross a little miffed. Which 5-ish Strat and/or Tele models would you say Fender should cut their heard to? It would be hard for me to pick 5 models from such a collection. I am not trying to be testy here, but I do like that there are different models out there for varying incomes and styles.

I do see your point however...I would be interested in a whole new Fender guitar-style. Not a hybrid Strat, Jag, Mustang, or Tele model but something totally new. I would like to see a solid body, arch-top, set neck, hard tail, 3 per side tuners to actually cut into Gibson's profits. They could throw in P 90's and/or Humbuckers .

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

i am a huge fan of Fender, i think they have a solid strategy in place that gets affordable guitars out there for the beginner and all the way up the line to serious pro. Although personally i would love to see different guitars and radical designs that usually equals failure and a lot of wasted money in a very tight competative market.
If i could make any wishes come true i would say a killer Fender tour of production and corporate so that fanboys like me could tour and swoon. I too love Fender Japan so i guess i would want only American made and Japanese made fenders. Nothing agains MIM fenders but i would rather see money go into America and Japan than some of the other choices out there.
But for the most part i think they are perfect as they are, solid servicable reliable guitars and amps at good prices. I hope to support them for the rest of my years on earth.

I'm not putting down Japanese/Mexican or any other kind of spin off of the real thing.
I just love Made In AMERICA being written on it. and I will continue to Buy AMERICAN
----Danny,

Kudo's to all of you. I love how you can get affordable, American made quality under $1000. All the Fender guys talk about how the get great tone from their American fender for under $1000 to $1500. All the Gibson, PRS, and botique players are all like "Yeah, this guitar is soooo awesome, and it only cost me $3500" If you want a cheaper PRS, you gotta get the Korean made SE, which IMO is so-so. IMO Fender $1500 trumps others $3500, less cash, same features, and the ORIGINAL electric guitar. Fender is one of the last "main" brands that still seems to care about the customer, I mean the life a of a musician is hard enough, am I right??

_________________
1965 Fender Precision Bass, 1994 Fender '54 Reissue Precision Bass, 2007 Applause Celebrity, 2011 Fender American Special Jazz Bass, 2012 Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster, 2013 Fender American Special Stratocaster, 2013 Gibson LPJ

Build a semi hollow Arch top that's not dog gone ugly!!!!

_________________

If I get another guitar, I try to get something I don't have--so what I'd like next is a six string flat top acoustic (I have a classical and a 12 string), so Fender is probably out, but I have tried some Guilds I like--so it could still be a brand in the Fender family--I like smaller than Dreadnaught size, and would prefer a built in piezo pickup--and something other than a spruce top--and I have seen Guilds like that, I believe.

Or maybe a semi hollow--but then Fender would need to resurrect the old 70's Starcaster at a decent price I could afford.

_________________
It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

LOL! Great stuff here.

_________________
Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

Follow me on Instagram:
@brad_on_guitar

And on Facebook:
facebook.com/bradonguitar

Fender might look into an advertising strategy that can explain simply that every music equipment idea posted here could very well be available through the custom shop, and then we may get to see some picks of all of this new equipment. When ever I think about a newer or renewed older guitar model I always think "call the custom shop, you can get what you want". Trying is the critical move.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Fender have got to improve there contact with the public either via online, email or mobile services.

I know they are quite active on their facebook page but no iphone App. Gibson have stolen a march on them. With so much interest in Fender Guitars and amps, (you only have to look at the number of forums etc on the web) i am certain it would be snapped up.

Gibson send out regular emails usually at least 1 a week they also have a iphone App that has chords, metronome, lessons and link to their website. When was the last Fender email? Even if they are not promoting new products they could promote some lesser known models i.e Deluxe Blackout Telecaster for me is the most under rated and under publicised Telecaster in the catalogue.

I have Tele's and Strats throughout the range of models MIM Standards, BlackTop, Blackout, MIA Highway 1, Classic Player, American Special, American Delux, 60th Anniversary. All diferent colours & finishes but some colours specific to this range or that range. Maybe a way of ordering a specific guitar in a specfiuc colour but stock parts i.e a standard tele in charcoal metallic frost or a Blacktop Strat in Blizzard Pearl. Obviously you would pay extra but not to the level of a custom shop model.

We had to wait ages to be able to download this years Fender Frontline catalogue, the guitar builder has only starts why no tele's at least. Why no the ability to download a pdf of your creation.

Come on Fender marketing and promotion is everything especially in these current economic times.

_________________
ukraider
"money cant buy you love but it can buy guitars!!!!!!"

All these different models drive the cost of everything up. Keeping inventory and stocking many different parts and styles, expanding lines to handle it all has got to be expensive. As well as all the labor involved. Needing all that labor is good for Mexico and China, but not so great here. Thin the herd and bring all the manufacturing back to the States and make it affordable. It can be done especially with all the CNC machinery doing most of the tedious work. It can be done if the overhead is slimmed down. Let the musicians mod their own guitars. When I got my Strat in 1972, there were just a handful of colors, trem, no trem and a couple of neck widths. You had to special order some options. The guitar with a case was $280.00. If you calculate inflation in, that's around $1400 today. Manufacturing can be much more streamlined today with a lot less waste.

_________________
Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal