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Post subject: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:46 am
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Hi all,

I've been reading posts elsewhere that the American Deluxes are up for replacement, with the new models being released at the NAMM show in a couple of weeks. I suppose it's time - the previous versions ran for 6 years each (version 1 ran 1998-2003, version 2 ran 2004-2009) and 2015 was year 6 for version 3.

The rumors I've heard are new pickups - Fender "N4", and they are going to move the truss rod adjuster back to the neck heel but use the "wheel" style adjuster like an EVH Wolfgang. The biggest rumor is that the "American Deluxe" name is going away, and the "Elite" name is making a comeback.

Fender's been good about keep this under wraps (no leaks like when the current "pure vintage" American Vintage models were leaked a few weeks early), but now that we're getting close how about a sneak peek?


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:43 am
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I recently purchased an American Vintage Strat from Andertons in the UK and the shop was trying to sell off all the American Deluxe Strats and Tele's. When I asked why, the manager told me everything you just mentioned...though he may have said prestige in place of elite but I don't truly recall, but other wise, he told me almost word for word every change you just mentioned.

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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:11 pm
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What's new with the N4 compared to the N3? Anyone know?


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:41 pm
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nicholsoni wrote:
I recently purchased an American Vintage Strat from Andertons in the UK and the shop was trying to sell off all the American Deluxe Strats and Tele's. When I asked why, the manager told me everything you just mentioned...though he may have said prestige in place of elite but I don't truly recall, but other wise, he told me almost word for word every change you just mentioned.


I think the source on the other forums (TDPRI and The Gear Page) was getting their info from Andertons or some other UK/EU dealer. There are still tons of American Deluxes in the pipeline here in North America (USA and Canada at least) so the dealers here are keeping mum on any details.


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:29 pm
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arth1 wrote:
What's new with the N4 compared to the N3? Anyone know?


In the words of Spinal Taps Nigel Tufnel "It's one more." :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:33 pm
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John C wrote:
....There are still tons of American Deluxes in the pipeline here in North America (USA and Canada at least) so the dealers here are keeping mum on any details.


Compared to here in the UK they are already stupidly cheap as we pretty much pay in £'s what you pay in $'s, so 50% more.

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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 6:53 pm
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Rumor no more; the American Deluxe Series is now the "Fender American Elite Series".

I got the February 2016 Guitar Player magazine in the mail today; on page 25 there is a full-page ad for these. No details, but a really nice shot of a blueburst one. It looks like it's the next evolution of the older model; it's not a complete rework. From what I can see - they do have the wheel-style truss rod adjuster at the neck heel, just like the EVH Wolfgangs. One thing we didn't get from the "leaks" - it has some kind of compensated nut. Trem looks the same - solid saddles - and locking tuners (of course). You can't read the script on the pickups so we'll assume they are the next version or N4.

As I say - no ad copy whatsoever, just the photo of the guitar. Sorry, I no longer have a scanner (our old all-in-one died so all we have is our inkjet printer) so you'll have to find a magazine with the ad until Fender puts these up on the website.

EDIT: sorry, it's on page 25, not 24 :oops:


Last edited by John C on Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:04 pm
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Quote:
Rumor no more; the American Deluxe Series is now the "Fender American Elite Series".


I hope the name is about all they have recycled......

thanks for the heads up JohnC


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:33 pm
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sfceric64 wrote:
Quote:
Rumor no more; the American Deluxe Series is now the "Fender American Elite Series".


I hope the name is about all they have recycled......

thanks for the heads up JohnC


As I say - no details in the ad; but it looks like it's the next generation of the American Deluxe with the new/recycled name - nothing really brought back from the old Elites unless it happens to have the mid-boost or something like that.


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:09 am
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This new breed of Elites would be completely different animals than their 1980s ancestors.

I recalled a decade ago Fender renamed the 1st generation American Standard as American Series before bringing back the American Standard name in 2008.

I don't think they're going to develop new hum-cancelling designs. They'll probably replace N3s with Super 55 Split Coils and re-offer the Mini Floyd option which was dropped in 2007.


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 1:54 am
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Speaking of the Wolfgang-style truss rod on the "new" Elites, the ESP Snapper and Blade RH4 Classic come in my mind....

Image

Image

One possible reason for the change is the spoken-wheel truss rod was first adopted on the Dimension bass 3 years ago and eventually the folks in the R&D team decided to adopt the feature on their 6-string counterparts.....


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 6:13 am
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Ok JohnC, the 12db mid boost would be a nice surprise and I'm sure they can figure out how to wire a single tone pot to all three pups to maintain the three knob configuration MV/Tone/Boost(not gonna hold my breath).
Will they hold out as usual on a spec sheet until the release date, of course.


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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:52 am
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Image

I just got out my wallet and started counting money...that is one attractive guitar.

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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 7:55 am
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sfceric64 wrote:
Ok JohnC, the 12db mid boost would be a nice surprise and I'm sure they can figure out how to wire a single tone pot to all three pups to maintain the three knob configuration MV/Tone/Boost(not gonna hold my breath).
Will they hold out as usual on a spec sheet until the release date, of course.


It's a typical 3-knob configuration, and it still has the S-1 switch (which is pressed down in the photo so it shows). I suspect it's still the normal tone control for the neck pickup/no load tone control for the middle and bridge pickups but you never know; I was making a wild guess as to why they might have brought back the Elite name.

chromeface wrote:
I don't think they're going to develop new hum-cancelling designs. They'll probably replace N3s with Super 55 Split Coils and re-offer the Mini Floyd option which was dropped in 2007.


I think the pickup cover script reads "noiseless" on the bottom of the cover (like the original Vintage Noiseless models) and they also have the "Fender" script logo in the upper left-hand corner like the N3s. The photo is tilted so you can't quite read what's on the pickups but it's definitely not the "S" logo and the "Split Coil" script.

I think the Mini-Floyd ship has sailed forever; I don't think we'll be seeing it come back.

chromeface wrote:
This new breed of Elites would be completely different animals than their 1980s ancestors.

I recalled a decade ago Fender renamed the 1st generation American Standard as American Series before bringing back the American Standard name in 2008.



Hah - I agree, just a return of the name. The cynic in me is thinking that Fender might wind up restoring the American Deluxe name when the next major revision comes around for 2022.


Last edited by John C on Tue Jan 05, 2016 8:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Rumor Mill - American Deluxes being replaced?
Posted: Tue Jan 05, 2016 8:01 am
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I'd like to see stainless steel frets put on them. Then maybe I'd quit eye balling the Tom Anderson Strats.

If I haven't bought a Dave Murray Strat for x-mas, I'd be all over one of the deluxe Strats being price cut right now. There are some good deals going on right now.


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