It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 9:03 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 48 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Road worn, Hmm!
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:04 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:32 pm
Posts: 30
I played two road worn strats today at GC. Man were they set up badly. Both fretted out when bending strings, and on one, the high E string just fell off the fretboard every time you touched it. Overall, I was very unimpressed that for $1000 you get a guitar that is almost not playable! The pickguard on one was lifted off the body by a good 1/8 of an inch. And neither one sound special in any respect. Maybe I just played some lemons, but I simply expect a better quality instrument for that kind of dough.

Ed


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Road worn, Hmm!
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:15 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
ed k wrote:
I played two road worn strats today at GC. Man were they set up badly. Both fretted out when bending strings, and on one, the high E string just fell off the fretboard every time you touched it. Overall, I was very unimpressed that for $1000 you get a guitar that is almost not playable! The pickguard on one was lifted off the body by a good 1/8 of an inch. And neither one sound special in any respect. Maybe I just played some lemons, but I simply expect a better quality instrument for that kind of dough.

Ed


Maybe that's merely part of the, "Road Worn" shtick. :roll:

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:02 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:29 am
Posts: 4238
Location: Pgh Pa
The single ply pick guards are warped as most are. My 50s road worn was set up perfect when I bought mine. And the Tex Mex pick ups sound great.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:25 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:32 pm
Posts: 30
I have a single ply pickguard on my 50th anniversary and it is not warped at all. I have no doubt that the road worn can be better than what I played today, but these particular guitars didn't feel anything like a high end ($1000) guitar. I know, to some a $1000 guitar is not high end, but in terms of workmanship, the road worn didn't stack up particularly well.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:34 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
I wasn't impressed either. The one's I tried had issues too. Not just setup. I picked up a $200 used Ibanez Artcore that played better. I already have a Strat, but was looking for a beater guitar. I found it, and saved 800 bucks to boot.
For a grand, I'll pass. Expect more and you'll get more.
A thousand buck axe should play and sound great not just okay. Just think of how long you need to work to buy it.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:40 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:56 pm
Posts: 3941
Location: Great White North, EH!
63supro wrote:
I wasn't impressed either. The one's I tried had issues too. Not just setup. I picked up a $200 used Ibanez Artcore that played better. I already have a Strat, but was looking for a beater guitar. I found it, and saved 800 bucks to boot.
For a grand, I'll pass. Expect more and you'll get more.
A thousand buck axe should play and sound great not just okay. Just think of how long you need to work to buy it.
To be fair, with the exception of the ones from Indonesia, Ibanez guitars always seem to measure up quite favorably, even to guitars well above their price structure.

_________________
I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:52 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:32 pm
Posts: 30
Quote:
To be fair, with the exception of the ones from Indonesia, Ibanez guitars always seem to measure up quite favorably, even to guitars well above their price structure.

I'm not sure I understand your point. If Ibanez can build a guitar for reasonable money that is a good value, why can't fender do the same? I bought an Ibanez AS103 a couple of years ago for $700 and the workmanship on it is way better than what I played today.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:20 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:56 pm
Posts: 3941
Location: Great White North, EH!
ed k wrote:
Quote:
To be fair, with the exception of the ones from Indonesia, Ibanez guitars always seem to measure up quite favorably, even to guitars well above their price structure.

I'm not sure I understand your point. If Ibanez can build a guitar for reasonable money that is a good value, why can't fender do the same? I bought an Ibanez AS103 a couple of years ago for $700 and the workmanship on it is way better than what I played today.
my point was that an Ibanez compares with ANY other guitar of that price range, and that the Artcore would stand up against any of the other fenders,or Gibsons for that matter, in that price range, not just the road worn.

_________________
I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:25 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:19 pm
Posts: 8827
Mine is only an AS73 and it a great guitar. I'm thinking about putting Gibson Burstbuckers in it. It sounds great now, but I think putting Gibson pups would make it incredible for very little money. The quality of workmanship on this guitar is unbelievable. Lately, I think Fender really needs to get on the QC stick. Customer service is disappointing too. I sent a GDec back for repair and it took 6 weeks for the dealer to get word from Fender that they were giving me credit for it. I upgraded to a GDec 30 and if this one goes south I'll get a Line 6 jam. All this after being a loyal Fender customer for 40 years.
To quote Dylan, "The Times They Are A Changin"


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:55 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:27 pm
Posts: 3355
Location: Houston, Texas
The ones I played were awesome. I couldn't put it down. But then, I like high action.

_________________
Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalairdmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckslaird
Instagram: http://instagram.com/beckslaird


Top
Profile
Post subject: shame
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:15 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:30 pm
Posts: 193
Its the new corporate mentality.
I know some folks here in Arizona(wont name names) but the company is trying to move away from US made stuff except for custom shop and high-line FSR's. so you will see a lot more non-US material and lower QC. I hope as they see their margins rise they reinvest a little of it towards QC and maintain the brand. We shall see. I have a whole mess of details on what I have found out,and some of you others may already know but I am a lousy typist and tired. I will say this start buying used(or new) USA made fenders, as they start(if they can) to faze out the standind US lines. The used market on US stuff will be through the roof.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:43 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2007 3:28 pm
Posts: 54
Location: Tulare, CA.
The Road Worn series is a great look and a great concept, I love the well worn-in look, I'm sure that people who buy them will love them, the price tag is what it is, and compared with the EVH strat it's a pure drop in the bucket. I paid 600.00 for my '57 RI strat in '87, 300.00 increase in 20 years? not bad

_________________
Quit sittin' around and play!
"This one goes to 11."


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:18 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:28 pm
Posts: 12
Location: New York
Personally, I can't see spending a grand or better on a guitar/bass that looks like someone beat it to hell or used it for a baseball bat! I'll the "break it in" myself and create "my own mojo scars!"

I'd like to think that I'm paying primo dollars for an axe that has an "eye catching finish."

_________________
[blue] [SIZE3]~ I Am My Music ~[/blue][/SIZE3]


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:24 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:33 am
Posts: 722
Location: Australia
remember that a 7.25" radius can feel pretty strange at first if you're used to 9.5". My first thoughts upon trying my CS time machine '66 in the store were "Man, what is with this E string?! I'm glad they left me alone to try this thing out, because this is just embarrassing" followed by "OK, this thing needs major setting up, I'm choking all over the place on these bends"... I kept at it for a bit because I didn't want to believe that such an expensive guitar could have such issues, and before I knew it I was in love with the 7.25" (um..OK, that sounds a bit dodgy, but you know what I mean, I hope, heh).

Seriously, I thought I was in for a bit of work when I got it home but once I'd changed the strings it was sweet. Better, in fact, than my other strat which had been professionally set up. Of course, the previous owner had probably addressed all that stuff -- I can't comment as to the Road Worn default setup -- I just wanted to point out that everything I thought was wrong with the guitar turned out to be due to my lack of familiarity with vintage-style neck radii. Possibly it's worth giving the Road Worn series another shot..?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:21 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:58 pm
Posts: 382
Location: Lincoln NE
I conducted an intense road worn evaluation when they were first released because I was in the market for a new Strat.
I couldnt get into the 50s strat becuase of the flimsy, warped pickgaurd that lifted the neck pup 1/4 inch on the fat side. Neck felt good, but a little too thin for my tastes. 60s seemed more solid. I actually liked the tele the best out of the lot. The series seems to get great professional reviews, but in the end I went with a MIA standard for $100 less.
They dont look to be selling well in my neck of the woods. 3 local venders carry them and 1 location sold 2 60s strats (one to an employee) and another sold a tele. Not exacly flying off the shelves compared to MIM and MIA standards.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 48 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: