Not so much a question as an observation, I would like to congradulate everyone at Fender regarding the new Vintage line. Along with the Fender Custom Shop this just elevates Fender that much higher past the competition. I apreciate the tradtion at Gibson and feel for thier unwarented attention for perfectly legaly obtained materials. However that aside I dont see them keeping pace with this current Fender regiem. You guys keep raising the bar. I would say this is unprecidented in business outside the tech industry to be continually raising the level of quality the way you guys have been doing. Ive been a Fender guy my whole life just because they feel right and sound right but now i couldnt be prouder to be a member of the Fender family! PRS has done a decent job in attempting to merge custom and line guitars and Gibson unfourtantely has its problems all the other guitar manufacturers are more or less treading water while Fender has opened a water park! Anyway Congradulations and I cant help but wonder whats around the corner. Besides my custom shop masterbuilt which seams still way around the corner but time flies when your having fun.Oh yah not that you should raise your prices please dont but i feel you are appropriatley priced as well execpt maybe for off the order sheet masterbuilt requests... maybe. But hey nobodys 100 percent perfect. Oh heres a question : Was the vintage line out now mentioned as in the works before its release or did you guys keep that under your hat till it was ready to unviel?

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Hi Jim

I dunno if it's just Fender ya know? I recently picked up a Gibson SG Standard and the fit / finish / quality is pretty impressive. (I have four other Gibson guitars, and they are rock solid) have a few fenders too, but I'm mostly a Gibson sort of guy..

Lately, I think the US based companies have picked up their game a bit these last few years (as well as pushed up the prices) but anyway, if you're fortunate enough to be able to afford a new instrument these days, it's really comforting to know that our USA based makers appear to be stepping it up in terms of their overall quality.

Add to it, lots of improvements in some of the amplifiers and accessories, and I think today more than ever it's a great time to be a guitar player!!!

CHEERS!

So, what is it in particular about Fender 2012 that has impressed you?
guitars
amps
technology
quality
service
product lines
tones

Just interested in your response? Toppscore

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I was hanging at the local mom and pop store in town (used to teach there) so whiel the owner and I are catching up, hadn't been in there for a while, he commented that had just gotten in a new shipment of various fenders, a few were these vintage series.

So he hands me one, (tele) Out of the box, no fiddling with anything, played fantastic, Plugged it in, sounded fantastic. It made me want one immediately,

"you gotta take this and put it back on the rack before I loose control"


Also I bought a Mustang III back in June, that is quite an impressive amp. Fender put a lot into these and they sound fantastic.

One thing I'm not sure about is the price hikes,, 600 bucks for a Blues Jr. seems a bit much and that tele was close to $2k.... sort of steep,, Nice, but--

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well, just an observation ya know..

you may disagree with this but I think Gibson's by way of set necks, body bindings, (in the case of a les paul, carved maple top) more intricate inlay work in the headstock and the neck, verses a Fender, bolt on neck, decals vs inlays, and no binding unless is some custom version, most of the hardware mounted on pickgaurds or steel plates, etc.. requires a higher degree of precision assembly and craftsmen ship than would building a Fender, yet the gap in the prices are no where near as wide as they used to be.

I love my fenders, and my gibby's me and they shall never part, I just see some of the prices lately, and I honestly don't quite get it.

edit: Then again,, it's all about what the market will bear isn't... If I want that 52 Tele,
I'm gonna have to shell out $1,700 for it,, for a paul, $2,500.. it is what it is right?

Unfortunately Gibson doesn't have anything in their linup that would be a real "apples to apples" comparison to the AV '52 Tele; to get a really decent recreation of a vintage Gibson you've got to go up the their Historics and you'll find prices as high as $6,500 for a '59 reissue (MAP price; you can likely get them for less). Of course that would probably compare better to a Fender CS Time Machine Strat at $3,400. The $2,500 LP Standard would probably be a better comparison to a Fender American Deluxe Strat, which is more like $1,500.

Interesting comparisons, gentlemen.
Not sure about top-of-the-line guitars (I played my first $5000 Custom Strat last week),
but, I've read lately about Gibsons reqular line of guitars having some quality problems.
On the other hand, Fender's MIMexico & MIJapan are getting great reviews.

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I don't think these two manufactures will ever produce instruments that are fair comparisons to each other. so on that, I totally agree with you..

then again - consider this..

$599 for a Blues Jr.. ???

There are a lot of tube amps in that price ball park that, quite honestly, the B. Jr. can't hold a candle to... (Great amp! but @ 600 bucks? Uhmmm...NEXT!)

Such as???

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The Gibson 61 reissue SG,s are fantastic guitars for about the same price as Fender RI,s.

+1 The Gibson 61 Reissue SG's are fantastic guitars...I love mine!



And it is on Par with Fender's Reissues Nice one TBAZZ

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

T2 we seem to have very simular tastes in guitars. The 61,s are actully alittle cheaper than the Fender RI,s. I,ve been playin my Esquire quite a bit lately. Ive been thinkin of doing a strat with the JB pickups now.

TBAZZ...Holy Crap, I have been playing my Esquire quite a bit lately too! If you ever get near St Louis, look me up, something tells me we might enjoy jamming some blues. In fact wasn't it you that posted the pics with Bobby Rush? I saw him at the St Louis Blues Festival here and what a show...I sold my 72 SFSR to the Promoter of those shows here and Shamika Copelands Guitar player played it on stage, sure made it talk!

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.