Hi BrittB. Tarty = bling; brash; over-dressed; or to put it a little more directly... brothel chic. Imagine someone wearing leopard print hot pants, inch long false lashes, a lot of glossy lipstick and a come-on smile and you're in the ballpark.

Not really my thang - but it's all a matter of preference, no doubt.

Cheers - C

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They are a beautiful piece of art that someone took the time effort and design to make them look the way they do and if it can be played then its a major bonus. I do not know about some on this thread but to me a guitar is art and sometimes just looking at them can give me a smile so if it plays and it looks good I say go for it and enjoy. regardless of cost if you want it save and get it. Time is short.
Best and cheers

So...kind of like Mick Jagger in the early to mid 70's?

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I don't care who you are, that is a very nice looking guitar!

Not that there's anything wrong with it. (Seinfeld)

You're killin' me, sarge!



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

So for those that find the Select Series "Tarty"

What are your feelings about Suhr, PRS, flame top Les Pauls, even Warmoth?

Mwaaahahaha! Exactly - Mick in the '70s was the embodiment of the concept of tarty.

Or for another mental image, anyone remember the 1978 vid of Rod Stewart doing Do You Think I'm Sexy...? [Shudder]


Hi newfmp3: in fact, I was implying people might think me tarty for liking them, not that the Selects are tarty in themselves.

Actually, at the start of the thread you were saying you felt the flame maple tops and necks not nearly flamey enough; and I think that's because Fender are pitching them at a certain level. By the standards of "furniture guitars" such as the others you named the Selects are mild by comparison - almost blue collar. No fancy binding, no abalone inlay, wood that is not over the top. Basically, they're workmanlike guitars with pretty grain.

Not for everyone, but I like 'em.

Cheers - C

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Everything about the sound and/or playability of a guitar is subjective. That's why you will see a top guitar player in a band with a 20k custom guitar switch to a $150 Danelectro for the next song. One thing you can't argue about is a beautiful wood finish. Nitro goes on almost dry from the spray gun, and has to be applied thin. Too much buffing and you'll rub through, Fender, if anyone, knows that. That's probably why you see swirl marks. They'll become less obvious as the guitar is played and cleaned over time.

+1

Natural aging is the best way to "level" a nitro finish.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Ceri...funny you should mention ol Rod Stewart, I was actually having a hard time deciding between him and Mick!

OP sorry for the small hi-jacking, but sometimes we take this guitar stuff way to serious...so a little humor to lighten the mood.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

@Ceri: What does a yank know about a 'tart' which he knows as a 'hoe'. 'Tart' still sports a bit of panache IMHO. Your take on PRS 'image wise' was good. They are gorgeous, well made instruments. I've owned two in the past and they were both swapped out for Stratocasters. The only thing Fender can learn from PRS is how to offer a great guitar case. In that realm, FMIC still runs second. Anyone can build a guitar priced in the clouds. The Custom Shop does it every day and just consider Alains' collection for one example.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I do not know what years your PRS were but the latest PRS are phenomenal intruments. The new pickups (57/08,59/09,408, DGT, p22) are a leaps better then their older stuff. I would NEVER give up my PRS Experience 2011 CU24. It is leaps and bounds better then my Fenders. Even if I was blind, and that is the one you put in my hands, that's the one I'd keep.

As for Fender Cases. Yeah my Select case doesn't even fit my tele right. The High E gets knocked out of tune everytime I put it in its case. Horrible design, and the locks/latches are very flimsy. My PRS case is a armor'd tank, but its also quite heavy.

Thankfully I can have more then one guitar! I don't have to choose just one, and choose my next guitar to be a Fender Select HSS if i can find a highly figured one that plays well.

Just wish I knew what the 2013's were going to be like.

A '94 CE 24 bolt-on and an '08 Johnny Hiland. Beautifully crafted instruments but the neck profiles just didn't do it for me. I've a V-neck preference and the Clapton's is my overall favorite. We definitely agree on the cases and the Fender Custom Shop case should absolutely be on the same par with the PRS.
My Gilmour's case didn't come close and neither did the one my last CS special order came in. It was eventually swapped out for the Gilmour because they didn't get the neck quite right.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I have the same problem as newfmp3 with my Select Strat case knocking the high E out of tune when I put it in the case. It seems that they've used thicker padding at the ends of the case as none of my other fender cases do this to the high E tuner. Very disappointing for a guitar of this price. Guitar itself is fantastic, the case much less so.