New guitar philosophy

[Boubou]

I have been known to mention the lack of innovation demonstrated by Fender. Just this week i read an article about the new Players II series.
It was embarrassing to read. The author was looking for selling points but really there are none, the only thing that stood out was rolled neck edges and Fender was going to look into their ancient catalog of colors and resurrect a few old ones, because of course their target audience does not like change the dont dare to use new colors.
I have 2 Fenders a Baja Telecaster and a Noventa Strat and they are fine guitars and i am not parting with them. I remember when the Noventa came out. I just had to have one, I went to the store and waited for them to arrive, man did i stink by the time they finally arrived, it takes longer in Canada. I dont know, i like new things
Then PRS comes up with this

I am WOW something new, great color, interesting pick ups.
And then yesterday there is this:

Once again, WOW.
The last time i said WOW for a Fender product was the Dark Night strat.
I do not particularly care for Paul Reed Smith, i do like his products. However i find it nice that he is actually involved, when did the CEO of Fender or Gibson last made a comment about the way guitars sound?
Also, PRS is one of the few persons that can tap 100 pieces of wood to check their resonnance and at the end of the week can play the finished guitars from those pieces of wood and listen to how they sound. Few people can do that. Personally it just needs to sound good when i play it.
Anyways, I like new and different things, I know a bunch of guys will get apoplexic if Fender changes a tiny thing from Leo's original design (By the way, Leo was the true innovator). You want a Strat you want a Strat and thats fine.
Ok enough rambling.
Peace

 

[Amp Mad Scientist]

I have been known to mention the lack of innovation demonstrated by Fender. Just this week i read an article about the new Players II series.
It was embarrassing to read. The author was looking for selling points but really there are none, the only thing that stood out was rolled neck edges and Fender was going to look into their ancient catalog of colors and resurrect a few old ones, because of course their target audience does not like change the dont dare to use new colors.
I have 2 Fenders a Baja Telecaster and a Noventa Strat and they are fine guitars and i am not parting with them. I remember when the Noventa came out. I just had to have one, I went to the store and waited for them to arrive, man did i stink by the time they finally arrived, it takes longer in Canada. I dont know, i like new things
Then PRS comes up with this

I am WOW something new, great color, interesting pick ups.
And then yesterday there is this:

Once again, WOW.
The last time i said WOW for a Fender product was the Dark Night strat.
I do not particularly care for Paul Reed Smith, i do like his products. However i find it nice that he is actually involved, when did the CEO of Fender or Gibson last made a comment about the way guitars sound?
Also, PRS is one of the few persons that can tap 100 pieces of wood to check their resonnance and at the end of the week can play the finished guitars from those pieces of wood and listen to how they sound. Few people can do that. Personally it just needs to sound good when i play it.
Anyways, I like new and different things, I know a bunch of guys will get apoplexic if Fender changes a tiny thing from Leo's original design (By the way, Leo was the true innovator). You want a Strat you want a Strat and thats fine.
Ok enough rambling.
Peace

In 1970s when Paul carved every guitar by hand:
The first time I met Paul, he immediately told me that testing the wood was a most important factor in building his guitars.
And so it goes for the finest luthiers throughout the globe.
You will never hear the "wood doesn't matter" routine from these respected artisans.

You want to see some of the very first guitars Paul carved?

 

[Stu78]

I have been known to mention the lack of innovation demonstrated by Fender. Just this week i read an article about the new Players II series.
It was embarrassing to read. The author was looking for selling points but really there are none, the only thing that stood out was rolled neck edges and Fender was going to look into their ancient catalog of colors and resurrect a few old ones, because of course their target audience does not like change the dont dare to use new colors.
I have 2 Fenders a Baja Telecaster and a Noventa Strat and they are fine guitars and i am not parting with them. I remember when the Noventa came out. I just had to have one, I went to the store and waited for them to arrive, man did i stink by the time they finally arrived, it takes longer in Canada. I dont know, i like new things
Then PRS comes up with this

I am WOW something new, great color, interesting pick ups.
And then yesterday there is this:

Once again, WOW.
The last time i said WOW for a Fender product was the Dark Night strat.
I do not particularly care for Paul Reed Smith, i do like his products. However i find it nice that he is actually involved, when did the CEO of Fender or Gibson last made a comment about the way guitars sound?
Also, PRS is one of the few persons that can tap 100 pieces of wood to check their resonnance and at the end of the week can play the finished guitars from those pieces of wood and listen to how they sound. Few people can do that. Personally it just needs to sound good when i play it.
Anyways, I like new and different things, I know a bunch of guys will get apoplexic if Fender changes a tiny thing from Leo's original design (By the way, Leo was the true innovator). You want a Strat you want a Strat and thats fine.
Ok enough rambling.
Peace

Agreed, the new player II line does notihng for me. Squier seem to be more innovating than Fender these days. I like their new paranormal series guitars.

 

[willmunny]

I have 6 fender strats and some copies.
The player 2 with the vintage style tuners and a return to rosewood fretboard, are all improvements imo.
Rolled edges are good, but my only strat that I noticed that isn't rolled is my 1987 E10 Squire.
Not running out to buy one though
Just my 2c

 

[67plexi]

I don't know anything about PRS import guitars 1991 I got a custom 24 10 top at that time it was the most I had paid for a new guitar
very well built top level wood Brazilian rosewood fingerboard 7.5 pounds 5 way rotary switch got rid of the sweet switch for a tone control
fell on hard times and had to sell it.
Last November got e mails 20% off the SE line of PRS started searching found a used mint PRS custom 24 10 top rosewood neck
for the same price as the 1991 it had been in a glass display case all it's live since 2010 great guitar.

 

[Aynirar27]

I straddle the fence when it comes to innovation. There are so many guitar companies out there that can make fine guitars at almost any price point, so there is certainly room to appease both the traditionalists, and the people looking for something new.

A few years ago I would have have said that the innovations were pointless, but I'm really starting to come around. It started with stainless steel frets. A guitar certainly doesn't need stainless steel frets, but given the option, I will take them on every new guitar I get going forward. Then I got a strandberg guitar. I mostly just got it to see what all the fuss was about, but I have to honestly say that the hype is real. The multiscale necks make sense, the tuning is bulletproof, it balances nicely and weighs nearly nothing.

I still enjoy strapping on a hunk of a les paul, with a baseball bat neck, and knock out some rock and roll. Much like standing in front of a ripping 4x12, that is a sensation and vibe that simply cannot be replicated. But I also have to admit that there is something to be said about the 'ergonomic" guitars coming out that just completely get out of your way and let you play.

It’s just a great time to be a guitar player

 

[Boubou]

Agreed, the new player II line does notihng for me. Squier seem to be more innovating than Fender these days. I like their new paranormal series guitars.

Yeah the paranormal line does look interesting.
Anyone ever noticed that whenever you do a google search or someone posts a Fender link here it’s useless it always brings you back to the main page. Maybe because I am in Canada .

 

[Aynirar27]

Agreed, the new player II line does notihng for me. Squier seem to be more innovating than Fender these days. I like their new paranormal series guitars.

I think the paranormal series is cool too. I got one of the squire paranormal SuperSonics because it was the only way I could find that shape. It’s 3/4 scale and pink so my daughters can slam away on it. I put some double cream square tab dimarzios in it because I care lol.
I play it way more more than the girls do though

https://imgur.com/a/yjKLlH8

 

[gball]

Truly, I am all for it, and they look great. But I have owned a few PRS' and just cannot find the groove with them for some reason. Hard to explain, but they feel like an appliance when I play them, rather than a living thing, the way a good Gibson feels.

 

[Boubou]

Truly, I am all for it, and they look great. But I have owned a few PRS' and just cannot find the groove with them for some reason. Hard to explain, but they feel like an appliance when I play them, rather than a living thing, the way a good Gibson feels.

Some hands are made for some guitars and not for others

 

[Mouse]

It’s unlikely I’ll ever buy another Strat again. For one, I’m not much of a single coil guy and when I want that sound I can split my pickups. Largely though is that Strats are uninspiring to me. I love the Strat shape but they’ve never put out a humbucker guitar that didn’t require a pickup swap. It’s why I love the Charvel San Dimas line. I get my favorite body shape but they innovate the way Fender doesn’t.

Yeah I know Fendrr owns Charvel. Perhaps that’s why they keep the Fender line more traditional.

 

[Jethro Rocker]

Also, PRS is one of the few persons that can tap 100 pieces of wood to check their resonnance and at the end of the week can play the finished guitars from those pieces of wood and listen to how they sound. Few people can do that. Personally it just needs to sound good when i play it.

Interesting.
Apparently Godin does that too. I have 2 Godin mainly for the piezo pickup. They also are synth capable. Basically a Les Paul killer with piezo capability. Just super good guitars. Beautifùl Quebec maple tops.

 

[EC Strat]

I think each line of guitars from fender is aimed at a specific type of buyer profile. The player series isn’t one where they’re going to do unusual things with it. It’s a meat and potatoes lineup. The Ultra and Performer lines have different wood choices and more modern colors, pickup combos and wiring options. Both lines are pretty non-traditional imo.

 

[Bob the builder]

Call it a player series, or player series II, it don't matter

It's still a Mexican standard (with better p/u's)
Don't be looking for innovation

 

[Ant]

I'm kinda looking forward to see one in person now that they are using rosewood and not that Johnny Winter pale pau ferro.

 

[Ant]

Interesting.
Apparently Godin does that too. I have 2 Godin mainly for the piezo pickup. They also are synth capable. Basically a Les Paul killer with piezo capability. Just super good guitars. Beautifùl Quebec maple tops.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say bad things about Godin and their product line. Maybe it's a good think they didn't get Fender or Gibson large.

A thing of beauty imho:

 

[Thatbastarddon]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say bad things about Godin and their product line. Maybe it's a good think they didn't get Fender or Gibson large.

A thing of beauty imho:

Well….if you haven’t already read any @Session 5 posts yet, wait until he gets back from summer camp…you’ll probably learn a lot…

 

[67plexi]

I like new innovations like the tuners on my 7 string darn guitar sounds like a real Gibson burst how ?? the wood used my guess
one of my two guitars with stainless steel frets the other is a early 1992 Parker Fly deluxe strings last

 

[DirtySteve]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say bad things about Godin and their product line. Maybe it's a good think they didn't get Fender or Gibson large.

A thing of beauty imho:

That's a sweet looking guitar.

 

[Boubou]

I like new innovations like the tuners on my 7 string darn guitar sounds like a real Gibson burst how ?? the wood used my guess
one of my two guitars with stainless steel frets the other is a early 1992 Parker Fly deluxe strings last

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View attachment 101922

From a well known luthier on Strat talk, installing stainless steel frets vs regular costs about $5 more. Of course since you don’t have that option when you buy you have to pay for a whole refret if you want SS, which is a whole lot more expensive