True Vintage?

Now I'm quite aware that I enthusiastically kicked started this blog by gushing about Gibson, it could be said that I am on a Gibson trip at the moment probably due to the superb stock that arrives fresh from the States to my shop on a weekly basis and mostly because I WANT ONE. However when it comes down to the brass tacks I am at heart a Fender devotee.

Ever since I first, if you'll excuse the phrase, grasped an axe I wanted a Telecaster and eventually in 2005 my wish was granted and I became the proud owner of a 1972 Telecaster Deluxe Reissue, not your typical Tele I'll admit but I tried every tele-esque guitar that my local guitar store had to offer and that was the one that came up trumps. Shortly after this I would move to London, start working in a guitar shop myself and join a band, through this I started to meet the gear obsessed individuals I call friends and the world of the vintage and the boutique opened up to me.

I clearly remember the first time I picked up a Custom Shop Fender Strat, I had been working at my old store Sound Control for a few weeks and I was mocking what I then though were outrageous price tags for such an instrument. However when I played it I heard what a Fender was MEANT to sound like, the tone was open, fat and dynamic. It was like the guitar responded to every pulse of BLOOD through my veins and at the same time it dawned on me that what Fender were passing off as the American 'Standard' was nothing but a great falsehood.

Returning to one of their so called 'Standard' instruments I found myself to be incredibly disappointed. What I once respected now sounded dull and lifeless... what was even more shocking is that I found their made in Mexico reissues, such as my own, were superior in sound and feel to what should be the mainstay of the Fender product lineup. In short I wanted a Custom Shop Tele but the £2500 price tag was something that even my huge sales assistant salary just couldn't handle... It was then I was introduced to Fenders undervalued and often misunderstood 'American Vintage' series. The features I wanted were all there; it was built as close as possible to Leo Fenders original specifications, had a super thin nitrocellulose lacquer, and glorius sounding vintage reissue pickups... just like the Custom Shop guitars that I so yearned to own! Shortly after this I would purchase my much loved '62 Telecaster reissue and it was at this point that I finally felt like I owned a 'real' Fender.

Now I'm not saying that the other guitars in Fenders HUGE product lineup aren't the genuine article, of course they are but they are not what Fender WERE about and to me they lack heart and soul. If Gibson can put out guitars under £1000 such as the SG Special and Les Paul Studio which still have classically voiced pickups and are made by hand then why can't Fender? It probably costs Fender around $50-100 to put together one of their American standard guitars judging by the way they are made and what they are made from but seems to be the Fender name that commands the price tag. In short, Fender need sort it out and potential Fender buyers make sure you check out the American Vintage and Vintage Hot Rod Series as well as some of the fantastic Artist Models such as the Eric Johnson Strat before you splash your cash. If that kind of price tag is unreasonable then you'd be better off looking to the made in Mexico Classic Player series such as the Classic Player 60's Strat and the Baja Telecaster as you get a lot more bang for your buck.

This is just my opinion by the way but feel free to get your flame on...