Awesome new Fender!

[buddastrat]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Vintage-Hot-Rod-62-Stratocaster-?sku=512142

Not sure if it's a standard production yet or not but sign me up for one. There's also a '57.

[codeorama]

Looks awesome, wish that they had put the staggerd tuners like the EJ and offer it in shell pink and sonic blue...

[Aaron Cheney]

Think what you like, but IMO Fender is making some great guitars right now and really responding to what people are looking for. It's nice to see a major guitar manufacture going after the boutique market by producing quality guitars at good price points rather than resorting to litigation. Go Fender.

A

[buddastrat]

Looks awesome, wish that they had put the staggerd tuners like the EJ and offer it in shell pink and sonic blue...


Easy enough mod, but I actually prefer non staggered tuners and usually have no tuning issues from the tuners or angle ever. So many complain about the EJ needing a string tree. I had one that needed one bad.

I wish they offered this guitar in oly white...oh wait! They do!!!

[StratTone]

I just got wind of these about 2 days ago. I think the '62 is pretty cool except for the limited colors and the '57 is cool except for the stacked hum. I say the "thin skin" '57 and '62 are far better.

[buddastrat]

Those are in limited colors too Strattone. I prefer a 9.5 radius plus it states the '62 has a larger neck. I had a 62 "thin skin" and it had a skinny neck. So not better to me.

[59burst]

Bingo! Great move on Fender's part, IMHO. I'll be psyched to try one.:dude

[Mike Duncan]

Can't go wrong with Sherwood Green. Now, if it's MF limited, it's dead to me. Otherwise, very cool!

[RichusRkr]

Sounds like a winner guitar to me except for the satin finished neck. Give me some sticky nitro gloss that I can play and break in to a smooth gloss. ps. apply a little talc and in short time that nitro will be as smooth as silken butter.

[RichusRkr]

oh I do like satin rosewood and mahogany necks but not maple. am I alone?

[Taller]

If they'd build a Strat just like that, but with the truss rod adjustment at the top of the neck instead of at the body end...my hands would get sweaty as I pull out my MC.

[Tone_Terrific]

Looks like another variation of the endless stream of Strat variations with no significant changes. You guys sure this is a BIG deal?

[karmadave]

Fender has been listening to it's customers!

-KD

[Glowing Tubes]

Yeah, its cool to see Fender step it up.
These look like great guitars to me.

[Jeeves]

Is this what Fender is announcing at Winter NAMM?

[drolling]

OK, so how's the neck profile compare to the '62 RI that's been around for a while?

The flatter radius & fat frets are a step in the right direction (for me, anyway), but those 'C' necks are usually a bit on the skinny side for my taste (gnarled old left hand cramps up pretty fast these days..). Is this one deeper/wider than the regular reissue, or not??

An oly white w/rosewood would be nice, but I'd have to buy sight unseen, and I can't take advantage of the money-back thing up here in the forozen north..

[Don L]

The specs look similar to the Mayer strats except for the body finish and pickups...

[GuitarTone]

Perfect guitar IMO.

[karmadave]

Yep. It's basically a Mayer Strat w/Nitro body, different pups (wired identically) and no sig on the headstock. They are charging a bit more than the JM Strat...

-KD

[lv]

Yep. It's basically a Mayer Strat w/Nitro body, different pups (wired identically) and no sig on the headstock. They are charging a bit more than the JM Strat...

-KD


The Mayer strat has a toothpick for a neck, at least the 2 I played did -they were thinner than the std 62 ri neck which is pretty thin itself. This neck should be much bigger than the Mayer.

[Mrgearguy]

hey guys, I think Fender actually came out with the strat in 1954, it's not really new.

(ducks)

[buddastrat]

OK, so how's the neck profile compare to the '62 RI that's been around for a while?

The flatter radius & fat frets are a step in the right direction (for me, anyway), but those 'C' necks are usually a bit on the skinny side for my taste (gnarled old left hand cramps up pretty fast these days..). Is this one deeper/wider than the regular reissue, or not??

An oly white w/rosewood would be nice, but I'd have to buy sight unseen, and I can't take advantage of the money-back thing up here in the forozen north..


It states "larger" C neck right there.

I'll take satin over nitro neck anyday. That's the main reason I hated the EJ. Even after a month of playing it everyday, it was sticky as hell. Just would gunk up more.

[buddastrat]

hey guys, I think Fender actually came out with the strat in 1954, it's not really new.

(ducks)


Yeah but it's tweaked just right to me. All the strat models they offer and none would suit me. I like modern radius/frets, but the rest with vintage appointments.

They didn't offer that in '54!! After all the hundreds of models of strats, this finally has everything I want in a strat without going custom shop for way too much $.

[karmadave]

Guess it depends on your definition of "thin" The neck on my JM Strat is definitely bigger than most of the '62 Re-issues I've played. Not as big as the SRV. More like the neck on my MIM Cray.

I think Fender may have finally gotten this one right. Unlike the '62 Re-issue, it's real Nitro (not Nitro over Poly), plus a 9.5" radius with satin feel. This guitar sits somewhere in between a Vintage Re-issue and Custom Shop Strat...

-KD

[Don L]

Guess it depends on your definition of "thin" The neck on my JM Strat is definitely bigger than most of the '62 Re-issues I've played. Not as big as the SRV. More like the neck on my MIM Cray.


Same here...

[jackaroo]

Can the neck finish be buffed to a shine? Is it tinted?

[Ironman]

Nice! Similar to the Classic Player 60, dbl the price but made in America. It doesn't have the custom shop 69 pups though...bummer.

[thesedaze]

oh I do like satin rosewood and mahogany necks but not maple. am I alone?

+1 definately not..that's what the siegmund outcasters are all about.

[homerayvaughan]

hey guys, I think Fender actually came out with the strat in 1954, it's not really new.

(ducks)
no, not really new.
they just finally added several features that a lot of players have been looking for in a strat.

[AaeCee]

Looks like another variation of the endless stream of Strat variations with no significant changes. You guys sure this is a BIG deal?No significant changes, but just the right, very functional ones for many of us, including me. It's the first std. production Fender that has nearly everything I could ask for. I think that's why its drawn such positive comments. As others said, it's obvious that Fender has been listening to its audience. So 'big deal'? Not really. But a really well conceived product.

[buddastrat]

Just found out that this will be a regular production strat! So other dealers will have them too. I hope it doesn't take a seven months like the EJ did! Those EJ's didn't start showing up in most stores until July-Aug of the year they came out.

[sanhozay]

WoWeeeeee!


Fender® American Vintage Hot Rod '52 Telecaster Electric Guitar Features:

Thin-skin nitrocellulose finish
Premium ash body
1-piece maple neck
U-shape profile with satin finish on back
9.5 fingerboard radius
21 medium-jumbo frets
25.5 scale length
Nut width: 1.650
Chrome hardware
Fender/Gotoh© vintage-style tuners
Vintage-style Tele bridge with 3 compensated brass saddles
1-ply black pickguard
Custom Vintage Tele bridge pickup
Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini Humbucker neck pickup
3-position blade pickup selector
Master volume and tone controls
Setup with Fender Super 250R Nickel Plated Steel strings (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046)
Includes Vintage Tweed Case, Strap, Cable, and Meguair's care kit

[lchyi]

Sweeeeeeeettt. I hope these go down in price a little. That's a great sounding (specs wise) strat and tele!

[buddastrat]

WoWeeeeee!


Fender® American Vintage Hot Rod '52 Telecaster Electric Guitar Features:

Thin-skin nitrocellulose finish
Premium ash body
1-piece maple neck
U-shape profile with satin finish on back
9.5 fingerboard radius
21 medium-jumbo frets
25.5 scale length
Nut width: 1.650
Chrome hardware
Fender/Gotoh© vintage-style tuners
Vintage-style Tele bridge with 3 compensated brass saddles
1-ply black pickguard
Custom Vintage Tele bridge pickup
Seymour Duncan Vintage Mini Humbucker neck pickup
3-position blade pickup selector
Master volume and tone controls
Setup with Fender Super 250R Nickel Plated Steel strings (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046)
Includes Vintage Tweed Case, Strap, Cable, and Meguair's care kit

Awesome! Too good to be true.

[eric-d]

Can't find anything on the colors offered and I thought the "U" shaped neck was the thin (width) and sort a deep?! Kind like the 70's?! Hmmm.... Maybe I'm thinking of something else.

[JimmyR]

All I can say is that it's about bloody time! I've been saying for years that they should do the 57 and 62 and 52 Tele with the flatter board and bigger frets. That's all they needed to do IMHO - although I do like the idea of thin nitro with a satin neck back.

All they have to do now is ditch the silly pickups and make sure they're not too heavy! And make an ash body in blonde for the '57.

I know the little frets and 7 1/4 radius are historically accurate, but does anyone actually like them??

[buddastrat]

Lots of guys like the vintage frets. Nothing wrong with that but Fender should offer the modern style neck too.

I've wished for this for so long too. But what's wrong with the '62's pickups? They always seemed nice to me.

[JimmyR]

What I meant was ditch the samariums and the stack - I agree - the regular '62's pickups are what I would want in it.

[clothwiring]

My god, if I didn't just buy the Divided by 13! :)

[teddy boy]

These are going to sell like hot cakes!!

[Jack The Riffer]

You can score the same thing at various places like Wildwood, Daves or Guitarsale.com for a hundred bucks cheaper. They are basically the same as the "Thin Skin Nitro" strats.

For example: http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/fender/avts/

There's also the sleeper strat most folks overlook and that's the Custom Shop Custom Classic which go for under $1600 new.

[CocoTone]

Looks like another variation of the endless stream of Strat variations with no significant changes. You guys sure this is a BIG deal?

Everything they've done to this Strat, I've done to mine. I went with 12'' radius, otherwise, these are the most common upgrades guys do to their own guitars. Has been this way for years now, so it makes sense to offer it at a competetive price. The only thing I'm missing is the finish, and I really doubt it would make a tonal fifference. Would relic faster tho,,,which is why I suspect they give it the thin finish.

CT.

[buddastrat]

You can score the same thing at various places like Wildwood, Daves or Guitarsale.com for a hundred bucks cheaper. They are basically the same as the "Thin Skin Nitro" strats.

For example: http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/fender/avts/

There's also the sleeper strat most folks overlook and that's the Custom Shop Custom Classic which go for under $1600 new.


Not the same as those current thin skin nitro strats. This one for example has 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets, and a fatter neck. The whole neck feel is completely different.

[groove machine]

YES!!!!!

Like someone here already said.....100 different strats, and the only ones that appealed to me were some custom shop models for big $$$. Finally here is a production model strat with everything I want at less than half the price of the custom shops I've been looking at.

And if I don't like the pickups I can change them. No biggie.

I'll take one in Olympic White please.:AOK

Oh and that '52 Tele looks f****ing awesome too!!!

[AaeCee]

Now, where's the Tele version? http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/icons/icon12.gif

[meterman]

Those do look pretty nice, and priced about the same as an EJ, maybe less. Looking forward to playing one and seeing how I like the necks. Not crazy about the pickups in either axe, I may be in the minority but I find the AV 57/62 weak and thin sounding and not a fan of blades either...

This doesn't sound too promising: "One-piece maple neck with custom slim V-profile" - I like the chunky neck on the EJ - but have a feeling I may bond better with the 9.5" radius and 6105s better than I do with the 12" and flatter frets of the EJ....

Looks like they are tooled up to crank out some nitro-finished production guitars! Thanks EJ.... ;)

Actually the Tele looks the most interesting to me with that mini-humbucker...but man that Sherwood Green Strat is just beautiful, if I can afford a second Strat in the future that might be the one....

Available 1/19/07....

[AJ Love]

Think what you like, but IMO Fender is making some great guitars right now and really responding to what people are looking for. It's nice to see a major guitar manufacture going after the boutique market by producing quality guitars at good price points rather than resorting to litigation. Go Fender.


I'm hesitant to say this, but I will anyways:

My Fender '52 RI Limited Edition Thin Skin Telecaster is a better guitar than the Lentz, Suhr, PRS, Grosh, Anderson, and Fender Custom Shop guitars that I've owned...

[pbradt]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Vintage-Hot-Rod-62-Stratocaster-?sku=512142

Not sure if it's a standard production yet or not but sign me up for one. There's also a '57.

Pass.

[studio8000]

has anyone played or bought one of these Hot Rod vintage strats yet?

[Joe Perry]

has anyone played or bought one of these Hot Rod vintage strats yet?

+1 BTW, for me it's a toss up between the '62 version and your EJ strat. I have an extra big rosewood board neck to swap out & make my own '62 hot rod. I'd just like to find out how thick is "thick"? Any have one and also have a pair of calipers?

[studio8000]

+1 BTW, for me it's a toss up between the '62 version and your EJ strat. I have an extra big rosewood board neck to swap out & make my own '62 hot rod. I'd just like to find out how thick is "thick"? Any have one and also have a pair of calipers?

but you can get my EJ for a lot less.... :D

[japhy]

I played one yesterday , and ordered one yesterday . I have big hands and loved the neck . Tone was great also .
I wanted an EJ , but this VHR smoked it, in MY hands , and to MY ears .
I've played Strats since '83 , having owned 23 of them , and Fender finally made one that I probably wont modify.

The neck is better IMO than my beloved early Schecter necks.

[Jeeves]

Now, where's the Tele version? http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/icons/icon12.gif

What does Fender have against the '62 Tele? There's no Wildwood thinskin version and now there's no hot rod version. What gives??

[studio8000]

I played one yesterday , and ordered one yesterday . I have big hands and loved the neck . Tone was great also .
I wanted an EJ , but this VHR smoked it, in MY hands , and to MY ears .
I've played Strats since '83 , having owned 23 of them , and Fender finally made one that I probably wont modify.

The neck is better IMO than my beloved early Schecter necks.

how did the pickups sound on the 62?

[studio8000]

What does Fender have against the '62 Tele? There's no Wildwood thinskin version and now there's no hot rod version. What gives??

mmm... '62 tele custom, double bound, with all the Hot Rod specs... now that would be sweet.

[japhy]

how did the pickups sound on the 62?


It's really hard to compare , because I didn't use my own amp , but they sounded a little fatter than my 1982 '57 RI strat. w/ a little more output.
They were very nice and balanced to me.
I usualy replace the pickups in strats anyway , but I liked these .

[MikeP]

Its really surprising how long it took Fender to do these.
I have thought it was a no-brainer for years. I bet they will do well with this model.

[buddastrat]

I sent that one back. Just too thin sounding. It played incredible. Really perfect playing. Strings felt real slinky, even though they were .010's. Super smooth frets too on that chunky neck.

[MikeP]

I sent that one back. Just too thin sounding. It played incredible. Really perfect playing. Strings felt real slinky, even though they were .010's. Super smooth frets too on that chunky neck.


Sorry I may have missed a post but what did you send back?

[buddastrat]

http://thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=203351

I had that one.

[MikeP]

http://thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=203351

I had that one.

Ah ok......... That was a nice looking Strat too.
How was the weight? I wonder if the thin tone was mainly the pups?
Other than that what did you think of the fret work etc?

[buddastrat]

Weight was probably about 8lb.s or so.

The thin tone was present acoustically. the guitar actually had a lot of bottom end with the weight but the high strings sounded pretty thin compared to a '69 relic. The relic had a fuller tone, even unamplified.

Fretwork was awesome. Best I've seen from Fender.

[MikeP]

Thanks my local dealer has a 62 coming. I will take a look ;)

[Dylan61]

Baby let me follow you down,
Baby let me follow you down,
I will do anything on this..I will follow this tread.