What happened to the Fender Vintage Hot Rod strats?

[dreamspace]

I remember about 5-6 years I ago, I tried some olympic white '62 Vintage Hot Rod strat with vintage bridge. One of the best new strats I've tried! Modern radius and frets, good pickups, fantastic feeling neck etc.
They also had a 57 Strat with some rail pickup in bridge and maple fretboard, but I didn't like that one as much as the 62.

Lately I've been looking for a nice white Strat, but can't seem to find those anywhere, not even on Ebay.

 

[jiml]

Best Fender production neck carve ever.....

 

[rummy]

They come up time to time. I loved everything about the 62VHR except for the neck finish. The neck shape was the best! Just couldn't get with the sticky neck.

 

[airportbar]

They discontinued the old run a year or two ago. There is a new one, but I think they changed up the specs.

 

[buddastrat]

Had a 62VHR for a bit, and played a few others. they had a large but odd, squarish feel to the neck. also used to make my fingers black. When I scraped the board with my nail, powdery stuff would come off.

 

[smallbutmighty]

Had a 62VHR for a bit, and played a few others. they had a large but odd, squarish feel to the neck. also used to make my fingers black. When I scraped the board with my nail, powdery stuff would come off.

Exactly my experience with the one I had. Did not like.

 

[Taller]

Had a 62VHR for a bit, and played a few others. they had a large but odd, squarish feel to the neck. also used to make my fingers black. When I scraped the board with my nail, powdery stuff would come off.

No idea what you're talking about, here.
I'm lucky enough to own 2 of the '62 Hot Rods - one 'burst and one Sherwood Green - both from 2007. (I'd love to have a White one to complete the set!)

The '62 RI is the Strat I always wanted, but having grown up with the modern fretboard radius and frets on my American Standards, I figured I was out of luck. When Fender introduced the Hot Rods, and I kept reading how great they were, I knew I had to have one. The fat neck turned out to be a bonus for me (and my Steve Vai sized hands...talent doesn't translate, though ), as many players who bought this new model ended up finding the neck to be too large. I bought both of mine on the used market, mainly because the sellers couldn't get along with the neck size.

 

[rockinrobby]

I got my Hotrod strat about 10 years ago it's a keeper however it was a bit on the heavy side aging nicely I might add.. The perfect neck shape for sure..

 

[theanthonyv]

I bought a 62HR neck as a replacement neck for one of my older strats. Loved the size, but it had a weird plasticky feel to it. Kind of hard to explain. I returned it after one day.

 

[Bluesdaddy]

Great guitars. I have the 57, 62 and the 52 tele. All I need for Fenders. The 57 neck is quite small but comfy. 62 is the hugest I've seen on a strat.

 

[stevieboy]

I did have my fingers get black for a short while after I bought mine, but I bought a Nocaster RI in the same general time frame which did the same thing. Not sure what caused it, but the Nocaster of course had a maple fretboard, so that leaves the frets and the strings, at least with the Nocaster.

 

[rockinrobby]

I bought a 62HR neck as a replacement neck for one of my older strats. Loved the size, but it had a weird plasticky feel to it. Kind of hard to explain. I returned it after one day.

Oyeah, I took some 600 sand paper to the neck and then sanded it down again w/1500 and 0000 steel steelwool.. soft as a babies arm..

 

[scott520]

Best Fender production neck carve ever.....

agreed! Just wish they'd do something similar on their American Standard or even the deluxe that had that fat neck AND a 1 11/16 nut width.

 

[airportbar]

The new version of the series:

http://www.fender.com/series/vintage-hot-rod/

 

[Joe Perry]

agreed! Just wish they'd do something similar on their American Standard or even the deluxe that had that fat neck AND a 1 11/16 nut width.

At least offer something similar to what Gibson did when they offer(ed?) the chunky 50's or slimmer 60's style neck. I don't think the new HR's have a chunky neck?

The new version of the series:

http://www.fender.com/series/vintage-hot-rod/

I wish they would have kept the 6 screw bridge.

 

[_hi.fi]

I wish they would have kept the 6 screw bridge.[/QUOTE]

Yes, I agree. The 2 points bridge is the only thing I dont like about the new Hot Rod...

 

[rockinrobby]

and the price!!! Wow!! $2000 bucks.. Hmmm

 

[Joe Perry]

and the price!!! Wow!! $2000 bucks.. Hmmm

I haven't looked. That's MAP/street?

 

[VaughnC]

I had a '62VHR Strat and it was just ok. Felt good but something was missing in the tone and I didn't want to start chasing pickups to make it sound the way I thought it should. I actually like the sound of my MIM 60's Road Worn Strat much better...but I liked the chunky neck of the '62VHR better.

Then, along came the '65AVRI Strat. Right off the rack the best Strat I've played in a very long time. The neck isn't quite as chunky as the '62VHR but it feels right and the tone is how a mid 60's Strat should sound! My Strat quest has ended with the '65AVRI.

 

[LJD]

Scored mine of CL this spring. The beefy neck carve is perfect for my large hands, not baseball depth, but big full shoulders. Slightly heavier than the perfect Strat, I wonder how it would feel and sound with a lighter/thinner finish. I love the sound of this one, it's got some balls.