Genuine Fender relics coming for under 1000$

[Stevepage]

I've seen these in Coda. Honestly, they all have exactly the same wear in the exact same places (I compared between all three/four models). They feel ok, but not for £700. I'd rather just buy a mexican reissue (which is what they are) and bash the cr@p out of it myself.

[38thBeatle]

To make things even worse, Fender will increase their suggested retail prices by 30%.

This is something I have been hearing from friends in the know in the USA. For we in the UK, with Sterling weak at the  moment, it is a double blow. The positive thing in the current economic situation is that retailers are going to be trying to shift them and will compete with each other though their margins will be adversely affected methinks.

[nfe]

To make things even worse, Fender will increase their suggested retail prices by 30%.

This is something I have been hearing from friends in the know in the USA. For we in the UK, with Sterling weak at the  moment, it is a double blow. The positive thing in the current economic situation is that retailers are going to be trying to shift them and will compete with each other though their margins will be adversely affected methinks.

Good for the punter in the short term, but how long till the smaller shops, with the great customer service and friendly staff simply price themselves out of business?  :(

[Philly Q]

I've seen these in Coda. Honestly, they all have exactly the same wear in the exact same places (I compared between all three/four models). They feel ok, but not for £700. I'd rather just buy a mexican reissue (which is what they are) and bash the cr@p out of it myself.

I suppose that could be seen as a starting point for carrying out "personalised" additional relicing (the maple boards look far too clean, for a start).

I could never bring myself to beat up a new guitar, but I wouldn't hesitate to add additional damage to a relic!  :P

Having said that, I think they are a bit pricey.  And the 7.25" radius pretty much kills any possibility I might have bought one.

[shobet]

Tired one of these today, nice guitar, but the relicing is no where near that of the CS models. It's a bit crude to say the least. I've never see maple necks worn completely between the frets on older guitars.

As mentioned above, I think I'd prefer the new Mexicans and then let them age themselves.

[Gizmo]

I got to try these today. Guitarvillage had the 50's strat in black and two tone + the 60's in 3 tone, plus the 2tone 50's tele.

The quality was much higher then I thought from people comments. To clear things up they are generally knocked or worn in same areas but they are not identical. The patches are not the same. The dings are not the same and the wear in the headstock was very random. The necks were very smooth and felt great.

The tele was perhaps the lighest guitar i've held. It was the lightest there and certainly much lighter then my deluxe american strat. They were more vibrant then my strat as well and i love my strat. I even contemplated trading my guitar in then thought if I want one i'm going to have to own 2 strats and keep mine as it means so much.


Whilst i was ther i tried some PRS's. They are truely gorgeous guitars. I will have to get one at some point.

[Ian Price]

The tele was perhaps the lighest guitar i've held.

+1. I tried the roadworn Tele at Guitarworks in Reading. Aside from the very dodgy fret board (very fake ageing!) it was very light, very resonant, very easy to play and had a bit of mojo about it. I tried a baja tele just after and it's neck was absolutely mahoosive. It had quite possibly the biggest neck I had ever tried wrapping my hand around. Respect to anyone that can play a neck like that for more than 20 minutes!

[Philly Q]

The tele was perhaps the lighest guitar i've held.

+1. I tried the roadworn Tele at Guitarworks in Reading. Aside from the very dodgy fret board (very fake ageing!) it was very light, very resonant, very easy to play and had a bit of mojo about it. I tried a baja tele just after and it's neck was absolutely mahoosive. It had quite possibly the biggest neck I had ever tried wrapping my hand around. Respect to anyone that can play a neck like that for more than 20 minutes!

I must admit, even though I keep going on about preferring big necks, I do find the Baja hard work.

[AndyR]

I must be a real man then! :lol:

I did have some wrist problems a while back, but that was only after I got my Japanese 52 re-issue, which has a neck almost as big, but with a more pronounced "V" (even though it's meant to be a "U" I found out later?!! :lol:) and a 7.25 radius...

Anyway - these Road Worns... I tried the 50s tele on Saturday. WOW, what a guitar!! I see what people are saying about the fret-wear, and it is "odd" there's none 9th-12th fret, etc, etc...

But I don't think it looks so noticable in the flesh. I only played this thing accoustically, but in a very quiet shop, and it was STUNNING. It's got jumbo frets on (not as jumbo as my Baja has now), so I felt very much at home. It sings like anything, feels gorgeous, etc...

But at £799...? There was a Japanese 62 reissue (black, cream binding) next to it for £599, and an AV52RI for £1200-odd...

If the road worn was £699 I might have been very tempted, but at £799, I know that the 62 (very different beast, I know) would have given it a VERY stiff fight for £200 less. The AV52RI is another matter altogether - I haven't dared try one yet, I suspect that one of these might be the guitar that pushes me over my £1000 limit one day...

However, the roadworn 50s tele I tried was VERY tasty, much more so than I was expecting.

I also saw a sunburst 60s strat in a window. I was expecting that to be the one I drooled over more - mebbe if I'd played it I would have done. But it didn't look worth £799 at all to us - it looked fairly unloved and "tarnished". I think the scratchplate was causing most of this effect, it looks a little "over-exposed" to me :lol:

Luckily, when I got home, I found my pimped Baja (BKPs and a JUMBO refret from Jonathan) is every bit as nice to play and as resonant as the RW 50s tele... so although I got excited for a bit, still almost GAS free this year :lol:

[Gizmo]

i really like them. I showed my girlfriend one and all she was its broken why would you want that!! they just dont understand.

[Philly Q]

I must be a real man then! :lol:

I did have some wrist problems a while back, but that was only after I got my Japanese 52 re-issue, which has a neck almost as big, but with a more pronounced "V" (even though it's meant to be a "U" I found out later?!! :lol:) and a 7.25 radius...

And the Baja is supposed to be a "soft V" but is unequivocally "U" shaped.  What are those Fender boys on?  :roll:

[Ian Price]

What are those Fender boys on?  :roll:

Bunch of nutters.

[Philly Q]

What are those Fender boys on?  :roll:

Bunch of nutters.

They're not really, are they?  I'm getting unnecessarily worked up about Vs and Us. 

I'll get me coat....  :|