New Fender "Vintera" Series

HAL9000

I hate the Vintera name, but have to admit the 50s Tele in Fiesta Red looks right up my street. Although it's essentially a rebranding exercise, I do like the little tweaks such as more vintage correct pickups, and replacing the steel saddles with brass ones. Works for me. 

ICBM

HAL9000 said:

and replacing the steel saddles with brass ones

Instant fail for me.

adam1990

But no nitro finish 

NelsonP

Kittyfrisk said:

prowla said:

Vintera = Vintage + Modern Era

(Sounds like a crap car, though!)

Yeah, it would have to be a Vauxhall.

Or an Austin?

"Ladies and gentlemen, after a 30 year hiatus the Great British car manufacturer that brought you the Allegro, Princess and Maestro is back....I give you, the Austin Vintera!"

Drum roll. ..silk sheet gets pulled off.....

Wait, where's the square steering wheel?

earwighoney

ICBM said:

HAL9000 said:

and replacing the steel saddles with brass ones

Instant fail for me.

Why?

Genuine question.  I have no idea to the brass vs steel saddles for Tele issue?  I was about to change the bridge of my Tele though.

HAL9000

ICBM said:

HAL9000 said:

and replacing the steel saddles with brass ones

Instant fail for me.

Think that depends on your POV. To me the steel can sound overly 'zingy', whilst the brass is a little warmer. To others the brass sounds dull and flat. We don't all want or like the same things.

jellybelly

HAL9000 said:

ICBM said:

HAL9000 said:

and replacing the steel saddles with brass ones

Instant fail for me.

Think that depends on your POV. To me the steel can sound overly 'zingy', whilst the brass is a little warmer. To others the brass sounds dull and flat. We don't all want or like the same things.

Isn’t it a matter of a £20 (maximum) upgrade requiring nothing more specialised than a screwdriver to install? Fender are never going to please everyone, but these designs are popular because they’re largely modular so little changes can be made without great expense. 

Just my opinion obviously. 

thegummy

HAL9000 said:

ICBM said:

HAL9000 said:

and replacing the steel saddles with brass ones

Instant fail for me.

Think that depends on your POV. To me the steel can sound overly 'zingy', whilst the brass is a little warmer. To others the brass sounds dull and flat. We don't all want or like the same things.

For me, any commonly used option that dulls the sound of a Tele would be one I'd go for.

thegummy

Just spotted that one of the Vintera models is the Daphne Blue / Tortoise pickguard Jazz bass like they have on the newest Squier Classic Vibe range and that I've been saying I wished there was a Fender version since I saw it.

Now that I can actually blow 800 quid on that beauty I'm starting to wish they never lol

ICBM

earwighoney said:

Why?

HAL9000 said:

Think that depends on your POV. To me the steel can sound overly 'zingy', whilst the brass is a little warmer. To others the brass sounds dull and flat. We don't all want or like the same things.

I think brass ones sound horribly metallic and grating. It is very much a personal taste thing, I just get fed up of seeing the same thing about brass saddles being 'better' all the time, often (not saying this applies to you) from people who haven't actually listened to the difference but are just following perceived 'wisdom'.

What's not just down to taste is that brass can also wear or indent quickly under the string pressure and produce odd overtones or intonation problems.

At least they're easy to change...

MagicPigDetective

Whitecat said:

Good: Bigsby-equipped Tele now standard, no more waiting for an FSR... matching painted headstocks on the offsets is very welcome. 

Bad: Vintera name is dumb. Bears zero association to Fender heritage. I bet it took a team of eight creatives working at an expensive agency to come up with that.

”I've got it chaps - “Vintera” - “Vin” for “Vintage” and “tera” for “monster”....” ....??!!??

(google ‘Tera’ if you don’t believe me...!)

Wine Monster?

Whitecat

MagicPigDetective said:

Whitecat said:

Good: Bigsby-equipped Tele now standard, no more waiting for an FSR... matching painted headstocks on the offsets is very welcome. 

Bad: Vintera name is dumb. Bears zero association to Fender heritage. I bet it took a team of eight creatives working at an expensive agency to come up with that.

”I've got it chaps - “Vintera” - “Vin” for “Vintage” and “tera” for “monster”....” ....??!!??

(google ‘Tera’ if you don’t believe me...!)

Wine Monster?

At your service...

MattFGBI

Key differences between the Classic and new Vintera are the pickups, neck profiles, neck tints and more colours. 

The Classic pickups were good, but all pretty generic, whereas now they have been revoiced and redesigned by Mr Shaw. So the 50’s Strats have alnico 5 with the bevelled tips and formvar wire, 70s get the flat top magnets and polysol wire for example. Basically they sound and look more like the decade, with Modified versions having hotter pickups and more modern, player focused spec. 

jellybelly

MattFGBI said:

Key differences between the Classic and new Vintera are the pickups, neck profiles, neck tints and more colours. 

The Classic pickups were good, but all pretty generic, whereas now they have been revoiced and redesigned by Mr Shaw. So the 50’s Strats have alnico 5 with the bevelled tips and formvar wire, 70s get the flat top magnets and polysol wire for example. Basically they sound and look more like the decade, rather than just having the same voicing. 

Looking forward to trying them out Matt. 

Just a general question - last I looked CITES seems to be heading towards a more relaxed stance in terms of musical instrument imports/exports. Will we see a return to rosewood fretboards across the range or will a real rosewood ‘board become a ‘premium’ feature only seen on USA instruments?

MattFGBI

jellybelly said:

MattFGBI said:

Looking forward to trying them out Matt. 

Just a general question - last I looked CITES seems to be heading towards a more relaxed stance in terms of musical instrument imports/exports. Will we see a return to rosewood fretboards across the range or will a real rosewood ‘board become a ‘premium’ feature only seen on USA instruments?

This really all depends on how any CITES changes are inturpreted by governments. Too early to say if it will affect the guitar industry. 

57Deluxe

some nice colourways in there, but those official demo vids are awful

thegummy

57Deluxe said:

some nice colourways in there, but those official demo vids are awful

Will need to check it.

The American Pro series had some great demo vids with some of my favourite guitar and bass players but the last Fender ad I saw featured some wee punchable, gender-neutral type posh boy playing with his kitten and talking about how his first guitar was a Fender Tele.

Kittyfrisk

Strangefan said:

Oh look the same thing they have produced for the last 60 years and that word again.. Vintage,... Do one fender. 

Can't let you be out there all on your own. Wis to you.

thegummy

Kittyfrisk said:

Strangefan said:

Oh look the same thing they have produced for the last 60 years and that word again.. Vintage,... Do one fender. 

Can't let you be out there all on your own. Wis to you.

That's what Fender do though, why moan about it? If that's not what you want, don't waste your time by reading about Fender.

It's like searching for info about Converse's new range and complaining it's the same Chuck Taylor shoes they've produced for the last 90 years.

Or writing to Moet Chandon asking why they're still selling plain grape flavour and haven't moved on to a new mango flavour.

Kittyfrisk

Moan? I moaned not.
And why would that be controversial?

Peace & continuing dialogue Man.