Thoughts on buying Fender Vintera 60s modified Tele?

chrishill901

I've been gassing for a Lake Placid Blue telecaster for a long time, and although I want double bound (which I can't afford) the Vintera seems to tick the box. I tried the same guitar in a different finish and it was superb, but I can't find anywhere local to me with a LPB one in stock. My local(ish) PMT said they can order one in for me and do it for £689 as they're currently on sale but I think the price will go back up in feb so I'd need to act now. Something is holding me back and I don't know what? Perhaps that I don't like paying for something I haven't tried, and just because the one I tried was great doesn't mean the next one will be.

Has anyone tried these guitars? Any thoughts on the Vintera? Should I just bite the bullet? I basically want a telecaster with a rosewood/PF board, a decent sized neck (so not Squier) in either Lake Placid Blue or Candy Apple Red... I'd accept black too but I can't find any and I'd accept cream or butterscotch but all of those seem to have maple boards. I tried a player series in sunburst but compared to the Vintera I tried it did nothing for me.

Hydra19

I have tried one off the rack in a shop, didn't even know what it was, but just before I played a American Original 50's tele, liked it and put it down to pick up the blue tele, and when I did, my playing came to life, it was only for a brief bit but I liked plucking it,  and thought it had a good weight, etc. After seeing it was just a vintera, my mind told me the AO must be better, but truth told, I liked the vintera better. I ended up ordering myself an American Original LPB Tele. 

I wouldn't hesitate to get a vintera at that price. It's still a Mexican tele, but they have been improving, and at that price, not many better teles around. I do think I overpayed for my AO LPB tele

chrishill901

Thanks for sharing your thoughts @Hydra19 - I did play an American Performer in a different shop (about a week apart) and feel like the Vintera felt nicer, but I put that down do the vintera specs being closer to what I personally prefer in a tele rather than the actual quality (I didn’t like the narrow tall frets of the US tele) but your experience is interesting. 

Hydra19

I put it down to the Vintera having a rosewood fretboard and perhaps being setup more to my liking, with lowish action. If I was told that Vintera was a USA production guitar, I would have bought it, but I wanted 'top of the line', it's a case where my mind makes a decision for me beforehand. I think I'd be perfectly happy with the vinera, it sounds good, it played good, and most of all, it looked great. I really don't think the American versions are that much of a better guitar

Kalimna

I have a Mod 50's Vintera Tele - maple board/chunky neck. I played it against the Player series (and the range up, which might have been the AO, cant remember). There is something indefinable (to me) that made the Vintera stand out. I did also pick up the 60's version (as I really fancied the LPB) but I didn't like the neck so much. Not a criticism of the guitar at all, just a personal preference for chunkier necks.

Id say go for it.

adam

S56035

I have that etc guitar in the same colour.  I tried a few other tele's both more and less expensive and a 50's Vintera too but the 60's felt best to me.  Build wise it's good and it gives the "standard" tele twang.  The S1 switch gives some interesting sounds but nothing I'd pay extra for.

The one thing that is slightly (and I do mean slightly) annoying is that the switch is a 4 way rather than a 3 way where position 3 rather than position 4 is the neck pickup only so if you want quickly switch from bridge to neck pick up you can't just whack the switch all the way across.