Fender makes a move

[Pilgrim]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-fender-sales/fender-revamps-its-electric-guitars-amid-sales-recovery-idUKKBN1JF1RL

Interesting, and sounds like they are more thoughtful about this than Gibson was. I suspect many will want to try the new models. I understand they'er introducing some new colors, too.

[Rob]

"Fender’s chief rival, Gibson Brands Inc, installed computerized tuning machines on its instruments in 2015, a move that did not go over well with players."

" Fender, by contrast, overhauled instrument details like the feel of the frets under a player’s fingers and the electronics that reproduce the guitar’s sound but skipped digital add-ons. "

Well, from my old guy perspective these are the two most condensed examples of why things are today.

[doombass]

Well yeah, and this:

“We listened very intently to what our customers told us we need to do,” Mooney said, “and their preferences do change over time.”

[Dave W]

The big change is that all of them now have traditional alnico pickups. None of them did before.

I have no problem with ceramic magnet pickups when the pickup is designed with it in mind (e.g. G&L MFD pickups, Ric Hi-Gains) but taking a pickup designed with alnico rods and substituting steel poles with ceramic magnets below will not nail the original sound. With prices rising, it makes sense to offer alnico pickups so a lot of buyers will be buying with the idea of keeping the stock pickups.

No more rosewood boards either. It's either maple or pau ferro, with most offering one or the other. Looks like only the Player Strat HSS offers a choice of both.

[gearHed289]

Is pau ferro not from the rosewood family? Whatever it is, it's a nice looking wood.

[Rob]

Is pau ferro not from the rosewood family? Whatever it is, it's a nice looking wood.

http://www.wood-database.com/pau-ferro/

[Dave W]

I believe all of the Dalbergia species are covered by the CITES ban. Pau ferro isn't one of them even though it's sometimes called a rosewood. Like wise with chechen, which Ric has called caribbean rosewood; it's not a true rosewood.