New range from fender.

[Painy]

https://www.gak.co.uk/blog/fender-american-original-series/

[gary mac]

I like the look of just about all of them, guitars and basses. 

[Lozz196]

Nothing particularly new there, more like concentrating on their strengths which to me seems pretty sensible. And even though I no longer play guitar I just love that 50s Tele.

[fretmeister]

Thick end of 2k for a mass produced precision is taking the fosters.

 

and what is going on with the mismatched lacquer on the 70s jazz?

[Doctor J]

Fender slightly modify the same old things and give it a new name, the same depressing business model they’ve followed for quite some time. They are in one hell of a rut. It’s sad that a company once known for such revolutionary innovation have descended into being their own tribute band.

[Machines]

Boring.

[Bigwan]

Now if they'd just get with the program and do an MIM version of that 60's P bass then we'd (I'd) be happy...

[wateroftyne]

Lake Placid Blue! Yay!

..and tort. Wut?

[Cat Burrito]

If the title wasn't "new range" you could be forgiven for not realising  

[KiOgon]

Look on the bright side they don't cost much more than some Mexican models

[discreet]

47 minutes ago, Doctor J said:

Fender slightly modify the same old things and give it a new name, the same depressing business model they’ve followed for quite some time. They are in one hell of a rut. It’s sad that a company once known for such revolutionary innovation have descended into being their own tribute band.

To be fair the revolutionary innovation happened years ago. I agree with you about the rut, but on the other hand when Fender do try something new everyone practically has a heart attack and demands they get back to their 'core values', i.e. more of the same.

Edited January 16, 2018 by discreet

[Doctor J]

The Dimension wasn’t particularly new or innovative, just different for them. It wasn’t a bass which filled a hole, it would be hard to see a vital place for it on any company’s roster. It came across as a half-hearted effort. I really believe if they put out a high quality instrument which actually did something well, it could be a success. Their business model is just utter laziness. Either “here’s old stuff with a new name” or “here’s something new which is a mish-mash of old parts with a variation of an old name”

 

It’s safe and dull and predictable.

[Geek99]

Bridge pup in wrong place on 70s jazz 

hmm 

 

like the new bridges though 

Edited January 16, 2018 by Geek99

[BigRedX]

Meet the new range, same as the old range...

[nilebodgers]

It's hard to see the practical difference between the 60s P-bass and a Mexi Standard with a new pickup, a set of hipshot HB7 tuners and a good setup....apart from a thousand quid ;-)

 

[Chiliwailer]

Why didn't they release a fan fret, graphite neck, headless, MIDI equipped & self tuning P Bass? 

I'm a Fender fan - I empathise that there isn't much to be done to a well established range, mass market design wise. With the guitar market crashing, second hand sales ever growing,  I can't see why they shouldn't mix up the specs to lure people, who can afford it, into buying new versions. I like some new bits, dislikes others, such is life. 

I'm with Discreet on this one. 

[LeftyJ]

I wonder what these add that the American Vintage series didn't already have. Those were already highly regarded and very true to the original models. I guess they had become too affordable and stopped people from buying the American Professional series 

[paul_c2]

Someone remind me, what was the series of fairly standard, US-made guitars called which was dropped just prior to the "American Professional" being launched? I have a sneaky suspicion the "Brand New American Original Series!" isn't actually a completely brand new idea (although of course the guitars themselves will be new, not secondhand etc).

[wateroftyne]

Adrian Maruszczyk must laugh his socks off whenever Fender come out with an updated range & price list...

[Twanger]

2 hours ago, discreet said:

To be fair the revolutionary innovation happened years ago. I agree with you about the rut, but on the other hand when Fender do try something new everyone practically has a heart attack and demands they get back to their 'core values', i.e. more of the same.

Absolutely. Fender is for bass players who know what they like and like what they know. When was the last time Fender introduced a new design that actually stuck? What happened to the Urge? The Roscoe Beck model? Come to that, which artist sig has stuck other than the Jaco bass, which seems to have been around for ever? 

[TheGreek]

If these came out on 1st April I would think that this was a joke.

"New"??? Yawnnnn...Same designs they've been churning out since the middle of the last century - wake me when they do something different..

[LewisK1975]

When it comes to Fender, there'll always be 2 sides, those who say 'Why don't they do something different?', and when they do, those who say 'Why don't they stick to doing what they do best?'

[fretmeister]

2 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Bridge pup in wrong place on 70s jazz 

hmm 

 

like the new bridges though 

Is it in the wrong place?

 

I thought it looked ok. But I've never owned a 70s either.

[LewisK1975]

2 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Is it in the wrong place?

 

I thought it looked ok. But I've never owned a 70s either.

Yep, looks OK to me, compare it to the 60's one above it in the article, you can see it's further towards the bridge on the 70's...

[chris_b]

Whenever Fender comes out with a new design. . . . no one buys it. It seems they have not been managed very well and need to draw a line under the past. Expect a reissue of all their models with new names to differentiate now from before.

After all the only difference between an Anderson Strat and a Lull P bass and the Fender originals is quality of manufacture, sound and playability. I'd expect the new models will be better made so that Fender is better placed to be able to compete, and start reducing that massive debt.

I tried a Pro Jazz last year and I liked it. I thought it sounded better than the ASJV I had at the time. Still too heavy for my glass back but if it could shed a few pounds I'd have been tempted.

Edited January 16, 2018 by chris_b