Fender Telecaster Shootout - Vintera vs American Original
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- #fendertelecaster #guitarshootout #guitar #fender @fender
Welcome to this guitar shootout between the Fender Vintera Telecaster and Fender American Original Telecaster! Playing into a Fender Tone Master Super Reverb and using a Keeley Red Dirt for my overdrive pedal. Which do you prefer? Let us know!
Open song: Savannah Mourning - listen and download!
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Can anyone tell me what that AMAZING intro jam was? Seriously, I want to download it and shower it’s songwriter with praise and the finest meats and cheeses in all the land. 😃
~ jackfossett.bandcamp.com/track/savannah-mourning-2
Jack Fossett *It appears the Limited Originals have more of a tint to the neck color then the standard original 50's . Where the neck appears almost white .
I have the Vintera ‘50s, Fiesta Red-really enjoy it. Hard for me to justify almost double the price for the American. Great video comparison, and playing! Thanks
The Vintera line of guitars is great.
Beautiful playing, Jack. "Savannah Morning"
This is one of the rare times I liked the cheaper one better. And I usually love the sounds of the 50s Original. Apparently, I luv the woody sound of the Vintera even better. Thanks!
I like Les Paul Jr. So I like Teles and the wood rings so great on my Vintera and I love it !
I took my American strat in to guitar center to get it set up & so i just bought the venterra without playing it first as my intent was to return in when i picked up my strat. I didnt realize the venterra was Mexican though or i wouldnt have selected it. I have to say though when i got it home & started playing it, it sounds amazing! The action is great the strings bend well no dead spots anywhere. I still have like 20 days b4 the 40 day return thing ends & now im really just wanting to keep it. I didnt even bargin with guitar center as the intent was to return. With tax & all it was like 1150 give or take. Not sure i may take it in to return & tell them ill keep it if they knock 10% off which is abiut 100 bucks. I know u can play typicly 10 different guitars of the same model & sometimes find one that stands out a bit. I didnt have others to compare it to but i think i got a keeper. Both pick ups sound great & all 3 positions r good. Hard decision as ive always heard buy the American made & been a firm believer in that. The only thing i was bummed a bit with was it came with a gig bag instead of a case. I think if u pay more than a thousand bucks for a guitar, its a bit insulting if they dont come with a case. This is by far the best mexican made guitar ive ever played... hands down
When i listen to the coparrison here the white tele is a bit brighter & a tad more crisp. But no shame for the Mexican tele here. Im not sure what the price difference is between the Mex & American models. My ghess is the American made is quite a bit more. Ill have to research that more but i dont know that in this comparrison id spring significantly more for the Amrrican...
When i listen to the coparrison here the white tele is a bit brighter & a tad more crisp. But no shame for the Mexican tele here. Im not sure what the price difference is between the Mex & American models. My ghess is the American made is quite a bit more. Ill have to research that more but i dont know that in this comparrison id spring significantly more for the Amrrican...
Sounds like you own the Ventura lol
I owned several American original guitars. I still own the AO60s tele and this LTD AO50s tele. When I tried out a vintera, I was actually amazed just by how much better the americans sounded. Listening to this video through laptop/phone speakers is not like playing both in person, obviously. That said: the vintera didn't sound bad, I just expected to be dissapointed a bit more about paying the extra for the americans.
They both sound great and in isolation, the Vintera sounds amazing. But the American Original just has that extra 5 or 10 percent that puts it over the top. Extra sparkle and extra clarity. The Vintera sounds "thicker" in some ways because it doesn't have that, but you could get the same sound with the AO by rolling the tone back a tad if you wanted. No matter what you do, short of replacing the pickups, you can't get the extra sparkle with the Vintera.
I'm lucky enough to have a custom shop heavy relic 58. Love it to pieces. Beefy tone, but still retains that upper sparkle and Teleness.
jt3483 *I have an American original 50's tele in the limited Edition.* If you play out and about like I do it relics fast . Plus Fender has actually put on a really good neck . It's closer to the D shape IMO then the older Heavy U . I hesitated buying one online because I thought it would be that huge Nocaster U . It's not . I'd say it's in-between you a Clampton Modified V and Fenders later 65 full C .
@@cramerlong2276 i have one too....its a beast. i play it throught a magical vintage 65 deluxe reverb.
@@loopdawgg Twin Reverb (Rarely use these days ) , and a couple of DR Z Amps . My Fender Amp is just to loud to use at home . At my age it's also to heavy to lug all over the place . The amp I am using a lot these days in a Z Cure .
Can't get that sparkle, of course you can..
Cant stop seeing all your videos Jack!..keep the good work!
Awesome, thank you!
Just picked up a Candy Apple Red Vintera 70s Telecaster Thinline with the Wide Range pickups. I'd have to say, the Mexico folks knocked it out the park on the fit and finish here. The bullet truss rod was the first thing I noticed. I was immediately transported to my childhood with memories of the one my Pops had. The Pickups in this one are brighter and cleaner than dad's from what I can remember. I called Joe Glaser and made an appointment to get a bender put in... yup, that means I'm keeping it!
Very nice! The Vintera guitars are all great from what I've played
The Vintera is vintage more accurate because it has 7.25 radius and deep U shaped neck with spaghetti frets. The AO has a 9.5 radius nitro finish, vintage wires, and costs more than double.
I can’t tell the difference to be honest. The AO is clearer clean. I bought a Vintera in Fiesta Red. The pups are Tim Shaw designed Alnico V as he believes the v suits modern pedals and gear.
I like the warmth the Vintera has, even the bridge is not ice pick.
For the money it’s a great guitar as the fit and finish is great. Overall USA Fenders are better because of the little details in the manufacturing. I owe 3 Fender USA guitars but 90% of the time I’m playing my MIM models. I just prefer them overall.
Very tasty tone and jamming.
Great playing at 14:03
Tasty playing on the opening tune.
😎👍
Both of these Tele' have their attributes in both tones and affordability....That said, the Original has an ash body which kicks it up a bit for my preferences 😎👍
😎👍❤🖖
Love brother
The ash really works for this guitar, 100%
Stop it Jack! You're making me want an AO 50s Tele! Both looked and sounded great, lovely playing too 😊 I have an AO 50s Strat (also blonde ash) and absolutely LOVE it. Great if you like your Strats sounding Stratty and with chunky necks; have you played one? Really glad I found your channel, thank you.
A guitar that I badly want is an AO 50s Strat in the classic Sunburst. I've always wanted a 50s style strat in the original finish and its one guitar I've never owned.
What if some one offered you a brand new fiesta red fender Vintera telecaster with rusty strings for $480 and it comes with a black gig bag !?
What then ?
@ Sammy !
I looked at the Vintera, but I want the 9.5” fretboard and tall/narrow frets. I’m thinking about going modern with the American Pro II. These are both nice, though. They sound great. I know your playing has a lot to do with that. 😎
Take a look at the Vintera ‘50s Modified. It has the 9.5” (satin neck) plus 4-way and S1 switching.
@@Rico_B Hey! Thanks! 🙏
@@Rico_B And a killer neck
Vintera 50's modified got the 9.5" radius but I've heard it also have Medium Jumbo frets.. so thats quite sad because it could be just perfect with the V neck and those Custom shop PU !
always great and complete reviews, thanks for sharing.... one question vintera or american performer? i have a strat american special and love it ...
Great analysis en one hears what you are telling. The AO is obviously a bit richer in hi and lo. I just got a Vintera and I love the resonance it has in chords, on the upper strings EAD. A kind of groan for joy, sort of like your old happy V8... The sustain is good and it still is pretty warm. Like you say, it's just a good guitar.
Richer??? What does that mean? Richer in what?
Excellent analysis
Food for thought..🤔🧐 Brian may the hell out of that vintera , Jack you can turn the warmer tele up by way of a treble booster pedal.. which is a misnomer because it is effectively boosting the treble AND bass, it will Take to a treble booster pedal better than the original which is already bitey and methinks the original would be overkill with said booster pedal.. 🤘
Really preferred the sound of the Vintera, but I guess that could be my hearing aids.
I’m not a tonewood, and/or nitro believer, neck feel is a personal preference - and honestly, I’ve never played a MIM neck I didn’t love 😉.
I definitely prefer the look of the Vintera a lot more, so…. I’d try adjusting the pickups a tad lower, that should brighten it up. If not, buying the Fender Pure Vintage pups would get you there, with enough $ leftover for a nice case, and amp.
While I very much agree with the lowering pickups philosophy, these pickups were set to the same height. Dropping them further wouldn’t make up the difference in my opinion. But I also agree with the mod idea, MIM guitars tend to be good candidates for a few upgrades.
It's not about belifes, but facts. There's no such thing as "tonewood" on electric guitars.
Both sick axes.
Can you do a lesson on the Blues youre playing at 14:35?
About the neck, the difference must be the more rolled edges on the Original no?
Why "must be?" Just because one is from USA and the other from Mexico?
👍🔥🎸🦅
American guitars are an investment. It may cost 2k but in 10 years will be worth 2400. Not the case with Mexican guitars.all my American guitars sold for more than I paid . My Mexican guitars always went for less. Just another factor to include when buying a guitar
Excellent point
There is NO guarantee a guitar, from any country, will be worth more or less than before. None whatsoever. In fact, normally, used American guitars lose a LARGER percent of their original value than Mexicans
To me, aside from the 60’s original tele, the vintera series just has a better sounding pickup set all the way through.
The Vintera pickups do have a lovely silkiness to them
Thanks Mr Shaw
That's Tim shaw and the formvar wire.
I prefer the AO for neck + middle but the Vintera bridge pup (talking clean here).
You hit the nail on the head with your discussion of wood. Wood is the only thing about a guitar that can’t be changed. IMO, in Fender guitars, I can feel a difference between the American-made and the MIMs. Pups are hugely important, but the good ones are sending the information they receive from the strings. The vibration of the strings depends upon the wood upon which the vibration is made. I go into big retailers and just gently knock on the woods with knuckles and then with fingers on the bodies of Fenders. The American-made ones feel and sound livelier. Their tone and feel has gravity. This process informs which guitar I’ll take off the wall and demo. MIM are hugely important, not only to the company but the public as well. Some are awesome guitars, and the guitar community in general is edified by having affordable access to great Fender designs and products. But to me, there’s nothing like an American-made Fender, and I believe these are made with select wood.
Don't believe the BS. Wood, on electric guitars, ONLY works for finishes, looks and construction, NOT for tone.
How would these guitars compare to a Fender Telecaster MIK Lite Ash 52 style?
I haven’t played one so I couldn’t say
I actually own a mik lite Ash Tele and a fiesta red vintera Tele. While the neck on the vintera is incredible I still prefer the sound of the light Ash tele with stock duncan pickups.
Could you do a video of Telecasters used in hard rock music?..top 5-7 players, songs
Interesting thought - I've toyed with the idea of doing some classic player inspired tones for various guitars, although hard rock isn't quite my forte so I'd have to do some research
Oh good you liked the idea 👍
The Vintera sounds more "polite" than the USA model. It would definitely depend on what kind of music you intended to play on them, and where.
Very interesting way to describe it!
@@JackFossett For me personally, I prefer the neck & middle positions on the AO but the solo bridge pup on the Vintera (clean tones).
(Might have to try out a Vintera 70s Custom lol)
got me a 50s vintera strat in blonde ash ✌️😎
weighs in at 10lbs 💪
hmm the red Vintera has a pretty clear and bright tone from what i heard in the reviews. This sunburst one is not that bright at all..as for me much sweeter the tone of the American Original.. though bitter in price
You know, on the comments on cheap vs expensive. Another thing to consider is how much of a tinkerer you are when it comes to tone. A MIM is a great modding platform, and with proper TLC you can make it play and feel as good as any American. This is essentially what I did with mine, I probably would’ve had to mod an American made guitar a little less, but nevertheless, would’ve ended up modding it anyway.
Very much agree. MIM guitars are great candidates for upgrade, and you can wind up with an instrument that punches way above its weight price wise.
Why modify something that is made to represent an era????? If you want to modify a Player series guitar, that's ok; but modifiy a Vintera (which is already sold as modified in some models)?
how did you know this is exactly the decision i’m grappling with right now?
I'm not positive, but I believe I'm a descendant of the High Elves of Gondolin and inherited their otherworldly wisdom. So that would explain it.
The reality is, it’s all in the pickups and if you want the fifties sound you can buy a Squier CV 50 and swap to those.
Cavalier Pickups makes a legit 50’s set for $150
The white one is just sweeter. The guys at Andertons call that value/quality thing "the diminishing law of returns". It is something I completely agree with. Imo the difference between Indonesian or Mexican made and USA made is much larger than the difference between USA made & Custom shop, especially if the set up on the USA one is spot on.
I very much agree. I will say that a lot of the high end Mexican made guitars are quite good nowadays though, but there is still a noticeable gap.
They shore look purty...
Especially the one from mommy...
Oooo-wheeeee- (to be continued 'till you're completely out of breath) 😝
They both sound great.....but hey there Teles :)
The ltd edition Original has a chambered body, the Vintera is solid. That will produce some significant difference in weight, resonance, and tone. Perhaps worth mentioning?
You’re hearing the difference between the ash and the alder. Probably not a difference in quality of the respective woods. I prefer the warmth of the alder to bite and brightness of the ash.
NO. You're hearing neither ash nor alder. Pickups do not pick up unmagnetic things. You don't have any idea on how an electric guitar works.
@@maraviyoso8473 Gee. I’ve only played one for 30 years, and understand how physics works.
Pickups turn string vibration into an electrical signal that can be amplified and turned back into sound. Wood VIBRATES. So the string vibrate…cause the wood to vibrate…and then that vibration feedback and affects how the strings vibrate.
Which INFLUENCES the tone/timbre of the guitars CLEAN sound. With any other instrument (like an acoustic guitar or piano)!this wouldn’t even be a controversy.
But with electric guitars we do so many other things to manipulate the sound artificially--distortion, equalization, non-linearity (tone-affecting harmonic content) in amplification and recording equipment, signal processing effects, etc….
That these externalities can easily overwhelm the natural tone of the instrument itself based on how it is built, and what it is built out of.
IOW. If you are a metal player, you are not going to hear any difference because of how that style of music requires you to manipulate a guitars natural tone.
But when you have more than one guitar, those inherent differences are clear. Strats and Teles are typically built out of ash or alder which produces a bright tone in every instrument (even drums) that are made out of them.
Whereas Les Pauls and PRS guitars are typically made out of mahogany and produce a darker, warmer tone…all other things being equal.
@@kellygreenii a solidbvody electric guitar is made for the wood to NOT vibrate!!!!!!!! There were two persons who actually established that: LEO FENDER AND LES PAUL. Their words matter much more than yours. That's why acoustic and hollow body guitars feedback and solidbody guitars don't.
And pickups cannot pick up wood, not even the microphonic ones. It's physically impossible, just ask any scientist, physics professor, etc. I bet my house that anyone can do a blind test and you won't know if an electric guitar is made out of any particular wood unplugged, much less plugged.
Admit it, you drank the Kool-Aid electric guitar manufacturers made all of you drink.
That's why acoustic guitars are made out of sitka, cedar, redwood, which are SOFT woods and electric guitars are made out of mahogany, alder, ash, pine, maple, etc., which are HARD woods. Are you following me? The parts on an acoustic that are made of hard woods are the back, sides, neck and fretboard; but the top has to be soft wood (exceptions are mahogany or koa, which are medium woods). You won't see softwoods on an electric, with the possible exception of basswood, and, curiously, an unplugged basswood guitar sounds very close to an unplugged mahogany guitar; but in the end, it doesn't really matter once you plug them in.
@@kellygreenii and please, I'm sure as hell older than you and played for more years than you, but that doesn't matter and doesn't change any of the facts I've said.
Nothing rocks like a tele
@3:03 Original 50s Teles are not as bright. The bridge pickup back then used an Alnico 3, just like with Vintera does.
The nitro is a joke. Apparently its poly with a thin layer of nitro over the top. Found this out after my American strat started to delaminate and it went off for repair. Funny that Fender just say it’s nitro, no mention of poly anywhere, so all this nitro breathes means Jack if it’s a poly base.
Vintera and a set of Fralins and pocket the savings.
I love Fralins, but they're not necessary. The pickups on the Vinteras are more than enough
@maraviyoso8473 life is too short to play shitty pickup. Even a set of Fender nocasters is better than that Vintera set. The only Vintera pickup I found usable is the one in the Precision bass
@@ds97853 and who are you???
@maraviyoso8473 A man of wealth and taste and obviously someone who hasn't blown their ears out.
@@ds97853 in other words, you don't play shit
Prefer the look of the vintera sound of the Original
They use different maple on different series....All Japanse strats-tele share same tone...as well as Mexican on their own...Just USA "magic" maple they use on high price models have all tone quality...warmth...sparkle...elastic tone ...After many strats-teles from differnt origins i came to that conclusion....
I'll pass on the Vintera. The AO 50s is a winner.
America original all the way
Sorry fender discontinued the original 50s series...just got the email...the new ones won't be the same...grab one , if u can find one
In name only. Now they're doing the Nocasters, which is not far from the 50s, of course
USA by a mile.
The American Original sounds way better!
WAY better? Have you actually played them both or you're just judging by a TH-cam video?
Gotta admit those gold accents make the "original" look tacky as hell..
Could not disagree more