I first began playing guitars in 1972. I was a freshman in high school. I guess I'm old fashioned but I like my guitars shiny and new. I like to keep them that way. They'll relic on their own. Time go by in the blink of an eye. Don't rush it. I'm also a hobbyist guitar builder. I build from scratch. I wind my own pickups too. And after all the work that I put into one of my guitars. I couldn't dare beat and scratch it up or install rusty hardware. I just don't feel it. I stood in many guitar shops when I was young. Dreaming about owning an impossibly affordable shiny new Fender or Gibson guitar. I came from a family of 7 siblings. So there wasn't enough money for necessities much less an expensive professional guitar. I had to earn it myself. Which is why I like them shiny and new.
I just bought my first "new, off the shelf" guitar in 12 yrs. I cant wait to see what I did to it in 10-15 yrs from now! I still love my previous guitars but they need frets now!
Amen... I have never understood the appeal of pre beat up guitars from the factory. There is a satisfaction and a story behind all of the dings and scratches on my guitars, and I really appreciate that aspect.
@@AudiomoMusic totally, i can still remember my guitars' first dings... been only playing for 18 years now... i honestly would prefer buying an old beaten strat and set it until it's comfortable for me... than to pay 3x or 5x for it to look beaten (my oldest guitar is from 1983 japanese , got it for $100 in a pawn shop)
I own three “high end” Fenders and they are great guitars and there is a difference in sound and playability but....Mexican and less expensive Fenders are pretty dang good too. I enjoy them just as much and maybe more at times because I’m not hesitant play em hard and hang them around. That’s what’s great about Fender....choices. Love the channel.
I feel like mexican and japanese fenders have ti be good because the bulk of fenders sales are the less expensive guitars. Its basic economics rly the cheaper it is the more sales you’ll have. That being said its kind of like gibson atm. The american offerings for the money do not compare to what you get with an epiphone at a cheaper price. Its not that the epiphone is better but the fit an finish at the cheaper price is more consistent then an american gibson at double the price. Either way i think only custom shop is rly worth it. Before the guitar boom the basic offerings were custom shop level instruments but thats because fender was basically the custom shop back then and same w gibson. When they went to mass production they proved they cant beat the stuff coming out if countries better suited to mass production. Les pauls in the 70’s were built similarly to epiphone td which is insane they command the prices they do td.
@@CasinoGuitars is that a tease? There are a few bass and telecasters I’d jump all over if they were nitro. Can’t afford custom shop and would prefer American made.
Being based in California pretty much makes that impossible. If they were to move to Texas or somewhere in the South, you know, true progressive states, then maybe.
One of the nicest strats I’ve played is a new road worn vintera. It felt as good to me as the AP2 strat, a few hundred bucks cheaper. I want a US made Fender someday, but the Vinteras are amazing.
Gotta say guys, I’m really enjoying your channel! I was introduced to it via Jonathan’s Fret Buzz 30 episode (where he very kindly mentioned my silly wee YT channel). Great format, love the banter and the general vibe of your show. 👍
All the custom shop I see online are $4000.00 . Road Worn is $1100.00. Ok so, is the custom shop worth a extra $2900.00 ? Awesome video guy's thank you !
I have a 2019 strat and 2020 tele both vintera road worn. I absolutely love them! The tele is jaw dropping in the looks department. I have never played a custom shop so I can’t compare it but I get the tones I want out of what I have
Friendly Reminder: Remember to put a link to your website in the description of every video. That will help drive home the point that you’re a guitar shop 🙂
Good point as usual Natasha! And these wee guitars both sold yesterday so we are very shell link sad at the moment:( Always awesome to hear from you!!!!
Baxter, I’ve never heard you sound as good as you did on this Vintera. It perfectly suits your spanky style, and it seemed like you were fighting the Custom Shop one more. It could be a combination of the 9s, maple fretboard, the pickups, the neck profile, etc., but whatever it was, it worked for you. FYI 😊. Also, this channel has replaced Anderton’s for me. Your conversations are more ethereal, and you guys cover what other channels don’t, and there are only so many demos I can watch on other channels.
I love that you guys are in a guitar shop! These vids remind me of back in the day when we would hang in guitar shops as kids and learn what "real players" think about the guitar world. My old guitar shop is closed now and I'm not a kid anymore. so thanks for these guitar shop talks. I've never owned a relic but I have my eye on a roasted poblano strat and am not sure if I'll love or hate the relic. No more guitar shop to try it out in...
@@autistichead8137 They feel like awful to me. But that's not the point, i know the build quality is good. But other brands match or even top that for less, even squiers can be there. So, at least for a small portion you are just going more for a logo.
@@autistichead8137 It was supposed to be a general idea, not particularly for you. In my experience they are a pain in the ass to play regardless of the price point, the ultras are more acceptable, but the Ibanez talman was almost the same thing but way cheaper. I would take a Sterling cutlass over any MIM strat for a fraction of the price without feeling I'm missing out. G&Ls are infinitely better in quality/price ratio, except for their ugly headstock. You don't really need to spend fender money to get/beat fender quality.
@@abcrx32j not true at all. Completely misguided criticism. I’ve played all those and my Strat feels and plays and mostly sounds amazing. I always thought the music man was an over priced copy. $2000 for a knock off that doesn’t sound as good isn’t a deal.
I have a Custom Shop ‘60 Tele (team build/journeyman relic). Best set up guitar right out of the box I’ve ever seen. My luthier friend agreed. There is no substitute for the quality of the CS. That said, I have several guitars. They’re all great, and my next two most expensive guitars combined still aren’t as expensive as the CS. I’ll probably only own one, but it’s worth it.
I am still waiting for my custom shop 61 Strat, it’s a little over 10 months now, if you guys have any sway with Fender CS please tell them to make it and ship it to Wildwood. ( sorry about not buying it from you but I’m a repeat customer for them and I wasn’t watching your channel like I do now, next one I will get from you) I do have a Fender CS 62 Tele custom and it is awesome, it’s their relic ready finish. BTW as far as relicing is concerned my viewpoint is whatever blows your hair back. That is the first pink finish that I really like and it seems like the road worn is a really good value. Obviously I’ve had too much coffee so I’m going to stop this too long comment. Great video guys!
So you raise the eternal question - One Fender guitar that feels and sounds just So sweet - or 3 nice Fender guitars with - perhaps -different pickup configurations - a single coil Tele, a Strat and also a deluxe with humbuckers. Versatility! This demo makes me want that single custom shop guitar ...
I’ve owned quite a few relics over the years. Right now I have some from the fender custom shop, an amazing Danocaster, and a Nash that is great too. Mainly all I want is a guitar that will age with me. I don’t want the super thick poly that is bomb proof. These vinteras look great.
Recently got a special run Daphne Blue 60s Vintera Road Worn Strat from Andertons which came with ‘59 Custom pickups. Fantastic sounding, and the lightest Strat of the 5 Strats I’ve owned. The pau ferro fretboard is rather light in colour and the small vintage frets aren’t my favourite, but it’s definitely a keeper!
Fender sells just the Vintera Roadworn necks now. I got one from sweetwater for a partscaster build and i love it. Went for a MJT relic body. I honestly think MJT does the best relic job in the business right now.
I love my road worn 50's Tele and Strat. As much as I'd love a journeyman relic Strat, to really get the specs/finish I'd want, I'd have to go masterbuilt. Paying 4 times more for team build that's still not quite what I'd want, and 8 times more for masterbuild, I just can't justify.
I purchased the road worn 50s in fiesta read just last week and I'm absolutely loving it! It's impossible to match the feel, look, sound and playability of this guitar at this price point. It joins my main axe, a '76 hardtail sunburst strat that I purchased in the 80s which of course has a completely different tonal palette. I also love my 2019 American Performer telecaster -- which is also a highly affordable line. Kudos to Fender for nailing high quality single-coil classics for any price point
(Lukas) I've owned one of the Vintera Road Worns for a couple of months now and really love it, especially the looks and the neck. The fret work could be better (some ends are a bit sharp), but nothing that can't be fixed if one is bothered by that. The radius of 7.25 inch is really cool to play and feels great.
Big fan of fender custom shop! I’ve sold off several of my Gibson CS Les Pauls from the mid 2000’s to purchase this era FCS. They are by far the best guitars I’ve ever played (in my opinion). There is something in the sauce.
I lusted for a road worn when they first came out. So, I went to my local guitar shop a tried one. I liked the neck, but the relic looked fake. I ended up ordering a 50s mim neck and an mjt body. I put bare knuckles in it, I love it. Then I bought myself a cs team built 56. I love both, but the cs seems to be my go to.
I have a MJT body on order, and thought long and hard about this, then decided going for an American Original neck rather than a MIM one, for fear of it not being on par with my current guitars. MIM guitars are fine, especially for the money, but the definitely feel and sound cheaper than the US range, let alone the CS models. And the nitro finish alone makes a huge difference in feel. A friend of mine has both a MIM 60s and a CS hardtail, and having them side to side was a major "gotcha" moment. The MIM is a good instrument and a killer bang for the buck, but feels cheap and sounds weak when compared to the CS one. By quite a large margin. And the price difference DOES accurately reflect that...
Graduated college and bought myself the vintera 60s road worn and it's by far the best strat i've ever played. For the price, the Mexico factory is pumping out some of the best guitars on the market
Been following you guys for a while and finally subscribed. Your videos are both informative and fun to watch. I’ve been a life long Fender Player but recently found my new forever go to guitars in a Suhr Antique Custom and a PRS Paul’s (Core) Guitar. After playing and owning a number of both Gibson and Fender Custom Shops those guitars can’t come close to the quality and perfection of those two. Do some more videos on those two gems, and keep up the good work, Jim
The thing about looks over feel is now that most sales seem to be internet. You can't feel the gtr over the computer. Looks have always been what draws you towards a particular piece then you pick it up and play. If it doesn't feel right move on or plan for mods your choice
I still feel your best bet is to find an older Strat Standard that can still be had for around $1000 with the intention of taking to a good tech with $200 in hand to make it killer playable. From there upgrade the pickups later down the line.
@@CasinoGuitars I have several mia strats and teles. My 2016 shawbucker strat is my all time favorite guitar. I bought it new and eventually put locking tuners on it just because I was playing it so much. It's my baby. Never goes in the case. Gets played 99 out 100 times I grab a guitar. The one guitar I couldn't part with. I have the serial number memorized lol
I had a 2009 American standard... it was terrible. Wouldn't hold a setup, had dead spots on the neck and the pickups were pretty lackluster. I have a 2019 Custom Shop now that blows away any other guitar I have owned. I wont go back to a poly guitar.
@@weschilton Gibson did a study in the 50's and found on average one in 40 guitars sounded killer and one in 40 was a dog. Keep in mind that Gibson bought the entire trees and cut their own body blanks. So you could make all 40 guitars from one tree. You can not tell until the guitar is made what you will get. Add to that wood is blind, lol. The ugliest piece of wood could end up sounding the best. In short that $6000.00 visual master piece custom shop could be the dog and the guitar that was beyond ugly so it had to be painted an extra coat of paint instead of stained could be the killer. Yes ...makers ship them all including the dogs. I bought a custom shop Strat in 2006. My '89 Peavey Strat blows it away. On the the other hand I have a Gibson SG that is to die for. It is all luck.
I just bought that same Vintera in the roadworn fiesta red. It is built just perfectly, the high and low e strings are spaced just the right amount of distance from the edge of the fretboard, the frets are smooth and nicely shaped no rough spots anywhere. Whoever built this was clearly paying attention. The bridge is in the perfect position. I’m tired of seeing 2k Lespauls and strats that aren’t built nearly as well as this. It’s an amazing guitar and value.
I just want flash coat lacquer. I’m absolutely heartbroken they stopped making the 2012-2017 American Vintage line. I’m lucky enough to own a ‘59 AVRI from 2015 but I was a little too young and low on funds to really get any of them, PLUS now that I’m older and seasoned I know what I like and what I want from a Fender guitar and bass, which is everything featured on the AVRI from 2012-2017
I've had my Fender Vintera Road Worn Mischief Maker Strat in Metallic Purple for 3 weeks now from Anderton's. It is simply a fantastic guitar to play and hold, it feels like no other guitar I own. The Nitro feel is something else, the vintage '59 pick ups sound fantastic, the neck is a joy, it is an amazing musical instrument for under a grand (just).
I’m waiting on a Roadworn Vintera ‘50’s Tele and a ‘57 Champ to arrive. I was a bit worried when I clicked on this video but so happy when you brought up the guitar with good amp buying decision. My thinking was that I can always upgrade pickups down the road, if the Vintera is lacking, and the amp should make a huge difference. Thanks for the confirmation.
I am lucky enough to have a 61 George Harrison Closet Classic Strat. Awesome craftsmanship. Plays like butter. My Aerodyne is dang close. But my FSR MIM tele is the workhorse and a joy to play.
I stopped playing electric guitar for many years and when i saw the original road worn at a store i felt a “calling” to get back into it. I liked that guitar a lot, sold it a few years later only to get my dream guitar which was a les paul. Nowadays i play a prs ays
Can I ask you guys something. What if you got a road worn and spent time on smoothing out any ruff spots and took time setting it up nicely, replace the pickups to preference will the differences between the custom shop and the road worn be as vast? In general I mean. If the only real difference is time spent on the instrument by a luthier in theory couldn’t you take a road worn to a great tech and make it into a “custom shop” level instrument? Strictly speaking about function feel and playability.
I dunno about that... the pickups and hardware are not the same quality. I bet if the luthier is GOOD and not just some guitar shop dude who mostly changes strings for people, he's going to probably charge you more than the guitar is worth to make it custom shop quality. You really have to play these things side by side. They are priced right, although I think the Vintera is priced too high. Probably because of the nitro finish.
I just got a vintera road worn black guard tele and am absolutely in love with it. On paper, I should hate it. The neck is ENORMOUS, but it plays like butter and the finish feels amazing.
I had a 2009 fender road worn Tele, blonde/amber with the white guard. I love the beefy V shaped neck. I always love that guitar. Also it was super aged compared to the later versions of the same Tele. I only let it go in trade of a stripped 73 Gibson Les Paul deluxe gold top. Still had gold in the pickup cavities. It was just a husk. I ended up trading that guitar off after fixing it up and making it a player…now I wish I had both of them. 😂 such is life haha 😆
I got the 50's Vintera Vintage Modified Strat upgraded the pickups to Seymour Duncans in Bridge and Neck and Absolutely love it. Just got a limited 70's Hardtail Vintera Strat and it has 69 Custom shop picks up cant wait to check it out. I made fun of the Vintera Fenders a year ago now own two and don't think I will ever get rid of these
Would love to have a custom shop. Just picked up a road worn mischief maker from andertons. Love the sound and look. Neck required a bit of work when I got it though. Sanded it down a bit and the frets were pretty sharp. Rolled the edges a bit with a screwdriver which has helped a ton. Overall I’m very happy with it.
I own an early 80’s Fender Custom Shop with the Lace sensor pickups that Clapton was using at the time. I thought about changing out pickups and my local guitar shop owner threatened to slap me up side my head. He was right. So I built my own Strat which I use to beat on. HSS that I am looking to put in a set of 69 custom shop pickups. I probably have a little more into it than the Vintera money wise, and wonder why I took on that headache but I will never give it up because it fits me perfectly. And that is the most important thing I think. It isn’t the cost it’s the fit and sound and what does it inspire you to play.
Sounds sooo good! I have a 2009 50s RW Strat and its just amazing sound and feel for the money. But what I heard is that the later RW where less convincing.
I've owned a fair number of big boutique names in guitars but my Custom Shop Tele is THE BEST guitar I have ever owned. For all the haters out there that say it isn't worth it I would strongly disagree. It's not the most expensive I've owned but it is the best.
A great thing about fender MIM is that they offer the same quality tone woods (when choosing a maple fingerboard variant) as the USA and CS stuff. All Alder or ash all sounds like alder or ash. And maple boards sound like maple boards. So value for money comes down to electronics, amount of time spent hands on at the factory for set up and Qc, and the finish type. You can get one of the Vintera RW series and push it to sound just like a CS with a set of hand wound pickups and good Pots/caps. But you’ll never get the hand crafted feel that the CS gives.
guys, van you please make a short video on the differences on how guitars feel physically on different tiers.... there's a lot of videos on sonic differences,but no one talks about how $400 guitars feel physically different than $1500 and $3000 guitars with factory settings. Please. how good it feels, has a direct onnhow much you pick it up
Not only how it feels (and that does matter a lot) but also how well it stays set up. My Custom Shop Strat hasn't changed a bit in three years of playing, its rock solid. But my last Strat, a 2009 American Standard had a neck that just wouldn't hold a setup... which is why I sold it.
The GT 11 is turning my will to water. RW in Oly Wht; jiminy! Muchly prefer NOS to relic. Sweeping is not so bad, someone else can clean the grease trap. Great show, thanks.
I like the journeyman relic on that guitar, the neck is played in and the body doesn't have chunks missing. that is the perfect balance for me. I like looking at the heavy reliced ones a lot , but if I were to buy one, that pink one is about perfection!
Excellent video. Have a 60’s Road Worn Vintera...excellent guitar in that range. Would never turn it away. Of course there’s no comparison to a CS Strat. However the Vintera’s are excellent
I highly recommend the vintera series. I have a 50s strat, the pickups sound better than some of my American strats. Quintessential strat quack. The Mexican QC has gotten way better the last few years.
Im just here swapping pickups on a Les Paul Looping 7:48 to the end of video....I'm a metal/punk player but I really like to hear Baxter jamm sandwich it up.
Other than the nitrocellulose finish, what are the differences between the Vintera 50s Road Worn Strat, the Vintera 50s Modified and the standard Vintera 50s Stratocasters? Thanks!
Ok, i'm gonna reply since nobody did and i just asked myself the same questions, the road worn as stated is reliced, it has a 6 point tremolo, the modified has the modern 2 points, no relic at all, same for the standard except for a 6 point tremolo, don"t ask about the rest (pickups and so on), i guess they're in the same league
I just got a used Vintera 50s Road Worn Tele. I was selling one of my shredder guitars from my youth and ended up agreeing on a trade with the shop I was working with because the Tele they got in was so good. I already have an American Performer Tele from a few years ago. Honestly, some days (many days) I pick up my Road Worn Tele and it feels, plays, and sounds better than the American Performer. Sent me into a panic to my local big box store to try out an American Pro ii. And guess what? That one wasn't any better either. If you like vintage spec guitars I genuinely think the Vintera Road Worn series is the best thing you can buy short of the custom shop stuff. I have yet to find a production American-made Fender that satisfies me as much as my Vintera.
These types of comparisons are my favorite vids to watch from you guys, great content. I recently ordered my first 'high end" guitar. I thought about a fender custom shop but ended up going with a Suhr Classic S Antique because it was less expensive. For under $3k I was able to get a nitro finish, stainless frets, locking tuners, "aging", PLEK'd, 2 point trem system (which I prefer over the 6 point thanks to my G&L Legacy deluxe), and TUSQ nut. Some of these options you cant get on a custom shop unless you go to a Master built which is what, $8k +? I hope to one day have a custom shop. What are your thoughts, if any, on the Suhr or any other smaller shop vs. custom shop? Is the squeeze worth the juice or is it just marketing?
Got a Vintera a couple months back. Got the Surf Green 50s and fell in love with the feel and sound. The frets were a little sharp for me but a small bit sanding smoothed them out, took a handful of minutes. Still love that guitar now. A couple days later the guy at the shop was gifted that exact custom shop strat from Fender and tried it out. Loved the sound of that one as well but couldn't get down with the neck. Overall amazing guitar but I can't stomach that bill.
I have a first generation Road Worn 60’s strat. Love the feel of it but I was not happy with the Tex Mex pickups. After swapping them out it is a great guitar. The early ones have a heavier relic job compared to the newer ones which I personally like. I recently was lucky enough to get a custom shop Journeyman and the finish is on another level in my opinion. It is truly an amazing guitar but the Road Worns are great in their price range.
That first generation totally blew my head off. I remember playing one in guitar center thinking: “This is the best Stratocaster I’ve played” with the Tex mex pickups.
I have a vintage 1989 USA Strat and it's quite awesome and recently I bought a 2008 Roadworn Strat. The Roadworn for me is quite kick ass. The neck is awesome but I may have to put different pups in there 🤔. Not sure. I've played a few Clapton custom shop Strats and the Jeff Beck. Great high end guitars. I've played and owned Mexican Strats as well as the Jimmy Vaughan and Robert Cray models which are good as well.
Built "overseas"? LOL! They're literally manufactured a couple hours drive south of their Corona California factory. So the major reason these guitars are cheaper than their American-made counterparts is the lower cost of labor and less government regulations in Mexico.
I don't play relic guitars but I gotta say one of the best things about relics is that relic parts are available now means if I need to replace a switch tip or a knob or something it won't be really obvious that one of the parts on my guitar or bass is brand new
I have the road worn red one coming . I think it’s Srat no 6. Gawd I want a Custom Shop. I finally got myself an R9. Now I have it in my head I need an Fender Custom Shop. I do have the Vintage 2 though. That’s a beautiful machine
Can you guys do a video on what is the cheapest custom shop you can buy? Like if you were to get all non figured woods, plain top. But have the custom shop level craftsman ship, what would it cost compared to a main line piece? I.E. LP Standard, Fender American Standard/Professional and whatever is the American line for each company.
In my hands any guitar will look like a relic soon enough, no need to drop the extra cash on somebody doin what's gonna happen anyway. And every ding, scratch, and scar will have my story to go with it. And will probably be more interesting than " dude in the shop with piece of sandpaper" Rock on !!!
Right on Mayan! We have heard that a few times and that may be a pretty cool video. We’ll juggle that idea and see about getting her in the queue:) thanks a ton!
I’ve ended up selling all my high end guitars (3x CS LPs, Collings 290, Maybach, 2x Haar, 2x CS ESP, 2x EBMM, CS Fender/EVH), and I’ve bought four MIMs the last 1,5 years. A lot of guitar for less money, fun to mod and less reason to get a heartattack when I ding it.
My strat and tele appear road worn because they are road worn. I know the details behind each mark, dig, scratch, gouge, and wear Mark. They play great and their set up is killer. A “new” road worn just sounds stupid to me. I love your channel and look forward to it each day. Thanks guys.
I don’t have a FCS, so I certainly can’t compare…but I have a Vintera strat that I absolutely love. The neck feels phenomenal to me and I think the pickups sound great. It’s a keeper.
Also, jumping into the ring on the relic'ing vs. non-relic'ing thing.... I think a nitro finish guitar is more resonant than poly and more naked wood often means even more resonance in the wood. And Strats and Teles (Strats especially) are very resonant guitars. So much of the tone is from the resonance. Sure, pups have a lot to do with it but less so on Strats than something with higher output, super hot pups. On some of those pointy guitars it really IS all about the electronics.
I thought the general consensus online is that the original roadworns rock over the new ones. I’ve got the 2010 blonde telecaster that looks and sounds amazing. It’s been played hard over the last decade and the added road miles have only added to its relic looks. I was that blown away with it so much so, I ended up selling my CS 52 Tele HB relic. I found the vintera series in general to be slightly on the heavier side. Sounds great here though 👌🎸🤟
You accidentally bump your guitar into a counter, barstool, table, or whatever. Which guitar would you care less if you did that? That’s why I love my 2013 road worn Tele.
I first began playing guitars in 1972. I was a freshman in high school. I guess I'm old fashioned but I like my guitars shiny and new. I like to keep them that way. They'll relic on their own. Time go by in the blink of an eye. Don't rush it. I'm also a hobbyist guitar builder. I build from scratch. I wind my own pickups too. And after all the work that I put into one of my guitars. I couldn't dare beat and scratch it up or install rusty hardware. I just don't feel it. I stood in many guitar shops when I was young. Dreaming about owning an impossibly affordable shiny new Fender or Gibson guitar. I came from a family of 7 siblings. So there wasn't enough money for necessities much less an expensive professional guitar. I had to earn it myself. Which is why I like them shiny and new.
I just bought my first "new, off the shelf" guitar in 12 yrs. I cant wait to see what I did to it in 10-15 yrs from now! I still love my previous guitars but they need frets now!
Amen... I have never understood the appeal of pre beat up guitars from the factory. There is a satisfaction and a story behind all of the dings and scratches on my guitars, and I really appreciate that aspect.
Feel the same way, I prefer nice clean looking guitars. I don’t want stuff that looks like a mess.
I agree totally. I bought a new guitar a couple of months ago and still have the protective plastic over the pick guard.
@@AudiomoMusic totally, i can still remember my guitars' first dings... been only playing for 18 years now... i honestly would prefer buying an old beaten strat and set it until it's comfortable for me... than to pay 3x or 5x for it to look beaten (my oldest guitar is from 1983 japanese , got it for $100 in a pawn shop)
I own three “high end” Fenders and they are great guitars and there is a difference in sound and playability but....Mexican and less expensive Fenders are pretty dang good too. I enjoy them just as much and maybe more at times because I’m not hesitant play em hard and hang them around. That’s what’s great about Fender....choices. Love the channel.
I feel like mexican and japanese fenders have ti be good because the bulk of fenders sales are the less expensive guitars. Its basic economics rly the cheaper it is the more sales you’ll have. That being said its kind of like gibson atm. The american offerings for the money do not compare to what you get with an epiphone at a cheaper price. Its not that the epiphone is better but the fit an finish at the cheaper price is more consistent then an american gibson at double the price. Either way i think only custom shop is rly worth it. Before the guitar boom the basic offerings were custom shop level instruments but thats because fender was basically the custom shop back then and same w gibson. When they went to mass production they proved they cant beat the stuff coming out if countries better suited to mass production. Les pauls in the 70’s were built similarly to epiphone td which is insane they command the prices they do td.
@@Coolbeans1492 very interesting about Gibson
I wish that the whole american Fender line was finished in nitro instead the urethane that they use.
Maybe one day actually:)
@@CasinoGuitars is that a tease? There are a few bass and telecasters I’d jump all over if they were nitro. Can’t afford custom shop and would prefer American made.
I bought the broadcaster exactly because nitro, I would love for standard american basses to offer nitro!
Being based in California pretty much makes that impossible. If they were to move to Texas or somewhere in the South, you know, true progressive states, then maybe.
i agree
One of the nicest strats I’ve played is a new road worn vintera. It felt as good to me as the AP2 strat, a few hundred bucks cheaper. I want a US made Fender someday, but the Vinteras are amazing.
Gotta say guys, I’m really enjoying your channel! I was introduced to it via Jonathan’s Fret Buzz 30 episode (where he very kindly mentioned my silly wee YT channel). Great format, love the banter and the general vibe of your show. 👍
the vinteras are special. they are some of the most fantastic guitars i've played. i think they will really leave a legacy
All the custom shop I see online are $4000.00 . Road Worn is $1100.00. Ok so, is the custom shop worth a extra $2900.00 ?
Awesome video guy's thank you !
I have an 2013 50s Roadworn Strat, a quick pickup change and they are great guitars.. I love relic guitars.
I have a 2019 strat and 2020 tele both vintera road worn. I absolutely love them! The tele is jaw dropping in the looks department. I have never played a custom shop so I can’t compare it but I get the tones I want out of what I have
Friendly Reminder: Remember to put a link to your website in the description of every video. That will help drive home the point that you’re a guitar shop 🙂
Good point as usual Natasha! And these wee guitars both sold yesterday so we are very shell link sad at the moment:(
Always awesome to hear from you!!!!
@@CasinoGuitars just came down here to say I went to the site and can’t find the pink one. I’m...pretty sad too. Thanks for the video.
Baxter, I’ve never heard you sound as good as you did on this Vintera. It perfectly suits your spanky style, and it seemed like you were fighting the Custom Shop one more. It could be a combination of the 9s, maple fretboard, the pickups, the neck profile, etc., but whatever it was, it worked for you. FYI 😊. Also, this channel has replaced Anderton’s for me. Your conversations are more ethereal, and you guys cover what other channels don’t, and there are only so many demos I can watch on other channels.
Thanks for this. Can you compare the Vintera Road Worn again up against the newly released American Vintage II ?
I love that you guys are in a guitar shop! These vids remind me of back in the day when we would hang in guitar shops as kids and learn what "real players" think about the guitar world. My old guitar shop is closed now and I'm not a kid anymore. so thanks for these guitar shop talks. I've never owned a relic but I have my eye on a roasted poblano strat and am not sure if I'll love or hate the relic. No more guitar shop to try it out in...
Debating on trading my ‘13 USA Standard Strat for a Firemist gold road worn MIM.
Am I crazy ?
I like the color and relic
It seems like everything Fender makes is good and always has awesome value for the price point.
Plus good resale value when you are ready.
Eh, not really, but it's not bad. That's just the effect of them not going nuts with their prices like Gibson.
@@autistichead8137 They feel like awful to me. But that's not the point, i know the build quality is good. But other brands match or even top that for less, even squiers can be there. So, at least for a small portion you are just going more for a logo.
@@autistichead8137 It was supposed to be a general idea, not particularly for you. In my experience they are a pain in the ass to play regardless of the price point, the ultras are more acceptable, but the Ibanez talman was almost the same thing but way cheaper. I would take a Sterling cutlass over any MIM strat for a fraction of the price without feeling I'm missing out. G&Ls are infinitely better in quality/price ratio, except for their ugly headstock. You don't really need to spend fender money to get/beat fender quality.
@@abcrx32j not true at all. Completely misguided criticism. I’ve played all those and my Strat feels and plays and mostly sounds amazing. I always thought the music man was an over priced copy. $2000 for a knock off that doesn’t sound as good isn’t a deal.
I have a Custom Shop ‘60 Tele (team build/journeyman relic). Best set up guitar right out of the box I’ve ever seen. My luthier friend agreed. There is no substitute for the quality of the CS. That said, I have several guitars. They’re all great, and my next two most expensive guitars combined still aren’t as expensive as the CS. I’ll probably only own one, but it’s worth it.
I dug the playing at the end, it was relaxing to listen to and inspiring for me to try to fall back in love with my strat; thank you, guys!
I am still waiting for my custom shop 61 Strat, it’s a little over 10 months now, if you guys have any sway with Fender CS please tell them to make it and ship it to Wildwood. ( sorry about not buying it from you but I’m a repeat customer for them and I wasn’t watching your channel like I do now, next one I will get from you) I do have a Fender CS 62 Tele custom and it is awesome, it’s their relic ready finish. BTW as far as relicing is concerned my viewpoint is whatever blows your hair back. That is the first pink finish that I really like and it seems like the road worn is a really good value. Obviously I’ve had too much coffee so I’m going to stop this too long comment. Great video guys!
So you raise the eternal question - One Fender guitar that feels and sounds just So sweet - or 3 nice Fender guitars with - perhaps -different pickup configurations - a single coil Tele, a Strat and also a deluxe with humbuckers. Versatility! This demo makes me want that single custom shop guitar ...
I’ve owned quite a few relics over the years. Right now I have some from the fender custom shop, an amazing Danocaster, and a Nash that is great too. Mainly all I want is a guitar that will age with me. I don’t want the super thick poly that is bomb proof. These vinteras look great.
Recently got a special run Daphne Blue 60s Vintera Road Worn Strat from Andertons which came with ‘59 Custom pickups. Fantastic sounding, and the lightest Strat of the 5 Strats I’ve owned. The pau ferro fretboard is rather light in colour and the small vintage frets aren’t my favourite, but it’s definitely a keeper!
I would never by an aged or heavily road-worn Gibson but I would a Fender go figure!
For some reason the relic thing looks good on Fenders but on Gibsons I like them nice and shiny
Fender sells just the Vintera Roadworn necks now. I got one from sweetwater for a partscaster build and i love it. Went for a MJT relic body. I honestly think MJT does the best relic job in the business right now.
The Vintera series overall is fantastic. I have a 70’s Telecaster deluxe and the pickups are great. I “need” a road worn one now.
I love my road worn 50's Tele and Strat. As much as I'd love a journeyman relic Strat, to really get the specs/finish I'd want, I'd have to go masterbuilt. Paying 4 times more for team build that's still not quite what I'd want, and 8 times more for masterbuild, I just can't justify.
You can relic it yourself.
Id bet my life fender would sell more without the body beating. Ppl just want nitro and a broken in neck. Damn that custom sounded good
I purchased the road worn 50s in fiesta read just last week and I'm absolutely loving it! It's impossible to match the feel, look, sound and playability of this guitar at this price point. It joins my main axe, a '76 hardtail sunburst strat that I purchased in the 80s which of course has a completely different tonal palette. I also love my 2019 American Performer telecaster -- which is also a highly affordable line. Kudos to Fender for nailing high quality single-coil classics for any price point
Customer: this pink Strat is amazing and I want to buy it, but weirdly it seems like it needs a refret?
Baxter: JONATHAN!!!
That was funny:)
How much does the difference in sound come down to the pickups? Buy the cheaper guitar and upgrade the PU’s?
I wanted a vintera road worn so bad last year. Still kinda want one.
shoutout to the costco sweater
(Lukas) I've owned one of the Vintera Road Worns for a couple of months now and really love it, especially the looks and the neck. The fret work could be better (some ends are a bit sharp), but nothing that can't be fixed if one is bothered by that. The radius of 7.25 inch is really cool to play and feels great.
Big fan of fender custom shop! I’ve sold off several of my Gibson CS Les Pauls from the mid 2000’s to purchase this era FCS. They are by far the best guitars I’ve ever played (in my opinion). There is something in the sauce.
I lusted for a road worn when they first came out. So, I went to my local guitar shop a tried one. I liked the neck, but the relic looked fake. I ended up ordering a 50s mim neck and an mjt body. I put bare knuckles in it, I love it. Then I bought myself a cs team built 56. I love both, but the cs seems to be my go to.
This would be the way I would go too. MJT build over MIM Roadworn. Especially now that they're over $1,100.
I have a MJT body on order, and thought long and hard about this, then decided going for an American Original neck rather than a MIM one, for fear of it not being on par with my current guitars. MIM guitars are fine, especially for the money, but the definitely feel and sound cheaper than the US range, let alone the CS models. And the nitro finish alone makes a huge difference in feel.
A friend of mine has both a MIM 60s and a CS hardtail, and having them side to side was a major "gotcha" moment. The MIM is a good instrument and a killer bang for the buck, but feels cheap and sounds weak when compared to the CS one. By quite a large margin. And the price difference DOES accurately reflect that...
It looks fake because they put a lacquer looking Relic job on a polyurethane guitar. Polly doesn't wear out it chips.
@@guitarocd9984 it’s nitro finish on the road worn vintera
The first “Road Worn” series by Fender made me fall in love with beat up telecasters.
Graduated college and bought myself the vintera 60s road worn and it's by far the best strat i've ever played. For the price, the Mexico factory is pumping out some of the best guitars on the market
Been following you guys for a while and finally subscribed. Your videos are both informative and fun to watch. I’ve been a life long Fender Player but recently found my new forever go to guitars in a Suhr Antique Custom and a PRS Paul’s (Core) Guitar. After playing and owning a number of both Gibson and Fender Custom Shops those guitars can’t come close to the quality and perfection of those two. Do some more videos on those two gems, and keep up the good work, Jim
I just ordered the surf green Vintera 50s road worn strat. I cannot wait for it to arrive!!!
As always, it's fun listening to fellow guitar aficionados. Thanks for the vids guys. Sure would like to visit your shop someday. 10 hour drive. Ugh.
The thing about looks over feel is now that most sales seem to be internet. You can't feel the gtr over the computer. Looks have always been what draws you towards a particular piece then you pick it up and play. If it doesn't feel right move on or plan for mods your choice
I still feel your best bet is to find an older Strat Standard that can still be had for around $1000 with the intention of taking to a good tech with $200 in hand to make it killer playable. From there upgrade the pickups later down the line.
I love the 2016 American standards...great guitars with great pickups as well!
@@CasinoGuitars I have several mia strats and teles. My 2016 shawbucker strat is my all time favorite guitar. I bought it new and eventually put locking tuners on it just because I was playing it so much. It's my baby. Never goes in the case. Gets played 99 out 100 times I grab a guitar. The one guitar I couldn't part with. I have the serial number memorized lol
I had a 2009 American standard... it was terrible. Wouldn't hold a setup, had dead spots on the neck and the pickups were pretty lackluster. I have a 2019 Custom Shop now that blows away any other guitar I have owned. I wont go back to a poly guitar.
@@weschilton Gibson did a study in the 50's and found on average one in 40 guitars sounded killer and one in 40 was a dog. Keep in mind that Gibson bought the entire trees and cut their own body blanks.
So you could make all 40 guitars from one tree. You can not tell until the guitar is made what you will get. Add to that wood is blind, lol. The ugliest piece of wood could end up sounding the best. In short that $6000.00 visual master piece custom shop could be the dog and the guitar that was beyond ugly so it had to be painted an extra coat of paint instead of stained could be the killer. Yes ...makers ship them all including the dogs. I bought a custom shop Strat in 2006. My '89 Peavey Strat blows it away. On the the other hand I have a Gibson SG that is to die for. It is all luck.
I just bought that same Vintera in the roadworn fiesta red. It is built just perfectly, the high and low e strings are spaced just the right amount of distance from the edge of the fretboard, the frets are smooth and nicely shaped no rough spots anywhere. Whoever built this was clearly paying attention. The bridge is in the perfect position. I’m tired of seeing 2k Lespauls and strats that aren’t built nearly as well as this. It’s an amazing guitar and value.
I love my pointy guitars, but now I’m looking at a fender us telecaster. It’s really sweet
I just want flash coat lacquer. I’m absolutely heartbroken they stopped making the 2012-2017 American Vintage line. I’m lucky enough to own a ‘59 AVRI from 2015 but I was a little too young and low on funds to really get any of them, PLUS now that I’m older and seasoned I know what I like and what I want from a Fender guitar and bass, which is everything featured on the AVRI from 2012-2017
I've had my Fender Vintera Road Worn Mischief Maker Strat in Metallic Purple for 3 weeks now from Anderton's. It is simply a fantastic guitar to play and hold, it feels like no other guitar I own. The Nitro feel is something else, the vintage '59 pick ups sound fantastic, the neck is a joy, it is an amazing musical instrument for under a grand (just).
"This is a 60's spec, shell pink stratocaster" * Tyler Bryant has entered the room *
I’m waiting on a Roadworn Vintera ‘50’s Tele and a ‘57 Champ to arrive. I was a bit worried when I clicked on this video but so happy when you brought up the guitar with good amp buying decision. My thinking was that I can always upgrade pickups down the road, if the Vintera is lacking, and the amp should make a huge difference. Thanks for the confirmation.
I am lucky enough to have a 61 George Harrison Closet Classic Strat. Awesome craftsmanship. Plays like butter. My Aerodyne is dang close. But my FSR MIM tele is the workhorse and a joy to play.
I stopped playing electric guitar for many years and when i saw the original road worn at a store i felt a “calling” to get back into it. I liked that guitar a lot, sold it a few years later only to get my dream guitar which was a les paul. Nowadays i play a prs
ays
Can I ask you guys something. What if you got a road worn and spent time on smoothing out any ruff spots and took time setting it up nicely, replace the pickups to preference will the differences between the custom shop and the road worn be as vast? In general I mean. If the only real difference is time spent on the instrument by a luthier in theory couldn’t you take a road worn to a great tech and make it into a “custom shop” level instrument? Strictly speaking about function feel and playability.
Yes but only if the electronics are the same. I know you didn’t ask me but I knew the answer. :-)
I dunno about that... the pickups and hardware are not the same quality. I bet if the luthier is GOOD and not just some guitar shop dude who mostly changes strings for people, he's going to probably charge you more than the guitar is worth to make it custom shop quality.
You really have to play these things side by side. They are priced right, although I think the Vintera is priced too high. Probably because of the nitro finish.
I just got a vintera road worn black guard tele and am absolutely in love with it. On paper, I should hate it. The neck is ENORMOUS, but it plays like butter and the finish feels amazing.
I had a 2009 fender road worn Tele, blonde/amber with the white guard. I love the beefy V shaped neck. I always love that guitar. Also it was super aged compared to the later versions of the same Tele. I only let it go in trade of a stripped 73 Gibson Les Paul deluxe gold top. Still had gold in the pickup cavities. It was just a husk. I ended up trading that guitar off after fixing it up and making it a player…now I wish I had both of them. 😂 such is life haha 😆
Wow guys! Thanks for this. Such sweet sounds!
I got the 50's Vintera Vintage Modified Strat upgraded the pickups to Seymour Duncans in Bridge and Neck and Absolutely love it. Just got a limited 70's Hardtail Vintera Strat and it has 69 Custom shop picks up cant wait to check it out. I made fun of the Vintera Fenders a year ago now own two and don't think I will ever get rid of these
There’s a hardtail Vintera Strat?
Where did you get it?
@@charlesbolton8471 sweetwater “exclusive” Black and Buttercream colors just got it loving it
Would love to have a custom shop. Just picked up a road worn mischief maker from andertons. Love the sound and look. Neck required a bit of work when I got it though. Sanded it down a bit and the frets were pretty sharp. Rolled the edges a bit with a screwdriver which has helped a ton. Overall I’m very happy with it.
I own an early 80’s Fender Custom Shop with the Lace sensor pickups that Clapton was using at the time. I thought about changing out pickups and my local guitar shop owner threatened to slap me up side my head. He was right. So I built my own Strat which I use to beat on. HSS that I am looking to put in a set of 69 custom shop pickups. I probably have a little more into it than the Vintera money wise, and wonder why I took on that headache but I will never give it up because it fits me perfectly. And that is the most important thing I think. It isn’t the cost it’s the fit and sound and what does it inspire you to play.
OK, so what was used for that incredible tone with the Custom Shop guitar? Maybe a deluxe with a tube screamer?
I got strong boss employee vibes early on, but after a while it just seemed like two buddys talking shit. Love the channel
Sounds sooo good! I have a 2009 50s RW Strat and its just amazing sound and feel for the money. But what I heard is that the later RW where less convincing.
I would like to see a video on the differences between different years of custom shop strats. ie. 1959 vs.1962. Thanks
I reckon I've looked at that shell pink Strat about a dozen times since you put it up on the site. Looks amazing.
I've owned a fair number of big boutique names in guitars but my Custom Shop Tele is THE BEST guitar I have ever owned. For all the haters out there that say it isn't worth it I would strongly disagree. It's not the most expensive I've owned but it is the best.
A great thing about fender MIM is that they offer the same quality tone woods (when choosing a maple fingerboard variant) as the USA and CS stuff. All Alder or ash all sounds like alder or ash. And maple boards sound like maple boards. So value for money comes down to electronics, amount of time spent hands on at the factory for set up and Qc, and the finish type. You can get one of the Vintera RW series and push it to sound just like a CS with a set of hand wound pickups and good Pots/caps. But you’ll never get the hand crafted feel that the CS gives.
guys, van you please make a short video on the differences on how guitars feel physically on different tiers.... there's a lot of videos on sonic differences,but no one talks about how $400 guitars feel physically different than $1500 and $3000 guitars with factory settings. Please.
how good it feels, has a direct onnhow much you pick it up
I believe that is the most important factor really. Having owned the 2 extremes of price points, The feel is the biggest difference.
Not only how it feels (and that does matter a lot) but also how well it stays set up. My Custom Shop Strat hasn't changed a bit in three years of playing, its rock solid. But my last Strat, a 2009 American Standard had a neck that just wouldn't hold a setup... which is why I sold it.
The GT 11 is turning my will to water. RW in Oly Wht; jiminy! Muchly prefer NOS to relic.
Sweeping is not so bad, someone else can clean the grease trap. Great show, thanks.
I like the journeyman relic on that guitar, the neck is played in and the body doesn't have chunks missing. that is the perfect balance for me. I like looking at the heavy reliced ones a lot , but if I were to buy one, that pink one is about perfection!
Excellent video. Have a 60’s Road Worn Vintera...excellent guitar in that range. Would never turn it away. Of course there’s no comparison to a CS Strat. However the Vintera’s are excellent
I highly recommend the vintera series. I have a 50s strat, the pickups sound better than some of my American strats. Quintessential strat quack. The Mexican QC has gotten way better the last few years.
Im just here swapping pickups on a Les Paul Looping 7:48 to the end of video....I'm a metal/punk player but I really like to hear Baxter jamm sandwich it up.
Other than the nitrocellulose finish, what are the differences between the Vintera 50s Road Worn Strat, the Vintera 50s Modified and the standard Vintera 50s Stratocasters? Thanks!
Ok, i'm gonna reply since nobody did and i just asked myself the same questions, the road worn as stated is reliced, it has a 6 point tremolo, the modified has the modern 2 points, no relic at all, same for the standard except for a 6 point tremolo, don"t ask about the rest (pickups and so on), i guess they're in the same league
I just got a used Vintera 50s Road Worn Tele. I was selling one of my shredder guitars from my youth and ended up agreeing on a trade with the shop I was working with because the Tele they got in was so good. I already have an American Performer Tele from a few years ago. Honestly, some days (many days) I pick up my Road Worn Tele and it feels, plays, and sounds better than the American Performer. Sent me into a panic to my local big box store to try out an American Pro ii. And guess what? That one wasn't any better either. If you like vintage spec guitars I genuinely think the Vintera Road Worn series is the best thing you can buy short of the custom shop stuff. I have yet to find a production American-made Fender that satisfies me as much as my Vintera.
Best playing and sounding guitar I have is and 88 American EC Strat. MIM Strats and Tele's are great though.
I own a 50's Road Worn Strat from 2017. Very nice guitar.
Awesome guitars!
These types of comparisons are my favorite vids to watch from you guys, great content. I recently ordered my first 'high end" guitar. I thought about a fender custom shop but ended up going with a Suhr Classic S Antique because it was less expensive. For under $3k I was able to get a nitro finish, stainless frets, locking tuners, "aging", PLEK'd, 2 point trem system (which I prefer over the 6 point thanks to my G&L Legacy deluxe), and TUSQ nut. Some of these options you cant get on a custom shop unless you go to a Master built which is what, $8k +? I hope to one day have a custom shop. What are your thoughts, if any, on the Suhr or any other smaller shop vs. custom shop? Is the squeeze worth the juice or is it just marketing?
Hey guys, can you please tell me what's the best fender alternative for a silver sky prs for under US$2000.00
Got a Vintera a couple months back. Got the Surf Green 50s and fell in love with the feel and sound. The frets were a little sharp for me but a small bit sanding smoothed them out, took a handful of minutes. Still love that guitar now.
A couple days later the guy at the shop was gifted that exact custom shop strat from Fender and tried it out. Loved the sound of that one as well but couldn't get down with the neck. Overall amazing guitar but I can't stomach that bill.
I have a first generation Road Worn 60’s strat. Love the feel of it but I was not happy with the Tex Mex pickups. After swapping them out it is a great guitar. The early ones have a heavier relic job compared to the newer ones which I personally like.
I recently was lucky enough to get a custom shop Journeyman and the finish is on another level in my opinion. It is truly an amazing guitar but the Road Worns are great in their price range.
That first generation totally blew my head off. I remember playing one in guitar center thinking: “This is the best Stratocaster I’ve played” with the Tex mex pickups.
I have a 63 custom shop and absolutely love it
I got a Vintera Road Worn 50s Telecaster in Lake Placid Blue...and I absolutely love it! Hard to put it down!
I have a vintage 1989 USA Strat and it's quite awesome and recently I bought a 2008 Roadworn Strat. The Roadworn for me is quite kick ass. The neck is awesome but I may have to put different pups in there 🤔. Not sure. I've played a few Clapton custom shop Strats and the Jeff Beck. Great high end guitars. I've played and owned Mexican Strats as well as the Jimmy Vaughan and Robert Cray models which are good as well.
Please I need help, what to buy blues jr 4 swamp thang are 68 Princeton ¿?
Built "overseas"? LOL! They're literally manufactured a couple hours drive south of their Corona California factory. So the major reason these guitars are cheaper than their American-made counterparts is the lower cost of labor and less government regulations in Mexico.
Wow really??
Also cheaper parts and less finish (ie rolled edges, rounded fret ends)
Ehm Nope…
I don't play relic guitars but I gotta say one of the best things about relics is that relic parts are available now means if I need to replace a switch tip or a knob or something it won't be really obvious that one of the parts on my guitar or bass is brand new
It would be nice to have a tour of your store and meet the the people you always talk about that work with you.
I have the road worn red one coming . I think it’s Srat no 6. Gawd I want a Custom Shop. I finally got myself an R9. Now I have it in my head I need an Fender Custom Shop. I do have the Vintage 2 though. That’s a beautiful machine
Can you guys do a video on what is the cheapest custom shop you can buy? Like if you were to get all non figured woods, plain top. But have the custom shop level craftsman ship, what would it cost compared to a main line piece? I.E. LP Standard, Fender American Standard/Professional and whatever is the American line for each company.
In my hands any guitar will look like a relic soon enough, no need to drop the extra cash on somebody doin what's gonna happen anyway. And every ding, scratch, and scar will have my story to go with it. And will probably be more interesting than " dude in the shop with piece of sandpaper" Rock on !!!
Yeah lol good luck getting that with the polyurethane finish
Would love to somehow see a video of them talking directly about guitars they own
Right on Mayan! We have heard that a few times and that may be a pretty cool video. We’ll juggle that idea and see about getting her in the queue:) thanks a ton!
Every once in a while I hear a little JIMI jump out Baxter. Nicely played man.
I’ve ended up selling all my high end guitars (3x CS LPs, Collings 290, Maybach, 2x Haar, 2x CS ESP, 2x EBMM, CS Fender/EVH), and I’ve bought four MIMs the last 1,5 years. A lot of guitar for less money, fun to mod and less reason to get a heartattack when I ding it.
Love my EJ Strat, Custom Shop feel for half the price! I would like to get into a Custom Shop one of these days...
Excellent playing on both demos. I think the red one sounds "older" to me. More, Vintera...
My strat and tele appear road worn because they are road worn. I know the details behind each mark, dig, scratch, gouge, and wear Mark. They play great and their set up is killer. A “new” road worn just sounds stupid to me. I love your channel and look forward to it each day. Thanks guys.
I couldn't tell that you had swapped to playing the Vintera until I looked up and heard the difference with my eyes.
I don’t have a FCS, so I certainly can’t compare…but I have a Vintera strat that I absolutely love. The neck feels phenomenal to me and I think the pickups sound great. It’s a keeper.
Please a comparasion with a road worn 2009 series ...
Also, jumping into the ring on the relic'ing vs. non-relic'ing thing.... I think a nitro finish guitar is more resonant than poly and more naked wood often means even more resonance in the wood. And Strats and Teles (Strats especially) are very resonant guitars. So much of the tone is from the resonance. Sure, pups have a lot to do with it but less so on Strats than something with higher output, super hot pups. On some of those pointy guitars it really IS all about the electronics.
I thought the general consensus online is that the original roadworns rock over the new ones. I’ve got the 2010 blonde telecaster that looks and sounds amazing. It’s been played hard over the last decade and the added road miles have only added to its relic looks. I was that blown away with it so much so, I ended up selling my CS 52 Tele HB relic. I found the vintera series in general to be slightly on the heavier side. Sounds great here though 👌🎸🤟
These guitars sound amazing but I don’t think I could get used to playing 7.5” radius. You can even hear notes choking out and buzzing in the demos.
You accidentally bump your guitar into a counter, barstool, table, or whatever. Which guitar would you care less if you did that? That’s why I love my 2013 road worn Tele.