I've had a couple of Mexican models - a Standard and a Deluxe Powerhouse (EC style preamp in it). They weren't terrible but not great either. I got an American Deluxe last spring and it does play & feel deluxe. It's not the Standard that a lot of guys look for but it's certainly not short on quality.
I've played several signature models, EJs, etc. and I think my Deluxe holds up to them quality wise, even though I might put some different pups in it at some point.
But I do agree: too many different models and stuff. And business wise stay out of the junk market.
vibratoking wrote:Fender's like a ma and pa restaurant with 6 million items on the menu...and 3 of them are good. They make too much shit. Have you looked at their offerings lately? There is so much confusion and built-in deception regarding what is what...they diluted themselves and the market.
Agree 100%. Go back 1960s (early). A strat was a strat and everyone loved it. Now there are like 50 different strats. Why? Just make 5-10 solid instruments and make them well.
vibratoking wrote:Fender's like a ma and pa restaurant with 6 million items on the menu...and 3 of them are good. They make too much shit. Have you looked at their offerings lately? There is so much confusion and built-in deception regarding what is what...they diluted themselves and the market.
Agree 100%. Go back 1960s (early). A strat was a strat and everyone loved it. Now there are like 50 different strats. Why? Just make 5-10 solid instruments and make them well.
What? No way, not when Fender is finally coming out with the Mark Fowler signature "hell raiser" strat this month.
M Fowler wrote:What? No way, not when Fender is finally coming out with the Mark Fowler signature "hell raiser" strat this month.
:.) Maybe that's the plan that will get them out of their troubles - configured to order Signature Models. Pick your colors and options, upload your signature, click buy and BOOM, you've got your own signature model. Oh wait, doesn't everyone already have their own sig model these days anyway?
The America Standards and American Deluxes are the only thing worth a damned. All the other junk is garbage. Possibly the early MIM's were pretty good The early MIMs were pretty good, but I bet they can't afford to make them like that anymore. I always hated those basswood Japanese models, except maybe the one issue of the set neck carved top model.
Indonesian Squiers are compete garbage. SOme of the Chinese" pine"- or whatever it is they call pine in Asia- guitars had a hollow sounds and fairly accetpable workmanship,and some people were enamored with that plinky cheap sound, but at the end of the day they are garbage.