FENDER CLASSIC SERIES
Classic Series 1999 Advert
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In 1999 the cheap made in Mexico Classic Series, destined to a success far beyond expectations, whose guitars reprised the main features of the '50s, '60s and '70s, took the place of the Japanese Collectables.
The '50s Stratocaster, '60s Stratocaster and '70s Stratocaster all had pickups in Alnico with staggered poles, vintage style bridges (also the '70s had bent steel saddles), 7.25" radius fretboards and vintage style frets. In addition, the '50s and '60s had a 4-bolt neck plate, small headstock with Spaghetti Logo, and the '70s, obviously, featured a 3-bolt neck plate, big headstock with Black CBS Logo and bullet truss rod. The '70s had an ash body, while the '50s and '60s had a poplar one until mid 2002, when it was replaced by alder (already used for the sunburst finish). In the summer of 2013 the polyester finished Classic Stratocaster was joined by the nitro finished '50s Stratocaster Lacquer and '60s Stratocaster Lacquer. |
Also in the Classic Series, like in other Mexican series, rosewood was replaced by pau ferro in mid 2017, as a consequence of the more restrictive rules imposed by CITES.
FENDER CLASSIC PLAYER SERIES
In 2006, Fender introduced the Classic Player '50s Stratocaster and the Classic Player '60s Stratocaster. These Mexican guitars, drawing from Custom Shop know-how, were inspired by vintage Stratocasters, with Fender adding a touch of modernity: larger frets, an almost flat fretboard, and a 2-point bridge with vintage-style saddles.
This series has always caused a lot of confusion due to the neck plate engraving, “Custom Shop Designed,” which led many guitarists to believe Classic Player ’50s and ‘60s Strats were Custom Shop guitars made in Mexico but, and it seems odd to have to point this out, there is no Custom Shop in Mexico! To be accurate, the Classic Player Series made by Fender Custom Shop did exist (1998–2005), but it was a completely different series.
Original ’57/’62 Single-Coils with reverse wound/reverse polarity mid-pickup to achieve hum cancelling and vintage style locking tuners were used for the Classic Player ‘50s Strat.
The ‘60s model, on the other hand, was equipped with Custom ‘69 Single-Coil Strat Pickups. There has always been a lot of confusion about these pickups, further fueled by Fender’s Customer Service, which often gave conflicting and equivocal opinions. Sometimes they stated that these were indeed the Custom ‘69 pickups made by the Fender Custom Shop, while at other times, they said that they were not Custom Shop pickups but were made with the same materials and to the same specifications as those from the Custom Shop.
However, the spec sheet of the Classic Player ‘60s Stratocaster released by Fender in 2006, clearly stated “Custom Shop Custom ‘69”. Nothing can rule out the possibility that Fender may have changed something over time. Many support this theory because only the pickups from the early Classic Player ‘60s were hand-dated and showed the “AY” marking (which did not indicate that they were hand-wound by Abigail Ybarra, but simply made under her supervision), while later models had no marking at all. This, however, is highly unlikely, as the catalogs always stated “'69 Strat pickups”.
It is interesting to note that the catalogs published until 2011 showed the Classic Player ‘60s Stratocaster without any string tree, while this guitar has always had one.
For both ‘50s and ‘60s guitars, a special five-way switch allowed the neck/bridge combination in position 4.
This series has always caused a lot of confusion due to the neck plate engraving, “Custom Shop Designed,” which led many guitarists to believe Classic Player ’50s and ‘60s Strats were Custom Shop guitars made in Mexico but, and it seems odd to have to point this out, there is no Custom Shop in Mexico! To be accurate, the Classic Player Series made by Fender Custom Shop did exist (1998–2005), but it was a completely different series.
Original ’57/’62 Single-Coils with reverse wound/reverse polarity mid-pickup to achieve hum cancelling and vintage style locking tuners were used for the Classic Player ‘50s Strat.
The ‘60s model, on the other hand, was equipped with Custom ‘69 Single-Coil Strat Pickups. There has always been a lot of confusion about these pickups, further fueled by Fender’s Customer Service, which often gave conflicting and equivocal opinions. Sometimes they stated that these were indeed the Custom ‘69 pickups made by the Fender Custom Shop, while at other times, they said that they were not Custom Shop pickups but were made with the same materials and to the same specifications as those from the Custom Shop.
However, the spec sheet of the Classic Player ‘60s Stratocaster released by Fender in 2006, clearly stated “Custom Shop Custom ‘69”. Nothing can rule out the possibility that Fender may have changed something over time. Many support this theory because only the pickups from the early Classic Player ‘60s were hand-dated and showed the “AY” marking (which did not indicate that they were hand-wound by Abigail Ybarra, but simply made under her supervision), while later models had no marking at all. This, however, is highly unlikely, as the catalogs always stated “'69 Strat pickups”.
It is interesting to note that the catalogs published until 2011 showed the Classic Player ‘60s Stratocaster without any string tree, while this guitar has always had one.
For both ‘50s and ‘60s guitars, a special five-way switch allowed the neck/bridge combination in position 4.
"Custom Shop Designed" neck that led a lot of confusion
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Early Custom '69 Single-Coil Strat Pickup with Grey Bobbins: it's not hand-wound by Abigail Ybarra, despite tthe AY sign
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ROAD WORN SERIES
Always in the wake of the vintage, in 2009 Fender unveiled the Road Worn Series, composed of the Road Worn '50s and the Road Worn '60s Stratocaster, cheap versions of the “relic” custom shop counterparts, but well done anyway: nitrocellulose finish (without poly undercoat), 6105 frets, three Tex-Mex pickups and aged plastic. “Beaten, bruised and even burned,” as specified in the Fender catalog.
Between 2011 and 2012 Fender also made the Road Worn Player which, as the name says, were more player-friendly and closer to the needs of the guitarists. While maintaining a lived-in look, they had a flatter fretboard and a thinner neck. The HSS model featured two Texas Special single coils and a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus humbucker.
Between 2011 and 2012 Fender also made the Road Worn Player which, as the name says, were more player-friendly and closer to the needs of the guitarists. While maintaining a lived-in look, they had a flatter fretboard and a thinner neck. The HSS model featured two Texas Special single coils and a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus humbucker.
Fender Road Worn Stratocaster expo
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VINTERA and vintera ii SERIES
Christone Kingfish and Vintera Stratocaster, 2019 advert
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In the summer of 2019, the Vintera Series, whose name probably referred to the “vintage style for modern era” motto, took the place of the Classic and Classic Player ones, by entering the made in Mexico Stratocasters catalog with low-cost models that reprised the main features of the '50s, '60s and '70s, reproducing classic finishes and historically correct necks.
These guitars were joined by the Vintera Modified models, available in the '50s and '60s versions, closer to the needs of the guitarists thanks to the Modern “C” shaped neck, 9.5" radius fretboard and medium jumbo frets, to which were added new tone possibilities, such as the S-1 switch gave the option of activating the neck pickup in positions 1 and 2. |
Pickups had been redesigned by Tim Shaw to imitate the peculiar tone features of the respective reference periods, while those of the Modified versions had been changed to provide a higher output.
When Fender replaced the Classic and the Classic Player Series with the Vintera guitars at Summer NAMM 2019, relic'd Road Worn finishes were conspicuous by their absence. But it was only a matter of time before Fender announced these new Road Worn models under the Vintera banner.
The Vintera Road Worn '50s Stratocaster and Vintera Road Worn '60s Stratocaster, unveiled in August 2020 and available from 10 September, not only shared identical specs to the previous year's Vintera Series, but the new aged finishes, that added some vintage flair to each model, seemed to have been given an upgrade as well, thanks to the tasteful lacquer checking and more vintage-correct wear.
When Fender replaced the Classic and the Classic Player Series with the Vintera guitars at Summer NAMM 2019, relic'd Road Worn finishes were conspicuous by their absence. But it was only a matter of time before Fender announced these new Road Worn models under the Vintera banner.
The Vintera Road Worn '50s Stratocaster and Vintera Road Worn '60s Stratocaster, unveiled in August 2020 and available from 10 September, not only shared identical specs to the previous year's Vintera Series, but the new aged finishes, that added some vintage flair to each model, seemed to have been given an upgrade as well, thanks to the tasteful lacquer checking and more vintage-correct wear.
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In September 2023, Fender officially launched the Vintera II Series, offering players a new assortment of vintage-inspired guitars and basses in a selection of new classic Fender finishes, and the return of rosewood fingerboards, which replaced the pau ferro equivalents on the previous Vintera lineup.
All of the series models featured new neck shapes, new vintage tall frets, revoiced pickups, and all-new models like the Bass VI, Tele Deluxe with Tremolo, and a maple-neck Mustang. |
Fender Vintera II Series advertisement, 2023
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Interestingly, new Vintera II instruments all featured a solid alder body, except the Thinline Telecaster which had a semi-hollow ash body, a feature that had been reserved for flagship models in recent years.
To launch the series, Fender released a full creative campaign which included a video series called “Best of the Decades,” as well as vintage-era-inspired artists vignettes. These videos featured a creative partnership of a contemporary player and a legendary artist covering iconic songs from the ‘50s, ‘60s & ‘70s.
Furthermore, Fender’s social channels revived their ongoing social series “History in a Hot Minute,” which featured a 60-second video that explored the history of their iconic instruments from decades past.
On 20th September, to celebrate the launch of the new Series, Fender revived London’s iconic Marquee Club – an iconic music venue first established in 1958 which played host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, Genesis, and Jethro Tull – for one night only with an exclusive show attending Soft Play, Nova Twins, and Lambrini Girls. The event also featured a DJ set by Simone Marie of Primal Scream.
To launch the series, Fender released a full creative campaign which included a video series called “Best of the Decades,” as well as vintage-era-inspired artists vignettes. These videos featured a creative partnership of a contemporary player and a legendary artist covering iconic songs from the ‘50s, ‘60s & ‘70s.
Furthermore, Fender’s social channels revived their ongoing social series “History in a Hot Minute,” which featured a 60-second video that explored the history of their iconic instruments from decades past.
On 20th September, to celebrate the launch of the new Series, Fender revived London’s iconic Marquee Club – an iconic music venue first established in 1958 which played host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, The Sex Pistols, Genesis, and Jethro Tull – for one night only with an exclusive show attending Soft Play, Nova Twins, and Lambrini Girls. The event also featured a DJ set by Simone Marie of Primal Scream.
Antonio Calvosa
