Fender blends vintage specs with forward-thinking appointments with new Vintera II series
The new collection is designed to pay homage to iconic Fender guitars of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s.
Credit: Fender
Fender has launched a new line of vintage-style guitars, the Vintera II series.
The new collection is designed to pay homage to iconic Fender guitars of the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, while also acknowledging some of the brand’s rarer items, such as the Mustang and Bass VI.
The Vintera II launch campaign features contributions from both classic and modern guitarists, including Thurston Moore and The Revolution’s Wendy Melvoin, as well as newer artists such as Snail Mail and Madison Cunningham.
“I gotta say those new pickups and employment of semi-jumbo frets make this vintage-style Jag a rough-and-tumble best friend to my beloved Jazzmaster,” said Thurston Moore. “They’re like the Batman and Robin of blast furnace rock n roll!”
“The guitar that I learned to play on when I was six was a mini-Stratocaster and it always feels like second nature to get one in my hands,” added Lindsay Jordan of Snail Mail. “I’ve been incorporating Stratocasters into my live set more and more recently, so it was exciting to try out the Vintera II ’60s Stratocaster and dial in my tone.”
“A consistent trend that we’ve seen for decades now is that players, regardless of age or playing experience, still gravitate towards our most classic offerings – be it an iconic ’60s Sunburst Strat or a ’50s Blonde Tele,” says Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at Fender in a press release. “The Vintera II Series strikes a harmonious chord between tradition and evolution, giving the global playing community a chance to experience an authentic ’60s P Bass or ’50s Jazzmaster and more, with the same modern craftsmanship and playability they expect from Fender.”
In line with this, Fender has also said that sales for the Stratocaster and Telecaster body shapes have collectively increased 15% on Fender’s e-commerce channels and across global dealers over the last three years.
The new Vintera II series offers era-correct neck shapes that are designed to give a more comfortable, worn-in feel, as well as a rosewood fretboard and vintage-voiced pickups for a more retro sound. In addition, the collection boasts some of the rarest custom colors ever produced by Fender and all-new models like the Bass VI, Tele Deluxe with Tremolo and a maple-neck Mustang.
The series launch will be celebrated with an exclusive show tomorrow (20th September) at a pop-up version of London’s iconic Marquee Club. Soft Play, Nova Twins and Lambrini Girls will all be playing, using the guitars from the new series, and the night will also feature a DJ set by Simone Marie of Primal Scream. A highly limited number of free tickets are available now via a raffle.
Fender’s original Vintera series was launched in summer 2019.