pscates said:
YANKING THE TRAIN BACK ON THE TOPIC TRACK: The stuff from Squier looks very cool (the new models rolled under the Classic Vibe roof...the Jaguars and Jazzmasters, etc.). It's almost as though Fender is saying, through them, "we're never going to surpass what we did in the 50's, 60's and 70's, so here's some nice affordable versions of those models everyone will always want and love; we'll continue to churn out weirdo, expensive stuff nobody is really asking for with 'Fender' on the headstock...". I'm of the belief that Fender's entire lineup - guitars, basses and amps - could be "vintage 50's/60's/70's reissues" and most everyone on the planet would be totally fine with it (it's the classic Fender gear that everyone kills themselves to find/own anyway). The further they drift from that, the goofier they get.
After visiting all the various booths for a few years in a row, here's my take:
The "Fender" brand is the money-making hamster-wheel of the classic designs. You're never going to see much movement there, because the market doesn't want it. It's mostly just a revolving door of seasonal colors, swapped out every years, and resurrected a few years after that. Every now and then you'll see a new product, like the Powercaster they introduced this year, but they all still very purposefully follow a "vintage" design aesthetic.
These days, Fender uses its subsidiary brands as their platform for innovation: Charvel, EVH, etc. That's where they're exploring the seven decade's worth of guitar tech that have happened since grandpa Leo's designs first came to be. Things like sleeker body shapes, locking trems, spoke-wheel truss rods, sculpted heels, stainless frets, roasted maple, etc.
