The new Fender Pawn Shop Series

Tig*** · April 1st, 2011, 03:30 AM

Hmmm... I just don't know.

Partscasters pre-built? At least they don't cost a Gibson arm and a leg!

"Fender's new Pawn Shop guitars are based on the offbeat "road less taken" instruments you'd find in a pawn shop in the 1960s and '70s with the look and vibe of a modified vintage guitar and hybrid models that have never existed before."

The Fender '51...

The Fender '72...

The Fender Mustang Special...

**sunvalleylaw** · April 1st, 2011, 03:37 AM

I'm ok with weird stuff if it is of decent quality. A couple remind me a little of the Squire '51 that I missed.

**oldguy** · April 1st, 2011, 03:49 AM

Yeah, the first two look like the '51 Squier..........I kept one of mine and gave the other one away.
I got in at the very, very last and Overstockdotcom was blowing them out for 89 bucks. The order got screwed up and they sent me two for the price of one.
I wonder if the Fender is better, but I don't wonder seven hundred dollars worth.
I know the Classic Vibes are selling great, and for a reason. I hope they don't get phased out like the '51's did.

marnold*** · April 1st, 2011, 08:32 AM

I just knew that they were going to do this eventually. At very least I'd like to play the blonde '51 and see how it compares to my old Squier. $800 is the price they are selling at, not the MSRP. The Enforcer at the bridge is a very high-wound pickup. Splitting it with the Texas Special at the neck would be interesting to say the least. Hard to tell, but it seems that the bridge is string-through instead of the Squier's top-loader.

Tig*** · April 1st, 2011, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by marnold

I just knew that they were going to do this eventually. At very least I'd like to play the blonde '51 and see how it compares to my old Squier. $800 is the price they are selling at, not the MSRP. The Enforcer at the bridge is a very high-wound pickup. Splitting it with the Texas Special at the neck would be interesting to say the least. Hard to tell, but it seems that the bridge is string-through instead of the Squier's top-loader.

You are right about the bridges. They all appear to be string through's, I like the '51 Blonde the most, too. I'd have to play one before making any real judgement.

One knob is volume (with push/pull coil split), the other is a 3 position pickup selector switch, and no tone control! Dang, that might hurt potential success.
At least the Mustang Special has a seperate selector and a tone pot.

duhvoodooman*** · April 1st, 2011, 12:39 PM

Video review on Premierguitar.com:

http://www.premierguitar.com/Video/2...g_Special.aspx

**progrmr** · April 1st, 2011, 12:53 PM

That '72 looks awesome!!

marnold*** · April 1st, 2011, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by duhvoodooman

Video review on Premierguitar.com:

http://www.premierguitar.com/Video/2...g_Special.aspx

You just beat me to it, but I'll do you one better. Here it is inline:

I was surprised at how bright the bridge pickup was when tapped, given how highly wound that pickup is.

Tig*** · April 1st, 2011, 12:58 PM

I was starting to wonder if this was an April Fool's Day joke, but MF has them in stock. I even placed one in my cart and all but completed the order, so it appears real.

Tig*** · April 1st, 2011, 01:01 PM

Could these guys be any more baked? I'd be surprised they aren't hitting the bong between takes!

**sunvalleylaw** · April 1st, 2011, 02:39 PM

They do look kinda neat, but I do not think I would spend $800 on one, esp. with no separate pickup switch and tone control. If I wanted one like it, I would find a Squire '51 used and mod it to my specs for that price.

**MAXIFUNK** · April 1st, 2011, 05:55 PM

LOL honestly thought the same thing. LOL

**MAXIFUNK** · April 1st, 2011, 05:58 PM

I will have to check these out looks like they might be very cool.

**DeanEVO_Dude** · April 2nd, 2011, 05:56 AM

I'm not very impressed, but then again, I am more of a Les Paul style guitar guy... I've seen the Squier '51 in pawn shops and on CL and am quite immune to the GAS they inspire in so many others. I watched the review video, and they seem like just another Fender... ok and all, but not something I want. Maybe if I hit the PowerBall... LOL. I must say, though, nice attention to detail with the Klusons and the "F" tuners, 3-bolt necks, as well as the bullet trus rod. So, for those of you gassing, you can have mine, I won't be getting one... LOL :-)

bcdon*** · April 2nd, 2011, 10:12 AM

I bet those guitars went straight to a real pawn shop to fund another bag of weed! LOL. These guys have to be from Vancouver, I'm getting a buzz just listening to them. ;-)

**Duffy** · April 2nd, 2011, 10:16 AM

These are not Fenders that I'm interested in. I find it hard to believe that some of them don't have tone controls. I'd say that they are way overpriced for "odd ball" type guitars. This is almost like the type of thing Gibson has been doing, but at a lot less money, but still more money than I'd be able to get a real nice Lone Star or Roadhouse strat for, and a Baja tele would satisfy me WAY more than one of these. There are way more sensible purchases available, at least for me.

**wingsdad** · April 2nd, 2011, 10:59 AM

I think this may be the most brilliant marketing move that Fender's come up with since Leo sold the company to CBS.

To name a guitar series so clairvoyantly, a self-fulfilling prophecy, so as to predict where they will actually end up post-haste is a stroke of 3-martini lunch genius.

They may have outdone Gibson's recent forays into the theatre of the absurd.

Tig*** · April 2nd, 2011, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Duffy

This is almost like the type of thing Gibson has been doing, but at a lot less money, but still more money than I'd be able to get a real nice Lone Star or Roadhouse strat for, and a Baja tele would satisfy me WAY more than one of these. There are way more sensible purchases available, at least for me.

Duffy and wingsdad, I gotta agree. This is more about marketing than something truely unique or in demand. I'd guess all they did is use parts supplies already on hand except for maybe a few pick guards. For $800, a Baja Tele would be much more desirable and have a wider variety of useful tones!

**DeanEVO_Dude** · April 2nd, 2011, 04:07 PM

There is one thing that is missing from the info on these guitars... Where are they made? Either I'm blind and can't find it or they are hiding the info... My suspicions are, Mexico. But, the price (to me) is a little high (MSRP: $1000, Retail: $800) for a MIM instrument, and a little on the low side for a USA. Fender makes a nice Fat Strat (MIM) in Sienna burst that I like, LOTS, I could get that AND a hard case and still buy some strings, picks, etc... for the same $800 that these cost.

P.S. Funny comments wingsdad, sad as well...

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