NAMM & Fender

[Jim C]

Perhaps I missed this from the reports and photos, but I didn't hear about anything new from Fender.
For those that visited their booth, is it bold new colors or new ideas/designs for 2025?

 

[BGroovy]

Perhaps I missed this from the reports and photos, but I didn't hear about anything new from Fender.
For those that visited their booth, is it bold new colors or new ideas/designs for 2025?

Fender and Gibson were both private rooms on the 3rd floor by appointment only. No booth that was open to attendees unfortunately.

 

[BGroovy]

They had guitars and basses in glass cases on display in the hallways.

On the other hand I was able to walk up and play $15k masterbuilt basses from boutique luthiers.

Definitely

 

[ahbass2500]

Not the greatest video, but it does show that Fender is apparently hiding some models from public knowledge at this point.



A few basses in the Fender website's NAMM 2025 section: Invalid Link Removed

 

[Jim C]

Looks like new finishes, guitar wall holders, new guitar stands, shirts, hats, and playing cards.

Granted they have been huge innovators, but it seems like they are fresh out of new ideas for this year.
I hope I'm wrong and there will be an announcement of some great new ideas for bass.

 

[ahbass2500]

Fixed the video link

 

[darev]

I thought Fender's big announce was that they are launching the Indonesian-built range Player series.

I'm not touching on the quality of that announcement, but the timing. They did release that info during NAMM.

 

[darev]

Looks like new finishes, guitar wall holders, new guitar stands, shirts, hats, and playing cards.

Looks like Fender is focusing more on licensing things again this year like stools and playing cards.

 

[ahbass2500]

Looks like Fender is focusing more on licensing things again this year like stools and playing cards.

Based on the video it seems like they maybe spent more time on new products for the brands they owned. Seemed like quite a few not allowed to be on camera items were in those areas. Doubt we see much for new basses from Gretsch, Jackson, Charvel, and EVH. Hopefully I am wrong.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Fender and Gibson were both private rooms on the 3rd floor by appointment only. No booth that was open to attendees unfortunately.

Have to keep out the riff-raff...

 

[BGroovy]

Have to keep out the riff-raff...

Hey, I resemble that remark

 

[Pdaddy1978]

To be fair...I read ahead of the show about Fenders decision to limit their interaction with the "public" (code for guys like me) so they can concentrate on the pressing the flesh with the big clients..... I get it.
I just remember the Fender and Gibson pavilions when I went last in the 90s.
Gear for days, Celebrity endorsees, bells and whistles. Kinda "Disneylandish " for players.
Maybe I should've bought somthin...

 

[JIO]

The new colours are very nice - best line in years.

 

[J Wilson]

They are now marketing Indonesian-built axes with Fender branding as the Standard Series. I suppose these are roughly (if not the same axes with different branding) as the Squier CV or VM's, probably under the idea they can charge more as 'Fender' than 'Squier', or trying to keep the price ranges between the two in place, concurrent with them not using the 'Affinity' label today.

I expect the ads bloating my text and Email any day now for 'Pre-Tariff Pricing ! ! '

 

[ComesATime]

They are now marketing Indonesian-built axes with Fender branding as the Standard Series. I suppose these are roughly (if not the same axes with different branding) as the Squier CV or VM's, probably under the idea they can charge more as 'Fender' than 'Squier', or trying to keep the price ranges between the two in place, concurrent with them not using the 'Affinity' label today.

I expect the ads bloating my text and Email any day now for 'Pre-Tariff Pricing ! ! '

Some of the CV and signature Squier guitars are incredible instruments for the price they originally cost, so that was only a matter of time before Fender leveraged it.

I have a Squier Simon Neil Strat I love to pieces. One of the most comfortable necks I've ever played. A lot of those series already cost approximately the same secondhand.

 

[MustangMan78]

You can have anything you want as long as it's an American Ultra II Meteora bass in puke yellow!

Seriously, I've been getting an e-mail a day about it! It's essentially a Dimension with an even more radical body. It didn't work the first time. What makes them think this will be any better? I'd rather seem them apply the "new" technology to the Dimension, like the pickups.

 

[TFunkadelic]

To be fair...I read ahead of the show about Fenders decision to limit their interaction with the "public" (code for guys like me) so they can concentrate on the pressing the flesh with the big clients..... I get it.
I just remember the Fender and Gibson pavilions when I went last in the 90s.
Gear for days, Celebrity endorsees, bells and whistles. Kinda "Disneylandish " for players.
Maybe I should've bought somthin...

Pressing the flesh?

 

[faulknersj]

Am I the only one that finds the the new Fender colts and how limited the options are to be exceedingly boring and blah?

Like red white blue or 3TSB with a black or white pick guard guard….now that’s some exciting stuff ha ha…

The only Ultra 2 I dig is the Texas Tea but can’t get it in a 5 string with an ebony board so

 

[Jon Cowens]

2025 Fender Innovation: Jazz, Precision, Stratocaster, Tele in different colours.
(same as 1965)

Fender is trapped in their history. It's a business constraint.

 

[CryingBass]

Fender and Gibson were both private rooms on the 3rd floor by appointment only. No booth that was open to attendees unfortunately.

That’s a tell