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New Fender Vintera II Road Worn Basses

#21
This isn’t bass related specifically, but maybe it’ll lend credence to OP’s post.

I stumbled on a Reverb store called Butler Music that is selling brand new Road Worn Vintera II Strats, Teles, and Jazzmasters that all have a very light relic. So light that even in the closeups I can’t see any.

They also all come with hard cases.

https://reverb.com/item/91916534-fe...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=91916534

If this is real, I LOVE that Fender is doing this. I owned a Vintera I Road Worn strat, and I loved it, but it always irked me that they put like 30 dents in the thing in the exact same spots as every other Vintera Road Worn.

To keep this bass-related:

I’ve been PRAYING for them to do a Vintera II Road Worn Bass VI. I haven’t seen one yet, but seeing as how they did two regular Vintera II Bass VIs already, I’m still hoping!
 
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#23
gojaskill said:
This isn’t bass related specifically, but maybe it’ll lend credence to OP’s post.

I stumbled on a Reverb store called Butler Music that is selling brand new Road Worn Vintera II Strats, Teles, and Jazzmasters that all have a very light relic. So light that even in the closeups I can’t see any.

They also all come with hard cases.

https://reverb.com/item/91916534-fe...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=91916534

If this is real, I LOVE that Fender is doing this. I owned a Vintera I Road Worn strat, and I loved it, but it always irked me that they put like 30 dents in the thing in the exact same spots as every other Vintera Road Worn.

To keep this bass-related:

I’ve been PRAYING for them to do a Vintera II Road Worn Bass VI. I haven’t seen one yet, but seeing as how they did two regular Vintera II Bass VIs already, I’m still hoping!
Click to expand...
And the serial number does not show up using the Fender Serial Number Lookup page… 🤨🤔
 
#25
1755922779389.png


Vintage Tall frets..... :vomit::vomit::vomit::vomit:
 
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#31
With these basses not being available yet, I'm assuming the pics are Fender's official promo pics. If that's the case, they should at least have sorted out the string spacing before the promo photo shoot...

Sure, this is very minor issue that's easily fixed, but it doesn't exactly scream of excellent QC, which is my main complaint about the Vinteras (and Fenders in general). The overall quality control is quite simply good enough for instruments in this price range.

I've tested a LOT of Vinteras at work (guitar workshop). Many of them are great. The pickup in the Vintera P-basses is perhaps Fender's best P-bass pickup in recent years IMO. Unfortunately, an unacceptable number of the Vinteras I've tested were also rather poor, with issues that should never have passed QC.

One example: The only Vintera I personally own is a Mustang. I had to return two of them before I got one of acceptable quality. The first came with a crack in the headstock around one of the tuner bushings (which is something that typically happens during installation, not transport damage). The second one came with a twisted/crooked neck that literally had an S-shape that couldn't be adjusted into anything playable. The third one was great, but that doesn't change he fact that the first two, as well as too many other Vinteras I've tested, should never have passed QC. And don't get me started on the AmPros... even more expensive with just as shoddy QC. Many of them are great, but some of them aren't, and that's really not acceptable in this price range.

The Road Worn series from around 2010 were great though, and the second Road Worn series from a few years later were also very good. In my opinion these are the best MIM Fenders ever made, and even some of the best Fenders overall in recent years, maybe only second to the original AVRIs. If these new Vintera RWs are anything like those, with the same level of QC, then sure, maybe they could be worth the rather high asking price.

However, these new RWs seem to be more like "Vintera Series Road Worn" than an actual new "Road Worn Series". Basically just Vinteras with a very slightly relic'ed finish. Unless Fender has significantly improved the QC for the Vintera series I would never pay that much money for what is basically a ticket for "the Fender lottery". If these new RWs are simply slightly relic'ed Vinteras, there are objectively better made instruments out there for less than half the price, as long as you don't need the Fender logo on the headstock.

But I know a lot of people will still buy these. When it comes to marketing, Fender is second to none.

My advice: Try before you buy. I'm sure most of them will be great (if a bit overpriced) but based on actual, real-life experience with recent Vintera instruments (both guitars and basses) I'm also pretty sure that some of them will be lemons.
 
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#32
When I search Reverb for Vintera II Road Worn I’m seeing some pretty awesome colors on the guitar selections. I can only hope that there are even more bass colors available, too, upon full release. I’ve had a 2009 RW P for years and it’s my #1, but I’ve always wished for a RW P with a rosewood vintage-profile neck, so maybe I’m bound to check these out further. Looking at things like the VII RW Telecaster that has a maple board I did notice some sort of relicing on the fretboard to simulate play wear.
 
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#33
Deleted member 271037 said:
However, these new RWs seem to be more like "Vintera Series Road Worn" than an actual new "Road Worn Series". Basically just Vinteras with a very slightly relic'ed finish.
Click to expand...
My initial impression as well. And though I can’t exactly define it, there definitely seemed to be more to what made early RWs so special. Time will tell how these compare.
 
#36
P. Aaron said:
Yeah, they're cool but...

If I'm at 4 figures & then some retail, I'm going Mod Shop or USA made. Granted each line within its price points all have their limits of feel, colors, accessories.

I recall paying $1200.00 for a new for an American Standard P-V in 2010. My mind has trouble getting past these things.
Click to expand...
$1200 from 2010 is close to $1800 today.
 
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#38
I don't see them listed on the website. Are we sure that's not just somebody making up their own titles. I suppose once it has a ding in it you could call it a road worn. Those just don't look to have a relic job on them. Kinda looks like a normal Vintera with a road worn neck on it.
 
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#39
DrBnz said:
I don't see them listed on the website. Are we sure that's not just somebody making up their own titles. I suppose once it has a ding in it you could call it a road worn. Those just don't look to have a relic job on them. Kinda looks like a normal Vintera with a road worn neck on it.
Click to expand...
These listings do seem somewhat fishy to me as well. I’d love to be wrong though. The strange things I’ve noticed are:
- the finishes seem very shiny for a road worn, and overall seem somehow ‘off’… but it’s hard to tell with the low res pictures.
- the stickers on the pickguards just say “Vintera II Series” with no mention of the phrase road worn.
- All of the necks look like they have clay colored dots, which is not something Fender usually does on this series of instruments.

I would love to be wrong on all accounts as I have a soft spot for the road worn series in general, and would love a road worn 60s P and J with mostly correct vintage specs!
 

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