Fender reportedly will phase out rosewood fretboards on many models

Xpensive Wino · May 20, 2017

According to Andertons, from June/July, all Mexican-made and American Elite guitars and basses will no longer feature rosewood fingerboards.

Mexican models will switch to Pau Ferro, a wood similar to rosewood that was previously used in the Stevie Ray Vaughan signature Strat.

American Elite models, on the other hand, will come equipped with ebony.

http://www.musicradar.com/news/fend...an-made-and-american-elite-guitars-and-basses

deytookerjaabs · May 20, 2017

Pau Ferro? Cool. Wenge looks like it might be neat too, cool to see them gunning for replacement species. Played a couple Gibsons with the composite board that were just dandy. No complaints here.

Progrocker111 · May 22, 2017

Another result of ecoterrorism. :hmm

JR.Deluxe · May 24, 2017

Personally i would only consider a fender with a maple fretboard. These things with mystery wood slab fingerboards feel cheap to me.

Xpensive Wino · May 24, 2017

JR.Deluxe said:
Personally i would only consider a fender with a maple fretboard. These things with mystery wood slab fingerboards feel cheap to me.

This change won't impact me at all. I have tried several times to like a RW board Fender, never been able to.

F-Hole · May 24, 2017

JR.Deluxe said:
Personally i would only consider a fender with a maple fretboard. These things with mystery wood slab fingerboards feel cheap to me.

...which is curuious, as I'm the exact polar opposite, can't stand a maple board on a Strat.

It's what makes the world go round.

jrgtr42 · Jul 7, 2017

So is the American "standard" now called the Elite?
I lost track of their model changes.
I don't mind the pao ferro at all - isn't that what's been on the SRV sig all along?
I have my rosewood strat, I do want a maple neck one, and I have in mind a custom / homebrew one with ebony - even all in, I can most likely get what I want for less than the Elite.

sws1 · Jul 7, 2017

F-Hole said:
...which is curuious, as I'm the exact polar opposite, can't stand a maple board on a Strat.

It's what makes the world go round.

I can deal with maple or rosewood, but I hated the strat I had with Pao Ferro.

Something for everyone.

sonar · Jul 7, 2017

sws1 said:
I can deal with maple or rosewood, but I hated the strat I had with Pao Ferro.

Something for everyone.

What did you hate about the Pao Ferro?

SpencerD · Jul 8, 2017

I had a rosewood fretboard Strat,gave it to a friend who was guitarless at the time. That's not a good place to be.

It was fine. My friend plays it all the time.

Man,I do have to admit that for many,many years I wasn't keeping up with the Strats and that was just plain stupid. --- More or less a Les Paul/ Tele thing going on.

I inherited a Fender Stratocaster 2006 American Deluxe HSS model and frankly,I'm almost hesitant to post this ..... it's fucking awesome.

5 way switch,S1 switch,LSR,pop in twinkie bar,mint green 5 ply pickguard......are you kidding me? -- Maple fretboard in a sunburst finish. --- I have no idea how any of that stuff works or what it is,except it sounds and looks great. ( NEVER use the snap in twinkie.)

It's so nice!

sws1 · Jul 8, 2017

sonar said:
What did you hate about the Pao Ferro?

I think it was because it was way too smooth and slippery. I like having a bit of friction, which I get from maple and rosewood.

J T · Jul 8, 2017

Fender sprays over the maple fretboards. :ganz

You'd have to sand that off to get to the bare maple. Wouldn't you?:hmm

Texas Blues · Jul 12, 2017

I've got a early/mid 90's made in China Squier Tele that I bought new back when.

I bought it as beater throwaway guitar for cheapness.

After one month the pup selector would cut out, the volume knob was shaking like a crack whore, and it was buzzing like a pissed off bee on meth.

I got that stuff fixed.

Sounds and feels good like Raquel Welch.

And its got a Rosewood diddle board.

I'll take $4700.00 cash for it.

Have mercy.

stevechilders · Jul 22, 2017

Texas Blues said:
I've got a early/mid 90's made in China Squier Tele that I bought new back when.

I bought it as beater throwaway guitar for cheapness.

After one month the pup selector would cut out, the volume knob was shaking like a crack whore, and it was buzzing like a pissed off bee on meth.

I got that stuff fixed.

Sounds and feels good like Raquel Welch.

And its got a Rosewood diddle board.

I'll take $4700.00 cash for it.

Have mercy.

And if anyone has doubts about whether a squier can be all that... please take a moment to listen to Jack Pearson... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUbt56uKKWE

Xpensive Wino · Jul 22, 2017

stevechilders said:
And if anyone has doubts about whether a squier can be all that... please take a moment to listen to Jack Pearson... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUbt56uKKWE

I have no doubts whatsoever, and pridefully play a stock Chinese Squier Strat along with several MIJ and CIJ Fenders. They sound and feel better than the Custom Shop stuff to me - so, I sold mine.

Mr. Pearson explains:

A friend of mine wanted a guitar for his daughter, so I went to the store and played all the Strats. The Squier Bullet was the most acoustically resonant. I never plugged it in. If it vibrates and holds the note acoustically, that is it. The salesman thought I was nuts. The next day my friend said, “She wants a Tele.” I said, “Good, I’m keeping this.”

I replaced the volume pot, had the frets dressed, filed the nut, and took it out on a gig. It’s a great guitar. I have gone back several times looking for another one, but it was just that one out of the batch. All these guys walked by, looked at my guitar and looked away real quick. I used to be into brands, but I don’t care what anything costs or who makes it anymore.

It even has the “undesirable” ceramic magnet pickups. The polepieces are weird heights but they sound great.

I wire the second tone control to the bridge pickup, but most of the time it is full up. It’s the first guitar I’ve had where I can go from Wes to Roy Buchanan.

http://www.guitarplayer.com/artists/1013/jack-pearson-music-city-master/51033

Fender reportedly will phase out rosewood fretboards on many models

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