New Fender Guitars! Blacktop

[Robert]

http://www.fender.com/products/search.php?section=guitars&series=Blacktop

Fender® Blacktop™ Series Guitars:
Fender's new and innovative Blacktop guitar series expands the sonic horizon of classic Fender Stratocaster®, Telecaster®, Jazzmaster® and Jaguar® guitars by powering them with high-gain humbucking pickups. The Blacktop series delivers on modern player demands for a thick and heavy sound. These guitars drive a wide array of deep, rich and aggressive tones that match the intensity of any playing style.

 

[markb]

I wonder if the strats have any clever switching tricks like the old Big Apple models. But, apart from that it's all a bit meh!

 

[MAXIFUNK]

The Strat and Jazzmaster both look pretty cool to me.
cool 5 way switching on the strat HS setup on the jazz master could be very cool.

 

[Tig]

They are also putting out new versions of the Hot Rod Amp series, the Hot Rod III DeVille 410 and 212, Hotrod Deluxe III, Blues Junior III, and the Pro Junior III. The videos sound pretty good at their website.

I'm not sure exactly what the differences are with these new models, but here's the spec sheet.

 

[Telefinken]

Wow that's great, a Jazzmaster for just $449!

well, not so on this side of the pond...

 

[Eric]

Hmm. At least at this point in my guitar journey, I'm in love with humbuckers. This might be a Fender I'd actually like to play.

 

[Andy]

the coil splitting 5 way sounds like a good thing on the strat and the price is do-able.

 

[t_ross33]

:drool:

Just when I thought I was set... theFret.net gives me GAS once again. Thanks.

BTW, black on black HH Tele... yeah, that'll do the trick :dance

 

[duhvoodooman]

TRANSLATION: We've been getting our butts kicked by Ibanez, Schecter, Jackson, ESP, and even Gibson with the heavy/death metal crowd, so we jammed some hot humbuckers into our standard models (rather than offering anything really new) in an attempt to get more of this market. But we still don't have anything pointy, so it probably won't work anyway....

 

[Eric]

TRANSLATION: We've been getting our butts kicked by Ibanez, Schecter, Jackson, ESP, and even Gibson with the heavy/death metal crowd, so we jammed some hot humbuckers into our standard models (rather than offering anything really new) in an attempt to get more of this market. But we still don't have anything pointy, so it probably won't work anyway....

Is that the deal with these? Overwound pickup/metalhead guitars? I haven't seen a ton of two-humbucker guitars from Fender before (though I haven't been looking) so I figured that's what this was.

Maybe it's less intriguing that I first thought.

 

[Commodore 64]

I'm with DVM. That was my first thought when I saw these.

 

[Robert]

Haha, great post DVM!

 

[duhvoodooman]

Is that the deal with these? Overwound pickup/metalhead guitars?

I may be wrong (sure wouldn't be the first time....or the last!), but that's how I read the "code" words (bolded below) in this Fender marketing blurb:

"The Blacktop series delivers on modern player demands for a thick and heavy sound. These guitars drive a wide array of deep, rich and aggressive tones that match the intensity of any playing style."

P.S. Somebody will have to explain to me what could possibly be construed as "new and innovative" in these models....

 

[Tig]

I may be wrong (sure wouldn't be the first time....or the last!), but that's how I read the "code" words (bolded below) in this Fender marketing blurb:

"The Blacktop series delivers on modern player demands for a thick and heavy sound. These guitars drive a wide array of deep, rich and aggressive tones that match the intensity of any playing style."

P.S. Somebody will have to explain to me what could possibly be construed as "new and innovative" in these models....

Good catch on the wording, DVM.

I think Fender was referring to their marketing being "new and innovative", not these guitars!
Are these Blacktops really needed?

 

[Katastrophe]

I'm with ya, DVM... But keep in mind that Fender is making inroads among the harder rocking crowd with Jim Root and John 5 sigs. I like the Blacktop series, especially the double 'bucker Strat and Tele. To be sure, nothing new here, but it looks like they are trying to get away from the whole blues only image...

Will it work? Who knows.

And, Fender owns Jackson. Pointy, heavy goodness.

 

[duhvoodooman]

And, Fender owns Jackson. Pointy, heavy goodness.

Good "point"!

 

[Bloozcat]

Well, Fender does have the Double Fat Strat...

But...I guess "fat" doesn't cut it like thick, heavy, deep, rich, and aggressive...not to mention, intense...

I think you nailed it DVM...:AOK

 

[MAXIFUNK]

I'm with ya, DVM... But keep in mind that Fender is making inroads among the harder rocking crowd with Jim Root and John 5 sigs. I like the Blacktop series, especially the double 'bucker Strat and Tele. To be sure, nothing new here, but it looks like they are trying to get away from the whole blues only image...

Will it work? Who knows.

And, Fender owns Jackson. Pointy, heavy goodness.

And Charvel

 

[Katastrophe]

Good "point"!

LOL! :thumbsup

You are quite punny today!

I am glad that they didn't use the following terms:

1. crushing
2. punishing
3. slamming
4. shredding

You know, it could have been worded like this:

Calling all Shreddy Kreugers! You know you like both kinds of music: HEAVY and METAL! When ur ready to lay down the br00tahlz, there's only one brand for insane, slice 'em and dice 'em riffage. When ur ready for crushing power chords, punishing riffs, and slamming detuned mayhem, we've got the only models suitable for razor sharp, lightning quick stage battles. Sharpen your axe. Leave 'em lying on the blacktop. Fender Blacktop Series.

 

[MAXIFUNK]

SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.

Fender makes a double HH guitar and gets slammed for it? Why?
Tons of other brands make triple S guitars and do not get slammed for it.
So, if now the Fender the largest guitar vendor in the world decides hey lets go get some of that double HH money it just a MARKETING ploy.
As if Gibson et. al do not have marketing ploys.

Most of those other companies Ibanez, Shecter, Dean, ESP, etc etc
uses the Stratocaster shape for their Double HH guitars so hell why would fender not do the same.

I think the real motivation for to release these style guitars at this time.

1. Charvel guitars from last year sold like crazy so why not make their own badge of this type of guitar.

2. The whole music industry is seeing less sales due to the economic down turn so why not offer a double HH guitar at a entry level price to compete with your competitors and see if your much LARGER NAME brings in any significant sales. An if they do sale well then they'll make a higher end model for the high brow USA made snob crowd.

Just my 2 cents!!!!!:dude

 

[Commodore 64]

Sure it make sense for Fender. I'm just not excited about it.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Fender makes a double HH guitar and gets slammed for it? Why?

Don't get me wrong--I'm not "slamming" them, just poking a little fun. They're probably pretty good guitars, particularly at those prices. I'm just bemused by the whole marketing spin, especially that "new and innovative" characterization. And, BTW, Fender has made HH guitars for years....

 

[MAXIFUNK]

Don't get me wrong--I'm not "slamming" them, just poking a little fun. They're probably pretty good guitars, particularly at those prices. I'm just bemused by the whole marketing spin, especially that "new and innovative" characterization. And, BTW, Fender has made HH guitars for years....

Yeah I know I have tele with double HH for almost 2 years now.
My cousin has a custom shop double HH strat with Dimarzio's he bought in the mid to late 80's I have been trying to get him to sell it to me forever but he won't budge on the for FREE price LOL.... I wonder why.
I was just playing devil's advocate. Saw an opening had to take it.

 

[duhvoodooman]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the first Fender HH model would have been the Tele Deluxe in '72.

 

[NWBasser]

Don't get me wrong--I'm not "slamming" them, just poking a little fun. They're probably pretty good guitars, particularly at those prices. I'm just bemused by the whole marketing spin, especially that "new and innovative" characterization. And, BTW, Fender has made HH guitars for years....

About 20 years ago I had a Fender HM strat that came with two hot humbuckers and a floyd rose.

The notion that these are something new is a bit curious.

 

[tjcurtin1]

You're hired! When can you start?

Mike Wordsmith, Fender Marketing Dept.

LOL! :thumbsup

You are quite punny today!

I am glad that they didn't use the following terms:

1. crushing
2. punishing
3. slamming
4. shredding

You know, it could have been worded like this:

Calling all Shreddy Kreugers! You know you like both kinds of music: HEAVY and METAL! When ur ready to lay down the br00tahlz, there's only one brand for insane, slice 'em and dice 'em riffage. When ur ready for crushing power chords, punishing riffs, and slamming detuned mayhem, we've got the only models suitable for razor sharp, lightning quick stage battles. Sharpen your axe. Leave 'em lying on the blacktop. Fender Blacktop Series.

 

[t_ross33]

ya know, I didn't even read the ad copy, just looked at the pictures and specs. I still like the black on black Tele :rockya I test drove a Blade T-style HH a while back and really liked it. While in the end, it's just another tool in the toolbox, or club in the golf bag or whatever metaphor you like, I still think they look f*ng cool :french

 

[markb]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the first Fender HH model would have been the Tele Deluxe in '72.

1972 was when the "Wide Range" humbucker entered the Fender catalogue for sure. It was used in the Tele Deluxe and Custom and the Starcaster semi. I can't think of any other guitars with humbuckers in from Fender until the 80s when they used off-the-peg Gibson type 'buckers.

 

[Katastrophe]

You're hired! When can you start?

Mike Wordsmith, Fender Marketing Dept.

If only it were that easy... LOL!

 

[Katastrophe]

About 20 years ago I had a Fender HM strat that came with two hot humbuckers and a floyd rose.

The notion that these are something new is a bit curious.

Gawd, but I wish I had bought one of those back in the day... I thought they were completely cool. I remember seeing a jazz fusion band on campus at college, and the guitar player had a pink HM Strat. He absolutely ripped that night. Made me go back to my dorm and practice like a fool.

Greg Howe played one back then, didn't he?