Which Fender Should I Choose? 2021 – Your Next Guitar

Which Fender Should I Choose? 2021

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by paul

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Fender currently have 120 different electric guitars in their catalogue, across their model range and model series, all coming in a range of colours and neck materials as well as right and left handed. This excludes the Custom Shop models and Squier series. Confused?

Models

You can choose from one of six body styles:

Stratocaster

Telecaster

Jazzmaster

Jaguar

Mustang

Lead

Series

You can then choose from one of eighteen (yes, eighteen) model Series from the American Original to the Vintera with the Artist, Deluxe, Limited Edition, 75th Anniversary, 75th Anniversary Commemorative, American Acoustasonic, American Performer, American Professional II, American Ultra, Boxer, Contemorary, Made in Japan Artist, Made in Japan Traditional, Noventa, Player and Rarities in between.

Price

What separates all of these Series is where it is made – USA, Japan, Mexico or Far East – and cost – for example you can get a Stratocaster for £379 or pay £2999.

Across the catalogue there are 53 different Stratocasters and 38 Telecasters (which cost from £379 to £2399). Add in the Squier series – these cost from £129 to £539 and you could spend days choosing a guitar!

Choosing the Guitar for you

Some might say that they all look the same (they do essentially) but they will sound and feel different due to the different pickups, hardware and woods used. So why the difference? Well the cheaper guitars are made in a Fender factory in the Far East and the most expensive US, where you can also get a custom model built for you for a great deal more.

Thankfully (or not) they all come with either a maple or rosewood fretboard and a similar range of colours. Each ‘Series’ will have its own pickups and hardware, configurations and sounds. So how do you choose one?

Well if you really want a Fender Strat or Tele then pick a price range – this will determine if it is Far East, Mexican, Japanese or US made (with the quality and desirability in that order); then choose if you want a guitar with single coils for that ‘Fender’ sound or another combination of pickups; choose your fretboard – maple or rosewood; colour and finish. You can also decide if you want one that looks like it has been run over by a truck or a shiny new one. Easy. 

Well no, because the retailer may be carrying last years stock as well – Fender tend to update their ranges on a regular basis – to further confuse you!

If it feels right – that is, the neck is great to play and feels comfortable and the guitar feels right either sitting down or standing up – then that is the one for you. If you can’t quite get the sound you want then never fear as the range of ‘after-market’ pickups, either from Fender or other makers, is vast and you’ll have a great time choosing….

Check out the Fender website for more information

Links to other pages

Fender Electric Guitars
Electric Guitars