Fender unveils 9 new Vintage Hot Rod guitars

Fender has overhauled its Vintage Hot Rod line of guitars and basses. Aiming to combine the best of both worlds in terms of modern playability and vintage tone and design, the new line includes four Strats, three Teles and both Precision and Jazz bass models.

The headline features are sleeker necks with compound-radius fretboards, new pickup configurations (e.g. an intriguing DiMarzio ToneZone/Samarium Cobalt Noiseless single-coil combo on the '57 Strat), plus new switching options and vintage-style locking tuners.

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All of the instruments will feature resonant nitrocellulose lacquer finishes and vintage-style hardware and cases. Check out the gallery to browse the full range of new models.

PRESS RELEASE: Who hasn't wanted to hot-rod their vintage Stratocaster® guitar? It's already done for you on the Vintage Hot Rod '57 Stratocaster, with features including a slimmer neck with a modern 9.5" fingerboard radius and medium jumbo frets, Samarium Cobalt Noiseless™ neck and middle pickups, hot DiMarzio® ToneZone® bridge pickup, vintage styling and thin-skin nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

PRESS RELEASE: 1962 was a benchmark year for the Stratocaster® guitar. Fender's Vintage Hot Rod '62 Stratocaster features a thin nitrocellulose lacquer-finished body, larger, "C"-shaped satin-finished neck with modern 9.5" fingerboard radius and medium jumbo frets, reverse wound/reverse polarity middle pickup, five-way switch and tone pot wired to the bridge pickup.

PRESS RELEASE: The Vintage Hot Rod '52 Telecaster® guitar combines classic looks with modern playability and tone.

Features include a satin-backed neck with a flatter fingerboard radius and medium jumbo frets, Seymour Duncan® mini humbucking neck pickup and a single-coil bridge pickup for a slightly darker sound, vintage styling and thin-skin nitrocellulose lacquer finish, plus the new upgrade of our intonatable bridge!

PRESS RELEASE: Fender’s Vintage Hot Rod ’50s Stratocaster gives you the best Strat tone, style and performance of both eras - authentically vintage-style design touches straight from the 1950s and hot-rodded modern mods ideal for today’s players.

Premium features include an ash body; maple neck with “D”-shaped profile, vintage-style heel-end truss rod adjustment, and satin back finish; and a compound-radius (7.25”-12”) maple fingerboard with 21 6105 frets, bone nut and gloss finish.

Singing tone comes from an American Vintage single-coil ’59 Stratocaster neck pickup and single-coil ’56 Stratocaster middle pickup, and a Texas Special™ single-coil Stratocaster bridge pickup. In addition to five-way blade pickup switching, an S-1™ switch adds the bridge pickup to pickup switch positions 3, 4 and 5.

Other features include a single-ply white pickguard, three aged white control knobs (master volume, tone 1, tone 2), two-point synchronized tremolo with vintage-style stamped steel saddles (chrome cover included), vintage-style locking tuners and locking strap buttons.

Available in Two-color Sunburst and Fiesta Red gloss finishes. Includes upgraded deluxe vintage-style tweed case, vintage-style 8’ cable, vintage-style black strap, extra tremolo springs and wrenches.

PRESS RELEASE: Fender’s Vintage Hot Rod ’50s Telecaster gives you the best Tele tone, style and performance of both eras - authentically vintage-style design touches straight from the 1950s and hot-rodded modern mods ideal for today’s players.

Premium features include an ash body; maple neck with “D”-shaped profile, vintage-style heel-end truss rod adjustment, and satin back finish; and a compound-radius (7.25”-12”) maple fingerboard with 21 6105 frets, bone nut and gloss finish.

Versatile full-voiced tone comes from a Fender Wide Range Special humbucking neck pickup and a sparkling single-coil Broadcaster bridge pickup. Special four-way blade switch with “barrel” tip delivers the bridge pickup alone, both pickups in parallel, neck pickup alone and both pickups in series.

Other features include a single-ply white pickguard (Black model) or Bakelite pickguard (Butterscotch Blonde model), two knurled “dome” control knobs (master volume and tone), three-saddle American Vintage string-through-body Telecaster bridge with adjustable brass saddles, Gotoh® locking tuners and locking strap buttons.

Available in Black and Butterscotch Blonde gloss finishes. Includes upgraded deluxe vintage-style tweed case, vintage-style 8’ cable, vintage-style brown strap, extra tremolo springs and wrenches.

PRESS RELEASE: Fender's Vintage Hot Rod '60s Stratocaster gives you the best Strat tone, style and performance of both eras - authentically vintage-style design touches straight from the 1960s and hot-rodded modern mods ideal for today's players.

Premium features include an alder body; maple neck with mid-'60s "C"-shaped profile, vintage-style heel-end truss rod adjustment, and satin back finish; and a compound-radius (7.25”-12”) rosewood fingerboard with 21 6105 frets, oversize white pearloid dot inlays and a bone nut.

Singing tone comes from American Vintage single-coil ’59 Stratocaster (neck), ’65 gray-bottom Stratocaster (middle) and single-coil ’56 Stratocaster (bridge) pickups. In addition to five-way blade pickup switching, an S-1™ switch adds the bridge pickup to pickup switch positions 3, 4 and 5.

Other features include a four-ply brown shell pickguard, three aged white control knobs (master volume, tone 1, tone 2), two-point synchronized tremolo with vintage-style stamped steel saddles, Gotoh® locking tuners and locking strap buttons.

Available in Three-color Sunburst and Olympic White gloss finishes. Includes upgraded deluxe vintage-style black case, vintage-style 8’ cable, vintage-style black strap, extra tremolo springs and wrenches.

PRESS RELEASE: Fender’s Vintage Hot Rod ’60s Telecaster is a three-pickup beauty that gives you the best tone, style and performance of both eras - authentically vintage-style design touches straight from the 1960s and hot-rodded modern mods ideal for today’s players.

Premium features include an alder body; maple neck with “D”-shaped profile, vintage-style heel-end truss rod adjustment and satin finish; and a compound-radius (7.25”-12”) rosewood fingerboard with 21 6105 narrow jumbo frets, oversize white pearloid dot inlays and a bone nut.

Its triple-threat pickup configuration includes a single-coil Twisted Tele® neck pickup, Texas Special™ Stratocaster® middle pickup and single-coil Broadcaster bridge pickup. In addition to the five-way blade pickup switch with “top hat” tip, an S-1™ switch adds the bridge pickup to pickup switch positions 3, 4 and 5.

Other features include a three-ply mint green pickguard, two knurled-chrome control knobs (master volume and tone), three-saddle American Vintage string-through-body Telecaster bridge with adjustable brass saddles, Gotoh® locking tuners and locking strap buttons.

Available in Three-color Sunburst and Olympic White gloss finishes. Includes upgraded deluxe vintage-style brown case, vintage-style 8’ cable and vintage-style brown strap.

PRESS RELEASE: The Vintage Hot Rod ’60s Precision Bass is a dual-pickup beauty that gives you the best P/J Fender bass tone, style and performance of both eras - authentically vintage-style design touches straight from the 1960s and hot-rodded modern mods ideal for today’s players.

Premium features include an ash body; maple neck with “C”-shaped profile, Posiflex™ graphite support rods, vintage-style heel-end truss rod adjustment and satin back finish; and a compound-radius (7.25”-12”) rosewood fingerboard with 20 medium jumbo frets, bone nut and aged white dot inlays. Richly versatile and powerful tone comes from its American Vintage ’63 split single-coil Precision Bass (middle) and ’64 Jazz Bass® single-coil (bridge) pickups.

Other features include a three-ply white pickguard (Black model) or three-ply black pickguard (Natural model), three knurled chrome control knobs (volume 1, volume 2, master tone), Fender Hi-Mass bridge, side-mounted oval output jack, vintage-style tuners with tapered shafts, Stealth “A” string retainer on headstock, locking strap buttons, and engraved Vintage Hot Rod neck plate with crossed checkered flags emblem.

Available in Black and Natural gloss finishes. Includes vintage-style blonde case with orange interior, chrome pickup cover, 8’ cable, thumb rest and vintage-style leather strap.

PRESS RELEASE: The Vintage Hot Rod ’70s Jazz Bass gives you the best P/J Fender bass tone, style and performance of both eras - authentically vintage-style design touches straight from the 1970s and hot-rodded modern mods ideal for today’s players.

Premium features include an alder body; maple neck with “U”-shaped profile, Posiflex™ graphite support rods, vintage-style heel-end truss rod adjustment and satin back finish; and a compound-radius (7.25”-12”) rosewood fingerboard with 20 medium jumbo frets, bone nut and white pearloid block inlays. Richly versatile and powerful tone comes from its American Vintage ’63 split single-coil Precision Bass (middle) and ’74 Jazz Bass® single-coil (bridge) pickups.

Other features include a four-ply tortoiseshell pickguard (Three-color Sunburst model) or three-ply white pickguard (Candy Apple Red model), three vintage-style black plastic Jazz Bass control knobs (volume 1, volume 2, master tone), Fender Hi-Mass bridge, vintage-style tuners with tapered shafts, Stealth “A” string retainer on headstock, locking strap buttons, and engraved Vintage Hot Rod neck plate with crossed checkered flags emblem and ’70s-style black plastic bushing.

Available in Three-color Sunburst and Candy Apple Red gloss finishes. Includes vintage-style black case with orange interior, chrome pickup cover, 8’ cable, thumb rest and vintage-style leather strap.