Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Harley Benton JB-62CC Mini Bass
Bass Guitars Harley Benton applies retro-classic colours to its beginner friendly short-scale JB-62CC Mini Bass
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
Guitars “A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Artists Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Mark Speer of Khruangbin sits with his natural finish Fender Strat while Laura Lee holds her new signature Jazz Bass.
Artists Fender unveils DiMarzio-loaded Strat and Jazz Bass for Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee
Fender Limited Edition Brad Paisley 1967 'Lost Paisley' Telecaster – the new Custom Shop signature collab features a finish from a Blue Paisley Cling-Foil sheet
Artists Fender and Brad Paisley introduce the Custom Shop 1967 ‘Lost Paisley’ Telecaster
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Guitars Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Artists Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
  1. Guitars
  2. Electric Guitars

NAMM 2019: Fender leaves Parallel Universe, enters Alternate Reality with five new weirdos

News
By The MusicRadar Team ( Guitarist, Total Guitar ) published 24 January 2019

Shrunken Jazz Bass guitar, Tenor Tele and Electric XII 12-string

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Fender Alternate Reality Series

Fender Alternate Reality Series

NAMM 2019: Following the success of the firm's weird and wonderful limited edition Parallel Universe in 2018, Fender has announced the similar-but-different Alternate Reality range, featuring five new guitars among them a reborn Electric XII 12-string, a Powercaster and a four-string Tenor Tele.

DON'T MISS

The 18 best electric guitars: our pick of the best guitars for beginners and experts

Browse the gallery to view the full line-up, plus their price points and release dates

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Powercaster

Powercaster

Seemingly capitalising on the ever-increasing trend for a humbucker/P-90 'best of both' pickup approach, the Powercaster pairs an Atomic humbucker and single-coil soapbar pickup. 

The neck is made from roasted maple, while an offset alder body, hardtail bridge and simple switching add to its 'function with flair' feel.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Sixty-Six

Sixty-Six

At a casual glance you might dismiss the Sixty-Six for another Strat variant, but that's actually a Jazz Bass shape, albeit in a reduced footprint. 

There is a Player Series humbucker and two Player Series Tele single-coils mounted on the ash body and its topped off with five-way switching (with Jazz Bass-style control knobs) and a vibrato.

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
The Meteora HH

The Meteora HH

The Meteora body shape was first unveiled as part of last year's Parallel Universe series. 

Here it gets an HH pickup configuration (as opposed to the single-coil bridge/Tele neck combo of the original) and an unusual control system, that uses push-pull tone pots to for coil-splitting tones, plus a push-push switch that allows you to swap the volume control between pickups.

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Electric XII

Electric XII

The original Fender Electric XII was launched in 1965 to cash in on the post-Byrds folk rock boom, but was discontinued in 1969 after disappointing sales. 

Here it gets a second shot at stardom, reprising the dual split-coil pickup configuration and three position pickup selector. Fun fact: Jimmy Page (who's Fender links are all over the show this year) used one of these on Stairway To Heaven and Beck's Bolero. 

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Tenor Tele

Tenor Tele

Yes, you probably don't "need" it, but is there any guitar here that you want to try more than this tiny Tenor Tele? 

Tuned to the top four strings of a guitar, Fender reports that the sound readily exceeds the instrument's size. It's equipped with custom four-string Tele pickups and three-way switch, while the neck offers a 22.75" scale-length and 9.5" radius fretboard.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
Harley Benton JB-62CC Mini Bass
Harley Benton applies retro-classic colours to its beginner friendly short-scale JB-62CC Mini Bass
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Mark Speer of Khruangbin sits with his natural finish Fender Strat while Laura Lee holds her new signature Jazz Bass.
Fender unveils DiMarzio-loaded Strat and Jazz Bass for Khruangbin’s Mark Speer and Laura Lee
Fender Limited Edition Brad Paisley 1967 'Lost Paisley' Telecaster – the new Custom Shop signature collab features a finish from a Blue Paisley Cling-Foil sheet
Fender and Brad Paisley introduce the Custom Shop 1967 ‘Lost Paisley’ Telecaster
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Latest in Electric Guitars
Zach Myers of Shinedown is bathed in blue stage lights and plays his custom-relic'd Silver Sky.
Shinedown’s Zach Myers on Paul Reed Smith, signature model updates, and that relic’d Silver Sky
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue
“A really vintage‑flavoured friend”: Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue review
The Gibson Les Paul Music City Special – 50th Anniversary is a limited edition hybrid that combines the old Marauder and Music City Junior, and offers them in wine, tobacco sunburst and ebony finishes.
Gibson celebrates 50 years in Nashville with limited run twist on a cult electric played by KISS
PRS SE NF 53: the super-versatile bolt-on electric gets a long-awaited SE release, and here all three finish options – White Dog Hair, Black Dog Hair and Pearl White – are photographed in front of a pair of PRS half-stacks.
PRS remixes its NF 53 for the SE line – and it's a serious workhorse electric for under a grand
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Latest in News
Zach Myers of Shinedown is bathed in blue stage lights and plays his custom-relic'd Silver Sky.
Shinedown’s Zach Myers on Paul Reed Smith, signature model updates, and that relic’d Silver Sky
Barry Can't Swim
Barry Can’t Swim has no time for people who have an issue with artists using synth presets
EarthQuaker Devices Easy Listening Analog Amp Simulator: the compact single-knob pedal can be used as a headphones amp or on your pedalboard as a preamp whose signal can be sent direct to desk or DAW.
EarthQuaker Devices launches headphones amp mini-pedal that you can use to record with
Field Music and The Doors
“We can fill a hole in our dire finances”: Mercury nominated Field Music are now a Doors tribute act
Peter Gabriel and Tony Banks
50 years after leaving Genesis, Peter Gabriel has reunited with Tony Banks on a new project
Miley Cyrus performs during Miley Cyrus Billions Club Series Paris at Maxim's on June 18, 2025 in Paris, France
“I have the physical ability. I wish I had the desire, but I don’t”: Miley Cyrus explains why she's not touring

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...