NAMM 2012: Fender continue to dominate the pre-show announcements with yet more new models. Today's treats are a slew of new acoustics and upgrades, plus a bonus electric mandolin.
Click here for a gallery of the new Fender acoustic guitars
PRESS RELEASE: Fender Acoustics proudly introduces a wide selection of new and improved models for 2012, with several new exciting instruments to choose from, and existing models receiving significant upgraded features. The brand new models also bring a limited edition, U.S.-made model with distinguished appointments from Fender's acclaimed Custom Shop, and three signature models honouring today's greatest artists.
U.S.A. Select Kingman C dreadnought
Limited to 150 instruments, the all-new U.S.A. Select Kingman• C dreadnought offers a depth of resonant tone and beautifully elegant design distinguished by a Custom Shop Fiesta Red gloss finish, aged white body binding, and vintage-style appointments. Premium features include a solid Engelmann spruce top with forward-shifting scalloped X bracing and solid mahogany back and sides; vintage C-shaped maple neck with rolled edges, dual-action truss rod and Stratocaster® headstock shape; 9"-radius rosewood fingerboard with bone nut and 20 frets; and Fishman® Matrix• Infinity electronics for pristine sound.
California Series
The popular California series welcomes two new, distinctive models Sonoran• SCE Thinline and Redondo• CE. The Sonoran SCE Thinline features a sleek, "tight" dreadnought body 3" deep for comfortably easy playing, and a Fishman® Isys pickup system with onboard tuner. Other features include a solid spruce top with scalloped X bracing for richly resonant tone, mahogany back and sides, three-ply gold pickguard, C-shaped bolt-on maple Stratocaster neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with bone nut, and a Fender "Viking" rosewood bridge.
Redondo CE
The all-new Redondo CE returns more vibrant than ever since its debut in 1968. Today's dreadnought Redondo rocks great acoustic sound and evokes the original late-'60 model with features including the Stratocaster headstock shape, three-ply gold pickguard and vintage-style Fender "Viking" bridge. Other features include a "tight" dreadnought cutaway body shape, spruce top with scalloped X bracing and mahogany back and sides, body and neck binding, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, and Fishman® Isys III pickup system with active onboard preamp and tuner.
Signature models
New in the artist signature models are the Alkaline Trio Malibu•, the Duane Peters Sonoran• SCE '61, and the Robert Schmidt Electric Signature Mandolin.
One of Fender's most distinctive acoustic designs ever, the Alkaline Trio Malibu takes the classic '60s-era sun-and-fun Malibu folk-style acoustic, and dresses it up with a graceful heart-shaped rosette designed by the band, as seen on the cover of 2011 acoustic album Damnesia. Features include a resonant all-mahogany body with the aforementioned AT-designed heart-shaped rosette, scalloped X bracing, C-shaped maple Stratocaster neck with a 20-fret rosewood fingerboard, body and neck binding, and rosewood bridge with synthetic bone compensated saddle.
Designed exclusively by Flogging Molly's mandolin player Robert Schmidt, the Robert Schmidt Electric Signature Mandolin is Fender's first-ever signature mandolin, and makes for the ultimate rock mandolin player's dream. Inspired by the FM62 E Fender Mandolin, the signature Robert Schmidt Signature Mandolin includes a dark walnut stain spruce top, carved maple back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, bronze cast chrome tailpiece, chrome dome style volume knob, special design Piezo pickup and ebony bridge.
Honouring legendary old-school skateboard master and lead singer of Orange County punk outfit U.S. Bombs, Duane "Master of Disaster" Peters, is the limited edition Duane Peters Sonoran SCE '61. With only 500 models released worldwide, this skate tough model is decked in a custom graphic finish featuring skulls and red and black stripes. Features include a "tight" dreadnought cutaway body shape, solid spruce top with scalloped X bracing, mahogany back and sides, C-shaped maple neck with dual-action truss rod and Stratocaster headstock shape, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with bone nut, vintage-style Fender "Viking" bridge with bone saddle, and Fishman® Isys III pickup system with active onboard preamp and tuner.
FR-55 Hawaiian Resonator and FA-100 Fender Acoustic Pack
The new models also welcome the FR-55 Hawaiian Resonator, and the new FA-100 Fender Acoustic Pack. The new FR-55 Hawaiian Resonator produces the lilting sounds and evokes the lush trade winds atmosphere of the island paradise. Perfect for slide or standard acoustic playing, it features a striking bell brass nickel-plated dreadnought body beautifully etched with scenes of South Seas splendour, with swaying palms, outrigger canoes and even volcano caught in mid-eruption. Other features include a continental Eastern European hand-spun cone, Fender "F" sound holes, mahogany neck with satin finish and gold Fender headstock logo, 19-fret rosewood fingerboard with 16" radius, ebony bridge with hard maple top, bell brass nickel-plated tailpiece and chrome hardware.
The popular FA-100 Fender Acoustic Pack, also available with a gig bag, offers great Fender sound and value, and includes everything you need to get started on a world of acoustic enjoyment. Guitar features include a spruce top with x bracing for full and resonant sound, body binding, exclusive Fender headstock shape, Fender pickguard, smooth-playing 20-fret rosewood fingerboard and a rosewood bridge with compensated saddle. Accessories include a comfortable strap and clip-on electronic tuner.
Upgrades
Models receiving significant cosmetic and hardware upgrades are select members of the California series, the Sonoran SCE, Kingman SCE, Malibu CE, Sonoran S, Villager• 12 String, and Kingman Bass SCE.
UK RRPs:
- Alkaline Trio Malibu™, Natural, Mahog' Top Back/Sides, Heart Shaped Rosette - 274.80
- Duane Peters Sonoran™ SCE, Solid Spruce Top w/Graphic, Fishman® w/Tuner - 382.80
- Robert Schmidt Electric Mandolin w/Walnut Stain Finish - 430.80
- Kingman™ SCE, Natural, Cutaway, Solid Spruce Top, Solid Mahog' Back, Fishman®/Tuner - 478.80
- Kingman™ SCE, 3-Color Sunburst, Cutaway, Solid Spruce Top, Solid Mahog' Back, Fishman®/Tuner - 478.80
- Kingman™ Bass SCE, Natural, Cutaway, Solid Spruce Top, Mahog' Back/Sides, Fishman®/Tuner - 418.80
- Malibu™ SCE, Natural, Cutaway, Natural, Solid Spruce Top, Solid Mahog' Back, Fishman®/Tuner - 478.80
- Malibu™ SCE, 3-Color Sunburst, Cutaway, Solid Spruce Top, Solid Mahog' Back, Fishman®/Tuner - 478.80
- Malibu™ CE, Cutaway, Natural, Spruce Top, Fender® Preamp w/Tuner - 322.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Cutaway, Lake Placid Blue w/Match Headstock, Solid Spruce Top, Fishman®/Tuner - 286.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Cutaway, Olympic White w/Match Headstock, Solid Spruce Top, Fishman® - 286.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Cutaway, Black w/Match Headstock, Solid Spruce Top, Fishman® - 286.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Cutaway, Candy Apple Red w/Match Headstock, Solid Spruce Top, Fishman®/Tuner - 286.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Cutaway, Natural, Solid Spruce Top, Fender® Preamp w/Tuner - 286.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Left Hand, Cutaway, Natural, Solid Spruce Top, Fishman® w/Tuner - 310.80
- Sonoran™ SCE, Thinline, Cutaway, Natural, Solid Spruce Top, 3" Deep, Fender® Preamp w/Tuner - 286.80
- Sonoran™ S, Natural, Solid Spruce Top, Mahog' Back & Sides - 238.80
- Villager™ 12 String, Cutaway, Solid Spruce Top, Mahog' Back & Sides, Fishman®/Tuner - 382.80
- Redondo™ CE, Cutaway, Natural, Spruce Top, Mahog' Back and Sides, Fishman®/Tuner - 274.80
- FR-55 Hawaiian Resonator, Metal Body, Rosewood Fretboard, Hawaiian Motif - 658.80
Information taken from official press release, for more visit Fender.
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