Fender acoustics, did Fender learn anything from Guild?

[cupric]

I just saw an ad from a Reverb dealer having a sale on new Fender acoustic guitars. They are mostly very low priced. A few almost look like Guild imports. It got me wondering if anyone has seen or tried any of these?
I remember that when Fender acquired Guild there was talk of Fender finally possibly having a much sought after presence in the acoustic guitar market. Something they struggled with for years. Having owned Guild for several years you would think they became more aware of manufacturing techniques, etc. Or maybe they would just abandon that segment and focus on electrics. The acoustasonic segment reminds me of Guild past with the Songbird, Gx, etc. Especially since they seem to be regarded as quality instruments.

 

[davismanLV]

Fender had a line of acoustics made in New Hartford that were unusual and nice guitars, but they had very abnormal headstocks and odd features. Supposedly nice guitars made in the NH factory but they didn't sell well, I don't think. They currently have a California made acoustic the Newporter series. All others are imports made for Fender. That's all I know.

 

[fronobulax]

Fender had the Kingman series of acoustics and some were made in Hew Hartford while Guild was there. There was either a conversation with/or presentation by someone from FMIC about them at LMG III(?). My takeaways were that FMIC had the engineering and production of a six on a side instrument down cold and there were structural differences between the Kingmens and Guilds because of the headstock. FMIC also said they didn't think the markets overlapped - the Kingman line was aimed at electric players who were Fender loyalists but wanted a decent quality acoustic. I kind of got the idea that Fender wasn't interested in being in the high end acoustic market under the Fender brand name and the target demographic was more interested in the brand and the price than which woods were used and whether the bracing was scalloped or not.

 

[twocorgis]

There were some nice Fender acoustic guitars made at the Custom Shop in New Hartford that didn't have six in line tuners or aimed at electric players, and those were the TPD-1 (mahogany), and TPD-2 (rosewood). I owned a TPD-1 for a while that was really a great guitar, but I returned it within the 45 day return period because I wasn't bonding with the neck and rather narrow nut. Otherwise, is was a great acoustic guitar, something you wouldn't normally expect from Fender.

 

[Brad Little]

.... There was either a conversation with/or presentation by someone from FMIC about them at LMG III(?). ....

Yes, I think III. Remember someone asking about the differences with a response that the neck profile, bracing pattern and one or two other things were different than the Guilds. Was it the Kingman line that was hanging with a bunch of different pastel colors? I remember seeing them and thinking what kind of response I'd get if I brought one to a bluegrass jam...

 

[SFIV1967]

They currently have a California made acoustic the Newporter series.

I have not seen a Corona made (or USA made) Fender acoustic guitar after 2014. Do you have an example?

The New Hartford built Newporters were only made in NH during 2012 (NP) and under the NH Fender Custom Shop 2013 (NQ) and 2014 (NR):

However the Newporters in the "California series" after 2014 are only "Designed in Southern California, Built by Fender, Crafted in China"...or "Crafted in Indonesia" (...and reworked by MIRC...).

Ralf

 

[mavuser]

not in the same ballpark as a Guild. applies across the entire spectrum, New Hartford build Fenders and all.

 

[twocorgis]

not in the same ballpark as a Guild. applies across the entire spectrum, New Hartford build Fenders and all.

I would disagree with that Eric, at least in the case of the TPD-1 and TPD-2. The TPD-1 I had could hold its own against anything from New Hartford short of maybe the Orpheum line, and made by the same folks (like Jason McIntyre). If it wasn't for the neck profile and somewhat narrow nut, it would still be living here.

 

[mavuser]

I would disagree with that Eric, at least in the case of the TPD-1 and TPD-2. The TPD-1 I had could hold its own against anything from New Hartford short of maybe the Orpheum line, and made by the same folks (like Jason McIntyre). If it wasn't for the neck profile and somewhat narrow nut, it would still be living here.

i have read otherwise from other forum member with an absolute plethora of NH Guilds. he returned the Fender. said it wasnt even close. not sure which Fender acoustic he had, but if u are putting your Fender acoustic up against your NH F-512 id say u got quite lucky on the Fender, or your opinion is in the minority, or both.

 

[SFIV1967]

The TPD-1&2 Dreadnoughts, TPDCE-1&2 Dreadnoughts, Traditional Triple-“O” and the Newporter™ were built in the New Hartford Custom Shop by the same people who built the Orpheums. Ren Ferguson had them co-designed. Especially the Triple O was like a Fender Orpheum, can't imagine she was so much different from a Orpheum, even if they were not built using hideglue:

Fender Custom Shop Traditional Triple "O" - Ren Ferguson Protoype - Natural

000-sized Acoustic-electric Guitar with Carpathian Spruce Top, Walnut Back/Sides, Maple Neck, Ebony Fretboard, Fishman Preamp, and Hard Case - Natural

www.sweetwater.com

Ralf

 

[mavuser]

well I never said they were bad. But calling one the equivalent to a NH Guild is a pretty bold statement. I said they are not in the same ball park. But I do trust Sandy's experience and his words. Would still say i've seen mixed reviews of them, when compared to NH Guilds, on this forum.

 

[twocorgis]

i have read otherwise from other forum member with an absolute plethora of NH Guilds. he returned the Fender. said it wasnt even close. not sure which Fender acoustic he had, but if u are putting your Fender acoustic up against your NH F-512 id say u got quite lucky on the Fender, or your opinion is in the minority, or both.

I think you're getting the TPD-1 and TPD-2 mixed up with the Kingman and Newporter models with the weird Fender style headstocks and even bolt on electric style necks if I recall correctly. The TPD-1 and TPD-2 were very traditional builds, with Engelmann spruce tops, and primo mahogany and rosewood sides and back. And yes, if you liked the neck profiles, I'd say they were every bit as good as any of the Guilds coming out of New Hartford, short of perhaps the Orpheum line. And as Ralf said, Ren Ferguson had a huge influence on them. Hard to compare anything that came out of New Hartford with the Orpheums, as they were and are in a league of their own.

 

[davismanLV]

Ralf I just did a search and got the headlines and it said made in California, USA. But I didn't research the exact model, so apparently they're not. This is where things get tricky with "designed in" and "reimagined near" and all sorts of bull$hit but apparently, they're imports. My bad....

 

[SFIV1967]

Ralf I just did a search and got the headlines and it said made in California, USA. But I didn't research the exact model, so apparently they're not. This is where things get tricky with "designed in" and "reimagined near" and all sorts of bull$hit but apparently, they're imports. My bad....

This is like the "Westerly Collection"...And there was indeed a Fender "California Series" of electric guitars which were produced by Fender in 1997 and 1998. The guitars were carved in California, shipped to Ensenada, Mexico for painting, then back for assembly to Corona. So it's all mixed up...
Ralf

 

[farimatte]

The New Hartford built Newporters were only made in NH during 2012 (NP) and under the NH Fender Custom Shop 2013 (NQ) and 2014 (NR):

However the Newporters in the "California series" after 2014 are only "Designed in Southern California, Built by Fender, Crafted in China"...or "Crafted in Indonesia" (...and reworked by MIRC...).

I know i’m a bit late, but I jumped out of my chair when I saw this photo.
I bought a used Custom Newporter some years ago and it has the Same serial number!
Did you took the photo? Because it’s a 15 guitars limited edition, I’d like to know more about its story.

 

[chazmo]

Welcome aboard, farimatte!

We visited the shop in New Hartford when they were making a bunch of Fender-badged acoustics. They would all have had this kind of label. If the serial number was exactly the same, then it was the same guitar.

The NQ prefix indicates that this was 2013, as Ralf indicated.

Best wishes! If you have any more pictures of the Newporter, I/we'd love to see it
!

 

[davismanLV]

Yeah, some photos would be nice!!

 

[SFIV1967]

I bought a used Custom Newporter some years ago and it has the Same serial number!
Did you took the photo? Because it’s a 15 guitars limited edition, I’d like to know more about its story.

No, that NQ070005 picture is not one of them I took. I was at NAMM2013 when they were shown but I believe that picture was one I had found on the internet.
I'm traveling currently with very bad internet connection, so can't track doewn the source of the picture right now.
By the way, it was not a 15 pcs. limited run but a 150 pcs. run as far as I know.

Ralf

 

[Sal]

I actually like the look of a Fender headstock on an acoustic. There are two New Hartford made Newporters for sale on Reverb right now; a Custom Shop and a Pro? Both listed as 2013 models similarly priced but one has a set neck and one is bolt on. I’d love to take that set neck model for a test drive.



https://reverb.com/item/63634557-fender-newporter-custom-shop-2013-nitrocellulose

https://reverb.com/item/63762612-fender-newporter-pro-2013-solid-mahogany-limited-edition

 

[twocorgis]

I actually like the look of a Fender headstock on an acoustic. There are two New Hartford made Newporters for sale on Reverb right now; a Custom Shop and a Pro? Both listed as 2013 models similarly priced but one has a set neck and one is bolt on. I’d love to take that set neck model for a test drive.



https://reverb.com/item/63634557-fender-newporter-custom-shop-2013-nitrocellulose

https://reverb.com/item/63762612-fender-newporter-pro-2013-solid-mahogany-limited-edition

The problem with any Fender acoustic guitar, especially the expensive ones, is that you had better be sure it's a lifer. Because if it isn't, you're going to take a bath on resale, due to Fender's dodgy reputation with acoustic guitars. I got my TPD-1 for around $1000, but ended up returning it, because I knew if I had to resell it I'd get killed. MAP on these when new was well north of $3000!