Quote:
Originally Posted by AjayTele
Wow! What a negative response! 
I think that changing the feel of a neck of a guitar is VERY likely to affect playability isn't it? |
It can, but does a fretboard "buffed to a high polish" affect the playability? I personally can't imagine that it could in any dramatic, or frankly, noticeable way. According to Fender the satin back has not changed. Nothing Fender has provided mentions any other changes in the neck other than the tinted finish. If there were any, they'd be falling all over themselves to tell us about them.
So if the fretboard finish has been a stumbling block to playability, I guess it is an improvement. Yet it's odd how on a site devoted to telecasters, full of tele aficionados and tele-loving players, I've never once seen anyone complain that their American Standard fretboard would have been so much better to play had it been more polished. Like the strat saddles, this is a "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist.
My post may sound negative, because I often react negatively when someone is trying to feed me a line of BS. That's what Fender is doing IMO. Once again and for the final time, I'm sure the new American Standard is a wonderful guitar. But Fender, don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining. I spent 25 years in the advertising business.
The OP solicited opinions on the new American Standard, specifically mentioning Fender's marketing materials and the new "improvements." I am offering mine. I'll stop offering opinions when it becomes mandatory that all opinions of Fender's marketing efforts are unquestioning and positive.