Has anyone tried the "upgraded" Americans? - Page 2

Jellecaster · April 15th, 2008, 12:43 PM

I just snagged a second '08 Am Std brand new from ebay. I was GASsing for a natural ash with maple board and I finally talked the guy into a price I could live with. Unfortunately he's keeping the case, but I can deal with that. $850 brand new with no case - sweeeet.

AjayTele · April 15th, 2008, 07:58 PM

Congrats Jelle! I'm sure you're gonna love it.

Mine has become my #1 player now.

TG · April 15th, 2008, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AjayTele

Actually there was a good reason to do so. If you had have done, then it would have been clear that the opinion you expressed was based on your personal experience of trying out the 08 AM Std, rather than others who express an opinion without having even tried the guitar.

Whatever for? Are we supposed to qualify everything we say around here for your benefit or something? There was no reason for me to have to state whether or not I'd tried out (or 'owned', as you originally put it...you said nothing about 'trying out') one before venturing an opinion. What annoyed me was that you assumed that I hadn't touched one and that you then went to the trouble of actually posting...

Quote:

Clearly someone I was talking about. A non-owner...

...which clearly implied to all and sundry that I was venturing an ill-informed, and therefore worthless, opinion. That was unneccessary and I found it insulting.

Murphy Slaw · April 15th, 2008, 08:27 PM

I love this forum.

I like the 08's and don't have any problem with the new saddles, except I wonder why they don't make brass ones. I tend to stay up by the neck pickup a lot (it's a harmonic thing).

While I have the most respect for Boris, I didn't like the fatter neck on the 2 52RI's I played last weekend. I've been playin a 91' as my #1 for several years, and came from a 96 Strat, so that might explain that. Although I know some local pickers that like the fatter necks too, I think the 08' might well be my next purchase.

Best of luck.

Murph.

AjayTele · April 15th, 2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TG

That was unneccessary and I found it insulting.

Well I am sorry that you felt that way. I'll try to be more careful in future.

Jellecaster · April 15th, 2008, 09:07 PM

If I may defend Ajay for a moment - there seems to be a LOT of folks who disparage the new Am Stds but haven't even bothered to try them. I think that is what he was commenting on.

Obviously, EVERYONE here is entitled to his or her opinion. But to slam this model or any without having even bothered to try it is well... dumb. Sorry.

It is always a little painful when someone says something uncomplimentary about something that you have paid your hard-earned money for, but that doesn't mean that people shouldn't speak their mind.

AjayTele · April 15th, 2008, 09:23 PM

Yes, that is exactly the point I was making.

It seems that a lot of people on this forum got so worked up by the Fender marketing of the 08 AM Std that they feel they need to shoot the new model down in flames at every opportunity.

Indeed the very title of this thread was indicating some sort of negative view by the fact that the word "upgraded" was in parentheses.

OK, so the marketing was a lot of hype. No big deal. I don't listen to all marketing and take it as gospel.

But I defend the new Tele because it's a great guitar in my experience and I believe it is slightly better than the model it replaced.

chabby · April 16th, 2008, 02:12 AM

I wasn't sure about fat necks either until I got my R8 LP, then the GE Smith. Now I'm a fat neck guy and once you get on them nothing else feels right. I thought it would require large paws to handle it but that couldnt be further from the truth - another myth dispelled. In fact, I think folks with slender fingers like mine will like the fat necks better. I think that maybe the key, not so much the size of your hands but the thickness of your fingers.

Another myth is bending string on a 7.25 radius: I bend string on this GE Smith as well as on my flat boarded Strat and LP. I was just sitting here playing this evening trying to fret out on bends just for fun - it didnt happen.

Back to the original subject:
The Americans are great guitars now. and worth every penney I think.

lwaun · April 18th, 2008, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AjayTele

Clearly someone I was talking about. A non-owner...

By the way palm muting with the 08 AM STD is MUCH better than with a 3 saddle bridge IMHO.

Well I have the opportunity to buy either one next friday and I have chosen to buy a 07 american series tele instead. I too dislike the bent saddles. I prefer the older american saddles.

The sound of the 07 model is just more open than the 3 08's I tried and the neck feels more comfortable. The 07 isn't as nice looking as the ash bodied 08's I tried but it just feels nicer to me. The O8's do look nicer but have a weaker sound. I tried 3 08 teles and 2 08 strats. I am instead getting a 07 tele in vintage white with maple fretboard.

The 08 necks also look better than the older models.

Tom S · April 18th, 2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lwaun

The 08 necks also look better than the older models.

I agree, they look much better. This was the only improvement I could find over the '07 model, however. Nice guitars, but no meaningful difference between the new model and the previous.

If one doesn't care about cosmetics, I guess now would be a great time to get a deal on any leftover '07s.

Jman21 · April 25th, 2008, 03:23 AM

Tried an 07 an 08 and two Hwy 1s and a deluxe the other day. They were all nice but the feel of the 08 and one of the Hwy1 was very very nice. It's SO important to try the actual guitar you are going to purchase if you can.

PJ · April 25th, 2008, 11:01 AM

Played one in the store. It sounded thin to me. I had always thought the heavy mass in the solid bridge saddles tightened-up the tone of
a Tele - whether it's the vintage or previous Amercian Bridge. I guess I'm confused by this new bridge design and what Fender had hoped to achieve by changing it.

Jellecaster · April 25th, 2008, 11:18 AM

So the ebay guitar fell through - what a pain that was!!!

In order to satisfy my GAS, I had to find another Am Std in natural ash with a maple board. Those are almost impossible to find! I looked everywhere I could think of on these here internets and finally found a dealer that I'd never heard of in Indiana who had one (World Music Supply). Turned out that they were awesome to deal with and my (brand new) Am Std (that I didn't plan on paying full price for) is on the Big White, Blue and Orange truck headed my way. "Big Brown Truck" sounds better, but this one is coming via FedEx...

I really need to stop...

April 15th, 2008, 12:43 PM	#41 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 40 Posts: 2,145	I just snagged a second '08 Am Std brand new from ebay. I was GASsing for a natural ash with maple board and I finally talked the guy into a price I could live with. Unfortunately he's keeping the case, but I can deal with that. $850 brand new with no case - sweeeet. __________________ It was born at the junction of form and function...

April 15th, 2008, 09:07 PM	#46 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 40 Posts: 2,145	If I may defend Ajay for a moment - there seems to be a LOT of folks who disparage the new Am Stds but haven't even bothered to try them. I think that is what he was commenting on. Obviously, EVERYONE here is entitled to his or her opinion. But to slam this model or any without having even bothered to try it is well... dumb. Sorry. It is always a little painful when someone says something uncomplimentary about something that you have paid your hard-earned money for, but that doesn't mean that people shouldn't speak their mind. __________________ It was born at the junction of form and function...

April 25th, 2008, 11:01 AM	#52 (permalink)
PJ Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,077 4 Photos	Played one in the store. It sounded thin to me. I had always thought the heavy mass in the solid bridge saddles tightened-up the tone of a Tele - whether it's the vintage or previous Amercian Bridge. I guess I'm confused by this new bridge design and what Fender had hoped to achieve by changing it. __________________ PJ "I don't know if it's art, but I like it."

April 25th, 2008, 11:18 AM	#53 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 40 Posts: 2,145	So the ebay guitar fell through - what a pain that was!!! In order to satisfy my GAS, I had to find another Am Std in natural ash with a maple board. Those are almost impossible to find! I looked everywhere I could think of on these here internets and finally found a dealer that I'd never heard of in Indiana who had one (World Music Supply). Turned out that they were awesome to deal with and my (brand new) Am Std (that I didn't plan on paying full price for) is on the Big White, Blue and Orange truck headed my way. "Big Brown Truck" sounds better, but this one is coming via FedEx... I really need to stop... __________________ It was born at the junction of form and function...

April 15th, 2008, 07:58 PM	#42 (permalink)
AjayTele Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 47 Posts: 1,000 12 Photos	Congrats Jelle! I'm sure you're gonna love it. Mine has become my #1 player now.

April 15th, 2008, 08:27 PM	#44 (permalink)
Murphy Slaw Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Joppa, Il. Age: 50 Posts: 439	I love this forum. I like the 08's and don't have any problem with the new saddles, except I wonder why they don't make brass ones. I tend to stay up by the neck pickup a lot (it's a harmonic thing). While I have the most respect for Boris, I didn't like the fatter neck on the 2 52RI's I played last weekend. I've been playin a 91' as my #1 for several years, and came from a 96 Strat, so that might explain that. Although I know some local pickers that like the fatter necks too, I think the 08' might well be my next purchase. Best of luck. Murph.

April 15th, 2008, 09:23 PM	#47 (permalink)
AjayTele Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Age: 47 Posts: 1,000 12 Photos	Yes, that is exactly the point I was making. It seems that a lot of people on this forum got so worked up by the Fender marketing of the 08 AM Std that they feel they need to shoot the new model down in flames at every opportunity. Indeed the very title of this thread was indicating some sort of negative view by the fact that the word "upgraded" was in parentheses. OK, so the marketing was a lot of hype. No big deal. I don't listen to all marketing and take it as gospel. But I defend the new Tele because it's a great guitar in my experience and I believe it is slightly better than the model it replaced.

April 16th, 2008, 02:12 AM	#48 (permalink)
chabby Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,261	I wasn't sure about fat necks either until I got my R8 LP, then the GE Smith. Now I'm a fat neck guy and once you get on them nothing else feels right. I thought it would require large paws to handle it but that couldnt be further from the truth - another myth dispelled. In fact, I think folks with slender fingers like mine will like the fat necks better. I think that maybe the key, not so much the size of your hands but the thickness of your fingers. Another myth is bending string on a 7.25 radius: I bend string on this GE Smith as well as on my flat boarded Strat and LP. I was just sitting here playing this evening trying to fret out on bends just for fun - it didnt happen. Back to the original subject: The Americans are great guitars now. and worth every penney I think.

April 25th, 2008, 03:23 AM	#51 (permalink)
Jman21 TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: LI Posts: 13	Tried an 07 an 08 and two Hwy 1s and a deluxe the other day. They were all nice but the feel of the 08 and one of the Hwy1 was very very nice. It's SO important to try the actual guitar you are going to purchase if you can.