Tried a Telecaster Vintera 50

[mimmo]

Well, it does kinda look like tomato soup haha

I briefly had a road worn version that I really wanted to like (bought it sight unseen on sale Guitar Center website), but everything except the neck was pretty substandard--heavy, poor neck/socket fit, didn't care for the pickups, couldn't get it set up like I like, etc. Did love the smooth feel and radius of the neck. I'm sure it was just a lemon, I'd love to find another. It was that light blue color (sonic?) and was beautiful. Took it in for a refund after about a week.

Sorry to hear that. Yeah, sometimes lemons happen. Obviously it is always a good idea to play it before buying, but if the shop has a good return policy all you have to do is just keeping searching.

From my side, I am still trying to forget that specific guitar and just focus on the amp...

 

[Terrygh1949]

As some of you may know, I am in the process of selling a few guitars, as I am moving to a very small village and have to reduce the amount of things I will bring with me.

After many weeks of thinking, wondering, asking myself etc I came to the conclusion that I want to enjoy just a few good quality guitars, nothing more.

The income I expect in the next five weeks is about 2800/3000 euros, depending on how fast I want to sell. So with this in mind, I went yesterday to the biggest shop in town with the intention of trying a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, as it could possibly be my definitive amp.

As my favourite electric is my AV52, I asked the shop manager to try something similar, with a nice chunky neck. He pulled off a Telecaster Vintera 50 in sunburst and a Japanese modified in a stunning white blonde-ish finish.

Liked the pickups and the build quality of the Japanese telecaster, but I was shocked at how much I liked the neck of the Vintera. I immediately felt like I was playing my 52, it was love at first chord. It was very light and resonant, I wanted to try the sonic blue one but this sunburst was so nice! Didn't like the pickups, they were not wrong but my ears are used to the pickups in my AV52 so that's why I didn't appreciate them as I should have, I guess. Or maybe it was just a matter of adjusting the pickup height.

Loved the amp, loved the Tele, I could have the 2 for about 1850 euros. I can only hope that that guitar will still be there when I finally have the money. Today's Fender Mex guitars are really worth it IMHO.

Owners of the Tele Vintera 50, how are you liking yours? Feel free to post your comments.

When it comes to amps do not overlook the Fender Mustang GTX100. I had a Tonemaster Twin and sold it and got the Mustang. A lot less money and way more amp. It's great for at home and is gig ready! I really just can't say enough about this amp. Love it! 50+year musician.

 

[aftermidnight]

Vintera 50s (not mod) has an excellent meaty neck with vintage (but not tiny) frets. If you were lucky to find a light guitar, you may want to take it. All I have ever tried are 3.5 or more but I am sure some lighter one must exist.

 

[Sax-son]

I keep my large stash of guitars just to keep me from buying or building new ones. It's kind of my warped sense of self control. I say to myself, "I already have too many so I shouldn't consider it".

 

[tfling]

I have owned mine for a few months and it honestly holds its own against some of my higher end Tele’s. I like the pickups a decent amount into my ‘57 champ RI, but I agree that it doesn’t have the same “vibe” as the excellent AV pickups. It could also be the Alder body. If I were keeping mine I’d probably put something like a Mojotone broadcaster pickup in it to brighten it up a hair.

The neck is a bit chunkier than my AV52, and even a hair larger than my FCS ‘51 Nocaster

I too am doing some downsizing and have my (basically new) fairly lightweight Vintera listed on Reverb for a good price if you are interested

(Not trying to break any forum rules, if this is frowned upon, I’ll remove this part of the post)

Fender Vintera '50s Telecaster | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

 

[RhythmFender]

I have a Vintera 50’s tomato soup red and really dig it a lot. I had the neck pickup raised some. In fact, I thought maybe I might want a new American tele, but I kept trying them out and all of the necks disappointed me compared to my Vintera so I’ve not purchased one.

 

[mmannaxx]

Well I think the vinteras are close to the older Baja models which were known for their necks. I had one that was pretty lightweight unlike many Baja’s. Never cared for the S1 switch though. I got a good deal on a custom shop Nocaster and sold Baja to a friend. Didn’t care for the thick poly finish on the Baja either. Don’t know what the finish is like on the Vintera. I eventually built my own Nocaster style Tele with an even bigger Allparts slightly reliced neck and a distressed white blonde MJT body, Rutter brass saddles, Pickguardian.com thick one ply pickguard, and a bridge plate from a 60s Tele. Think this my forever keeper. Cost me a little over $1000 5 or so years ago, but not sure I couLd get that out of it but it is 7.5 pounds and swamp ash which is hard to get in under $2000 guitars. Has Nocaster pups and a 4 way switch so it is a bit more versatile than a typical Nocaster.

 

[mimmo]

When it comes to amps do not overlook the Fender Mustang GTX100. I had a Tonemaster Twin and sold it and got the Mustang. A lot less money and way more amp. It's great for at home and is gig ready! I really just can't say enough about this amp. Love it! 50+year musician.

Thanks for that, I will give it a try!

 

[mimmo]

Vintera 50s (not mod) has an excellent meaty neck with vintage (but not tiny) frets. If you were lucky to find a light guitar, you may want to take it. All I have ever tried are 3.5 or more but I am sure some lighter one must exist.

I am just guessing, but it compared favourably to my AV52 so I'd say it was around 3.2 kg. Very rare for today's MIM guitars!

 

[mimmo]

I have owned mine for a few months and it honestly holds its own against some of my higher end Tele’s. I like the pickups a decent amount into my ‘57 champ RI, but I agree that it doesn’t have the same “vibe” as the excellent AV pickups. It could also be the Alder body. If I were keeping mine I’d probably put something like a Mojotone broadcaster pickup in it to brighten it up a hair.

The neck is a bit chunkier than my AV52, and even a hair larger than my FCS ‘51 Nocaster

I too am doing some downsizing and have my (basically new) fairly lightweight Vintera listed on Reverb for a good price if you are interested

(Not trying to break any forum rules, if this is frowned upon, I’ll remove this part of the post)

Fender Vintera '50s Telecaster | Reverb

Reverb is a marketplace bringing together a wide-spanning community to buy, sell, and discuss all things music gear.

reverb.com

I'd be interested but I am based in europe, shipping rate would be crazy I am afraid.

 

[mimmo]

Well I think the vinteras are close to the older Baja models which were known for their necks. I had one that was pretty lightweight unlike many Baja’s. Never cared for the S1 switch though. I got a good deal on a custom shop Nocaster and sold Baja to a friend. Didn’t care for the thick poly finish on the Baja either. Don’t know what the finish is like on the Vintera. I eventually built my own Nocaster style Tele with an even bigger Allparts slightly reliced neck and a distressed white blonde MJT body, Rutter brass saddles, Pickguardian.com thick one ply pickguard, and a bridge plate from a 60s Tele. Think this my forever keeper. Cost me a little over $1000 5 or so years ago, but not sure I couLd get that out of it but it is 7.5 pounds and swamp ash which is hard to get in under $2000 guitars. Has Nocaster pups and a 4 way switch so it is a bit more versatile than a typical Nocaster.

Love it with the white pickguard!

 

[Ciro]

As some of you may know, I am in the process of selling a few guitars, as I am moving to a very small village and have to reduce the amount of things I will bring with me.

After many weeks of thinking, wondering, asking myself etc I came to the conclusion that I want to enjoy just a few good quality guitars, nothing more.

The income I expect in the next five weeks is about 2800/3000 euros, depending on how fast I want to sell. So with this in mind, I went yesterday to the biggest shop in town with the intention of trying a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, as it could possibly be my definitive amp.

As my favourite electric is my AV52, I asked the shop manager to try something similar, with a nice chunky neck. He pulled off a Telecaster Vintera 50 in sunburst and a Japanese modified in a stunning white blonde-ish finish.

Liked the pickups and the build quality of the Japanese telecaster, but I was shocked at how much I liked the neck of the Vintera. I immediately felt like I was playing my 52, it was love at first chord. It was very light and resonant, I wanted to try the sonic blue one but this sunburst was so nice! Didn't like the pickups, they were not wrong but my ears are used to the pickups in my AV52 so that's why I didn't appreciate them as I should have, I guess. Or maybe it was just a matter of adjusting the pickup height.

Loved the amp, loved the Tele, I could have the 2 for about 1850 euros. I can only hope that that guitar will still be there when I finally have the money. Today's Fender Mex guitars are really worth it IMHO.

Owners of the Tele Vintera 50, how are you liking yours? Feel free to post your comments.

Lived in Italy for a time. Have you ever been to Rome Vintage Guitars in the Trastevere? I don't envy your options there. My take was everything in Italy was expensive and there weren't nearly the options available. That said, I hope to get back soon. What village are you moving to?

 

[mimmo]

Lived in Italy for a time. Have you ever been to Rome Vintage Guitars in the Trastevere? I don't envy your options there. My take was everything in Italy was expensive and there weren't nearly the options available. That said, I hope to get back soon. What village are you moving to?

I have never been in that shop as I am not interested in spending such money so I tend to avoid this options.
It is a very small village on the mountains, 150 people live there.

 

[Fenderdad1950]

After a lot of different guitars with various neck profoles, my hands keep making me return the the Fender std 'C' profile.

 

[mimmo]

After a lot of different guitars with various neck profoles, my hands keep making me return the the Fender std 'C' profile.

It's gpod to know what works for our hands! In my case it is a big fat chuncky U neck, followed by a fat C.

 

[JJStrummrr]

As some of you may know, I am in the process of selling a few guitars, as I am moving to a very small village and have to reduce the amount of things I will bring with me.

After many weeks of thinking, wondering, asking myself etc I came to the conclusion that I want to enjoy just a few good quality guitars, nothing more.

The income I expect in the next five weeks is about 2800/3000 euros, depending on how fast I want to sell. So with this in mind, I went yesterday to the biggest shop in town with the intention of trying a Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, as it could possibly be my definitive amp.

As my favourite electric is my AV52, I asked the shop manager to try something similar, with a nice chunky neck. He pulled off a Telecaster Vintera 50 in sunburst and a Japanese modified in a stunning white blonde-ish finish.

Liked the pickups and the build quality of the Japanese telecaster, but I was shocked at how much I liked the neck of the Vintera. I immediately felt like I was playing my 52, it was love at first chord. It was very light and resonant, I wanted to try the sonic blue one but this sunburst was so nice! Didn't like the pickups, they were not wrong but my ears are used to the pickups in my AV52 so that's why I didn't appreciate them as I should have, I guess. Or maybe it was just a matter of adjusting the pickup height.

Loved the amp, loved the Tele, I could have the 2 for about 1850 euros. I can only hope that that guitar will still be there when I finally have the money. Today's Fender Mex guitars are really worth it IMHO.

Owners of the Tele Vintera 50, how are you liking yours? Feel free to post your comments.

I love my Vintera 50s modified. Very happy with it. I actually like the pickups with a slight height adjust to the neck PU

 

[JJStrummrr]

Neck not chunky.

Deep ? Yep.

But narrow like typical Fender.

Overall really like the guitars (esp tomato soup color) but the neck size and vintage radius were the killers.

The older Baja Tele had the CHUNKY neck.

 

[Grateful Ape]

I think that the neck feel is hugely important, and varies a great deal in production guitars. I picked my Pro out of five or six examples and mine had a noticeably thicker neck than the others.

I would say that if the guitar felt good, was a good weight for you, had a good acoustic tone...I would buy that specific guitar as soon as possible, not least because inflation will put that price up quite a bit soon. (And will put more demands on your money, also.) Amps can be found anywhere, but a guitar neck is a very personal thing for many of us.

Obviously, we will need to see pictures of your new guitar in your new home village when you have moved. I'm told Italy is beautiful.