Fender Guitar & Basses

Nothing looks, feels and plays like a broken-in guitar. You just know it’s seen some action (unlike yourself, big boy). Fender’s brand-new Road Worn Series guitars and basses haven’t done any time out of the factory, but they certainly look like they did. These guitars and basses are masterfully aged to emulate the worn look of instruments that have been played hard for years, but they’re offered at prices that are easily affordable for working musicians.

Based on classic Fender guitars and basses of the Fifties and Sixties, the Road Worn models include two Stratocasters, a Telecaster, a Precision Bass and Jazz Bass, each combining the best of vintage and modern appointments. All models feature visibly distressed nitrocellulose lacquer-finished bodies, smooth worn-in necks and worn chrome hardware (nickel-chrome for basses) for an aged appearance. While the guitars have been designed with period-correct specifications, several modern upgrades have been built into each model, including Tex Mex single-coil pickups, larger 6105 frets and fiveway pickup switches (Strat models). So while a great guitar or bass gets better with age, with the Road Worns you’re already ahead of the game.

LIST PRICE: ’50s Tele, ’50s Strat and ’60s Strat, $1,200.00; ’50s Precision Bass, $1,500.00; ’60s Jazz Bass, $1,570.00