Fender Announces the Vintera Series Basses
Fender has added a new line of instruments called the Vintera series. The lineup includes vintage-style guitars and basses made in Ensenada, Baja California in Mexico that draw their features from the company’s first three decades.
“With era-correct pickups, classic colors and other coveted features from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, these instruments have all the sound and style of the decades that defined them,” Fender writes.
The series includes four basses: a ’50s Precision Bass, a ’60s Jazz Bass, a ’70s Jazz Bass, and a ’60s Mustang Bass. They all have period-correct neck profiles with re-voiced pickups designed by Tim Shaw.
The ’50s Precision is built with either an alder or ash body that comes in Vintage Blonde, Sea Foam Green, or Dakota Red finishes. Its maple neck has a “Vintage-C” shape with 20 vintage-style frets. Other features include a four-saddle bridge with threaded saddles, an anodized aluminum pickguard, and a deluxe gig bag.
Both of the Jazz Bass versions are made with an alder body, maple neck, and pau ferro fingerboard. The main difference lies in the voicing of the pickups and their placement. The ’70s model adds pearloid block inlays and “F”-stamped open-gear tuning machines.
Finally, the short scale Vintera ’60s Mustang Bass features an alder body, “Thin C” shaped maple neck, and a pau ferro fingerboard. “For authentic Fender tone we voiced the split-coil ‘60s Mustang Bass pickup to sound like the original,” Fender says. “Punchy and growling, it has the tone that made Fender the choice of electric bassists.” It comes in Fiesta Red, 3-color Sunburst, and Sea Foam Green finishes.
The Fender Vintera Series basses will be available soon with prices ranging from $899.99 to $1,049.99.
Fender Vintera ’50s Precision Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 34″ |
| Body: | Ash or Alder |
| Neck: | Maple |
| Neck Shape: | Vintage “C” |
| Fingerboard: | Maple |
| Fingerboard Radius: | 7.25″ |
| Inlays: | Black Dot |
| Frets: | 20 |
| Pickups: | Vintage-Style ’50s Split Single-Coil Precision Bass |
| Bridge: | 4-Saddle American Vintage Bass |
| Tuners: | American Vintage Reverse Open-Gear Bass |
| Pickguard: | 1-Ply Gold Anodized Aluminum |
| Finishes: | Dakota Red, Sea Foam Green, Vintage Blonde |
Fender Vintera ’60s Jazz Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 34″ |
| Body: | Alder |
| Neck: | Maple |
| Neck Shape: | Thin “C” |
| Fingerboard: | Pau Ferro |
| Fingerboard Radius: | 7.25″ |
| Inlays: | White Dot |
| Frets: | 20 |
| Pickups: | Vintage-Style ’60s Single-Coil Jazz Bass |
| Controls: | Volume, Volume, Tone |
| Bridge: | 4-Saddle American Vintage Bass |
| Tuners: | American Vintage Reverse Open-Gear Bass |
| Pickguard: | 4-Ply Tortoiseshell |
| Finishes: | 3-Color Sunburst, Daphne Blue, Firemist Gold |
Fender Vintera ’70s Jazz Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 34″ |
| Body: | Alder |
| Neck: | Maple |
| Neck Shape: | Thin “C” |
| Fingerboard: | Pau Ferro |
| Fingerboard Radius: | 7.25″ |
| Inlays: | White Dot |
| Frets: | 20 |
| Pickups: | Vintage-Style ’70s Single-Coil Jazz Bass |
| Controls: | Volume, Volume, Tone |
| Bridge: | 4-Saddle American Vintage Bass |
| Tuners: | Fender ’70s Vintage-Style Stamped Open-Gear |
| Pickguard: | 3-Ply Black/White/Black |
| Finishes: | 3-Color Sunburst, Aged Natural, Inca Silver |
Fender Vintera ’60s Mustang Bass Specs:
| Scale: | 30″ |
| Body: | Alder |
| Neck: | Maple |
| Neck Shape: | Thin “C” |
| Fingerboard: | Pau Ferro |
| Fingerboard Radius: | 7.25″ |
| Inlays: | White Dot |
| Frets: | 19 |
| Pickups: | Vintage-Style ’60s Split Single-Coil Mustang Bass |
| Bridge: | 4-Saddle Mustang Bass |
| Tuners: | Vintage-Style “Lollipop” |
| Pickguard: | 4-Ply Aged White Pearloid |
| Finishes: | 3-Color Sunburst, Fiesta Red, Sea Foam Green |
