What’s New With Vintera III? Key Specs Compared…
Before diving into the details, here’s a side-by-side look at how Fender’s Vintera II and Vintera III series measure up:
|
Vintera II |
Vintera III |
| Decal |
Under the finish |
Over the finish |
| Nut |
Synthetic |
Bone |
| Neck Profile |
Generalised based on decade |
Era-specific |
| Fingerboard |
Maple, Slab Rosewood |
Maple, Slab Rosewood or Round Laminated Rosewood |
| Inlays |
White or Black dots |
Era-correct clay, Pearloid or black dots |
| Pickups |
Generalised based on decade |
Era-specific |
| Hardware |
Vintage-Style |
Vintage style with era-correct details |
| Colours |
Classic Custom Colours |
Redeveloped and improved Custom Colours |
Like Vintera II, the Vintera III lineup offers Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Jazzmaster and Mustang electric guitars as well as Precision and Jazz Basses in addition to a Bass VI model. Similarly, like the previous generation, Vintera III covers the complete span of Fender’s golden era, ranging from the 1950s all the way up to the ‘70s.
Key differences include a redeveloped and improved custom colour palette, expanding on Fender’s colourful back catalogue, as well as accurately ensuring that metallics shimmer and pastels glow, just as they did the day they left the factory.
Vintera III now focuses on specific eras instead of broader decades, meaning that the range has been expanded, with variations for Late ‘50s, Early ‘60s, Mid ‘60s, Late ‘60s and Early ‘70s, depending on model. Consequently, neck profiles, pickups and hardware have been reproduced accordingly to accurately portray each of these eras.
Other significant updates include Round Laminate Rosewood fingerboards on some models, as well as Pearloid fingerboard dots. Clay dots now feature on some Early and Mid ‘60s Rosewood fingerboard models, as well as the decal being applied over the headstock finish. The Synthetic nut found on Vintera II has also been upgraded to a genuine bone nut.
Are Fender Vintera III guitars better than Vintera II models?
Better is always subjective, but with their genuine bone nuts, a redeveloped and improved custom colour palette, and new era-specific electronics, hardware and details, it’s easy to see how the Vintera III series has truly taken things to the next level.
It homes in on the details, allowing players to experience a level of accuracy never before seen on a Fender instrument built outside the USA. Instead of taking the zoomed-out approach found in Vintera and Vintera II, where each model was more of a generalised overview of a vintage-inspired decade, Vintera III takes a more granular approach, zooming in on a specific era of Fender’s golden years. The key is always in the details, and for those who live and breathe this legendary period of electric guitar history, boiling things down to this level of finesse is truly the only way to really capture the authentic sound, vibe, mojo and aesthetic of the originals.
Fender Vintera III Stratocaster Guitars
The Vintage III Stratocasters are offered in 3 key eras – Late ‘50s, Early ‘60s and Late ‘60s.
- The Late ‘50s model features an Alder body with a Late ‘50s D-shaped Maple neck.
- The Early ‘60s model has an Alder Body with an Early ‘60s Maple neck, Round Laminate Rosewood fingerboard and clay marker dots.
- And the Late ‘60s Start comes equipped with an Alder body and is offered with either a Maple neck with a Round Laminate Maple fingerboard and black dots or a Round Laminate Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid dots. Both necks feature a Late ‘60s C-shaped neck profile.
All models feature era-specific pickups and hardware.
Fender Vintera III Telecaster Guitars
The Vintera III Telecasters are offered in 2 era models – Late ‘50s and Mid ‘60s.
- The Vintera III Late ‘50s Tele features either an Alder body (for solid colours) or Ash (for transparent) in partnership with a Late ‘50s V-shaped Maple neck.
- The Mid ‘60s model is also offered with either an Alder body or Ash body, but is this time partnered with a Mid ‘60s C-shaped Maple neck with Round Laminate Rosewood fingerboard and Pearloid dots.
Both models feature the correct era-specific pickups and hardware.
Fender Vintera III Bass VI
The Early ‘60s Bass VI comes equipped with these key features…
- An Alder body partnered with an Early ‘60s C-shaped Maple neck with Round Laminated Rosewood fingerboard and clay dots.
Fender Vintera III Jazzmaster Guitars
The Fender Vintera III Mid ‘60s Jazzmaster is equipped with…
- An Alder body partnered with a mid-’60s C-shaped Maple neck with Round Laminated Rosewood fingerboard and clay dots.
The custom colour versions also feature a matching headstock for even more vintage vibe and mojo.
Fender Vintera III Precision Basses
The Late ‘60s Vintera III P-Bass features…
- An Alder body with a Late ‘60s C-shaped Maple neck partnered with either a Round Laminate Maple fingerboard with black dots or a Round Laminate Rosewood fingerboard with Pearloid dots.
Some models also feature a matching painted headstock.
Fender Vintera III Jaguar Guitars
The Fender Vintera III Mid ‘60s Jaguar is equipped with…
- An Alder body partnered with a mid-’60s C-shaped Maple neck with Round Laminated Rosewood fingerboard and Pearloid dots.
The custom colour versions also feature a matching painted headstock.
Fender Vintera III Mustang Guitars
The Fender Vintera III Mid ‘60s Mustang is equipped with…
- An Alder body partnered with a mid-’60s C-shaped Maple neck with Round Laminated Rosewood fingerboard and clay dots.
Fender Vintera III Jazz Basses
The Vintera III Jazz Basses are offered in 2 era models – Early ‘60s and Early ’70s.
- The Vintera III Early ‘60s Jazz Bass features an Alder body in partnership with an Early ‘60s C-shaped Maple neck with Slab Rosewood fingerboard and clay dots. Some colours also feature a matching painted headstock for extra ‘60s mojo.
- The Early ‘70s model is also offered with an Alder body, but is this time partnered with an Early ‘70s C-shaped Maple neck with either a Round Laminate Rosewood fingerboard or a 1-piece Maple neck and fingerboard. Both fingerboard options come equipped with Pearloid Block inlays.
Both models feature the correct era-specific pickups and hardware.
Fender Vintera III vs Fender American Vintage II
With the Fender American Vintage II series costing around double the price as Vintera III, it’s a fair question to ask what you actually get for that extra money, as well as which model may be best suited for you.
The American-made, American Vintage II pushes things even closer to complete vintage accuracy, zooming in to just about every single detail and component at a microscopic level to bring you an instrument which is as close to the real thing as possible – taking into consideration modern manufacturing techniques. They are crafted from more premium tonewoods and just like the originals, finished with Nitrocellulose Lacquer. Vintage-accurate materials such as Alnico pickup magnets and Cold Rolled Steel are also used to ensure that even under the hood, the lineup sounds and responds just like they did in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.
American Vintage II also zooms in even closer, offering models based on a specific year rather than an era.
Both Vintera III and the American Vintage II are both excellent choices for vintage-guitar enthusiasts. At its more wallet-friendly price point, Vintera III is the perfect option for those after a true workhorse that can easily be taken just about everywhere and anywhere without feeling the anxiety to check up on it every 10 minutes. The Gloss Polyester finish also ensures that your instrument will stay looking factory fresh for much longer, making it a great choice for those who prefer the new aesthetic.
The Fender American Vintage II is the perfect choice for those who truly want a ‘time machine’ like-for-like replica instrument. It’s for players who care about every single detail and for people who perhaps want an instrument that ages with them, showcasing each and every ‘battle scar’ that the softer Nitro finish showcases.
Fender Vintera III vs Fender Custom Shop
With a price tag around 3 times as much as Vintera III, the Fender Custom Shop is the absolute crème de la crème of all of Fender’s ranges. No stone is left unturned in crafting the most luxurious and premium Fenders to date! With options for both vintage, modern and everything in between, the Custom Shop has a model to suit every type of player and style. Crafted within a very small team using many of the same techniques and machines originally used in Fender’s Golden Era, a Custom Shop instrument is, without a doubt, the closest you can get to a real vintage instrument without paying the vintage price tag.
With production levels much closer to those in the ‘50s and ‘60s, the Custom Shop is able to replicate just about everything down to the nth degree on their vintage replicas, making it nearly impossible to tell the difference when played side by side with a real vintage model. They also go as far as ageing the finish on some of their instruments, making their guitars and basses not only feel and sound like the real deal but also look like a genuine 60-year-old workhorse.
If owning the real deal is the goal but the budget won’t stretch to the vintage price tag, the Fender Custom Shop is the guitar or bass for you.
Conclusion
As a vintage-guitar enthusiast, I think that the Vintera III series is a true step up from the previous Vintera II lineup. I love the level of detail now demonstrated in the range, and as someone who geeks out about the tonal differences between round laminate vs slab board Rosewood fingerboards, I can’t wait to properly spend some time with each model, discovering which one is best for me.
Small details like the era-specific fingerboard markers, the headstock decal over the finish, as well as the refined, more accurate finishes are a real icing on the cake feature and something that I think really stands out when compared to Vintera III’s predecessor.
With their included gig bag, bone nut and sensible price point, Vintera III is the perfect choice for intermediate to professional players looking for a stage or studio-ready workhorse who also wants to add some of that authentic ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s magic to their rig.
Check Out The Full Vintera III Range Here…
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