I played the Fender Marauder and I liked it..

[taylornutt]

After my visit to the chiropractor, I stopped into to Guitar Center and played some of the new Modern Series Guitars including a the Thinline Tele with P90s and the Fender Maurader they just got in. The Marauder was really nice. The neck felt like Classic Vibe nice and was perfect. I loved how the headstock just said Fender on it. Tuners felt a little flimsy. The Pickups were really pretty good. The Jazzmaster pickup sounded as good if not better than the Blacktop Jazzmaster pickup. It has a five way switch. The triple bucker is kinda like a P-Rail (humbucker, p90, single). Go check these out. I was pleasantly surprised. Classic Vibe quality in build, sound and appearance. The p90 thinline tele was nice as well. For $400 I would wait for the Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster, but if the LPB one comes up used it is a nice guitar.



A Review I found:
[youtube][/youtube]

[Lucamo]

This is good news dude. I am glad it plays well. Do want a used one.

Nice review too!

[Rox]

I really like it . Is the body Jazzy sized ? Is it bigger or is that guy on the small side ?

[Bacchus]

Classic Vibe quality in build, sound and appearance.

Squier quality for the price of a Fender. Bargain.

[ekwatts]

I think it looks less ghastly in black than in blue, but pretty much what Paul says. It's nice that they've tried something different, though.

The Squier Jazzmaster it is, then.

[taylornutt]

I really like it . Is the body Jazzy sized ? Is it bigger or is that guy on the small side ?

The body is a little shorter, but it has that Jazzy body fit against your body. Looks like a squashed Jazzy body. The upper horn is not so bad in person. The pots are very smooth as well.

[Nick]

Classic Vibe quality in build, sound and appearance.

Squier quality for the price of a Fender. Bargain.

IIRC these things have a $399 street price over here, only putting them some $20-$50 over your average Squier CV Tele, Strat, or Mascis JM

[lorez]

they are about £50 above the new CV models in price here also. I guess you are paying for the badge though at that price.

When I was in my local shop though I asked about the quality compared to the standards or blacktops and the assistant said they weren't anywhere near as good. I wonder though given how everyone raves about the quality of the CVs whether this is him just being biased as they are MIC and probably makes more commision on the more expensive ones.

[honeyiscool]

I do like it but can't help thinking that an inch sheared from the upper horn and it'd be 80% sexier.

[serfx]

the only thing i like about this is the pickguard...

well that isn't true.. but i really like the pickguard..

[sholkham]

How do you change the bridge pickup? Coil-tap?

[paul_]

I don't think you're paying $50 more than a CV for the name on the head as much as the new body shape and pickup. I say well done Fender, as cool as when they double-billed the Cyclone/Toronado IMO (as those cost more than this in then-money).

[taylornutt]

How do you change the bridge pickup? Coil-tap?

Five way switch.

[lorez]

I don't think you're paying $50 more than a CV for the name on the head as much as the new body shape and pickup. I say well done Fender, as cool as when they double-billed the Cyclone/Toronado IMO (as those cost more than this in then-money).

What about the non marauder shapes, like the tele? Your right there is a quirk to these more in line with the squire vm series so maybe it's more like £100 to change the name on the headstock. Don't get me wrong I wish these were more than a way to cash in and I know fender have always looked at ways to fill the lower price points but I think they realise that the high end squiers have got great uptake and want to take advantage of it now. Who knows maybe they will merge all the squiers into the fender line and have one brand

[gaybear]

I quite like em. Well, i haven't played one, but I'm guessing i'll dig em. like the plain headstock

[stewart]

see, all that empty headstock space just makes me think they couldn't even be bothered making up decent decals for them.

[George]

I thought the three bridge coils would sound like magic but it was boring, and the bridge and neck sounded mismatched - bridge was too dark (but still sounded good)

[lorez]

I thought the three bridge coils would sound like magic but it was boring, and the bridge and neck sounded mismatched - bridge was too dark (but still sounded good)

My thoughts also, to gimmicky

[Bacchus]

Who knows maybe they will merge all the squiers into the fender line and have one brand

I expect CV and such to be incorporated into Fender, maybe under a different name (Pawn Shop?), and for the price to cost about what Mexican Fenders cost or a bit less, and then Squier go back to making shite.

[ekwatts]

I doubt it. It happened with the '51 but that was sort of a special case. The CV series are close variations on a theme Fender already puts out there. Squier will probably be safe to continue pumping out high quality lower-to-mid price range guitars for a while yet. Yes, they compete almost directly with some Mex Fenders to some people, but surely that's mostly to do with street prices, import/export costs than it is to do with necessarily comparable quality, I would have thought. I expect Fender are still making more on the Mex Fenders than Squier are on the CV series per guitar.