Fender Sixty Six

stimpsonslostson

This popped up on my Newsfeed today. 
I can't decide if I like it or not! 
Shrunken Jazz Bass body, 70s Strat neck, Humbucker, Tele pickups, 5 way on the lower bout..  it's certainly different, but still Fender.

What do you think? More or less than the sum of its disparate parts?

https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/ZoomJpg/10001/0145022304_gtr_frt_001_rr.jpg

https://shop.fender.com/en-GB/electric-guitars/other/the-sixty-six/0145022321.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20190411_AlternateRealitySixtySix&utm_term=fender&src=email15DT041119&rl=en_US

skullfunkerry

I've just seen that on the gearnews page. I love it! I have absolutely no need for it whatsoever, but I really want one - Daphne Blue as well, for sure

merciful-evans

I've just checked out this Fender video demo of the 66.

Now I love Fender tones, but I hated the sounds demo'd here. The gain ones are nasty, and the clean ones are elastic-band-like.

I would try one out, but Fender have done a terrible job of promoting it so far!

timmypix

I like nothing about it, but I'm strangely drawn to it. Would love to stick a Creamery baby '71 in the bridge to keep it properly 70s Fender-y. A friend of mine's just put on in his Strat and it somehow sounds like a humbucker and a Strat bridge pickup at the same time, magical thing.

Just spotted where the pickup selector is and I think that would confuse the hell out of me!

earwighoney

merciful-evans said:

I've just checked out this Fender video demo of the 66.

Now I love Fender tones, but I hated the sounds demo'd here. The gain ones are nasty, and the clean ones are elastic-band-like.

Yep. Agree about that.  

Fender used the Bassbreaker for another new guitar and the demo just sounded terrible.  I can't understand why they'd choose to demo any new guitar with one of the worst sounding amps they've made.  A really flat and muddy sound. 

As for the guitar itself.  I think if they had made them under Squier and priced them competitively it might make a bit more sense. 

John_P

I quite like the look of that.   The natural finish works well.   
I suspect I would find the switch placement annoying but it might just be ok.     The name is terrible though - I’d have though they could come up with something better.  

stonevibe

I think it looks decent, reminds me a little of John Squire's old Fender mashup, just without the Jazzmaster bits!

simonhpieman

I'm very on the fence about it. The natural ash looks the best IMO (I'm a sucker for natural ash) but things like the cheapo plastic plug in the headstock and the nasty chrome on the pickups really put me off. No idea if I could make the sounds work but it just looks like it's been done a bit too Squierish. If it was a bit more AVRI I think I could dig it.

simonhpieman

Also: would be improved with a Jag/JM trem instead of a strat one IMO.

SteveRobinson

simonhpieman said:

Also: would be improved with a Jag/JM trem instead of a strat one IMO.

Both even. It reminds me a lot of John Squire's custom Jag. (EDIT as @stonevibe said above!)

axisus

I like the look a lot, although I never choose maple fretboards.

chris78

Not sure I get it. I’m a tele player who isn’t fond of the neck pickup so I can’t imagine why I’d want to put 2 of them in a guitar. 

StefB

They look MUCH better in the flesh. I called at Promenade Music in Morecambe yesterday and they had one in the natural finish. I didn’t plug it in but it looked great and felt high quality, nice lightish weight too. 

They also had a Powercaster in stock, and it too was a nice piece, gorgeous neck. 

fretmeister

Love it!

BGG

Just bought a used one, loving it so far, sounds great.

carlos

Looks horrendous, you don't need it. Hope this helps.

Loobs

Bloody awful. 

UnclePsychosis

I kinda like it but I'd never buy one. 

kentuckyklira

There´s a used one floating around here in Germany but even though I like the looks I´ve read some at best mediocre reviews and that´s keeping me from getting it.

Sassafras

Hideous mutant.

ICBM

I’ve tried one and it was quite heavy and completely uninspiring - it just sounded like a dull Strat. Sample size of 1 doesn’t mean a lot though - I’ve played plenty of Strats like that too...

If @BGG has a good one that wouldn’t surprise me at all.