Price watch (100)

Once again, like a broken record, it's not a good time to be buying Fender guitars. The latest Fenders to debut here are the Vintera II models, prices are depicted above. Fender is asking you to spend in excess of $2K for these. The most affordable American models, the Performer, are listing for $2,249. The B-stocks & those on promos; you can get these for less. Notice how they hyped the V II models to be limited edition / roadworn. These are terms to fall back on to justify the figures. We know these mean very little when it comes to playability & tone. Then they will tell you it's different. 

A reasonable expectation here is the corresponding increase in performance value with regards to increasing price tags. It need not be exponential or even proportional for that matter, just a manifestation of enhancement of sorts but this remain elusive & subjective at best. Then again, why expect such favours when we know added costs are the product of taxation, flailing exchange rates & other extras that force prices up. Is anyone interested in keeping prices down so that legit musicians / players / enthusiasts can afford a Fender? Ironically, back in the day, Leo Fender conceived instruments that were  affordable alternatives to you-know-what. Provisional philosophy doesn't go hand in hand with economics, it seems. Not when the guitar manufacturer exists as a commercial entity first & foremost. Which guitar manufacturer exists with no profit-making in mind, yes?

Pics: Fender

Price watch (70)

This may / may not be what it claimed to be. The serial number of this guitar is legit which suggests a legit neck.

But the body is problematic. All RG550s, in its various iterations, do not come with that bridge. Granted, it might be swapped in from another Ibanez model but this greatly reduces the credibility of this instrument. Control knobs are definitely replacement ones. If you are interested in this guitar, do tread with caution. $700 is too much for something of this nature, IMO.

I'm always a little put off by listings that do not state the exact model of the instrument. This is a good example - which Ibanez model is this, exactly?

One of the listed pictures actually features another guitar altogether - this GRX is definitely an obvious error. That's a different bridge altogether. In any case, the headstock picture in this listing features a truss rod cover that's inconsistent with the Ibanez models in this price bracket compounded by the fact that there's no string retainer there.

Excuse me, what the heck are you selling?

Initially, this was listed as a Japanese model.

But the headstock says it's a Mexican model so the seller edited the listing. It now reads as a Vintera II. Folks, Fender benders especially, you'd agree that the serial number here shows that the instrument was either manufactured in 2021 / 2018. The Vintera II Series are new this year (2023) so how could this be a Vintera II? Not disputing the quality / functionality of this guitar, just showing you how careless / indifferent people are. All the best to the chap buying this guitar as it's currently marked as reserved.