Guitar Advertising Is Getting WORSE
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- Опубликовано: 21 окт 2024
- Advertising and marketing is pretty interesting. It's a way to get people to think about certain things and not think about others. Fender have just released their new line of American Ultra II guitars with a tag line that I feel raises more questions than it answers and ultimately detracts from the product launch. I thought I'd talk about it
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Innovation is Tradition. War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength. Buy Buy Buy.
Based
What a splendid pie
Bro has 4000 guitars behind him
also "abortion is healthcare" and "silence is violence"
bro worships Satsuki Kiryuuin
Yeah, nothing screams innovation like the words "classic", "vintage" and "aged"
Hahaha! I nearly spat out my drink!
"Reliced"
To be fair guitars do not have much to improve on. Especially with acoustic guitars what are you going to do? Some designs don't change because they are already near perfection. All you can do is tweak it a little (like active pickups etc.) but the general thing stays the same.
@@EbonyPope There is tons of innovation to be had in materials. The electric guitar has been trapped in the pseudo-science of tonewoods for decades, because it was effective marketing for boomers (and Gen X to some extent). Now that it's fading away we can have serious innovation in making guitars at affordable price points that are more resilient to atmospheric changes, lighter, more consistently resonant across the frequency spectrum, more durable, and more modular.
Fender guitars and innovation - no.
Leo Fender and innovation - yes.
He may have made some mistakes, but he also paved the way forward
That's why he created 3 successful guitar companies which are all still active.
All fender's done for the last 20+ years is use slightly less common pickups in a couple models, then discontinue them and bring roughly the same thing back a few years later
@@AnnoyingOrange420 It's a shame, really. Leave the classic specs for the heritage reissues for folks like me, but actually do modern stuff for those that want it. The heel contour is the most impressive thing with the new lineup
To an extent. If people really wanted the innovation though, G&L would've overtaken Fender sales years ago.
@@Scott__C Not many have heard of G&L, that's the problem. They never got the recognition like Charvel or Jackson did
10:42 Well I have seen multiple gibson’s headstock folded in the past
Keep quiet bud,they are innovative af😂
Oh my god, I'm dying
Repeating the same old joke is certainly not innovative.
@@castleanthrax1833but still funny😂😂😂
@@castleanthrax1833 well, it's funny cause it's true 🤣
Fender, and gaslighting consumers about innovation.
Name a more iconic duo.
Gibson and jacking prices
lying is not gaslighting. stop using that word every time someone lies
Gibson and poor QC
@@Jackiesbeenhere so true
@@Game4Lord also fender isn't gaslighting, gaslighting isn't even a real thing. It's just a term made up by kids on social who are starving for attention and think life only happens to them.
It's like a fast food chain marketing a hamburger, how many different ways can you sell the same thing...
and that's why I like places like Fike Guys, just sell good product, virtually 0 advertisment or marketing, good product does the talk!
4:19 KDH likes Wendy's, unsubscribed
I got this in my email inbox and just laughed. "Innovation never rests! We have now caught up with the 90's!"
'90s? Never heard of 'em!' Bart Simpson.
To be fair guitars do not have much to improve on. Especially with acoustic guitars what are you going to do? Some designs don't change because they are already near perfection. All you can do is tweak it a little (like active pickups etc.) but the general thing stays the same.
I remember when they were called plain old American Deluxes! Haven't changed much since then...
Yep, I got the same email from Fender, hillarious! The word innovation, above a picture of a guitar that was first brought out 70 years ago. I love their guitars, but pretty stupid advertising.
The real latest innovation happened at G&L anyways.
Had once someone came to me and say "Nice Strat but why not a Fender?"...I played my G&L Legacy 😐
@g.koch.😂 I must have had the same "know nothing" beer loving, bar patron come up to me and say the same t thing as I was playing my really really nice G&L swamp ash strat 😂
It was so nice but I traded it for a black face Fender deluxe. Any way, people are funny.
To be fair guitars do not have much to improve on. Especially with acoustic guitars what are you going to do? Some designs don't change because they are already near perfection. All you can do is tweak it a little (like active pickups etc.) but the general thing stays the same.
Congratulations on the 100k you’ve worked hard to make a successful and informative channel thank you
"Any man who must say, 'I am the king,' is no true king" comes to mind.
Of the night time world?
Banger reference, Game Of Thrones for anyone left wondering.
@@DMSProduktions Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones.
@@GregStraub42 NEVER heard of it.
@@DMSProduktions ok
When a company spams RUclipsrs with product. I instantly write it off as junk
I wouldn’t write it off immediately as junk, but you can tell that’s something is up. It’s really transparent when they do their sales campaign. They do this since 5-6 years at least and it’s very tiring and it’s not just Fender, but almost all the big brands.
@@benedekgabor. Shilling junkkkkkk
Better help with a side of a lord or lady shilling endless guitar junk. Few and far between are products worth looking at.
Excellent point K.! Fender's slogan should just be "Clapton, Gilmore, Hendrix, Stevie Ray..." I want a Fender because they don't change, not because they change.
So just buy an old one? Surely there are enough Strats out there for everyone who wants a Strat?
You think fender would keep making them if they weren't selling?????
Not the sharpest tool in the box, are you.
The fact you think you just made a salient point is worrying.
@@DaveyMulholland considering how much stock the dealers are having to sell at heavy discount, and that Fender has been laying off large numbers of workers to stem the losses they've been incurring... I'd say the guitar market is on the point of imploding.
Funnily enough I am currently working on my dissertation thesis for university in regards to this. It's fascinating how guitar players predominantly will no recognise these lack of features and would rather buy the hype over genuinely interesting features when other instrument makers across the space (For example: Roland) are constantly iterating on their classic sounds by including them within new designs.
Who cares? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I've played about any kind of "innovative" guitar you can think of. 8 string, multiscale, headless, etc. My favorite/main guitar is a bolt on charvel san dimas with HH pickups and a floyd rose. Not very innovative but I'd play it over just about any guitar you could possibly hand me. I'm sure there are plenty of players like me who don't care about the latest and greatest tech and are happy with our boring old shit.
Great reply . Fully agree .
Just wanna play guitar . The laptop can feck off
I'd agree with the other replies. I prefer a simpler rig. I want a guitar that feels comfortable and uncomplicated and a decent amp to plug it into. My favourite guitar of what I have is a Fender MIM strat i've had for 20 years. That doesn't make me a shill for Fender or blind to innovation. I have a bandmate who's huge into midi everything, that's cool but it's not my thing.
@@jodybriggs1075have you tried the EVH guitars !? They are best new fender product in 20+ years!?
Oh my, I was not prepared for the pretzel neck! Can't wait to see the video on this !
Fenders marketing at the minute is just ridiculous
In August, a friend and I was visiting a bigger guitar store in Germany because my friend was searching for a good Stratocaster. He has a lot of guitars, but he wanted a really good Stratocaster... We tryed a lot of Stratocasters, but it was disappointing, because of the quality and sound...at least he found one that is really good, but this one was over 5300€... That's a lot of money, but he just wanted to have the one Stratocaster that is perfect for him. I have some Stratocaster pro (the first version) at home and I modified these, because I was not happy with some aspects. Innovation is for me, better quality of the materials, new systems, new wiring, new look....
I was not happy with this two point trem system and I built a new one out of titanium, new saddles, also a bigger block, new strings and spring claw and an additional resonance block. Now it sounds really good and it stays in tune with a floating trem system. To try out different things to develop a system is the first step to be innovative. Fender is really not innovative in comparison to some other guitar brands. There are so many options to let a good guitar even sound better...
Why were you unhappy with the two point trem???
@@hjmism It was not really staying in tune and I use it a lot. As thicker strings were used the situation became worse and the tension of the springs had to be increased, requiring more force to be applied to the trem arm. It was not comfortable to use. Now the problems are solved. Also if the thin e string breaks, it stays in tune.
I watched the interview with the Fender chap on Andertons. What struck me was that the Ultra did not have stainless steel frets; that was for the Ultra something a bit more expensive (Max, double Ultra, Ultra boss????).
Plus Ultra
It was the Ultra Luxe series.
Pretty stupid when your "Ultra" model isnt the highest spec guitar.
Last electric guitar I *wanted* was a Yamaha Revstar with P90s. Sometimes others come and go but it will stay. It is my most played electric and some are a LOT more $.
I have owned a nice natural ash 2000 USA pro Strat, it didn't stick, traded for a Martin D35. Never liked the tone or feel of the strat. Grew up on Gibson's shorter scale on acoustics, muscle memory is all wrong with a strat. Proportions just feel awkward to me.
I would honestly assumed that the finance and commercial manager guys figured that, hey we need a price hike of 11%, because salaries and materials have gone up etc etc. But instead of just increasing the ultra price by 11% and getting the outrage over that, howabout we make a new product, which is almost identical to the old line, just put some luminlays on there, no one have any idea how much it actually adds of cost to a guitar over normal inlays anyway, and then we use it to sell more products, good? Ok, marketing go figure out some way to make luminlays sound like a entirely new product line.
Other lines of business might do it differently, like shinkflation: we need to increase price by 11% or howabout we just reduce our cost by 11% by making the package of food smaller.. And then we sell it as a new enhances flavor, even if it is the exact same product.
I think the first few sentences of your post perfectly sum up the likely scenario that went on at Fender.
Labor prices have to be going down except in the USA. Companies in Indonesia and China don't pay much.
no stainless frets where's the innovation?
it's not traditional enough, can't have that
If they go the same way that they did with the Ultra, they'll probably release an Ultra Luxe II which will have the stainless steel frets.
@@simonjhudson7378The all-new Fender™ Ultra Modern Vintage American Professional Standard II™ Series
They'll "innovate" that in 2040.
Stainless steel frets were innovative 20 years ago. Not so much today.
I have a bunch of old Fender Frontline magazines from the early 2000s. I just happened to be flicking through one or two a few days ago and made a similar mental note to this. Every year they display strat after strat after strat and tele after tele after tele like they were brand new models because one had a 57 neck the year before and it has 62 neck the next year. They just swap the basic specs around on a carousel and slap a new name on the line. Obviously this is lost on no one, but it seems to be the only play most guitar companies have. Me personally, I haven't bought a new 'high end' guitar in decades. The 2nd hand market is fit to burst, but they keep upping their price every year and failing to justify why. I don't know how Gibson are convincing anyone to part with 3K for a new Les paul.
The Ultra 2 is the 2015 LP Std of Fender. One big thing that puts me off are the channels singing the praises of the new model on the same day. I hate marketing and I’ve got a degree in it 😹
I have seen NOTHING from Fender or Gibson that I would feel good about handing over my money to them in over 25+ years. I keep refretting the old ones I already have.
There isn't much genuine innovation in guitar industry nowadays. But that's not a bad thing. Don't try to fix something that is not broken.
Yes, but you can still keep the industry from getting sterile. There are probably a bunch of tiny little things that could be changed about a guitar that on their own wouldn't change much, but when all put together make a huge difference.
And, like Coke 2 / New Coke, you can go back to the original formula, and people will buy more of it than ever.
@dc9662 I too wish to drink liquid crack
Why doesn't Fender just release new designs like the Paranormal series by Squier as limited runs? That would be exciting while also keeping their core models.
Fender's biggest innovation era was in the late 80's and 90's. The American Standard, Plus and Ultra line were incredibly popular. They were just a Fender with all the popular upgrades players were doing.
Humbuckers, upgraded pickups, upgraded hardware with an objective increase in performance and great looks.
I'm afraid you can't really do much more with a Stratocaster.
I don't really care. My favorite Fender model is the Journeyman from the custom shop and the AVRI 1&2.
I'm perfectly happy with the innovation of a rosewood fingerboard and a 5 way switch.
You can do more, but it turns into something that's either a San Dimas, Dinky or Jackson Soloist.
I got a 95 standard USA it's beyond imagination !
One of the biggest problems with dinosaurs like Fender is that when they buy out better, younger, more innovative guitar makers, they send them backward and make them more like Fenders (see: devolution).
2 dudes work in fenders R&D department. One is responsible for next years colours, the other for the names. And they work part time.
play authentic ist the best marketing slogan ever😉 but new vintage colors is also very good😊
It's very basic marketing, sell the benefits not the features. A colleague of mine used to say "Sell the sizzle, not the sausage". Thanks for the video.
Now you need a spotlight in the background to always not-so-subtly light up that 100K plaque!
Why?
You’re spot on KDH. As ever dude. Keep on keeping on man ❤
As a professional copywriter and ex pro touring musician, this was interesting. Copy really is the centre of marketing.
Parker guitars were the last major innovator that I can think of.
meanwhile i’m at a point where advertisement of any kind causes the exact opposite of what the advertiser wants me to do. a reason for this could be the massive amount of commercials here on YT…..
Marketing interests me too. Back in 1987 I was a marketing manager within an operating company of a global organisation. I was BA (hons)M.Inst.M Dip.M. I graduated in social science in 1980. Hence my interest in marketing. I am particular interested in what folk like Andertons get up to etc. Anyway.
washing powders have been getting whiter since the 1950’s. And strats are seemingly getting better too …. Ffs how good can they get? Custom shop good. Fender the Henry Ford of guitars. Just as Leo intended. 😂
The real innovation would be Fender Custom Shop guitars with Squier Affinity series prices. lmao
I've been a Fender fan since I started playing in the '80s, I honestly love the way their guitars and basses play and sound. But seeing them claim to be innovative, when Strandberg exists, is beyond laughable. And all of those upgrades are nice, but that's just what they should have been ... optional upgrades to the existing models. They probably would have made more money that way, instead of cramming them all into 'new' models. Also, their ridiculously ubiquitous RUclips marketing is just annoying. Congrats on 100K subs.
Congrats on 100k man, I'm happy to be a part of this community, your videos are always great and informal
What pisses me off about guitar marketing is they'll ad an 'upgrade' that you or I could add for ten Euros, and raise the price by a few hundred (at least).
Fender Ultra?
More like Fender Needy.
Thanks for this video. You nailed it. Call me naive, but as I've seen the teaser, I immediately thought of a vintage style Evertune bridge and/or stainless steel frets and/or a 25.5-27,5 multiscale Meteora (would nicely fit this odd design, I think). Even this wouldn't have been real innovations but big leaps forward for Fender. You are absolutely right: Real innovation doesn't need the term. We sense it, as we see it.
I’ve never liked the social engineering aspect of marketing/advertising. It’s gotten worse since the advent of social media and the social engineering that it brings.
Innovation invites comparison. Excellent analysis. It's not just how we approach merchants and advertising- It's how we judge our own development as players. We innovate (learn something new) and compare to our past selves.
"10,000 songs in Your Pocket" transformed everything at the time - before it were "MP3 Players" like Diamond Rio where you could barely fit a playlist. I remember it like yesterday. You are right - talk about the real value, not BS buzzwords.
You nailed the marketing world starting with the second sentence of your introduction. Edward Bernays the pioneer of marketing, propaganda, and public relations, created a monster that has been used to manipulate the easily gullible portion of the population since the early 20th century.
Bernays was possibly the most evil man in American history.
Well done on 100k subscribers! Well deserved, your channel does a lot of things other channels don't!
A '50s car with cupholder would be innovative, indeed....
Tons of happy Fender Customers out there !
Ah yes, the company that’s been doing the same exact designs for the last 80 years. Famously innovative
2700 euro? Im trying to find a reason other than "because"
Congratulations on reaching 100K. Fully deserved. Well done. 🍻
Congrats on the 100k. That's a cool new vintage play button :D
There's a Fender marketing executive thinking "Shit! We meant evolution!"
You hit 100k!!! Woooooooo!!! 🥳🥳🥳
Great example with the iPod ad.
Yeah I was very underwhelmed by Fender’s innovation. Most of us aren’t stupid. Sure they added some part upgrades as compared to the prior model . . . but it’s not really anything new and innovative that they changed. So yeah, you’re totally right.
I think that what Fender is doing in the guitar arena is about as much innovation as you can expect from a legacy brand. They at least are using modern specs like compound radius, Luminlay side dots, locking tuners, interesting wiring configs (including the S1 switch), noiseless pickups, etc. That is FAR more than another legacy brand that begins with a G is doing. I expect Fender to extend the existing models they have to the extent they can. Gibson has tried more modern features in the past, and their Luddite fandom absolutely rejected those changes.
While I would agree that this is not the height of innovation - but their business model, which hinges on heritage and nostalgia, is not going to be producing a headless guitar with a Richlite fretboard and modern body design. That is not what they do, and it is kind of ridiculous to expect they will.
I will say this - at least Fender has embraced the world of digital modeling and other innovations in the music gear realm. That is far more than you can say about other legacy brands.
Digital modelling is doing it's thing to kill the guitar scene forever.
@@fgoindarkg LOL
Give you the hot tip, quartersawn necks have been around since the inception of stringed instruments. The old necks will also be quartersawn, like everyone elses on the market, all they have done is make note of it (take note they dont claim this "feature" is new)
The biggest thing with Fender's new releases is the color options you can get. Fender has stiff competition with the used market vs new, so they have to have some differences besides color to justify new sales. I got my wife a Deluxe Jazz Bass used a year ago. It's from 2006, 3 color burst, abalone inlays, rosewood board, active pickups, in very minty condition, for 1100$. It compares to the Ultras but the price of new is 2x... Fender probably knows this, but they have to try and market their new stuff as new/different from what you got in past to try and sell new.
5:10 Ahh the old innovation of maple (shown) to maple (not shown) fingerboards
Hey KDH! Industrial & Product designer here - When it comes to "innovation", Fender is actually using the correct term. In the product design world, a product is considered an 'Innovation" or "innovative" if theres a notable change from a predecessor product (even as simple as like, adding a 4th razor blade to a 3 blade razor...you get the idea). Now whether the marketing team should be using that term, or if it's even effective as a marketing campaign, thats a different conversation which is what I think you're touching on here. I think there could be better marketing surrounding this than what they have done. However, it's *technically* correct. I completely agree with you here though, theres not much difference with this new fender line...definitely go used market IMO.
Regarding the folding guitar, that would be considered an "invention" by definition, since it's a novel idea and bringing something new to the industry. But with the usual understanding on innovation, yeah its 100% innovative, and seems really interesting. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on it!
But yeah, buy used...no one needs to pay an up-charge for the same guitar they can get on the 2nd hand market for almost $1k less after tax lol.
Designers love dying on semantic hills to rationalize their lack of value.
@@HerbieBancock Definitely not dying on a hill here lol. Just sharing some background insight that some people might find interesting on why Fender may have positioned the marketing campaign this way!
I just looked up innovative, and the dictionary gives the following (I'm only showing the pertinent information)
(of a product, idea, etc.) featuring new methods; advanced and original.
Now the argument here is whether anything Fender has done with this "new" line can be classified as "advanced and original," or is "featuring new methods."
I guess anything can be called an advancement... but the level of advancement is certainly quite small in this case. The methods seem to be the same.
@HerbieBancock design is what sells. Nobody buys a gibson or a fender guitar or any other product for that matter for its "innovations" but because of its design. They are pleasing to the eyes and comfortable to the touch because someone devoted their time and energy to make it so. What pisses me off is 70 years have passed and they did not improve their products. In fact, now you pay 6k for a custom shop with the exact same specs of a 54 strat. It blows my mind how there are people in this world who pay that amount of money for something like that. If I source all the parts, I'd be paying like I don't know, maybe 300 to 400 bucks??? It's insane the profit margin of these companies. They have a gold mine in their hands. That's the power of design.
How Innovative is it though - if other brands have been doing the same things for 5 or 10 years already?
You folded that neck like a McDonald's French Fry.😂
fender be like "we're innovating--by doing the same exact thing we did before in the late 80's and 90's!"
As soon as I saw this release I knew we’d get this video from you.
In context, there are actually a number of new features vs ultra 1 series. These are significantly more modern featured compared to the AVRI and American Pro series
The advertising/marketing equivalent of someone screaming at a waitress "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM??!!?!?!?!?" while slowly turning purple.
Very interesting, I would add that innovation isn't the same for everyone. For the big brands slow moving clearly it means something different. You said yourself they took a while to get on board with illumi/side dots.
Nothing has changed since I worked in music/guitar stores in the 80's.
They market to the kind of people that still believe in solidbody "tonewoods"
You mean people with functioning ears and money to own many guitars? No. They market to you guys who listen to online personalities uncritically.
@@davidfaustino4476 Your faith in the tonewood is strong, son. Keep believing. Keep buying. Belieeeeeve in the tonewood. Buy.....Believe..... Buy.
@@davidfaustino4476Your faith in the tonewood is strong. Keep believing. Keep buying. Keep the faith. Buy. Belieeeeeve.
Damn, I hadn't realized they raised the price as well. Interesting move in this market.
Well the guitars had an aesthetic makeover and pickups appear to sound better than other noisless now. I’m a vintage reissue kind of guy never paid attention to elite or ultra till now. I must confess they got my attention some of its features the colors etc. Been wanting a modern s style for a while, something different enough to my CS 63 reissue. There must be guys like me and I know there are cheaper or more expensive alternatives but I think the publicity is valid. You guys are reading too much into this. Saw Dua Lipa guitarist using an ultra strat and many friends own them so I would be inclined to think that this line is still going to be successful!
Congrats on you 100k tough, like your videos 😉
The main thing I heard many people say they wanted in the Ultra series was stainless steel frets. They didn’t do it. I have an Ultra 1 version I’m quite happy with, no reason to “innovate” further.
Congrats on 100k!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Reminds me of Tywin Lannister's "A man who must say, "I am the King", is no true King."
I'm old enough to remember when Fender only made one type of Stratocaster and frankly, it was enough for most players. But I feel like Fender isn't doing enough, I'd like to see a Stratocaster on par with say, Kiesel or similar guitars. Yes, they have the Mod Shop but it's not innovative, it's just a cheaper custom shop. Oh and I subbed, someone needs to keep making this kind of content. Cheers!
It feels absolutely bizarre seeing stuff like this and being at a point in my life where I know the people who work on fender’s marketing campaigns.
I also messaged them and said this tagline made no sense like the day it dropped.
Guitarists know full innovation isn't what 99% of guitarists want. The only innovative things are say the Floyd Rose guitar (the one with the picking ramp thing), elements of Strandberg like headless and odd neck profile and some multi scale stuff. Guitars designed in the 50s are still the most popular.
My examples being ones that are still niche but became accepted. Foldaway ones like in the vid, or acoustics with speakers, or composite guitars with screens or whatever don't really do that
Ive ordered an Ultra II jazz bass V in avalanche. I agree I dont think there is ground breaking stuff here over the Ultra before it or even the Elite series before that. I just really wanted an active 5 string US Fender Jazz and I will be sure to play the thing and make sure im happy with my purchase. Cheers for your content. The marketing campaign perhaps isnt the best
I still remember Fender making a mid version of The Sterling Cutlass CT50 for 3 times the price and calling it Ultra and innovation like they weren't at least 5 years late
Congrats on 100k! 🎸🤘🏻
Just check out how innovative our classic Fender sound is.
For decades I've been told my guitar strings were "carefully balanced for a superior feel". Nope, me neither. By the way HUGE congrats for the 100k. I will absolutely admit that when I first became aware of you via the Chapman vid I feared you were another naysayer troller just dishing the dirt for the clicks. You have more than proved me wrong on many, many occasions with your balanced, fair and very well researched vids. Looking forward to congratulating you on a million in the (not so distant) future!
This is really funny considering the whole thing with the fender certified preowned shop on reverb. Making a whole new line of their most expensive guitars out of date to get their hands on them
They could've easily added stainless steel frets, an assymetric neck carve, roasted maple necks and an LSR roller nut (all stuff they do/have done on other models) and they'd be in the clear as harsh criticism
They aren't the innovation department. Like you said, their sub-brands do that. I see the Ultra's as Fender trying to add features like Jacksons' compound radius, smooth neck and additional carves in the most mild way possible because they know if they go too far they'll just end up with a Charvel. Gibson is in the same boat. If you want a modern single cut just buy an EC-1000 or a Schecter Solo-II.
I'll agree with the "innovation" tagline when Fender releases a tele with Evertune, locking tuners and Fishman OpenCore pickups 🤠
and with stainless steel frets, with a truss rod that you can adjust from an opening of a fretboard.
Merriam Webster defines innovation as either a new idea, device or method, or the introduction of something new.
To clarify one point, marketing isn't just "how you phrase it". That's a copywriters job. Marketing s a culmination of audience analysis, responses, then separately r&d, cost estimation and projection, prototype, feedback and production, then back into the Marketing cycle where we define/refine sales projections, cycles, etc. We only eventually get to the product benefits and eventually, the RTB, at the end.
I agree innovation invites comparison. But based on dictionary meanings there are improvements, upgrades and some r&d within the ultra II. It's the level of innovation you're comparing against, especially that backpack guitar. But that's not the target audience.
went to a guitar store in Tallinn/Estonia recently just to try a few guitars. Checked the US made fender professional strats (2.2k EUR) and frets were waaaay worse than a 650 EUR Hagstrom made in China
The only innovative things from Fender are probably the old Jaguars and Mustangs with the full circuitry. Maybe the Meteora collection as well.
Innovation would be perhaps what Bilt Guitars, Deimel Guitarworks and other independent brands are doing with customizable onboard electronics.
The problem is that sheeple always call out for more innovation and variety but sadly when they're actually given it, they don't recognize it or claim its too out of the box.
In fenders (not) defense, the original ultra series was also $2200. They are just on sale now.
Innovation was Fender making their own "quad-cortex" the Tonemaster Pro, otherwise they have not made any innovations in a long, long time. Their guitars and basses still aren't made with stainless steel frets (because they sell necks, duh) or spokewheel trussrod adjustment. They haven't moved from their comfort zone when it comes to the number of strings or scale on their basses and guitars, nor have attempted making a headless one. The finish and colors available for their instruments haven't had any remarkable additions. They are a very traditional brand with a wide catalog of classic instruments and any attempt to make something "bold and new" is reserved for the Squier sub-brand.
congrats on 100k bro!
Congratulations on the 100k!
one of the corners they backed themselves into is that they can't tout the luxurious feel and build quality (which a lot of the reviewers remarked on, which makes it legit appealing) because they already made the Ultra Luxe series, so by implication the Ultra is *less* than the top luxury level...
I have a squire strat that I've gigged for two years, I painted it myself in the shed during lock down, got it for Christmas 20 years ago. 2k for a strat can go swivel
I do like the specs on the Ultra II series but would still change a couple of things such as the pickups and the bridge. The soft touch Strat knobs (with a rubber ring around the middle) are a way cool and an improvement over the traditional all plastic ones. It might not qualify as innovative since brands like Ibanez have done that for a long time, but if you want a traditional looking strat with better feeling knobs, you now have it.
There is a goofy gap between the fretboard and the body on the ultra 2. There are also sharp edges on the pickup switch. Both due to the thinner pickguard.
LOL the BS of marketing after all a sucker is born every minut, well said 😂
Congratulations on the 100k subs 🎉
09:47 They did drop a period, though.
2019: "Above. Beyond. Ultra."
2024: "Above. Beyond Ultra." 😅
congrats to100 k subs! deserved!
The way you handle your presentations is very,... What's the word I'm looking for?
The Jackson virtuoso ad earlier this year has been the only one to capture my interest.
The only one in competition was ernie ball which I'm not paying 5 racks for a rig.