Fender's newest series appeals to musicians seeking the comfortable vibe of a well-loved axe that's seen a lot of hard miles, without the steep price tag of a collectible. Road Worn instruments are skillfully aged using techniques invented in the Fender Custom Shop where they've been building distressed instruments for years. But unlike those handcrafted guitars that carry a hefty price tag, the new Fender Road Worn Series instruments are offered at prices easily accessible to working musicians.

Fender Road Worn Guitars

Road Worn models are not entirely original—they sport modern updates including higher-quality pickups and taller frets for easier string-bending. The original pickups on the two Stratocasters and Telecaster have been replaced with Tex-Mex single-coils that deliver more output and a warmer tone than vintage single-coils. The Road Worn 1950s Telecaster has the rounded U-shaped neck first introduced by Leo Fender in 1950, while the Road Worn 1950s Stratocaster has a slender mid-'50s V neck. Its younger sibling, the Road Worn 1960s Stratocaster has a C-shaped neck that resides between the other two in size and feel. Each guitar as well as Road Worn basses receives its own vintage-style touches including a nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

Fender Road Worn Electric Basses

As with the Fender Road Worn guitars, the basses pair vintage looks with dependable playability of a new instrument. The Precision Bass features closer string spacing on the Road Worn 1960s Jazz Bass that creates a tapered feel. The Jazz Bass rosewood neck is narrower and thinner, producing an overall crisper tone through two standard vintage alnico magnet Jazz Bass single-coil pickups. The Road Worn 1950s Precision Bass has a one-piece maple neck, alder body with a comfortable contour, and traditional split single-coil pickup. The classic, wide P-Bass neck plays host to 20 vintage-style frets and delivers the big trademark tone known for its ability to cut through guitar stacks.

From our exclusive Hands-On Review:

The Road Worn concept is simple to grasp: a beat up guitar or bass looks worn because we love them so much, just like our favorite comfortable sweatshirt or pair of tennies. Paying big bucks for a rare collectible axe is just not in the cards for most players, so how about one that looks like it’s seen lots of love? The Road Worn instruments are given a reverse makeover at the Fender factory in Ensenada, Mexico…
Read the complete Hands-On Review »

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