The World's Best-Selling Guitar Series Just
Got Better: Player II Boasts Premium Specs and Never-Released
Vintage Car-Inspired Colorways
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Fender Musical Instruments
Corporation (FMIC) today announces the arrival of
the Player II Series – an update to Fender's
long-standing best-selling electric series, the Player Series -
designed for musicians ready to take the next step in their
creative journey.
Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release
here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9221551-fender-releases-the-player-ii-series/
Since its inception in 2018, the Player Series has shown nearly
30% consecutive year-over-year growth globally and holds rank as
Fender's best-selling range of electric guitars of all time due to
its accessible features that both capture the imagination of new
players and satisfy the demands of more experienced guitarists
alike. Available now, the Player II Series takes the best of its
predecessor's features and improves them with upgraded specs like
rosewood fingerboards, modern "C" necks with rolled edges, and new
vintage colors from the vaults exemplifying the innovation,
culture, community, and lifestyle synonymous with
Fender® Electrics.
At a time when data1 shows the global music
industry is booming, with revenue at its highest since 1999 - the
Player II series continues to inspire the next generation of
musicians, ushering in a new kind of guitar player that takes
creativity to a new level. The just-released lineup of models up
the ante on the previous range with numerous innovative details and
specs, new options for chambered ash and chambered mahogany bodies
and never-released vintage colorways - Coral Red, Aquatone Blue, Hialeah Yellow and
Birch Green - '50s and '60s vintage car colors pulled from the
archives.
The 2024 campaign for the Player II Series, "The All New Player
II" marks one of Fender's most
significant debuts yet. It begins with an electrifying hero film
blending four distinctive renditions of The Kinks' timeless hit,
"All Day & All of the Night," set in unique environments. For
the film, All Day and All of the Night: The All New Player II
Series | Fender®, Fender has partnered with acclaimed
artists Julien Baker,
singer-songwriter from Memphis and
1/3 of boygenius, DIIV, influential indie rock band, content
creator and touring bassist (Fever 333) April Kae and alternative rock
trio Wallows. The campaign includes four product marketing
vignettes with the same artists and environments, skillfully
highlighting key features of the Player II Series.
In addition to the hero film and ten product demo
videos, Exploring the Player II
Series, the multi-pronged campaign debuts
various content pieces:
- Player II Sessions, featuring performances
and interviews with the four campaign artists, Julien Baker, DIIV, Wallows and April Kae, each showcasing an original
performance. Watch the first Fender Session,
featuring interview and performance by Wallows: Wallows
Sessions | The Player II Series | Fender
- New Fender series featuring Fender Next artists
- Militarie Gun (Los
Angeles), Joy Oladokun
(Nashville), English Teacher
(Leeds), Vacations (Australia), and additional content
with artists based in Japan and
China. Each docu-style episode
will capture a "day in the life" of being a Player with the artists
as they prepare for a show.
- The Modern Creator, campaign series features
stories through the eyes of four content
creators, Monica
Valli, Mary
Spender, Gabriel
Takei and Dovydas, as
they share their unique musical journeys.
- Player I vs. Player II Side By Sides, engaging
select channels, such as Andy
Ferris, for side-by-side comparisons highlighting the
improvements from Player to Player II guitars and bases.
"The Player II Series represents our continued evolution in
design and functionality," said Justin
Norvell, EVP of Product, FMIC. "We listened to the feedback
from musicians around the world and incorporated their insights to
refine and innovate our instruments. The re-introduction of
rosewood fingerboards is a restoration of the 'original Fender
recipe' and will no doubt be a fan favorite - but we didn't want to
stop there. We've also incorporated our rolled fingerboard edges
for a broken-in feel, upgraded hardware, and have some new body
options as well- which underscores our commitment to providing
players and creators with the tools they need to express their
unique sound and style. The Player II Series is not just an
upgrade, it's a detailed re-imagining of our core silhouettes,
highlighting our dedication to quality and the continuous
refinement of our instruments."
Additionally, Player II offers new options for chambered ash and
chambered mahogany bodies for the Player II Stratocaster and
Telecaster models, which will be available in October. Designed for
musicians ready to elevate their craft, the Player II Series sets a
new standard for quality and performance in the mid-price range.
Series includes:
- Player II Stratocaster®
- Player II HSS Stratocaster®
- Player II Telecaster®
- Player II Jazzmaster®
- Player II Jaguar®
- Player II Mustang®
- Player II LH Stratocaster®
- Player II HH Telecaster®
- Player II LH Telecaster®
- Player II Precision Bass®
- Player II Jazz Bass®
- Player II Mustang Bass®
"Music is about a multisensory experience and the P-Bass
provides that. It feels great to wear, it sounds great and it looks
incredible. It's classic but always feels current. It always feels
relevant and that's not something that can be said about any
product let alone a guitar." April
Kae.
"This guitar feels like a magic guitar that fell into my hands
and it's perfect. I feel like I'm constantly chasing that one
guitar and this is just perfect." Zachary Cole Smith, DIIV
"The Player II Series Stratocaster feels like a great guitar and
I was impressed by how it played very easy and simple. The tones
are great. I think people are going to enjoy
it." Braeden Lemasters,
Wallows
High-resolution artist, lifestyle, and product images can be
found HERE.
For technical specs, additional information on new Fender
products and to find a retail partner near you,
visit www.fender.com. Join the
conversation on social media by following @Fender.
1 Billboard states the music
industry's total revenue in 2024 is $28.6
billion, which is the highest it's been since 1999, not
accounting for inflation.
PLAYER II SERIES MODELS:
Player II Stratocaster® ($799.99 - $899.99
USD, £739.00 - £809.00 GBP, €869.00 - €949.00 EUR,
$1,299.00 - $1,449.00 AUD, ¥104,500 - ¥121,000
JPY) The Player II Stratocaster® radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets.
Choose from alder, chambered ash or chambered mahogany bodies
available in both classic Fender finishes and never-before-seen
colors unearthed from the archives. Player Series Alnico V
Single-Coil Strat® pickups offer crystalline highs,
musical mids and tight lows that elevate any genre. The 5-way blade
switch lets you dial in everything from glassy neck pickup cleans
to rowdy bridge pickup snarl and all points in between, while a
2-point tremolo and ClassicGear™ tuners ensure precise tuning
stability for the flexibility to explore endless sonic
possibilities. Available in LH model. Offered in Chambered Ash and
Chambered Mahogany bodies.
Player II HSS Stratocaster® ($829.99 - $929.99
USD, £759.00 - £829.00 GBP, €889.00 - €969.00 EUR,
$1,349.00 - $1,499.00 AUD, ¥108,900 -126,500 JPY ) The Player II
Stratocaster® HSS radiates timeless Fender charm,
but under the hood, it's primed for today's players. Everything
about the neck is designed for fast and fluid playability, from the
Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane finish on the back to
the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple fingerboard with
smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets. Choose from alder,
chambered ash or chambered mahogany bodies available in both
classic Fender finishes and never-before-seen colors unearthed from
the archives. Player Series Alnico V Single-Coil
Strat® pickups and a Player Series Alnico II
humbucker offer crystalline highs, musical mids and tight lows that
elevate any genre. The 5-way blade switch lets you dial in
everything from glassy neck pickup chime to rowdy bridge pickup
roar and all points in between, while a 2-point tremolo and
ClassicGear™ tuners ensure precise tuning stability for the
flexibility to explore endless sonic possibilities.
Player II Telecaster® ($799.99 - $899.99
USD, £739.00 - £809.00 GBP, €869.00 - €949.00 EUR,
$1,299.00 - $1,449.00 AUD, ¥104,500 - ¥121,000
JPY) The Player II Telecaster® radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets.
Choose from alder, chambered ash or chambered mahogany bodies
available in both classic Fender finishes and never-before-seen
colors unearthed from the archives. Player Series Alnico V
Single-Coil Tele® pickups offer crystalline highs,
musical mids and tight lows that elevate any genre. The 3-way blade
switch lets you dial in everything from smooth neck pickup chime to
cutting bridge pickup twang and all points in between, while a
6-saddle bridge, block steel saddles and ClassicGear™ tuners ensure
precise tuning stability for the flexibility to explore endless
sonic possibilities. Available in LH model. Offered in Chambered
Ash and Chambered Mahogany bodies.
Player II HH Telecaster® ($829.99 USD, £769.00 GBP, €899.00 EUR,
$1,349.00 AUD, ¥108,900
JPY) The Player II Telecaster® HH radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets. A
classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender finishes
and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives. Player
Series Alnico II humbuckers offer articulate highs, muscular mids
and chunky lows that elevate any genre. The 3-way blade switch lets
you dial in everything from creamy neck pickup warmth to rowdy
bridge pickup roar and all points in between, while a 6-saddle
bridge, bent steel saddles and ClassicGear™ tuners ensure precise
tuning stability for the flexibility to explore endless sonic
possibilities.
Player II Jaguar® ($829.99 USD, £759.00 GBP, €889.00 EUR,
$1,349.00 AUD, ¥108,900
JPY) The Player II Jaguar® radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets. A
classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender finishes
and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives. Player
Series Alnico V (Bridge) and Alnico II (Neck) Single-Coil
Jaguar® pickups offer crystalline highs, musical
mids and tight lows that elevate any genre. The 3-way blade switch
lets you easily dial in everything from glassy neck pickup chime to
cutting bridge pickup bite and all points in between, while a
6-saddle Jaguar bridge with Floating Tremolo, upgraded
Mustang® saddles and ClassicGear™ tuners ensure
precise tuning stability for the flexibility to explore endless
sonic possibilities.
Player II Jazzmaster® ($829.99 USD, £759.00 GBP, €889.00 EUR,
$1,349.00 AUD, ¥108,900
JPY) The Player II Jazzmaster® radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets. A
classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender finishes
and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives. Player
Series Alnico V Single-Coil Jazzmaster pickups offer crystalline
highs, musical mids and tight lows that elevate any genre. The
3-way toggle switch lets you easily dial in everything from glassy
neck pickup chime to cutting bridge pickup bite and all points in
between, while a 6-saddle Jazzmaster bridge with Floating Tremolo,
upgraded Mustang® saddles and ClassicGear™ tuners
ensure precise tuning stability for the flexibility to explore
endless sonic possibilities.
Player II Mustang® ($799.99 USD, £619.00 GBP, €729.00 EUR,
$1,299.00 AUD, ¥104,500
JPY) The Player II Mustang® radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 22 medium jumbo frets. A
classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender finishes
and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives. Player
Series Alnico V Single-Coil Mustang® pickups offer
crystalline highs, musical mids and tight lows that elevate any
genre. The 3-way toggle switch lets you easily dial in everything
from glassy neck pickup chime to cutting bridge pickup snarl and
all points in between, while a 6-saddle hardtail bridge, bent steel
saddles and ClassicGear™ tuners ensure precise tuning stability for
the flexibility to explore endless sonic possibilities.
Player II Precision Bass® ($799.99 USD, £839.00 GBP, €979.00 EUR,
$1,299.00 AUD, ¥104,500
JPY) The Player II Precision
Bass® radiates timeless Fender charm, but under the
hood, it's primed for today's players. Everything about the neck is
designed for fast and fluid playability, from the Modern
"C"-profile with silky satin urethane finish on the back to the
comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple fingerboard with smooth
rolled edges and 20 medium jumbo frets. A classic alder body is
available in both timeless Fender finishes and never-before-seen
colors unearthed from the archives. Player Series Alnico V
Split-Coil P Bass® pickups offer sweet highs,
musical mids and seismic lows that elevate any genre. An adjustable
4-saddle bridge, single-groove steel saddles and open-gear tuners
ensure precise tuning stability for the flexibility to explore
endless sonic possibilities.
Player II Jazz Bass® ($799.99 USD, £839.00 GBP, €979.00 EUR,
$1,299.00 AUD, ¥104,500
JPY) The Player II Jazz Bass® radiates
timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for today's
players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and fluid
playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin urethane
finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood or maple
fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 20 medium jumbo frets. A
classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender finishes
and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives. Player
Series Alnico V Single-Coil J Bass® pickups offer
sweet highs, growling mids and seismic lows that elevate any genre.
An adjustable 4-saddle bridge, single-groove steel saddles and
open-gear tuners ensure precise tuning stability for the
flexibility to explore endless sonic possibilities.
Player II Mustang® Bass ($799.99 USD, £679.00 GBP, €799.00 EUR,
$1,299.00 AUD, ¥104,500
JPY) The Player II Mustang® Bass PJ
radiates timeless Fender charm, but under the hood, it's primed for
today's players. Everything about the neck is designed for fast and
fluid playability, from the Modern "C"-profile with silky satin
urethane finish on the back to the comfy 9.5"-radius slab rosewood
or maple fingerboard with smooth rolled edges and 20 medium jumbo
frets. A classic alder body is available in both timeless Fender
finishes and never-before-seen colors unearthed from the archives.
Player Series Alnico V Split-Coil P Bass® and
Single-Coil J Bass® pickups offer sweet highs,
growling mids and seismic lows that elevate any genre. The 3-way
toggle switch lets you easily dial in everything this versatile
pickup set has to offer, while an adjustable 4-saddle bridge,
single-groove steel saddles and open-gear tuners ensure precise
tuning stability for the flexibility to explore endless sonic
possibilities.
ABOUT FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION:
Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of
the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and
distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC)–whose
portfolio of owned and licensed brands includes Fender®,
Squier®, Gretsch® guitars,
Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel®,
Bigsby® and PreSonus® – follows a
player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments
and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender's digital
arm has introduced a new ecosystem of products and interactive
experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical
journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms
designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals,
accessories and pro-audio gear, and inspire players through an
immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the
power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to
history-making legends. In 2021, Fender celebrated 75 years of
giving artists "wings to fly," carrying on the vision of its
founder, Leo Fender, and connecting
players through a shared love of music.
Fender (standard and stylized), Stratocaster, Strat,
Telecaster, Tele, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, Mustang, Precision Bass, P
Bass, Jazz Bass, J Bass are
trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and/or its
affiliates, registered in the U.S. and other countries. ClassicGear
is a trademark of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation and/or its
affiliates.
All other product and company names may be trademarks of
their respective owners and may be used herein under license. Use
of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by or of
the respective owners.
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SOURCE Fender Musical Instruments Corp.