Greetings everyone.
Today I thought I’d mention a design fad that, for the most part, really annoys me.
This hellish fad is the process of taking a new shiny item and making it “retro”.
You know, like the way kids buy a new skateboard and bash it on the sidewalk to make it look like they have been riding it hardcore. LOL.
The latest company to try out this design tactic are none other than guitar mega giants Fender, who have recently released their Fender Road Worn Series.
I’m not impressed!
First off let me just say that I am not a musician, my guitar playing power extends to a pretty shoddy version of Smoke on the Water….it’s bad.
However, I am an appreciator of music and I really look up to the men and women who can really make a guitar sing. What I have difficulty understanding is why Fender have chose to take their guitars and give them a fake worn aesthetic. Seriously, can you say contrived magic?
Honestly a guitar is an extension of the guitarist. It should be a companion that travels and grows with you as you progress. All the personal scuffs and dings should tell a story.
The Fender Road Worn Series is pretty much the most fake dishonourable thing anybody can do to a guitar.
I’m actually quite surprised that Fender, who is pretty much the guitar industries top guru when it comes to design, would try and palm these off to the public. You would expect them to have a tad bit more “soul”…apparently not.
This seems like a ploy to move older stock LOL.
I can hear them now, “Hey why not take these perfectly good guitars, mess them up and then try and sell them off as retro….hey that is a damn fine idea hyuk.” 
I can dig furniture that has been given a retro look, I can dig jeans that are mangled, however I really can’t condone this kind of commercially created rubbish.
Look this is a Fender, so it’s going to be high quality and probably sound fantastic. I’m not denying this one bit. Fender has always been great quality and I’m sure the Fender Road Worn Series will be a technically sound guitar as well, even if it is part of the cheaper fender series.
To the people at Fender: sorry to poke at your guitars in such a nasty way, but you really surprised me with the Fender Road Worn series.
To have a closer look at the new series cruise across to Fenders page.
Love & peace folks.
Duncs.
As you mentioned, you are not a guitarist. You do not understand why the Fender Road Worn guitars have an appeal to certain guitarists. You can not take a modern guitar and ‘wear it in’ the same way that vintage guitars have been worn-in. The reason why it is not possible to get a decent aged new guitar is because of the finish. Modern guitars are painted with a highly durable plastic finish. This new finish will not wear-down over time. The Road Worn guitars have a Nitro finish, just like the originals. A Nitro finish has a totally differnet feel to it. Some people like the new plasticy type finishes. But, some players like the fact that Nitro finishes show scratches and dings. It also has a different tone to it. Unless you play a lot you would not see the nuances of the Road Worn. If you don’t like it; don’t buy one. Other people seem to like them.