No, this ain’t an April Fools joke. Fender has just announced a new line of guitars called the “Pawn Shop” line of guitars under the tag of: “Guitars that never were but should have been…” What a cool concept, and the coolest concept I’ve heard from the Fullerton company in a long long time. Essentially, these are “official” parts casters, borrowing from a base model but putting new twists on them. I won’t bore you with details because they’ve just released a new site dedicated to the three new Pawn Shop guitars. Here it is:
http://www.fender.com/products/pawnshop/index.php
The one I like is the “Pawn Shop Fender ’72.” This has a semi-hollow Strat body, a Tele neck with rosewood fretboard, and two humbuckers. YOWZA!!! I totally love the concept! In any case, check it out.
Guitar Gear 
So, I almost always totally agree with you at least in part and I guess this is no different but the part is much smaller this time. This is a Very cool Concept. Fender has again blown it with what appear to me to be pawn shop rejects that resemble poor copies of pawn shop ideas which make me think more of stella and harmony than fender.
The Jagstang, I would call a great concept pawn shop idea. Produced from two actual fenders. Take it from there.
Put a strat neck on a thinline tele body or make a copy of an old fender acoustic with a humbucker someone added for Jazz tones.
A Strat body with a short scale routed for a humbucker in the bridge and a floyd rose.
Lost of Ideas of actual pawn shop gutars that I’ve seen over the years and thought at the time what a waste of a classic guitar.
I was telling someone earlier today how fender used to be in the 90’s. They finally got it together and made their guitars standard and easy to follow and realize. Then they went nuts with 10,000 new editions that were hard to keep up with .
The california series, Road worn, highway One, deluxe, standard, american deluxe american standard, special runs, limited editions, lone star, big apple, relic’d, etc…
no real info on what you get for the money you spend.
where was it made, what materials, how thick, what actual pickups does it have.
a little less sanarl and more bite than your dad’s stratocaster… Fender stop baffling me with Bullshit
Does anyone remember Squier ’51?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squier_%2751
Also Squier had huge line of vintage-modified which are pretty close to some of those models.
Can’t get away from the impression that Fender is feeling the pulse of the market with Squier models and if that goes well than plays it safe with “Fender-original” brand.
Not to great in my book.