New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Futuron
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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Futuron » Sun Mar 31, 2019 2:12 am


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Stephen_42
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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Stephen_42 » Sun Mar 31, 2019 3:02 am

Futuron wrote:
Sun Mar 31, 2019 2:12 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sk1z0rJQIc

Music Villa "review"
Now I'm not usually one to complain about reviews. Whisper it, I even used to enjoy the Andertons ones. But that's just ridiculous. If you're going to spend the entire time waffling, at least get the waffle right "full scale neck, 25" ...one of the biggest changes is that it's a 24.75' neck.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by timtam » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:11 am

Fender vid with designer just out ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMgN181urGw
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Futuron » Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:55 am

No mention of the bridge, I noticed. (Nor that the scale is normal Gibson length, haha)

Interesting that the body shape came about because he basically wanted to do a 'rock guitar that looks cool'. 8)

But I don't know why they think the body is a cross between Jaguar and Jazzmaster... those 2 are really not very different at all - and while the Powercaster is similar, it's more noticeably further away from them than they are different from each other.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Stephen_42 » Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:28 am

Futuron wrote:
Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:55 am
No mention of the bridge, I noticed. (Nor that the scale is normal Gibson length, haha)

Interesting that the body shape came about because he basically wanted to do a 'rock guitar that looks cool'. 8)

But I don't know why they think the body is a cross between Jaguar and Jazzmaster... those 2 are really not very different at all - and while the Powercaster is similar, it's more noticeably further away from them than they are different from each other.
It looks very much like a cross between a Jag-stang and a Jazzmaster though. Slip of the tongue maybe?

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Futuron » Sun Apr 07, 2019 2:10 am

Could be, it would make much more sense that way.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Stephen_42 » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:10 am

Actually, I suppose it is a cross between a Jazzmaster and a Jaguar. The main difference between a Jag and a JM is the scale length, and it's halfway between the two.

There's loads that makes it very different from both of them, but if you take your start point as "24.75' scale offset with slightly tweaked lower horn" then cross between Jag and JM isn't an unfair description.

If you're only considering Jags/JMs with vintage or near vintage specs, it sounds a bit odd. But if you take, say, a Modern Player Jaguar (rear route, hard tail, P90s) and a Blacktop HS Jazzmaster... It's pretty much exactly halfway between those.

Or maybe I'm reading far too much into this, and it's just misusing language like everyone does as at some point. I play korfball, which always leads to the reaction "what's korfball?" I usually describe it as a cross between basketball and netball. In reality, it has a lot more in common with netball, but it paints the right general description of "get ball through hoop" sport, and you can add the details later.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by rhythmjones » Sun Apr 07, 2019 11:10 am

I played one this week and liked it a lot more than I thought I was going to. Fender has really upped their humbucker game.
- Mitch

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by zeero9 » Sun Apr 07, 2019 3:19 pm

Stephen_42 wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:10 am
Actually, I suppose it is a cross between a Jazzmaster and a Jaguar. The main difference between a Jag and a JM is the scale length, and it's halfway between the two.
It’s just adopting the usual Gibson scale length, you’re indeed working backwards from there.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Futuron » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:53 pm

I think I would describe it as a (Fender made) 'Gibson' that looks like a Jag.



Obviously the Fender marketing department is not going to use that language, but that's basically what it is.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by Futuron » Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:42 pm

Now on Stratosphere... although unless it's a conversion neck why would you be neck swapping this?

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by LVC » Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:03 am

I'm quite ambivalent about it. I like the horns and the forearm contour, and the sheer fact that Fender is trying something new. But that lower bout looks rather abrupt and somewhat off. Just like the Jarman, I'm not sure whether I like it or not.
Create art, not content

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by tdbajus » Tue Apr 30, 2019 5:24 am

Has anyone figured out if this neck will fit on a jaguar or a jazzmaster?

I have been dreaming of a gibson scale Jaguar for a long time now....

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Apr 30, 2019 5:40 am

Strummed one of these unplugged the other day. Really nice playing guitar. Nice that they’re doing a roasted maple neck on a relatively affordable guitar.

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Re: New alternate reality - Powercaster (HB and P90)

Post by sirspens » Tue Apr 30, 2019 12:10 pm

Stephen_42 wrote:
Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:10 am
Actually, I suppose it is a cross between a Jazzmaster and a Jaguar. The main difference between a Jag and a JM is the scale length, and it's halfway between the two.
The guitar is literally the top half JM/Jag, bottom half the original Marauder. It's not even complicated.

Powercaster:
Image

Marauder:
Image

Bottoms are almost identical. The top part is obviously a JM/Jag horn.

I mean, I like the design. But what it is a "mix" of isn't complicated.

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