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Does it seem to anyone else that Fender has sort of overshadowed their own Alternate Reality? I mean, they’re most definitely gimmick guitars and bound to be short lived. But it seems that with the release of the Classic Vibes, Vintera, Performers, American Professional, and the Ultra series, the Alternate Reality guitars have taken a major backseat. I’ve gone so far as to ask my Sweetwater rep about the Meteora and other AR guitars that are missing from the site. He said that they don’t have plans to get anymore in.

Thoughts?

I never got the impression that the Alternate Reality stuff was supposed to be a long term line for Fender. We'll probably be chasing them in a few years.

More like a grasp at the hybrid/mash-up/boutique market. I never expected Fender to keep them around, and they only fumble I can say is not keeping them at the 1k price mark. I'm making my own Sparkle Jet-Telecaster hyrbrid, and if A) the sparkle/orange Thinline wasn't so ugly; and B) it was 1000k or so dollars, then I would of bought one.

I took the Alternate Reality line to be a MIM Parallel Universe-type model line. A bunch of oddball stuff released over 12-18 months and when they stop making them they're done. The way every few months they "introduce" the new one (this month: Tenor Telecaster) is exactly what I thought they were going to do. It's like they get to send up a flare every few months that says "We're not just Strats and Teles, y'know. We can do weird shit, too!".

PS The Surf Green is missing on the Powercaster's Fender page. They may have already run out of those.

I assumed this would be like the Pawn Shop range - license to try something different and then walk away when they aren't big sellers.

I still kinda want a sixty-six but absolutely don't need one or really have a use for one. I just feel like there will only be a few of them made and they'll be going for $1500 online in 5 or 10 years when I get around to looking for one.

vistavision wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:21 pm

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PS The Surf Green is missing on the Powercaster's Fender page. They may have already run out of those.

I can still see it. Might be region specific, I'm in the UK. Wouldn't surprise me if they've stopped making them though. I've been toying with buying one for a little while, as a present to myself for finishing my PhD... but if I wait until I'm done they might be gone. I'm still kicking myself for missing out on the Jarman Mus-uar.

I remember the Pawn Shop Super-Sonics getting blown out for $399. I thought, "nah, just don't need it."

They've been hard to find, too bad they've disappeared off the radar. But I picked up a Powercaster & Meteora. Nice guitars, except on that bridge the intonation screws sometimes slide forwards (as mentioned in another recent thread). Cool body shapes and nice unusual features.

For me they're like that indie band you really liked but no one else got to hear of, and you feel the world is worse off for it.

mbene085 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:29 pm

I still kinda want a sixty-six but absolutely don't need one or really have a use for one.

Same. Don't need another Strat, but that shape...

SAVEStheDAY wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:44 am

I never got the impression that the Alternate Reality stuff was supposed to be a long term line for Fender. We'll probably be chasing them in a few years.

This is so true! Meteora's will be selling for $3000

I would most certainly bank on these models appreciating 5-10 years down the line.

I’ve wanted a natural 66 for some time, but I always get a weird feeling about hss configuration.

I just got an Alternate Reality Electric XII after waiting 50 years for Fender to bring the XII back. I don’t know about the rest of the series, but there seems to be quite a demand for the XII. A lot more than for the Tenor Telecaster, maybe, but I’m not a tenor player so I don’t know! I called Sweetwater Sound as soon as Fender’s promo video showed up, and got in on the very last preorder slot they had! I’d ordered a white one—that was all they had available, and they called me a week later saying they’d gotten an extra sunburst one in, and did I want it? Yes, I did! Now I’m looking for a case for it, as Fender doesn’t offer one. Based on what I’ve seen on this forum, I think Fender underestimated the demand for the Electric XII, as they seem to be selling like the proverbial hotcakes. But I could have told them that!

vistavision wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:21 pm

I took the Alternate Reality line to be a MIM Parallel Universe-type model line. A bunch of oddball stuff released over 12-18 months and when they stop making them they're done. The way every few months they "introduce" the new one (this month: Tenor Telecaster) is exactly what I thought they were going to do. It's like they get to send up a flare every few months that says "We're not just Strats and Teles, y'know. We can do weird shit, too!".

PS The Surf Green is missing on the Powercaster's Fender page. They may have already run out of those.

This is correct - the series was always intended to be limited runs released at intervals over the year. I never saw a count on these but the USA-made Parallel Universe models were generally 500 units each.

So I've been looking for this tenor telecaster since October. Like checking every day on all websites.
I have cash in hand I've saved for it.....the thing never came out

robroe wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 07, 2019 11:46 am

So I've been looking for this tenor telecaster since October. Like checking every day on all websites.
I have cash in hand I've saved for it.....the thing never came out

I would try a local independent Fender dealer and ask them to call Fender to check on it. You can also call Fender's customer service. They can help unravel the mystery.

I think they were always envisioned to be short term. Doesn't matter to me because none of them appealed to me...YMMV and all that....