Fender has many guitar & bass series; which can be confusing for the customer. In this post, I will make a clear ascending ranking of theoretical quality levels of their instruments.
Theoretical is emphasized, because each and every guitar is unique. A supposedly low-ranking guitar might turn out to be great, while a supposedly high-ranking guitar might turn out to be mediocre. Plus, you might prefer a supposedly lower-ranking guitar to a supposedly higher-ranking guitar due to subjective reasons (I like passive basses better, for instance).
So, always buy with a trusted expert to do the essential checks if you aren’t experienced to tell gems from lemons; to ensure that the price surplus really corresponds to a quality surplus.
If you are wondering about how expensive your guitar should be; check this article.
Level 10: Squier
- 11: Affinity
- 12: Standard
- 13: Classic Vibe (formerly Vintage Modified)
- 14: Contemporary
Level 20: Mexican
- 21: Player (formerly Standard)
- 22: Vintera (+ discontinued Aeordyne)
- 23: Deluxe Active
- 24: Road Worn
- 25: Artist
Level 30: Japan
Fender Japan stopped production; however, their supposed quality level was right between Mexican and USA models.
Level 40: USA
- 41: Performer (formerly American Special)
- 42: Pro II (formerly American Standard, Pro)
- 43: Ultra Luxe (formerly Ultra, Elite, Deluxe)
- 44: Original
- 45: American Artist
Level 50: Custom Shop
- 51: Team Built
- 52: Master Built
Useless infomation….
Useless opinion 😊👍
Could you define what you mean by “quality” in this context? Is it the craftsmanship and reliability, or does that include playability and sound — which are naturally more subjective. For example, the fact that a Player does NOT come with a glossy neck immediately puts it above many others ranked higher for me, even tho the Ultras have magnificent neck finishes to look at 🙂
I’m talking about the “theoretical” quality level – whatever Fender means by that. I agree that “practical” quality is highly subjective.