Fender Villager 12-string returns
(Dave Molter | Posted 2010-07-24)
With their crazy, easily identified modified trademark headstock, Fender's 12-string guitars helped to define not only the sound but the look of music in the mid-1960s. Now Fender is bringing back that look with the reissue of the classic Villager acoustic guitar.
The new Villager 12-string dreadnought harkens back to its waves-and-rays Southern California predecessor of 1965 right down to its distinctive “hockey stick” headstock. But there are a few modern appointments too—most notably the new Villager’s scalloped X bracing and dual-action truss rod inside and the Fishman® Isys III pickup/preamp system on the upper bout.
It’s a Fender classic updated for today. And by the way, the Villager comes set up with a shiny new set of Fender Duratone coated strings, which are now standard issue for all Fender acoustic guitars.
“Full, resonant Fender tone”—that’s how the ’60s catalog described the Villager 12-string acoustic, and that's what we’ve delivered with this homage to the past. The classic Villager headstock adorns this lush-sounding beauty, complete with a solid spruce top for a full, bright tone, a dual-action truss rod, white dot inlays, a soft “C”-shaped neck and multiple body bindings.
Specs
Body Back: Laminated Mahogany
Body Sides: Laminated Mahogany
Body Top: Solid Spruce
Body Finish: Gloss Urethane Body Finish
Bracing: Scalloped X Bracing
Body Binding: Multiple Body Bindings
Neck Shape: Soft "C" Shape
Number of Frets: 20
Position Inlays: White Dot Position Inlays
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Fretboard: Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Gloss Urethane
Nut Width: 1.77" (45 mm)
Scale Length: 25.3" (643mm)
HeadStock: Vintage Fender® Villager™ Headstock Shape
Truss Rods: Dual Action Truss Rod
Special Electronics: Fishman® Isys III System
Controls: Built In Chromatic Tuner with On/Off Switch, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Bridge: Rosewood with Compensated Saddle
Bridge Pins: White Bridge Pins with Black Dots
Tuning Machines: Vintage Fender® Style with White Plastic Buttons
String Nut: Synthetic Bone
Strings: D'Addario® EXP36 Phosphor Bronze 12 String
Unique Features: Vintage Fender® Villager™ Headstock Shape, Fender Tight Dreadnought Body Shape, Dual Action Truss Rod, Traditional Fender Bridge, Factory Mounted Forward Strap Button with Internal Block Reinforcement, White Dot Inlays, Soft "C" Shaped Neck
Pickguard: 1-Ply Gold Plastic
The Fender Villager 12 carries a MSRP of $599.99. For more information, visit www.fender.com.
