Okay, so Fender has been in the news a lot recently, and not for the best of reasons, but that doesn’t stop the company — and its clutch of other brands — from being iconic. From the groundbreaking Telecaster to the forward-thinking Stratocaster, and the thunderous sound of the Precision Bass, Fender has had more than a little hand in shaping modern music.
Now, if you’ve always wanted to add a Fender instrument to your collection, now is the time. At the moment, the two largest music retailers, Guitar Center and Sweetwater, are offering some of the best discounts we’ve seen in a while.
Guitar Center is calling it the Fender Days Sale, while Sweetwater is going with the FMIC Sales Event, but thankfully it’s not only the Big F’s guitars on offer. You can also score models from Fender-owned brands like Gretsch, Jackson, EVH and Charvel.
The First model I'd check out in this sale is the American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe, which is $200 off at Guitar Center. I’ve always loved the Tele Deluxe. I used a white ‘72 as my main gigging guitar for years. I must say, I’m a fan of this modern version, too.
This stunning guitar offers top-tier performance with a unique Deep "C"-shaped neck profile with rolled fingerboard edges for superb comfort and playability. The duo of V-Mod II Double Tap humbucking pickups delivers everything from hard rock grit to blues, clean country, and even metal.
Next, I have to shout out the rather striking Candy Red Burst, a Guitar Center exclusive, Player II Stratocaster.
This gorgeous guitar features a contemporary C neck profile with a smooth satin urethane finish, a familiar 9.5”-radius slab rosewood fingerboard, and 22 medium jumbo frets. The tonal heart is a set of Player Series alnico V single-coil pickups, along with an alnico II humbucker, and the spec sheet is rounded out with ClassicGear tuning machines. Save $88 at Guitar Center.
Switching over to Sweetwater, and I’ve spotted $250 off the stunning EVH SA-126. This is Wolfgang Van Halen’s fully-fledged signature model. Its silhouette recalls Eddie’s signature brew, fittingly named Wolfgang, but this is the first time its recipe has been hollowed out.
It typifies WVH's desire to step out of his father's shadow while keeping his vivacious flame burning. For me, it’s a well-built hard rock machine that delivers the warmth of a semi-hollow body without becoming a feedback nightmare when the gain is cranked. This one is well worth checking out.
Perhaps you’re after a metal monster? Well, the Jackson Dinky JS22-7 should be at the top of your list. In our review, we said, “Incredibly fast-playing instrument that works a treat for all things heavy, the JS22-7 is an awesome option whether you’re a totally new player, or you just want to try out seven strings without spending too much cash.” Right now it’s even cheaper at only $314.99.
Of course, there is a lot more on offer, like models from Gretsch and Charvel, so we invite you to visit Guitar Center and Sweetwater to explore their impressive selection and take advantage of this latest sale.
![Stevie Ray Vaughan [left] slings his guitar over his shoulder and gives us a thumbs up; [right] an action shot of Albert King playing on Midnight Special](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2o58fDyAtadeYeUPxHv54J-1280-80.jpg.webp)