EVH SA-126 Standard
The iconic manufacturer has a packed slate of new products, updates, and surprises in store for players of all stripes—and all budgets—this year. Check out our highlights.
Fender is kicking off this year with a lengthy list of new products.
The company is unveiling a broad range of new additions and updates to their 2025 lineup just in time for NAMM, which takes place this weekend in Anaheim, California. “We constantly strive to provide forward-thinking designs and unparalleled tonal adaptability with all of the guitars and amps that we release,” says Fender’s executive vice president of product Justin Norvell in a statement announcing the news on Thursday. “As with every product we develop, we aim to balance tradition whilst also evolving to meet the requirements of musicians spanning various genres and playing preferences.”
Tammy Van Donk, executive vice president of sales at Fender, says the company looked forward to engaging “directly with our dealers in this unique setting that NAMM provides.” She adds, “Designed with precision and passion, this collection delivers unmatched sound quality and playability for today’s musicians.”
If you’re in Anaheim, you might get to see all this first-hand, but if not, we’ve got you covered. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the highlights from Fender’s cavalcade of new launches—including new American Vintage necks—plus goodies coming this year from their other brands like Jackson and EVH.
If you’re in the market for accessories, you’re in luck. In addition to the bigger-ticket items highlighted below, Fender is revealing a swath of new go-bag and gigging essentials, including the Player Capo for electric, acoustic, and classical, new cables, picks, guitar stands, harmonicas, and straps.
The Return of the Standard Series
It’s been a number of years since Fender discontinued their American Standard series, replacing it with the Player, Performer, and Professional series. This April, Fender’s bringing the Standard Series back, this time as an entry-level Fender product “to accompany players on their formative musical adventures.” Made in Indonesia and starting at $599 across the board, the series includes Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass, and Jazz Bass offerings in a range of finishes. They come loaded with new Fender Standard pickups, and all models have a modern C-shaped neck.
Limited Edition American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster
As part of their expansion of the American Vintage II series, Fender is releasing a limited edition model of their 1951 Telecaster in butterscotch blonde or prototype white, with a U-shaped maple neck, vintage tall frets, and narrow spacing on the 12th fret dots. It comes with Pure Vintage ’51 pickups, and the only Phillips-head screw on the guitar is at the truss rod nut. It comes in at $2,449.
Other models in the series, including the 1957 and 1965 Strat, the 1966 Jazzmaster, and the 1960 Precision Bass are being treated to new finishes like black, sonic blue, candy apple red, shoreline gold, and Sherwood green metallic.
Limited Edition Player II Finishes
Fender’s also zhuzhing up their Player II series with limited edition sparkle finishes for the Strat, Tele, P bass, and Jazz bass models. They’re all hitting the market in March in a sparkle three-colored sunburst.
Affordable Acoustasonics
To complement the more expensive Acoustasonic models, Fender is launching an Acoustasonic Standard Jazzmaster and Acoustasonic Standard Telecaster, both available in black, aged natural, and honey burst finishes. The Indonesia-made guitars are built with braced solid Sitka spruce tops, chambered bodies, and pickups designed in collaboration with Fishman. They hit the market in April at $599 each.
30th Anniversary Blues Junior Combo
For its 30th anniversary, Fender’s giving the iconic Blues Junior IV a limited edition run with a snazzy new look. The 15-watt amp will sell for $999.
Fender Link I/O Interface
Among the company’s brand-new offerings is their pocket-sized interface, the Link I/O Interface. According to Fender, it’s a “studio-grade audio interface” that provides bi-directional audio with USB connection, aiming to be a “one-stop solution” for interfacing with phones, tablets, Macs, or PCs. Its input stage promises to “replicate the dynamic response” of Fender amps, in 24-bit/96 kHz audio. It drops in the spring for $79.
Tone Master 2x12 Cabinets
Pitched as a perfect match for the Tone Master Pro system, the FR-212 is a 2x12 powered speaker intended for use with digital amp modelers and profiles. Its 1,000-watt power amp delivers “clear and accurate sound reproduction and perfectly replicates every detail of the amp and effect models,” says Fender. Onboard controls include a 3-band EQ and a high-frequency cut. The design is intended to give a genuine Fender backline feel.
EVH SA-126 Standard
EVH’s Wolfgang Van Halen-designed SA-126 is receiving a more affordable Standard edition this year, weighing in at $899. The hybrid semi-hollow and solidbody design is made with a maple-topped mahogany body, mahogany centerblock, and rosewood fretboard. It comes with a compound 12"-16" radius, and a 24.75" scale length, and it’s equipped with Tim Shaw-designed EVH pickups.
Jackson Surfcaster
Jackson’s short-lived Surfcaster model is back with this JS Series Surfcaster JS22 HT, which will retail for $249. Its offset body is made of poplar, with a bolt-on maple neck playing host to a 12"-16" compound radius amaranth fretboard. It should be a great choice for beginner shredders.
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- Fender Acoustasonic Telecaster Electric Guitar Review ›
EHX Slap-Back Echo Demo
Electro-Harmonix Slap-Back Echo Pedal
1978 rarity reissued with modern updates and a tiny pico footprint!
While digital audio workstations (DAWs) have revolutionized music production, offering unparalleled editing and flexibility, many producers, including me, still mix back into an analog console for the sonic character and three-dimensionality that it imparts. But buying a professional console isn’t cheap! This is where console summing boxes come into play, offering a unique way to enhance your mixes and elevate them to a professional level.
How Does It Work?
Very simply put, recording consoles have two basic sections: an input section (all the channels of mic pres, and EQ) and a center section (that sums all of the channels together and routes those signals to various configurable outputs such as inserts and aux buses). A console summing mixer is essentially the center section of a console and is designed to sum the individual audio channels, aux buses, stems, and submixes from your DAW in an analog domain.
In a DAW, digital summing—the process of combining multiple tracks and buses into a stereo mix—is handled through complex binary algorithms that, while precise, can sometimes lead to a mix that feels lifeless and one-dimensional, lacking the warmth, depth, and cohesion that analog consoles impart.
One of the most significant advantages of using a summing box is the introduction of harmonic distortion, a natural byproduct of analog circuitry. This isn’t like amp or pedal distortion, but rather a subtle harmonic saturation that adds richness and character to the sound. Low-end frequencies gain girth and definition, while high frequencies have a smooth, silky quality. You can achieve natural compression through subtle variations in phase and amplitude, but that depends on how hard you push the summing mixer box.
But the best benefit, in my opinion, is its ability to produce an undeniably open stereo image. Digital summing, while accurate, often lacks dimension or a sense of space. Analog summing introduces subtle variations in phase and amplitude, creating a sense of width and depth that makes each instrument feel like it occupies its own space in a more 3-D stereo field, which results in a more engaging and polished mix. I’ve also found summing boxes encourage a more deliberate and thoughtful approach to mixing, as it requires submixing certain elements.
API’s ASM164 ($3,195 street) is wildly flexible, offering VU meters, multiple inserts, two separate stereo mix options, and more.
For those who work “in-the-box” and aren’t in the market for a summing box, let alone a console, incorporating a summing box can also serve as a valuable learning tool. By running stems through a summing box and comparing the results to an entirely digital mix, you can train your ear to recognize the subtle qualities that make a mix feel warm, cohesive, spatial, and dynamic. This heightened awareness can then inform your in-the-box mixing decisions, even when you’re not using a summing box.
“Whether you want to add depth and dimension to your tracks, enhance your stereo image, or bring a touch of analog magic to your mixes, a summing box can be a gamechanger."
It’s important to choose the right summing box for your needs and budget, as different models offer varying sonic characteristics. Good summing mixers typically start around $2,000, such as Rupert Neve Design’s 5057 Orbit Summing Mixer. While more expensive, API’s ASM164 ($3,195 street) is wildly flexible, offering VU meters, multiple inserts, two separate stereo mix options, and more. The key here is to understand your needs.
Pairing a summing box with high-quality outboard processors, such as compressors or EQs, will allow you to shape your mix in ways that are impossible within a purely digital setup.
Whether you want to add depth and dimension to your tracks, enhance your stereo image, or bring a touch of analog magic to your mixes, a summing box can be a gamechanger. For anyone serious about mixing, it’s a tool worth considering—one that can make the difference between a mix that’s good and one that’s truly exceptional. Until next month, namaste
