By What do you get when you cross an iconic guitar brand with an iconic company known for remastered LPs, audiophile turntables, cartridges and loudspeakers? Well, you get the subject of this review. Before Leo Fender became a guitar-building legend, he had a California-based shop that repaired radios, televisions and home audio equipment. Along with two partners, Fender designed and patented a turntable. In 1945, Fender sold the rights to the turntable for $5,000 in order to raise capital to start his guitar company. A legend was born, and the rest is history.
Fast-forward to a few years ago, when Fender executives had the idea to craft a turntable deck that was representative of their guitars. They partnered with MoFi because of that company’s reputation for remastering vintage LPs, and their work in quality yet affordable turntables. Soon enough, designs were being discussed. What came of this were actually two turntables. One is the numbered, limited-edition PrecisionDeck, and the other, the subject of this review, is the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable.
What Makes the MoFi X Fender Vintage Turntable Special?
- Like the legendary Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars for which Fender is known, each turntable plinth is machined at Fender’s California facility from the same alder wood used for guitars. It is then hand-sprayed with the exact same tricolor sunburst paint that made Teles and Strats the icons they are today. Sonically, the alder wood Fender uses is claimed to provide a rich, warm, tonal texture in LP playback – just as it does for guitars.
- The Fender name is printed on the front left, and the front right power button is surrounded by a replica pickguard found on their namesake guitars. Combined with the sunburst paint, the effect is designed to resemble a Fender guitar. Because my turntable was a review sample and would be returned, I did not remove the protective liner from the pickguard. Visually, it is a highly-polished piece of black plastic, shaped like a pickguard, with the MoFi logo printed in white.
- The power button also doubles as a speed control and will change the platter speed from 33.3 to 45 RPM. There are no provisions to finely calibrate the platter speed. When I first set up the turntable, I checked and the platter speed was 33.1 RPM – just slightly slow but not sonically noticeable.
- MoFi developed a gimbaled 10-inch tonearm used on this turntable and others in the MoFi lineup. It features low-friction ball bearings, which provide very smooth, nearly effortless operations in both the vertical and horizontal planes.
- The MoFi X Fender American turntable may be ordered without a cartridge, or with any of the available cartridges offered by Mobile Fidelity. Mine included the UltraGold cartridge at a retail cost of $1,495. When ordered together, the cost of the turntable and the cartridge is $3,995 retail – a $500 savings over ordering separately.
- Just under the headshell is a small set screw. When loosened, the headshell may be rotated along the arm tube axis to adjust the azimuth. Setting VTA is accomplished by loosening a set screw in the tonearm mounting base, raising or lowering the tonearm assembly and tightening the set screw. If the turntable is ordered from MoFi with a cartridge pre-mounted, both of these adjustments are done in advance at the factory. This is how my review sample arrived.
- Mounting the counterweight is very simple. The weight is placed on the tonearm shaft and pushed forward until it stops. The counterweight is then rotated to accurately zero in on the desired tracking force. My review sample had a small sticker applied to the tonearm, indicating where to adjust the counterweight at a point specified by a white line on the decal. Just to be sure, I checked, and the tracking force was 5.1 grams, well outside the recommended 1.8 to 2.2 grams. Because the counterweight rotated, as opposed to sliding back and forth, dialing in the proper tracking force was quite simple. Setting the tracking force at 2.0 grams was very simple. In all, I had this turntable set up, plugged into a power outlet, connected to my phonostage and ready to play music in maybe 15 minutes – a record for me by far.
- The platter is made from Delrin, a plastic polymer which is sonically similar to the substance used for a vinyl (specifically polyvinyl chloride) LP.
- Rotational stability is achieved by use of a hardened steel inverted bearing system. It is also claimed to provide smooth, stable and quiet operation. In the listening tests I performed, the platter and the motor were completely silent.
- The mounting feet were designed by Harmonic Resolution Systems, or HRS. They are adjustable and make leveling quick and effective.
- Also included in the retail price is an amber-colored hinged dust cover. Once again, because I would be returning this turntable, I elected to leave the dust cover wrapped up and in the protection of the shipping carton, so it would not get scratched or damaged.
Why Should You Care About the MoFi X Fender American Vintage Turntable?
If the coolness factor of the Fender-themed sunburst paint is not enough, the ease, simplicity, and overall excellent performance of this turntable should make almost any audiophile and vinyl enthusiast happy. While it is not an over-the-top blinged-out behemoth of a product, it does have a certain level of coolness. Visually, it has an appreciable vintage aristocracy. Being a conversation piece should be no problem. But audiophiles interested in sonic performance are not especially concerned about a paint job. They want the turntable to sound amazing. Which it does. Factor in the convenience of a factory-mounted and properly-calibrated tonearm and cartridge and, given the relatively affordable cost, the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable is one destined for many years of enjoyment. And let’s not forget – it comes with a dust cover.
Some Things You Might Not Like About the MoFi Fender American Vintage Turntable …
- Even with the pickguard, I feel the power button is too close to the headshell. More than once, I almost hit the stylus when reaching for the power button. If possible, I would like to see the power/platter speed button on the front left, as is currently done with the MoFi MasterDeck.
- Setting the VTA is done by loosening a set screw, raising or lowering the tonearm, and then tightening the set screw. Some sort of dial calibration would be welcome, but would almost certainly raise the overall cost.
Listening With the MoFi Fender American Vintage Turntable
I tried and could not really find much in the way of fault with this turntable. Because my phonostage, the Pass Labs XP-27 (read review here), will accept two tonearm inputs, it was exceptionally simple to A/B the MoFi turntable against my reference, the E. A. T. Fortissimo (read review here). Now, realistically, I knew in advance this was an unfair comparison. However, I did not do so to actually place one against the other to find out which would reign supreme. I wanted to see how closely the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable performed against one five times as expensive. To say I was very pleasantly surprised is an understatement.
To be fair, the highs on the MoFi X Fender were somewhat compressed. And the bass response had a slightly noticeable texture, or smearing, of the low frequencies. This was certainly minor in nature and not something about which I was really concerned. The midrange, by contrast, sounded magnificent. Guitars (preferably Fender!) were clean, clear, and had a very impressive level of dynamics. This could also be said about almost any of those instruments living in the middle section of the frequency spectrum. Imaging was also superb. While it was not completely consistent, I noticed several LPs imaged almost as well as my digital section. When comparing the cost of these two turntables, I sat in near disbelief at how well the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable actually did perform. In fact, I suspect most vinyl lovers could be very happy with this turntable.
On the remastered 180-gram 33.3 RPM version of Billy Joel’s 1974 release, Streetlife Serenade, the track “Los Angelenos” is a partly funk, partly rock, maybe even pop-infused tune. Featuring Joel on an electric piano, the presentation starts out with a simple piano chord and, at the 15-second mark, the dual power of a guitar and drums kick in concurrently. This opening sets the tone for the rest of the track and the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable had no issues whatsoever with the simple piano intro or the dynamic punch of the guitar and drum. Basically, this turntable started out with this track sounding exceptionally well, and just continued from there.
Everyone loves a transparent musical presentation. And, on Jack Johnson’s 2001 debut release, Brushfire Fairytales, the track “Middle Man” was a testament to the transparency of the MoFi X Fender Vintage American turntable. A brief bass intro gives way to a superb guitar riff – followed very closely by Johnson’s rapid-fire, almost rap-oriented vocals. All of this, the guitars, vocals and the drums, which also come in, are identifiable and clearly rendered in their own space. In fact, it might be said this track could easily qualify as a benchmark test for the vagaries of recording quality and the excellence of audio equipment. I cannot remember the last time I played this LP, and hearing it on the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable made me glad I found it in my LP rack.
Will the Fender American Vintage Turntable Hold Its Value?
With a base price, or the price minus a cartridge, of $2,995, this turntable fits nicely within the various cost levels of similar products. While not a budget sub-$1,000 product, nor a five-figure one either, the base price is one that should be attractive to most consumers. Add in MoFi’s growing reputation for quality partnered alongside performance, this turntable should hold its value exceptionally well. Anyone who purchases a MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable should reasonably expect a 50 percent or more return in the used market, as compared to full retail cost.
What is the Competition for the MoFi X Fender American Vintage Turntable?
Any discussion about iconic turntables should rightfully include the Technics Direct Drive SL-1200 series of turntables. Depending on a variety of options, they range in cost from about $2,000 up to as much as about $5,000. In 2016, Technics redesigned their iconic turntable, which has been in production for almost 50 years. They improved the direct drive motor system to include a highly advanced electronic speed control. This feature completely eliminates platter rotation irregularity – better known as cogging. Most models utilize variable pitch control, which has been a mainstay for SL model turntables for decades. This turntable has been a very popular choice for audiophile vinyl enthusiasts, because it is simple to use and is a superb performer. Very similar, in fact, to the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable.
Costing $2,999 without a cartridge is the Pro-Ject RPM 9-Carbon turntable. It has several impressive features typically found on turntables in a higher price class. For instance, the chassis uses a CNC machined MDF plate with steel pellets bound in a hard resin coating to provide a stable platform. True to its name, carbon-infused heat treatment reduces resonances and creates a mass loaded chassis. The platter is internally damped with a TPE, or thermoplastic elastomer, and is partially suspended by a ceramic main bearing. A nine-inch carbon fiber arm tube on the tonearm is also included. The DC motor has speed settings of 33.3 and 45 RPM. It includes a phono cable and a record weight. As an option, the $849 Ortofon Moving Coil Quintet Bronze cartridge may be pre-mounted at the factory or by the dealer.
Last is the current reigning champion for continuous production longevity. Of course, we are speaking of another icon, the Linn Sondek LP-12. Retail costs start at $3,245 and, depending on options and the many design improvements, tops out at $31,750. All Linn Sondek turntables use a floating sub-chassis, a feature they have employed for over 50 years of nonstop production. This design incorporates the platter and tonearm, which floats on three precision-tuned springs. There are a host of options that cover basically every aspect of their turntables. The Linn Sondek LP-12, along with the Technics SL-1200 series turntables, are very likely the best-selling units of all time.
Final Thoughts on the MoFi X Fender American Vintage Turntable …
As with the audiophile hobby in general, there are those on both ends of the spectrum. Some only want a cost-effective, budget-priced system. Others prefer a cost-no-object, best-of-the-best, high-six- and sometimes seven-figure audiophile system. For those in the middle, and anyone in the middle who loves vinyl, the MoFi X Fender American turntable covers a lot of bases. It is visually appealing and a conversation starter due to its association with a legacy guitar company. It is quite simple, especially if the factory-supplied cartridge is chosen, to set up and use. In fact, I suspect it is a turntable about as close as plug and play as is realistically feasible.
Sonically, this turntable is very clean, clear and delivers a pleasing sound. Listeners can just slip away in the luxury of the tactile sound of a stylus on a vinyl record. Does it have equal sonics to my reference, the E. A. T. Fortissimo? No, of course it doesn’t. At one-fifth the price, it shouldn’t. When, however, compared to other turntables in its price class, this turntable can easily hold its own with pretty much anything made today in the $3,000 to $4,000 price range. Anyone looking for an easy-to-set-up, highly enjoyable, visually interesting and affordable turntable should demo the MoFi X Fender American Vintage turntable. Pun intended – it hits all the notes very well.
