The Fender Modern Player Marauder needs to come back

This was the right guitar but at the wrong time.

Modern Player was a series of guitars from Fender made in China - but don't let the manufacturing country of origin fool you, because all the Modern Player guitars were truly great.

This particular Marauder model was very short-lived and only existed from 2011 to 2013. I never got the chance to play one of these things only because I could never find one back when they were new.

Two things about the MP Marauder make it very unique. It has a body made of koto wood, and the Fender Triplebucker pickup at the rear (bridge) position. The front (neck) position is a Jazzmaster pickup.

When you throw distortion at the MP Marauder, it doesn't sound that great. But for light overdrive and clean tones, that's where this guitar really sings.

Imagine a Strat with simple two-knob controls (that stay out of your way, thank you very much) that has great treble response without being "ice picky" and the addition of some midrange and bottom end for a "fuller" sound. That's the MP Marauder.

Triplebucker + Jazzmaster pickups make this possible. Everybody passed off the Triplebucker as a novelty back when this guitar was new, but they wish they had it now because this thing is a total tone monster on the clean side of things.

I think the biggest problem with this guitar was just the timing of it. When the Squier Vintage Modified series appeared with the Jazzmaster and Jaguar literally right after the MP Marauder came on the scene, it was quickly forgotten. Who would bother with the Marauder when the Jazzmaster and Jaguar were so much cooler (hence the reason I bought a Jazzmaster myself back then)?

At the time I write this in 2021, guitar players are now very well familiar with the Jazzmaster and Jaguar, as they've been around in both the Squier and Fender lineup as standard models for years...

...which is why I think it's a good time for the MP Marauder to return, be it Squier or Fender model. It would just be cool to see it again. And I think it would fare out much better since it wouldn't be competing against the Jazz or the Jag this time around.

Would I change anything about the guitar? Yes. Two things.

First, the original MP Marauder just said "Fender" on the front of the headstock and nothing else, which made it look unfinished. The next one, should it come to be, should say "Marauder" next to or under the brand logo, be it Squier or Fender.

Second, ditch the vibrato system entirely and make it a top-loader with tailpiece.

Published 2021 Apr 20