Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

astrozombie

astrozombie

KatyPerryologist
I'm sick of people in Puerto Rico acting like their cbs era fender is hot **** when it's the worst time for the company in terms of guitars. I've had 2 CBS fenders and while they were better than say, your budget Peavey (no offense) they certainly aren't better than Fender guitars you can go and buy today right now. Look at this gem:

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I mean really look at it. Would it grab your eye at a store? Would you pay $2000 for this?

I sure as hell wouldn't.

If you have a CBS era fender, post some photos and let us know if you're satisfied with it or not.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

just fyi, lots of famous guitarists played CBS fenders.

including Hendrix and Ritchie Blackmore.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I give almost anything to own WahWah's 68 or whatever it is.....and I'm left handed too!!

But like everything there are dogs and gems. My 2 Norlin lp's put any and all Henry J era lp's I've tried to shame, and that era was also supposed to be Gibson's darkest.

That guitar you posted looks really cool.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

Well, as mentioned, Geoff 'Wah Wah's' '68 Strat garners much salivation from the forum fraternity. The man himself wouldn't have been using it as his main guitar for so long if it sucked.

Yeah, people seem to forget about Hendrix and Blackmore; they certainly would've had access to pre-CBS Strats. Hendrix's first Strat was a pre-CBS white with rosewood board (a '64, I think (?)) which he got when he came to the UK, but after that one it was pretty much CBS ones for him.

Bottom line, if it plays/sounds good, it is good, regardless of the cork-sniffery associated with a particular era of instrument production. Of course, price is another thing, but if people are willing to pay, then to them it's worth it.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

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Its a good Strat. Light, tight neck pocket. It had its share of issues when it got in my hands - frets were dinged up (not worn - dinged) and the truss rod nut was fused to the rod. Tuners were also crap.

Its got some Stainless jumbos and the truss rod fixed. Hipshot locking tuners on it now.

My bigger issues were with Strats from the 1980s.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

From what ive seen the issue isnt so much just CBS era fenders as it is late 70's fenders. But then again that was a low point in guitar making (and many other things)
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I have an 1982. It's a pretty awesome guitar.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

Yes, you guys are right, it's late 70s. I had a mustang that was decent but playability was ****.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I have a 75 and a 76. They have the best feeling necks of any Strats in my collection. They are HEAVY though. My uncles early 70's Tele? Magic.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I own a 66. Best Strat I've ever owned or played, and I've had experience with a handful over the years.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

The CBS era being junk is overblown and overplayed.

It's more like a cult and an out of control meme that has been renewed time and time again into perpetuity.

Now we have a 23 year old who has adopted the meme and will perpetuate it like a good anti-CBS era cultist.

Even Fenders student models of the CBS era were bad ass. Musicmasters, Duosonics and Mustangs were fantastic guitars (Mustangs did have that god awful tremolo design and the Bronco was a rough ride for sure, so it wasn't allgood but it was still very good!)

Significant hay has been made out of Fender's design changes that implemented cost cutting maneuvers amid a new hyper corporate atmosphere. In actuality, the changes were minimal, poor designs were discontinued and quality control was decent.

Lots of magic was made between 1965 and 1985. Don't buy the hype... the CBS era was plenty good.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

Quality often does not have a whole lot to do with monetary value, unfortunately. The prices of CBS Fenders and Norlin Gibsons are completely stupid to me. The crumminess of CBS Fenders and Norlin Gibsons is what caused the older ones to go up in value in the first place, and what started all the overblown nonsense about the older ("vintage") ones being so amazing (which some are and some aren't).

I say leave all that "vintage" nonsense to the folks who have money, and be glad that you can get a better quality guitar than Fender has ever made, brand new (i.e. in perfect condition), for a far greater value than ever before (accounting for inflation). Fender's quality:dollar ratio is better than ever these days. With the bang for the buck you can get now, IMO there is no good reason for someone to buy "vintage," unless it is because that person is mainly a collector, not a musician.
 
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Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I still have my 1978/9 factory fretless Precision Bass. I am very fond of it but it is not as well assembled as any Fender AVRI model that I have ever tried.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

As an owner of a 1975 Strat, I can tell you to buy yourself a nice American Vintage reissue over a '70's Strat any day.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I have a '74 Telecaster. It plays well and sounds good, but the neck to body fit isn't the best.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I played two CBS era strats. First a heavy-as-brick, natural finish, maple board 1979, sounded pretty good, chimey, bright, quacky, typical 70s funk/rnb guitar sound.
The second is an alder 1974, rosewood board, flat polepieces. There's something really special with the pickups. Look up GFS's description on their Grey Bottom pickups. A LOT of output/volume, very clear sounding. Never muddy, doesn't have that overwound mid thingy, but very powerful.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

The neck pocket on my 78 mustang was horrible, I found myself having to shim the neck to get the action working *better*. angles were all off.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

I tried a really weird 80s strat today, had only 1 volume and 1 tone and a trem with no springs in the back.
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

Dr.J4ckal said:
There's something really special with the pickups. Look up GFS's description on their Grey Bottom pickups. A LOT of output/volume, very clear sounding. Never muddy, doesn't have that overwound mid thingy, but very powerful.
Click to expand...

Back when I had $ to buy "real" guitars, I was seriously considering getting a 1970 strat (my birth year, stupid reason I know) Overall they seemed fine compared to the import guitars I was used to. I had (still have, actually) a mid 90's MIM that I put a set of GFS 70's Greybottom pups into, and once I put those pups (and decent pots/switch) into, it did 99% of what the "real" Fender did, for about 1/6th the price. Seriously, those are some good pickups and I'd recommend those in any Strat-type. Even if you aren't specifically going for the 70's sound/vibe. Just get yourself a Classic Vibe and drop some Grey bottoms into it, and you'll have just about perfect strat. LIghter, better built, cheaper, what's not to like?
 
Re: Do you own a CBS-era Fender? (guitar or bass)

astrozombie said:
I tried a really weird 80s strat today, had only 1 volume and 1 tone and a trem with no springs in the back.
Click to expand...


http://www.stratconnection.com/tremolosystem1bridges.htm



System I
Quote from the manual for the System I: " The System I features a fine tuning floating bridge with two knife edge pivots, height adjustable pivot posts, roller saddles, and a snap-in torque adjustable arm. It also comes supplied with a three section screw actuated locking nut." The only instructions I have for this unit are included in full Contemporary Model manual which can be downloaded.






System II Quote from the manual for the System II:"This is a fine tremolo system designed for those who desire the improved stability of a string locking system but want the 'vintage' feel of a more compact unit. While the bridge does not have the locking feature found on the System III, and does not have the adjusting tools in the arm, the arm does snap in and out of the receiver, and is torque adjustable for arm swing. The arm swing is best adjusted by utilizing the bridge balancing rod system. This eliminates the cover plate on the back of the guitar, and makes it extremely easy to adjust the spring to string tension. Access to the system is the 2.5 mm hex head screw located underneath the strap button on the bottom side of the instrument."








System III Quote from the manual for the System I I: "The System III is a finely engineered, high performance piece of equipment - its unique 'tool free' design provides the finest in trouble free
tremolo performance. One of its unique components is its tremolo arm - more than its normal function, it snaps in and out of its receiver, is torque adjustable for arm swing, contains the tools necessary for set-up and adjustment and is utilized in the bridge locking feature of the tremolo..... It is designed so that it can be used as a fixed bridge (non-tremolo) as well as tremolo. In order for this feature to work you must insert the arm properly. The short end of the arm has a hex wrench inserted in its end......"
 
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