fender custom shop
- Thread starter Ez74
- Start date
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: fender custom shop
After doing way too much research on guitars, I don't think I'd ever go with a Fender custom shop guitar. G&Ls do it just as good, if not better and they're much cheaper.
After doing way too much research on guitars, I don't think I'd ever go with a Fender custom shop guitar. G&Ls do it just as good, if not better and they're much cheaper.
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: fender custom shop
Like every company that has a low line and a high line, you get what you pay for with Fenders. It is kind of hard to justify their astronomical prices for essentially a bolt on guitar that was mostly assembly line manufactured. But, they do outperform cheaper Fenders and hold their value. The good news is that a lot of guys that bought some of the best Custom Shops from the 90's are now dumping them on Ebay, just to make way for new toys. Then, when you buy them, they've already been broken in, and their value never changes. You can always get your money back out of a used Custom Shop. You most likely won't sell it, though.
Like every company that has a low line and a high line, you get what you pay for with Fenders. It is kind of hard to justify their astronomical prices for essentially a bolt on guitar that was mostly assembly line manufactured. But, they do outperform cheaper Fenders and hold their value. The good news is that a lot of guys that bought some of the best Custom Shops from the 90's are now dumping them on Ebay, just to make way for new toys. Then, when you buy them, they've already been broken in, and their value never changes. You can always get your money back out of a used Custom Shop. You most likely won't sell it, though.
beandip
Frito's Better Half
Re: fender custom shop
Watch out though, like one in five or something like that have huge neck pockets. I think that in order to get good vibrations to transfer from body to neck, you have to have an extremely tight neck pocket, and some dont. There's a huge thread about it on the FDP if you wanna check it out, I'll see if I cant find it for ya and post it on here.
Watch out though, like one in five or something like that have huge neck pockets. I think that in order to get good vibrations to transfer from body to neck, you have to have an extremely tight neck pocket, and some dont. There's a huge thread about it on the FDP if you wanna check it out, I'll see if I cant find it for ya and post it on here.
beandip
Frito's Better Half
Re: fender custom shop
here's one :http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=419335&lastpost=2004-06-2423:37:25
here's two : http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=411687
that should fill ya in a little bit. Best of luck to ya in your search for "the one"
here's one :http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=419335&lastpost=2004-06-2423:37:25
here's two : http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=411687
that should fill ya in a little bit. Best of luck to ya in your search for "the one"
Metalman_666
Well-known member
Re: fender custom shop
I would trust that anything from a Custom Shop of any company would be of the best quality they produce, but that's just me. A buddy of mine has a custom Jackson that plays better than the USA series, but one custom Gibson I played didn't quite match up with a Les Paul Supreme.
I would trust that anything from a Custom Shop of any company would be of the best quality they produce, but that's just me. A buddy of mine has a custom Jackson that plays better than the USA series, but one custom Gibson I played didn't quite match up with a Les Paul Supreme.
54stratlover
New member
Re: fender custom shop
I have to agree. if you have a chance to get an older custom shop at a great deal do it. As for the new ones, I have word from a high end fender dealer, that there has been some problems with quality control as of late. He had to send one of the new custom shop 50th anniversary '54 reissues back. The neck was satin finished, rather than nitro, the checking looked like they tactically hit the guitar while it was frozen to get it to crack. overall he was disapointed with the guitar seeing as he was to sell the guitar for around 5,500. he said he thought the relics that he has seen through his store were better examples of vintage guitars. He also mentioned that a few of the custom shop bodies have had finish problems. Poor buffing, and one had a little "orange peel". he had a long talk with the Custom shop manager. Personally, I say play every guitar you are gonna buy. Proof is in the pudding.
Gearjoneser said:
I have to agree. if you have a chance to get an older custom shop at a great deal do it. As for the new ones, I have word from a high end fender dealer, that there has been some problems with quality control as of late. He had to send one of the new custom shop 50th anniversary '54 reissues back. The neck was satin finished, rather than nitro, the checking looked like they tactically hit the guitar while it was frozen to get it to crack. overall he was disapointed with the guitar seeing as he was to sell the guitar for around 5,500. he said he thought the relics that he has seen through his store were better examples of vintage guitars. He also mentioned that a few of the custom shop bodies have had finish problems. Poor buffing, and one had a little "orange peel". he had a long talk with the Custom shop manager. Personally, I say play every guitar you are gonna buy. Proof is in the pudding.
Jonny R
Volcano Fireologist
Re: fender custom shop
I'm really amazed at the quality of guitar I got buying a used G&L Legacy too...
I think in the Custom Shop price range there is a heck of a lot of great competition. Perhaps the one area of true strength the Custom Shop does retain is resale value...
But then again, a good model from someone like Tom Anderson, John Suhr, or Don Grosh may retain there value similarly in future...
I'm really amazed at the quality of guitar I got buying a used G&L Legacy too...
I think in the Custom Shop price range there is a heck of a lot of great competition. Perhaps the one area of true strength the Custom Shop does retain is resale value...
But then again, a good model from someone like Tom Anderson, John Suhr, or Don Grosh may retain there value similarly in future...
Hot _Grits
Buttery Toneologist
Re: fender custom shop
I've played probably about 20 custom shop fenders, and overall the quality has been superb. I prefer the relics, as they seem to have a bit more tone to them.
However, I've owned MIA reissues that were equivalent quality to custom shop, and I've played recent american stds that were as good as their custom shop counterpart, the custom classic strat.
Where the custom shop comes into it's own is in the custom order and special run guitars. One of the best guitars I've ever played period was a custom shop precursor to the tele-sonic. Basically the same guitar but with two p90s and a reverse tele control layout. Killer isn't the word to describe that guitar.
I've played probably about 20 custom shop fenders, and overall the quality has been superb. I prefer the relics, as they seem to have a bit more tone to them.
However, I've owned MIA reissues that were equivalent quality to custom shop, and I've played recent american stds that were as good as their custom shop counterpart, the custom classic strat.
Where the custom shop comes into it's own is in the custom order and special run guitars. One of the best guitars I've ever played period was a custom shop precursor to the tele-sonic. Basically the same guitar but with two p90s and a reverse tele control layout. Killer isn't the word to describe that guitar.
Re: fender custom shop
I have owned some. Mostly strats. It's hit and miss. I agree the quality is not like it was in the 90's. I even custom ordered one last year. It was a strat with new (then) Duncan C5, well it was supposed to be. I even talked to the Fender rep directly on the phone at the dealer and verified everypart of my dream guitar..........
It came with a Duncan '59 in it! and frets that were beveled in so much that my high E string fell off the board! Oh and the tone sucked.
But I played a friend's relic tele, and I was in love. I hated teles, I still hate teles, but not this one. I finally got him to sell me it. It's the ****. It has early VH tone built into it on the bridge!!! and SRV in the neck pickup. It's huge sounding and has such a woody, full chunk tone. You'd think it was a Les Paul but with clarity.
I can't tell you how many times, people have come up to me and asked about the guitar, asking how I can get a tele to sound like that.
I also played a relic 50's strat a few years ago that had that same magic. But have since played a lot of duds.
It's hit or miss, like anything, wood ain't what it used to be.
I have owned some. Mostly strats. It's hit and miss. I agree the quality is not like it was in the 90's. I even custom ordered one last year. It was a strat with new (then) Duncan C5, well it was supposed to be. I even talked to the Fender rep directly on the phone at the dealer and verified everypart of my dream guitar..........
It came with a Duncan '59 in it! and frets that were beveled in so much that my high E string fell off the board! Oh and the tone sucked.
But I played a friend's relic tele, and I was in love. I hated teles, I still hate teles, but not this one. I finally got him to sell me it. It's the ****. It has early VH tone built into it on the bridge!!! and SRV in the neck pickup. It's huge sounding and has such a woody, full chunk tone. You'd think it was a Les Paul but with clarity.
I can't tell you how many times, people have come up to me and asked about the guitar, asking how I can get a tele to sound like that.
I also played a relic 50's strat a few years ago that had that same magic. But have since played a lot of duds.
It's hit or miss, like anything, wood ain't what it used to be.
