Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyrs?

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

I'll answer the question: $2600.

At $2600, you can put whatever materials and fixins you need to get a great lifetime, heirloom player.

At $2700, you're over the point of diminishing returns.

$2600.

Arbitrary? Yes.

Actually answers the question? Yes.

 

[phil_104]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

I'd go up a few steps and say 3600 would be the top I would hit. At that price point, you can take the 2600$ model that has all the appointments you'd want for a lifetime keeper, and step it up a few steps to make the guitar something that stands out, and something you'll feel special about playing. For example, you can get a great Les Paul, but if you go just a touch above and hit the 2600 mark, you have something you are never going to want to get rid of.

Again, also arbitrary, but it's where I stand with the question.

 

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

$4200 will get you Eric Clapton's Signature Strat. $600 of that is probably Clapton's notoriety so agree with Cheese above $3600 a right-on mark. You can score a PRS 10 Top Santana Signature guitar for that price and do well for yourself. Either of those would be great guitars to pass down the family line.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

I don't think I can bring myself to spend more than $1K on any guitar that isn't this one anymore:

Yes, I actually played Isis riffs on it.

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

Unless we are talking about some highly refined archtop or something I would not even consider that kind of money for a guitar. Just not necessary. I wouldn't spend $700 or whatever it is on Zephyrs either. There are any number of small winders who will build you 2-3 sets of exactly what you want for that kind of cash

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

Unless we are talking about some highly refined archtop or something I would not even consider that kind of money for a guitar. Just not necessary. I wouldn't spend $700 or whatever it is on Zephyrs either. There are any number of small winders who will build you 2-3 sets of exactly what you want for that kind of cash

Yeah but they cant build zephyrs for that price.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

If I ever get the coin i'm going to buy a set of zephyrs just to see what all the hoopla is about.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

I wouldn't spend that on a new guitar...but just for ****s and giggles...I've always wanted a very early Strat, but I'll never have one, so:

- early production '54 reissue, down to every last detail (polystyrene knobs and round-edged pickup covers, football switch tip, ABS guard, rounded headstock edges, two-tone, non-analine-dyed sunburst, etc. – all details spot on.)
- Masterbuilt
- made from recovered mid-'50's-vintage lumber
- real '54-vintage tuners, restored to as-new condition (because perfect repros have never been made)
- NOS finish
- exact repro hard case, leather gig bag, cable, strap, etc.
- forged initials and dates matching actual marks from '54
- no Custom Shop decal

Basically, I'd want a guitar that, aside from its condition, could not be told apart from a real early production Strat. If I was going to spend that kind of money on a new guitar, that's what I'd need.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

I wouldn't spend that on a new guitar...but just for ****s and giggles...I've always wanted a very early Strat, but I'll never have one, so:

- early production '54 reissue, down to every last detail (polystyrene knobs and round-edged pickup covers, football switch tip, ABS guard, rounded headstock edges, two-tone, non-analine-dyed sunburst, etc. – all details spot on.)
- Masterbuilt
- made from recovered mid-'50's-vintage lumber
- real '54-vintage tuners, restored to as-new condition (because perfect repros have never been made)
- NOS finish
- exact repro hard case, leather gig bag, cable, strap, etc.
- forged initials and dates matching actual marks from '54
- no Custom Shop decal

Basically, I'd want a guitar that, aside from its condition, could not be told apart from a real early production Strat. If I was going to spend that kind of money on a new guitar, that's what I'd need.

How would you know if the lumber they used was actually from the 50's? You would go with them when they cut and mill the wood?

 

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

What sound difference could there be from 50's wood and dried wood from a few years ago?
So much to learn! Is there a wood to use that might help create a 50's or 60's sound depending upon your like? Beginning to think it's much more in the pickups than anything else - and pickups are lots cheaper than some of that wood, man!

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

Yeah but they cant build zephyrs for that price.

As far as I can tell the Zephyrs are a test of how insane the fanbois really are. I am not interested in them at any price. Hocum in my opinion

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Hypothetical: Have Fender Custom Shop Build The Best HSS Strat with Duncan Zephyr

What sound difference could there be from 50's wood and dried wood from a few years ago?
So much to learn! Is there a wood to use that might help create a 50's or 60's sound depending upon your like? Beginning to think it's much more in the pickups than anything else - and pickups are lots cheaper than some of that wood, man!

I don't pretend there is a difference, and if there is, I don't pretend to be able to tell. Tonal quality was not the point of that spec (or any of those specs). The point would simply be to get the guitar extremely close to a real '54 in every detail possible, just for reasons of romanticism and historical curiosity. There was enough moderately-priced furniture built and/or sold in Los Angeles in the '50's that finding the wood would not be a huge undertaking. As I said, I'd never spend that much on a new guitar, so it was really just a ridiculous exercise in the hypothetical. And if I ever did have such a guitar built, it would probably be done by Gil Yaron, not Fender.