I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS.......................
- Thread starter Jeffblue
- Start date
leevc5
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
"I think you have a slightly misinformed idea of how these companies select wood - they don't! They have a contract with a supplier where they specify numbers of board feet and dimensions. The mills or the felling companies select what wood is sent. The first selection by Fender or Gibson is when it arrives in the factory. And even then the only selections are for weight (light goes to custom shop, the rest to factory floor), and for flame with maple tops. Both of them would be getting the most economical wood they could to keep the pricepoint well under control.
There is not one test in history nor will there ever be that will tell you final tone, nor will tell you what bit will match another. Not what top will suit a back, nor what fretboard will match a neck blank.
And both Gibson and Fender just pick necks and bodies at random to make into final guitars. It is a pure lottery if they are suited or not."
Do you know the F & G process as first hand knowledge or are you just speculating?
"I think you have a slightly misinformed idea of how these companies select wood - they don't! They have a contract with a supplier where they specify numbers of board feet and dimensions. The mills or the felling companies select what wood is sent. The first selection by Fender or Gibson is when it arrives in the factory. And even then the only selections are for weight (light goes to custom shop, the rest to factory floor), and for flame with maple tops. Both of them would be getting the most economical wood they could to keep the pricepoint well under control.
There is not one test in history nor will there ever be that will tell you final tone, nor will tell you what bit will match another. Not what top will suit a back, nor what fretboard will match a neck blank.
And both Gibson and Fender just pick necks and bodies at random to make into final guitars. It is a pure lottery if they are suited or not."
Do you know the F & G process as first hand knowledge or are you just speculating?
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
A guitarist concerned about tone and sustain... Hmm who would imagine. And no the explanation is not so easy as saying "doh". I have lots of guitars with 24 frets mind you.
A guitarist concerned about tone and sustain... Hmm who would imagine. And no the explanation is not so easy as saying "doh". I have lots of guitars with 24 frets mind you.
Obsessive Compulsive
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
Then you shouldn't be wondering why you get poor sustain on high frets.
I am just dumbfounded by your obsession over 'sustain'. Does it matter in real life? You can worship sustain all you want, but unless you play a full note for every bar (I thought you play 'djent' ) then sustain is irrelevant.
On a side note, get a Fernandes Sustainer. If it's good enough for Steve Vai, it's good enough for me.
Then you shouldn't be wondering why you get poor sustain on high frets.
I am just dumbfounded by your obsession over 'sustain'. Does it matter in real life? You can worship sustain all you want, but unless you play a full note for every bar (I thought you play 'djent' ) then sustain is irrelevant.
On a side note, get a Fernandes Sustainer. If it's good enough for Steve Vai, it's good enough for me.
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
All the things you start to touch here have been discussed in these forums and elsewhere in great detail. So please don't beat this dead horse once again.
PS1
I don't play "only" djent, heck I am 47, been playing for almost 37 yrs, when djent boys where still angels in the skies.
PS2
The sustainer will occupy this precious spot where usually the neck pup goes. No thanx.
All the things you start to touch here have been discussed in these forums and elsewhere in great detail. So please don't beat this dead horse once again.
PS1
I don't play "only" djent, heck I am 47, been playing for almost 37 yrs, when djent boys where still angels in the skies.
PS2
The sustainer will occupy this precious spot where usually the neck pup goes. No thanx.
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Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
I loved building mine. I'd do it again if I wanted another bolt on. To me, it makes more sense than buying a guitar I am going to radically mod for my on purposes anyway. I might as well get what I want the first time. In my cases, I wasn't concerned with resale value. I researched, got the parts over time, and built it slowly. And it is still a rockin' guitar. I already own a stock 1982 Fender, anyway.
I loved building mine. I'd do it again if I wanted another bolt on. To me, it makes more sense than buying a guitar I am going to radically mod for my on purposes anyway. I might as well get what I want the first time. In my cases, I wasn't concerned with resale value. I researched, got the parts over time, and built it slowly. And it is still a rockin' guitar. I already own a stock 1982 Fender, anyway.
Shooter.556
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
All jokes aside, I am building my next guitar..
All jokes aside, I am building my next guitar..
Jeffblue
Well-known member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
Not sure how this all came about...........but we've discussed guitars, preparing meals, blondes and boobs and making babies. Many of your responses are great, thanks for not beating me up too badly. I realize I came out of the gate rather strongly. I have a friend, my best customer, who is going to come into some money. He told me he wants to buy some of my guitars and I told him I'd rather build him some. I keep having to replace guitars that I sold.
Not sure how this all came about...........but we've discussed guitars, preparing meals, blondes and boobs and making babies. Many of your responses are great, thanks for not beating me up too badly. I realize I came out of the gate rather strongly. I have a friend, my best customer, who is going to come into some money. He told me he wants to buy some of my guitars and I told him I'd rather build him some. I keep having to replace guitars that I sold.
leevc5
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
So I went to Warmoth and put together a basic Telecaster: body, neck and hardware = $400. Add pups $200, electronics $50 and a decent finish $100 it comes out to $750 and has a limited resale value.
Fender Custom Shop Tele with SD pups $700 and a resale value of at least 80% of that.
I'm sorry, I don't get it.
So I went to Warmoth and put together a basic Telecaster: body, neck and hardware = $400. Add pups $200, electronics $50 and a decent finish $100 it comes out to $750 and has a limited resale value.
Fender Custom Shop Tele with SD pups $700 and a resale value of at least 80% of that.
I'm sorry, I don't get it.
leevc5
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
Whoops, foot in mouth again...misread the ad:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-special-edition-custom-telecaster-fmt-hh-electric-guitar/511262000134000?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=COLip4yvh80CFc5hfgodm00NZQ&kwid=productads-adid^92666429427-device^c-plaid^143118043002-sku^511262000134000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA#productDetail
Whoops, foot in mouth again...misread the ad:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-special-edition-custom-telecaster-fmt-hh-electric-guitar/511262000134000?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=COLip4yvh80CFc5hfgodm00NZQ&kwid=productads-adid^92666429427-device^c-plaid^143118043002-sku^511262000134000@ADL4MF-adType^PLA#productDetail
Jeffblue
Well-known member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
I build my guitars for me the way I like them.....unless i'm doing a build for someone else. If I don't get back what I put into the guitar and money for my time and effort, then the guitar remains mine. Either they pay my price or the guitar is mine, all mine. I see no problem whatsoever.
I build my guitars for me the way I like them.....unless i'm doing a build for someone else. If I don't get back what I put into the guitar and money for my time and effort, then the guitar remains mine. Either they pay my price or the guitar is mine, all mine. I see no problem whatsoever.
Kostas
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
I have four guitars from parts, all Warmoths. Three of them were made in 2007-08 and each one was over $1000. The recent Squier CV series are good guitars (especially for the money) so if I was starting now I don't know if I would invest so much. Ι have two Asian made guitars (PRS & Bacchus) that are good and keepers as my partcasters.
I never owned a Fender excluding a Squier '51 that after a lot of upgrades it still wasn't for me and I sold it. I owned an Anderson strat (that I bought used) and I would love to order another to my specs. A Suhr too but I can't afford them so mine are more like versions of an Anderson/Suhr strat & tele than Fenders, at least aesthetically.
I like using non traditional woods and to have guitars with unique looks. You won't confuse my strat and tele with a Fender, still they sound like a strat and tele.
The neck specs are a big reason why I chose this way. Neck profile, radius, frets are important. Why wait for Fender to do the perfect guitar for me?
The photo describes my approach
I have four guitars from parts, all Warmoths. Three of them were made in 2007-08 and each one was over $1000. The recent Squier CV series are good guitars (especially for the money) so if I was starting now I don't know if I would invest so much. Ι have two Asian made guitars (PRS & Bacchus) that are good and keepers as my partcasters.
I never owned a Fender excluding a Squier '51 that after a lot of upgrades it still wasn't for me and I sold it. I owned an Anderson strat (that I bought used) and I would love to order another to my specs. A Suhr too but I can't afford them so mine are more like versions of an Anderson/Suhr strat & tele than Fenders, at least aesthetically.
I like using non traditional woods and to have guitars with unique looks. You won't confuse my strat and tele with a Fender, still they sound like a strat and tele.
The neck specs are a big reason why I chose this way. Neck profile, radius, frets are important. Why wait for Fender to do the perfect guitar for me?
The photo describes my approach
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
Well, shall we say knowledge of how large companies work (cutting costs back to the minimum)
Knowledge of business practice in general for bulk based operations (acceptance of a certain level of reject level items in a batch, once you get beyond that then issues get taken up with supplier)
And just plain commonsense.
I mean do you really think a company is going to employ someone to make continual overseas jaunts just to select individual slabs of wood? It would be a wage and airline costs completely wasted. The initial contract might (if you're lucky) have the CEO look at the operations and see samples of product in person.....but if the deliveries of product are of sufficient quality - why on earth would you need to waste time returning?!?
Along the same lines - builders would never go to the lumberyard to individually select boards for your deck, or landscapers selecting individual wood sleepers for a big retaining wall........the last is a personal situation for me. Even as a 1 man small business there is no way I'd be so silly as to waste such time - and I'm not looking to cut costs back either.
Well, shall we say knowledge of how large companies work (cutting costs back to the minimum)
Knowledge of business practice in general for bulk based operations (acceptance of a certain level of reject level items in a batch, once you get beyond that then issues get taken up with supplier)
And just plain commonsense.
I mean do you really think a company is going to employ someone to make continual overseas jaunts just to select individual slabs of wood? It would be a wage and airline costs completely wasted. The initial contract might (if you're lucky) have the CEO look at the operations and see samples of product in person.....but if the deliveries of product are of sufficient quality - why on earth would you need to waste time returning?!?
Along the same lines - builders would never go to the lumberyard to individually select boards for your deck, or landscapers selecting individual wood sleepers for a big retaining wall........the last is a personal situation for me. Even as a 1 man small business there is no way I'd be so silly as to waste such time - and I'm not looking to cut costs back either.
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Jeffblue
Well-known member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
I know someone who has Bernie Hefner build his' tele partscasters for him. He requests that Bernie weighs each plank and wants his' guitar to be the absolute lightest. I don't abide by that logic, but that's how he rolls.
I know someone who has Bernie Hefner build his' tele partscasters for him. He requests that Bernie weighs each plank and wants his' guitar to be the absolute lightest. I don't abide by that logic, but that's how he rolls.
leevc5
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
That is a valid assumption based on todays manufacturing techniques but it doesn't necessarily mean that Fender would sacrifice the one thing they have to sell, a musical instrument. A musical instrument to be what it is intended to be must have as a basic component high quality materials. I do not believe that Fender would look for cost cutting in the very foundation of there product. You may find the following links of some interest:
http://www.latimes.com/business/lat-fi-hiltzik12_ks8hdnc-photo.html
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-American-made-Fenders-and-foreign-models
http://www2.fender.com/experience/fender-university/genuine-fender-necks-and-bodies/
That is a valid assumption based on todays manufacturing techniques but it doesn't necessarily mean that Fender would sacrifice the one thing they have to sell, a musical instrument. A musical instrument to be what it is intended to be must have as a basic component high quality materials. I do not believe that Fender would look for cost cutting in the very foundation of there product. You may find the following links of some interest:
http://www.latimes.com/business/lat-fi-hiltzik12_ks8hdnc-photo.html
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-American-made-Fenders-and-foreign-models
http://www2.fender.com/experience/fender-university/genuine-fender-necks-and-bodies/
leevc5
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
It appears that the majority supports building a partcaster and so I will give it a go but I would appreciate some advice before I proceed. Is this a good body for a novice like me to start with?
http://www.guitarfetish.com/XGP-Professional-Tele-USA-Swamp-Ash-Body-2-Humbuckers-Clear-Gloss_p_18924.html
It appears that the majority supports building a partcaster and so I will give it a go but I would appreciate some advice before I proceed. Is this a good body for a novice like me to start with?
http://www.guitarfetish.com/XGP-Professional-Tele-USA-Swamp-Ash-Body-2-Humbuckers-Clear-Gloss_p_18924.html
Gibson 1964
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
If you want to do this... get a warmoth body and neck for starters, from the showcase if possible (cheaper)
Or... get the carvin bolt kits. Warmoth, usacg, musikraft, carvin and precision guitar kits would be pretty much all I would recommend. I have some really awesome partscasters, much cooler than off the shelf.
I have heard bad things about guitarfetish bodies. Lots of bad things.
If you want to do this... get a warmoth body and neck for starters, from the showcase if possible (cheaper)
Or... get the carvin bolt kits. Warmoth, usacg, musikraft, carvin and precision guitar kits would be pretty much all I would recommend. I have some really awesome partscasters, much cooler than off the shelf.
kramersteen
PowerMetalRaph
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
Whats wrong with the GFS body? It looks ok to me.
Whats wrong with the GFS body? It looks ok to me.
leevc5
New member
Re: I PREFER BUILDING PARTSCASTERS RATHER THAN BUYING REAL FENDERS...................
How about this one:
https://buy.precisionguitarkits.com/product/swamp-ash-tele-humbucker-neck
How about this one:
https://buy.precisionguitarkits.com/product/swamp-ash-tele-humbucker-neck
