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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:17 am
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howardken52 wrote:
.... terms of tone, playability and durability? ...... much better technology, and in many cases better wood. What are your thoughts?

Tone ? not sure.
Better technology ; IMO, Fender use same technology on any American made guitars
Playability ; I guess not, all Fender American made have a very good playability.
Durability ; why ? Not more than any other Fender American made.
Better wood ; not sure

Why buy custom shop guitar ? Good question , but these are a very very nice looking guitars.
I can not wait to read what other think about.


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 9:17 am
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To be honest, I've always been underwhelmed with vintage Fenders. They say you should never meet your heroes.

I think that Custom Shops typically condense everything Fender has perfected over the last 64 years very nicely. Good range of vintage & modern models, plenty of styles to keep everyone happy, neat little certificates of authenticity and plenty of fresh ideas each year.

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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:42 am
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" I'm questioning whether or not custom shop guitars are better made than vintage fenders. "

- howardken52
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Better made or better sound ?

Better build with CNC wood machine ; all piece of wood are nearly perfect, straight, as the builder set the machine . Old vintage , not always perfect.

I never try a custom shop guitar. I have few american Strat and tele from 1980 to 2002. And I have a friend wich have a few vintage original Fender guitars I can try. Those vintage are a way far better sounding than any other "modern" guitar I try.

I could be wrong but I think today, guitar builders don't have the same old and good wood than Leo buy in '50 and '60.
And wood have time to dry slowly , not today.
Pickups; in '50 and '60 they was had wiring = sometimes poor , sometimes good ,sometimes marvelous sounding pickups. Hand wiring can do some wire "error" than today automatic wiring can' t. And this give a different sound
Today hand wiring ; I don't know about that.

Pickup material ; wire , insulate varnish, magnet ; are really the same as old vintage ?
Metal parts ; bridge, saddles , tuning machine. Is the same ? I don't think so.
Body paint ; for antipolution law, I think this is not the same.

All of this give a sound of a guitar. Are vintage are better guitar than custon shop modern guitar ? Probably a matter of taste too.


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 10:51 am
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I've got both, in a certain number.
Most of this Forum's Old Friends know my opinion; so I won't say it again as such kind of subject derives automatically to bashing one way or another... :(

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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 11:30 am
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I don't know how anybody can say that the parts aren't the same. Our metal shop is virtually untouched since the 50's and we still punch on the same tools, use the same materials, etc. I have documented this on every forum. Go tour the plant. Unreal.

ME


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 1:11 pm
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Mike Eldred - Fender wrote:
I don't know how anybody can say that the parts aren't the same. Our metal shop is virtually untouched since the 50's and we still punch on the same tools, use the same materials, etc. I have documented this on every forum. Go tour the plant. Unreal.

ME


Could you say that is exactly the same metal with the same alloy as used in Fender '50 or '60 year to make saddle ,bridge or tuner ?


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 1:19 pm
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Objectively I must admit that there is no object that is not better today than those made in the '50s or '60s.
Cars, television, radio, bicycle, camping equipment, coffee machine, washing machine, shoes etc..All of this are better today .
I'm thinking, I can not find anything today that does not exceed the objects of the '50 or '60.

The guitars are an exception? It make no sense I think.


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:08 pm
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Stratele52... I think you are right. Generally everything is better, especially TVs. I hated our tube TV when I was a kid. Children today are lucky.

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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:47 pm
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I believe that the Custom Shop is presently making some of the best instruments that Fender has ever made...and I have owned Fender guitars over a 50 year period!


Last edited by Butterscotch on Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:52 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
Objectively I must admit that there is no object that is not better today than those made in the '50s or '60s.
Cars, television, radio, bicycle, camping equipment, coffee machine, washing machine, shoes etc..All of this are better today .
I'm thinking, I can not find anything today that does not exceed the objects of the '50 or '60.

The guitars are an exception? It make no sense I think.


Changing your mind 180° :?:

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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 3:49 pm
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To somewhat respond to Stratele52

2001 56 NOS....

Image

As good as the originals... :?: Absolutely at the very least...
Same as the originals....... :?: Yes and No
Better than the originals..... :?: Perhaps in some cases but a vintage is a vintage..

The above are subjective to different people who have these Custom Shops..
I only own One but did play for quite some time the following.
EC Blackie..... :shock: it feels like your favorite slip ons that is how this strat feels, like an old friend that you haven't seen in years....
A 56 red 2002 closet classic, slightly distressed, again I would adopt it.
A couple of others which I have to check tomorrow to see what they were again..

Original 62 and an original 65, a couple of 60's Tele's...

So is there a difference :?: , well all these guitars are different from one another, all having been well cared for and well set up it makes it easy to compare.
It's really about where is your budget... :shock:
The CS Time Machines I could not tell from an original as far as feel, but each and every CS I have seen is excellent, so the QC is there, unlike the vintage which may have a couple of things off, but that is what makes a vintage guitar worth so much....Each and everyone of them are unique...
The modern Custom Shop's are flawless, I don't know what you are specifically looking for but if you are looking at any of the guitars in this discussion and looking at/for the flaws, then I believe that is missing the point...These are all hand made and thusly retain the signature ( meaning the particular skill ) of the craftsmen who built these. This is where one should look, not for the flaws.
NOS and Time Machines and Custom Closets are not for everyone, however, I feel fortunate to be able to enjoy a bottle of red wine from the vineyard two miles from my house or the ones outside Tourves and St.Maximin.
Same with the Custom Shop, vintage at an affordable price point.....
What else could anyone possibly want....?????

But if you have never played one of these CS's for an extended time, I mean take it home and play it for a few days at least, the comparison of standards versus Custom Shop doesn't stand up and one cannot base an opinion on reviews or hearsay....Period...
Not being argumentative on/in hand has to be established prior to making a statement...

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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:41 pm
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stratele52 wrote:
Mike Eldred - Fender wrote:
I don't know how anybody can say that the parts aren't the same. Our metal shop is virtually untouched since the 50's and we still punch on the same tools, use the same materials, etc. I have documented this on every forum. Go tour the plant. Unreal.

ME


Could you say that is exactly the same metal with the same alloy as used in Fender '50 or '60 year to make saddle ,bridge or tuner ?



Yes. Same machines as well concerning the Fender built components (we've never made tuners).

ME


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 1:40 am
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alainlafrance wrote:
stratele52 wrote:
Objectively I must admit that there is no object that is not better today than those made in the '50s or '60s.
Cars, television, radio, bicycle, camping equipment, coffee machine, washing machine, shoes etc..All of this are better today .
I'm thinking, I can not find anything today that does not exceed the objects of the '50 or '60.

The guitars are an exception? It make no sense I think.


Changing your mind 180° :?:


I'm not afraid to question myself, I question it's everything and I am open to any possibility.
We must also admit that there'll always be exceptions in all areas,
To stay in the field of musical instruments, Stradivarius violins seem to be a good example of a product that has unequaled days.


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2012 2:33 am
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53magnatone,
Your opinion is very interesting.


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Post subject: Re: Custom Shop guitars the best Fender has ever made?
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2012 8:00 pm
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53magnatone wrote:
.......But if you have never played one of these CS's for an extended time, I mean take it home and play it for a few days at least, the comparison of standards versus Custom Shop doesn't stand up and one cannot base an opinion on reviews or hearsay....Period...
Not being argumentative on/in hand has to be established prior to making a statement...

I've got to agree with this statement.
Until I recieved my FCS bass I didn't fully understand the difference. I've had it for about 6 months now and it's easily the best playing and sounding bass I've ever played.......and I've owned, at least what I consider, some very good Fender production basses and played a wide variety of others.

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