So, I'm on the west coast visiting family. I just happen to be within a pretty close range of Corona and figure, what the hey, why don't I give Fender a call and go take a tour of the plant?

Here is what I am told over the phone:

-Due to heightened security, Fender no longer offers a tour.

What?????? I asked if Fender is worried about radical Muslim terrorist and they would not answer that question. Now, I did see a bomb sniffing dog at the sky tram in Palm springs desert. That attracts thousands of people. I guess Fender has moved into terror status as a business.

Or maybe they have a special guitar making secret now and China might try and steal it.

PRS still has tours available. They must not be worthy yet of the middle east or China!

Perhaps they dont want anyone just wandering in off the streets.

You can attend fender university, which includes a overview of the plant if i remember right.

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No no and no

Personally, and I know this isn't going to be a popular point of view, constant interruptions and distractions such as having to facilitate impromtu tours with ad hoc guides must really get to be a nuisance after a while. This also includes having to sporadically safeguard on the spur of the moment all sorts of proprietary information which they don't want the casual observer to see. I honestly can't blame them.

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You dig?

That's a great example of 2 + 2 = 5!
There's a lot more to 'security' than Muslim extremists.

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Or maybe they're just tired of guitar fanboys hanging around.

i dunno, i'm beginning to think all fender products are being made in china.
little QC joke there...

Look for a guitar shop that's a Fender dealer. Try to talk the owner into taking you with him on a Factory tour. I think a dealer has a better chance of getting in.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Maybe they're afraid of the Mexican drug wars at the border.

Why dont they just loosen up and offer 2 tours on 2 differant days of the week .If the U,S mint CAN OFFER TOURS SURELY fENDER CAN.

I recently was talking with a guy who had a business near the old Fender factory in Corona, CA. He said that when he was working late, he often would see people (usually young) climbing in around the trash and discard areas, and taking stuff. Guess they might have a reason to feel guarded, even for tours.

You know what I heard...

That is where THEY house the UFO that crashed landed in New Mexico back in the late 40's. THEY move it when they do Fender U. At least that is what a friend of my 3rd cousin told me he heard from someone that used to work there. Funny thing is I can no longer talk to him because he disappeared....hmmmm.

I am sure Fender has their reasons for not doing daily tours there.

RK

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I wouldnt want to visit a shop where they use cnc machines to cut out the bodies. But i am guessing the corona area is the custom and if so im guessing they make it by hand?


Yeah in the end it's usually some idiot that has to ruin it by stealing or being a pain in the ***