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Post subject: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 2:12 pm
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Let me just say that I'm pretty thrilled that Fender is offering this online instrument builder with the option to order.

However, I feel like it just isn't worth the money unless you want a really common looking Fender guitar. I flipped through it and the color options are just about as bland as soup crackers.

The pickup selections are just as bad. I don't really think I'd order one with pickups if I could ever take that route. There's just nothing in terms of pickups in the selection worth spending that kind of money on.

Fender, please, look at Mapex's "Mydentity" program. Literally everything can be customized with just about every color. (certain colors cost more, obviously) The sizes, hardware, configurations, and everything is just so much more flexible. Yes, comparing drums and guitars is an "apples and oranges" situation, but the way I see it, they're both fruits and they're both band instruments. Close enough, right?

/end rant

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 2:33 pm
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Buxom wrote:
Let me just say that I'm pretty thrilled that Fender is offering this online instrument builder with the option to order.

However, I feel like it just isn't worth the money unless you want a really common looking Fender guitar. I flipped through it and the color options are just about as bland as soup crackers.

The pickup selections are just as bad. I don't really think I'd order one with pickups if I could ever take that route. There's just nothing in terms of pickups in the selection worth spending that kind of money on.


Yeah, if they want me to buy at their online store, they have to offer at least what I can find in a local store. I can find more Fender color choices, and if I don't want single coil I also have options. So why should I go to the Fender online store to have less choice and pay more?


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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 2:36 pm
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Fair point but you've got to consider how little revenue that service brings in for Fender. Whereas with a compnay like Warmoth customisation is their core business, Fender could easily pull the plug on the online instrument design and never miss it. And it's a very new service, maybe it'll be expanded in future if it's a money earner for Fender.

Of course what we'd all like to see is FMIC buying out Warmoth.

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 4:30 pm
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I think the thing that irks me is the "vintage style". It all seems a little circumspect. Originally it had nothing about the body finish. SO I sent and email and posted it here that all bodies are poly. What's vintage about that? So then Fender posted the disclaimer on the page. Which got me thinking. Okay. You order the vintage pick ups but are you getting the vintage tone circuit? Or just the cheaper modern plastic wrapped wiring and cap with the vintage series pups soldered to it? I think I need to send an email about that too. Honestly, The only thing vintage about is the neck really. I don't know. It just seems like they were being a little less than forthcoming about what they were offering. You're basically buying an American Special with AVS pups and neck and getting upcharged 600 bucks. That seems kind of... I don't know. If you're going to offer American Vintage Style instruments and pitch them as that. Then make sure they're actually available with those appointments.

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 4:57 pm
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If you want a custom fender guitar call the Custom Shop. I don't think they would put up a web site to compete with the CS.


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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 5:17 pm
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GilgaFrank wrote:
Of course what we'd all like to see is FMIC buying out Warmoth.

No, that's the last thing I want to see. Both because FMIC cannot afford any more purchases on credit (buying Hamer hit them hard), and because competition is good while monopolies are bad. There would be no more incentive for Fender to give us more choices if the choice is Fender or nothing.


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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 5:25 pm
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tbazzone wrote:
If you want a custom fender guitar call the Custom Shop. I don't think they would put up a web site to compete with the CS.



That's a completely ridiculous comment. No one is asking for a custom guitar. We're talking about production run parts that are already in use in the factory. If I'm paying AVS level prices for an "American Vintage Style" bass then it should actually have American Vintage appointments. Not downgrade finishes and wiring. Putting a 58 neck on a 63 body in FSB with either pick up isn't custom shop at all. It's the same thing that you're doing with the Modern style instruments. Except you'd actually be getting Vintage Style product. Not a couple of Vintage Style parts slapped on a baseline body.

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 7:28 pm
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I'm sure your input is important. Realize though that this process just started up. A year or two from now it will be different than now.

Just as Disneyworld is different now than when it first opened so will the American Design Experience offerings differ from the start-up phase offerings of today given a year to three. They had to start somewhere. I think it is a good start and if it works out to be profitable I'd expect changes and option expansions including more colors.

To say, "I want it all and I want it now," is only human. There are more color options really than I expected and far more than in the mass production offerings.


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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 3:52 am
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If we look at the age demographic of the members of the forum, it may be a good indication that this is the same age demographic Fender have reduced themselves to. Let's face it.. The younger players are playing 'other' brands. So we have ordinary strats, all standard offerings- nothing ground breaking. Its all vanilla on vanilla, bread and butter stuff. It's all Clapton & SRV clones and that doesn't appeal to the younger player who is into modern music anymore. It seems that it's all directed towards the mid-forties and above age bracket.. THe boomers.

So this could be a reason why everything on the 'design your own' smorgasbord seems so bland and boring. The FMIC marketing team must be full of middle aged people who think they know what everyone wants.. Clapton or SRV clones. Not like it was years ago. 20 years ago, Fender had everything covered and everyone wanted a part of it. Everyone wanted a Fender.

Now with a 'design your own' experience and over 90 Strat offerings, I can't see one I like or anything that remotely gets me gassing. Now one may say "you can't please everyone all the time..." But with over 130 product lines of Strat and Tele alone and not counting Squier, you think FMIC would have most of their bases covered :roll:

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 4:48 am
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I guess that's why my favorite Fender guitar is from 20 something years ago :P

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 4:55 am
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tbazzone wrote:
If you want a custom fender guitar call the Custom Shop. I don't think they would put up a web site to compete with the CS.


I've never had a custom shop guitar feel right to me.

I'm not going to break the bank just because I want solid colored nitro, single coils, and vintage style hardware.

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 5:46 am
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Blertles wrote:
If we look at the age demographic of the members of the forum, it may be a good indication that this is the same age demographic Fender have reduced themselves to. Let's face it.. The younger players are playing 'other' brands....

I'm not so sure. Why do you suppose the Talon failed? I thought that guitar had quite the 'contemporary' look. A former Fender builder has done a tweaked version of the Performer which FMIC might have done. Marketing and public relations are still showing a large number of present day artists playing Fender gear or gear by company owned marques.

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 7:45 am
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Ha. Lots of good points on all sides. I'm sure this gets to the nub of the issue:
brotherdave wrote:
Realize though that this process just started up. A year or two from now it will be different than now.


Exactly. Some of us remember when buying a new car was about choosing from the half dozen colours the dealer had on the forecourt, and that was it. Nowadays it's about discussing for hours from an endless list of options for everything down to the stitching on the arm-rest, before the exactly configured vehicle is put together to order. Last time I did it I was even invited to go to the factory at a certain time on a certain day to watch my new car coming down the line!

Fender had to start somewhere with this built-to-order approach. If customers take to it they're sure to steadily add options. Maybe one day there won't even be off-the-shelf guitars anymore...

Steps on a journey.

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 7:47 am
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I agree on this program being in its youth. It would be nice to mix pickups but I suppose now they have a bunch of prewired pick guards on hand to pull from. Be cool if you just had to wait on custom pickup configurations though. More colors too. Midnight Wine perhaps? I'm sure in the future there will be a lot more options to choose from.

I kind of agree on not seeing anything innovative either. I wandered over to squire land and the squire vintage mod series caught my attention. I have to say, It’s been a long time since I’ve gassed this hard. Yes current budget constraints obviously dictate what I’m looking at now but the Vintage Modified series caught my eye and I’m now scheming to grab one of the Vintage Modified Strats. The Telecasters in that bunch are especially cool too. They have one with a Bigsby bridge. I’d even say if I did have the loot to spend, I’d probably grab a few from that line rather than one higher priced strat.

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Post subject: Re: Good concept, bad delivery.
Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 7:48 am
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Ceri wrote:
Ha. Lots of good points on all sides. I'm sure this gets to the nub of the issue:
brotherdave wrote:
Realize though that this process just started up. A year or two from now it will be different than now.


Exactly. Some of us remember when buying a new car was about choosing from the half dozen colours the dealer had on the forecourt, and that was it. Nowadays it's about discussing for hours from an endless list of options for everything down to the stitching on the arm-rest, before the exactly configured vehicle is put together to order. Last time I did it I was even invited to go to the factory at a certain time on a certain day to watch my new car coming down the line!

Fender had to start somewhere with this built-to-order approach. If customers take to it they're sure to steadily add options. Maybe one day there won't even be off-the-shelf guitars anymore...

Steps on a journey.

Cheers - C



Good points from both of you. I'll be sure to keep watching this latest Fender offering with interest. Hopefully if enough people take the plunge the options will get expanded.

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