It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:36 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 91 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 7  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 7  Next
Author Message
Post subject: MIMs: Fender includes "tonal quality" grade in the
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:47 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:52 am
Posts: 3840
Location: Colorado Springs
I was at the local music store and had a long conversation with their in-house luthier. He told me a bunch of interesting things about MIM guitars:

1) Serial Number: The 4th character in the MIM serial number for a Strat is a "tonal quality" grade of the guitar's body The character will be 0 - 4, with 0=best and 4=worst.

2) Special Rosewood Fretboards: He also said there is a special variety of rosewood, that is lightly colored with a unique grain. It is considered more desirable due to a "richer" tone that is associated with it. There was a name for it, but I forget. He said that guitars that get that special rosewood variety will usually be paired with a "0" or "1" tonal-quality body.

My guitar:
I always wondered why my rosewood fretboard was so lightly colored. I was now ecstatic to know why. First thing I did when I got home was check that 4th digit in the serial number . Just as he said: it was a "0" to go with my fretboard.

I always had a "feeling" that my guitar was a special one. Ha!! Now I have proof that it REALLY is!!!!

I am not sure how well it shows here but my rosewood fretboard is much lighter than most:
Image

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:08 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 1:35 pm
Posts: 2303
Location: DC
Do you have an idea of the value of information you just revealed to us?
from now on I will only look for MIM's with the big 0 thats gonna be the first thing ii will look for on a guitar when im at the stores.. period :P:P:P
maybe you can go to that store again and spy a little more for us!!! that information is gold!!!


:D :D :D
by the way I just checked my MIM and I have a number 2 there....:p


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:13 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 1:35 pm
Posts: 2303
Location: DC
By the way we have to decode the american serial too that would be wonderful!!!!! :lol:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: MIMs: Fender includes "tonal quality" grade in
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:46 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2008 11:30 pm
Posts: 161
01GT eibach wrote:
I was at the local music store and had a long conversation with their in-house luthier. He told me a bunch of interesting things about MIM guitars:

1) Serial Number: The 4th character in the MIM serial number for a Strat is a "tonal quality" grade of the guitar's body The character will be 0 - 4, with 0=best and 4=worst.

2) Special Rosewood Fretboards: He also said there is a special variety of rosewood, that is lightly colored with a unique grain. It is considered more desirable due to a "richer" tone that is associated with it. There was a name for it, but I forget. He said that guitars that get that special rosewood variety will usually be paired with a "0" or "1" tonal-quality body.

My guitar:
I always wondered why my rosewood fretboard was so lightly colored. I was now ecstatic to know why. First thing I did when I got home was check that 4th digit in the serial number . Just as he said: it was a "0" to go with my fretboard.

I always had a "feeling" that my guitar was a special one. Ha!! Now I have proof that it REALLY is!!!!

I am not sure how well it shows here but my rosewood fretboard is much lighter than most:
Image


Great info. Just so happens that last night I pulled a "1" off the rack because I hadn't touched it in some time. I'm like ok, what's happening here (incredible sustain)? Did I overlook this in the past? Well it's back in rotation. I posted some time ago about my thoughts on my MIM fretboard, and although I'm no Luthier, your #2 rang home for me. I'm still curious if any of those "boards" create a particular scent when stored. I think Synkronized is on to something.... :wink:

Thanks for posting!
8)


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:15 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:34 am
Posts: 821
I am curious to know how a person who is not a Fender employee would know that kind of info., and where did he get it from. If it were common knowledge, so many guitars for sale would sit on store shelves not sold due to a low grading of body and neck. It sounds kinda weird to me.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 10:18 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:47 am
Posts: 2967
Location: Westchester County, NY
I must say I agree with Paisley. If the quality of a guitar body was encoded in the serial number no one would by a 4, the shops wouldnt want to carry them either. Also, what about the quality of the maple boards? :)

None the less it is interesting info. Would be nice if someone could confirm though.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 10:28 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:01 am
Posts: 179
Have you seen ebay stats in the last hour. A bunch of used MIM strats with a 4 & a 3 in the serial number just hit the site for sale. :D


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:20 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
I think it's a load of crap. Plenty, in fact, MOST top notch rosewood is on the dark side, so the coloring isn't necessarily true.

And I highly doubt Fender would completely screw up their serial number system and have all kinds of number gaps, overlaps, etc by rating each guitar like that. They put a number on it from the next number in line, after the year designation, for the most part. Simple, easy to track and keep records of.

And, what would be the point for them anyway? They do all this, take this time, and charge no more for the better guitars? And especially on a MIM that costs them like $100 to make? Stupid.

Makes no sense whatsoever. You've been snowed, my man! HA!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:44 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:52 pm
Posts: 43
None of you work in manufacturing, obviously. This is the absolute biggest bunch of crap that I have ever heard. How and who "rates" the tonal quality? And then to not charge for it? Please.

_________________
PRS CE24
Fender Stratocaster (USA)
Ovation 2178
Fender Pro Jr.
Boss TU-2
Morley Pro Series II Volume/Wah
Keeley Boss DS-1
Marshall EH-1 Echohead
BBE Sonic Stomp


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:24 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:57 am
Posts: 13164
Location: Peckham: where the snow leopards roam
I'm trying to imagine how this would work in the decal applying department at the factory? Sounds like a nightmare to accomplish - and to what end? They don't sell the "higher quality" ones for more money, so why label the "lower quality" ones as such? To make them hard to get rid of?

Personally, I sometimes find the particularly light/reddish colored fingerboards rather attractive. But I've never heard any association made between color and tone. In fact, people often don't realise but manufacturers sometimes brush dye onto rosewood to make it darker and more uniform in appearance. Strange behavior if the lighter wood was considered more desirable.

I'm wondering if this tech had a smirk on his face as he turned away?

I suspect an urban myth was getting itself started. But I always stand ready to be corrected.

Cheers - C


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:31 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:52 am
Posts: 3840
Location: Colorado Springs
I am not going to debate it, but I would like to say a couple of things on the matter...

1) The source of this info is an older dude who builds and repairs gits for a living. At the very least, the source is at least "somewhat reputable". Also, maybe he did work for Fender...

2) Manufacturing: With all due respect, I do work in manufacturing. It is EXTREMELY common for components to be graded and bench tested on a manufacturing line to ensure quality. After all, these are musical instruments. It sounds PERFECTLY reasonable to me that there is a grading sheet done for each body to make sure the bad ones are culled out so that ones that score 5+ are scrapped, etc. It makes perfect sense, actually ... By matching the SN digit to the 0-4 body score, the company would guarantee that no 5+ bodies would be used.

3) He did not say "the lighter the rosewood the better". What he said was there is a very unique variety of rosewood that is very desirable that is usually identified by how light it is. Again, it had a specific name ... but I do not remember it.

4) This whole conversation I had occurred absent of my guitar. So ... either there was a semblance of truth to what he said, or it was a pretty amazing coincidence. And it bothers me none which conclusion you come to...

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:32 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:57 am
Posts: 602
Sounds like an urban legend.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:37 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 9:52 pm
Posts: 43
There is a huge difference in QC'ing the finished product and actually "hand selecting" the highest graded products. One takes seconds the other... Well that is entirely up to you to decide. I can just imagine the placebo effect this is going to have :roll:

_________________
PRS CE24
Fender Stratocaster (USA)
Ovation 2178
Fender Pro Jr.
Boss TU-2
Morley Pro Series II Volume/Wah
Keeley Boss DS-1
Marshall EH-1 Echohead
BBE Sonic Stomp


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:45 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 1:35 pm
Posts: 2303
Location: DC
One thing I know .. even if it weren't true.... I will only buy a 0 MIM from now on lol :lol:


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:53 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
So the grade is then...

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, Squier?


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 91 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 7  Next
Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 7  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: