Aside from the thrill of owning a guitar produced with one's hero on a guitar, are the Artist series Strats really worth the extra cash or can you get a lot of Strat for thsame or less minus the reproduced signature and certificate of authenticity?

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Proud Fender addict! Still looking for perfect amp!
Classic Player 60's, Standard Strat, Highway One Texas Tele, '57 Twin-Amp, '63 Reverb, Blues Deluxe w/ ext cab, Champion 600

To me artist strats are just the regular instruments with a few minor tweaks and a fake signature.

So yes, I think a couple tweaks on the guitars we all own would put them right up to artist caliber(which doesnt say much about artist caliber) for a lot less dollerage.

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-Kc
"Payin' dues."

I don't know guys... Im not real informed on all of the models out there. I have a Clapton...So what other guitar is American made, has vintage noiseless pups, Mid Boost, and the biggest thing for me.. the soft v neck I bought it more so for these features, but the Clapton sig is great too!

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

+1

As with this one, and its predecessor, the combination of specs were developed in conjunction with the artist who still continues to use it in his work on a regular basis. This guitar does not pretend to exist in any other form in the Fender lineup and, for me as well, the neck is something you do not have to pray for. It took nearly two model years to put a V-neck on the MIA Deluxe which was my first question to them when it was released, and I was told, "NO!"

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"Another day in paradise!"

Dont get me wrong. I'm happy for artist owners. =)

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-Kc
"Payin' dues."

The signatures are not fake by the way. They obviously are duplicated off the actual guitarist signature. But they are not forged in any way.

I love my Malmsteen Strat.

How?

How does the existence of signature models make windfall profits for Fender? Where exactly is this signature model "hype" I keep hearing about (I don't see any special advertising or promotion for these for these models)? Where do you get off calling human beings "driods" because you don't understand their work?

I'd sure love to hear your explanation of your statement.

It allows one to buy a guitar with the options one is looking for without modifying it in any way.I have a SRV strat and they dont make a strat with a 12 inch radius in that neck profile, so to get an aftermarket neck to fit and the pickups i want with the vintage style tuners (gold plated) with a tweed case is worth the extra money.It isnt that doing it myself wouldnt save me some money, its that the result might not be the same as it would if it were done at the factory by people that know what they are doing.The quality of the workmanship is just a cut above that of the other strats IMHO.To some people these things are worth the extra money. BTW, the sunburst finish on the srvis one of the nicest i have ever seen.

A marketing tool. I beleive Fender strives to make there guitars play the best they can at the givin price points for each model. That said I think much of the extra cost associated with a signature model is for the name that is being used on a stock guitar that has been given a mod by an artist tech. Even then you can bet that there is much talk between the artist and Fender as to what is pausable in the production of a guitar that they can make money on an build at a price as to keep it in a marketable price range for some.
Me I would not spend the extra for a name. Its not going to make you play any better so who cares just buy a guitar that feel right for you not what someone else says they like. What are they getting out of that? Remember its a business! Smart minds are try to get you to give them your money and if they can increase the profit above a stock version by doing something different to it and raise the profit level per dollar spent you can bet it is done.
Of course thats what keeps people in business to seperate the customer for much more money with litte more spent.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

[quote="cvilleira"]

Both you and budglo make interesting observations. Fender runs a generic HSH routing, a 'modern C-neck' with a 9.5 radius, and .09 gauge strings through the bulk of its guiitar lines be they Fender MIA, MIM, Squier, the lot. Any other departures from this formula come through Artist series guitars, or small batch runs that they see fit to run through the productionline. The only other 12 radius neck appeared on the EJ and that neck is even more modified with respect to wood and headstock design. Their rationale for the string gauge was given by them in these pages awhile back. They consider 9's generally more playable and fit 10's to guitars whose vintage dictates that. The same with trem blocks. Strats of 40 years ago had very thick metal blocks. Owners of MIM guitars, for example, will note the lighter weight blocks.

Of course, this is all business directed. One now sees the discontinuance of the VG Stratocaster on the heels of the entry of the new Gibson Darkfire. If Fender has something in the wings which can combine the best of both, it would be great to know now. Unfortunatedly, economies of scale are not going to make these guitars easily available to the masses. They must, of necessity, become niche products, like those out of the Custom Shop, at a price point which makes profitability a reality. That may ultimately affect demand.

Then there are those who steadfastly remain loyal to the traditional construction of a solid body guitar the likes of which Buddy Holly played, leaving the new technology to the legacy of Les Paul, the creativity of Brian May, Ph.D, and the artistic gifts of both Mr. Spock and Data.

'You can please some of the people some of the time. You can please some of the people all of the time. You can't please all of the people all of the time."

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"Another day in paradise!"

They are doing very good in the business Doc in 2007 they were ranked number three in revenue only behind HARMAN PROFESSIONAL number two and YAMAHA CORPORATION OF AMERICA as number one.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Coincidently I am sitting down with my investment advisor tomorrow about moving some assets around. I'll ask her to look into FMIC.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I have zero interest in an artist guitar for the sake of the artist signature or supposed involvement.

I do, however, drool over the original EJ maple fretboard model. And I believe that it has a stable of characteristics that are not available via any other route.

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Ignorance IS bliss - and I am the happiest person here!