So where does the metal come from? You appear to know its from overseas.

_________________
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

Necks and bodies and pickups are major content. Pots and tuners and such could be considered more neglible content. It could be argued that Fender is not in violation.

I agree 357mag But when someone says this or that is foreign but they can't say where its from then how do they know. I do know that Chicago Metalic/Chesapeake Finished Metal have supplied processed coil rolled metal to CTS. in the past. For what I am not sure they make a lot of sensors, switches for many things.

_________________
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

Since it is clearly that not all of the components on "all" Fender "made in USA" instruments are manufactured in USA, I think it should then be stated "Assembled in USA with imported parts". I've seen products with this kind of labeling before.

I think making a general statement "Made in USA" gives the consumers that the whole guitar is made in USA. Which is a Lie and misinforming the consumers. I think it is a marketing ploy in a sense as "Made in USA" does sell.

_________________


http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

What parts are imported?

_________________
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

My understanding everything but the neck, body and pickups. The rest, pickgaurds, tunners, screws, trees, pots, caps, knobs, etc are of foreign orgin.

_________________


http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

So you think CTS pots are all foriegn made? And I doubt the pickguards an screws. I give ya the tuners and trees. Caps could go ether way.

_________________
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

Yes, CTS are made in Taiwan. http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-tech/48877-cts-pot-identification.html I think the neck and the body is genuine made in USA. As they were machined in the Fender factory. This goes for the pickups, but everything else is non USA. It is cost effective to not put too much man power on making the other components.


Many of the suppliers for Fender and Gibson are varied, but the most popular is by "All Parts" which is based in China.

_________________


http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

I doubt very much that Fender or Gibson buy anything from parts suppliers such as All Parts! Companies such as them are buying direct from manufacturs not places like that. Fender even pachages as there own. And not all CTS pots are made in Thailand CTS has several places in the US and they make a lot of products for cars, AeroSpace industry and others

_________________
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

I am not sure exactly how many of the metal parts are made at the Corona factory, but I was lucky enough to see on our tour of the factory with Fender University that it was most. If I remember correctly it was everything but the tuning machines. You can see them making the some of bridge pieces in the linked video. As well if my memory serves me correct there are even parts that are made in the USA and then shipped down to Mexico for use on those guitars. I also saw them stamping out pickguards at the Corona factory. I don't think they make anything that is injection moulded, ie knobs and pickup covers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTi8ISIxX8c

Back when I was doing procurement functions for the Navy, made in USA generally meant 85% or over American parts and assembled here. Now, this was construction, which admittedly may be slightly different.

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

Just about every forum Peavey,Ernie Ball, Ibanez and the likes have someone from the company pop up every now and then. Music Man has Sterling Ball as a regular on the forum he is BIG POPPA and they help out and answer questions like this. I know Mike does his share on the custom shop axes but it would be nice to have someone from Fender answer some questions direct. We used to have that guy from that was a forum member from the Mexican plant which was very helpful but he disappeared maybe they gave him the ax for saying things. I dont know I was just reading in Guitarist Magazine that Fender is so private they wont even list how many employees they have. Fender throw us a bone here and have someone drop in once a week to answer some questions.

Sorry, but "AllParts" is based in Houston Texas, and do not supply the manufactureres, but are a re-seller of parts. They purchase parts, mostly from foreign manufacturers, some of whom are suppliers to the factories. They also sell many original equipment Fender and Gibson parts, such a pickups, pickguards, bridges and tuners.

When we say that a product is stamped with "Made in the USA", and the FTC requires no more than 20% of the product to be of foreign origin ... how do we determine the 20%? Is it by weight, or by number of parts? If it's by weight, I could see how the body, neck and pickups could be the only things on a guitar that are actually manufactured in the USA and it could still be considered "Made in the USA" per FTC standards.

This is 100% incorrect.

I saw it with my own eyes and it shows bridges being made in the attched video and it references the machines they have used for over 50 years. The raw materials might be from outside of the US but the milling and pressing gets done at the US factore

See the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTi8ISIxX8c and watch it from 5:43

I also have photos of the stamped metal parts and pickguards