Hello all,

I'm new here, and new to Fender guitars (as a owner). I must say that I find this thread very upsetting. And let me explain why.. I've been wanting to get a strat for a long time, and I just bought one *today* that will ship-out tomorrow. It's one of the new American Deluxe's with N3 pickups, HSS 3TS MN. All I ever wanted, and I thought.. well.. they just put out the new model, might as well get that instead of the 2009 version. In the past few weeks I tried to buy it in some well known stores (in the UK) and I was told 2/3/4 months of wait (one dealer even told me that - exact words - "fender pooped their pants", but I just disregarded that rude remark). Then I was lucky to find a store that had that exact same model I wanted in stock. It was the only 2010 Deluxe model they had. Didn't think twice, it had to be mine.

Now this thread is making me wonder.. should I be worried? Maybe they found a big QC problem with recent guitars, and I'm buying something that is somehow flawed?!? Upsetting, it's a cloud over a otherwise very happy purchase anxiety, I'd love to know what's really going on!

Anyway, I'm still positive it's a just different matter and my new guitar is as good as it can be, which is no less than perfect and excellent!

Regards

Welcome.

IMO, there is NOTHING wrong with Fender's QC to begin with; the high standard of quality was and is still there.

One music store clerk's claim has yet to be corroborated by literally anyone around the world who visits this site.

Apparently, Fender does indeed have some kind of 'log jam' going on at the plant. Now before the, "Infallible Web Dogma" on this situation begins to take root, let's just recap what we know to be the bonafide facts: Shipments are delayed, customers are getting pissed (and nervous) and Fender isn't talking. Aside from this, we know nothing more to be absolutely true where all else is sheer speculation. Will we ever know? Sure but for now, the truth remains to be discovered. YMMV.

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You dig?

Exactly.My last 2 strats have been of the greatest quality.I can say that they take QC very seriously and as tempting as it is ,its best not to jump to conclusions until we know the facts.

I read in the SF Gate and State of California employment WARN notices that Fender let 76 people go in Feb. 09 and another 109 in June 09 from corona plant.
Maybe they are burning thru stock because they are slow.

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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

That is correct. Much like cracking a whip, where the motion starts at the hand (client) the effects travel outward and are hardest felt at the tip. However unlike the whip, the effects then travel back down the chain and then back up until orders and ordering across the supply chain settle back into some semblance of statistical norm. Just like a good horror show though, the next cycle is just one statistical blip away from cracking the whip all over again.

This is why I took up playing guitar It is a wonderful release from all the whiplash I suffer from in my day job.

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http://www.facebook.com/UCtheband
2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

Which is why the laid off 185 employees a Corona plant last year according to California WARN.

_________________
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

Hi Rodrigo,

I wouldn't worry at all. As I said earlier Fender is not a one horse buggy whip shop. They make many things their plants from axes to amps. It is nearly impossible for a QC problem, no matter how major to affect the entire strata of products. Sometimes we identify an issue on our lines normally due to a component change, and holds are placed and released in hours or days. Fender has been at the QC game for a long time. QC is not done only after everthing is put together, but is a cumulative process now.

My money is that if there is any kind of slow down/stop in production the most like reasons are:
1. Supply issues, highly likely in the transitional market/economy we are in now.
2. Re-tooling, many times economic down turns force companies to look in the mirror and ascertain where the can get better, bigger and quicker. Many use these times to re-tool assembly lines which can be as simple as training people on a new station to wholesale changing of machinery.
3. Product design changes

The QC word is thrown around a lot by distributors and resellers. They have the mistaken idea, especially the inexperienced sales type, that if they tell you "Rodrigo, your guitar is late because Fender is stoping production because they found a fly in the ointment, and they want to make sure that not one cable, string, guitar, amp or pick leaves the factory and gets into your hands with any fly tracks", this will appeal to you as "Wow, dude, Fender really cares about their clients, take your time gents." It is poorly applied psycosales crapola.

Funny, I have learned in my 20+ years of working that the truth is the best medicine for all that ills you. If I was working at GC and I knew what was going on, I would say jokingly "Dude your axe is still on backorder because Fender ran out of tone goo. As soon as the tone goo arrives, Bobs your uncle, your axe will ship" then tell them seriously of the supply shortage. Know matter how mad you are, you can't argue with the truth.

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/UCtheband
2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

Sadly true.

I actually wonder how much longer Fender will maintain the Corona plant. California has become the nations leader in anti-business crapola. I would not be suprised at all if it were announced the slow down is due to moving out of state. California has been losing companies at a faster rate than virginity at summer camp.

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/UCtheband
2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

I am not sure how many worked there but 185 let go was probably a good portion of them.

_________________
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

According to an article in the Press Enterprise, a newspaper whos circulation area includes Corona, in 2001 Fender laid off 59 of 800 producton workers at the Corona plant. So using the number left of about 750, laying off 185 is just a fingernail shy of 25% of the work force and who knows if there were 750 left at the beginning of 2009

_________________
http://www.facebook.com/UCtheband
2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

Makes sense and with the labor force cut down significantly, they have a hard time responding to demand when it spikes suddenly.I know everyone has been offering great deals and maybe finally people can afford to take advantage.Looking at the supplies in stock at some of the retailers, about a third of the options are backlogged.The others are either in stock or coming shortly.

Right from the State of California's WARN notices that employers are required to file CA. EDD (Employment and Development Dept.) Fender laid off 76 employees on 2-13-09 then on 6-15-09 another 109 were let go from the Corona plant. It looks as though there was about 700 at the start of the layoffs. Thats a good size layoff, they do make other branded guitars there to.

_________________
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 was shopping 3 weeks ago at GC for a 2010 american deluxe v neck 2 tone burst , i have 2 stores in our area, the closest one said they would order it for me , so i had them order it. They said it would take 5 - 7 days to get here, 10 working days went buy so i called them to see what the status was and they said they would call the fender factory, the store manager at GC said the factory told him that it might be 2 months to ship because of quality control issues. So i went to the other store and they just got the exact one I wanted in so i bought it and canceled my other order . I am just relaying what the guy told me, i got one and its wonderful not really worried about any kind of issues!!

Evidently, "QC issues" is the 'official' spin but I still stand by what I've said and as others have corroborated: If it is in fact, a quality matter, it must be of epic proportions where OSHA might be involved. Note I said, "might". I have NO proof of this one way or the other.

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You dig?

I wonder why they even mention qc issues, usually companies try to keep stuff like that quiet