Hello,

I was browsing through the products tab and noticed that the Clapton signature strat's cost was $2,200~$2,530.

Upon closer inspection, it was only the green strat that cost $2,530 and all others cost $2,200.

Is the green one any different from the black, red, pewter or white one?

I'm pretty sure that the candy green was discontinued but there are still some in the warehouse (that color isn't on the current price list). I suspect these still have that 2009 crazy pricing - if you recall Fender really jacked up the prices at the first part of 2009 then did a "rollback" after the 2009 Summer NAMM. They have kept the prices at the lowere level for 2010.

But aren't they still the same guitars made with same specification and same quality? I don't understand why Fender would keep the 2009 price for the "2009 model" if "2009" and "2010" models are exactly the same.

Yep - they are the same. I'm just guessing that Fender kept the price the same to protect their dealers who had purchased them at the higher 2009 price. Somehow I don't see Fender sending rebates back to dealers because they lowered their retail price (and the corresponding wholesale price). Again, just a guess.

Given the difference between Fender's "list" price and the dealer's actual selling price, I seriously doubt the dealer would lose much regardless of what Fender says the price is. Manufacturers raise and lower prices at will. Do you really think they care about the dealers?

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Bill

At some point they have to care because the dealers are their customers. We are not - we can't order a guitar directly from Fender. Sure companies raise and lower retail and wholesale prices all the time. Perhaps calling it protecting the dealers was too much of a stretch on my part; more likely Fender just didn't adjust the price to the 2010 level because the green color was discontinued. It primarily only impacts the street price if you're strictly buying online from some place like Musician's Friend that only sells at MAP prices.