I have been waiting for an Am Dlx strat since March.

One major UK retailer tells me there was a flood in the Fender USA warehouse.
Another vendor is convinced that is the McFadden lacquer bankruptcy that is too blame.
Another theory is that it is a combination of lack-of-lacquer (see what I did there?) and a ramp down in production in recent US lean times with no regard for continued European demand.

The flood seems least likely - especially as Gibson warehouse flood is another rumour.

The upshot of this is that there aren't any new Am Dlx strats out there and precious few other US made Fender strats. And delivery estimates keep getting pushed back every month.

So, should I just forget it, or wait?
Talk to me Fender... cash is burning the proverbial hole in my pocket!

Sounds fishy to me.

1. I don't recall any recent floods in or around Corona, CA. When was the last time it even rained enough to flood in sunny dry southern California?

2. The Am Dlx doesn't have a lacquer finish. It's all polyurethane.

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Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

wasnt a rumor, it happened.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Gibson flood - yes. Fender? not likely!

I have only seen 1 Am Dlx over a month ago...dealer says he gets 1 or 2 at a time and they don't last long. Didn't see any new Am Standards last few trips either come to think of it (glad I grabbed my '09 when I did!)

For whatever reason, they are behind in production.

I think you have hit the nail on the head.

So, the question is: how far behind?

Is this the kind of forum where there is likely to be a sensible answer?

Sounds like your dealer is a slacker who's making things up.

http://www.bonnersmusic.co.uk/buy/Fender/American_Deluxe_Stratocaster_Ash_Body_Electric_Guitar_

http://www.rimmersmusic.co.uk/productFenderUSADlxStrat-949.99.html

Harker and Howarth (Rimmers) won't advertise anything they don't have in stock.

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No no and no

Good links - though I am specifically after the new Am Dlx model, rather than the Ash

No, it's not a single dealer. Try Guitar Centre (largest US), Thomann (largest EU) and GAK (close to largest UK mail order) - all have been delaying the delivery dates of many Fender US models for months. Plus the same stories from two other boutique dealers I spoke to today.

I fear the examples you have given are just a couple of guitars. Different dealers in different countries are quoting long back logs of orders and delayed delivery with some orderers already waiting 4-6 months.

Look. I don't want or need to question why anymore. I just want to get an idea if I should wait for a new guitar - 6 more weeks might be OK but I have some work to do - so if it is going to take longer (i.e. if Fender have not re-started serious production yet for whatever reason) then I should find something else...?

same thig is happening in my area. 6 local stores all telling the same story.
"fender is not sending out american made guitars for some reason".
in another thread i mentioned that highway1's were very very rare in my area while the canada guys say they are loaded with them up there.
the racks however are loaded with mex made guitars in our stores.
something is going on. i do think its fenders responsibility to keep their customers informed rather than keep us in the dark.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Hi mc_deli: interestingly, yours is by no means the first thread raising this issue here recently.

Here are some others:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=43077

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... sc&start=0

And other threads too. Sometimes with people waiting six months or more for ordinary factory line guitars. It appears there is a pattern developing.

Amusingly, you will find on that latter thread someone wondering whether domestic orders are taking second place to overseas ones. And you were worried that US orders are given priority over European ones. Seems everyone believes someone else is jumping the queue!

Truth seems to be that Fender have cut jobs at the plant(s?) and that's making runs take longer. It ain't a good sign when a company does that at the point the economy is supposed to be on the up turn. Let's hope it's just a blip...

Cheers - C

lol i dont know where you live but there isnt any up turn in these parts i promise ya that.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Where I am we're supposed to have been in positive growth since the last quarter of 2009. But then the stats say that for your country too.

It don't quite look that way on the ground, does it...?

Cheers - C

i know a few guys doing ok but this has been the worse yr ive had in decades. yeah they keep telling us we are doing better.
my g.friend use to sell realestate, now she is a plastic surgeons
assistant. the bottom fell out of the RE market here so she had to ge get a different job. cant wait until she gets back into RE. she didnt have to work as hard and we lived better as well lol.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

you have a good point.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Perhaps FMIC are just waiting for a load of mkII Deluxes to be sold before they start flooding the market with mkIII's.
Personaly I did think the release of the updated Deluxe was a little premature, or to be polite, adventurous.

I think they released when they did to drum up interest and hopefully drum up some sales.

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No no and no

I remember reading about this issue before on the links that Mr. C pointed out. I guess I would never wait for a 2010 DX Strat, when I could get a good choice of almost new ones on the market from the 1990s and 2000s. I have picked up a couple really sweet deals on mid-1990 DX Strat Plus'. Super nice guitars for less than the new DXs. I would not wait, I would explore my options. Even a DX Strat from 2005 if it had rarely been played would fit bill, right?

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