We're developing an idea into a product and we need a guitar custom made for this project. Ultimately, we'd like to establish a partnership and buy these "custom" guitars in bulk. Again, in the future we'll also use electric and bass guitars.

The guitar is not much different from a regular acoustic guitar, in fact the only difference is that the fret board is not attached in the final assembly. In other words we need an acoustic guitar where the final step of the process is omitted and the fretboard is shipped detached from the rest of the guitar.

One of our engineers made a quick cad file to show the general idea of what I mean. The cut out in the neck, as shown in the picture, is not required as we can do it ourselves, although preferred if done by the guitar builder.

I'm not sure if I should be contacting Fender directly, however, forum may be a better place. If Fender is interested or anyone knows a company that wishes to talk to us about the project, please PM me. We're located in Florida and I would post my ph # but it is a forum after all and I'll try to post as little contact info as possible. We have a prototype built and have videos of the working product.

This is not an exclusive offer to Fender; we're attempting to contact multiple manufacturers. If marketed properly, this would be a very well received product with a very high chance of success among general public and professionals.

Thanks to everyone who took their time to read this. Please pass this on to anyone interested. We really want this idea to come to live.

Mabye I'm missing something here, but why what would be the point in buying a guitar where the fretboard comes separately?

My guess would be so that you could swap them out, meaning you could

a) Have a normal fretboard on a guitar and play it as a standard instrument or
b) remove the strings and swap the fretboard out to be a controller for guitar hero / rock band.

Just a guess.

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My Rig: Guitar into Pedals then into Amps and out into Speakers.

eh

Innovative. But more likley to sell next to "paper jams", no?
Surley this would just aggrivate, in some manner, the inntonation and playability.

Your post is a violation of forum rules and has been reported: "Don't use the forums or chats for any commercial purpose without the express consent of Fender.com."

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Bill

Impulse7: the whole guitar will be modified further along with the fretboard and the assembly will be epoxied on for the final product. The swappable fretboard is in interesting idea, tho.
bluesky636: Thanks for enforcing forum rules, but to my knowledge, this post is not in violation of the forum rules. I am not selling nor buying anything or forcing anyone to buy something from external sites. This post is about an idea for public view and response. I would believe that's the reason for forums exist so users can bounce off ideas and provide suggestions.

Read the forum rules. You are clearly a commercial entity attempting to use the forum for a commercial purpose. Your own post makes that blatantly clear. That is a violation of the forum rules. A complaint has been filed with the admins.

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Bill

We're not a commercial entity. There's no commercial purpose, yet. I am an electrical engineer with a friend and we have an idea. Yes, I want to make this a commercial product with the help of Fender or someone who make guitars. Yes, I'm using the forums to develop that idea into a live product. I am not selling anything nor spamming anyone.

If this is a violation to the rules, so be it.

So I am assuming there will be some sort of electronics installed under the fretboard. Or perhaps a new type of truss rod system? perhaps an under-fretboard sustainer technology? Or under fretboard pickup system?

Anyway, I don't think this necessarily counts as commercial purposes. That would be more like if he was selling something or posting an ad. I guess you could construe this as sort of an ad but he hasn't announced any product yet and has nothing for sale yet it seems.

Sounds closer to someone posting a conceptual idea and asking for advice.


Anyway, I do have a friend who is a luthier and into weird concepts. I designed a very extensive strat modification with him that worked out perfectly. I could ask him for some advice about this for you. Like, who to talk to about making something, etc.

If you just want someone to make you a prototype, I'm sure most luthiers would do that for you. Maybe then you can use the prototype to demonstrate your concept and generate interest for a larger scale production from someone like Fender, but I'd go with a small guy first to make you the first one.

But of course, that's just the way I'd do it.

You can remove the fingerboard of virtually any guitar made today. That wasn't the case before 1965, but it is today. Why not go on craigslist and spend $300 for a guitar and take it to a luthier and have them remove the fingerboard for you?

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2002 mim Telecaster
Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster
Mexican HSS Stratocaster
6 non-fender guitars
2 kids (not for sale)
1 wife (uh....no comment)

Since nothing is for sale and a potential business arrangement with Fender is being mooted I don't see that this thread breaks any rules. However, I'm not yet getting what the point of it is.

DmitriK, welcome to the Forum. If you seriously want Fender involved in a manufacturing project then you need to approach them directly, not via a user's forum. I strongly doubt the product development department spends its time combing posts here (much to the disappointment of some Forum users, no doubt).

As has been suggested above, prototypes could easily be run up for you by any local luthier without needing to show your secrets to one of the big boys. So that ain't it. I presume you want a large company on board to share the development costs of some new innovation you have in mind? And to be there later to market it if it turns out well?

Then Fender have a Contact section elsewhere on this website.

On the other hand, if what you are looking for is input from players, well then you've got to tell us more about what on earth your project is. So far we know that you want some prototype acoustic guitars supplied to you with their fingerboards awaiting later attachment. Why - you haven't said. I can imagine many possibilities. Many.

So: tantalising, but as yet mysterious. Care to tell us more about why you're here?

Watching with interest - C

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Oh, by the way:

Epoxy isn't the tool for this job.

Erm, maybe that's what you wanted to ask Fender about?

Cheers - C

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+1

Though I have a feeling this is for some kind of folding/ removable neck system.

I'm intrigued.

Andy

Edit: Or maybe a crazy new truss rod perhaps?

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Pending Greatness

Or installation of LEDs beneath the dot markers? Or a sotto-fingerboard piezo system? Or fingerboards fitted with yet another "perfect temperament" fretting layout? Or the insertion of a strip of one of those hi-tech plastics that changes its rigidity when a current is passed through - so neck relief now selectable with a knob? Or a secret compartment for storing credit card PINs and girlfriends' phone numbers? Or fingerboards and frets cast complete in resin and kevlar? Or...

Wow, I think I have half a dozen patents pending right there. This mad professor stuff is easy!

Cheers - C

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Well, you can use epoxy to put a fingerboard on. It will just never be coming off again. It holds well, though.

What you probably want is Hide Glue. It is secure but if you need to remove the board again for some reason it's not the end of the world.

It's what my luthier recommends, anyway. He's been building for like 30 years.

Aka longer than my entire life.