A Little Help Please, (Custom Shop)

ASHSRV · June 8th, 2009, 08:08 PM

Hi I was just interested in finding out more about the Custom Shops Fender owns and what makes them special.

Is this where the master builders are housed and is there a certain master builder who is better than the rest?

Also what does 'Team Built' mean, if it means a guitar built by a group of people isn't that just the same as any other guitar.

How many custom shops are there and is there a difference in the quality of guitars you buy from these places.

StratmanNick · June 9th, 2009, 02:43 AM

Hi Ash.

If you haven't been here, try this Fender® Custom Shop

Not sure it answers all you questions but its very interesting none the less

Eight Ball · June 9th, 2009, 04:12 AM

Custom Shop Team Built:
These have higher quality woods, although machines are involved, more is done by hand, there's greater attention to detail and so on.

Custom Shop Master Built:
I believe they're based in Corona, California too. With them there isn't a great detail of difference in materials used but it has the personal touch of being built by one person alone, attention to detail tends to be better even than the Team Built and you're also paying for the privilege of having the guitar built to a more specific spec.

However, if you were ever thinking of going Master Built, or even Team Built for that matter. Then it'll probably be best to recommend Strat Talk's favourite builder, Ron Kirn; who's guitars are better than both.

Ronkirn · June 9th, 2009, 07:55 AM

Thank Ya, Thank Ya, and thank ya. . .

The Fender CS guitars are excellent, and for many, having the Fender name on the headstock is paramount. If you fall into that “camp” the decision is already made for you, go with it because if you deny your inner “self” you will be second guessing yourself as long as you have what ever guitar you get instead.

As for exactly what makes the CS and Masterbuilts “better” than the rest is a mystery shrouded by silence. The information available is for the most part nothing more than advertising copy, we all know how reliable that can be. Replete with words like “team built” distracting the consumer from precise and specific information seems to be the methodology. If I were FMIC, I would have the complete production of such guitars “out there” for all to see from cutting the tree to putting it in the case. Strange, unless there is something they would rather not be seen. I just don’t get it.

Team Built is just a cute euphemism for a bunch of people working on a guitar, like one does a specific phase of the assembly, then hands it off to another where they will do another part of the assembly, then hand it off to yet another, then another, and another, continuing until the guitar is complete, where someone will do a basic setup and hand it off to “shipping”.

This differs completely from the “normal” assembly method of production where a bunch of people are working on a guitar, like one does a specific phase of the assembly, then hands it off to another where they will do another part of the assembly, then hand it off to yet another, then another , and another, continuing until the guitar is complete where someone will do a basic setup and hand it off to “shipping”. Hummmm is there an echo in here?

What makes one guitar superb and another no so much so, is the final setup, including fret leveling. Everything else that comprises the guitar is nothing more than a preference. Do ya like that wood, do ya not? Do ya like that sound, do ya not? Do ya like that color, do ya not? Do ya like Pepperoni on your pizza, do ya not. None of those choices mean diddly other than as a preference. They contribute nothing to the quality of the music.

So. . . in my opinion the only “real” choice is do ya want a 5000 guitar that was assembled by a “team” with a specific name on the headstock, or would you rather have one made by one guy, with a proven track record, that actually did everything from selecting the rough lumber to handing the shipping box to the FedEx guy, for about half that figure, and take the bux saved, and buy your wife something nice, so she will stop the bitc*ing.

Your call……

Ron Kirn

thaus · June 9th, 2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

Thank Ya, Thank Ya, and thank ya. . .

The Fender CS guitars are excellent, and for many, having the Fender name on the headstock is paramount. If you fall into that “camp” the decision is already made for you, go with it because if you deny your inner “self” you will be second guessing yourself as long as you have what ever guitar you get instead.

As for exactly what makes the CS and Masterbuilts “better” than the rest is a mystery shrouded by silence. The information available is for the most part nothing more than advertising copy, we all know how reliable that can be. Replete with words like “team built” distracting the consumer from precise and specific information seems to be the methodology. If I were FMIC, I would have the complete production of such guitars “out there” for all to see from cutting the tree to putting it in the case. Strange, unless there is something they would rather not be seen. I just don’t get it.

Team Built is just a cute euphemism for a bunch of people working on a guitar, like one does a specific phase of the assembly, then hands it off to another where they will do another part of the assembly, then hand it off to yet another, then another, and another, continuing until the guitar is complete, where someone will do a basic setup and hand it off to “shipping”.

This differs completely from the “normal” assembly method of production where a bunch of people are working on a guitar, like one does a specific phase of the assembly, then hands it off to another where they will do another part of the assembly, then hand it off to yet another, then another , and another, continuing until the guitar is complete where someone will do a basic setup and hand it off to “shipping”. Hummmm is there an echo in here?

What makes one guitar superb and another no so much so, is the final setup, including fret leveling. Everything else that comprises the guitar is nothing more than a preference. Do ya like that wood, do ya not? Do ya like that sound, do ya not? Do ya like that color, do ya not? Do ya like Pepperoni on your pizza, do ya not. None of those choices mean diddly other than as a preference. They contribute nothing to the quality of the music.

So. . . in my opinion the only “real” choice is do ya want a 5000 guitar that was assembled by a “team” with a specific name on the headstock, or would you rather have one made by one guy, with a proven track record, that actually did everything from selecting the rough lumber to handing the shipping box to the FedEx guy, for about half that figure, and take the bux saved, and buy your wife something nice, so she will stop the bitc*ing.

Your call……

Ron Kirn

Exactly why I will be ordering one of your instruments in the not too distant future!!