are Custom Shop Strats with the $$?

Rigel42 · June 25th, 2009, 09:14 AM

Are Custom Shop Strats with the $$?

Say something like:

EBAY:Fender Custo...ratocaster

Is the custom shop going to have a smoother feel\better tone\all around better instrument then an AVRI 57 or is it just prettier wood with a “Custom Shop” sticker?

I’m considering liquidating a couple of my instruments and buying something similar to the above link or just a plain old AVRI. I’m leaning toward the AVRI but there is a little voice saying CS’s aren’t that much more…….

Gordon Short · June 25th, 2009, 09:51 AM

Never had a custom shop, but that one looks a beauty and certainly has 'Mojo'

Boris Bubbanov · June 25th, 2009, 11:50 AM

Custom Shop and either the term:

E-bay, or

Craigslist.

Just don't mix. Unless you propose to PM the seller and see and demo the guitar in advance.

Good sound CS guitars are out there fairly cheap at the dealers. Deal with the dealers with great reputations like Dave's in Wisconsin, or with fellow players, people you know fairly well from around or even from this board. There are CS guitars with issues and they can even be worse, not better than a regular production guitar.

I saw a pristine ASAT Custom Classic in a wonderful LPB with tortoiseshell PG and ivory neck pup surround, gorgeous neck go for $ 635 on e-bay last month. Broke my heart but I know, I've played some screwed up G + Ls and a new neck would cost $ 600 alone to replace, were there a problem. You gotta weigh that in. That's big.

Epinez · June 25th, 2009, 12:02 PM

I recently played my $500 CP60s MIM strat against a new JM Strat, and then a CS 56 in my local shop for about an hour. Over here the CS Stuff is priced ridiculously at our local shops, so we're talking like a $3000 difference between the two guitars.

I thought the CP60s had them both beat hands down. The only thing that I really liked was the boat neck on the CS56, but that can easily be bought separately from a neck maker.

It just goes to show that you might be happier with a lot cheaper guitar, and my CP60s felt quality and tone - as good or better than both of those much more expensive strats.

I don't think there's anything inherently better about a CS instrument, other than the fact that it will receive more detailed attention during the production process. That doesn't mean that you're not going to get a beautiful MIM or factory MIA Strat as well.

Mike S. · June 25th, 2009, 02:32 PM

I have one, and a lot of what you are paying for is what might be termed the "heirloom craftsmanship" element i.e. cosmetic refinement. I've played many a Strat of more lowly birth that played at least as well, and in some cases better than my (and other) Customs sampled.

If you have the money, consider it. If not, don't sweat it.

Boris Bubbanov · June 25th, 2009, 04:10 PM

I would rather have an unplayed CS Strat chosen at random than an unplayed MIA or MIM production guitar, chosen at random. Easy choice.

The thing about a guitar bought in 1996 and just put away is, if the dealer or builder knows a guitar is going to a collector and not someone who will seriously use and appreciate the playability and the sound of that one guitar - they will direct the best sounding and playing examples of that model to the buyers who will:

Play it;

Discuss it with their friends;

Talk about all the wonderful things about it.

A collector just hoards the guitar. You may not angrily think "Screw Him!" but you just might let him buy the guitar your playing customer found wanting, or that you weren't yourself blown away by.

++

So, in the end this guitar could be anything. Priced a $ 1,700 it might be tasty, but once bidding really gets underway, well, I'd have something else to do.

Frogger · June 25th, 2009, 04:57 PM

I have owned several CS Strats that were phenomenal, and yes the price was justified. I also played alot of CS Strat's that were nice looking and playing but sounded dead and no the price was not justified. Judge each guitar on it's own merits and not by how pretty the case is or logo's on the headstock.

furtherfan · June 26th, 2009, 02:54 AM

imo, no. not thousands of dollars.

JHRIII · June 27th, 2009, 12:06 AM

The only thing a CS strat has over my Ron Kirn Strat is resale value. If it's something you'll keep forever, consider a custom builder that ACTUALLY custom builds it for YOU. Oh, and it was ALOT cheaper, and better IMHO.

mijstrat72 · June 27th, 2009, 07:00 PM

I'll probably get scorched for this, but I've been seriously wanting a MIA, CS strat for along time, and every chance I get to play one, I take it.

As you can tell by my screen name, I have my MIJ strat...which I have gone through numerous times doing mods, and because I love to tinker with it (Leo would be proud), but I have yet to find a guitar that can keep up with my MIJ. And I REALLY want to find something that surpasses my MIJ so I could warrant the purchase.

I just installed some Custom Shop 69's in my MIJ and once again was dissapointed that the tone from those pups didn't touch the tone of my GFS Premium Vintage Alnicos....and it's not just me, everyone in my band noticed that my strat sounded a little weak with the CS 69's. The GFS just have a certain amount of mojo swamp that really agrees with the MIJ, my Modded Blues Junior and my fingers.

My MIJ is 23 years old this year, and it's settled nicely into being a strat. I'll keep looking for another strat, but I'm beginning to think I will never find anything that suits ME better. Remember though...to each their own. My $0.02

thaus · June 27th, 2009, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHRIII

The only thing a CS strat has over my Ron Kirn Strat is resale value. If it's something you'll keep forever, consider a custom builder that ACTUALLY custom builds it for YOU. Oh, and it was ALOT cheaper, and better IMHO.

You may be correct on ebay but here and other guitar-centric forums, you will easily get top-dollar for a Kirn strat. We all drool over his guitars (you I did drool over yours!!) and I think the resale value will easily match a CS guitar.....

Boris Bubbanov · June 27th, 2009, 07:59 PM

There are only just so many Ron Kirn guitars. One guy.

Meanwhile, I have 2 Custom Shops. The No-caster, under $ 1,500.00. The CS '60 Time Machine, under $ 1,200.00. Both NOS models, but also both new old stock. Ya'll know what the MSRP was on these guitars. How's that for resale value, new guitars that cheap?

++

I just canceled an order for a CIJ Fender six string, a Jaguar. Found a match in a local shop; played it and was appalled. Bad design, bad execution. There were times when MI/CIJ guitars exceeded our expectations or were better than the USA Fenders when FMIC was flat on its back, having terrible quality issues, but stop right there.

You cannot judge all USA amateur hockey teams based on the performance of the USA Olympic hockey team in 1980. It is time to move on, I think.

JHRIII · June 27th, 2009, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

You may be correct on ebay but here and other guitar-centric forums, you will easily get top-dollar for a Kirn strat. We all drool over his guitars (you I did drool over yours!!) and I think the resale value will easily match a CS guitar.....

maybe, but I'll NEVER know.

Strat-Man-Do · June 28th, 2009, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frogger

I have owned several CS Strats that were phenomenal, and yes the price was justified. I also played alot of CS Strat's that were nice looking and playing but sounded dead and no the price was not justified. Judge each guitar on it's own merits and not by how pretty the case is or logo's on the headstock.

I tend to agree with this statement and also the idea of a builder custom building a Strat for you. But what is to say the guitar that is Custom built won't be "Dead Wood"? What happens if you recieve this piece thats say 1/2 the price of a CS Fender [and consider the resale]. And you find that your MIM CP-60 BLOWS it away? Not to say that it may also be the Strat of your Dreams.

I still like the idea regardless if its MIM, CS, or US Production or MIJ, to PLAY it before I spend cash on it!