Let's Talk Custom Shop

[El Gringo]

Fender Custom Shop gurus , I would like to find out if my Wildwood 10 57 reissue Stratocaster has 250 K pots and a .022 mfd cap ? I will be swapping out the John Cruz design pickups for a set of Lace Sensor ( yuck and yicks and puke barf I can imagine hearing the groans ? ) Blue , Silver , and Red set . I used to use 2 Gold sensors in the neck and middle and had a red in the bridge pickup and this was the best strat bridge pickup sound I ever had and like a fool I removed them way back and want to do this to improve the tone thru my Marshall 2555X's .

 

[Del]

I have both a custom shop and amasterbuilt strat i have had for quite a while but the prices for custom shop and master built strats are way to high now.

In the uk custom shop strats are around £3500 and master built from £5000 to £7000
Just silly money.
Both the body and neck come from the normal production line then they go to the custom shop

 

[Deus91]

Here is my Custom Shop Strat, still in love with her.

 

[Stevedenver]

I have 2 CS teles, very oddball configurations.
They’re very nice. Nice frets, necks, pups, cool finishes. Great tone. Uh, heavy like a les paul.

My favorite fender is in fact a scott lentz tele. 6 lbs. amazing in every aspect, feel, fit, finish, tone.
His strats are also, simply, works of art.

If the F head logo isnt critical, and you want a truly lovely, light, t or s style, i suggest exploring lentz.

 

[Progrocker111]

I have just bought this 2013 63 CS Tele, in stock mint condition. By far the best Fender i have ever owned, excellent sounding guitar with just the right amount of twang, airy mids and big tone (i like alder/rosewood combo) and punchy gritty tone. Really so funny and lively guitar with my Hiwatt.

 

[KCFrets]

I picked up a Cruz Master Design (Cheaper than a Master Built) 63 after reading about them all over the web.

It does have some good tones and lots of quack if you want it.

It IS a fair representation of a 63 I had long ago.

Is it worth the coin?

Yes.

My favorite Strat type?

Now THAT'S the question.

7# 9oz of heaven.

 

[KCFrets]

YES; CS pieces are worth the cost(s). Custom Shop gets the best wood, bodies are usually two-piece specifically by design (versus 3-5....yes 5; your average Guitar center quality), the necks are regularly quarter-sawn using the best wood (again), parts are very good and the pickups are KILLER. The relic treatment option is important as well from a playing perspective; they produce killer-smooth necks.

I have and/or do own most every major American (and a few lesser Japanese) Strat model line (e.g. American Standard 2012-2016; Fullerton 1985-1990) since the very-late 1970s and only one of them ( an unusually crazy-good, 2-piece 2017 Black/Maple AmPro) were closing in on the build/playing quality of the post-2012 CS Strats I have been fortunate enough to own.

This '67 Time Machine (bound-neck!) is the absolute best of the best I've ever had non-Gibson-wise...and it was only $2750 (MAP was I think $3500). If you LOVE Strats like I do; the price price for the quality (especially when compared to the $5900 I just spent for my WildWood '60 Anniversary LP) is well worth it.

 

[El Gringo]

 

[El Gringo]

My newest Fender Custom Shop Pink Paisley Telecaster courtesy of Dave's Guitars .

 

[El Gringo]

 

[El Gringo]

A photo of her backside . I will be installing ThroBak Broadcaster A5 pickups https://www.throbak.com/store/p93/ThroBak-Broadcaster-A5-Telecaster-Pickups.html The Custom Shop 67 Tele pickups are nice , but I want more output and the way they are billed on ThroBak's website reads "Think Keef tone on Steriods" Perfect for my needs I tell you .

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Very nice EL Toro ,Ive bought 3 guitars at Daves ! Great place !

 

[El Gringo]

Very nice EL Toro ,Ive bought 3 guitars at Daves ! Great place !

Dave's is a great shop . A very responsive shop to customer needs . Truly a pleasure for me . This is also my third instrument from them also ( 2 Les Paul's , 1 Tele ) Thank You Buddy !

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Dave's is a great shop . A very responsive shop to customer needs . Truly a pleasure for me . This is also my third instrument from them also ( 2 Les Paul's , 1 Tele ) Thank You Buddy !

The paisley Tele is in a Realm of its own such a groovy vibe . I bought Heritage Korina modern , R4, Historic Firebird 111 , From Daves such a great place nothing like buying From EL Loco the CROOK with his long ratty stringy hair . Dave has a nice hair cut !!!

 

[57gold]

For those considering a Custom Shop instrument, need to share a personal experience. Bought a great looking CS Mary Kay Strat with a flamed out neck back in the early 1990s, added some Fralin Pick ups, great sounding and playing. Then hooked up with 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963 and 1964 vintages Strats. My teenage son loved the Mary Kay so I gave it to him for Christmas one year so he could take it to college. Neck on it warped and twisted hard, perhaps from the move from Tampa to Hannover NH?

Son brought it back home and I tried to straighten it, with some success, enough for my sone to be happy. But it bent hard again.

Contacted Fender, explained situation, I didn't have receipt after 20+ years, but based upon the serial # and my representation of where I bought it, they verified the point of sale and said, "OK, we'll honor warranty, take it to a CS qualified repair person." My son did so, and after attempting to straighten the neck, repair guy said he would have to re shave the neck. Fender asked for the instrument and said they would reneck it. My son was bugged out because he said, "Dude that flamed neck is so cool, they'll never match it." Well, six months later and a lot of angst for my boy, it came back. Take a look:

That is good warranty service in my book! 20+ years later and no receipt. These guys stand by their product. Plays better than ever.

 

[harleytech]

Here's my 2020 63' Journeyman Relic in Sonic Blue... Fit , Finish, Playability everything is just perfect ! I love it !
A 2 piece Alder body sorted for light weight: 7 lbs 8 oz - A quarter-sawn maple neck and AAA Rosewood Fingerboard...
Handwound 60's Spec pickups... Which sound fantastic... Yep. I think they are worth it !

 

[S. Cane]

I'm a "standard" guy myself but some of these guitars are quite drool-worthy...

 

[El Gringo]

The paisley Tele is in a Realm of its own such a groovy vibe . I bought Heritage Korina modern , R4, Historic Firebird 111 , From Daves such a great place nothing like buying From EL Loco the CROOK with his long ratty stringy hair . Dave has a nice hair cut !!!

Now wait a minute , you have seen an image of CROOK ? Where ? Send it to me as I have been dying to know what he looks like forever and I have Googled that to no avail . If you can send it to my E-Mail or the private message on here please . Dave look's like an upstanding citizen as does everyone else that we do business with on a regular basis .

 

[El Gringo]

For those considering a Custom Shop instrument, need to share a personal experience. Bought a great looking CS Mary Kay Strat with a flamed out neck back in the early 1990s, added some Fralin Pick ups, great sounding and playing. Then hooked up with 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963 and 1964 vintages Strats. My teenage son loved the Mary Kay so I gave it to him for Christmas one year so he could take it to college. Neck on it warped and twisted hard, perhaps from the move from Tampa to Hannover NH?

Son brought it back home and I tried to straighten it, with some success, enough for my sone to be happy. But it bent hard again.

Contacted Fender, explained situation, I didn't have receipt after 20+ years, but based upon the serial # and my representation of where I bought it, they verified the point of sale and said, "OK, we'll honor warranty, take it to a CS qualified repair person." My son did so, and after attempting to straighten the neck, repair guy said he would have to re shave the neck. Fender asked for the instrument and said they would reneck it. My son was bugged out because he said, "Dude that flamed neck is so cool, they'll never match it." Well, six months later and a lot of angst for my boy, it came back. Take a look:

That is good warranty service in my book! 20+ years later and no receipt. These guys stand by their product. Plays better than ever.

Oh my goodness that is so awesome and really gives you faith that the big companies stand by there product and the warranty is critically important as I am always preaching to only buy from authorized and authentic dealers , and there is the PROOF in the pudding that warranty service works as it should and good for them for standing by there product period . I am so happy to hear this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[El Gringo]

The paisley Tele is in a Realm of its own such a groovy vibe . I bought Heritage Korina modern , R4, Historic Firebird 111 , From Daves such a great place nothing like buying From EL Loco the CROOK with his long ratty stringy hair . Dave has a nice hair cut !!!

Tell me more about your Korina modern ? That sounds killer as Korina is such an awesome tonewood !