Let's Talk Custom Shop

[AA00475Bassman]

I owned 3 Cunetto Strat's 2 60's rosewood 1, 57 maple figured flame neck never moved although the guitar developed worm holes the guitar was brokered to a collector that also collected Guitars that developed worm holes after MFG. The one 60's had a birds eye figured neck moved all over the place the dealer local allows a return very generous. The other rosewood 60's was my main player the neck constantly moved over ten years 4 times in for repair the fourth the neck was steamed upon its return at my authorized Fender dealer whom sold me the guitar I campaigned I was outside of my comfort zone going forward with the guitar . The dealer asked if I would be happy with a new neck ,my response was only if the new neck had the original custom shop impression not the new black script . The AUTHORIZED dealer said he doubted Fender would badge a neck with the original stamp . I asked him if he was a buyer he said yes . A very generous once again !

Disclaimer : This is not a a BITCH about FENDER products , Although I have owned several jazz guitars Brydlands - Emperors , L5's with highly figured maple necks no issues they all are laminated with skunk stripes . People figured necks & They are beautiful Cheers Fender ! Also some of the point if you don't purchase from a DEALER brick and mortar , like someone in a Dimly Lit house or any house good luck let me know how that works when you have a problem with your purchase!

 

[AA00475Bassman]

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

It was my third set of Shaws they sucked as the other two sets my heritage guitars had Duncan swaps the only Gibson guitar's I swapped pickups .
Korina is very light weight at least the 2, V's ! Modern still wish I owned it . The one V was owned by Princes guitar Player Dickerson , He installed a Kahler trem & painted a weird Dupont blue . Once again my brick & mortar Gibson dealer not the guy with the dimly lit basement called the custom shop and the willing sold us a piece of KORINA that still had some V pencil tracing once again let me know how the dimly lit basement guy is doing for you ! The guitar was sent to a friend who does restorations he refinished the guitar very cool tinted aged looking paint with real checking and painted a black stinger per my request like Albert kings 50"s V.

 

[El Gringo]

It was my third set of Shaws they sucked as the other two sets my heritage guitars had Duncan swaps the only Gibson guitar's I swapped pickups .
Korina is very light weight at least the 2, V's ! Modern still wish I owned it . The one V was owned by Princes guitar Player Dickerson , He installed a Kahler trem & painted a weird Dupont blue . Once again my brick & mortar Gibson dealer not the guy with the dimly lit basement call the custom shop and the willing sold us a piece of KORINA that still had some V pencil tracing once again let me know how the dimly lit basement guy is doing for you ! The guitar was sent to a friend who does restorations he refinished the guitar very cool tinted aged looking paint with real checking and painted a black stinger per my request like Albert kings 50"s V.

First off I am in drop dead awe that you have one of "Dez's " guitars . WOW OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am dying to see this instrument please ? My mind is completely blown away now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AA00475Bassman]

First off I am in drop dead awe that you have one of "Dez's " guitars . WOW OMG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am dying to see this instrument please ? My mind is completely blown away now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The V is long gone !

 

[El Gringo]

The V is long gone !

Okay

 

[El Gringo]

It was my third set of Shaws they sucked as the other two sets my heritage guitars had Duncan swaps the only Gibson guitar's I swapped pickups .
Korina is very light weight at least the 2, V's ! Modern still wish I owned it . The one V was owned by Princes guitar Player Dickerson , He installed a Kahler trem & painted a weird Dupont blue . Once again my brick & mortar Gibson dealer not the guy with the dimly lit basement called the custom shop and the willing sold us a piece of KORINA that still had some V pencil tracing once again let me know how the dimly lit basement guy is doing for you ! The guitar was sent to a friend who does restorations he refinished the guitar very cool tinted aged looking paint with real checking and painted a black stinger per my request like Albert kings 50"s V.

That is something about the Shaws . I have a set at home from my 1982 Korina Flying V Heritage reissue . They actually sound nice . Of course way back I removed them for 57 in the neck and 57 plus in the bridge (I still have them in a parts bin at home (the Shaws) ) . Which worked very nice thru my Fender amps , but not with my Marshall 2555X's ,so that guitar sits on her stand and does not get played . Also as you know it is a funky guitar to play ergonomics wise . I think it's because I must have been born with a Les Paul in my hands as it's so comfortable to play .

 

[57gold]

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 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was a pleasant surprise.

Took some time (8 months); my son wondered if they had to cut the maple tree down, split the logs, cure the wood, create the neck blank...was after about 6 months wondering if he would ever see it again. Like him, I just assumed that they would have a flamed maple neck in the inventory to slap it on.

But, when it arrived, they matched the flame of the original neck and I believe that the finish was actually superior (more accurate to vintage) than what was produced in the 1990s, which was thicker and had no subtle toner/golden look. Fret work seemed slightly better, too.

Big fan of the smaller production, luthier built instruments, but the Fender Custom Shop is a quality business!

 

[OldStrummer]

I have one CS and one "designed by" CS's Todd Krause. First up is my 2006 Robin Trower signature in Midnight Wine Burst. A truly lovely guitar. And like Trower, I put 11's on it. Second is my Classic Player Triple Tele, which Todd Krause designed and there was a one-off run of them. Three Nocaster pickups on the bias, a five-way selector switch and pure Fender tone!

 

[El Gringo]

Was a pleasant surprise.

Took some time (8 months); my son wondered if they had to cut the maple tree down, split the logs, cure the wood, create the neck blank...was after about 6 months wondering if he would ever see it again. Like him, I just assumed that they would have a flamed maple neck in the inventory to slap it on.

But, when it arrived, they matched the flame of the original neck and I believe that the finish was actually superior (more accurate to vintage) than what was produced in the 1990s, which was thicker and had no subtle toner/golden look. Fret work seemed slightly better, too.

Big fan of the smaller production, luthier built instruments, but the Fender Custom Shop is a quality business!

Like I said earlier this makes me so happy as it's an affirmation of the big guys doing the RIGHT thing and standing behind there product which of course is of the highest quality and the warranty works as it is intended and Bravo to Fender Custom for getting it done . What a blessing that they matched the flamed maple neck I mean that is just the icing on the cake the cream certainly rises to the top . Yes you had to wait , but art takes time to craft and nothing happens overnight .

 

[Cliff Gress]

That paisley is a beauty!

 

[El Gringo]

I owned 3 Cunetto Strat's 2 60's rosewood 1, 57 maple figured flame neck never moved although the guitar developed worm holes the guitar was brokered to a collector that also collected Guitars that developed worm holes after MFG. The one 60's had a birds eye figured neck moved all over the place the dealer local allows a return very generous. The other rosewood 60's was my main player the neck constantly moved over ten years 4 times in for repair the fourth the neck was steamed upon its return at my authorized Fender dealer whom sold me the guitar I campaigned I was outside of my comfort zone going forward with the guitar . The dealer asked if I would be happy with a new neck ,my response was only if the new neck had the original custom shop impression not the new black script . The AUTHORIZED dealer said he doubted Fender would badge a neck with the original stamp . I asked him if he was a buyer he said yes . A very generous once again !

Disclaimer : This is not a a BITCH about FENDER products , Although I have owned several jazz guitars Brydlands - Emperors , L5's with highly figured maple necks no issues they all are laminated with skunk stripes . People figured necks & They are beautiful Cheers Fender ! Also some of the point if you don't purchase from a DEALER brick and mortar , like someone in a Dimly Lit house or any house good luck let me know how that works when you have a problem with your purc

That paisley is a beauty!

Thank You kindly !

 

[El Gringo]

First time I have ever heard about the worm hole . It is true and does happen as those fungi leave larvae and then they hatch or do what they do in the maple which really stinks . I am so sorry to hear about that .

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

Are there particularly “good” years of manufacturing for CS Fenders, or not really.

I am looking for a used CS Tele, and I’m not sure if I should consider the year of it’s birth, or not!

 

[Phil 52]

I always loved the collaboration between the Fender CS and Kit Carson.
Guitar is built by Fender CS. Artwork done by Kit Carson.
Several years back Billy used it for a recording with Ronnie Wood.
Not everybody's cup of tea, I know. But it suits Billy's style.

 

[Phil 52]

Again Fender CS and Kit Carson.
I played this one and it was the heaviest Tele/Esquire I ever came across.

 

[JeremyRog]

It is good guitars
if u interested in these guitars u can check the wiki

Fender (company) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Amp360]

Years ago I used to have quite a few Fender Custom Shop guitars. Before I got into them (read could afford them) there were "Diamond Dealers" and you would either order whatever you wanted, and I mean whatever you wanted. Their slogan was "If you can dream it we can build it". In fact, I remember reading an article in Frontline that said if you want a fur and mirror covered guitar with built in effects shaped like your initials no problem!

I started getting FCS guitars in 02/03 because of an artist that I was playing with. By this time they had several "production" models. IIRC this started in 95ish where they would do a run of Holoflake Strats or Esquires with binding that you would see in the store. When I got my first there were still not many people in the CS (maybe 10?) and I remember having a couple calls about what I wanted. It was more like dealing with a small builder than a big company.

These days there is no way a small team of builders are pumping out all of the CS guitars. There are probably over 1000 in stock brand new right now. Gone is the personal service and requesting what you want. The last one I got was "Masterbuilt" by one person and it's a great guitar but had I needed to pay full pop for it there is no way it would have happened.

IMHO 99% of what FMIC builds across all their brands is garbage, from guitars to amps. For all the crying about Gibson they're light years ahead of say Gretsch or Guild, which are just once great brands slapped on junk.

What I would buy from FMIC:
- The USA vintage series are still really nice guitars
- The USA artist series (Clapton, Beck, etc...) are really nice
- The Custom Shop amplifiers are really nice and in reality are the only amps they make that should even be called Fender
- Strings and picks

The custom shop stuff is great if you don't mind a premium but basically aside from the relicing and maybe better fretwork I can't imagine buying one over an AVRI.

I have a couple Gibson Custom guitars and what they're doing compared to Fender is night and day. I can see the reasoning behind a $5000 LP vs a $5000 Strat, but that's just me. IMHO the Gibson Custom guitars on the lower end of used market (R7, R8) are pretty awesome for the $3000ish prices they get when you consider the price of a new non Custom Standard.

 

[Aloha_Ark]

Looking forward to getting a Fender MB Hendrix Prototype like the one in this video.

Probably not from the same dude as above, but from an Ebay seller. May the transportation gods keep it safe on its way to paradise.

 

[Bluesman58]

I am very satisfied with my Fender Custom Shop PD-3 1958 Cunetto Fiesta Red Relic 1997 Stratocaster 40 made and Fender Custom Shop Albert Collins Signature Telecaster 2013.

 

[ppgf]

fcs has built me a shit ton of custom builds. my boi javier cuba laced this up for me about a year ago.