Is Fender Custom Shop almost entirely about aesthetics ?

DesWalker

Hi All,

Of course Custom Shop models should be better built than their top-end mass produced models.

Of course the wood choices, hardware, pickups, electronics and finish should all be better if possible.

But isn’t it the case that the vast majority of the price difference between Custom Shop and their top-end mass produced models is entirely down to nitro finishing, relicing and mimicry of original models ?

Or are there certain Custom Shop models which focus less on such aesthetics and mimicry (which hold limited appeal for me) and more on extreme build quality, parts and finish ?

Hopefully you get my question. Namely, where do you go for top quality Fender guitars but without the (to me) gimmicks ?

Many thanks for any thoughts.

Des

ps. as an aside I do actually own a Schecter Custom Shop telecaster. The build and feel is awesome, the nitro and checking is lovely, the hardware nicely aged. But if I were ever to buy another Custom 
Shop I’d like to feel I could choose a model where the price difference wasn’t almost entirely paying for this aged finishing and “heritage”.

guitars4you

But isn’t it the case that the vast majority of the price difference between Custom Shop and their top-end mass produced models is entirely down to nitro finishing, relicing and mimicry of original models ?

Easy answer - No 

Long answer - I don't have time for a long essay

I'd be upset on a blind fold test if I could not tell the difference between a good CS model and an equivalent Mex/Jap etc model - Granted the difference might be more subtle at times - Granted feel + tonal character is a matter of taste 

Granted the large part of the CS market is about building a replica based guitar from a golden era - Albeit with modern upgrades like chunky frets + a flatter radius - often 9.5"

Most Schecter Guitars I've seen have more of a 'modern spec' about them rather than a pure vintage vibe - Nothing wrong with that - Just the market they pursue - Fender CS have built models with a similar ethos and still do if required, but they never achieved the same sales success as the vintage replicas - Custom Deluxe + others - Most of the CS 'modern' spec'd models are not aged 

GoldenEraGuitars

Jesus, Fender seem to the be Fretboards new Rob Chapman!

Tenebrous

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Jesus, Fender seem to the be Fretboards new Rob Chapman!

I'm sitting here waiting for the exposé & subsequent apology video with bated breath.

Nerine

DesWalker said:

Namely, where do you go for top quality Fender guitars but without the (to me) gimmicks ?

Suhr. 

Their Classic S/T guitars are ace. 

GoldenEraGuitars

Tenebrous said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Jesus, Fender seem to the be Fretboards new Rob Chapman!

I'm sitting here waiting for the exposé & subsequent apology video with bated breath.

Do you want salted or sweet? 

monquixote

The difference between an AO and a custom shop is mostly relicing.

Whitecat

The Custom Shop is about being custom. That’s kind of it. The highest and best use of it IMO is to get a guitar that it outside the normal parameters of any other Fender model. That may mean aesthetics for some - maybe exotic woods float your boat - but it doesn’t even have to go that far. That you can get almost whatever you want/need is kind of where the magic is, if you can afford it. 

RaymondLin

I wonder how much it cost if I custom order it using the cheapest material (I’ll supply it, say my Argos kitchen table), and using made in China hardware and eBay pickups. No relic, no paint job, just cut and assembly.

munckee

RaymondLin said:

I wonder how much it cost if I custom order it using the cheapest material (I’ll supply it, say my Argos kitchen table), and using made in China hardware and eBay pickups. No relic, no paint job, just cut and assembly.

I'll do it for a grand.

Whitecat

RaymondLin said:

I wonder how much it cost if I custom order it using the cheapest material (I’ll supply it, say my Argos kitchen table), and using made in China hardware and eBay pickups.

In mass manufacturing anything that varies from the normal supply chain causes prices to increase by an order of magnitude... so I think the answer is “surprisingly expensive” and I bet they will also force you to go Masterbuilt for that.

DesWalker

My post isn’t a dig at Fender at all. I’m simply trying to figure out why a top-end mass produced Tele is £1500 whereas a basic Custom Shop model is twice this price, and how much of this additional £1500 is down to mimicry. 

I’m 100% sure some of this difference is attention to detail in the build and better components, and I like my chances at telling the difference in a blindfold test. I appreciate there is a difference.

But a fair chunk of the price difference has to be taken up with aesthetics and mimicry.

And that’s fine. Many people want this.

But just maybe others are less bothered about flat head screws vs Phillips etc etc and simply want an instrument made as well as possible with the best components.

bgmartinsbridge

This.

A real custom shop is about being able to spec out what you want. 

Obv buying used means you get a spec someone else chose. 

Rich210

RaymondLin said:

I wonder how much it cost if I custom order it using the cheapest material (I’ll supply it, say my Argos kitchen table), and using made in China hardware and eBay pickups. No relic, no paint job, just cut and assembly.

Can you throw it in a skip for a week and then recovery it for that proper 'skip find' vibe?

Whitecat

DesWalker said:

My post isn’t a dig at Fender at all. I’m simply trying to figure out why a top-end mass produced Tele is £1500 whereas a basic Custom Shop model is twice this price, and how much of this additional £1500 is down to mimicry. 

I’m 100% sure some of this difference is attention to detail in the build and better components, and I like my chances at telling the difference in a blindfold test. I appreciate there is a difference.

But a fair chunk of the price difference has to be taken up with aesthetics and mimicry.

And that’s fine. Many people want this.

But just maybe others are less bothered about flat head screws vs Phillips etc etc and simply want an instrument made as well as possible with the best components.

The higher price is simply “because they can.” That decal on the back of the headstock is worth a lot of margin. The price of anything in this world is unrelated to how much it costs to make...

thegummy

You will probably get a variety of answers but none of them will be from someone who actually knows, it'll all just be what people think.

Since getting in to guitars I've looked hard for evidence on the various things that are debated on forums and I've found very little to no evidence. Without that, it's impossible for anyone to know if their perception is true, no matter how sure they feel they are.

So bottom line is, you won't be able to find out the truth, you'll just have to try the Fender CS guitars and see if you like them better than the standard models.

SteveRobinson

Whitecat said:

The higher price is simply “because they can.” That decal on the back of the headstock is worth a lot of margin. The price of anything in this world is unrelated to how much it costs to make...

Yes. They are the price they are because enough people will pay it.

DesWalker

Thanks for all the replies. 

I appreciate that this is all subjective, and I’m sure that I’d enjoy playing a CS Tele more than a mass produced one. It would likely be lighter, have better woods, frets and pickups.

That’s certainly my experience with my Schecter CS Wembley PT. But it cost me £1500 rather than the £2000 they normally retail for and a long way below the £3000 for a basic Fender CS.

Please do not think I am criticising Fender because I’m not. They are desirable and command higher prices. 

My original question was based on searching for which CS models charge the least premium for aesthetics.

IsambardKentucky

NOS would be cheapest as fas as finish/aesthetics...

TINMAN82

DesWalker said:

My original question was based on searching for which CS models charge the least premium for aesthetics.

I think the answer to this is probably “the cheapest one”. The more expensive they get, the more you’re paying a premium for aesthetic appointments and finishing. NOS tend to be cheaper than journeyman/ light relic and so on up the chain. 

If you look around and aren’t afraid to haggle it’s possible to save some cash on new but older CS stock. The fretboard classifieds seem to have a surprisingly constant flow of good (used) CS deals too. 

Per se, CS is worth the outlay IMO. It’s a tactile, sensory, aural thing, not something that can be scientifically proven in a controlled trial or by microscopic examination of wood fibres. They are more than just tools.

RaymondLin

TINMAN82 said:

DesWalker said:

My original question was based on searching for which CS models charge the least premium for aesthetics.

I think the answer to this is probably “the cheapest one”. The more expensive they get, the more you’re paying a premium for aesthetic appointments and finishing. NOS tend to be cheaper than journeyman/ light relic and so on up the chain. 

If you look around and aren’t afraid to haggle it’s possible to save some cash on new but older CS stock. The fretboard classifieds seem to have a surprisingly constant flow of good (used) CS deals too. 

Per se, CS is worth the outlay IMO. It’s a tactile, sensory, aural thing, not something that can be scientifically proven in a controlled trial or by microscopic examination of wood fibres. They are more than just tools.

This last paragraph is where the crux of it, because it’s not tangible and it’s all subjective, it’s hard to quantify and measure thus can charge as much as they want.  It’s like a painting, is it worth £100million? Only the buyer can answer that.