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However, if you wish to compare a Custom Shop model to a lower priced example - I find you'll notice a bigger difference when you go from the Custom Shop model back to the lower priced version, as against the other way round - Can you justify the difference is a different story - Hard to justify it, if you can't afford it, or don't wish to spend the appropriate funds - If you can't notice the difference, or feel very little difference, then all well and good as you've just saved a fair few pounds
As a final note - In 1962 a Strat was around £150 - today that equates to just over £3000 - About the same price today as a Custom Shop version - So effectively the same grade of guitar has not changed in price over the years
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I jad a classic player 50s which was better than american specials. I played a brand new US standard strat which was probably better. I now have an 86 MIJ strat which I prefer to both which I put down to the age but might be wrong.
Not at the moment, although I did have a Highway One which was OK but a bit average, and before that a couple of US Standards, one was better than the other but definitely not as good as a CS.
I now have a Matsumoku Aria 'Strat' which is OK, but a bit average or not quite as good as that. I love it because it's the same as the first electric guitar I owned, but it isn't as good as a CS Fender. There's a CS Fender in the shop just now which is fantastic, but it's a colour I'm not a fan of (Olympic white, sorry...) and it's also over two grand which is more than I want to spend on a Strat.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Its so hard to define better with something so subjective. I’ve played but never owned CS Fenders. I have owned a guitar ‘Masterbuilt’ upstairs by Steven Stern in the Gretsch CS. It is the most amazing guitar and now back with @TheMarlin
The build, the feel, the quality, the sound and the incredible aging but not reliced job were all out of this world. Better by miles than anything I’ve owned or played. But we never really bonded. So for me, the much much cheaper guitars I have now are better.
Not better instruments in any way, just better suited to this old hack
The mojo pickups in the mij were in a different league to the custom shop guitars
The mij neck is super broken in and feels nice and effortless to play. A new CS Fender tends to have sticky nitro neck.
(My CS Jazzmaster still has that a bit after 3 years and a lot of playing)
I do think that a particular strat they had, a Journey man in blonde had potential but I would have changed the bridge and the pickups. I have found with my CS guitars they all get better the more you play them.
But on the day it was down to @impmann and it was the PRS 305 that won the day and to be fair its the biggest sounding strat I have ever heard. Its still a dentists show piece though :-P
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
I've been through all the alternatives I can think of with many customers and there's really no good solution other than the original type.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
It is the same for shotguns. In the side by side market a Purdey or a Holland & Holland is better built than almost any other shotgun in the world. And they cost a lot of money to buy. Handle one and you know why they cost what they do.
A guitar is no different to any other product. Labour costs are high in the USA. A CS guitar requires a lot of labour to build it. I honestly think it is unlikely to get an ‘ordinary’ guitar up to the standard of a CS model. You can change the hardware on the ordinary guitar but how much of the original is left and how much fettling is needed to get it to the CS standard?
Nobody can answer the question posed by the OP. The only answer is for the OP to play a lot of guitars including CS models. And to buy the guitar that feels, plays and sounds right to him. Not me or anyone else. To him alone. Take it home and play it. And enjoy it.
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
I guessed which was the CS, however there isn't much in it and in the dirty soundclip, the Squier sounds every bit as a Strat should to me. Some of that is the player (superb) and some in the pickups etc., but it's not far away for all that either. I'm sure the CS feels better to play and is better quality of course, but there isn't much in it.
My head said brake, but my heart cried never.
My head said brake, but my heart cried never.
MJT is about luck, but I have built an MJT (broadcaster clone) that I very foolishly sold. It was frankly better than my cs nocaster, which is my go to the grave guitar. FWIW, I used musikraft wood, which in my experience is a step up from the MJT stuff, especially the necks. Why did I sell it? Because it wasn’t a “real” Fender. Yup, I’m an idiot.
Modding a mex? I’ve not played/owned one that was anywhere near cs quality, even after wasting a load of money on upgrades. Maybe they exist, I’ve not really experienced it. It doesn’t mean they aren’t very good guitars for the money, just not “there.” Mark at guitars4you is spot on in his post.
The other range that came very close for me was the American vintage stuff. The 64 Teles were truly special and I don’t really know why I don’t still have one (cue GAS). The 65 strats were equally awesome and I also had a very lovely 59 strat. The difference on these vs cs simply came down to relicing in my view.
I’m sure there are amazing masterbuilt and they look incredible, especially if you see a Dale Wilson from a relicing point of view. I didn’t find them to play better though, simply because the team built stuff is that good.
Theres something great about the right vintage guitar. I still dream about a 65 strat I had. Most aren’t great though, don’t stay in tune, are harder to play and need work, which kills the value if you have it done as they aren’t as “original”.
In my experience, team built custom shop is where it’s at and in my view, these are the best guitars Fender has EVER made. If you’ve fallen in love with a particular guitar, and you can afford it, get it. You’ll spend a lot of money trying to find it and you’ll never be quite satisfied otherwise.