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'cos my local guitar shop stocks about 90% Fender and traditional Fender/Gibson clones, making it a very boring place to browse, and making trying those other brands very difficult.
Cars, computers, keyboards - might currently all have the same basic forms as each other, but the designs of those things haven't remained static for the last 70's years - they've all evolved to where they are now, and continue to evolve every year. If we all bought phones like guitarists buy guitars we'd all be using Nokia 3310 clones.
Anyway, the OP didn't say "Fender, I want crazy designs and burn the old ones! Bwahaha!!!" - he just said "Fender, how about, in addition to the traditional models, you do a strat without a scratchplate and with an ergonomic neck joint?" - hardly controversial.
That's why those improvements generally come in the form of guitars from other manufacturers, with better upper fret access, more solid headstock joins, more interesting electronics, better tuning stability etc etc.
Even then, wouldn't it make more sense to urge (or even wish) that particular shop to have more of a varied stock rather than wishing Fender made different guitars so that shop would be more likely to stock them? Even just buy the ones you like online if the shop has such a limited range.
I don't think anyone finds it controversial to wish Fender made guitars similar to other brands, just seems pointless to want them to be made by a specific company.
I had to go all modern and get a Nokia 105.
But isn't there also the fact that changing anything on a guitar will alter the way it sounds so any changes made - even if it makes it practically more functional - will make it sound different to the classic Les Paul so people wanting to sound the same as their favourite records they heard growing up won't be satisfied. Of course there's also the desire to hold a guitar that looks/is the same as those favourite players which comes in to play despite any sound differences.
At one point when I was comparing a Les Paul to a more modern style guitar (PRS Custom) I found myself concerned with making sure the latter could sound like a Les Paul so that I wasn't missing out. But then I had an epiphany that it doesn't necessarily have to sound like a LP (which may seem obvious to some but it is something a lot of us tend to think) and it only matters that it sounds good.
After a while I did actually find I preferred the sound of the LP but it's interesting that, before I really thought about it, I had the idea in my head that the LP sound is the ultimate goal or a necessity. There may well even be some of that kind of thinking subconsciously affecting my choice in the end.
A Charvel pro mod DK24 is pretty much exactly what the OP described, isn't it?
In fact I'm open to making what i want but it's still got to look like something I'm used to seeing and that's the problem with most companies or nobody will buy them
(formerly customkits)
I don't think the big 2 companies, should, could or need to cover all options and bases - There was a comment or two a number of years ago that if PRS had have worked at Gibson, designed and produced the Custom 24 and took it to a board meeting, with a view to bringing it to the market, that it would not have happened - As a stand alone company and product the PRS has worked - Within the Gibson range it would have flopped as it is not what Gibson are about
It could be a big topic that has to many options, opinions and takes to long to write about on a forum - Most companies have an identity which works for them - You can see it within the Ibanez range and the Gibson range - You do get a few models/makes that cross over a bit on the fringes, but I believe you should make and offer what is best for you - Martin + Taylor both tried to enter the electric guitar market - Both flopped - Fender have never had success in the acoustic market (part of the reason they acquired Guild) - So stick to your strengths has been a better option
They’ve been choosing to try and convince players that they don’t want any innovation for at least 30 years, but I believe this will hurt them sooner than later.
History is replete with brands that defined the market until they quite suddenly became irrelevant.