What Would You Do With Fender?
Moderated By: mods
-
robert(original)
- .
- Posts: 7174
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:30 pm
- Location: somewhere in the midwest
iread the first bit and a couple posts.
but./...
fender is already known for a few things, mostly things that they pioneered.
1st being weird guitars, bass vi, the shortscale bass, the whole massive bolt on neck thing, the insanely comfy necks with 7.25 radii. etc etc etc.
but if i owned fender the biggest most important thing i would do is increase the quility control in the american factory, this includes no american guitar to have unmatched grain and no more than 3 peices of wood, no cross grain crap.
stuff like contours need to fit the guitar, rod and i talked about how the new stangs have cheap feeling strat like countors, and even hurb has remarked on the vintage contours over the re-issues.
so once again, lets give the guitar bodies a better feel.
i hate to say it but.
shut down the korean, indonesian factories.
keep fender japan going tho, cuz that shit is quility.
the mexican factory...... it could stay open, but i would like to keep as much in the u.s. as possible.
another BIG thing that i would have to change would be the setups.
i would hire 20 people in each state(more in cali, less in maine, of course)
to make trips to music shops to make sure that all fenders we setup properly and being maintained and taken care of.
oh and a hardshell case with any guitar over 450.00 or so(even if its shite)
but./...
fender is already known for a few things, mostly things that they pioneered.
1st being weird guitars, bass vi, the shortscale bass, the whole massive bolt on neck thing, the insanely comfy necks with 7.25 radii. etc etc etc.
but if i owned fender the biggest most important thing i would do is increase the quility control in the american factory, this includes no american guitar to have unmatched grain and no more than 3 peices of wood, no cross grain crap.
stuff like contours need to fit the guitar, rod and i talked about how the new stangs have cheap feeling strat like countors, and even hurb has remarked on the vintage contours over the re-issues.
so once again, lets give the guitar bodies a better feel.
i hate to say it but.
shut down the korean, indonesian factories.
keep fender japan going tho, cuz that shit is quility.
the mexican factory...... it could stay open, but i would like to keep as much in the u.s. as possible.
another BIG thing that i would have to change would be the setups.
i would hire 20 people in each state(more in cali, less in maine, of course)
to make trips to music shops to make sure that all fenders we setup properly and being maintained and taken care of.
oh and a hardshell case with any guitar over 450.00 or so(even if its shite)
Having quality control reps to tour shops would be a great step - Nick posted a while back about the MIM Jag at GC having a twisted neck. That's just unacceptable. The MIM stuff is fine build wise, it's just way too heavy. I'd also like to see them scale back production so they can focus on quality. I was watching the "Made in America" where they toured the factory and the "play-in" test was literally some guy shredding a chromatic scale across the neck for 10 seconds. They really need to have someone sit down with each guitar for at least 10 minutes to make sure everything is right.
-
robert(original)
- .
- Posts: 7174
- Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:30 pm
- Location: somewhere in the midwest
I have no idea what CuNife pickups are, but I assume those are the real widerangers? If so, they really don't sound that much different to the reissues honestly. Maybe a little bit brighter but not that much. I played a vintage '73 Tele Deluxe with them and it sounded really nice, but I didn't really think it was worth $2500 more than my reissue.Mike wrote:I love people talking about CuNiFe pickups as if they've any idea what they sound like.mewithoutus wrote:Fender Starcaster Reissue, with the Orignal type CuNife pickups.
done.
ZOMBIE THREAD RUN AHHHHHHHH 
- I'd cut Squier loose so they could be their awesome selves.
- Shut down all the shit Wal-Mart guitar lines like "Starcaster"
- Keep just the American and Mexican plants.
I'd cut it down to just one strat and tele from each factory, available in 5-6 standard colors plus every color available as a custom order (i.e., the way it was in the '60s). This wouldn't be custom shop, just special order so the upcharge would be $150 max. Then I'd have American versions of the Jaguar, JM, Mustang, Duo-Sonic, XII, Bass VI, and an updated version of the Starcaster. Anything that sells well would get a Mexican equivalent, which would be made with the exact same parts and wood.
Basically, drastically scaling back size and production in order to focus on making a few guitars very well.
The amps would all be made in Mexico with appropriate parts sourced cheaply from Asia (so the amps would actually have adequate transformers and such). I'd use a hybrid of PCBs for the main circuitry and old-style tube sockets. Neither the sockets, jacks, nor pots would be PCB mounted. There would also be fewer models available: BF VibroChamp (maybe add reverb), tweed and BF Deluxe, BF Twin, Super, Bassman, etc. Everybody uses pedals for OD these days, so I'd go back to just cleans and natural breakup. Digital can GTFO.
I'd stop trying to win at every price point and focus on making quality, affordable guitars and amps for professionals. THE WAY IT USED TO BE.
- I'd cut Squier loose so they could be their awesome selves.
- Shut down all the shit Wal-Mart guitar lines like "Starcaster"
- Keep just the American and Mexican plants.
I'd cut it down to just one strat and tele from each factory, available in 5-6 standard colors plus every color available as a custom order (i.e., the way it was in the '60s). This wouldn't be custom shop, just special order so the upcharge would be $150 max. Then I'd have American versions of the Jaguar, JM, Mustang, Duo-Sonic, XII, Bass VI, and an updated version of the Starcaster. Anything that sells well would get a Mexican equivalent, which would be made with the exact same parts and wood.
Basically, drastically scaling back size and production in order to focus on making a few guitars very well.
The amps would all be made in Mexico with appropriate parts sourced cheaply from Asia (so the amps would actually have adequate transformers and such). I'd use a hybrid of PCBs for the main circuitry and old-style tube sockets. Neither the sockets, jacks, nor pots would be PCB mounted. There would also be fewer models available: BF VibroChamp (maybe add reverb), tweed and BF Deluxe, BF Twin, Super, Bassman, etc. Everybody uses pedals for OD these days, so I'd go back to just cleans and natural breakup. Digital can GTFO.
I'd stop trying to win at every price point and focus on making quality, affordable guitars and amps for professionals. THE WAY IT USED TO BE.
ROLF. I just heard Rob's voice in my head shouting at the designers cause he can't order an ice blue esquire.Zaphod wrote:I expect it's been said already but make robroe CEO.
Dude would sort shit out.
"Dudes! Why the fuck can't I buy a fucking purple spangle soapsonic if I have the fucking money?!?!?!"
also
"What the fuck is this shit. Don't you fags know the robroes go on like every fucking guitar now!!"
it doesn't read funny, but imagine it in robroe's high pitched freakout voice.
I would publicly draw and quarter whoever had the shit ass idea of the "road worn" guitars, drop the MIM standard line back down to $350, no fucking tinted neck or MJ frets. I would cancel 6/10 strats, and do my parts guitars idea as listed earlier. It works for Harley Davidson.
Squier Esquier for Rob,
bring back the cyclones,
and the GOOD toronado,
and the JAguar Bass Vi Custom Limited Edititon Baritone Guitar Bass Custom.
And put a huge amount of man hours into the "Hurb Signature Jaguar"
Squier Esquier for Rob,
bring back the cyclones,
and the GOOD toronado,
and the JAguar Bass Vi Custom Limited Edititon Baritone Guitar Bass Custom.
And put a huge amount of man hours into the "Hurb Signature Jaguar"
High quality, low popularity Ecstatic Fury
What I want from fender would be nitro finishes on the entire line (anything not squier), custom colors on American standard models, and for them to bring back affordable American student models. IMO I should be able to buy an American made Duosonic or Musicmaster for about $500-$600. I'd like them to scrap all their overpriced custom shop vintage models. "Vintage specs" are not worth an extra $1500-$2000.
In general, I'd like for them to stop acting like some company who only sees success by revisiting stuff they did in the past and charging too much for it, and act more like they're trying to continue an ongoing legacy.
In general, I'd like for them to stop acting like some company who only sees success by revisiting stuff they did in the past and charging too much for it, and act more like they're trying to continue an ongoing legacy.
Mojo hounds seem to think nitro gives better tone because it "lets the wood breathe" and all bollocks like that.
Plus they seem to think it'll relic their guitar nice and proper, until they realise hanging your guitar on a wall for 5 days a week and taking it down (carefully) to play Little Wing on a Saturday afternoon then hanging it back up doesn't relic a guitar. Unless you wear kevlar armsocks during or something.
Plus they seem to think it'll relic their guitar nice and proper, until they realise hanging your guitar on a wall for 5 days a week and taking it down (carefully) to play Little Wing on a Saturday afternoon then hanging it back up doesn't relic a guitar. Unless you wear kevlar armsocks during or something.
-easier to repair than poly
-wears more gracefully
-light surface scratches can usually be taken right out with some Virtuoso polish/cleaner
-increases resonance (call snobbery on this one if you will, but from my experience it's the troof.)
And it's really not that much more expensive in the scheme of things. If it costs $20 more to finish the guitar in it, charge $20-$30 more for the guitar, I doubt many will complain.
-wears more gracefully
-light surface scratches can usually be taken right out with some Virtuoso polish/cleaner
-increases resonance (call snobbery on this one if you will, but from my experience it's the troof.)
And it's really not that much more expensive in the scheme of things. If it costs $20 more to finish the guitar in it, charge $20-$30 more for the guitar, I doubt many will complain.
Oddly enough the forearm area of my Gibson Les Paul Studio is already starting to wear down, and it's not even 2 years old. I think it's because I never played carved tops before owning it, and my playing style probably has me putting more pressure on my forearm than I'm supposed to.Zaphod wrote:Mojo hounds seem to think nitro gives better tone because it "lets the wood breathe" and all bollocks like that.
Plus they seem to think it'll relic their guitar nice and proper, until they realise hanging your guitar on a wall for 5 days a week and taking it down (carefully) to play Little Wing on a Saturday afternoon then hanging it back up doesn't relic a guitar. Unless you wear kevlar armsocks during or something.
i was just about to post that about how every guitar virtuoso will say everything about the mojo and breathing all bullshit poly is more durable and holds up betterZaphod wrote:Mojo hounds seem to think nitro gives better tone because it "lets the wood breathe" and all bollocks like that.
Plus they seem to think it'll relic their guitar nice and proper, until they realise hanging your guitar on a wall for 5 days a week and taking it down (carefully) to play Little Wing on a Saturday afternoon then hanging it back up doesn't relic a guitar. Unless you wear kevlar armsocks during or something.