All Fender lovers .......

[stephen]

I'm not completely sure of the ins and outs of it all, but it looks like Fender is going to put the kabash on buying necks and bodies. Its a big topic of discussion at the tdpri.

So, if you wanted to get that certain style neck, you better do it quick, before the market dries up on them! Cause after all the license agreements run out, and all the stocks dwindle, you'll only be able to get it from Fender, but it better be a REAL Fender (no parts-casters allowed), cause you have to take the Fender in to an Authorized Service Dealer, and have your axe checked out, and certified that the part is going on a real Fender guitar.

[Micter]

Well, there are a lot of companies making Fender necks (under license agreements) I would much rather buy a neck/body from one of the many after market MFG's. That is pretty much what I have done for the past 5 or 6 years anyway.

[stephen]

Well, there are a lot of companies making Fender necks (under license agreements) I would much rather buy a neck/body from one of the many after market MFG's. That is pretty much what I have done for the past 5 or 6 years anyway.

But it looks like Fender wont be renewing those license agreements. Dont know if its protecting trademarks, trying to get all the money themselves or what. All I know is I dont like it much, and I may be looking at going to another manufacturer in the future, if I want to buy a new guitar, or something happens to my current one that I cant get replacement parts for.

[Old Believer]

Similar to the jive routine Gibson's been doing to it's customers.

Like Forrest's mom said, "stupid is as stupid does." :banghead

[Crunchyriff]

Yeah, Fender has been taking lessons from Henry J... :roll: :roll: :roll:

[kewlpack]

Long live Schecter! Long live Ibanez!

8-[ (watching for poison darts to be shot while I'm not lookin')

:angel

Hmmm - not sure why mfgs are taking this route. It makes things less than easy for their users... grrrr.

[TheViking]

...maybe it has to do with some rather peculiar ways of seeing things. I was told by a Fender employee not long ago that, and i quote: No stores sell Fender, Fender sells Fender, you guys (music stores) are just order takers.

By that statement the arrogant lil gentleman pointed out some pretty interesting views for a corporation to have. I am sure he wasn’t speaking for all Fender employees, but I am pretty sure this wasn’t his own philosophy either.

Fender is BIG, for decades it has been a household name amongst musicians and a lot of the classic sounds of rock and pop are made with Fenders. Now that Fender owns or/ and controls Guild, Squier, Gretsch, Brand X, Charvel, Tacoma, Bendetto, Jackson, Orpheum, Rodriguez, SWR and Olympia they are getting bigger and stronger by the day.

Both the Tele and the strat are musical icons. Everyone knows what they sound and look like. Fender will always benefit from owning the rights of these two guitars. Fender doesn't have to be on their toes to sell guitars, their name alone is more than enough.

That said, I am not a Fender fanatic like I used to be. There are many brilliant manufacturers of parts out there. Manufacturers still small enough to take pride in what they do and guarantee good products. They still hold the code of craftsmanship high. In my opinion a guitar assembled with Allparts, Warmoth or USCG parts, beats most stock Fenders any day (I am not talking abt the custom shop ones). Making a parts caster I can get exactly the combination of woods I want, the neck shape I want, the colour I want, the pickups I want, the vibe and feel I want. So do I buy a Fender and modify it? No, not anymore, I buy parts and put together what I want for less money than Fender could do it!!!!
Does Fender like that???? Noooooooooooooooo
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[kewlpack]

www.rowanguitars.com

All hand-carved/made and beautiful.

I like the squawky quack of a good strat - but like you guys say... you can get that with other brands easy enough.

Fender needs to be careful lest they fall under the Microsoft syndrome!! ;)

[stephen]

Fender needs to be careful lest they fall under the Microsoft syndrome!! ;)

Unfortunately, a lot of companies would love to put up with microsoft problems, to get microsoft profits! I wonder if that is Fenders motivation?

I wonder if Tokai is still makin some good Strats and Tele's?