No More US Fenders?

[Offshore Angler]

Interesting, I see where the "Corona" Fenders no longer say "Made in the USA" or USA on them anywhere. There's just a simple "Corona, Ca" on the headstock.

Apparently, the US content is not high enough for them to be labeled "USA" anymore. Not that it really matters, the quality from Mexico is getting so good that there's really no reason not to buy a mexican Fender if you simply want a player. My Mexican Tele is better than my USA Tele. So other than paying more, I don't see the difference.

Yes, some Squiers still use ceramic pickups, cheap woods and hardware, but it seems the USA and Mexico Fenders are pretty much using the same parts now.

Chuck

[S. Cane]

Interesting, I see where the "Corona" Fenders no longer say "Made in the USA" or USA on them anywhere. There's just a simple "Corona, Ca" on the headstock.

Apparently, the US content is not high enough for them to be labeled "USA" anymore. Not that it really matters, the quality from Mexico is getting so good that there's really no reason not to buy a mexican Fender if you simply want a player. My Mexican Tele is better than my USA Tele. So other than paying more, I don't see the difference.

Yes, some Squiers still use ceramic pickups, cheap woods and hardware, but it seems the USA and Mexico Fenders are pretty much using the same parts now.

Chuck

I haven’t played a modern Player Series or a newer classic style MiM, but the ones from a while ago were very different from MiAs, regarding most everything. Weight, woods, pickups… They were NOT bad guitars at all, though. Mexican Fenders are quite closer to their US counterparts than most Epiphones are close to Gibsons.

As for the newer Corona factory guitars, well even Gibsons have Asian made stuff on them… I think if someone wants to buy a ‘proper’ ‘made in USA’ guitar, then buy a Rickenbacker or a Custom made one. And hurry up because since the 80s or so even Ricks have German tuners and a few years ago they started changing fretboard woods.

Not that it matters, though.

[ch willie]

I like my 2008 AmStd Strat, but I like even more the clunker I built from a Player body and 93 AmStd neck. I don't care how many pieces the Player body is made of. It's a great Strat.

[phantomman]

I think if someone wants to buy a ‘proper’ ‘made in USA’ guitar, then buy a Rickenbacker or a Custom made one.

Or build it yourself. There are still ample MIA Fender parts available. All it takes is a screwdriver and a soldering iron.

[Offshore Angler]

it's probably a snobby attitude, but I never considered Corona Fenders to be "true" Fenders anyway. When Fender sold they didn't sell the manufacturing methods or tooling, just the designs. So unless it's from Fullerton, it's not an "original" USA Fender in my eyes. The problem with buying MIA parts is lots of the MIA parts were not built in the USA, the guitars were often only assembled here. Which is precisely why Fender is no longer put allowed to put "USA" on the headstock.

[phantomman]

When Fender sold they didn't sell the manufacturing methods or tooling, just the designs.

Bullshit.

According to numerous interviews with Bill Shultz, CBS's sale of Fender Musical Instruments included everything EXCEPT for the physical structures comprising the Fullerton plant and the land upon which it stood. An example is Fender's pickups. Up until her retirement in 2013, Abigail Ybarra was still winding pickups on the same machines she started with in 1958.

[S. Cane]

it's probably a snobby attitude, but I never considered Corona Fenders to be "true" Fenders anyway. When Fender sold they didn't sell the manufacturing methods or tooling, just the designs. So unless it's from Fullerton, it's not an "original" USA Fender in my eyes. The problem with buying MIA parts is lots of the MIA parts were not built in the USA, the guitars were often only assembled here. Which is precisely why Fender is no longer put allowed to put "USA" on the headstock.

Well, I happen to be friends with a dude who recently became a Fender employee, and by coincidence Italked to him a few months ago about this. Actually, most MiA series are indeed made of American made parts (except of course for tuners and other imported little details) and made with a pretty decent amount of hand work. I won’t obviously say who he is (DM if needed) but we have been Buds for enough time for him not to BS me.

[jrgtr42]

I think you're reading too much into the labels.
They're still building the guitars in the California plant, I doubt that will change anytime soon, with the cork-sniffer attitudes so many players have about where a guitar is built rather than how well it's built.

[Offshore Angler]

Hey, if you want a "real" Fender you buy a G&L. Built right in the original Fullerton factory.

[ch willie]

Hey, if you want a "real" Fender you buy a G&L. Built right in the original Fullerton factory.

Exactly. My US-made JB-5 string is custom shop level good. Superior woods and build techniques. I love my Fenders, but I'll buy G*L if I want something Fender-ish. There are many more choices for lefties at G&L.

[S. Cane]

hmmm this reminds me of the people who state that Shotokan Karate isn't exactly real karate because it has no direct lineage to the Chinese masters who inspired the older Okinawan styles, and because it has been developed in Japan, and so on...

I am a big American Standard strat fan, because for my needs it's the most versatile and modern player oriented 'standard' stratocaster ever made. Easy to set up, great necks, wide tone range due to the no-load tone pot wired to the bridge pickup, hot pickups, stable two point tremolo, micro tilt adjustment... It's a player's guitar. Not a collector's. So, but is it a real Fender? Or should it be named "Schultz" "Blanda" or "Smith"? Whatever…

To me the best answer to this question is: If Leo hadn’t started it all, would we have American Standard Strats today at all?

Anyway, my Rickenbacker is a real Rickenbacker, but I like my Fender better

[OLD GUITAR PLAYER]

hmmm this reminds me of the people who state that Shotokan Karate isn't exactly real karate because it has no direct lineage to the Chinese masters who inspired the older Okinawan styles, and because it has been developed in Japan, and so on...

I am a big American Standard strat fan, because for my needs it's the most versatile and modern player oriented 'standard' stratocaster ever made. Easy to set up, great necks, wide tone range due to the no-load tone pot wired to the bridge pickup, hot pickups, stable two point tremolo, micro tilt adjustment... It's a player's guitar. Not a collector's. So, but is it a real Fender? Or should it be named "Schultz" "Blanda" or "Smith"? Whatever…

To me the best answer to this question is: If Leo hadn’t started it all, would we have American Standard Strats today at all?
Anyway, my Rickenbacker is a real Rickenbacker, but I like my Fender better

American made Fender guitars have always been assembled in Corona, California, since their reboot in the 1980's. They had been been labeled "made in USA" until recently. My understanding is that the percentage of USA parts/labor required to continue to use the "made in USA" labeling is now being strictly regulated. So, it's a lot simpler to use a "made in Corona" label. Also, some USA hardware and electronics are manufactured overseas, as well as their 3 way & 5 way switches (which are manufactured to spec in Mexico) Fender's locking tuners (which are made to spec by PING in China) and Nitro finishes, many of which are now shot in Mexico because of the tighter California EPA regulations. In addition, Fender's latest "American Performer Series" USA guitars have moved to simpler "standard" single-truss-rod necks (with the larger CBS headstocks) which are manufactured in Ensenada, Mexico. Fender's pricier USA guitars still use USA "dual-truss-rod" necks made in Corona, CA.

[blackonblack]

Holy necro post

[Tele-Bob]

Hey, if you want a "real" Fender you buy a G&L. Built right in the original Fullerton factory.

...and if you want a real Gibson, buy a Heritage. When I bought my Heritage Blues Deluxe in 1998, it was made by the original guys who built the guitars people are now paying 1/2 a million dollars for.
These guys stayed in Kalamazoo and formed Heritage after Gibson moved to Nashville. They make great guitars!

[blackonblack]

I love my Heritage 530. (Gibby equivalent of Es 330).
it’s getting g a heavy nod for stage time in a couple weeks with the set list put forth.