Custom Shop Builds Explained
What is meant by Team Built? - The phrase team built covers the majority of custom Shop models. Any guitar that is not a Master built version will be team built. This essentially means that a team of luthiers creates the guitar and not just one individual person. Some of the guys at the Fender workshop will specialist in certain areas and have a keen interest in more specific aspects of the build process. So it follows that when you order a guitar that is not Master Built it will be skilfully created by a team of expert luthiers and the guitar will enjoy the best person for the job at all times.
What is meant by Master Built?
Master built refers to sought after one off builds. This is where one individual well known experienced guitar builder puts together the entire build to his own personal standards and with his own hands. Some guitar builders have become quite famous and have developed a set of fans and followers who particular appreciate the work they produce. Example names of well-known and sought after Master Built guitar builders would be Todd Krause, John Cruz and Greg Fessler to name but a few. The guitars they produce will take long to wait for due to the demands and attention these builders receive, so expect generally long waiting time of up to 4 years in some cases.
Vintage Custom Range - These Custom Shop models offer players a modern day build quality using only premium parts and woods. This is what Fender have to say about this series - These instruments represent early, almost prototypical, transitional and "first rev" versions of classic Fender models before they were refined into their present-day form. Featuring a few subtle modifications for enhanced playability and tone, some models incorporate prototypical features that barely saw the light of day while others have rarely seen transitional parts combinations that may have been used during the instrument's development.
Artist Range - These models that have been developed in conjunction with and for well-known Fender Artists. These players and models will really need to introduction to any Guitar fan and offer a more individual set of premium specifications geared to the personal tastes of the Artist.
Ltd Edition Range - This sub section of Custom Models offers the same incredibly high levels of quality on a wide range and ever changing range of one off designs. Sometimes Fender do not move much from a well-known classic set of specifications, but other times they will serve up a fresh and exciting blend of old and new. Each year Fender announce a fresh set of guitars that ensures any older models will always remain part of a small production run and may prove hard to find.
Artisan Range - These guitars take a modern day set of specifications and ultimate craftsmanship and use an exotic and sought after choice of woods and parts to ensure a most sumptuous and lavish build. They offer remarkable tonal characteristics and are also very hard to get due to the demands on the workshop and back log of orders.
Postmodern - An absolute favourite of ours. Taking the vintage looks and vibe of a traditional 50's or 60's build but twisting in some modern day sought after player orientated specifications. Think Vintage looks with a more modern day performance. Features such as the fingerboard radius and style and type of pickups fitted on the Postmodern range will delight any fan of older looking guitars who enjoys a more demanding modern day feel.
Time Machine - Take a real step straight back in time. The beautifully authentic Tome Machine series does exactly what it sets out to do. Its builds an ultimate modern day vintage now guitar offering perfect performance with all the looks and character.
Project Music custom order build - We order around 50 - 100 Custom one off builds every year. These guitars are versions that we have designed and asked for and are built to our own specifications. We design every aspect of the guitars build to include its choice of finishing and woods as well of course as the pickups and hardware etc. To sum this range up we would describe them as our imagination combination with our firm favourite and classic specifications. We are delighted to be in a position that Fender Custom Shop will dedicate so much build time to us, and we are equally delighted to receive so many Custom One off builds every year. Many of the guitars you will see on our web site will be one of these unique custom shop one off build models.
Customer Specified Custom Ordered build - anyone can design a guitar to be built at the Fender Custom shop facility. The extensive and insanely varied list of build options is seemingly never ending. If you have a particular guitar in mind or a set of specification you simply must have then we can help you. Contact us and our experience team will work with you and are happy to be used as a sounding board to ensure you end up with a guitar that will be perfect for your own playing style and needs.