Are Fender Custom Shop Guitars Worth The Money?

Fender in the 1950s

If we scroll back in time to 1954 when Fender launched their ground-breaking Stratocaster. A new Strat cost $249, or $290 if you wanted a form fit case included. This was an entire months wages for the average American.  Today this equates to around $3200! By 1968 the average salary of Americans had doubled while the humble Strat remained at a modest $314, barely much of an increase from it’s original price point!

Fender Today

Today the Fender catalogue is vast, if you take the Stratocaster in isolation there are scores of versions and models available with a price point to suit almost everyone’s budget. Fenders marketing team know that if they can sell you a Squire as a first guitar when you’re a teenager then you’ll probably go through a handful of upgrades before you get your hands on an American or Custom Shop model as an adult.

The evolution of the Stratocaster

Launched in 1954, the Stratocaster underwent a series of changes and by the mid 1970s was a very different instrument. By the end of the 70s the product had changed so much that pro players simply weren’t interested in playing them. All the guitar legends of the era played either pre CBS models or late 60s large headstock models. This made the earlier guitars desirable and they became sought after. The beginnings of an incredible market in vintage guitars was born and by the 1990s pre CBS Fenders were changing hands for five or six times the cost of a new American Fender.

By the end of the 80s Fender was under new ownership and the narrative at the time was that the quality was now back. But was it?  When Fender was sold in the mid 80s there was no factory included in the deal. The new owners of the brand had to set up new manufacturing facilities. It was now the 1980s, not the 1950s so there was no way they could slip back in time to recreate what was done before. What came was a new product, completely fresh, a sort of rebirth of the brand under new ownership with a new factory and modern production facilities and methods.

With the advent of the USA Standard and the American Vintage reissues we certainly had better quality than the firewood of the late 70s but they certainly didn’t capture the character, sound and status of those early instruments from the 50s and 60s. While Fenders offerings on their production American guitars were OK in the 90s, they weren’t anywhere near as exciting as what was around the corner in the pre-owned or vintage guitar shop.

I can remember going into guitar shops as a teenager and becoming hypnotised by the beautiful American Fenders on the wall at prices I couldn’t afford. They were beautifully made, consistent, very well put together and looked lovely with their glossy lacquer and perfectly finished shiny hardware, but they lacked any of the character that was there with the originals. It was hard to get really excited and inspired by them.

The Fender Custom Shop

Many feel that when the Custom Shop came into being there was finally a return to the quality, feel and magic of the early guitars. At last there were new guitars being produced that in some cases, recaptured the essence of the pre CBS era.

The Custom Shop embraced making custom one offs for some of the world’s greatest names in guitar playing, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Yngwie Malmsteen, James Burton, the list was endless. Before long these guitar legends were hanging up their pre CBS Fenders and playing Master Built Custom Shops on stage instead. It was now clear that Fender really was back!

What happened around 2009 – 2011?

For the first twenty years of Custom Shop production we saw some amazing quality instruments get produced. They were the top of the range that Fender had to offer and were excellent quality. But around 2009-ish something changed.

There seemed to be a finer attention to detail, more authenticity, little details like patent numbers, correct markings on hardware and a better selection of period correct options. We saw the return of Pat Pend saddles on Strats, precise logos, more neck shapes and more authentic relic work.

More special editions began appearing in the catalogue and they pulled out all the stops to make editions like the 60^th Anniversary 1954 Stratocasters which were on a new level of quality and authenticity.