Fender USA vs Fender Custom shop????

[Brad737]

I'm not primarily a Fender player...I play a PRS or Les Paul 90% of the time. But I do have 3 Fender Strats, and have owned a LOT more. I'd say in the early to mid 90s (?) the Fender Custom Shop models WERE worth the extra money. Nowadays? Not so much. They may be marginally better, but to me, sooooo not worth double or triple the price.

 

[rlord1974]

Dude, why are you bumping dozens of unrelated dead threads?

 

[firegate]

I'll add that 9 times out of 10, the CS's are 8lbs and over. IMO, that's BS. $3500 for a CS Jeff Beck Strat weighing in at 8 1/2 lbs? They can stick it.

Mine weighs in at 8 pounds, which is roughly what my old one weighed. Maybe it's the locking tuners? I think 8 is the typical Strat weight, although the American EJ Strats are consistently in the mid 7s.

My CS 56 NOS is a hair under 7lbs and resonates like a mother. Great axe.

 

[Random Hero]

I've owned three Fender CS guitars and I think 4 US models. Out of the three CS models, one was excellent and two were meh. Out of the US, I've had two excellent models. I actually think my current US is the best player of them all, and I didn't select it, it was a gift!

They can be great guitars but not just because they're from the 'custom shop'.