I wonder why people dont just buy a used strat from the 90s. Theyvarevthe best ever made ,last forever and are about $800. Easily modified, easy to refret. Nothing is more versatile
In a perfect world all of my guitars would be MIJ in the 80s from Fujigen, and most of my guitars have been used whether or not they were MIJ. I have had so many great instruments from them including several Fenders and many Ibanez, my favorite being a Jazz Bass Special White/Black exactly like Duff McKagan used on AFD. Sometimes we want something new, that's only ours that we can make our own mark on. In my case I have never had a brand new Strat, and I wanted to get myself one to celebrate a major milestone of regaining my ability to walk after three years in a wheelchair and multiple painful surgeries. It will be also my last new Fender, on account of the multiple, albeit minor issues, but that's okay because I am very happy with the guitar. However, it's just a guitar, and Fender is just another soulless corporate entity that does not deserve such loyal fans.
Great Video. Everybody else thinks Fender is the holy Grail. Thanks for a honest review at the price for something made in Mexico you would expect a lot better.
Thanks so much. I don't care where it's made or at what price point, there is no level where it's okay to have so many flaws. If it's such a problem then they should raise the price and make sure each guitar gets a decent check-over, not put out half finished items to keep the price where they want it to be.
My lefty Fender Player II Strat had a couple of issues as well. I like working on guitars and since I got mine $100 off ($699) I kept it since like yours the wood and the neck are really good and I have fixed the minor issues plus things like Graphtech String Saver Saddles were added as mods. I've got 25 lefty guitars and basses from $169 to $2,500 each form Squiers to Kiesels, Gibsons, Schecters, etc., and everyone of them had something that needed to be fixed or adjusted. Nice video, and thanks!
@@robertpurdy4452 thanks, that’s a great point. Despite the issues I am very pleased with the final product and that’s all that matters, but every new guitar needs at least some level of attention.
Yeah I don't blame you, that's insanity. I have no regets keeping this one as the actual neck and body are pretty exquisite, but the next time I get the urge for a new axe it will be a partscaster build.
Ditto! I sent back 3 three 50s vintera modified teles, two vintera 70s deluxe teles,, 60s vintera strat and two player strats. Fender MIM lost my business for life. I have bought several MIA fenders and they were all perfect.
@@johnsmith-ug5tp see, I'm not going to reward bad performance by spending more with them in the future. They should make sure that every guitar is the best it can be, and then they might have a good reputation, not just be able to survive purely on legacy and brand recognition. Unfortunately brands are status symbols and that's really what people are buying.
I've wanted a strat for decades and finally took the plunge and got an American Professional II Stratocaster. The first one had a finish flaw too bad to overlook, so I returned it for a new one, and the second guitar's 20th and 21st frets were not fully seated, so it was returned also. I guess the third time's a charm, but that's ridiculously bad QC and even though the 3rd one is good I don't feel the same about Fender anymore. It's that saying something about never meet your heros kinda thing.
For me this was my first new guitar in many years, my first new Fender ever, and it was bought to celebrate a milestone, but if it would have been a finish issue or something serious like popped frets then it DEFINITELY would have gone back. What's funny is if you read the other comments many of them tell me I should have bought a US made, or I should return it and by the AP2, but like your case shows, thes QC issues aren't a Mexico problem, they're a Fender problem. Anyway I am ultimately happy with it now or I would have sent it back in a heartbeat. Maybe if I called Fender and complained they would give me rebate or credit or something but frankly I would rather pour super glue into my eyeballs than have to deal with any corporate customer service and their automated phone lines, chatbots from hell, endless waiting, etc. In my case I decided that the body and neck were worth just fixing the other things myself.
That seems to be a common theme with the replies here. Let's say I go to a new restaurant, let's call it Leo's, for lunch and get soup and a sandwich. There used to be a guy named Leo and his restaurant was incredible; fresh food, great service, fair prices, but Leo got older and sold the name to some conglomerate. Now under the new ownership the service is poor, the soup is cold, the bread is stale, and it's overpriced. It's a far cry from it's glory days. Am I going to come back at night and try the filet mignon just because I like the name on the sign? These corporations don't deserve our loyalty, especially after such a poor performance as with this piece. Thanks for your input.
@@pfg_pedals It's true, but also makes me sad. I'd want to find another way to be satisfied somehow, in my lifetime, I am still alive, Leo not. I don't want to suffer, so can you also implement whatever precautions can we take, either guitar industry, or anything closely related to the subject? That'll be the best answer.
@@mylogify things change, but just because the company has changed doesn't mean there is anything wrong with wanting a Fender guitar. It's not like problems with guitars are new, players have been complaining declining Fender quality since CBS bought them out in the 60s, but honestly the guitars of today are the best, or at least as good as they have ever been. CNC tech has made it easy to pump out perfectly shaped bodies and necks, and they are putting more attention to details like high quality potentiometers, rolled fretboards and domed fret ends, hardware, etc. My advice is to think of guitars individually. Just because one example had some minor flaw does not mean that every guitar will be bad. Plenty of buyers are very happy with their Fender's but the people with issues are more likely to be motivated to report their dissatisfaction. I love this guitar, but I wanted to share my experience for others to know what they may have to deal with, I do not want to discourage anyone else from getting their dream guitar, whatever it may be.
Yeah I wonder why they insist on the screw arms, although I suspect a certain segment of their fan base complains when they change anything from vintage spec. I do have to say that the aftermarket block improved the situation greatly, but it shouldn't need to be improved, and FFS why can't they just include the 2 cent spring with all the guitars?
Man I’ll never understand the quality control of guitar companies like Fender and Gibson/Epiphone. When you’re paying for something that’s no pocket change, every aspect of it should be in functioning factory new condition. Almost all of my Electrics have had an issue one way or another brand new. My Player Series Strat’s whammy bar just snapped straight off after the tiniest bit of use. My Vintera 50s modified Strat had scratchy pots and a warped pick guard from the get go (the pick guard’s whatever its to be expected with those crappy 1 ply 50s pickguard) And my Epiphone Les Paul Standard had a pickup that didn’t even work, HOW THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE IT PAST QUALITY TESTING! It was also set up poorly. I honestly just lay it down to bad luck for me because I’ve always had quite misfortune luck.
Just like your Epiphone, these problems would have been found if someone just played it for two seconds, but I suspect they do what many other industries do and pull random samples for testing periodically. They test every guitar, no way they do. Unfortunately they have no motivation to improve quality as long as people keep buying them anyway.
I would expect these sort of issues on some of the Squier line instruments, not on a Fender Player Series. I had some related issues with a Squier Bass VI. I didn't experience anything like this with my 2022 Mexi-Strat, and I think that this level of problems is pretty disappointing, to be honest.
Fender mexico is quite a lot of money compared to other brands at the same level. And that trem block and input jack swap is not a minor repair and is not cheap. Luckily you can repair it by yourself. If im not in a hurry needing a guitar, i will send this back and ask for a perfect one. If the problem is fixed or replaced with a perfect one, it is a keeper for sure. Its not a crap guitar at all especially with the smooth rosewood fb, but the QC has to do their job better.
You're absolutely right. I gave a lot of thought to returning it, but I really didn't want to roll the dice as far as maybe getting not as nice of a neck or a heavier body. In all honesty the actual woodwork itself is incredible, it's just a shame the experience was tainted by the lack of QC. Thanks for your thoughts.
I still find Fender American Ultra very unaffordable, and I don't get it why it's so expensive, It's a poly finish just same as Mexican or 150 Usd strat, it does peel off when you get a fairly bigger scratch on them, it peels like a plastic orange. it costs 2400 Euro, same production line, single coil pickups, that are no more than 99 Usd. I don't get where the other price go for those American Pro's Ultra's whatever they called. I've heard many times, the best strat they own is a Japanese strat... In my opinion guitars MUST be better than what they were in 50's. 2024's Technology can't compete with 50's tech. It's a 100 years of difference, and everything has been developed. When you pay a guitar over 1000-2000 It must be like a Custom Shop Fender quality. Also With Nitro Finish. I don't like Gibson's marketing, and as a company, but I prefer Gibson over Fender. Gibson makes them in Nitro, with set-in neck and I feel Gibson has a more handwork on them in the guitar making process.
That's kinda why I was hesitant to make this video, because most people get a fine instrument, but there are a lot of people who had one problem if not multiple as I did. By no means am I saying that every guitar that comes off the line is junk. THIS IS A GREAT GUITAR, it just wasn't finished really. The real problem is online shopping. It used to be that these would go to a store and then they would open it up and either set it up or send it back if there were problems. Now there is no checkpoint in between the last person who touched it at the factory and the buyer. It's always best to go to a store and choose by playing, but unfortunately that's not easy for me. If this had gone to a Guitar Center for example, they would have dealt with the problems and any guitar picked up off the rack would be decently setup at least, certainly playable. Thanks for sharing, it's good to see one person with a positive experience with MIM.
i must of got lucky with my newer player 2 tele with ash body. Plays and sounds really good. Also weighs less than six pounds, which I prefer a lighter guitar. I did buy in person from our local music store. I believe when it comes to Fender one has to go to store and try before buying. That is just the way it is with them.
@@atticus9577 PRS is a brand built on high quality, and their namesake is still around to make sure it happens. Fender is a long way from their glory days, but they still make good guitars, just have to pick a good one, like it has always been with them. It’s always better to try before you buy but it simply isn’t an option for me. Thanks for watching.
It's an output jack. The input jack is on the amp. And, I've been playing Strats for over 50 years, and I never remove the bar on any of my Strats. They fit just fine in a case or gig bag without having to remove the bar.
On my Player II the setup from factory was basically unplayable :) Everything needed adjustment to be even in the ballpark of factory spec. Two things that really annoyed me were really iffy job they did on the nut and pivot screws inserts not allowing to properly deck the bridge. Also, 3 piece body. Not that it makes a difference for me, but shouldnt two piece be a standard expected from Ensenada Factory?
Yeah, it's not cool, the nut is a point where an experienced tech is required. Now as far as the bridge, mine was set all the way down against the bushings in the front, although I float mine and thus raised it a bit, but it could be decked if I wanted it to be. As far as the body, mine is only two pieces with one seam down the middle, but three is equally as common and doesn't mean it's a lower quality. In fact some might say having a solid center piece with added on "wings" is better than having a seam running right down the center. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have seen the nut issue several times on MIM. high e slot cut on the edge of the nut. slots cut too deep! Bridge tele plate and strat bridges screw holes drilled off center! I could go on for 15 mins about the other defects.
@@johnsmith-ug5tp It's the worst when the nut is cut too low, better to not cut it deep enough, at least then it can be saved. It's one downside of not buying them from a store. At a store they have to be ready to grab from a rack and play, so many of these issues get ironed out before they hit the floor. By shifting to online retail we have also removed a second checkpoint from the process. As is often the case, convenience isn't as convenient as it seems. Thanks for your thoughts.
@@pfg_pedals You're welcome, backatcha. Like you, I can handle most everything when it comes to working on and setting up my guitars. But I draw the line at replacing a nut on a new guitar that is slotted too low or parts holes drilled and screwed in wrong. I have no issue running a file through a nut slot that is tight and causing a string to stick or a slot that needs to come down a little bit. When I was dealing with those MIM vintera and player guitars I bought online from the big 3 and sent them back the customer service guy told me, This is an ongoing issue with all guitars from mexico. Their QC is horrendous. They just dont care. We get a lot of 100 or 200 guitars in a shipment and they will all have the same issue like the 3 vintera 50s modified telecaster we sent you. They just don't care. Most places would stop the run and correct the issue. They just don't care. Its a shame, because that vintera 50s telecaster had a thick 50s neck and the pickups were awesome. Its why I tried 3 replacements and threw in the towel after 3.
i just bought a player 1 strat new for 500 bucks since I can just use the money i saved from getting the player ii and upgrade it, qc was great but it was from 2021 so before the bad qc drop. no regrets, not buying anything from their new line. I also have a 2400$ american vintage ii in red and it has so much problems with it its laughable. and after getting this player 1, night and day.
This is my first time getting a new Fender, previously they have all been second hand, but while I chose to accept and deal with the relatively minor issues, I also will never buy anything from them again. Not from Mexico, and especially not from USA. Why would I reward a company with my repeat business when they have shown me that they don't care about the product i receive? Now Instead of buying a US Tele next year, which i have already been saving for, I am either going to buy used or more likely build a partscaster. I could buy a Gibson but they're just as terrible. Thanks for chiming in, it's incredible to hear how many people have had problems with new Fenders this year.
I bought a special edition only fifty made forEurope Vintera .50’s strat with fat 50’ pickups .it sounded nothing like a strat .the backbowed neck was so bad the truss rod was rattling in the neck and even then we couldn’t get the neck into spec ..even way overtuned it and left it for a week to see if we could get the neck to straighten .nope …just sent it back .and built my own from a Northern guitars body and neck ..first fender I’ve ever owned and the last …worked on many old ones for people but never owned one till then ..
That’s a good point, and I just checked the box and it was definitely factory fresh. There are no extra layers of tape or tears that might indicate it being opened before I received it. As far as I am concerned, the only real problem is the sustain block cutting the high E string, and that would have been found if it had been fully QC’d. If it was only the loose claw screws or even the nut I wouldn’t have made the video. All new guitars need a setup and fresh strings, so minor mechanical discrepancies don’t bother me, but this is the first guitar in 30 years and after dozens of instruments, the first new guitar that was completely unplayable out of the box. Now that I have it playing, it plays and sounds great. The real problem I see is that if I wasn’t an experienced tech, just a young person getting their first serious guitar, what would they do? Either have to send it back and possibly be involved in a weeks long exchange process, or take it to a tech and pay them whatever their bench fee is, maybe $75-125 to get it setup. Thanks for your helpful comment.
That would be my advice to anyone else in my situation, but as I said elsewhere the body and neck are exquisite examples and I just know that if i were to send it back what I received wouldn't be as nice. Even better, if you have the option, is to go to a store and play the guitar you are going to buy, because there is always some element of chance when ordering anything online sight unseen.
Their MIM QC does suck! I know after 6 viintera strats and teles and 2 player strats, I can attest, the QC is subpar. I will NEVER buy another Fender MIM .
I wonder why people dont just buy a used strat from the 90s. Theyvarevthe best ever made ,last forever and are about $800. Easily modified, easy to refret. Nothing is more versatile
In a perfect world all of my guitars would be MIJ in the 80s from Fujigen, and most of my guitars have been used whether or not they were MIJ. I have had so many great instruments from them including several Fenders and many Ibanez, my favorite being a Jazz Bass Special White/Black exactly like Duff McKagan used on AFD. Sometimes we want something new, that's only ours that we can make our own mark on. In my case I have never had a brand new Strat, and I wanted to get myself one to celebrate a major milestone of regaining my ability to walk after three years in a wheelchair and multiple painful surgeries. It will be also my last new Fender, on account of the multiple, albeit minor issues, but that's okay because I am very happy with the guitar. However, it's just a guitar, and Fender is just another soulless corporate entity that does not deserve such loyal fans.
Great Video. Everybody else thinks Fender is the holy Grail. Thanks for a honest review at the price for something made in Mexico you would expect a lot better.
Thanks so much. I don't care where it's made or at what price point, there is no level where it's okay to have so many flaws. If it's such a problem then they should raise the price and make sure each guitar gets a decent check-over, not put out half finished items to keep the price where they want it to be.
My lefty Fender Player II Strat had a couple of issues as well. I like working on guitars and since I got mine $100 off ($699) I kept it since like yours the wood and the neck are really good and I have fixed the minor issues plus things like Graphtech String Saver Saddles were added as mods. I've got 25 lefty guitars and basses from $169 to $2,500 each form Squiers to Kiesels, Gibsons, Schecters, etc., and everyone of them had something that needed to be fixed or adjusted. Nice video, and thanks!
@@robertpurdy4452 thanks, that’s a great point. Despite the issues I am very pleased with the final product and that’s all that matters, but every new guitar needs at least some level of attention.
I just sent one back. I'm not buying anything from the mexico factory ever again. i've bought 4 strats from that factory and only one was acceptable.
Yeah I don't blame you, that's insanity. I have no regets keeping this one as the actual neck and body are pretty exquisite, but the next time I get the urge for a new axe it will be a partscaster build.
Ditto! I sent back 3 three 50s vintera modified teles, two vintera 70s deluxe teles,, 60s vintera strat and two player strats. Fender MIM lost my business for life.
I have bought several MIA fenders and they were all perfect.
@@johnsmith-ug5tp see, I'm not going to reward bad performance by spending more with them in the future. They should make sure that every guitar is the best it can be, and then they might have a good reputation, not just be able to survive purely on legacy and brand recognition. Unfortunately brands are status symbols and that's really what people are buying.
I've wanted a strat for decades and finally took the plunge and got an American Professional II Stratocaster. The first one had a finish flaw too bad to overlook, so I returned it for a new one, and the second guitar's 20th and 21st frets were not fully seated, so it was returned also. I guess the third time's a charm, but that's ridiculously bad QC and even though the 3rd one is good I don't feel the same about Fender anymore. It's that saying something about never meet your heros kinda thing.
For me this was my first new guitar in many years, my first new Fender ever, and it was bought to celebrate a milestone, but if it would have been a finish issue or something serious like popped frets then it DEFINITELY would have gone back. What's funny is if you read the other comments many of them tell me I should have bought a US made, or I should return it and by the AP2, but like your case shows, thes QC issues aren't a Mexico problem, they're a Fender problem. Anyway I am ultimately happy with it now or I would have sent it back in a heartbeat. Maybe if I called Fender and complained they would give me rebate or credit or something but frankly I would rather pour super glue into my eyeballs than have to deal with any corporate customer service and their automated phone lines, chatbots from hell, endless waiting, etc. In my case I decided that the body and neck were worth just fixing the other things myself.
I recommend everybody to move up to the entry MIA Fender American Performer series over all MIM Fenders.
That seems to be a common theme with the replies here. Let's say I go to a new restaurant, let's call it Leo's, for lunch and get soup and a sandwich. There used to be a guy named Leo and his restaurant was incredible; fresh food, great service, fair prices, but Leo got older and sold the name to some conglomerate. Now under the new ownership the service is poor, the soup is cold, the bread is stale, and it's overpriced. It's a far cry from it's glory days. Am I going to come back at night and try the filet mignon just because I like the name on the sign? These corporations don't deserve our loyalty, especially after such a poor performance as with this piece. Thanks for your input.
@@pfg_pedals I agree.
@@pfg_pedals It's true, but also makes me sad. I'd want to find another way to be satisfied somehow, in my lifetime, I am still alive, Leo not. I don't want to suffer, so can you also implement whatever precautions can we take, either guitar industry, or anything closely related to the subject? That'll be the best answer.
@@mylogify things change, but just because the company has changed doesn't mean there is anything wrong with wanting a Fender guitar. It's not like problems with guitars are new, players have been complaining declining Fender quality since CBS bought them out in the 60s, but honestly the guitars of today are the best, or at least as good as they have ever been. CNC tech has made it easy to pump out perfectly shaped bodies and necks, and they are putting more attention to details like high quality potentiometers, rolled fretboards and domed fret ends, hardware, etc. My advice is to think of guitars individually. Just because one example had some minor flaw does not mean that every guitar will be bad. Plenty of buyers are very happy with their Fender's but the people with issues are more likely to be motivated to report their dissatisfaction. I love this guitar, but I wanted to share my experience for others to know what they may have to deal with, I do not want to discourage anyone else from getting their dream guitar, whatever it may be.
I replaced every bridge on all my Strats with Wilkinson trems, pop in arms. Really fender, loose the screw in trem arms.
Yeah I wonder why they insist on the screw arms, although I suspect a certain segment of their fan base complains when they change anything from vintage spec. I do have to say that the aftermarket block improved the situation greatly, but it shouldn't need to be improved, and FFS why can't they just include the 2 cent spring with all the guitars?
@pfg_pedals exactly, I guess they figure we will mod them 😂
Man I’ll never understand the quality control of guitar companies like Fender and Gibson/Epiphone. When you’re paying for something that’s no pocket change, every aspect of it should be in functioning factory new condition.
Almost all of my Electrics have had an issue one way or another brand new.
My Player Series Strat’s whammy bar just snapped straight off after the tiniest bit of use.
My Vintera 50s modified Strat had scratchy pots and a warped pick guard from the get go (the pick guard’s whatever its to be expected with those crappy 1 ply 50s pickguard)
And my Epiphone Les Paul Standard had a pickup that didn’t even work, HOW THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE IT PAST QUALITY TESTING! It was also set up poorly.
I honestly just lay it down to bad luck for me because I’ve always had quite misfortune luck.
Just like your Epiphone, these problems would have been found if someone just played it for two seconds, but I suspect they do what many other industries do and pull random samples for testing periodically. They test every guitar, no way they do. Unfortunately they have no motivation to improve quality as long as people keep buying them anyway.
I would expect these sort of issues on some of the Squier line instruments, not on a Fender Player Series. I had some related issues with a Squier Bass VI. I didn't experience anything like this with my 2022 Mexi-Strat, and I think that this level of problems is pretty disappointing, to be honest.
Fender mexico is quite a lot of money compared to other brands at the same level. And that trem block and input jack swap is not a minor repair and is not cheap. Luckily you can repair it by yourself. If im not in a hurry needing a guitar, i will send this back and ask for a perfect one. If the problem is fixed or replaced with a perfect one, it is a keeper for sure. Its not a crap guitar at all especially with the smooth rosewood fb, but the QC has to do their job better.
You're absolutely right. I gave a lot of thought to returning it, but I really didn't want to roll the dice as far as maybe getting not as nice of a neck or a heavier body. In all honesty the actual woodwork itself is incredible, it's just a shame the experience was tainted by the lack of QC. Thanks for your thoughts.
I still find Fender American Ultra very unaffordable, and I don't get it why it's so expensive, It's a poly finish just same as Mexican or 150 Usd strat, it does peel off when you get a fairly bigger scratch on them, it peels like a plastic orange. it costs 2400 Euro, same production line, single coil pickups, that are no more than 99 Usd. I don't get where the other price go for those American Pro's Ultra's whatever they called. I've heard many times, the best strat they own is a Japanese strat...
In my opinion guitars MUST be better than what they were in 50's. 2024's Technology can't compete with 50's tech. It's a 100 years of difference, and everything has been developed. When you pay a guitar over 1000-2000 It must be like a Custom Shop Fender quality. Also With Nitro Finish. I don't like Gibson's marketing, and as a company, but I prefer Gibson over Fender. Gibson makes them in Nitro, with set-in neck and I feel Gibson has a more handwork on them in the guitar making process.
i must be in the minority, the vintera,s and player series tele and strats i received have been spot on perfect . not one complaint about either.
That's kinda why I was hesitant to make this video, because most people get a fine instrument, but there are a lot of people who had one problem if not multiple as I did. By no means am I saying that every guitar that comes off the line is junk. THIS IS A GREAT GUITAR, it just wasn't finished really. The real problem is online shopping. It used to be that these would go to a store and then they would open it up and either set it up or send it back if there were problems. Now there is no checkpoint in between the last person who touched it at the factory and the buyer. It's always best to go to a store and choose by playing, but unfortunately that's not easy for me. If this had gone to a Guitar Center for example, they would have dealt with the problems and any guitar picked up off the rack would be decently setup at least, certainly playable. Thanks for sharing, it's good to see one person with a positive experience with MIM.
Fender are more concerned about the branding rather than the quality. If you want the best strat at a sensible price get a G&l Legacy.
i must of got lucky with my newer player 2 tele with ash body. Plays and sounds really good.
Also weighs less than six pounds, which I prefer a lighter guitar. I did buy in person from our local music store. I believe when it comes to Fender one has to go to store and try before buying. That is just the way it is with them.
@@atticus9577 PRS is a brand built on high quality, and their namesake is still around to make sure it happens. Fender is a long way from their glory days, but they still make good guitars, just have to pick a good one, like it has always been with them. It’s always better to try before you buy but it simply isn’t an option for me. Thanks for watching.
@@pfg_pedals you bet. I enjoyed the review.
It's an output jack. The input jack is on the amp. And, I've been playing Strats for over 50 years, and I never remove the bar on any of my Strats. They fit just fine in a case or gig bag without having to remove the bar.
haha I used to say that.
On my Player II the setup from factory was basically unplayable :) Everything needed adjustment to be even in the ballpark of factory spec. Two things that really annoyed me were really iffy job they did on the nut and pivot screws inserts not allowing to properly deck the bridge. Also, 3 piece body. Not that it makes a difference for me, but shouldnt two piece be a standard expected from Ensenada Factory?
Yeah, it's not cool, the nut is a point where an experienced tech is required. Now as far as the bridge, mine was set all the way down against the bushings in the front, although I float mine and thus raised it a bit, but it could be decked if I wanted it to be. As far as the body, mine is only two pieces with one seam down the middle, but three is equally as common and doesn't mean it's a lower quality. In fact some might say having a solid center piece with added on "wings" is better than having a seam running right down the center. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I have seen the nut issue several times on MIM. high e slot cut on the edge of the nut. slots cut too deep! Bridge tele plate and strat bridges screw holes drilled off center! I could go on for 15 mins about the other defects.
@@johnsmith-ug5tp It's the worst when the nut is cut too low, better to not cut it deep enough, at least then it can be saved. It's one downside of not buying them from a store. At a store they have to be ready to grab from a rack and play, so many of these issues get ironed out before they hit the floor. By shifting to online retail we have also removed a second checkpoint from the process. As is often the case, convenience isn't as convenient as it seems. Thanks for your thoughts.
@@pfg_pedals You're welcome, backatcha.
Like you, I can handle most everything when it comes to working on and setting up my guitars. But I draw the line at replacing a nut on a new guitar that is slotted too low or parts holes drilled and screwed in wrong. I have no issue running a file through a nut slot that is tight and causing a string to stick or a slot that needs to come down a little bit. When I was dealing with those MIM vintera and player guitars I bought online from the big 3 and sent them back the customer service guy told me, This is an ongoing issue with all guitars from mexico. Their QC is horrendous. They just dont care. We get a lot of 100 or 200 guitars in a shipment and they will all have the same issue like the 3 vintera 50s modified telecaster we sent you. They just don't care. Most places would stop the run and correct the issue. They just don't care.
Its a shame, because that vintera 50s telecaster had a thick 50s neck and the pickups were awesome. Its why I tried 3 replacements and threw in the towel after 3.
i just bought a player 1 strat new for 500 bucks since I can just use the money i saved from getting the player ii and upgrade it, qc was great but it was from 2021 so before the bad qc drop. no regrets, not buying anything from their new line. I also have a 2400$ american vintage ii in red and it has so much problems with it its laughable. and after getting this player 1, night and day.
This is my first time getting a new Fender, previously they have all been second hand, but while I chose to accept and deal with the relatively minor issues, I also will never buy anything from them again. Not from Mexico, and especially not from USA. Why would I reward a company with my repeat business when they have shown me that they don't care about the product i receive? Now Instead of buying a US Tele next year, which i have already been saving for, I am either going to buy used or more likely build a partscaster. I could buy a Gibson but they're just as terrible. Thanks for chiming in, it's incredible to hear how many people have had problems with new Fenders this year.
I bought a special edition only fifty made forEurope Vintera .50’s strat with fat 50’ pickups .it sounded nothing like a strat .the backbowed neck was so bad the truss rod was rattling in the neck and even then we couldn’t get the neck into spec ..even way overtuned it and left it for a week to see if we could get the neck to straighten .nope …just sent it back .and built my own from a Northern guitars body and neck ..first fender I’ve ever owned and the last …worked on many old ones for people but never owned one till then ..
Wow man, that's a lot of problems, you sure that's a brand new Fender?
That’s a good point, and I just checked the box and it was definitely factory fresh. There are no extra layers of tape or tears that might indicate it being opened before I received it. As far as I am concerned, the only real problem is the sustain block cutting the high E string, and that would have been found if it had been fully QC’d. If it was only the loose claw screws or even the nut I wouldn’t have made the video. All new guitars need a setup and fresh strings, so minor mechanical discrepancies don’t bother me, but this is the first guitar in 30 years and after dozens of instruments, the first new guitar that was completely unplayable out of the box. Now that I have it playing, it plays and sounds great. The real problem I see is that if I wasn’t an experienced tech, just a young person getting their first serious guitar, what would they do? Either have to send it back and possibly be involved in a weeks long exchange process, or take it to a tech and pay them whatever their bench fee is, maybe $75-125 to get it setup. Thanks for your helpful comment.
Save up for the USA model I learned my lesson from 🎉🎉🎉 🎉🎉🎉
RETURN IT - Contact Fender Customer Service . Send pictures etc . 🎸🇺🇸🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼🎼
That would be my advice to anyone else in my situation, but as I said elsewhere the body and neck are exquisite examples and I just know that if i were to send it back what I received wouldn't be as nice. Even better, if you have the option, is to go to a store and play the guitar you are going to buy, because there is always some element of chance when ordering anything online sight unseen.
Their MIM QC does suck! I know after 6 viintera strats and teles and 2 player strats, I can attest, the QC is subpar. I will NEVER buy another Fender MIM .