Leo_Gnardo wrote:Fender's execs must be slugging extra strength espresso to wash down their stupid pills. Imagine the board meeting: "Gentlemen, Gibson's getting what $130, for a pair of bumble bees? I want you to brainstorm a way for us to outdo them, show them up for the pikers they are. Alice, we're gonna make a million bucks!" Another desperate move by a company that's clearly circling the drain.
Recognizing that there is a population of affluent dopes who will probably pay crazy prices for these parts [that probably cost almost nothing to have manufactured] doesn't seem stupid to me. Why leave money on the table for the NOS parts hoarders and hustlers to pick up?
You make a good point Drew. In the bigger picture Fender does seem to be flailing around trying to be everything especially in the years since they came under control of vulture capitalists. Even if they miss the mark on what they imagine they could sell in ersatz antique parts, it won't matter all that much since they don't have much invested.
Do you think we'll see a crop of home builders who exclusively use these Fender branded parts? How about if Fender starts using them in their own top-dollar amps. IMHO that would be the best advertisement of all. I'd have to take it as cynical on their part if they don't. What's the potential part buyer to think if Fender's trying to flog these expensive exclusive parts but they don't even bother to use them in their own flagship amps?
Funny thing, within the last 15 years you can't find a Fender nameplate, perhaps because they're worried some people will copy their cabs. It must frost their balls to have lost money to the copycats, because that's been going on since the 60's. With these hi-buck fake antique parts they're practically begging people to copy their amps. When are they going to make up their minds?
This is paltry dollars for Fender. I have to think it went the other way round: Jupiter or MKP or someone with connections to foreign cap manufacturers (maybe even Sozo) approached Fender and pitched the idea. Small potatoes for Fender; big potatoes for someone who makes only caps.
Leo_Gnardo wrote:Funny thing, within the last 15 years you can't find a Fender nameplate...
No faceplates either. Reproductions of BF era parts used to be available, but that ended a few years ago. I suppose since Fender has been selling RI series amps they have asserted or renewed their trademark rights.
I was wondering whether Fender would use any of these caps in their own products, now I have seen one example. One of my customers brought over his newest axe, a '1954' custom shop Strat. Very nice axe! His complaint was lots of buzz when playing at home. I took a peek under the pickguard, no shielding. Well, they didn't shield 'em in 1954, so that's authentic. But I did spy what I take to be a "Red" series cap on the tone controls, score one for Fender custom shop. It's hard to tell from their data sheet, this one had a flattened-oval cross section. Of course it worked just fine as a tone control cap.
