Did Fender make guitars in China?

robgilmo

Like this one?  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Telecaster/332437302411?hash=item4d66ceac8b:g:t8sAAOSwPpZZ9GGB

meltedbuzzbox

Yep that's made in china

Funkfingers

Numerous Fender-badged instruments are manufactured in China. Most are built to a price point. This, rather than the country of origin, will explain any shortcomings.

stimpsonslostson

Yup. That's a "real" Fender made in China.  
It's a Modern Player IIRC, I played one when they first came out. The quality is virtually identical to the CV Squier range (which I believe are also made in China). 
The only thing that put me off was that the guitar is a rather unfetching shade of orange in the flesh and the neck finish is a bit thick and plasticy. 

ICBM

This is the lesser-spotted *genuine* Chinese Fender. Easily distinguished from the more common fake Chinese Fender because the real one says Crafted In China, and the fake says Made In USA.

dazzajl

I’ve played the Chinese tele with the two P90s and it’s rewlly very nice. Unsurprisingly, feels an awful lot like the also very nice Squier CV ones. 

Probably won’t knock your socks off but perfectly playable instrument that will do its job well. 

prowla

China must have lots of really excellent craftsmen; it's just the crappy cheapos (which probably cost peanuts to make) that give their industry a bad name.

Legionreturns

prowla said:

China must have lots of really excellent craftsmen; it's just the crappy cheapos (which probably cost peanuts to make) that give their industry a bad name.

I think it's probably more to do with the large scale production of fakes. 

Alnico

I had one of those about 4 years ago.
The build quality was excellent and the neck was lovely to play. It has quite low profile frets which I ended up not getting with and you'd have to like glossy laquerednecks to like this one but as a cheap guitar you could have set up and go straight on stage with it's a weapon.
The sounds available are perfect for a gigging musician and the belly cut makes it really comfortable.

I've never seen a Rosewood neck version of this guitar but if they made one I'd probably want one again.
The 'China' bit was just written on the back of the headstock, it never once presented itself as a problem.

Here it is next to the American Special I also owned at the time ..

https://i.imgur.com/NHGFogx.jpg