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You're right that they're "partscasters" but that's no different to what Fender has always done - it's inherent in the design. Dan has the guitars & bodies made to his spec and then finishes them meticulously and equips them with the best hardware & pickups you can get. They're also setup and fettled as well as anything I've ever played, including exceptional fret dressing, rounded ends, rolled edges etc. Ultimately a Strat or Tele is a relatively very simple guitar so it's always going to be the tiny details that set them apart.
Obviously it can never be fully objective but my Danocaster Strat is genuinely head & shoulders above every Fender CS I've ever played, and most vintage instruments as well, and everyone who has played it agrees it's as good as it gets. I got mine before the last price rise, but even at current RRP they're a far better value instrument than FCS in my view. And they make the likes of Nash look like a joke, quite honestly.
That said, buying mine has also pushed me to make much more effort in my own MJT builds, and after putting that level of attention into the Tele I built last year got me a guitar that's very very close to the Dano in quality for around half the cost. But of course mine has parts-only resale value, as it doesn't have a "name" on the headstock.
TLDR: They're *really great* guitars but it depends what you value in an instrument as to whether that's worth it.
This is mine on day 1:
And this is the most comfortable fretboard I've ever played
At the time they were a hard sale. Hardly anyone here in the forum was interested at all.
The tele was quite good. In particular the Florence voodoo 60s pickups were impeccable, and in hindsight a guitar I could've kept, but in all honesty my wildwood 10 fender custom shops are better.
The strat was good, but a bit of a deception. It didn't really meet my expectations and Dan decided to do a swimming pool route without letting me know. I contacted him after I received the guitar and asked about it. As I didn't specify this type of route when I ordered it, he told me because I chose an alder body he did to get a couple of ounces off the weight... I wasn't thrilled about it.
For quite a bit less money you can get an Eggle OZ-T which is something I’m also considering. Which is all completely made in-house.
over their respective releases
Well we might as well reduce this to the level of every Fender Custom Shop discussion ever.
I personally think that they should be half of market value.
Just sayin'.
I would and have bought CS before a Danocaster.
YMMV.
There is an element of hype though, and ultimately if you're buying for the dual reasons of enjoying the guitar AND as an investment I can't see them current values forever, and the drop could be sharp when it hits (Don Grosh, MB etc seem to hit around £2800 on the used market, Nash quite a bit lower, I'm not convinced a Danocaster is objectivity better to those).
If you're buying used them one of the reasons a Fender Custom Shop or Masterbuilt is a safe bet is that even if you don't like it for one of the myriad illogical reasons we don't "bond" with guitars, you'll be able to sell it for roughly what you paid for it.
If you asked me to pick one, I would have a really really hard time.
Yeah I feel that way about telecasters too
Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
Turns out that Silver Sky was the sweet spot for me.
Meh. Thought I was going to buy it before I tried, came out with a CS, but there was an atkin I preferred too.
https://i.imgur.com/eDHOP9x.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/IbJz9GG.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/rAOcxMO.jpg
I did replace the bridge pickup - which for my tastes as a little too bright BUT as the PUs ar Mojos, I just spoke to them - told them how I wanted to change it, and went with the esquire they recommended. I kept the original tele special in case I wanted to try it again down the line.
i spent 4 years trying to find the right tele, adn this has turned out to be it.