How much?

boogieman

Had this pop up in my Facebook feed earlier.

http://www.coda-music.com/fender-custom-shop-masterbuilt-telecaster-daphne-blue-p-21708.html

Cool looking guitar, and they obviously sell a few, but how do Fender justify these prices? The parts can't cost then more than, what £800 - 1000? (And that's being generous I expect). The parts are pre-made too, it's not like someone is whittling it from a solid piece of timber. So where does all the extra cost come in? Is a Fender master builder really that much better a craftsman than a decent luthier? 

ICBM

It's a difficult question - I've always found the entire "Masterbuilt" concept ridiculous, because they're applying supposedly superior "hand building" values to guitars which were expressly designed from the outset to be mass-produced. So much so that it seems appropriate what that word nearly sounds like…

But on the other hand, I've never played one that was less than a great guitar. I think maybe only about half a dozen, but that's still an impressive hit rate for any type of guitar.

On the other (other) hand again, that also applies to the "Team Built" ones, which if anything is what I would expect to be the best, with each team member doing the bit they're best at - and they're cheaper.

"How much" is relative to - how much would an original vintage one of that year and condition cost, even if you could find one that colour, or any other colour you can specify? And then, if the frets, pots or switch are worn, do you change them and "devalue" it, or do you live with the issues? No such problem with a new one.

I know one price is used to justify the other - both ways round - and nearly four grand does seem a lot of money for a very simple guitar… but I can just about go along with it if you want the very best Telecaster there is. On the other hand the average Mexican Classic Series is nearly as good for a fifth of the price.

Confused? You will be .

jd0272

You get what you pay for. BUT, you have to know what you're looking for in the first place. hence, we have, the Classifieds.

4114Effects

I think you're bejng generous saying the parts cost £800 to be honest. @GSPbasses makes fantastic bodies and necks for a lot less than that and he's a one man operation where everything is made by hand! Add your own choice of excellent aftermarket pickups and hardware and you'd probably still have change from £800. Especially when you're talking telecaster, which is about the simplest guitar to spec and assemble, hardware wise.

I too struggle to see the value in masterbuilt guitars. I just can't see it being £2500 better playing than a standard usa. Then again I've never played one, and I'm probably not good enough a player to apprecite if there is a difference. :-)

meltedbuzzbox

I have a custom shop (not a master built) but regardless of what it costs in parts its worth every single penny

I was really hesitant to pay the money at first but it's the only guitar I have ever owned that feels better every time I pick it up. 

I dont think I will ever sell it but I do have the knowledge that the resale will be reasonable where as a parts guitar can be a bitch to recoup your money

but to summarise, dont write it off without playing it. 

asimmd

I have a Custom Shop Teambuilt NOS56 and it's excellent. I have never tried a Masterbuilt but I can't think what could be better than the one I have. And I wouldn't sell it either.

boogieman

I've had a custom shop Strat in the past too. I can see the value in them... better timbers and pick ups, properly fettled frets, nicely set up. It's the huge gulf in price between those and the Masterbuilt ones I don't get.

guitargeek62

I've had one(team-built) CS and it was leagues ahead of any other F-type I've owned before or since. They certainly know how to make them properly, whilst maintaining that x-factor/mojo/soul that's often missing in clones!

I think I've only played the one master-built, but that was a long time back and I don't remember it well enough to compare. Essentially though, you're paying for one person's time end-to-end on the whole build. That *should* create an added consistency that would improve an already great recipe, and a lot of these guys are high in demand as a result, hence why the costs are higher.

sunshinewelly

I own a master built strat and it's brilliant. However I tend to play my strat plus more than the master built one

Chalky

The wood on my heavy relic masterbuilt just feels great and the frets are works of art, with ends that are amazingly smooth complex curves. Just a very nice guitar to play.

SquireJapan

Annoyingly, I do notice a difference in the Masterbuilts. It's of course all objective ... but I also think that the relic-ing is much better on all of the masterbuilts's I've seen.

Some of the recent "teambuilt" relics have looked a bit "rushed" in the relic department - especially on the fretboard relic.

ICBM

I think that's true, but I don't like heavy relics anyway - I think they all look wrong. The ones I like best are the 'closet classics'.

Plukky

The honest answer is that it cost what it costs because people are still buying, and you can bet that as long as the market will bear it, the cost will continue to rise.

I say this as the owner of a Team Built strat, which I love, it's a marvelous guitar and a great fit for me, but it cost a lot - the red mist came down and out came the credit card...