Fender Stratocaster replacement pick-guard

[jaclo]

I ordered a new Fender pickguard for my American Select Stratocaster and was surprised to see that it is made in Mexico. Just seems kind of strange. I wonder what Fender actually makes in the U.S. these days.

Anyone know if those are the same pickguards used on American made Fender guitars.

 

[budglo58]

well if you got a rosewood board I bet it came from somewhere in East India. No one seemed to complain when they were coming from Brazil. I wouldn't fret over a pickgard personally. It's pretty insignificant IMO .

 

[jaclo]

well if you got a rosewood board I bet it came from somewhere in East India. No one seemed to complain when they were coming from Brazil. I wouldn't fret over a pickgard personally. It's pretty insignificant IMO .

It's not a big deal to me. I'm just curious if they use parts made in Mexico or anywhere else on the "Made in USA" guitars. If so, it should be disclosed some where, like made in USA from parts from: _________ (Fill in the blank).

 

[budglo58]

It's not a big deal to me. I'm just curious if they use parts made in Mexico or anywhere else on the "Made in USA" guitars. If so, it should be disclosed some where, like made in USA from parts from: _________ (Fill in the blank).

Well I am sure the screws are probably made in Asia and who knows where the springs for the tremolo are made.

 

[StratoCraig]

I think when Fender, Gibson, or anyone else says a guitar was "Made in USA", they just mean the body and neck were carved and finished here, the pickups were wound here, and the whole thing was assembled and set up here. I don't assume the wood was cut from American trees or that the plastic or metal parts were made here, though for all I know some of them could be. The pickup wire could be from anywhere.

I'm still waiting for someone to freak out when they discover that their tone cap was sourced from China or Indonesia. BUT MY PRECIOUS TONE!

 

[Eagle1]

"Made in the USA" only means a minimum of 30% of the work is done in the USA. This can leave you with a bunch of foreign made parts that are only assembled in the USA. Remember Kramer

 

[rwijaya]

I think when Fender, Gibson, or anyone else says a guitar was "Made in USA", they just mean the body and neck were carved and finished here, the pickups were wound here, and the whole thing was assembled and set up here. I don't assume the wood was cut from American trees or that the plastic or metal parts were made here, though for all I know some of them could be. The pickup wire could be from anywhere.

I'm still waiting for someone to freak out when they discover that their tone cap was sourced from China or Indonesia. BUT MY PRECIOUS TONE!

it was made where?? WHAT?!!!

but this is impossible! my tone sounds so USA

 

[jaclo]

"Made in the USA" only means a minimum of 30% of the work is done in the USA. This can leave you with a bunch of foreign made parts that are only assembled in the USA. Remember Kramer

Thats what I was wondering. An American Strat with tuners, tremolo, etc all made somewhere else. I don't think thats the case, yet! To bad that as the product becomes less made in USA, the prices don't drop to relect it.

 

[Eagle1]

The tuners have never been made in USA.

 

[budglo58]

I am pretty sure my Martin D18 comes from wood from other countries except the top. It still says " made in the USA",which it is. I think what denotes what made in the USA means and what we sometimes think it is differs completely.

 

[Sweetfinger]

The tuners have never been made in USA.

...unless you were talking about vintage Klusons, or the second version "F" tuners, or older Grovers, or Sperzels...

Fender sources parts from everywhere and sometimes the parts are essentially identical, and sometimes the country of origin changes. When you look at a modern Strat with an S-1 switch, the CTS S-1 pot is made in the US, but the CTS tone pot is made in Taiwan.

 

[Eagle1]

...unless you were talking about vintage Klusons, or the second version "F" tuners, or older Grovers, or Sperzels...

Fender sources parts from everywhere and sometimes the parts are essentially identical, and sometimes the country of origin changes. When you look at a modern Strat with an S-1 switch, the CTS S-1 pot is made in the US, but the CTS tone pot is made in Taiwan.

Grover's stock parts on Fender? Second issue "F" backs are Schaller and sperzel are only on the first strat plus models replaced in very quick order by Fender locking (Schaller and now Ping.)

 

[Sweetfinger]

Grover's stock parts on Fender? Second issue "F" backs are Schaller and sperzel are only on the first strat plus models replaced in very quick order by Fender locking (Schaller and now Ping.)

Sorry, I got the "F" tuner chronology reversed. So it's the first series that Fender made and then switched to Schaller. There were some Strats with the pearl button Grovers seen on late 60s Jazzmasters.

 

[73Fender]

Mexican plastic is the best.

 

[rwijaya]

Mexican plastic is the best.

I heard it has tighter tone than chinese plastic and it has that haunting mids

 

[RJLII]

Mexican plastic is the best.

True story. Enhances tone. Mids so haunting you'll be tempted to call ghostbusters. I read it on the web.