I Bought a Fender CUSTOM SHOP Heavy Relic Strat! | The Story Behind: Candy
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- čas přidán 22. 01. 2024
- This is the story about how I went on to acquire this 2021 Fender Custom Shop Candy Apple Red Stratocaster. One of my biggest purchases to date is the red heavy relic Stratocaster sitting behind me in a lot of my videos.
Within the video I talk about the appeal of the Custom Shop, the controversial dynamic around relics, whether I like it or not, regret it or recommend it after 2.5 years of owning it.
Also, at the end of the video, stay tuned for an original song, "Essence of the Night", which was written largely on this guitar during the making and editing of this video. It's my first song I have posted on here since 'Something We Want Someday' with my high school band, Distant Craze.
Let me know your thoughts on the guitar, relics, the custom shop and more.
Subscribe if you want to see more future videos about music, guitars, tennis, and other general lifestyle content. - Hudba
I absolutely LOVE relic'd guitars, i don't care what any one else thinks i love them!
Have a dream relic guitar?
@@evanloken19 I don't know if I'd call it a dream guitar cause there's no be all end all guitar but the Murphy Lab stuff looks great, the Fender relics look great and my own Gibson that I relic'd looks great. I suppose a Murphy Lab heavy aged 59 in dirty lemon would be the one I'd really love to have if someone pressed me.
@@srh361 great choice! I would love a slight relic gold top with P90’s. I think they are wonderful guitars
Well said, some people love them and some people don't... I don't care for them, although I do own a Road Worn Strat that plays and sounds great... It's Olympic White with Maple, I sometimes look at it and wish it didn't have the worn look.
@@mudwiser1391 makes sense to me. I like the road worn series. And Olympic white is an amazing color choice. Thanks for watching!
Evan, if u want look at the neck spec area and it will tell you the thickness. It will look something like this. 8.30-9.20. That’s like medium. But the shoulders can make it feel chunky or if the shoulders are smaller and more rounded a bit it will feel smaller. So Fano is a bit bigger. But my Fender American standard is a c shape as is the Fano but feels much more comfortable. I have Brian Moore super strats very thin comfortable neck 7.80-8.90. So even though it says C shape the specs tell u as I said the thickness. The radius is how flat or rounded the fretboard is like 9.5 radius. D shape like on a Duesenberg hurts my thumb so bad. Had to sell it. Anyway, just trying to help. Enjoy your guitar. PS. If u connect with it grab it. It doesn’t happen with every guitar.
The vintage ii line is an amazing second choice I got the 61 strat in Olympic white. It's perfect. Love the content. Just got a new subscriber
Great guitar choice and color. Thanks for watching and subscribing!
I agree you can always make decisions based on finances, if you can afford it you only live once
9:25 - You say that the instrument was built by Ron Thorn. I believe that he oversaw Fender Custom Shop and signed the COAs, but was not the builder. A CS build from a Master Builder is more like 7K and has very specific documentation.
Thanks for the info! I’ll look more carefully at my CoA this weekend and see if I can find anything else.
Yup definitely a team built not masterbuilt
@@evanloken19confirmed, TLDR: it's a Team-built custom shop guitar. I bought the exact same guitar from GC in '21. Ron Thorn signed the COA, as he's the Director of the Custom Shop at Fender. If you look at the Shop Floor Traveler, also included in your case, you'll see that "Masterbuilder" is empty. Ron is a master builder, and he'd be listed there if this was one of his. You'll also notice on that same Shop Floor Traveler that there's a "Qty" listed, that's the quantity of this particular order. On mine, the quantity is 15. Meaning, GC placed at least 1 order of 15 identical pieces. GC may have actually placed multiple orders for this piece. When Ron builds a guitar, it's a 1 of 1.
I too drank the kool aid and bought a custom shop heavy relic'd 59 strat for 5 grand... eeeeks! I really can't say it plays any better then my standard 2013 American standard, but it is way cool and I luv it. I know the guys and gals that build these in Fenders Custom Shop are some of the best builders Fender has so we have that going for us! I would definately hold on to your custom, if you sell it I think you will regret it. For players looking for a custom shop strat, I would look at pre-owned ones on reverb, you will probably pay a little less than buying new through a store. I found a '63 custom shop strat in sherwood green, relic'd and super nice for $2300, just got lucky with that one. I enjoyed your story and we all have one to tell.
Thanks so much for watching and your comment! If I get around to buying another FCS, used will definitely be the way to go
Don't regret that guitar, it looks cool ,those guitars from fcshop are great,life is short, go and enjoy that guitar, play the crap out of it, I'm speaking from experience,
🤘🏼couldn’t agree more. Thanks for watching!
Great video and lovely song. You're so right regarding the point about buying a dream expensive guitar on finance. The joy of getting your instrument will subside and it's likely you'll end up resenting the money still leaving your account 2 years down the line once other debt's have also crept up on you! Doesn't stop me scouring the internet when GAS is striking and looking at very expensive Les Pauls from time to time though!
Thanks so much for watching! Sounds like you have had similar experiences as a guitar player. 🎸
Awe maaan subscribed, guitars are my fav reality escape. Amen brother, gorgeous strat
Thanks so much for watching and subscribing! Working on my next one.
I recently had an opportunity that I could not pass up to trade for a Custom Shop 1965 Journeyman Relic Strat locally on FB Marketplace. The seller was had it listed for a while, so I just threw an offer of an American Deluxe Strat, an 80s Takamine acoustic that was hanging on my wall that I bought for $50, and cash. For reasons completely unknown to me, the guy was interested in making the deal. My wife approved (miraculously) and I sped over to the guy's house as fast as possible in case he had second thoughts. Turns out it was the seller's birthday and he just felt like making a guitar deal. Long story short, I now own an upper echelon guitar I never thought I would, and best of all, the CS Strat just makes me want to play guitar. The relic job is tasteful and actually makes me want to play it even more because I don't feel hesitant about dinging it up.
I love that! Thanks for the story, and play that thing as much as possible. Thanks for watching! Cheers 🍻
It looks ghastly. Like a pair of pre distressed jeans. Ugh
Relics are cool. I have a 2008/1009 Road Worn 60s Strat and it is killer. Just got an AVII ‘61 Strat in three color sunburst and with time, it’ll relic. That guitar was almost exactly what I was going to spec with the Custom Shop for my 50th birthday but I saved myself $3k and didn’t have to wait three years unto that momentous birthday 😂
That sounds awesome! I have my guitar dream list on my Daphne video, and one of them for sure is a sunburst. I like the three tone bursts better. And I’ve heard 1961 is a great year for strats too. Thanks for watching!
nice story bro last week i stopped myself from buying a gibson sg special with p-90 thats a 2000$ guitar (here in europe cheaper in the states)and got a cheap harley benton instead (i actually needed a cheap guitar to carry around to lessons my main guitar is a plain old 2001 les paul special with bangs and shallow his on the body which i love so much i got it for 700$ n a second hand store. in my eyes it looks reliced i love it it feels good
I love it! How is the Harley Benton? I’ve heard good things for the price point actually.
@@evanloken19its alright with good setup and fretwork it will be a good guitar, maybe even a great guitar. but out of the box that guitar came unplayable. intonation are all over, the stock string were super horrible. the neck is amazing tho, yeah it need polish and leveling but the next it self looks and feels good there are flame figurine on the fretboard. the overall materials fit and finish is superb actuall. its just need love. the stock pickups for the st62 are honestly really good very dynamic and responsive. i used to have a mexican start (from the 90's ) the pickups were awful. is its a 130~ guitar but if you drop 100$ more it will sound and feel like american performer i am sure
It might not have been the most sensible purchase, but one day you'll have a wife and kids and you won't be able to spend that kinda money on a guitar even if you have the money. So you've invested in your future happiness. Take that intel from a guy 15-20years further down the road.
Also, you're an excellent musician. You deserve great instruments to use your talent on.
Thanks so much for your comment and for watching!
I bought the same guitar at GC. It is a nice piece. I neither wanted a red guitar, nor a relic. But I did the same thing, asked to play it, and about an hour later, I was breaking out my card. I haven't regretted it though, it gets plenty of play time in my rotation.
Just double-checked and mine was also shows a date of 6/23/2021. Probably part of the same order. Mine just came to Houston instead.
Wow that’s pretty cool! Sounds like ours was a team-built guitar rather than master built solely by Rob Thorn. Thanks so much for watching!
I purchased a master build custom shop Blungeon. Expensive, yes. However, I love this guitar as it opened doors for me. If you can afford one, do it.
That’s the JBonamassa No caster? I love that guitar of his! Thanks for watching and commenting
The main point of relics is to get that vintage look and feel with taking a $20000 guitar out on the road [gig] get lost, stolen, or damaged. This only stems from famous guitarest that was getting copys of their guitars so nothing happens to their original
Custom shop is totally worth it to me. Wouldn't most pianists approach a simple tune on a community piano differently than on a Steinway? I think they would
I've owned maybe 3 or 4 CS guitars in the last 30 years and ended up selling them Not because they were poor quality but they felt like new guitars and not vintage like I was used to I imagine after they are 20 year's old and broken in their much better now Just my experience
Nothing beats a broken in guitar. I really enjoy the playability of this one though. Always surprises me after I haven’t played it for a while. Thanks for watching!
Sounds awesome for me 🥇🏆
Good on you bro. You deserve that guitar.
I appreciate that! Thanks so much for watching!
Guitars are not just objects ..but they are less alive than a tree
Love your guitar. I think even though the guitar is a lot of money but I think it's nice to buy one very expensive excellent guitar. You deserve it because you worked hard to get thru school. I bought a 1966 Mosrite Mark V because I wanted one badly and I had been working in my new job as a Rad Tech so I thought I would spend the money. It was $2,100 plus shipping so I didn't spend as much as you but it was a lot of money nevertheless.
Oh there is a CZcamsr named Ross Campbell from Scotland who, like you really wanted a CS Strat and spent a lot on it and is glad he did.
Your Strat reminds me of a Strat that the guitarist from INXS, Kirk Pengilly sold at auction. Look it up.
I just liked and subscribed because I like this video. I am subscriber 112.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting James. I think I’ve seen Ross Campbell on YT. Was he the one that put hot rails in his CS Strat? The 1966 Mosrite is a rad guitar!
I looked up Kirk’s red Strat, it really does have that same color and glow. Thanks for subscribing! I’m working on my next video :)
@@evanloken19 Hi, yes you are right, Ross Campbell put Hot Rails in his but he later regretted it and went back to the stock Strat CS pickups, rightfully so.
@@jamesgibson3242 funny enough I saw that video because was considering putting hot rails into one of my guitars. I got my way. Twice now actually. Future videos! Excited to make :D
I bought a Mexican Daphne Blue Fender Road Worn Strat new which came with Custom ’59 pickups. Definitely the best of the 5 Strats I’ve owned and two of them were American. The vintage narrow frets and 7.25 inch radius have taken some getting used to and I may get it refretted with bigger frets in the future. The nitro relic job suits me - no worries about dinking it!
@@jamesgibson3242Ross is a great guitarist and I know his red strat. He plays great.
Custom shop strats are a clear echelon above. You just have a try a bunch out, they're all going to be different so like shoes have to go find one right for you. I played a vintage 62 , 57 the other day and my custom shop 57 reissue is still the best guitar i've ever played. You're not paying for it to give you some crazy tones, you're paying for playability
Yes! Absolutely. I think that is so well put. You know it was put together with care, and it will play very very well forever. Thanks for watching!
Also relics in the 4K range IMO have inferior checking and non existent on the neck but aging as far as finish wear is usually really nice
You never play with a strap? Do you always play sitting down? Highly recommend trying out practicing and performing standing, you really get a feel for neck position and playing by feel instead of looking at the neck, which is a little easier when you are sitting down. And also highly recommend a basic set of set up rules. It’s really pretty simple to do and unless there is something really off (which the rules will tell you) you can set your guitar up with a set of tools that cost under $30). But as far as the guitar goes, I think the relics are kind of cool and you know a custom shop guitar is going to be a nice one with few issues. I bought my Strat new, just a plain old USA version, but it’s getting up there in age, bought it in high school so it’s now a vintage, road worn, guitar lol. So many memories, nothing beats playing guitar in a band in college, getting to open for bands coming up who are now famous or almost famous, and just picking up an old friend every day for an hour or so. Play that thing!
I do play mostly sitting down. Mostly as I record in a daw. I should play more standing up though you’re right. Your guitar sounds pretty legit. One day I may form a band again.
Beautiful guitar.
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
I have the same guitar. Thorn has signed the certificate but not built the guitar since it is not a masterbuilt but a teambuilt version.
It is a beautiful guitar! Personally love relics homemade, custom shop, Road Worn. Play em, bang em up, enjoy them🎉
I lover relics, but that is just a bit too heavy for my taste.
I’d love a CS Strat. Relic or not there gorgeous
I bought a cunetto relic from 1996 and the way they did the relic ruined the guitar. It had a maple neck and they sanded the finish off the fretboard to make it look like play wear. But it was a 57 reissue which had tiny little frets on it so your fingers were rubbing on the bare maple and it made bends and vibrato three times as hard. The first time I played it I tried to bar the top three strings and bend them up a half step and I honestly thought I was having a stroke. I was using the same amount of force that I always use but I couldn't get them to bend up to pitch. So I set the cunetto down and picked up a les paul and did it just like usual. That's when I realized the bae maple made it really hard to bend multiple strings at once.
The paint on the cunetto was also the ugliest paint job I'd ever seen on a guitar. There was so much orange peel that it looked like it was painted with a roller. That was the second cunetto I'd owned and the first was from 97 when they got the process down, but all the relic job did to that 96 custom shop is screw it up.
I’ve always like rosewood. I can see where two rough of a maple fretboard would cause problems with playability and maybe even broken strings.
I’ll be careful buying any ample relic fretboards
Nice video amigo, I say any person can buy what ever they like with their hard earned mula.
I don't like any old looking guitars that look like they been found in a Dumpster, but the sonic blue one is very nice I have one like it!
Now me, I will never buy such an expensive guitar, I really don't understand why some people like fake old (relic) guitars, but like I said I don't care what other do with their💰.
I just bought me a three piece alder billet of ebay, for about $75 😊bucks. I will make a strat body from it, in fact it will top any fender guitar body.
The sad part is people are reluctant to pay a master carpenter $600 bucks for a master piece strat body because his name is not Fender!
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I’ve always wanted to make my own guitar. Don’t have the time, tools or space right now, but someday!!
Now that you brought it up, I hate it because it sends the stupidest message yet. I dont care about my guitar. It looks like everyone in town threw a roll of quarters at it. They charge way more money. And they don't care about whacking it around. The stress of working on a meticulous guitar goes out the window , and they get to charge more money for it.
A case ? Why bother with a case ? I bet the case costs a fortune too. Is the case all beat up as well? I hope the kicked the crap outta that too . I wouldn't want you to get gypped.
Oddly enough, Fender doesn’t do “Relic” or “Road Worn” cases except for the guitars that replicas of famous guitars (and they don’t even do every time in those instances). Gibson on the other hand will sell you a brand new “Aged” Lifton case that looks like it’s from the 50s for around $700 (which is about double the price of the non “aged” version).
the problem with relics is that if you buy one, you better be able to play. You whip out a relic at a party and you can't play really, really well then all you'll do is disappoint everyone.You'll be forced to explain that you didn't actually wear the guitar out like that, you bought it that way. the word "poser" could be tossed around.
🤣who takes an electric guitar to a party? They would be annoying as anyone bringing out an acoustic.
@@Nightshade1881 what, are you saying that people that own electric guitars never have parties at their house?
@@jimbeam-ru1my 🤣🥴who knows
Possibly never 🤷🏻♂️
@@Nightshade1881I can see that - it was unofficially my 10 year guitar playing anniversary to myself. In the making of this video and series (more to come) I was like am I even good enough at guitar? But I was like whatever, I’m just gonna do it. As for the party thing, last time I hosted a party, people asked about them a lot, which was partially the inspiration for this series. if someone else can play, I offer them the chance vs. getting everyone’s attention for me to play.
so the story is... you bought it? cool guitar
also the panned voice recording sounded awesome!
Thanks so much for watching! Glad you liked the song/harmonies! Haha, yeah this story was pretty cut and dry compared to the other ones. But hoping the purchase gives insight to others.
I wouldnt want my Porsche 911 relicd ..... I cannot afford a custom shop so I ordered the McCready strat still wating for it .. But I needed to try a a scratched up beaten up guitar just not for $5k Either way Its yours Eff what anyone else thinks Its a beauty
Good point. A relic’d car would mean a bad driver though haha. Hope the Mike MCC Strat rocks man! I’ve seen those they look sick! Thanks for watching
You called your other guitar Stallion???
I can't believe someone actually thought that was vintage . . . Sounds like a tout hustling for the store. Anyway you're probably better off with the Custom Shop as far as playability . . . I'm sure there are some old timers out there that play great, but I'm guessing most of them are no better than an average guitar today, maybe a little worse.
You bring up a good point, just because it’s vintage doesn’t make it a good/great guitar.
This is like when people buy distressed jeans.
Yes, and just as senseless
You called your guitar Daphne?????
A relic is just a fancy paint job.
A lot of people will never get Fender custom shop, because they’re poor.
But they're playing better than the non branded straps.
Ome people have more money than bruins
They should explore BILL NASH GUITARS.
@@colinbutler5676yeah being poor automatically makes you play better
Buy an affordable strat that plays well, spend hours polishing and fiddling around, save a bucketload of money and connect even more with your reliced guitar! You can thank me later😁🎸🤘🏼🎸
Or they like Gibson more…🤷🏼♂️
Why would anyone deface a great instrument? There is no good reason. I'll take the new one with the new finish.
It's so you can gig with it without the value dropping significantly from a tiny scratch or ding if you decide to sell it.
Good for you. They’re out there and I hope you feel joy playing one.
Really, a satin finish instead of gloss goes a long way to making a new guitar not so... Like new furniture. PRS lovers don't seem to care about that oddly. Interesting.
I once played a PRS vela, satin black. Guitar was so light and fast I burnt my Fingers 😂😳 it’s on my List for sure someday.
I dig both. Played both awesome relicd and untouched and there are special guitars from each example. Its all the individual instrument. If it inspires you who cares. That strat is killer.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting. I think you’re right! Some instruments just speak to you as a player.
Relegating a guitar is the epitome of being a poser
I like a guitar with real battle scars, from real live playing, I have a 80's Strat with dents, chips, scuffs and even a little rust on the bridge, but they are real, I can tell you where each of the scars happened. I personally don't care for the fabricated factory aging. I wouldn't but a new Truck or Rifle that was designed to look beaten-up, so why would I buy a guitar that way?
You’re in luck. You don’t have to buy it. Just like I don’t have to buy another dang sunburst finish. Get it?!!
That relacing is really over the top!
Daphne and Stallion???🤔
Yes, Daphne because it’s Daphne Blue officially and Stallion because it’s all black 😀
why is your ps5 looks so big lol
😂😂good question tbf
Anduh ... There was of course a Big Red Candy Elephant in the room during all that Kinda' interesting monologue about shelling out 4,500 USD - Or NOT - for a Professionally Ravaged High Quality instrument:
How Did it Sound?! Could the Proud Owner Excel in Playing the Damn Thing? The answer is a Short but Resounding NO.
I've seldom been so Underwhelmed by a Long Awaited Finale on a Guitar; some Timidly Plucked Clean Chords back and forth and than That overproduced Multi Harmony Vocal Piece around the Guitar Chords again - (The A Major being far from in Tune even.) What Was That? Why didn't the 4,500 USD Prize Tag inspire You just a Little Bit More than That?
With all the Talk - You could probably sell a Fridge to an Innuit. Your Singing Acrually was more Promising, almost Worth The 18 Minute Wait.
It looks like someone attacked it with a screw driver. Doesnt look good
Keep working 50 days straight and buying a new custom shop guitar every 6 months and your next purchase may be for a divorce attorney.
You ain’t wrong!
@@evanloken19 But if you're single, I say "Keep up the good work and buy as many guitars as your heart desires.". Gotta have a Tele too.
I absolutely HATE relic'd guitars
Its a made in China strat. You could have paid me 250 dollars and I would have done you exactly the same job. Including Fender custom Shop stickers on it.
😂😂
🤮
Awesome guitar.. $3000 ?
Thanks! Yeah it was a lot. I paid basically $1500 up front and financed the other $3k which I paid off over the next few months after purchasing.
I hate how thin strats sound .. mine just collects dust. A $4,500 les paul standard would of been the better purchase.
Nothing beats the sound of a Les Paul. For some reason, I just prefer the playability of strats.
@evanloken19 my strat does play really good as well.. but I gotta take tone over playability
If your strat sounds thin, you are doing something wrong....🎸🤘🏼🎸
I agree you can always make decisions based on finances, if you can afford it you only live once