Are Fender Custom Shop Guitars Really Better?

[@jeremybearden444]

The Custom Shop sounds a little more resonant to me, but Shane looks more satisfied playing the American Original. Player satisfaction = what matters most.

[@danielfritz954]

The CS sounds like it has more mojo :)

[@coupe-lee]

I bet the lighter weight helps with resonance for sure. Shane says it sounds thinner, but I thought the CS sounded thicker (using good headphones)?!

[@honnaconna7312]

The original is his so he’s used to playing it 🤣

[@coupe-lee]

@@honnaconna7312 excellent point.

[@AviMus82]

He loves that American original.

[@paulcaskey]

The lush tonality of the gold hardware is evident in the mid-range.

[@intheblues]

🤣🏆

[@youssefkasim7556]

You’re the best

[@markmcmyn8967]

I thought I was the only one that heard that!

[@artamussumatra6286]

Yes! Those parts are pure tone metal, lovingly hand forged by Master Craft Elves in a magic tree, with Fairy dust sprinkled on for good measure. Much better than the low rent nickel junk the commoners use. And it will sound even better when the gold plating starts to wear off, only CS relics have “That” tone....😆

[@LittleDaveGuitar]

The gold hardware is made of the purest unobtainium.

[@iagobroxado]

Also heard the CS as being a little warmer, more compressed and lower in volume than the AO. It was easier to notice a difference during the intro than during the clean demo.

[@Liamjholland]

I was hoping to find that they both sounded alike, but the custom shop just sounds so nice, so smooth... not saying the other one sounds bad, it doesn’t, it also sounds amazing... but the custom shop sounds even better

[@ESANANIKONE]

To me the custom shop sounded like my favorite albums with a strat do.

[@cmkilcullen8176]

different pups...?

[@Dante-xf1mu]

I could barely hear any difference. Especially nothing worth 4500$.

[@mjf4394]

@@Dante-xf1mu In the defense of the original that’s a > $2k guitar. Also custom shops are essentially professionally built where they’re hand picking the woods for each piece ensuring you’re getting the highest of the highest quality. Not to mention hand wound pickups.

[@Dante-xf1mu]

@@mjf4394 That's not a defence imo. Wood of highest quality is used by other brands too, but the charge is nuts. Are you telling me that the value for money is correct?

[@kennygardner5041]

I like the Amer. original tone wise. Warmer and tighter mids. Less splatty with overdrive.

[@SeaOrcRonnie]

The custom shop just has something of a bright sweetness to it that makes you go..yeeaahhh 👍

[@jonimrbusiness4060]

Scatter wound custom shop pick up win, so if u wanna costum shop feel in MIM Fender just use scatter wound pick up

[@tronellefsen5519]

Nice playing! Some say it’s the quarter sawn neck that gives it a bit more chime, and snappy sound. I am perfectly happy with my AO.

[@Apocarion]

To me the custom shop had a more "vocal" sound, which I typically associate with vintage strats.

[@ColonelRPG]

I really love the blonde finish on the custom shop, gorgeous guitar.

[@sammyj.d6101]

A couple of months ago I bought a 50s AO Strat (same ash body/blonde finish, but RH) and it is absolutely FANTASTIC! The wood is lovely to look at, the fat soft-v profile neck is comfy and the pickups sound incredible. Smells good too!!

[@DMSProduktions]

BOTH sound great, as trad Strats go! However I thought the CS had a bit sweeter sounding pick ups. But apart from that there was LITTLE in it! DID the CS SOUND $3K better? NO way! The playing experience is still paramount! Nice 1!

[@everettlethem6747]

People want to think the more expensive guitar is better but it’s really not always the case as seen here.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@everettlethem6747 TOO true!

[@brandonlesko3126]

Pickups are pretty easy to swap out so it becomes a question of: Upgrade or no upgrade? For me it's almost always get a well made import and then mod/upgrade as I see fit. Seems to be the better way to go for me.

[@intheblues]

What are your thoughts on this high-end custom shop guitars versus my American Original? I share my thoughts about the feel and tone in this video! ►Sky Music - alnk.to/aWxuZkO ►Fender Custom Shop - imp.i114863.net/kDvKd ►Fender American Original - imp.i114863.net/ey20z (affiliate links)

[@hkguitar1984]

Guitars can be so personal. If a custom shop instrument inspires you and brings you joy then go for it. I've had CS instruments and can say it isn't so much about the cost as it is getting exactly what you want. Both CS and American are fine instruments. Some people will say the extra cost of a CS isn't worth the price, others will disagree. Nothing wrong with treating oneself to something nice.

[@proteus2103]

@@hkguitar1984 I enjoy the custom shop electronics in cheaper guitars

[@FranciscoAndrepg]

This is so subjective, but this is the video I was looking for. Well done. Can you compare American Original 60s vs American Pro II? Cheers.

[@gillesgenete9598]

Hi Shane, thanks for this bluesy demo. I am in line with all your findings, tones, comfort, weight, worth their price. I have an American Vintage 62 reissue from 2012 and a Custom Shop Rory Gallagher replica from 2013. I agree the Custom Shop is lighter with selected wood. It has fatter specific pick ups than the AVRI62, to offer the Rory sound. I paid €1700 for the 62 and €3300 for the Rory. They are both great guitars worth their price. I admit I play more my 62, but can't explain why, just a feeling thing. By the way I also have a Fender Japan 50s strat, even lighter with swamp ash body, and light V shape neck, so beautiful, but V shape and maple fretboard not my preference. Next comparison could be LesPaul Original vs LesPaul Custom Shop. My Tokai LS1000 is worth a R9, while I sold my Gibs LP Standard.

[@0Imtheslime0]

Never understood why folks would dosh out $5000 for a CS. I love Fenders, but i can assemble a Strat or a Tele and make it play just as good as a CS.

[@matthewf1979]

The American Original guitars really are fantastic. They are functionally equivalent to the team built Custom Shop guitars. Where the CS guitars stand out to me is the pickups, neck shapes and the fit and finish. Buy a used, team built CS guitar if you can swing it. I highly recommend the “Journeyman” line, the light relic lets you play the guitar without worrying about scratches and dings.

[@agusg.t.8950]

I have 3 fender USA and one Custom Shop, and being all amazing the CS is the best

[@jamalabdul2009]

👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@saddle8bag]

Great playing and equally great editing that together.

[@miltonfmn]

The diference isn't proportional with the prices!

[@隠れた花]

The law of diminishing returns. Eventually the more u spend the less differences there are. But market value is always decided by how much someone is willing to pay they can only sell em that expensive because ppl are paying that much

[@lllULTIMATEMASTERlll]

Even if all guitars were priced appropriately, we would still expect this to be the case.

[@mrjamesgrimes]

Price is disproportionally higher because a CS is literally custom. You pick all the specs so someone builds you a one off guitar versus a production model on a assembly line.

[@RodrigoRockChannel]

It's not only about how it sounds but also about how it feels. Seems to me if you're playing mostly at home or in a studio, the custom shop might be more interesting. But for live usage, the least expensive makes more sense due to security. Most people wont be able to tell the difference in a live situation anyway.

[@DanDjurdjevicplus]

Man, I don’t know about any difference between the guitars but your playing was sublime.

[@geofflines60]

Both sounded great. And yet again great playing Shane. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference in a packed out gig. Now I compare both of them with the classic Vibe series. Then we can hear the difference, maybe !

[@iancurrie8844]

They’re both amazing! Beautiful instruments. What a time to be alive!

[@gokhanalagoz16]

i have original, almost no differance. What equipment did you use here? amp, pedal, effect... So sweet tone . 💯

[@lathspell87]

Also, all CS guitars can be so different. I had played so many US tele, and never liked them much. Then one day, I picked up this CS tele at my local shop and just couldn't believe my ears and hands. Best playing and sounding Tele I have ever played. Bought mine new for $3,250.

[@montag4516]

Glad to hear that. Which model/version of the CS Tele did you get?

[@lathspell87]

@@montag4516 Mine is a super heavy relic, gold sparkle '63 tele

[@montag4516]

Excellent. I've been perusing the videos heavily. Seems a 62 or 63 neck would be my choice. But I love and favor the heavy relic jobs on these. It's not pretending anything, it's both a look and comfort that's there for those who want it. I bet it keeps getting better on both accounts the more it gets played. Cool, Gold Sparkle Tele with heavy relicing.

[@montag4516]

Oh, and do they relic the bridge plate and control plate as well? From the photos and videos it's hard to tell.

[@WesPaul2000]

I listened to this video with eyes closed and could not hear a difference. I couldn't tell when you switched. Your playing on this video, with either guitar, was fab. Even Jimi looks like he's digging it in the background. Well done!

[@stevep1941]

I had a CS Strat back in the 2000s- I had high hopes, but it just didn't do it for me as a live axe- sounded meh. I later on bought a MIJ '62 reissue and it was great- just an overall better guitar than CS. Also bought a CS Tele some years back, and it had an annoying sticky lacquer neck finish, and I thought a pretty ordinary paint job- it did have nice CS Broadcaster pickups, but my friend made me a parts Tele with Brierley pickups and it is just so much better than the CS Tele was. I now have a MIM Player Strat and it is one of the best Strats I have had regardless of price- sounds killer through my Twin Reverb. Good review Shane!

[@artamussumatra6286]

Once you remove the prestige factor from the equation, it’s a whole ‘nother ball game! 😉👍

[@clockwork914]

I wish the Squier CV 50’s was also in the comparison.

[@raceface_m2579]

The CS was definitely cutting through the mix. But the Am sounded fatter and better in the one on one comparison.

[@GuitarHouseLima]

Guy in the shop: American Original or Custom Shop? Me: Yes

[@brandonlesko3126]

In my experience with expensive guitars, that little bit extra you get in feel - and also the part you continually try to convince yourself of - is not worth it for the majority of players. I've owned some expensive guitars and they end up being like what happens if and when you meet your heroes. They just don't live up to it. But, it's your money to spend. Hopefully the pricey guitar inspires you to play more and you get your money's worth.

[@LuckyInCards]

The playing is everything. And you're top notch here.

[@jasong546]

Shane in ‘19 I got a new American Strat and I felt like I found the best strat since I started in ‘99. But this year, through a fluke of pricing I got a new custom shop ec strat, and although the American is everything I could want, the custom shop version feels lighter and straighter, more sleek and precise. I know I got lucky to have these 2 amazing strats , the difference being this more exacting feel in the angles and neck shape. I couldn’t decide which to sell! Great video man!

[@MH-fd1jb]

Shane, I was ready to purchase one of those ASH 50's Original models, but then saw a youtube video that showed (only yhe white ash model), is in fact weight relieved under the pickguard! Hollowed out??? Havent changed my mind, but will opt for a sunburst model made of alder (and NOT) hollowed out. Love your videos, your face always gives away your true thoughts about a guitar as you're playing it! Keep them comming, M.K.

[@MythosSoundStudio]

Love the Orginal’s bark. The Custom had a smoother tone to it - maybe a tad bit more low-mids. To my ear the Original sounded like a traditional strat and the custom sounded like s-series style guitar with smoother tone. Not sure if the customer has lower-output pickups or not. Both did sound awesome, but I always go back to the value v playability argument and is the custom worth the additional money for sound and playability. I still would stick with the Original - better bank for the buck and sounds awesome!

[@stevec.1802]

These KZbin CS comparison demos are as different as the presenters that demo them. I appreciate your honesty without disparaging one over the other. 🎧🎸

[@ScottyBrockway]

I don't think there is any better here, just different and player taste. The pickups sound a bit different in the custom shop, but you can buy those separate.

[@PHeMoX]

Yeah, that's actually what surprises me sometimes. I recently saw some Fender Tex Mex pickups for like 100 bucks, a full telecaster set. And did some searching what guitar had those originally, only to find out that used to be a $1700 guitar! Something like a Fender Custom Shop Texas Special tele pickup set is between 150 and 200 bucks where I live. So, if it's just the pickup sound you're looking for, it's possible to mod a guitar to sound extremely similar (if not virtually the same).

[@ColtonAnderson1258]

I think the only reason it is better is you get to customize it yourself and make it your own

[@Silkaz7]

Having owned both a custom shop and a mim, the biggest difference for me is the feel something you can't show on a video. The sound you can get with a simple pick up swap. It's up to you to determine if the great feel when you play is worth those extra thousand dollars.

[@jorgerst]

IMHO heavier strats usually have a thicker tone, which I prefer, especially on overdrive. This video shows it very well. American Original wins for me :)

[@toddsteele72]

Those custom shop guitars look fantastic. A reminder that I need to go get a couple of my guitars set up.

[@sixbladeknife44]

My Ame. Pro Strat II was flawless out of the box, where as my more expensive Ame. Original Strat had a number of issues from the factory. Sometimes it comes down to the individual guitars regardless of price point or particular series, including the custom shop stuff. Of these two, I thought the custom shop sounded that much better, but the Ame. Original is certainly no slouch.

[@frankstephenson1746]

Yes I believe your right I bought a rental pro 1 and it’s perfect. I’m obsessed with it

[@sixbladeknife44]

@@frankstephenson1746 I also have a Pro I along with the Pro II and an Original. The Pro I is my daily driver, great guitar.

[@homeboyjon4885]

@intheblues, Shane, that opening track was incredible!! Nice, nice playing!!

[@mattjackson7859]

They both sounded great. I thought I noticed a difference in tone/ sound in a couple of spots, but very close. When I bought my tele, I tried a couple of similarly priced models that they had in the shop. In the end it came down to the pickups and the look, because they all felt the same to play. The one I chose had Fender Texas Special pickups and they sounded better to my ear. I’m not sure a Custom Shop guitar would be worth the price. I just play 3 chord rock on my dirty channel anyways.

[@IvorThomas]

I would be surprised if either of those sounded or played better than my $1100 Eric Johnson sig thinline. It has a great soft V neck, staggered tuners, very light, and no trem tuning issues. Couldn't be much better as far as Strats go.

[@Matthew_Scan]

I watched a blind test with three Telecasters , two Fenders and a squire 50s Classic , guess which one I liked the best, the squire , it had more punch and mid sound than the Fenders that were thin

[@artamussumatra6286]

It’s all perceived prestige, people should listen with their ears, not their eyes. I wish this video had also been an a/b comparison, letting you hear the two guitars without showing them. I guarantee much of the comment section would be quite different. It’s funny watching those blindfolded comparisons of Squier, or MIM vs Custom Shop at Anderton’s - they’re usually sweating bullets, and pooping cinderblocks, hoping they “Got it right” and picked the expensive CS as the one they liked the best. 😉

[@Tim8tei]

@@artamussumatra6286 In the end you have to try them out yourself, and pick the one that moves you, best feel, sound, the whole package.

[@zosojstro]

I think the tone on the white strat sounds great. You made them both shine well done

[@yankeepeters2270]

I kind of collect Stratocasters . I currently have nine of them. All different iterations. Custom Shop, American, MIM, Japanese, and partscasters. All are different and good, but my favorite is the Custom shop. The neck is perfect for me, and the pickups sound great. But the argument could be made that “ yeah, I like it the most because it was three times the cost of the others “. I guess it comes down the the neck profile and the pickups, plus fit and finish. I think any Strat can be great, if you’re lucky enough to find the one that has that “ magic mojo”. Cool video Shane. As usual your playing is excellent.

[@AaronRash]

Awesome video, I really preferred the CS. It just sounded like a record instantly. The mid range was smooth as butter, and cut right through the mix. While the other sounded a little more lifeless to me.

[@aperequest]

I know you said the custom shop is lighter and I had the same experience with a telecaster. But the shop weighed them in front of me and they were the same weight. The difference I felt was the build quality was so much better that everything fitting together better caused the weight to be distributed so much more evenly that it felt significantly lighter even though it was the same weight.

[@cchavez248]

In the recording, the CS strat had a bit more clarity; all the notes in a chord were easier to hear than with your strat. Without a side-by-side, no one would be able to easily tell the difference though....

[@jorgschlenger4254]

I own a AO 50ies and a CS 61 Reissue - both lefthand. The CS has not only 350g less weight, it also has real lefthand pots installed (revers taper) whereas the AO 50 is equipped with regular taper but wired reversed, which leads to an incorrected taper curve. Guess that‘s the reason why Shane notice the differences in the usuability of the volume taper (tone as well). I swapped the original pots for CTS reversed tapers (or say lefthand pots) to get it correctly. The neck is indeed some sort of chunky but no issue if you got big hands, although I like the shape of my 61 Reissue better (oval 60ies). The CS also has more string separation in the tone, which may not only be an effect due to different pick-ups but although the higher quality of the selected woods? Anyway, both are fine instruments.

[@maxhelli4218]

it’s in the fingers not the tool. great playing mate

[@benweekes2797]

I have 3 custom shops (two teles, one Strat), one of which being master built and I prefer the sound and feel of my American Original Strat. Which upsets me more than it should...

[@artamussumatra6286]

Don’t worry about it, just enjoy the one you love. You can’t put a price on Mojo. 😉

[@bjrnjohannessen1862]

I have 2 Fender Stratocaster orginal 50 s one 2CSB and one WB. And they are both SUPER good guitars and sound absolutely amazing and they are also absolutely amazing to play on. Bsst Regards Bjørn

[@JimmyRadloff]

This is where the law of diminishing returns really applies. A standard vs a custom shop instrument. You can pay a lot more for small improvements here and there. When you get to a top tier level mass produced instrument that sounds awesome, how much more can you really do to make it sound and play better? You can mod a guitar and spend a bit extra to upgrade components and electronics, or you can spend two or three times what you paid for it to begin with and buy a custom shop guitar that might be a little better overall (and that is subjective as you demonstrated here).

[@jlguitarman]

I prefer the standards rounder thicker tone but would be happy with either guitar🤘

[@thejoshbtv]

During the jam I heard no difference between the two. When you were doing the individual tones, the CS definitely has more spank to the pickups. I do like the blonde-ish finish on the CS. I love seeing wood grain on guitars.

[@scottreynolds6317]

They both sound fantastic!!! I have the custom ‘69 pickups in my American Professional Strat and love them as well. Now, if only I could play as well as you! LOL!!!

[@heymrguitarman7637]

You have to understand how the custom shop works. Yes regular custom shop guitars are still production line instruments. However those working in the custom shop have more experience m does that make them better? Maybe, maybe not. The custom shop also gets first choice of all the wood meaning they get the better stuff. Does that matter to you? Maybe, maybe not. I'm a guitar builder myself and I understand what really matters to making a guitar good and you can do that at any price point. But, with custom shop you are getting a potentially superior product. But whether the differences matter to you is up to you and they may not be noticeable when it comes to tone

[@i.r.theofficial]

American Original Series is a Custom Shop conveyor assembly series :). My favorite guitar, I also have '50s!

[@VintageRadius]

I think there are three main reasons why you would buy a custom shop: 1. You want the feel of a well-loved guitar straight out of the box. Fender custom shop does fantastic relic work from light to heavy. 2. You want a true heirloom guitar that you think you will feel more connected to and inspired by. 3. You have the means and desire to buy a guitar that can be truly customized to your specifications. Bonus reason: there are some great stories of master builders that have been at Fender for decades who pour their heart, soul and artistic vision into making guitars to the highest possible standard :) That said, I’m perfectly happy with my Original 60’s series Tele in Lake Placid Blue. But maybe one day....

[@IgorWocial]

That was such a Clapton solo

[@themodusops]

I am not a guitar expert, but If you are buying a Custom Shop guitar off the rack I think the main difference is the wood...hand selected vs. you get what you get. You can always change the electronics and the hardware, but the wood is what make a particular guitar unique, in my opinion. If you care about the details like grain, flame and weight...that's where the Custom Shop will usually be a step above a regular production model. Of course, you can always get lucky and find a "good wood" regular production guitar at the weight you like. To me, weight is a huge part of a guitar's "feel." And like you, I prefer lightweight guitars. I hope that weight difference isn't your Original Strat's downfall.

[@jimmylimohello2538]

Beautiful playing Man ! Thanks for this ✌🏼

[@arnolddealiii4259]

Perhaps if weight is an issue you can do what I did. I bought an aluminum bridge block for my strat. I have been experiencing back pains wanted to try to reduce the weight. I went from a 1 pound block to 3.5 ounces. This made my 8 pound guitar 7.5 pounds. By trimming 2/3rds of the block weight I am able to play longer with less pain. It’s not much but it helped!

[@cathalwhelehan]

I absolutely love my 50s Original (I have the two-tone sunburst one) and, as nice as that semi-transparent finish looks, I didn't hear very much in that clip to convince me the CS one is any better - at least definitely not in the magnitude of 1000s of dollars/euro better.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

I've got the production model of the Jimmy Page Mirror Tele and it's amazing and I don't see how the Custom Shop version could be THAT much better but after watching this video I bet the Custom Shop version would probably be even better. That's insane.

[@yestoES355]

What’s the song in the outro? Great playing as well?

[@bartlettpsj]

C/S sounded more precise and a little richer and more resonant (I could hear overtones). But both were very nice. FWIW my approach is always to buy a cheapish good playing Strat that I like and change the pickups to C/S pickups ($199) (69's or Fat 50's), pots and tuners.

[@stevesmith4956]

I own a Fender American Original. I could tell a big difference between mine and some of the lower models in both tone and fit and finish, at least I thought I could. I’ve not tested mine vs a custom, but at least on your KZbin video I couldn’t hear much of a substantive difference between the two.

[@GuitarMav]

Given the cs is twice the price, it shouldn’t be this close.

[@jakestadium]

The custom shop sounds maybe 15-20% more lively in terms of the pickups. Just more open on the top end... it also somehow sounds like a slightly older guitar, if that makes any sense. I'm sure they play very similarly but I will say I've never played a custom shop in a store that wasn't the best playing guitar in that said store.

[@soofitnsexy]

always!!

[@MikeLute]

My Am Original Tele is so light compared to my Squire classic vibe. If the custom shop version was even lighter I would to have it chained to my guitar stand to prevent it from flying away. I think Fender has mastered it giving you some slight improvements with each model at a higher price point without producing unplayable intruments at the entry level.

[@cpk313]

What it sounds like is the AO's pickups are a little hotter the the CS. How both sets of pickups are adjusted also could be a factor. It would be interesting to try two things: 1 adjusting the pickup heights on the AO to see if it gets it closer to the CS and vis-versa and 2 a pickups swap, though seeing as the guitar is a loner that the shop I'm sure wants to sell that's probably a no go. I don't know if it's new recording gear or technique but your guitar tone sounds great the last 6-8+ months

[@koenstrobbe8101]

Nice comparison. I could not really hear a big difference listening blind. My guess is it's pretty much down to the pickups only.

[@gerritcuypers]

Great Playin' Shane! The American Original sounds very good but the Custom Shop sounds warmer and has more body. The question is, is the custom shop worth the money? For me original price, no but in second hand price, yes. In second hand you can buy a custom shop at the price of a new original and you'll have that extra in quality of construction and better sounding pickups. But there also are lots of custom builders all over the world who will build you the same custom shop quality for a fraction of the price. I myself have a number of hand-built guitars ( European and USA built ) like Maybach, Haar, Gosia-Steffsen, Nash and they all are custom shop quality.

[@imCurveee]

Both sound like my Player strat 😄 But seriously though, you can get great tone with any half decent guitar. Your amp, pedals, speaker and pickups are more important than the build of the guitar, and those can all be changed/modified. The build of the instrument has more to do with playability and tuning stability, but anything around or above $1k (CAD for me) and you're likely to get a well made guitar that'll do whatever you need it to do. I personally don't see why I'll ever need anything more than my Player strat. More money in my pocket to try out different pedals :)

[@artamussumatra6286]

You nailed it! 😁👍

[@DennisJPolson]

Great stuff, Shane! That thumbnail though... 😂😂

[@aladolfsenjustanoldguy2045]

One thought would be if the differences were normal differences. It would be interesting to see if 2 strats that are equally the same, model, price, pickups, fingerboard, if there were any differences in the sound and feel. I've heard it said that when Larry Carlton found his 335, he tried 3 different ones in the same store and felt/heard differences in each. He bought what he liked the best.

[@MusicZtorm]

Thanks for the comparison. On the AO being on the heavier side, this model is made of ash ... As this CS, but I'm wondering if this particularity increase the difference in weight : Is an AO Strat made of alder would have that big of difference in weight compared to a CS Strat made of alder ?

[@carlitobrigante330]

I love the searing treble of the bridge pickup on the Custom Shop model, but both guitars sound excellent.

[@actionjacksondan]

I finally stepped up and got a custom shop tele, was skeptical but I get it now, it is a "better" guitar which you hear and feel. It is the law of diminished returns, only worth it if you happen to have extra money and you are willing to spend. I have a 2006 highway one, Jason Isbell tele and now the Custom shop. The neck on the Custom feels great and the hand wound pickups are fantastic, is it twice as good as those others? No, but its rad.

[@ravenslaves]

The only thing you _might_ be getting from a Custom Shop.... _might_ be a different neck shape... For the money it damn well better be a different neck shape! Even then, if you know what you like, you can always get the perfect neck, made out of whatever you want, the perfect body... made out of whatever you want. All the hardware. Any pickups you want. And it'll still be less expensive than a Custom Shop guitar. The feel of the neck is absolutely key. Everything else can be swapped out. Fender's are parts guitars...all of them.

[@artamussumatra6286]

Get a good condition well played and broken in 10-20 year old MIM, set it up to your taste, put whatever gear floats your boat on it, and you’ll be getting the CS experience - minus the prestige of course - for pennies on the dollar.

[@honkytonkinson9787]

I've had a high end American strat for almost 20 years. Also have had the pleasure of trying out several master built custom shop strats. They're all nice but aren't better than my strat which cost half, or less, than the custom shop guitars That said, my guitar had some drips on the finish that probably shouldn't have been acceptable on a standard model. You probably won't get that on a custom shop model

[@sparkyguitar0058]

I always kinda wondered about this since I own a 94 Amer Deluxe Plus I've had since 96. When I bought this, magazines described this guitar as close to custom shop as Fender makes. Lace Sensors pups, Fender/ Floyd Rose bridge, TBX pot, Hipshot Tremsetter. It has all the tricks to be a great guitar. And now with 25 yrs of real-life relic damage. J K. But the look of the body wear and maple neck wearout is from real use. Might need new frets now but would be 1st replacement parts EVER.

[@jayseb]

oh! that playing... my Saturday is now complete. I own a Fender Strat CS - 57 Lake Placid Blue Relic - Thought it sounded great until I got my Paoletti Stratosphere. Now this one signs. Better build in general.

[@tommynovak6399]

There's a difference in tone. But that can happen with any 2 guitars. It would depend on feel rather than sound.

[@LousReview]

Great video! I totally agree with you. Have had a 2006 62 reissue for a lot of years.

[@theguitaramptech]

Both guitars sounded wonderful, but the big positive to both guitars was the player. That was very tasty, Shane.

[@BITESIZEJONES]

In my experience the more expensive the guitar the less happy I am. You just need a good playing guitar with decent pups when it comes to strats. I've owned and played at least 20 strats in the last 20 years.. A good one is a good one.

[@artamussumatra6286]

💯 %!😁👍

[@voxshall]

I went Hondo, JV Squire, Mexican, Customshop then sold off all my customshop strats once I got a vintage 64 strat, the differences are all very subtle and come out more when you own the better instrument long term and then compare it.

[@BrerRabbit73]

Hi Shane. Can you please also compare the original 50s strat with new vintage 2 57 strat ?

[@ianhenry4046]

They both sound great, just a bit different and in a live situation no one will be able to tell the difference in fact no one will even give it a second thought.

[@artamussumatra6286]

💯 %!!!!!!!!!!😁👍

[@Aspirintax]

The custom shop was clearly warmer, without the harsher top end of the American, but they both sounded great. I would guess upgrading the pickups would give the American Standard the boost into the next level it needed.

[@thedoodl38ug]

Great comparison. I think one area where custom shop stands apart is if you want a heavy relic vintage look. You just can't get that otherwise and you can always go second hand for a better deal 😉

[@YTPartyTonight]

You could buy an '50s AO Strat, send it to MJT to get relic'd, then send it one of the top luthiers in the country for a pro setup, buy and swap in Custom Shop pickups, and still spend less than what the Custom Shop Strat would cost. Otherwise, you could skip MJT and just play it for 20 or 30 years. Who is to say which one instrument is better or worse? It's largely subjective. Furthermore, whatever differences may be would be random differences, most of all due to the natural randomness of wood. Any other differences would likely be vanishingly tiny.

[@seanthomasmusic]

The levels for both guitars don't sound the same. Is that because of the pickups or any difference in micplacement/preamp settings? I think the Custom Shop sounds calmer regardless... less volume, not as punchy.

[@jonathanhandsmusic]

They both sound exactly like Strats, mostly the same. The difference is the mind of the beholder. They also tend to reflect the financial shape of the players. The CS models are very expensive to anyone who has a regular job.

[@carlitobrigante330]

That, is one thing nobody can argue with - if nothing else.

[@petermarkovic8837]

I love my Fender American Original Stratocaster, the neck could be a little thinner, but the neck it comes with isn't a deal-breaker. I'm feeling good about the fact I got the right guitar. It's a keeper.

[@FransJCMartins]

Tasty! Well played Bro!

[@MisterTee]

I think the Custom shop guitar sounds far nicer....more complex. Having said that both of these guitars are killer.

[@danielphillipsmusic9145]

As a bassist I've owned and played vintage, and modern basses from all levels of production. The American Original Series don't play anything like a proper vintage reissue. I own a Custom Shop 55 Precision and an American Vintage Series 57 Precision. The American Vintage Series 57 had all the correct vintage appointments and plays and sounds exactly like a production run Fender should. The AO just plays like a Nash, or any other modern "vintage style" knock off due to the modern radius neck. Why pay premium price for an entry level spec? Save your money and get a used AVS bass or guitar. As to the custom shop. I own my Time Machine 55 P, and I've played real early 50s Ps. The Custom Shop is a perfect recreation of what those basses were with even better craftsmanship. Sure, they don't have 60 plus years of mojo, but my CS P weighs only 7.6lbs and is PERFECTLY balanced and absolutely sings plugged in or acoustically. The Handwound pickup is an absolute monster and can nail all the classic tones. Again, if you want correct vintage tone and playability, but not want to spend a ton. A used older Custom Shop Time Machine, or American Vintage Reissue will actually get you there for less money. The current Custom Shop models use a lot of year tags, but they lack the real neck specs. The American Originals essentially look and sound the part, but don't play anything like old Fenders. Just my opinion, of course.

[@MikeBradleyofficial]

Nice one Shane. The Custom shop one def cuts through more. But by the sound of things, save your $3k and stick with yours! 😀

[@BrentAdams]

What about the fret work....the edges of the fret board and fret ends? Is there the same attention to details like that between the two? THX!

[@phillipholt6005]

I'm happy with the Strat HSS I already have!