Interview with Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilder Ron Thorn !

Baxter talks with Ron Thorn about the Fender Custom Shop, NAMM, and the new Master Builder Apprentice Program.

[@customshopbacktalk2026]

Thank you for the conversation, Baxter. I appreciate your time and interest in the MBA builds - you’ve championed this program and I thank you. Nick, Levi, Tony and George do too. Cheers! Ron

[@CasinoGuitars]

You got it ron and I love what y’all are doing there! Breaking ground and making the best pieces as you do! Keep it going and thanks for all y’all do!

[@mikegreen2417]

Thanks, grateful for this. Guess I'm a guitar nerd when a two hour "nut slot geometry" class seems intriguing.

[@CasinoGuitars]

That for sure makes you a guitar nerd, welcome to the club:)!

[@ImNotOld_ImVintage]

Yeah. I'd pay to take that class.

[@jsauce311]

I

[@bnlowry]

Ron always has the goods, been a fan since Phil McKnight and him went shopping for squiers! Also think he designed and built the meteora which is SUPER cool!

[@CupofCloud]

Same here, when I saw that video I became an instant fan.

[@timmotel5804]

Wonderful and educational. Thanks to you both. Do it again.

[@DRChevalier]

Thank you Baxter. Very enjoyable. As a wood dork, it’s nice to hear from another one. Be well

[@hmrbruce]

Thank you for taking the time for this. I will probably never be able to afford a master build but it was fun to talk guitars

[@Datimdavis2900]

What an outstanding discussion- I have been a fan of Ron for a long time and I really enjoy the work he and his team put out. Thanks again!

[@johnharrington11]

What a great interview and what a great pair of guys!

[@mcfontaine]

What a brilliant video. Fantastic interview Baxter.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you sincerely Mark!

[@mojo6778]

Great to see the passion and programs in place to constantly raise the bar and improve on quality and craftsmenship for future Fender guitars to come!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on and we could t have said it better!

[@JoshuaC923]

I love listening to Ron, such passion!

[@rstuartcpa]

This cannel is by far the best guitar related content on KZbin. I can't believe they don't have over a million subscribers!!!

[@TurfShifter]

I could listen to Ron all day long. Such a lovely guy.

[@duanewelsh5611]

Very interesting interview. Good insight's into the master builders program. The apprentices are very lucky to learn from such great Craftsmen!

[@CasinoGuitars]

We agree about the program and thanks for tuning in! Best to you and yours:)

[@mark78750]

This was fascinating- thanks for bringing it to us.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you mark and of course:)!

[@ItsVictoriaG]

I could listen to Ron Thorn talk about wood selection, wood grain, and tonewoods for hours. That’s the aspect I personally find fascinating. If Ron Thorn wants to show off and talk about his personal collection of Guild Brian May Red Special signature guitars, I would LOVE that. His collection of Guilds is beyond anything I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a few Red Special collections on Facebook!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Great idea and thanks a ton for sharing that as well!

[@jimmyfrombrooklyn8550]

Great interview Baxter. Great to hear how these guys think and get an insight to their process. Btw- coming your way soon.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thanks a ton and that is awesome, we’ll se you soon!

[@matthewtayloryowieresearch1912]

2 of my fave guitarcheologists, could listen to Ron & Baxter all day, every day except Sunday when I go to 'church' & watch the footy. I haven't missed a Sunday game on TV or live since 1975 & I'm not planning on missing any in future. Bothering me on Sunday is impossible, the footies on.

[@baxtermarrison5361]

Quality content, I just love this sort of thing.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thanks a ton!!! And your name, all Of Baxter’s unite!!!! Cheers!

[@michaeleaster1815]

Thanks for this! I always enjoy any interview with Ron. With his skills and tenure, he could be a total diva, yet he seems 100% the opposite of that. I'm a total fan-boi....

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on and yes, he is a blast and a really cool guy to talk with (and a bit of a guitar nerd to boot as well)…just a bit:)

[@zeeb0w]

excellent content! if ron and fender are listening, i agree that ron continuing to have conversations with casino, fascinating to hear and makes me feel more connected to fender. i want a levi build!!!

[@davegallagher7428]

That was so much fun, thank you!!!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Tons of thanks for watching it!

[@larryrilea8696]

Baxter, if you can pull this off with Fender, and for that matter, any other guitar companies, Dude... this is like the best thing you could do for your business and this channel. It amazing listening to these guys talk about guitars, and I'm sure there is so much more you could get them to talk about. Yeah, this is more important than anything.

[@rknprs]

I had the pleasure of meeting Ron Thorn a decade ago at a friends house in Cary. Super cool dude. I always wish I’d bought that Tele he brought with him.

[@bryantwalley]

Ron. Love your work. Thanks for this. Get some videos on your KZbin channel. You already have subscribers.

[@CasinoGuitars]

We’ll make sure he knows this!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

So cool to see this interview! You guys are really delivering the big fish!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thanks for taking the time to watch! We have a ton of fun talking to these talented characters and appreciate you sharing your thoughts and time!

[@stuffandthingsyoutube]

@@CasinoGuitars - Well, if Ron gets bored and runs out of things to do, tell him he can try his hand at my Sherwood Green Tele Team Built that's waiting in the queue. ;-)

[@Ken-yg4um]

Always great to see an interview with Ron I'm not a master guitar builder but it took me two months to build a Stratocaster/ Relic from a premium Wilkinson designed kit well worth the effort I can see why the price is so high for the Fender custom shop guitars...

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you fir taking the time to watch slushy and props to you fir taking the plunge there with a build!

[@Molnboman]

Nice chat. Ron is the Man. 👍🏼

[@michaelrosa2589]

Baxter great video thanks!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you Michael!

[@GraemeCampbellMusic]

Excited to see this, Ron is excellent

[@CasinoGuitars]

Fantastic and sincere thanks for watching!

[@allisonholmesmusic97]

I watch Casino Guitars every day but I can’t click on a Ron Thorn video fast enough. He’s such a good ambassador for the Fender brand. I saw a video a while ago and someone showed him a Squier. He wasn’t familiar with it, but he totally geeked out over it

[@CasinoGuitars]

Love hearing that and sincere thanks! Ron is super and we were psyched to get to speak with him!

[@michaelriffey2372]

sweet interview. I love this stuff

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you Michael! Ron is great to talk with:)

[@Rogijimbex]

Great to watch. Ron Thorn is an impressive man. One thing, beside the point actually, is you, Baxter, referring to a Fender master apprentice that's been at Fender for over twenty years...implying that's longer than some of the people that work "with" you have been alive. As a boss you didn't say they work "for" you. Just a nit but I think that statement says a lot about the kind of person you are. Works "For" me implies hierarchy - "With" me implies brotherhood and equal footing. Bravo! Sorry to get philosophical but that struck me - especially in this time where decency and respect have taken enormous hits.

[@ryangunwitch-black]

I love how Ron's using the Yeti mic the way they say not to. Truly an innovator. Lol

[@littlerhodyguitar2169]

Great episode!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thanks a ton!

[@pierheadjump]

Thanks Casino. ⚓️ Good to see this aspect of the business. It’s fun to see this… maybe looking over the fence at Gibson … on how NOT to do things. Though Gibson has turned it around recently. 😎

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thanks a ton Keith and yes, this was really great to get an inside look at their business:)

[@hugh4225]

Great interview!

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you Hugh!

[@michaelborn3318]

Great question about Fender and NAMM 2022 in Anaheim.

[@colomboluke]

Make this custom shop/casino podcast happen!!!! I need it in my life! 🤘🏼

[@CasinoGuitars]

We have schemes, stay tuned for the fall:)

[@nicoladolby2154]

Really enjoyed this, thank you! Please can we have more, especially an interview with Greg Fessler?

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you and great idea! We love Greg and he is the p90 master!

[@nicoladolby2154]

@@CasinoGuitars Brilliant! The main reason I’d like to hear from Greg is because were I to buy another Master Built strat, it would be by him. Greg has gone on record saying that his favourite part of the build process is getting the right tonewood & the balance between woods. I’d love to hear his views on the effects tonewood has on electric guitars, as this is a hotly debated subject & I for one think it makes a massive difference 😀

[@paulcowart3174]

Good stuff Love my new CS Strat....only thing I could say is that if a body has checking the neck should too I used to have a 58 and the neck had more checking than the body Only saying this because I have experience with the real thing Great interview

[@ImNotOld_ImVintage]

I love watching interviews with Ron. He's definitely my kind of guitar geek. I'm not sure if his level of attention to detail is insane, or just slightly mad scientist. All I know is that every guitar he posts on Instagram I want. I am not all that into relics, though freely admit I prefer a worn in neck. I don't hate them, but IMO a bad relic ruins the look of a guitar. I don't love all colors; I've never been a huge fan of Candy Apple Red or Sherwood green. But, that said, it doesn't matter what guitar he builds - what color it is, if it's a brand new design, NOS or some level of relic - they look absolutely perfect to me. I love and want them all! He somehow makes the exact guitar that it was supposed to be from a pile of woods, components and a bit of lacquer and makes me doubt it could have ever been anything else. He is a Master Guitar Building Jedi Luthier. While I could probably afford a Ron Thorn build if I really really saved up, I could never convince myself that I deserved such a masterpiece. Masterpieces such as his deserve better than to be in my basement, even if I did play it every day.

[@zootallures1]

Hey Baxter…..great interview with Ron. All hail guitar nerds!! PS: please let me know when you get some Guitar 1000 machines in stock….I’ll take one! 🎸👍 - Paul from Long Island

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on and thanks a ton Paul! And we have a few of the machines coming in ASAP! You can order them on Ali baba:)!

[@jimleininger8963]

I've gotta say, every time I watch something about Fender as a company, I'm further convinced that I really don't need anything that's not a Fender

[@MicahStefanDagaerag]

Would be REALLY interesting to hear a conversation between Ron Thorn and Paul Reed Smith.

[@customshopbacktalk2026]

We talked about using epoxy for gluing fretboards to necks for about 20 minutes, and whisky.

[@notalkguitarampplug-insrev784]

I want more stainless steel frets!!! Love them on my Stratocaster Masterbuilt

[@ledzeppelinzoso]

Getting my customshop in December. The jimmy page team build. The more i watch these, the more i want one of those dale wilson masterbuilts for 7 grand...surprisingly a couple hundred cheaper then my team build tele, and only 3 grand more then my avri 1991 57 reissue two tone sunburst strat.

[@shanethefortean431]

I'd love to have access to the Fender guitar building school. Some tutorial stuff out of there for the public would be great

[@michaeljohnson8552]

Great to hear anything on Fender guitar building. Six months ago l bought a Gibson SG special in perhaps blue. Last week purchased a Fender 50's Original Telecaster. Guess which one stays in tune, feels and sounds better?

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on Michael right on! I have a feeling I don’t need to guess:)

[@shholston]

Hey Baxter…I was wondering if you knew of the 4 Fender Custom shop apprentices which master builder is each the assistant for?…. Do they see alot of influence come from who they assist…I mean if someone was the assistant to Todd Krause will their builds be similar to his etc?

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Can you post a link to the industrial fan you use to do your hair ?

[@teknomanning]

My favorite

[@thseed7]

Legend 🤘🎸

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on!

[@JMal883]

The ever excellent Ron Thorn. Always a fascinating and funny interview. But is it just me or is he turning into Bill Hicks?

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you and gosh I love bill hicks! That is a wonderful compliment:)

[@nichohells]

Can't believe this video has only 8k views

[@pgfitzgerald]

Makes me want to order a master built! 😁

[@CasinoGuitars]

I always want to order one…those bastards :)

[@jaorte10]

I've been a hobbyist guitar builder for many years. I've built more than 20 from scratch. I wind my own p'ups too. That dude has my dream job. But fortunately I became a successful master electrical contractor down here in Florida. Its financed all my homes and hobbies. Too many.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Greta share james! Congrats to you for figuring out this American dream along the way. Best to you and yours always!

[@deveroe79]

I need to know what the story is with that guitar (Duosonic?) that is in the glass case behind Ron.

[@CasinoGuitars]

I’ll ask him that and see if I can get an answer for you:)

[@thundermind5572]

Good show y'all. If one them boys builds a semi hollow with the body exhaust on the sides as far from the strings as possible and encapsolate the pickups it will change the world as the sustain will be better than ever experienced at any Fender facility without any goofy electronics. I've been building them for over twenty years with their parts so if they just build one for themselves they will make the connection and never look back. Getting through to people is like pulling teeth sometimes. They think every thing is about money and I get that and I just don't care other than the fact that I and many other players perfer fuller tones and god like sustain without batteries. I think Mr. Thorn is a smart man and if anyone would give something a try to achieve that perfect sustained note it would be him. Fender is the kind of company one wishes to purchase their superior instrument from and their body shapes and bolt on neck chassiy build style are most suited for the Vesica Picies concept. There is no patent and it's just a nother oppertunity to exploit or let slip away to jealous competitors. Love the show. Do well yall.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thank you thunder for that idea! I will pass her along to ron and see what the gang at fender does with it! Love the thought and I know ron would as well as he most certainly is a super guitar nerd!

[@nolarocks]

Let the man ramble until finished! I think it is good to let him finish his thoughts.

[@metalmig]

Padawan masterbuilder cool Name Baxter!

[@CasinoGuitars]

I feel like fender could use my insight on their future naming ideas:)

[@metalmig]

@@CasinoGuitars haha they deffinitly should !

[@danielsantini4580]

Coolest interview 😎😊🎸 thank you 🎸. Could there be a baseball card idea for the employees of Fender . Thank you ,mass interview 😎😊🎸.

[@CasinoGuitars]

:) love it! I’ve always told them I consider the apprentice builders like rookie card:) and you take a risk on who makes it and who doesn’t. I’m with you there:)!

[@MadRiverMoCo]

Thorn is back riding his own ride…

[@deadstarr7]

nerdy guitar podcast sounds kinda good to me =P

[@davedavid7061]

Hah! Pin routing-reminds me of Bill Murray saying cinch bugs, manganese in Caddy Shack

[@jdl2180]

How difficult can it be to build a solid body guitar?

[@conorfurlong]

Cool

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on!

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

Did some research and these guys are severely under paid. Like it blew my mind.

[@ryangunwitch-black]

21:50 Yes. There's a board. And they have to break it. Using only their guitar chi.

[@debrabrison4152]

Did i detect a hout?

[@davedavid7061]

Hah!, Pin routing, reminds me of Bill Murray saying cinch bugs, manganese in Caddy Shack

[@CasinoGuitars]

Great pull! Any caddy shack ref is a win there!

[@DavesWorld76]

Honestly don't get me wrong, anything from the custom shop is great but Mark Kendrick made the best guitars I've ever played.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Right on and always great to hear others experiences!

[@jfrankcarr]

I feel sorry for Ron, being stuck in meeting after meeting. That's why I avoid management type positions in software development now, it takes me away from what I love to do and has me doing more things I dislike doing.

[@CasinoGuitars]

We hear you, I think ron really loves putting together a super team as well though and really digs bringing up the next batch:)

[@kungstu22]

Def belter hair.

[@CasinoGuitars]

Don’t worry, it will be back to horrible soon enough. It’s like a chia pet on my scalp:) Thanks a ton!

[@danielphillipsmusic9145]

All I wanna know is why does the Shop, and Fender as a whole seem to be moving away from classic specs? Especially on "year tagged" instruments. Hell, the "base model specs" for a CS 69 P bass neck didn't even exist on a 69 P bass. Since the discontinuation of the Time Machine series at the CS level, the American Vintage Series at the US plant, and the Classic Lacquer and Road Worn Series from Ensenada it seems impossible to get a Fender Precision that plays like a P should. Who wants a Fender that plays like every other knock-off on the wall?

[@metalliholic]

I guess I’m a guitar nerd

[@jeffmazzei8520]

I’ve seen many Custom Shop Guitars That are not up to par ! Bad nuts, fretwork that less than perfect ! Setups , now they discovering stainless steel frets ! Years behind Suhr and Anderson who are way ahead. Would like to see the Custom Shop get better because the prices are way out of line

[@CasinoGuitars]

Thanks for the input! That’s what makes this guitar community get better and I’m sure the guys at fender, ron included, are watching and listening:)

[@paulcowart3174]

Well hopefully the MBs QC the apprentice before going out the door but obviously QC is an issue in high volume output

[@jowyong6769]

Other than the price, the 4+ year wait for a masterbuilt guitar is the biggest turn off for me. I'm not even sure if I'd be alive by then to enjoy it! Still, great guitars all round...but so are team built pieces 😉

[@MrVanalen]

Baxter’s dog attacked him again?😆Wtf is that hair all about🤣

[@CasinoGuitars]

It wasn’t just a dog, it was a barracuda school…epic I say epic attack!

[@philipbrister]

I don’t care how many great guitars he builds. Best thing he ever did was draft Michael Jordan and Carl Lewis in the same draft!

[@stratjed]

Thank God for Lawyers, Doctors and Teachers paying the bills so Guitar Players can afford cheaper models. Guitars have become like cars . Let someone else drive it off the lot.

[@CasinoGuitars]

We hear you and we also think back to the days when an average strat would cost about $2700 (inflation corrected). It’s pretty amazing we can have a piece from $199 all the way up to god knows where today. Thanks for joint in and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@peachmelba1000]

That title is so easily misread

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Must be special, you combed your hair, ..., or at least tried to.

[@CasinoGuitars]

:) just a hair cut, still no combs:)

[@stratmagic6893]

My local GC has 2 Thorn CS strats that have been there for 2 years they are ugly, play like crap and will never sell at $7200.

[@guitarsofold100]

SO MUCH HOC US POCUS Over guitar's that where originally put together by an untrained labor force and still out play these CNC'd replicas

[@metalmover]

Ron Thorn seems sketchy....Fender's biggest turn-off for sure.

[@CasinoGuitars]

I think he’s a stellar guy that really loves the art of the guitar:) probably me that you’re thinking about, I’m the weird one:)

[@jdl2180]

That's not very nice!😃