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What I don't like are the huge Fender Custom Shop banners all over the ad. Seems like our old mate Pat churns out decent partcasters, and there is nothing wrong with that, but by labouring the 'Custom Shop' association, which is spurious, I feel he is trying to hook those who don't know better into thinking his merchandise is Fender Custom Shop as opposed to something he has assembled from parts. We know better, but some (many) might not. Caveat emptor and all that, but a bit naughty nevertheless I feel as he does nothing to dispel the casual observer from thinking they are bidding on a Custom Shop guitar. You're right, he actually does nothing illegal, he knows what he's doing, but he's still just a cigarette paper's width away from misrepresentation IMHO, falling just on the right side of the line. I don't like that much, however good his guitars may be. There is a way to go about things. Looking at the guitar on that link I don't think Pat needs to put those banners there, the guitar looks nice enough. He is just trying to justify the massively inflated price by alluding to the Fender Custom Shop (or shouting if one considers the size of the banners).
And Ron Kirn Esq., despite what you say, what you do is very different. I've never seen anything on your web site suggesting (even via oblique insinuation) that your instruments have any actual affiliation to Fender (you don't need to!), you are the antithesis to Pat's Guitars. You're a craftsman rather than an assembler for a start. But if you want direct comparison: you let your instruments, your name, and the staggering quality of your work speak for themselves no matter what components you choose to use in their manufacture. That side of things is moot, people come to you for you. Big difference, and perhaps why we would all kill for one of your guitars any day of the week and would take pride that it was one of yours rather than a Fender Custom Shop. If you improve stock Fenders as a side line I say lucky owners!
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