Fenders new channeled neck innovation?

[elams1894]

Have any of you guys seen this?



Yes it looks nice, but I have to say I was rather surprised at the guy talking how it was an exclusive in-house innovation.

It has certainly been done before, however, there aint no way the little guy can get a patent. Interesting though that they came out with the patent thing and all. Wonder how many other little things that the big boys see in build threads and then slap a patent on it.

I suppose its pretty cool that they obviously keep an eye out on build sites such as this one.

[fluid69]

It is pretty cool, but im with you. I believe someone from fender visits the forums on a regular basis. Several models in the modern player and pawn shop series look very similar to guitars that ive seen on here and the offset forum long before they came out. I seen an amp in the new musicians friend yesterday that was just stained instead of tweed or vinyl. Ive seen many amps like that over @ the shock brothers section.

"If you want rules, read the IRS tax code. If you want to build guitars, make some sawdust." -Colt W. Knight

[BigDaddyLH]

Heh, shout out to George Van Eps at the end there. Not exactly the patron saint of shredders.

[crazydave911]

Patent my a$$..............has Guitarnut (Mark) seen this? I think he did this two yrs ago...................maybe where "Fred" saw it..............what bull

[Maricopa]

Similar to what Taylor does with the tops on their electrics.

[guitarbuilder]

So it has solid binding....not much different than using wood binding on a fingerboard....

[Rich Rice]

More marketing spin. OK. I don't know how it would change the sound much, but it looks cool.


Oh, and HI FRED!!

[mgdesigns]

With CNC I guess they can do whatever they want to do, but those 2 piece of wood better have similar expansion/contraction rates. Or June will be bustin' out all over.The whole fret board is trapped inside the binding and back of neck; if it expands more than the back and binding something's got to give.

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by Rich Rice

Oh, and HI FRED!!

[Maricopa]

those 2 piece of wood better have similar expansion/contraction rates.

Not much of an issue since you don't usually get a big ridge on a typical maple/rosewood neck.

[chippertheripper]

I saw this on osg...
My response was: it looks beautiful, but I'd feel bad rolling the fb edges too hard. Which is how I like it.

[backalleyblues]

Note that the patent is applied for not granted, though obviously da boss thinks its gonna go through... haven't seen Mark's guitar, anyone got a link to that? Just remember, it's not who first came up with it, it's who's first to file that counts...

On that same token, there may be something novel in the way Fender is doing this process, which would allow a patent to proceed. Think of it this way-Gibson AND Gretsch both held patents almost simultaneously on humbucking pickups (PAF and Filtertron, respectively). I'm pretty sure the 'trons are somewhat different in its process, though the desired effect for both pickups is the same...

I'm sure if someone were to trace IP addresses seen by this site, FMIC would pop up quite a bit...

Franc Robert

[crazydave911]

Originally Posted by backalleyblues

I'm sure if someone were to trace IP addresses seen by this site, FMIC would pop up quite a bit...

Franc Robert

Or employees there-of................I once worked for a place like that

[Nick JD]

Unfinished rosewood fretboard inset into finished maple?

Hope Fender's prepared for the warrenty returns! Bwah hah. Do not take it from 75% humidity to 15%. Do not!

$100 says that will open a crack from nut to heel. Same thing as fretsprout on RW boards.

[Rich Rice]

Originally Posted by Nick JD

Unfinished rosewood fretboard inset into finished maple?

Hope Fender's prepared for the warrenty returns! Bwah hah. Do not take it from 75% humidity to 15%. Do not!

$100 says that will open a crack from nut to heel. Same thing as fretsprout on RW boards.

But it will be a Patented crack.

I was thinking the same thing, but didn't want to step on anybody's toes. Great for a one-off that can be watched and kept up with, but for a production guitar it sounds like warranty work.

[glen smith]

What are the advantages supposed to be?

[Peltogyne]

Originally Posted by Nick JD

Unfinished rosewood fretboard inset into finished maple?

Hope Fender's prepared for the warrenty returns! Bwah hah. Do not take it from 75% humidity to 15%. Do not!

$100 says that will open a crack from nut to heel. Same thing as fretsprout on RW boards.

It has to be worth it for the "tighter tone" it produces.

[Peltogyne]

Originally Posted by glen smith

What are the advantages supposed to be?

I did appreciate that he said it's not better just different. But then he went on to how it sounds different and I went back to banging my head on the table.

[glen smith]

I suppose the only advantage to it will be the increased revenue for FMIC.

[flatfive]

Originally Posted by backalleyblues

Note that the patent is applied for not granted, though obviously da boss thinks its gonna go through... haven't seen Mark's guitar, anyone got a link to that? Just remember, it's not who first came up with it, it's who's first to file that counts...

If the was already out there, Fender couldn't patent it,
at least if the people at the patent office are paying
attention. But it's possible they submitted the patent
two or three years ago, before Mark posted his design.
(I don't know when Mark did it.)