My call to Fender

[Benjammin]

Hello all, I recently bought a Fender 2012 American Standard Tele off offline, after seeing that they had a twisted tele neck pickup and a broadcaster bridge. I have played that same pickup configuration with a Custom Shop Tele and i automatically thought, wow! what a deal! Now i ordered the 2012 guitar and decided to do some research ( probably should have researched before i bought) and i have learned that those pickups may not be actual custom shop pickups, but pickups that are used in the Baja series tele. Im a little irked about this because i thought i had found a great deal in these new guitars. Anyways, i called Fender and asked them about which pickups are actually in the 2012 american standard and the man told me that they are american made pickups. So i asked about the Baja, he said that those are american made pickups as well. For some reason i don't believe that though. Does anyone on here have an idea of where these pickups are actually made?

[PJ]

My guess is that the higher-end pickups are made in US. The lower-end stuff in Mexico. But, that's only a guess. Sounds plausible that your pickups are US made. The Baja and American Special models are priced similarly (for example) and the American Special has US made Texas Specials.

[Picton]

I'm confused. I can't figure out why you thought you'd get CS pickups in a non-CS guitar; now, having made a smart phone call to Fender (a great idea, truly), you don't believe them.

I'd wait until I get the guitar in hand; if you like the pickups once that happens, it won't matter where they're made, surely? And if you don't like them, well, same story. Just change them out. Either way, I'm not clear on what the problem is.

Hope you like the purchase; Bajas (and their pickups) get A LOT of love around here, so congrats on your [almost] NGD.

[Racer5]

If you can't tell the difference without making a phone call, does it really matter?

[macaroonie]

As a matter of interest I see Baja mentioned a lot as you say. Wot is a Baja as distinct from an Ameican Standard ?

[Tele Joe]

I thought I read from someone on this forum that these pickups were wound in the mexico factory. Don't ask me who I don't remember. Does it really matter? Play the thing and see how it sounds

[Tele Joe]

I've always been a big fan of the american standard line from fender, I think it's a great value for a great instrument. As far as pickups if you end up not liking them you can always buy a custom set from a highly rated winder for a few hundred down the line. Pickups in one of the easiest things to change. I don't change them myself because i'm not handy but the tech I use for work doesn't even charge anything above the setup fee to install them. It's not a big deal.

[AirBagTester]

Originally Posted by Tele Joe

I thought I read from someone on this forum that these pickups were wound in the mexico factory. Don't ask me who I don't remember. Does it really matter? Play the thing and see how it sounds

Maybe the pickups were wound in Mexico, but the wire was pulled in China and annealed in Korea from Copper that was mined in Chile!

Many restaurants in Maryland - some even right on the waters of the Chesapeake - sell "Maryland" crab cakes made from imported crab. I usually can't tell the difference!

Not sure that was relevant...

[Benjammin]

I guess the point i was making is that if im buying a guitar that says it has custom shop pickups, i want to get my moneys worth. I don't believe in buying a 1000 dollar guitar and swapping pickups, but i guess the problem is this, some people are saying that these guitars have the same pickups as the baja, which ive read are made in mexico. I hate to think that fender are using the idea that they are using "custom shop pickups" just to make sales, when they might be made in mexico. Does that make more sense?

[Tele Joe]

Originally Posted by AirBagTester

Maybe the pickups were wound in Mexico, but the wire was pulled in China and annealed in Korea from Copper that was mined in Chile!

Many restaurants in Maryland - some even right on the waters of the Chesapeake - sell "Maryland" crab cakes made from imported crab. I usually can't tell the difference!

Not sure that was relevant...

It's relevant for sure. Basically it doesn't matter. I seem to quote Ron Kirn a lot on here but he's a wise man! I asked him about going with his pickups vs a more "popular" winder. He said Joe, I wind them myself because the custom guys just got too expensive, when it comes down to it there is only 3 places to buy the items you need to wind pickups and I get my materials from the same place as the other guys and I wind the little buggers myself. A guitar is just a tool, the individual creates the music. I'm so tired of worrying about specs (just ignore the fact that I posted a thread about choosing a custom crook color). Buy what you perceive to be better and then just play the hell out of the damn thing.

[Tele Joe]

Originally Posted by Benjammin

I guess the point i was making is that if im buying a guitar that says it has custom shop pickups, i want to get my moneys worth. I don't believe in buying a 1000 dollar guitar and swapping pickups, but i guess the problem is this, some people are saying that these guitars have the same pickups as the baja, which ive read are made in mexico. I hate to think that fender are using the idea that they are using "custom shop pickups" just to make sales, when they might be made in mexico. Does that make more sense?

Like anything else it's a marketing term. What does custom shop actually mean? Who the heck knows!

[chipbutty24]

Why not play the damn thing then make up your mind. You are truly putting the cart before the horse.

Welcome to the forum btw.

[sacrificetravis]

Originally Posted by Benjammin

I guess the point i was making is that if im buying a guitar that says it has custom shop pickups, i want to get my moneys worth. I don't believe in buying a 1000 dollar guitar and swapping pickups, but i guess the problem is this, some people are saying that these guitars have the same pickups as the baja, which ive read are made in mexico. I hate to think that fender are using the idea that they are using "custom shop pickups" just to make sales, when they might be made in mexico. Does that make more sense?

Does it actually say "custom shop" on the ad?

[ADK Teleman]

I can't help but laugh at some of the origin snobbery....LOL I have both MIA and MIM Fenders and would never trade either away. I have been playing my MIM Tele and had guys say it was the best sounding Tele they have ever heard until they saw that it was not an MIA. If the pups sound good then guess what....they are good. Just play the guitar and make it yours!

[Mark Davis]

Baja pickups are wound in Mexico using USA made parts.

[BackNtheSaddle]

Not for nothing, but it DOES say "Custom Shop" on the Fender web site, for both the AS and the Baja... but, that has been, er, ummm... less than accurate in the past.

2012 American Standard
http://www.fender.com/products/ameri...tno=0110502706

Classic Player Baja
http://www.fender.com/products/searc...tno=0141502303

[Jupiter]

"Custom Shop" doesn't necessarily mean "wound in the Fender Custom Shop"; prolly just means "wound (somewhere) to Custom Shop specs."

In related news, "Twisted Tele" pick-ups are not actually twisted.

[Benjammin]

Thanks for the replys guys. I own a mexican tele, and its one of my favorite guitars.

[Picton]

Yeah, haven't things "designed by" the Custom Shop caused confusion before? I'd say that if you're spending under $2000 new, it's not likely the pups ever had anything to do with the CS, except that the folks who work in the CS probably source their pickup parts from the same bin the rest of the factory does...

[Oldschoolwax]

Originally Posted by Benjammin

Thanks for the replys guys. I own a mexican tele, and its one of my favorite guitars.

Glad to hear it man! Enjoy