STOP PAYING RETAIL!! The Ugly Truth about FENDER GUITARS!
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2023
- So a couple years ago I made a Stratocaster from genuine Fender parts and a license body and neck. Here's a link to that video
• The STRAT Video FENDER...
In this video, I put it up against a genuine Fender player series Stratocaster with all the same parts as my partscaster.
What do you think?
Worth $450 more?
#Fender #stratocaster #playerseries - Навчання та стиль
This is a good one because I ask this question to myself all the time when looking at different guitars...
EDIT: The thing that really gets me is paying $900.00 just do a fret job on a Brand New Guitar...
Come on Fender...
Dude, your channel deserves ten times your current subscriber count! You always put out honest, informative and entertaining content! Keep it up and the subs will come! Cheers!
I appreciate that! Maybe one day!
Love the blue Fender which had a slightly better tone than the part's guitar.!
I have a 2004 mex strat and a 2020 mex jimmie vaughan strat. For both the bodies are several pieces glued together, almost like scrap wood. Both alder and sound good, though, so maybe the number of pieces of wood in the body doesn't matter. Bought both guitars used for a total of 600 dollars!
"We gotta adjust the G-string! It's all caught up in the crack!" I fucking died!
They sound the same to me. I thought i was the only one who lined up the Volume 10 with the pickup screw! Enjoying your channel, sir.
I've never met a Fender that didn't need a fret job which is pathetic. I took a chance on a Strat from a company called EART. Stainless steel frets, compound radius roasted maple neck, bone nut, very good hardware, and all for $196. The fret jobs on these guitars are the best I've ever seen at any price range and the playability of them is phenomenal. A Fender destroyer.
They have nice polished frets but I heard from a review that they had uneven frets and needed to be leveled.
my Players series frets were so off Fender gave me a credit to take it to a luthier to level the frets. It was pretty bad, not sure what Sweetwater considers checking the guitars before they go out.
Liked the video - Appreciate the editing and the flow. Your thoughts at the end were the best part!
Awesome! Thank you!
Liked and subscribed!
You come across very genuine and sincere....very enjoyable!
Thanks and welcome
Just look for a sale. A bought a brand new MIM Strat for $539 when they retail for $850. So, while I paid more than his parts-caster, I have a full warranty and better resale value. Yes, if you love working in the shop, by all means build it yourself. Me? I’d rather spend the time playing.
Your video underscores the reason why neither Fender, Gibson, nor PRS can sell me anything anymore. Squier and Epiphone can (mostly) kiss my -- (ahem)! Nowadays, if I'm buying a guitar, I've already eyed it as an upgrade platform. One thing I'm astonished by is how low a price point one can get a guitar that needs almost no upgrades. A $200 Jackson I bought NEW a year and a half ago needed it's fret ends smoothed TWICE(!), but still laughs at the thought of needing a fret job for playability. This thing was a major shredder on day 1, in my opinion -- IF my non-shredder self is allowed even to HAVE an opinion like that. I just figure they need to figure in more shrinkage of the amaranth fretboard. On the other hand, the tuners were the worst I've encountered in nearly 50 years of playing. I had the guitar in the house for less than an hour before I was changing out them out, because one of the stock ones GROUND. I bought the guitar so that I could put a particular bridge on it, and that proved a good choice. The Donner DST-400 I got a few weeks ago is just about ready to begin a full setup on, since it should be used to the local weather by now. It's been fun to play and tinker with regardless, and if I should happen upon a setup I really like before I do the fret work, well, will the fret work really be necessary?
The moral of this story is that is ain't 1973, it's 2023 -- 50 years later, with an unforeseeable amount of progress made in the machine manufacture of musical instruments among too many other things, we now enjoy access to guitars made to specs that didn't exist that long ago. Stainless steel frets -- what're those? WHAT kind of ends do they have? BULLET ends? Roasted woods? Who "roasts" woods, and why -- do ya eat 'em? Heh heh, see what I did there?😎 Sarcasm and humor aside, ALL of these things and more are available at dollar amounts that would have gotten a buyer a few screwed-together chunks of firewood with frets and strings back in 73. I learned on one of those starting in about 75. Man, if I could I'd travel back in time and give that boy my Hamer Sunburst Archtop (for his "Les Paul"), by Donner (for his "Strat), my DigiTech RP355 and my Fender Performer 650 and associated gear (for his signal chain). Even without the ability to modify the sounds with a computer (unavailable to him back then), he still would have been able to do much with the front panel controls, and might not have needed to with the patches I've already loaded the RP up with. Oh, I'd also throw in my highly modified Ibanez with the cracked neck.
This truly, really is the Golden Age of Guitar Gear. Today, everyone can be their own custom shop!
Toured the Fender Corona, working for a vendor for Fender 2010. Production had to stop for Fender J Basses as the bridges were out of stock. This included the Custom Shop. The hardware wasn’t special for CS guitars the same lead hot roll steel trem blocks were used at that time in Strats and the equivalent material in the bridge plates in the Teles for the US made was as in the Custom Shop. Callahan and Glendale aftermarket products with vintage correct cold rolled unleaded materials later became an issue, but Fender who made hay off their reputation had cheapened the materials to make more money. This later changed and now Fender advertises the cold rolled steel, only after they got caught.
hi from NZ. I listened through headphones and there is such a slight difference but bottom line almost exactly same. certainly not the $$$$$ for a logo. a great demo and cheers for showing us. best wishes NZ
Thanks for listening
I completely agree. You have a Fender, just no sticker. A $450 sticker at that! The music comes from your soul. Justin Johnson plays a dag jim shovel! and it sounds great!
I’ve played guitar for 15 years and never knew the trick with the E and B string. Thanks for the tip man! I’ll be doing this from now on!
I agree with you Sean. They both sound great but my heart belongs. to the strat !🥳🎸 Sean, you do awesome work on the guitars and you would be my man to call if I had problems. That’s ok with you,right? TCY PeaceOut 🎸❤️
i have double wrapped the b and e strings since 1987. been given crap over it, too. it works, so why stop now ?
I appreciate your channel more than any other! Other guitar channels dont go "under the hood"
They just tell you how pretty they they look and how much they cost.
This video popped up, I just had to watch it. I like what see you just gained a subscriber. As far as the guitars go I'll take the parts caster any day. I love Fender I have owned several over the years, just don't see any reason to spend that kind of money on something you're gonna beat the hell out of it's going to get scratched dinged up. At the end of the day if that happens to a parts caster well your feelings don't get hurt. I enjoyed your video I believe people can learn a lot from you keep up the good work
Both sound great and I can't tell the difference. Partscasters are fine if you have the skills to set them up right, but you will 'own' them so don't expect to get Fender $$ regardless of having all Fender parts, if you decide to sell. That Blue strat is beautiful though so maybe Worh the extra?? I much enjoy your common sense approach..keep it up! Cheers!
I got that same blue burst so that i can claim that i own a "Fender" but i agree with your point of not being worth an extra $450 just because it's a "Fender" branded guitar. Im also a sucker for that blue burst though... 😁
Great comparison! I have that same Mexican strat with the 2 single coils and a humbucker the HSS series I picked it up brand new for 549.00 with a roasted maple neck and I love it !
Very cool!
I wish I could unwind the strings as fast as you do-hehehe. Great video. I think that the copy sounds slightly more better,more clear sounding.
For me the blue guitar has the edge, it sounds classier on all plays than the red!
That Blue Fender sure was pretty I kinda like the sound of the partscaster it seemed a bit warmer.
They sound so similar it was hard to differentiate between them. The Fender made one seemed to have the tiniest bit more low end. But that could have been just the slightest difference in tone knob settings. I’d call it like you did. They’re the same! And I appreciate the honest admonition to not rip off Fender by putting a fake sticker on there.
Wow, what a tremendous difference in the tone. I never realized what a huge difference that Fender "tone" sticker makes! ;-)😉😆😅🤣😂
Rock on!
@@scarmyguitar Always!
My two favorite Strats are my two Squier Affinity's that I got for $80 each used. I modded the hell out of them and made them my own. You couldn't walk into a store and find a guitar with the same specs for the price I ended up paying.
You a honey badger bro.
That is the best, good bones and replace the stuff that had to get the price down.
The "Fender" sounded just a shade darker on the low end and the mids and highs were great...., the "parts caster", sounded a tad brighter, overall - all the way around, with nearly identical sustain... either way, they both sounded great... but Not $450. dollars worth of difference better, either way. I love Blue/Black combination.... but hearing both of them, I would NEVER pay the 450 dollars difference. Some people "hear with their Eyes", if you know what I'm saying.
Great comparison video!!... thank you for doing this.
PS; I just subscribed & "liked" ... this my first video of yours that I've come across.... mostly because, I play bass & steel guitar... so I don't watch very many "guitar" videos... but I Will be back, on to your channel / site to search your videos. Take care and have a great & blessed weekend.
I had that exact model; Fender "Player Plus Top" in Blue Burst.
Had lots of issues:
• The neck was so bowed that I had to give the truss rod almost three full turns. Not three "adjustments" but three full 360° turns.
• It was super heavy, the heaviest Strat I ever remember handling.
• Then there was the fret sprout, there was so much you could have used the neck to saw down a tree The worst I've seen on any instrument.
I sent it back, too many issues for such an expensive (to me) guitar.
Now I'd either go Squier or pay a little more for a used American.
Loving your channel man, you like to go as deep as I do lol.
I appreciate that!
I've just signed up with you and really enjoy what I've seen.What can you do for a Starcaster? Where can I buy the tools needed for fret leveling? To me the Partocaster sounds better.
My gently used Player series Tele was $575 shipped. Paying $900 is crazy.
I have a Silvertone Strat, do you build and sell pickguards ? It a plywood body but it is a Strat I had a friend help me set it up and suggested a wired pickguard. I am wanting a humbucker in the bridge and two Single A-5s with good pots . What do you recommend? You do such great work I have no doubt you could do it better than Fender.
Awesome...was the partscaster a 1 piece body..?? Great video ..l pressed like .I agree decal is just a brand .. unnecessary $ that could buy another guitar build.always cool videos ....ps ..Im waiting on buying one of your 199 builds ..missed last batch .crossing my fingers man.
Partscaster is 1 piece!
I don't know if anyone would agree with me, but the stuff dripped onto the guitar under the pickguard looked like shielding paint to me. I noticed that the pickup and control route is painted with shielding paint, and it looks to be the exact same color as the drips. Don't take my word for it; check it out. Even if I'm wrong, maybe you can figure it out.
It's also under the clear coat
Yeah, sounds the same to me too!! Great video as usual!!
yo Reg Wuz good?
@@scarmyguitar you are the man Shawn!! Keep up the great work!!
I have built several parts casters. Have several MIM Strats too. Same result. Basically the same. For the record a couple of my parts casters do have Fender logos as they have genuine Fender replacement necks on them and that’s how they came from Fender.
I was not able to tell much (if any) difference... however... My "go to" guitar is my Sqier Jaguar...
I would play a Strat, but I don't like where they put the volume knob
That's my main complaint also. The volume knob placement.
The look on your face when you were playing the Blue Fender was saying it all. They do sound very close but how do they "Feel"? BTW the fretwork on the Parts caster looks perfecto!! Have you heard of these "High-wood" saddles for Strats, try em if you get a chance. I can't go back to the Fender Vintage type after putting them on my beat-up Strat, makes it even more bouncy and adds sustain(Steel must be denser)? Anyway keep up the great work.
That blue one is AWFUL pretty! I just built 2 more partscasters--one was only 150 to build--hss. The other was 450--2 lindy fralin p90s and all fender licensed parts. Vids coming soon. You are SO right--don't pay retail!
The parts caster sounded thicker which I like. You did a great job assembling it compared to some real fenders I have seen.
Thanks mang!
And that $900 guitar is going back to Guitar Center right after this video..LOL. I Do like the Blue finish though.
I'm keepin the blue one. Wifey got it as a gift for me.
Sound is a matter of preference so what sounds better to one of us may not sound better to others. Mexicos minumum wage is $1.75/hour and decals front and back are les than $10 therefore the majority of the additional $450 is fenders profit so odds are the majority of consumers will pay the additional $400 approx for a genuine factory made fender guitar which will retain value better as far as resale goes. There you have it folks. Play guitar & have fun!
They sounded pretty similar. I have the blue Strat..eyed it for years and bought it on sale for $650 two years ago when I noticed the price was jumping up. (They were $600 when they first came out.) Mine definitely wasn't perfect though. The high E slot wasn't fully cut on the nut, but I didn't mind as I purchased it with the intention of converting it to Nashville tuning so the nut was a goner anyway. It's not my favorite guitar, but it's definitely one of my prettiest.
They both sound great. Wow the comparison is surprising to me.
You just inspired me to do my squire that way!!
you should do it to your Squier if you have one too!
I like 9-42 D’Addarios too what is the neck radius on each off them?
I did a colour change on my USA standard Strat. When all the metallic blue finish was removed. There was nine pieces of scrap wood glued together with ply on the front and back. That’s how they make sunburst and painted bodies. Fender told me in an email that they only do 2 and 3 piece bodies on custom shop and high end Fenders. I don’t buy anything that’s hiding the timber anymore unless it’s a real bargain.
I've owned several strats in my life I don't like how the volume pick up his so close to the strings I hit it with my pinky and turn it off by accident. Until I bought the Mick Mars fender strat with one pickup and 1 volume knob only I love that thing I had a fender locking tremolo on it as well.i think I bought it in83. Brand New.
Love your videos ❤❤
A man that’s honest and knows what he’s talking about without being woke! Ahh the fresh air, it smells sooo goood thank you bro.
I’ll never buy another Fender product due to their customer support people. There are better guitars (and Gibson ain’t one of them) out there if you have $1000 to spend. You can build a fantastic guitar for the $1000 if you learn some basic skills. If you can do the finish, you can save a lot of money.
Preach on....
Get you, but if you buy the tools you will need to correct the fit and finish then fret leveling crowning and Intonation you just spent the money you could have ponied up for an American original.
Sound the same
I bought a used Fender American Pro Tele that I loved.
I then purchased a Tele Deluxe American Pro that was just one issue after another. The ebony board had a bad divot that had also been re-touched when it should have been just rejected.
Both pups were loose and just sitting in the pick guard. When I opened it up, they were the wrong size screws and were too short.
The guitar was brand new but I ordered it at GC due to a nice Memorial Day price.
It was a mess so I just returned it. Beautiful guitar but should never have made it out of the factory.
You should have put Scar on the headstock of the guitar . Partscaster sounded better to me .
Bro I love the parts fender I think it even sounded a little more spanky so yea but even if not it's not a 430 dollar difference that's for sure have a good day thanks agian can u lmk whare u got all the parts from it would b greatly appreciated cuz I can't afford a fender I would love to have an on par fender thanks great vid peace out bro bye
Fender makes drop in replacement tuners that have the vintage split shafts. I grew up with split shafts since I started playing in 1963. Locking tuners and string wrapping techniques not needed. I have replaced the tuners on all of my current Fenders.
got that IYV ijz300 hollow body jazz guitar assembled in vietnam by a korean company if ya want to do a segment on it the only flaws I've found is the 1rst string intonation is off by probably half a cent and some of the frets could maybe use a little rounding it is a bound fingerboard their prices on amazon rise and fall almost weekly I got this one for $128 the next day it was $237 it's still got the strings and plastic on it as shipped
hit the like and shared hope it helps the hits
Good video...just watched a few of yours - great stuff. Only thing that comes to mind is "Fender licensed" is not Fender...so they are not totally like for like - referring to the body and neck here. Very similar yes. But not the same. Does that ultimately matter ? Probably not if they are of comparible quality...but i'd need it in my own hands to know that.
Good point!
I had a fender squire bullet special had to have work done to it
Great video. To my ears they sounded almost identical. Maybe next time test the output of the pickups to see if they are the same.
Thanks! Will do!
I agree, the both sound the same. The great thing about the cheaper Partscaster is if your using it for your Gigs you don't worry if it gets dropped, hit with a beer bottle or some drunk throws it across the room because his girlfriend pays to much attention to your playing.
I do have a factory built Fender. It is the first guitar I bought when I was a kid. Of course it's an odd ball. It's an 83 2 knob 😊
NICE!!
Okay, so the Fender MIM had a genuinely 3 piece body. Not bad. I've seen where the Donner DST-400 has a transparent green model that shows 3 pieces also, but I bought a DST-400 in the (supposedly) transparent black. Curious to see the body routing, I lifted the pickguard to find a suspicious horizontal seam in the body wood. I suspect that a complete removal of the finish would reveal a pancake body construction not very different from what Norlin-era Gibson used for years. Note that my Donner cost me less than $200 shipped to the door. I've heard that the price has been in the $150 range! It doesn't trip my bargain alarms at its usual $289 damage level, but at the price I got mine for, Squier had really better look out.
The Fender one is Shielded. But not the Partscaster. I didn't see the back of the PC's neck. But going by the lack of dark brown in the truss rod hole. I'd guess it doesn't have a Skunk Stripe. So I'm guessing it has a Cap on the neck to put the truss rod in. As opposed to the Fender's one piece with the truss rod put in back.... Both sounded real nice. Resale value is going to be way different even if you used the EXACT (Not just lic'd by) parts. Due to the Logo.
A question: Why the second and fifth screws in the trem instead of the extreme ends? Is there a reason I should be aware of? Or does it just look cool?😎
No reason just what I did!
This was a great and fun to watch video.
Thanks so much!
Blue one is a plus top, price is higher on them. I have that exact strat
the difference is in the neck.....a REAL ender neck is $300 which doesn't leave much money for the rest of the guitar. Anyone can build a partscaster with genuine MIM Fender parts but the cost will get very close to retail unless you find one off used parts. A used MIM Strat can be found for 5-600 making that the best buy but you should take a straight edge and fret rocker with you......New Fender necks are a crap shoot if they are MIM. The Paisley Artist necks are awful. I bought one MIM neck new and it is fine. Very little fret buzz but I can fix that crap. I wouldn't recommend Squires for a "keeper" guitar as my experience the truss rod isn't made with the same quality....
I love your channel. Too bad you're not in Phoenix......ever notice how often the holes in the back plate don't match the location of the holes in the bridge ?.....lol
I still don't get why a 2023 mim guitar sells for so much more than say a 2010 squire, same pile of crap, so.....
It shouldn't have no buzz if new from fender.
Nor from any production guitar at any price even on the cheap.
It shows they think their name is worth it no matter what 💩they drop at your feet.
No more pride in craftsmanship that costs too much.
End of year margins more important then making a good quality accessible guitar.
Make more for less and charge more then last year.
They do make a few no nonsense perfect quality pieces but the price for that is truly a crime.
Unfortunately people continue to accept it simply for the name on the headstock.
What happened to the 3 bill no frills decent quality workhorse strat?
Oh that's Ibanez's market now.
And with better quality then most of fenders basic entry 600+ offerings in most cases.
Straight up status symbols.
Youre spot on and i agree 💯👍💯 Semper Fidelis.i Own some guitars very similar to fender products with some tweeking there awsome and I Love playing them though i Love fender i wont spend money to own the name .its a great man me. Fender but ive learned to build and buy products that are much cheaper and as superior if not Better in some respect's. But still Love Gibson and Fender. I do own Them too and my Gibson Les Pauls I wont Bicker about there my Favorite.And My Menphis es 335 and 339 are Tops
Could not tell the difference but from your end was the playing that different from the two?
Hey bro whare did u get all the parts for the beautiful parts caster I love it I just can't afford a fender with sticker ha ha lmk ok thanks for all the useful Info
I got all the parts from ebay. Quick searches like " Prewired Fender Pickguard" or "stratocaster body" will yield you some great stuff
Most youtubers who compare guitars go for soundclips and talk about playability. You go immediately for the straightedge and the fretrocker.
Better believe it lol
Great job Sean . They sound pretty close to the same to me .
Definitely not worth the $450 difference IMO.
Personally I thought the blue strat had slightly more high end and the sunburst had a little bit more mid range punch; but if you put them back to back in a blind test I don’t think I would be able to tell the difference.
That's basically the same thing I said that I thought the blue one was a little brighter I just didn't know quite how to put it where it would make sense to anyone reading it thank you for clarifying it for me
Hey man, I love your videos and this one is exceptionally enjoyable! I don't buy guitars for the label so I appreciate this topic. Question: Where did you find and purchase all the genuine Fender parts for $450+? I haven't found bodies for less than $250, necks are close to $300, plus all the hardware?
Any links or store names would be appreciated, thanks!
Now that's enough lip flappin', let's get to work
ua-cam.com/video/tyKK5raeApw/v-deo.html
links are in the description
3 line = 4 pieces - but still is not 16
i have an old HSS Squire Strat and a 90's American Strat plus and my American walks all over the Squier. But having said that i was in Mars Music back when they were still in Charlotte NC and played an Amrrican Highway 1 and it was horrible all around, then i went and grabbed the Mexican Squire equivalent and it walked all over the American. playability and sound wise. but all that stuff is subjective we can get a good or bad anything. Cheers Brother
Agree!
I have a squire body with a fender neck on it was there a big tonal difference between the squire neck and the fender neck, no not really. But there was a big difference in fill and build quality the fender neck was with the upgrade to me. The sound is only part of it, how the guitar fits the player the specs the finish where the buyer wants there money to go.
They do totally sound the same.
Wow great for showing thanks 🙏 you 😊
Enjoyed your video. Thought they both sounded like shit with those light ass strings. 😂 keep rocking.
🤣😂🤣😂Rockin on!
That Fender logo definitely gives the tone an extra $450 value. 🤣
What are you going to compare if you did the same to both guitars?, Are you... ???
Where do you go to buy the parts to build your own stratocaster? Fender webshop?
no sir ebay
Sounded identical to me
Why do you flip the triangle when checking the frets? (Excuse my ignorance, trying to learn)
Its to make sure he's only hitting 3 frets at a time. If the middle fret is high it will rock back and forth creating a seesaw effect telling you what fret is high.
@@grumpygrandpagaming1975 I see now. The idea is to hit 3 frets and since the spacing changes as you move around the neck. Thank you!
Fret spacing...
I’d say 450 isn’t bad to save my time and labor, but if you were comparing it to a Pro 2 or up, I’d go partscaster because I get to pick the PuPs and have locking tuners for probably (don’t make me do math lol) better than half the price.
I've been putting PartsCasters together for over 40 years, it started in the late 70s when Schecter USA and Mighty Mite were putting out very high quality Strat kits. Since then I have a number of great Strats and a Tele all assembled with kit parts using high quality AND budget pickups (Tonerider, Mojotone etc) They are all great guitars and did not cost me an arm and a leg. I would encourage anybody to have a go, just do the research first though.
That's sound advice!
Anyone else readin this...
Take note fella!
@@scarmyguitar Thank you , it's a very satisfying endeavour when it all comes together, it becomes very addictive though and before you know it, you are thinking about the next project . 😆
You should put a "Rednef" logo on the headstock... it would be a VERY Scarred thing to do 😂
Great Vid brother 👍✌😎
Glad you enjoyed
You can change strings with the backplate on.
i bought a guitar for 80 bucks and did this deliberatly because thats what i was planing to do. you are very right with what you say. why pay for the name when you can have a way better one without any pain in the but. so here is my plan :
1 harley beneton : 80 bucks
2 EMG active SSS or may HSS : if i go SSS 179 but if i want to go with HSS i must order a seperate Humbucker but having no clue about how to solder , i am pritty much left with SSS
3 XXL strings 009 set some 19 bucks for one set and having a bit of experience with strings without srewing them up, i am quite sure that one set is for the start enough
4 a better Trem the best one is even 169 and is a fender one or i go with a fancy one by Babizc in black buuut 239 is a bit hefty so maybe the fender one
5 better tuners with lock function around 75 bukcs
so lets see : around 500 €/ 545 USD
Scar My Guitar : is it worth it ? or should i rather rethink my plan and rather grab for roundabout the same prise either a ibanez or one of those moors or moore smartguitars ....
since i am a keyboardinst and have to releran my old passion which was the guitar, you can imagine i am not a proffesional at all so tell me please what would you a proffesional suggest me to do
Than you
Yeah they are pretty close I think the genuine fender has a little more High frequency if that makes sense a little more bite Then the other one but yeah they are pretty close real clotreal close and as always love the content keep making them and I will keep watching them
Jim Lill, has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the only thing that influences the tone on a electric guitar is the pickup. No other part of the guitar influences. The tone of that electric guitar don't take my word for it. Watch his video called.
"Where does the tone come from in an electric guitar"
I saw his video the day he uploaded it! I knew it before his video lol! I was so glad to see it proven beyond a shadow of a doubt!
yeh very hard to pick. so close. but a very intesting video. today we see with the right skill set we can save a good bit of money. so for that the guitar you made wins hands down take care from helcat.
You forgot to mention, the Fender had a three piece body but it looks like the partscaster had a one piece body. Maybe it was two piece but it looked like one piece to me. Also, the Fender has that black plug in the truss rod hole. The differences in construction are negligible. They sounded identical. For me personally, I always like a partscaster better because I get to put it together. Also, some might frown on me but I always put the Fender logo on the headstock and here's why. If it's a licensed neck, its more than likely made at the very same factory that Fender necks are made. Allparts necks are made in Nagano, Japan. This is just one of the OE factories that produce the Japanese Fender guitars out of Japan. If you get an Allparts neck, it's either made in USA or Japan. These same factories produce the guitars for Fender. The Mighty Mite necks I believe are made in the Mexican Fender plant. The Musicraft necks i believe to be made in the Fender USA plant. The cheap necks are from Asia, excluding Japan, are produced in the same factories that make the Indonesian or Chinese made Squiers. People have this perception that the factories that produce name brand guitars are owned by the name brand. This is often not true. Factories that produce guitars often produce guitars for many brands. This is especially true overseas. I believe the USA Fender factory might be a dedicated Fender plant but it is probably not nowadays because Fender owns Charvel and Jackson. Also, remember that when you buy a licensed Fender neck, Fender is making some money off of that product because of the licensing fee and also probably because it is made in the same factory that produces the official Fender product. Everything I said applies to the bodies as well. What you are saving money on is the labor for assembly. I proudly put the decal on because I know where the stuff was made. The only company that cares about their logo is Gibson and that is because they don't use contract manufacturers to produce their instruments. PRS and Martin and Taylor and all those would probably care but i can honestly say that Fender does not. Their factories they use produce the licensed parts you purchase with the exception of Warmoth and they probably secretly produce some special stuff for Fender that they cannot disclose.
I agree Warmoth probably makes some parts secretly too.
I have a Squire that's an oddball. It has a full thikness body thats exactly the same as an American. Its an alder wood body with a quilted maple top. I put in a new loaded pickgaurd and retro Kluson 19:1 tuners. I'd bet anyone you couldn't tell the difference with your eyes closed.
The only reason to buy a Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker, gretch, is if you want to sell it later. You'll get a higher price if the neck has the name than buying a clone. There are also guitarists who like to tinker and those who just want straight from the factory (no need) for upgrades). I'm a tinkerer and love buying cheap, then upgrading everything that my heart desires. And I have no intention of selling said guitars. I've bought and sold two MIM Strats and got very little return after selling them. So, unless you plan on keeping a guitar a long time, perhaps it is better to buy the brand. I've been told only 3 makes hold their value - all made in USA - Fender, Gibson and Martin acoustics. But, I might be wrong.