Seeing some bigotry in this thread against Fender's workforce. Note: Mexican and Mexican-American laborers have *always* been involved in making Fender guitars, all the way back to those first days in late 1940s, and continuing up to the present. The pickup shop is also notable for the large number of women who have worked there. The company's most renowned pickup maker was the celebrated Abigail Ybarra, who retired a few years ago after working at Fender since 1956. Her trained successor in the Custom Shop is also a Latina, Josefina Campos. So if you think it's odd to see Mexicans building Fender guitars, you should throw out all your Hendrix albums, plus the Beatles, Buddy Holly, countless country records, and of course every single band where they have a Fender bass. Or in short: Get bent.
It's probably due to women having smaller fingers, in general. That helps to make the work more precise. Can a man with thick fingers do soldering work here and there? Sure, with some practice. But if you want it done in mass production, by workers for whom that is their main job, you'll want people who have smaller fingers combined with coordination and experience.
I grew up in Southern California and Mexican-Americans were never in the minority. A strong work ethic and acquired skills make any group in demand, and Chicanos (there’s a word you don’t hear much anymore) are no different. And I’m not bragging my heritage, I’m a huero.
Wow that is very interesting but doesn't surprise me one bit. Mexicans and Mexican-Americans have been, in my personal experience, some of the most down to Earth, hard working people I've had the pleasure of knowing.
+SpectacularName Yes, I wish they would stop using the term Tremolo. It is vibrato. Tremolo is altering the volume, vibrato is altering the pitch, which is what happens when you push or pull on the bar. For some reason Fender called it a tremolo back in the 50's and the term just stuck.
I got to work at the Corona factory in 2006 as a contractor for about 2 months. Saw every room and process during that time. It was pretty cool. I couldn't wait to get there every morning.
Tell that to the guys who made a Strat out of cardboard. It does work, it was tested by some of the employees of Fender and Jackson, and has a bill of authenticity by Fender. Sounded like every other Fender to me.
99.9% of the sound is in the pickups. People can get mad and dice hairs all they want. You'll find those are usually the same people who spend $3,000 on a guitar and still suck at playing.
I own 3 Fender strats and they are my favorite guitar of all time !!! That was an interesting video , I enjoyed it !!!! Thanks for showing us the steps and procedures to making and building the finest guitars ever !!!!!! 😎. 😎. 😎
+Kodiak and Grizzly Bears I will not argue about it , It doesnt worth with someone so immature , I suggest you to grow up. Saludos desde México pendejo
‘Chances are that the song running in the back of your head was written and performed on a strat’ - the song currently running through my head is slash. The complete opposite of a strat.
yes the fenders and the gibsons were used by old rockstars but there were no other brands the modern rock player doesnt use a strat guitar with three single coils the modernized versions are a different story
Michael Nielsen the telecaster was originally call the broadcaster but gretch owned the rights to the name broadcaster because of a drum they were manufacturing the year after they removed the name the guitar was unnamed and in this period they were called "Nocasters" because fender solution to gretch was to just take the name off the guitar the year after the Nocasters came out was when they were finally named the telecaster
The thing is, pushing fender like that sales exec is doing in the video. Telling stories about how fender guitars most likely were played in the soundtracks of your life, how the guitars changed music etc etc. Is all true. That guy has to have one of the best sales jobs there is. He doesn't have to bullshit anyone. Whatever stories and incredible anecdotes he might pull, they are all true. And it simply is a great guitar. I use my two Strats daily. And when it comes to the eternal question of Mexican vs American fenders. You can't look at it that way. When I bought the amazing Strat that I have, and will never part from, I test played all the American Strats they had in the most well renowned music shops in the town where I live. I actually did test them all. Cause I was determined to find the optimal guitar. After three days of trying out American Strats, I went home with a Mexican one. Why? It sounded far better, it was far smoother to play, it was simply a better guitar for me. Was it cheaper? No, it was actually more expensive than the Am ones. It was the fender roadworn series, 60s Strat with texmex pickups. Great guitars in that series, I can tell you that. So. ...you never know. You can't just go buy an American Strat and believe you get a better guitar. It doesn't work that way, it's so much down to the individual instrument, and what series it's from. And most of all, how you feel when you play it.
I'm personally a Les Paul fan but I think the Stratocaster type guitar is almost unparalleled (I'm exaggerating here) in ergonomics and comfort. I wish I could have a guitar with the build of a Strat and the electronics and tone of a Les Paul. I assume that's what a PRS is but I've never played one.
or a Superstrat? basically an strat body guitar with PAF Humbuckers would do I think. The feel would be different but the sound would be pretty much the same, given that they have the same scale length.
At 6:27 she said that's the heart of the guitar but I think the strings are the heart of the guitar.(not saying the pickups, volume, tone knob, pickup switch aren't important)
In an electric guitar, changing pickups make WAYYY different a tone than changing strings. It’s like your tonewood on an acoustic guitar. Sure, strings can give you some flavor, but the pickups are the meat on the bones.
@@sedrickalcantara9588 Well.. I can't even remember what I was thinking about at the time! 😂 I agree with you, pickups have WAY more affect than strings. Maybe I was trying to say that no matter what pickups are on it, if there are no strings, then you won't be able to play it!
I have been playing guitars all my adult life, and have owned countless shapes, brands and types. There is just something special about a Fender. I have an Ibanez double cut with a bolt on neck, and it is almost identical to a Strat. But they couldn't be further apart on playability, tone, fit, finish and most important, resale value. The USA Strat will hold it's value more than most others, and in time will increase.
daftmou5s You have to be specific. Sale price for what guitar? If it is a Strat made in California it is going to be worth more than a Mexican made one. Just how it is.
Stratocaster , lots of good music made on them but; they make me think of a bowl full of M+Ms. Maybe that is why the beat up ones are well liked. Tough love equals character infusion.
Phill Robinson it looks like the Corona, California factory as my cousin is shown at 6:15 on the right. She retired a a couple of years ago after working for Fender for 19 years.
why does the type of wood matter? It's not like it's actually doing anything but be the body. If it was an acoustic guitar definatly, but this just seems like another way to make it more expensive.
_hazza_d _ Eh..... Its like putting hydrogen instead of oxygen in your car tires. Ofcource there is a difference. But its so small and insignificant that its really not worth the extravagant amount of cash.
Tidiest Flyer This is a heavily debated topic. Some swear it affects tone, some say that's BS. There are plenty of home experiments on here that tell us that materials can affect sustain (how long the instrument caries out a note). Sustain increases with the stiffness, and mass or density if the instrument. This is for solid bodied electric guitars.
Seeing that the laborers who build the guitars in American and Mexican Fender factories are mainly Mexicans (for a long time) one can argue its as much Mexican as American. It's okay, I like smelling both American and Mexican feet
The best part of this video is that photograph of Buddy Holly and Ed Sullivan. Watching his dumbass "I am so square I can't understand this rocknroll ruckus" versus Holly's smug face is awesome!
Why? I mean I love tele's. Especially my tele, but it just isn't nearly as versatile as my strat. I was reluctant for years to give into the hype and play "the guitar". I've had multiple single coil guitars as well as good guitars with high-end humbuckers and when I finally gave a strat a chance last year it was lifechanging. A good and well setup strat (not just any strat you pickup at guitar center) is amazing. There's a reason they are so iconic and it's not just because the early great guitarists used them, they are just good. They are like the chevy small block engines of guitars. Old in design and simplistic, but consistently great in nearly all applications.
People speak such tosh, 'When the neck was done you threw the guitar away.' No you didn't- you got it fixed. It is a bit more difficult to work on or to replace a neck that is glued into a guitar body but it is relatively easy to do. In fact that sort of job has to be done occasionally on acoustic guitars whenever the neck needs resetting. All power to Leo for he was a smart guy, but there's no need to talk his achievements up by talking nonsense.
I’m honestly not a fan of nitro finishes. Poly lasts forever, it’s way more durable and resistant to aging. I love it. I don’t see any appeal to nitro. It doesn’t change anything of the sound.
The type of wood for the body makes NO difference in the sound but it does matter in weight of the guitar, anything more than 5-6 LBS becomes uncomfortable when played standing up for a few hours.The Mexican Strats are pretty good for the money but all I have tried are heavy and the narrower string spacing makes a BIG difference in playability and tone. The Squire Standard and Deluxe play and sound MUCH better than most MIM strats for half the price.The American Standard Strat is a waste of money, get a Deluxe or Signature (Jeff Beck, Clapton) for another $400 the LSR nut, locking tuners, shaved neck pocket , and N3 pickups or vintage noiseless hot PUPS put them in a whole other level ofcraftsmanship.
Seeing some bigotry in this thread against Fender's workforce. Note: Mexican and Mexican-American laborers have *always* been involved in making Fender guitars, all the way back to those first days in late 1940s, and continuing up to the present.
The pickup shop is also notable for the large number of women who have worked there. The company's most renowned pickup maker was the celebrated Abigail Ybarra, who retired a few years ago after working at Fender since 1956. Her trained successor in the Custom Shop is also a Latina, Josefina Campos.
So if you think it's odd to see Mexicans building Fender guitars, you should throw out all your Hendrix albums, plus the Beatles, Buddy Holly, countless country records, and of course every single band where they have a Fender bass. Or in short: Get bent.
In every factory in the world where soldering is done it is ALWAYS benches of women. They are just better at it for some reason.
It's probably due to women having smaller fingers, in general. That helps to make the work more precise.
Can a man with thick fingers do soldering work here and there? Sure, with some practice. But if you want it done in mass production, by workers for whom that is their main job, you'll want people who have smaller fingers combined with coordination and experience.
I grew up in Southern California and Mexican-Americans were never in the minority. A strong work ethic and acquired skills make any group in demand, and Chicanos (there’s a word you don’t hear much anymore) are no different. And I’m not bragging my heritage, I’m a huero.
Wow that is very interesting but doesn't surprise me one bit. Mexicans and Mexican-Americans have been, in my personal experience, some of the most down to Earth, hard working people I've had the pleasure of knowing.
it's amazing how little information is actually in this....
Mostly misinformation.
Alex T please elaborate.
@@alext9067 elaborate
Hopefully, it's enough for my guitar lesson questions.
Clapton rarely seen without his strat???? Have they never seen him in the 60's????
That was decades ago.
I also remember a pic of hendrix with a V... :D
Gibson ES--335.
Hendrix who?
I should say that the Fender's Strato and the Gibson's Les Paul are the most remarkable guitars ever!
Vibrato =/= Tremolo
+SpectacularName Yes, I wish they would stop using the term Tremolo. It is vibrato. Tremolo is altering the volume, vibrato is altering the pitch, which is what happens when you push or pull on the bar. For some reason Fender called it a tremolo back in the 50's and the term just stuck.
+Charlie Foxtrot The 3rd you mean the trem?? Pun intened
incorrect...
+Nick Parsons Tremolo can also be used to raise the pitch
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tremolo
You have no excuse for being this dumb.
I got to work at the Corona factory in 2006 as a contractor for about 2 months. Saw every room and process during that time. It was pretty cool. I couldn't wait to get there every morning.
The wood affects the tone of the guitar
I guess that explains why the one made from cardboard sounds EXACTLY THE SAME
also that's because of the pickups too
There are many things that show you the opposite...just train your ears. You'll hear the differences
#Paul Cable length can have a greater impact on the sound than the wood species on your guitar period
They used tone cardboard.
That guitar was kickass until Linkin' Park played it.
"The choice of wood for the body affects the sound of the guitar"...here we go! (not saying it does or it doesn't)
Exactly my thoughts
+BlackLlamaGuitar Scott Grove would disagree.
maple gives brighter sounds than rosewood when it comes to neck. it's also "puncier" with a bolt on neck
Tell that to the guys who made a Strat out of cardboard. It does work, it was tested by some of the employees of Fender and Jackson, and has a bill of authenticity by Fender. Sounded like every other Fender to me.
99.9% of the sound is in the pickups. People can get mad and dice hairs all they want. You'll find those are usually the same people who spend $3,000 on a guitar and still suck at playing.
I own 3 Fender strats and they are my favorite guitar of all time !!! That was an interesting video , I enjoyed it !!!! Thanks for showing us the steps and procedures to making and building the finest guitars ever !!!!!! 😎. 😎. 😎
Great video I have three fender Stratocaster guitars and I absolutely love them thank you for sharing
As I can see, Mexicans are very good at making Fender guitars!
Are they? I would know.
# don'tbuildawall
The strats made in the Mexico factory are total crap. They're no better than a Squier
Isaac Rdz Ruiz Not racist but realist. If arseholes could fly Mexico would have 123 million airports.
+Kodiak and Grizzly Bears I will not argue about it , It doesnt worth with someone so immature , I suggest you to grow up. Saludos desde México pendejo
I have a few, both American made and Squires, love them, to me the most iconic and beautiful guitars ever made.
‘Chances are that the song running in the back of your head was written and performed on a strat’ - the song currently running through my head is slash. The complete opposite of a strat.
Greate Guitars. You can play all styles on this.
Perfect shape and sound. A joy to have one of this.
if you dont have single coils you cant play every style but there is not a single guitar company that will say our guitar cant do this ...
yes the fenders and the gibsons were used by old rockstars but there were no other brands the modern rock player doesnt use a strat guitar with three single coils the modernized versions are a different story
The Fender Stratocaster is the greatest design of anything in the history of man. God bless Leo Fender.
I used to work for a company that worked for fender making the bodies and sent to fender, it takes time to produce them
This video makes me want to go to the shop to buy a new guitar.
Cristian Osorno me to
Taking in breath makes me want to go buy a new guitar.
But they are very well made guitars.
@@johnsimms3957 yup I use to work there
Their first was the Broadcaster.
Michael Nielsen the telecaster was originally call the broadcaster but gretch owned the rights to the name broadcaster because of a drum they were manufacturing the year after they removed the name the guitar was unnamed and in this period they were called "Nocasters" because fender solution to gretch was to just take the name off the guitar the year after the Nocasters came out was when they were finally named the telecaster
Thank you for leaving on the hieroglyphic subtitles.
The thing is, pushing fender like that sales exec is doing in the video. Telling stories about how fender guitars most likely were played in the soundtracks of your life, how the guitars changed music etc etc. Is all true.
That guy has to have one of the best sales jobs there is. He doesn't have to bullshit anyone. Whatever stories and incredible anecdotes he might pull, they are all true. And it simply is a great guitar. I use my two Strats daily.
And when it comes to the eternal question of Mexican vs American fenders. You can't look at it that way. When I bought the amazing Strat that I have, and will never part from, I test played all the American Strats they had in the most well renowned music shops in the town where I live. I actually did test them all. Cause I was determined to find the optimal guitar.
After three days of trying out American Strats, I went home with a Mexican one. Why?
It sounded far better, it was far smoother to play, it was simply a better guitar for me. Was it cheaper? No, it was actually more expensive than the Am ones. It was the fender roadworn series, 60s Strat with texmex pickups. Great guitars in that series, I can tell you that. So. ...you never know. You can't just go buy an American Strat and believe you get a better guitar. It doesn't work that way, it's so much down to the individual instrument, and what series it's from. And most of all, how you feel when you play it.
I got mine at the san Francisco guitar center back in 89(made in the usa)I still have it
what an awesome job, where do I apply
En Cali Colombia deberia haber una tienda Fender...
07:38 Best Job
Under the Bridge inspired me to play guitar, and John played with a Fender.
Rest In Peace. Tony 🌹🌷💐
I'm personally a Les Paul fan but I think the Stratocaster type guitar is almost unparalleled (I'm exaggerating here) in ergonomics and comfort. I wish I could have a guitar with the build of a Strat and the electronics and tone of a Les Paul. I assume that's what a PRS is but I've never played one.
or a Superstrat?
basically an strat body guitar with PAF Humbuckers would do I think. The feel would be different but the sound would be pretty much the same, given that they have the same scale length.
I'm so proud I own one, it can do it all from blues to punk to jazz to country a true workhorse guitar
Chris Gonzalez you would be more proud if you built one
At 6:27 she said that's the heart of the guitar but I think the strings are the heart of the guitar.(not saying the pickups, volume, tone knob, pickup switch aren't important)
In an electric guitar, changing pickups make WAYYY different a tone than changing strings. It’s like your tonewood on an acoustic guitar. Sure, strings can give you some flavor, but the pickups are the meat on the bones.
@@sedrickalcantara9588 Well.. I can't even remember what I was thinking about at the time! 😂 I agree with you, pickups have WAY more affect than strings.
Maybe I was trying to say that no matter what pickups are on it, if there are no strings, then you won't be able to play it!
It's a beautiful guitar.
5:59 John Mayer pickups?
"It gives that uh, that sound you know you ZIIINNNNGGGG. Yeah....."
The Mustang, Jaguar and Jazzmaster are the sounds of my youth :C
Remember all the old Bad Company songs were recorded and played live with Strat's !
I have been playing guitars all my adult life, and have owned countless shapes, brands and types. There is just something special about a Fender. I have an Ibanez double cut with a bolt on neck, and it is almost identical to a Strat. But they couldn't be further apart on playability, tone, fit, finish and most important, resale value. The USA Strat will hold it's value more than most others, and in time will increase.
***** You said it brother!
What about an Aztec Gold Squire Affinity Model with a Maple Fretboard ?
daftmou5s What about it?
Charlie Foxtrot The 3rd I was wondering what you think it is worth now in terms of a sale price( price that it is worth selling for) ?
daftmou5s You have to be specific. Sale price for what guitar? If it is a Strat made in California it is going to be worth more than a Mexican made one. Just how it is.
Nothing is more ballsy and sexy as a Les Paul....but you can't beat a great strat to cover all bases! Strat= most versatile electric ever!!
Stratocaster , lots of good music made on them but; they make me think of a bowl full of M+Ms. Maybe that is why the beat up ones are well liked. Tough love equals character infusion.
I have also my strat fender 50s ST57 japan also good quality...
Really Great & Awesome Guitars For Sure! I Own 28 - Strats Now!! Go Get One Now!! - Big Will 😃
What kinda paint is used that allows it to be so thick?
"They have to be completely flat"
\*cuts to round frets being hammered in place\*
I still got my American Fender Lonestar guitar in candy apple red that I bought at Guitar Center 20 years ago. With the price tag still attached.
Paulo Tuble are you black or something? Take the price tag off
grant Diggs lol
In My Life Fender has made a big difference. I see Fender Guitars Here There And Everywhere.
beautiful
they put any numbers under the neck ?/
.....I've got a Strat that was made in Indonesia...is that rare or not?
Great Video
i missed the part where they show you hows its made
Fenders are great guitars but once you start playing a guitar like the SG and then come back to the Strat, it gets really difficult to palm-mute!
Should have done a second take on that explanation about the frets being the lines that force the strings over the lines....
Is this the USA factory?
Phill Robinson it looks like the Corona, California factory as my cousin is shown at 6:15 on the right. She retired a a couple of years ago after working for Fender for 19 years.
I have a candy apple red strat on my back at all times!!!
can anyone tell me the name of the song in the background at 4:00
Darude sandstorm
My dream job. Fender quality inspector.
What if I use all Oak Wood ?
I like ibanez because of my heroes Joe satriani and Steve via.
why does the type of wood matter? It's not like it's actually doing anything but be the body. If it was an acoustic guitar definatly, but this just seems like another way to make it more expensive.
Tidiest Flyer it still affects the sound a bit and for looks also
_hazza_d _ Eh..... Its like putting hydrogen instead of oxygen in your car tires. Ofcource there is a difference. But its so small and insignificant that its really not worth the extravagant amount of cash.
Tidiest Flyer This is a heavily debated topic. Some swear it affects tone, some say that's BS.
There are plenty of home experiments on here that tell us that materials can affect sustain (how long the instrument caries out a note). Sustain increases with the stiffness, and mass or density if the instrument. This is for solid bodied electric guitars.
That's cool and all but does it slam?
The real question is can it handle the Lil Wayne scale ?
+Csongor Kendi lol
Pretty sure its the pickups that are creating that "jangly" tone, not so much the difference between Fender wood vs others
Where can I get one?!??!?😳😳😳😳
Seeing that the laborers who build the guitars in American and Mexican Fender factories are mainly Mexicans (for a long time) one can argue its as much Mexican as American. It's okay, I like smelling both American and Mexican feet
0:41 it says no stairway to heaven in the background
... or Crazy Train.
But does it djent?
xKyrad come back in a year and no one will even know what that means!
Ibanez or Schecter djent the best
Jackson is the best for Metal, and shredding.
The best part of this video is that photograph of Buddy Holly and Ed Sullivan. Watching his dumbass "I am so square I can't understand this rocknroll ruckus" versus Holly's smug face is awesome!
Telecaster will always rule
TrueTube ...behind stratocaster
Why? I mean I love tele's. Especially my tele, but it just isn't nearly as versatile as my strat. I was reluctant for years to give into the hype and play "the guitar". I've had multiple single coil guitars as well as good guitars with high-end humbuckers and when I finally gave a strat a chance last year it was lifechanging. A good and well setup strat (not just any strat you pickup at guitar center) is amazing. There's a reason they are so iconic and it's not just because the early great guitarists used them, they are just good. They are like the chevy small block engines of guitars. Old in design and simplistic, but consistently great in nearly all applications.
Great informative video. I have two strats, love them to death!! Now, where's my Tele?
4:02- 4:56 what the musick plays?
Love my Strat!!
Wish I played well.Only been playing a couple years and I learn from UA-cam.
That job that guy has playing the guitar all day long (checking intonation, playability) is an awesome job. I wish I could smell his feet.
It gives that uh that sound when you. Yeah
People speak such tosh, 'When the neck was done you threw the guitar away.' No you didn't- you got it fixed. It is a bit more difficult to work on or to replace a neck that is glued into a guitar body but it is relatively easy to do. In fact that sort of job has to be done occasionally on acoustic guitars whenever the neck needs resetting. All power to Leo for he was a smart guy, but there's no need to talk his achievements up by talking nonsense.
1:04 oh no that's gonna piss some people off XD
I love my Telecaster
I like this!
I wish they would use nitro paint more, with all that polyurethane paint and and clear coat might as well just use pine, at least it will be lighter.
I’m honestly not a fan of nitro finishes. Poly lasts forever, it’s way more durable and resistant to aging. I love it. I don’t see any appeal to nitro. It doesn’t change anything of the sound.
Leo Fender is the Henry Ford of music
Brent Bowman Technically Adolph Rickenbacker would be the Henry Ford of guitars. Acoustic guitars were a thing
And then he made an electric one.
Fender is best
For my opinion
4:07 What model fender is Leo working on in the pic?
Might be a musicman model
Either that or a g&l fairly sure its not fender
I think you're right,.it doesn't look like a Fender.
+Anthony F it's a Music Man Sabre II
Would rather build or assemble and set up my own.
mike patrick exactly what I'm doing now.
Wood doesn’t matter on electric guitars.
Change my mind.
Only on the neck. Maple is more of a bell-like, chimey tone, and rosewood is more warm and deep.
i'm like how about the telecaster
I only play Stratocasters 💯💙💙💙
the species of wood doesnt matter its the properties
If you bring a Fender strat without humbuckers into metal youll have a bad time
+Martijn Kemperman That's not true.
Connor Heinssen it is, feedback all over the place
Dave Murray always seems to have a great time.
+RKO619ification fun fact, dave murray uses SD mini humbuckers on his strat
+Peyton Basenberg And his original strat that he used in the 80's was a one-of-a-kind with two humbuckers!
I like fender stratocaster......
sweet
4:18 song pls
73 dislikes? I want to see one of you fool's design and make your own guitar and I'm a drummer! Ha!
Someday...😍💐🎸🎶🎵! 'Til then, Mon Ami!💕💞💓💖💗💛💙💟
3.16 ouch would imagine he has hit into that belt sander a few times with his bare arms
🔥🔥🔥
yeah for most heaviest hardcore bands? looool not really. But I love it for everything else :)
I would like to see a video on the making fender squires...none exist
They are swag😎😎😎😎😎
But how is a plumbus made?
The Stratocaster is the greatest!! How in the hell did they ever shape the body like that?
The type of wood for the body makes NO difference in the sound but it does matter in weight of the guitar, anything more than 5-6 LBS becomes uncomfortable when played standing up for a few hours.The Mexican Strats are pretty good for the money but all I have tried are heavy and the narrower string spacing makes a BIG difference in playability and tone. The Squire Standard and Deluxe play and sound MUCH better than most MIM strats for half the price.The American Standard Strat is a waste of money, get a Deluxe or Signature (Jeff Beck, Clapton) for another $400 the LSR nut, locking tuners, shaved neck pocket , and N3 pickups or vintage noiseless hot PUPS put them in a whole other level ofcraftsmanship.
At 0.35 it says no stairway to heaven
You buy a strat to be a legend. You buy a other guitar to be a guitar player.