Fender American Design Experience?

[paulyy]

Hello guys,

I just saw this beauty from 2013. Any information on this ones? I know it was only for the US. This was just a online design or could have been pick the parts at the factory? Im not sure because i saw a lot of models with the VXXXX and other ones with the USXXXX

They are good or better than am standards/deluxe? Thanks!

[Dru Edwards]

Hey Paulyy, I don't recall the Design Experience guitars so I had to Google it. For those who don't know, it's a program Fender came out in 2011/2014 that allowed people to design their own guitars online and then have it built/delivered in 90 days. Sounds similar to the Taylor BTO program.

I recommend sending Fender an email with the serial # and the pics and asking for the full specs.

As far as whether they're better or not than a standard series I have no idea. I'd like to think there would be more attention to detail on making sure the fret ends are nice and smooth and other little details but I don't know.

[Chickee]

It seems like the “Design Experience” was the precursor to the “Mod Shop” that Fender announced in June of 2016. So as far as where the DE guitar would fall in Fenders model line up, Mod Shop guitars are very near the current Ultra models in Fenders model line of guitars. They aren’t inexpensive, mostly around the $1800 mark. I would reason to believe that the Design Experience guitars would be higher end than Standards and Specials of the same era.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by paulyy

Hello guys,

I just saw this beauty from 2013. Any information on this ones? I know it was only for the US. This was just a online design or could have been pick the parts at the factory? Im not sure because i saw a lot of models with the VXXXX and other ones with the USXXXX

They are good or better than am standards/deluxe? Thanks!

I remember this, and my memory is that it didn't really catch on in any substantial way, largely because the options were really pretty limited and the cost didn't seem in line with the resut for most people. Not to say you couldn't build a fine guitar that way, but there was nothing special about the parts used. They weren't "upper-end" guitars. You were basically just picking existing Fender parts off the line and paying to have them put together for you rather quickly, and in combinations that might not be standard. Which is, of course, a fine thing but at the end of the day, they were just regular Fender guitars; no better, no worse, but more expensive for what you got.

[TiffanyGuitar]

Sounds like this was a precursor of the "mod shop?" I have always been a bit leery of doing the mod shop because you might wind up with a boat anchor, although I do wish that Fender would quit offering the same colors over and over in their standard lines. Seems a bit boring and very "play it safe" all the time.

[Steel and wood]

Either way, it's a great looker!

[The Growler]

I don't remember he Design Experience being on line. I did see it at the Fender factory "museum". There was a room with bodies, necks, etc and you could order the guitar in the configuration you liked.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by The Growler

I don't remember he Design Experience being on line. I did see it at the Fender factory "museum". There was a room with bodies, necks, etc and you could order the guitar in the configuration you liked.

Here you go.

https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/fen...wn-guitars-and

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

Here you go.

https://www.guitarworld.com/gear/fen...wn-guitars-and

Thanks for the link. So, it started in the visitor center and then went on line. Cool. Makes sense. I'm not surprised it didn't last. I was there a couple of times when it was there and there was never anyone in that experience design room. They were all in the room with demo amps and guitars.

[Guildman]

The fender strat is such an iconic guitar. I've had them and then been without but have another that is a real keeper and the best of the rest. This looks like
real nice one!

[Chickee]

That guitar in OlympicWhite is just perfect! I love it.