If you wanted to spec your ideal Fender electric, you'd have to turn to the Custom Shop, right? Not so with Fender's new Mod Shop site, which allows guitarists to design their own American-built dream machine.
Starting with a choice of Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision Bass or Jazz Bass body, users can then tweak a vast array of features, including body colour, pickups, pickguard material, fingerboard, hardware colour and style, bridge and orientation.
Once you've readied your electric masterpiece, orders are built in Fender's Corona, California factory and shipped within 30 days.
Keen-eyed readers will note that the Mod Shop is an updated version of the American Design Experience, which was unveiled two years ago. Mod Shop differs in its easy-to-navigate format, spearheaded by e-commerce software developer Fluid.
We're a little miffed that there aren't a few more options out of the norm - anyone after a Floyd Rose or hardtail-equipped Strat, or HSH pickup configuration will be left wanting - and we'd like to see an offset or two among the body types, but we'll keep our fingers crossed that The Big F will expand the service later on.
USA users can head over to Fender Mod Shop now to start spec'ing up their instrument, starting at $1,649. Anyone outside of America will have to wait, unfortunately, but Fender has said Europe will be the next region to have access to the service.
Full specs
Players begin by selecting their preferred model, including:
- Telecaster - Authentic, classic Fender sound with 8 configurable features
- Stratocaster - The tone heard 'round the world with 9 configurable features
- Precision Bass - The sound of revolution with 5 configurable features
- Jazz Bass - Tone to soothe the soul with 5 configurable features
Features
- Two orientation options: Left-handed or right-handed
- Two colours/body materials: Ash with burst finishes or Alder on solid colour finishes **Body Material dependant upon the colour**
- Nine body colour options: Black, Vintage Blonde, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue, 2-colour Sunburst, 3-colour Sunburst, Candy Apple Red, Daphne Blue and Surf Green
- Two fingerboard options: Maple or Rosewood
- Six pickguard materials: 1-Ply Gold Anodized, 4-Ply Tortoise Shell, 4-Ply Aged White Pearl, 3-Ply Mint Green, 3-Ply Parchment and 3-Ply Black
- Pickup options: - **will vary depending on model**
- Telecaster - Texas Special, 4th Generation Noiseless, Vintage 1952 Tele, American Series
- Stratocaster - American Series - optional Shawbucker, 4th Generation Noiseless - optional Shawbucker, Texas Special
- Precision Bass - Pure Vintage '58 P Bass, Pure Vintage '63 P Bass, American Series P Bass
- Jazz Bass - Pure Vintage '64 J Bass, 4th Generation Noiseless, American Series J Bass
- Two tuning machine options: American Standard and Modern Locking (American Standard only for Basses)
- Two bridge options: American Standard and American Deluxe (American Standard only for Basses)
- Two hardware colour options: Chrome and Gold (Chrome only for Basses)
- Strings: 0.009-0.042 for Guitars; 0.045-0.105 for Basses
- Case: Black ABS Moulded
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