A rant about Snakehead... then a discussion

[Max1981]

In 2010, Fender celebrated their 60th anniversary by releasing 60 replicas of the 1948 prototype Fender Telecaster, nicknamed "Snakehead". You know which one I'm talking about. All 60 replicas were exact look-alikes of the original, down to all the relic-ing.

Not too long ago, I found out that Guitar Center was selling a few of the replicas (albeit for $6000), and somebody had rated and reviewed it. The reviewer, aptly named "Dick" (yes, that was his name), gave it five stars. However, his review suggested otherwise. The following has not been modified or tampered with in any way, this is exactly what Dick said:

"I love the guitar and sound. The only problem is that mine came with a lot of blemishes. It actually looked like it had been used by a band before I received it. When I pay that kind of money I expect perfection. I sent it back."

Allow me to let that sink in for a bit.



This guy is probably the most retarded guitarist on the planet. He spends $6000 on one of the greatest opportunities in guitar history, and sends it back because he's too clueless to know that the guitar was intentionally relic'd.

Dick, you neanderthal, all of them will have blemishes! Every single one! Why? Because THE ORIGINAL IS BLEMISHED. I'm pretty sure that a 65-year-old guitar is going to be showing signs of age after being tested by countless musicians due to an ambitious Leo Fender, then being unused and stored someplace for years on end. Dick, you had one opportunity, one which will never come back, to own a piece of guitar history, and probably the most important one yet. You expect perfection, and you got it--and more. And what did you do? You sent the guitar back because of HISTORICAL F**KING ACCURACY!? People like you need to leave this planet.

[/rant]

Now... I'm done blowing off steam for now. It's time for you to talk. Do you agree with me that Dick is a clueless mongoloid? Or do you agree with him, that he should have sent the guitar back, and guitars that reach the four and five digits should looks perfect and spotless? Or is this guy a troll and I fell for his trap?

DISCUSS.

 

[dmraco]

The more I travel this great country of ours the more I realize the vast stupidity that is a high percentage of our population.  This is just one fine example of that ignorance and stupidity. 

 

[bagman67]

The nature of average intelligence is that half of our compatriots are below the line.  Some quite a bit.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Depends on the distribution.

 

[croquet hoop]

The guy did not know what he was buying, but since he sent the guitar back he gave another guy (better-informed, hopefully) the opportunity to get one of these 60 Teles, I'm not sure I can see what's so wrong in the end. But maybe I'm one of these vastly stupid people  :icon_biggrin:

He would have been a "clueless mongoloid" if he had kept the guitar and had attempted a "proper refinish job" on it, but thankfully that didn't happen.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

It's possible he has a sense of humor and the OP doesn't.  It may have been a rant against the whole relic process.

P.S.  Don't read any of Stubhead's posts.

 

[bagman67]

Depends on the distribution.

Of course you're correct; I'm just crackin' wise.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Me too.

 

[stankybudz]

That seema outrageous for that guitar!

 

[stubhead]

I can't really say I fell off the bus cause I didn't get on it.

He spends $6000 on one of the greatest opportunities in guitar history

Opportunity - for what? To what end? In general use, I take "opportunity" to mean something with a potentially positive result. I mean, if you slaughter an entire Girl Scout troop and fricassee some of the tastier tidbits thereof, maybe even 'Tube it for maximum jeu d'esprit, I think it quite likely you will, soon enough, have the opportunity to drop your soap in the communal maximum-security penitentiary shower while surrounded by gigantic AIDS-infested prison-be-muscled lifers - the ones without a care in the world. Bat the baby blues to maximize your "opportunity." 

What gain is there to having one? Do you play it? The "vintage-style frets" i.e. banjo/mandolin frets aren't really going to be too big as issue, because with a 7 1/4" fretboard radius you can't bend strings much anyway. Which is another great foresight, because without a trussrod - any trussrod, any reinforcement, anything at all beside a flatsawn wide-grained maple board  - it's going to be noodlenecking all the hell all over the place, assuming they are really following Saint Leo's most divine overarching benediction, which is to use the cheapest stuff available. But maybe you can "whammy" the neck enough to cover for the vintage-style bridge, i.e. three straight saddles, i.e. either your G string, or your D string is always going to be hopelessly out-of-tune. The only except being, when they're both hopelessly out-of-tune.

So, it's just a P.O.S. guitar, but, it is an opportunity own a rare P.O.S.! Though even though a $299 Squier Vintage Vibe Tele can run circles around it - DEAD SERIOUS  - it's a Limited Edition! They only made 60! And though many, many people have noticed, when Fender, PRS, Gibson and their dog and their dog's fleas sell out a run of custom shop guitars at a profit, lo & behold! All of a sudden, there's then a production model... SRV#1, SRV "Lenny", Hendrix Monterey, Hendrix Woodstock.... But, we may not be seeing a fullblown Snakehead snowball. I'm not real great at math - if it's Fender's 60th year, why release a 62-year-old model? If you were 60 in 2010, then you would release a 1950... umm, well maybe because they have absolutely beat-to-crap the whole Telecaster/Broadcaster/NoCaster material - it's kinda like the Beatles reissues, just what do you do next, or dare we say again?

One pretty fair indicator that you don't have to worry about a production model Snakehead with the banjo frets, trussrodless, pine, is that - IT'S 2013 AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T EVEN DUMPED THE SIXTY?!? Uh-oh. Though is does appear as though Sweetwater dumped theirs, a curious little peephole is opened here into the Maichiavellian* manipulations of Bain Capital, "too-big-to-fail"... it would seem that Musician's Fiend still has FOUR of these pups left. And so Does Music123 - but they're the SAME FOUR. AS is Guitar Center's... as is Brass & Woodwind's! The only real people who seem to have a real other one is Guitar Sanctuary - who, probably sick of having been duped into paying wholesale for a P.O.S. historic guitar - which isn't historic - The Sanctuary is dumping their new one for $4,295!

But, hmm. The Fiend has - oh dear - I wish I WAS kidding - MF also has a "gently used" one for $4799. A heavy relic that's been gently used?  :toothy12: If relic'ing is a go'od th'ing - SHOULDN'T THE USED BE MORE, NOT LESS?

P.S.  Don't read any of Stubhead's posts.

Best advice I've heard all day...

*(sneaky)

 

[Cagey]

To be fair, Musician's Friend's offering of a worn-out half-assed copy of the cheapest, simplest electric slab guitar ever made comes with a "Certificate of Authenticity".

Now how much would you pay?

Wait! Don't answer! It also comes with a case!

Unfortunately, I'm afraid I won't be getting one. I sprained my wrist reaching too quickly for my wallet.

Oh, well. Another opportunity lost. Silly me.

 

[Cagey]

Incidentally, if anyone wants the exact same thing, I'll build one for you for $3,999.99 and I'll even throw in a certificate of authenticity, a case, and a neckplate by Dangerous Doug. For those of you playing along at home, that's a $2,000 savings over the Fender offering.

 

[SlartiBartfast]

Incidentally, if anyone wants the exact same thing, I'll build one for you for $3,999.99 and I'll even throw in a certificate of authenticity, a case, and a neckplate by Dangerous Doug. For those of you playing along at home, that's a $2,000 savings over the Fender offering.

Now I've got a wallet-reaching-induced wrist sprain. Thanks a lot, Cagey.  :laughing7:

 

[Day-mun]

Ya sure opened a can of worms, here, Max1981! I thought it was supposed to be "a rant, then a discussion", -more like a rant then a rant then a...

I've got tears rolling down my cheeks from LMAO while I read this thread! (I, for one, obviously didn't follow STDC's P.S. advice lol!)

 

[Max1981]

Ya sure opened a can of worms, here

I figured that the minute the first reply came in.