Rant: Fender decals on Warmoth necks.
- Thread starter line6man
- Start date
Well..... Fender's view, and legal issues aside, its a matter of personal taste.
I can buy, engine cases, jugs, heads, crank, pistons, intake, exhaust, igntion, frame, tank, fenders, seat, controls, suspension, wheels, brakes and tires... none of which is "Harley Davidson", and build a Harley. There are folks that do that all the time. And they put the HD logo on the tank, and HD logo'd trim work on things, etc.
You can do the same with old Ford Roadsters, and a few other classic hot rod cars. And they put FORD on the trim.
The question is - WHY?
Do they want to pass of their creation as an actual Fender or Ford product? No. So then why?
The answer is - Because it belongs there. Its part of the look, the charm, the elegance, the overall visual appeal of the final creation. Its an attention to detail. Its an homage to the original originators. Its a superficial, yet important visual cue that makes the final creation visually viable. In short its the nipple at the end of the boob, the cherry on the sundae.
I'm not in favor favor of ripping off folks by trying to remake some clone of a vintage instrument. Or by making an instrument out of the cheapest crap possible and passing it off as quality by way of "the sticker". However, no Warmoth replacement part, if assembled into a whole guitar would ever pass as the Fender product. Many of the parts W makes are BETTER than what Fender provides, in terms of wood, color, finish, options etc.
I dont see the big deal, unless you're trying to rip off somebody, or make a cottage business out of selling the logo itself. Fender does, by the way, provide the logo decal, for a small fee. Available through dealers for replacement on refin. See you're authorized Fender dealer.
I can buy, engine cases, jugs, heads, crank, pistons, intake, exhaust, igntion, frame, tank, fenders, seat, controls, suspension, wheels, brakes and tires... none of which is "Harley Davidson", and build a Harley. There are folks that do that all the time. And they put the HD logo on the tank, and HD logo'd trim work on things, etc.
You can do the same with old Ford Roadsters, and a few other classic hot rod cars. And they put FORD on the trim.
The question is - WHY?
Do they want to pass of their creation as an actual Fender or Ford product? No. So then why?
The answer is - Because it belongs there. Its part of the look, the charm, the elegance, the overall visual appeal of the final creation. Its an attention to detail. Its an homage to the original originators. Its a superficial, yet important visual cue that makes the final creation visually viable. In short its the nipple at the end of the boob, the cherry on the sundae.
I'm not in favor favor of ripping off folks by trying to remake some clone of a vintage instrument. Or by making an instrument out of the cheapest crap possible and passing it off as quality by way of "the sticker". However, no Warmoth replacement part, if assembled into a whole guitar would ever pass as the Fender product. Many of the parts W makes are BETTER than what Fender provides, in terms of wood, color, finish, options etc.
I dont see the big deal, unless you're trying to rip off somebody, or make a cottage business out of selling the logo itself. Fender does, by the way, provide the logo decal, for a small fee. Available through dealers for replacement on refin. See you're authorized Fender dealer.
jackthehack
Epic Member
- Messages
- 5,630
Don't forget that Warmoth necks ARE licensed Fender replacement parts, and allegedly if used as replacement on a Fender should qualify for a replacement decal. I don't know how well that actually works out in reality, see the official blurb from the Fender website pasted below. I've finished/installed Warmoth necks on three Fenders for people, one was for neck that was trashed (badly warped/broken trussrod, the other two involved replacement simply simply for cosmetic reasons, i.e., they wanted prettier figured maple necks. The guy with the bad neck already had a decal, don't know if it came from Fender or not that I applied on his neck. One of the other two didn't care, was going to put the original neck back on the Strat if he ever got around to selling it, but the other guy that got a cosmetic replacement (5A birdseye with an ebony board) claimed that he got 6 kinds of runaround from Fender. He had an American Std. Strat that had the serial number applied as decal to the bacl of the peghead and went to some "authorized service center" - don't know which one - that first told him they could get him replacement decals, but then reneged saying that Fender wouldn't authorize/make him replacement decals. I just heard all this third hand and lost track of the guy, but he never got back to me with the decal to apply.
Maybe there's someone on the board that works/has worked in a Fender repair shop can shed some more light?
==================================================================================================
Is it possible to get a replacement decal for my old Fender instrument?
In many cases, the answer is "YES!" To help us achieve the best match of available decals, take at least 4 clear photographs of your instrument, (the entire front, entire back of the instrument and a close-up of the front and back of the headstock). This will help us verify that it is indeed a genuine Fender product in need of a replacement decal, (if the instrument has the serial number stamped into the neck plate, please include a pencil "rubbing" from the neck plate showing this number).
Next, take the photos along with your guitar to the nearest Authorized Fender Service Center, where they will evaluate the instrument. After comparing the instrument with the photos, they will then mail the photos and neck plate rubbing to our Product Support team in Scottsdale. Once we receive the photographs, we will try to find the most accurate decal for that instrument. We will then send the appropriate decal to the Authorized Service Center. Note: Decal availability is limited to certain models, and while Fender does not charge a fee for a replacement decal, the Fender Authorized Service Center may charge a fee for providing this service to you.
Maybe there's someone on the board that works/has worked in a Fender repair shop can shed some more light?
==================================================================================================
Is it possible to get a replacement decal for my old Fender instrument?
In many cases, the answer is "YES!" To help us achieve the best match of available decals, take at least 4 clear photographs of your instrument, (the entire front, entire back of the instrument and a close-up of the front and back of the headstock). This will help us verify that it is indeed a genuine Fender product in need of a replacement decal, (if the instrument has the serial number stamped into the neck plate, please include a pencil "rubbing" from the neck plate showing this number).
Next, take the photos along with your guitar to the nearest Authorized Fender Service Center, where they will evaluate the instrument. After comparing the instrument with the photos, they will then mail the photos and neck plate rubbing to our Product Support team in Scottsdale. Once we receive the photographs, we will try to find the most accurate decal for that instrument. We will then send the appropriate decal to the Authorized Service Center. Note: Decal availability is limited to certain models, and while Fender does not charge a fee for a replacement decal, the Fender Authorized Service Center may charge a fee for providing this service to you.
GoDrex
Hero Member
- Messages
- 3,656
Makes more sense to me on strats and teles from Warmoth because you can make one that is nearly indistinguishable from a Fender. But the the Gibson types don't really make it because of the bolt on and some of the specs aren't quite there. I think if I ever get a W neck for my strat I'll look for a Fender logo for it. But my LP just isn't very Gibson-like anyway.
NeilStryker
Senior Member
- Messages
- 266
I'd like a metallic headstock logo which says "This space not available for corporate advertising". haha I really dig the warmoth headstocks too as a reminder "this is NOT a fender or gibson."
SkuttleFunk
Hero Member
- Messages
- 1,156
a decal of some sort on the headstock in the traditional Fender placement - sure, why not
a 'Fender' decal on a non-Fender instrument - NO THANKS!
to me, adding the Fender decal would be like growing your own coffee beans, roasting them to perfection, grinding a batch and then brewinging the perfect cup of Joe. after all this work would you suddenly feel compelled to pour it into a paper Starbuck's cup so that you can be seen walking on the street status quo? I don't think so
if you're going to be creative enough to formulate and assemble your own parts build, show yourself a little respect and commission a custom logo that declares you did something original. the extra $25 will go a l-o-n-g way in showing you can think freely and are daring enough to buck corporate advertisement assimilation and be original
unless, of course, you find a Ford Taurus to be your ultimate driving maching ...
R
a 'Fender' decal on a non-Fender instrument - NO THANKS!
to me, adding the Fender decal would be like growing your own coffee beans, roasting them to perfection, grinding a batch and then brewinging the perfect cup of Joe. after all this work would you suddenly feel compelled to pour it into a paper Starbuck's cup so that you can be seen walking on the street status quo? I don't think so
if you're going to be creative enough to formulate and assemble your own parts build, show yourself a little respect and commission a custom logo that declares you did something original. the extra $25 will go a l-o-n-g way in showing you can think freely and are daring enough to buck corporate advertisement assimilation and be original
unless, of course, you find a Ford Taurus to be your ultimate driving maching ...
R
Cymbaline
Junior Member
- Messages
- 37
Doesn't bother me at all, I have one on my Black Strat. Came out very nice.
I agree with CB above, who put it very eloquently - It's part of the look of a Strat. A blank headstock just doesn't look right to me. You gotta have something there, be it a repro Strat label, or a cool custom label like I've seen people do.
I would never represent it as an actual Fender product if I ever sold it, I'd make sure they'd know it's a Warmoth. (Not likely to happen any time soon!)
I agree with CB above, who put it very eloquently - It's part of the look of a Strat. A blank headstock just doesn't look right to me. You gotta have something there, be it a repro Strat label, or a cool custom label like I've seen people do.
I would never represent it as an actual Fender product if I ever sold it, I'd make sure they'd know it's a Warmoth. (Not likely to happen any time soon!)
Wana_make_a_guitar
Hero Member
- Messages
- 2,793
My view is, even though it's Warmoth, the people paid for their guitar, and if they like it, they should be able to have it, just when the sell it, it should be sold under custom Warmoth-fender licensed or have it noted that it is not fender, or any other company for that matter.
Tim Rinkerman
Newbie
- Messages
- 9
It used to be in the old days, that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery. Now,unfortunately, due to an overzealous legal system, it's considered the sincerest form of forgery. There aren't too many solid body guitars out there that can't trace their lineage back to a Gibson or a Fender. It all depends how personally you want to take it. I will have a replica Fender decal on my bass, because that's the way I want it to look..a(Fender) sunburst jazz bass body with a neck that someone went to great lengths to make look like a jazz neck, and all Fender hardware and electronics is my way of paying respect to one of the great icons of musical instruments. I don't think I would pay $25,000 for a REAL left handed 62 Jazz bass anymore, even if I could, but I can have a really,really nice replica. Honestly, modern Fenders and Gibson's are not what the original buzz was all about,anyways, they're all building replicas of what used to be cool. Warmoth seems to make really nice pieces, but certainly not original. No one will ever be able to create a legend like a Telecaster, or Les Paul again, because they WERE the first of their kind, and have years and years of foundational history to stand on.
If you had to have a heart transplant, would you change your last name to the person who donated the organ?
If you had to have a heart transplant, would you change your last name to the person who donated the organ?
I
ildar
Guest
SkuttleFunk said:
If a 3" sticker makes or breaks one's individuality, that person has more problems than what goes on a headstock.
Your argument here reminds me of that old South Park episode where all the goth kids were too busy calling everyone else "conformists" to realize they were conformists themselves, just to a different ideal.
Fender decal, Warmoth decal, custom or no decal, what's the difference? It's tough to call oneself original when building a copy of a nearly 60 year old design.
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