[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='1294825' date='Jul 6 2011, 03:20 PM']Given that (many) Fender parts are readily interchangeable, I'm surprised they don't have an ordering hotline a bit like a Chinese take-away. Give 'em a call, pick what you like off of the menu, and it's despatched a fortnight later. Why so long? They've got to rout the body for your choice of pick-up/s and allow time for the paint/lacquer to dry.
Otherwise, sell kits for user assembly (works with bicycles, and for IKEA) or allow dealers to hold spares enough to build instruments on site. Ooooh!
Think of the options!
Tuners- Elephant Ears, Lollipops, Reverse or non-reverse geared, Klusons, Fenders, Lightweights, D-Tuners, Black/Gold/Chrome/Nickel/Relic
Necks- One piece maple, choice of truss-rod adjustment (neck, body and "vintage") Dots, Blocks or blank. Bound. Unbound. Skunk stripe or none. Maple, Rosewood, Pau Ferro, Phenolic or Ebony boards in fretted or fretless (coated as necessary) All in P or J widths and C,D and soft V shapes. Matching ot non-matching headstock. Slim or standard headstock shapes. Tusq, Nylon or brass nuts, Frets: 0/20/21/22/24
Bridges- BBOT, BadassII, HMVintage, choice of through-body or top-load, in Black/Gold/Chrome/Relic.
Bodies- Ash/Alder. Choose a colour, trans, burst, natural or metallic finish. P,J,Tele,Jag,Mustang
Pick-ups- 51p single coils, J, P, P/J, Bigblock, P/P, JJ/JJ, Tele HB,j/p/j Reverse or Non-Reverse P, mustang pup, Optional extra's wizards/SD etc...
Controls/plates- Classic J, Tele,P,Jag options, plus Stacked pot J also option for no plate ofcourse
Just working that lot out (disregarding colours) gives over 5000 combinations.
All of which would be identifiable to most of us as having some degree of Fender heritage... Let them keep going. There has to be a combination in there for most people. Even if it's just a specific combination of hitherto unavailable features or colour combinations.[/quote]
Fixed but CBA to work out number of combinations