I just bought one today. Impulse buy. Never heard about it until I saw it earlier. Didn't even take it home, went straight to my guitar guy to set up to my preferences. Minor things like action and pickup settings are usually set ' to taste' and not a deal breaker. The grounding [ or lack thereof ] is sadly the state of most QC issues these days. Excellent video Sir!!!
Thanks a lot. Nice - happy New Guitar Day to you! Silverburst as well or which color did you pick? Wise choice doing a proper set up right away. How are you liking it so far? Cheers, Lukas
@@donnyhall2535 - I have a set up guy who I've been dealing with since before 2003. He has completely locked in on my preferences. I know how to do a set up - I just enjoy his expertise as well as doing my part to keep him in business!
@@TheJimmyClip that's cool. Just seems most people now days can't. It's kinda sad. I do tech work and luthier work, I even try to show people. Yet they don't want to know. I mean I'll take their money, but I think it's part of being a player. But it's cool that you do it just to help your guy with his business.
Great review and information. All easy fixes for Fender that causes such compromise to their reputation. No excuse for those simple fixable problems that should not go out the factory door. They need to get it together with the Mexico manufacturing. The guitar is really nice and I do want one.
Thank you! I totally agree with all you are saying. It's a shame... The Meteora itself is a really cool guitar! By the way, in our upcoming video on Thursday, Martin and I will be talking some more about Quality Control issues. Cheers, Lukas
I wonder how much the worker shortage is hitting Mexico. Here in America companies will hire anyone with a heartbeat and can breath. QC is down across the board. My Mod Shop Tele neck pickup was in and out when I bought mine, but a Fender tech lives in the town next door so it got fixed fairly quickly with a new pickup. I bought it in Aug 2020.
@@LMGuitarCorner I haven't needed to do a setup surprisingly. I played some that were new out of the box and felt great right from the get go. Guess it was really luck of the draw.
I just got one and had to scrape, sand, and polish the frets. The fretboard finish was over the frets, even on the crowns. After several tedious hours it’s great now! Not what I expected for a brand new guitar, but it’s fixable. Also the term was decked but I raised the posts to make it floating. Not a big deal. Still love it!
Great you got yours fixed. At this pricepoint that really shouldn't be the case. I wonder how they do their fretwork. You're not the first one reporting this. I mean, ok, they're painting even over the frets, that's one thing, but I would expect them to do a proper level and polish of the frets after this and not before. There's no way you can guarantee a proper fret job otherwise. I haven't had this problem on my Baja Tele from a few years back, also not with the RW50s Strat. So either they're extremely sloppy on at least this series now or they're not doing a level at all on them, which is not good news either. As great of a guitar it is, I'm really disappointed with Fender how they seem not to really care for such things (anymore). Cheers, Martin
I was fortunate to grab a new one on clearance for $700 USD + taxes. I used the money I saved to get a proper set-up (bone nut, fret level, etc). Off the shelf, the guitar was an absolute nightmare (excessive finish over the frets, tuning issues, etc). After some pro work and a replaced pickup selector switch, it's a really fantastic player. I think the MSRP on these is a bit high considering the QC issues. However, if you can snag one used and are willing to have some luthier work done, you will be very satisfied.
Hey Chase, thanks for sharing your experiences and story. The issues you describe seem to be rather common (check the other comments under this video for further evidence :) How much did you pay eventually - including setup? Cheers, Lukas
You can expect crickets from Fender. I played one of the original meteora’s after waiting for months for one to show up in my local store. Wanted one bad. MAJOR disappointment. That thing was a piece of hot garbage. That’s why I’m gun shy to buy one of these. But they look fantastic! Just think fender has got too big for their britches. Going the way of 2000’s Gibson unfortunately
I guess that was the Tele-Style Meteora released back in 2018? Never had a chance to play one of these, they didn't show up in the local stores I frequent. I don't want to spoil to much - but please come back next Thursday when we release another video where we're talking about the QC issues. Cheers, Lukas
I don't know if I just got really lucky, or Fender saw these videos and upped their game, I bought a Meteora December 22 and it is beautifully finished and set up. It just makes me smile.
I just got one of these and I'm running into the exact same issue in 2023, (however, my serial number is from 2022) I will also be fixing mine as well. I got a crazy deal on it, about $500 below new, and it came in brand-new condition, If I had paid full price, it might be a different story. Thanks for posting this!
Hi there. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing your Meteora story... Too bad that yours also has issues. I hope the 2023 models have fewer QC problems. On the bright side - you got a good deal! Cheers, Lukas
Came across this video because I'm in the market for a meteora after trying one at Fender's flagship store in Tokyo. Fell instantly in love with it. The one I played had pretty much flawless quality, but QC issues for a product always just make it a dice roll. I bought an American Professional II telecaster last year after trying one at a music shop, but the setup was abysmal- playing the high strings at higher frets, they regularly catch on something so when I'm going for epic bends they randomly cut out. Not something you want on a $2000 guitar. I've always been a fender fan, but I'm done buying new fenders until they fix their QC issues.
Did you purchase the Am Pro II Tele online after trying one in a shop? I guess from what you described you returned it, right? 'try before you buy' is priority with Fenders these days, or at least buy it online at a shop with a good return policy. I haven't played any new Fenders in recent years, but I hope they managed to step up QC. Cheers, Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner I bought the one at the music shop, and it was great at first but after a few months it really didn't hold up. And as I moved out of my home country since then, I'm working with what I got. I'm planning on taking it to a tech to get a proper look at it and fix it up. Not something I should have to do with a guitar supposedly of this caliber though, not so soon after purchase
Hi there. Thanks for your comment. The guitar itself is great (after fixing the issues). I didn't intent to deter anyone from buying it, but rather to strongly advise "try it before you buy it" (or buy with a return policy). I'm glad I kept mine and play it a lot! So if you have the chance, play one and check everything thoroughly at a store! Cheers, Lukas
I understand what you're goin through. On Easter weekend, I traded my 2012 roadhouse strat for the Guitar Center Exclusive MIM Player strat in Ferrari Red. I loved the roadhouse strat for years, but I also loved the upgraded features on the new strat, and it does sound incredible. However, the one I got (fresh in box) had a bad nut. I took it to the tech a week later because the strings would click at the nut when you bent them and it was a fairly easy fix. About a week later, however, I start to notice that the middle two strings would buzz at the bridge when played open. I went to another tech to fix it and he didn't fix it but charged me anyway, and recommended that I swap out the springs. I swap out the springs, only to find the two open notes STILL BUZZ. I just found out this week that it's once again a nut problem with the string slots being cut at the wrong angle. So yeah... Fender Mexico has added a bunch of cool features, but has put the basics of good guitar building on backburner.... To make things even more frustrating, I also bought a Squier Contemporary Strat made in China a month later, and besides a basic truss rod adjustment, it was already PERFECTLY setup!!!!
Thanks for sharing your experience. It's really a shame what's currently going on. I've heard from many nut issues lately with MIM Fender Guitars. That seems to be something really common now unfortunately. Upgrading specs is worthless if they don't put the effort in it to make them work properly. Cheers, Martin
I purchased and returned 7 Meteora Ebony special edition models from Guitar Center and Musicians Friend. All of them had damage or build issues. So much so that even Musicians Friend said they were going to forward the issues to Fender. Was pretty disappointed as its a beautiful guitar.
@@LMGuitarCorner I know right. After 7 tries, i finally gave up on that particular model. And the issues were like... huge gouges in the metal pickguard, and other kinda big issues. And i am a Fender guy so ... it was frusturating
Don’t be sorry for the rant! I completely understand how you feel. No new guitars should have these problems. I just got an Vintera II 50s Jazzmaster, which came with a aluminium pick guard that’s not fitted properly that it’s cutting into the neck. Thomann told me that it’s not a problem and completely normal. 😅just shows how low their standard on QC is.
Hey Sami! Thanks for the feedback. A pick guard cutting into the neck is something I haven't come across yet. Any other flaws on the Jazzmaster? Will you keep it? Cheers, Lukas
@@LMGuitarCornerYeah since most guitars have plastic pick guards, but this one is using aluminium and it’s not manufactured to spec. It basically cut through the clear coating and into the wood. It doesn’t affect playability. I’m just a bit astonished that Thomann says that’s normal! I’m not sure yet if I should return it or not. Don’t really want the hassle to return and wait for another one. So I might just fix it up myself.
Well if you can do that and it doesn't bother and, most importantly, you like the guitar I'd also say keep and fix it yourself! Eventually it will get battle scars anyways :D
Everything I’ve put my hands on by Fender the last 10 yrs have felt like cheap toys…I own 4 Fenders and love them, but they haven’t blown me away in a very long time. My Rev Star that I bought this yr blows them away
The time period includes all of Martin and my personal Fender guitars ... Maybe we should try older Fender guitars :) Do you recall which models you played? Personally, I can't agree with your statement since I think my Fenders feel like great instruments (all of them were made within the last 5 years). Regarding the Rev Star - only heard good things about those, but haven't played one yet. I'd love to try the P90 version! Cheers, Lukas
I bought a Player Plus Telecaster and it also had terrible QC. The nut was a total disaster - the slots were badly offset to the high-e side of the neck with the string almost hanging off of the fret and the low-e string was extremely far away from the edge. The frets were also covered in urethane used to coat the neck. The frets were sanded down too much on the high-e side and as a result, the frets did not match the radius of the neck. There was also less fret surface on the high-e side, perhaps due to the sanding. The neck also seemed to have a slight twist in it. Needless to say, I returned the guitar and will probably avoid Fender guitars from now on. Every other Player Plus I've looked at since has had QC issues. Fender guitars are overpriced for the quality on offer. Although I can understand why Lukas didn't send it back, I see too many people fixing Fender's issues instead of sending the guitars back and giving Fender the message that these types of issues are unacceptable. Fender will only learn if it starts to hurt their bottom line.
Hey there. Unfortunately, we've got informed by many people that they have similiar issues with their Mexican Fenders... Sorry to hear that. Which guitar are you getting instead? Cheers
FYI: Just purchased a Belair Blue Meteora from a local shop in upstate New York. While checking it out at the store, I noticed fret buzz around the 7th fret. Looking down the neck I could see something amiss around that area. I brought it to the salesman's attention and he brought it back to his tech. Turns out the wrong fret wire was used at the 7th fret. This was straight from Fender. Luckily the tech had the correct tools to replace it and do a full setup. Went to dinner and came back to an excellent playing guitar. So in short, yes, QC is currently lacking at Fender. Especially for this price point.
Thanks for sharing - using the wrong fret wire is a nee issue to me. Glad to hear the shop got it fixed and you ended up with a great playing instrument. Nevertheless, it's also a little bit sad that Fender leaves stuff like this to retailers... Anyway, enjoy your Meteora! Cheers Lukas
I would have kept it as well :) Planning on getting myself one soon. I don't mind fixing things as long as I am not replacing anything unless its for style or a change of tone.
Absolutely. The QC for amps where the voltage would be seriously dangerous (or even lethal?), is apparently much better. I have 2 Fender tube amps (also MIM) and a Tonemaster (Made in China) - we have Videos about all of them btw :) Cheers Lukas
Rounded necks and frets...nice feature. Polished and MIM? Expectations? Now, now, my friend.... Intonation???!!! Oh boy..... Thank you so much for your "fixing" a new guitar comment. Beginners have enough challenges to deal with, and many buy MIMs. Also customer service issues. Save some more money and invest in a good guitar as opposed to fixing a new one. My experience only... but... Mexico did not just mess this up this time only...again, in MY experience. If need be MIM? Buy from Sweetwater and ask them to especially look it over given these issues.
Unfortunately, we don't have Sweetwater in Europe. But it's usually no problem to return a guitar. Even better - try the guitar first hand in a shop. Unfortunately, also MIA Fenders have imperfections, so I wouldn't put all the blame on the guitar being made in Mexico. Cheers, Lukas
I experienced exactly the same with a brand new Meterora. The trem ground lead had solder on it, but it was unattached to the trem claw. I also had to smooth the nut slots because the open strings pinged like a sitar. The worst thing is a small ding near the input jack. The store (GAK) checked and confirmed it was brand new stock from Fender. The store was great and offered a discount because I couldn't be bothered to send it back, but I'm extremely disappointed with Fender Mexico. Conversly, I bought a Fender parlour guitar 6 months ago that was made in China and it's brilliant - they've obviously got far better QC in that plant. Minor truss rod adjustment and it was perfect.
Sorry to hear that, but thanks for sharing your experiences. How much discount did GAK offer you? Cheers, Lukas PS (edit): I don't think Fender does run the plant in China themselves and therefore just give them the specs of the instruments. I also have a 3/4 acoustic by Fender (the Sonoran Mini), which is pretty neat considering the price of only € 120.
The ding is the only actual unfixable issue that is an actual problem. Otherwise, I usually buy local and the guitar guy at the store would fix all of those other issues with a free included setup.
I would have fixed it as well. Of course I am more hands-on with my guitars performing many upgrades like pickup swaps and upgrading to locking tuners if it doesn't come with them, tone and volume pots and even tremolos. I don't like the screw in tremolo arms and will replace them typically to a push in. Your guitars looks great and sounds great. I have to admit though some of the new higher Squires seem to have better quality overall than the MIM guitars now, , I recently purchased a classic vibe custom telecaster and was blown away with the great quality fretwork, but MIM's typically use the american hardware so that is a plus. Thanks for sharing.
Hey John, thanks for your comment and feedback. Unfortunately, I haven't played any of the newer, more expensive Squiers (no local store has them in stock) - it would be very interesting to compare them to a MIM Fender. Cheers, Lukas
PSA: I love my Meteora, but I want to let people know that the maple fretboard variants come with laquered frets. Once you play it, the laquer chips away from the frets and will make messes everywhere until you scrape it all off by hand. Pickups are not lined up properly at all, high E string is quiet on the neck pickup, G string is the loudest string for some reason. The gig bag sucks, mine showed up to the guitar store with a huge dent on the upper bout so I got it discounted. The laquer on the actual fretboard has dust and bumps all over it, there is a spot on the end of the fretboard, high E side, that was rotted out, chipped and browned then laquered over. The far tone pot on the bridge side had a lump. The lump was from where they drilled the scratch plate onto the body and pinched the bridge pickup wire between the two, causing the bridge pickup to cut out far too occasionally. Took it apart to polish frets, free the bridge pickup wires, intonate it (it was not playable in the LEAST), float the trem, remove the bucket loads of polishing compound and saw dust from the cavity and truss slot and it's a great little BRAND NEW fixer upper! I'm a Fender fan, but the QC is lacking huge. Just know that you'll have to put time into making it playable. It is now my personal favorite instrument, it just could have been executed better.
@@LMGuitarCorner Thank you. I really like the shape. The discount was 200 dollars Canadian. They almost didn't tell me about the damage until I paid for it. It had to be pointed out for me. it didn't chip the finish on the upper bout arm carve, just dented it wide and deep. The other chip on the bottom underneath the fretboard is entirely cosmetic, I'm mainly upset about the laquer on the frets. It seems everyone is having that issue and it's appalling to pay top dollar for a finished product then go finish it yourself.
If the finish flaws are not that noticeable and don't bother you, that is great. The discount sounds fair. I'm totally with you regarding the lacquer on the frets... It's really a bad decision to produce it this way, but apparently not entirely new from what other people posted under this video. Cheers, Lukas
I always figure new guitars might need a setup, but when it's a $1K guitar there should be no "loose wires" or anything serious like that. I can do soldering and basic repair work on frets ends and such, but I feel like if I have to do that, then an hourly rate should be removed from the price.
Hi there. Totally agree with you. That's why I asked Thomann for a compensation and they gave me a discount of 100, which is okay in my opinion. Cheers!
Hi thanks for the video. You are absolutely right to be frustrated but to be honest buying a new guitar online feels mostly like a gamble at this point. It is very likely for the guitar to have something big or small regardless of the price. (Gibsons are notorious for still having QC issues and I have seen some in Fender MIA too though far less). To be honest as things are now if my only QC problem was a wiring/electrical issue as long as the guitar looked and played well, I would be relieved since wiring stuff can be fixed much easier than woodwork. I know this is wrong and you shouldn't have to troubleshoot a new guitar especially at the 1k mark but risking sending it back and getting a new one with some fretwork/finish issues is really not worth it for me. I have ended up with guitars with minor issues in the woodwork that although didn't affect playability they did ruin the guitar for me (some people don't care that much though depends on the person). In your case I would also have kept the guitar since these kind of issues you fix and you forget about them you don't have to live with it. Enjoy the guitar. Cheers.
Hey Bernard. You're welcome and thanks for your comment and reaction to the video. Yeah it really feels like a gamble buying online these days... sending it back and waiting several weeks or even months because it is on backorder and eventually getting a guitar with maybe other issues and flaws that are not fixable is a potential outcome if one decides to send it back. I really didn't want to take that risk. Thanks for confirming that my decision to fix it (with Martin's help) wasn't idiotic ;-) Cheers, Lukas
I bought 4 PRS's in the last 3 years. My Custom 22 SE, then a Silver Sky (Core), then a McCarty 594 SE, and lastly I just got a Dustie Waring CE. Each guitar was flawless in terms of quality. It took me 4 tries before getting a Les Paul Standard that didn't have some kind of quality issue. That was at Guitar Center, where they took the guitars straight from the back, in a box. It wasn't like they were on the wall, it came from the factory with those issues. I was torn between getting a gold top (with P90's) LP, and the Dustie Waring CE. But, if you go to Sweetwater, and zoom in on the pictures of any LP that is $2799 you can see how bad the fret work is. Whether its tooling marks, the nubs being not rounded over, compound still all over the frets or fret board, etc. I didn't want another experience of having to send back another 3 guitars before getting a good 4th one. So, I went with the CE. The LP's that didn't have those issues where in the above $6k range. If you can clearly see it in pictures, imagine what it's like in real life. So, it's possible to get a guitar without issues that is essentially perfect in finish, it's just not coming from Fender and Gibson right now. I hope it changes, because eventually I want to get a Jazzmaster.
@It's Always Something thanks for the comment and sharing your experience. My 3 PRS guitar, the latest being a CE24 (we have a video on the channel if you want to check it out), also came without any flaws. Unfortunately, that's just not something you can expect from the Big 2 companies nowadays... According to Gibson's reputation in this regard probably for the last 2 decades... Cheers, Lukas
Haha no worries, there aren't any scratches worth mentioning ;) but of course, you are right and I'm with you on this. From now on, no more sweaters with zippers while playing guitar! Cheers, Lukas
Yeah I returned mine because the pickups where garbage, I thought about switching them but why should you have to when you spend 1200$???? I was bummed out because I really liked it other than that…..
Hey there. "Garbage" because of the feedback you mentioned in your other comment or sound wise ? If you refer to the latter, I personally don't agree. I like the sound and versatility of the Fireball Pickups quite a lot. But in your case, if you just didn't like them, it makes no sense to keep an expensive guitar and swap them. Cheers, Lukas
I don't know why people keep buying Fender and Gibson. There are so many good guitars from other makers where you get more for your money and have better QC/setups out of the box. Both, especially Gibson are known for QC issues so buying online is a gamble.
Nostalgia, unique models (like the Meteora), brand loyalty, marketing, favorite players and so on. I think there are many reasons why people buy Fender and Gibson. I agree with you that buying online is a risk as both companies have had relatively poor QC in the last couple of years (or maybe even the last decade). Which brands/guitars do you play? I also have a couple of Ibanez, PRS SEs and a Strandberg, all of which had fewer or none issues. Cheers, Lukas
Thomann doesn't give a sh$& as far as QC prior to shipment. I ordered a guitar from them - major issues that would have been spotted if anyone had looked at the guitar. I sent it back, asked for a replacement and asked TWICE: guys please do at least basic QC prior to shipment. It could save the hassle of yet another replacement and could save Thomann money (they pay for the return and shipment). What do you think happened? They sent another guitar with different flaws, they could not even pack it properly. The flaws included damaged pickup switch, dents, misaligned string trees. It was a REPLACEMENT guitar and I asked for QC. No comments
Hey Marek. Sorry to hear that... What a bummer. I presume you ordered the Meteora, or was it a different guitar (price level)? Interestingly they told me that they do a QC check if you explicitly ask for it - apparently not. Hmm... Cheers, Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner A different brand, 750 Euro price point. A brand that is presumably the biggest guitar maker in the world (makes guitars for others) 😉
My Strat’s selector switch was dicky from new. It’s in the shop now under warranty and I would hope they fix it instead of giving me a new one. I understand what you mean, and I think you made the right choice. If it feels good and it’s instantly evoked an attachment then you can’t fault it for something that can be fixed. Annoying, true. But every new relationship has its niggles.
Hey Mauro. Well put! I've been playing the Meteora a lot and thus think I've really made the right choice. Thanks for your comment. I'm confident you're selector switch will be fixed! Cheers Lukas
Looking forward to this! My live unboxing proved the Fender factory in Mexico needs more help with their QC! And Sweetwater's 55 point inspection didn't catch what a few minutes of playing revealed...a problem right off the bat... a poorly cut nut! And the vintage colored lacquer finish peeling off the top fretboard side and headstock side of the nut... no bueno... it was a bummer. Definitely not acceptable, but not a big enough reason to send it back... will see what my tech friend at Danville Music has to say!
I watched your unboxing this morning. I really felt sorry for you because I would have taken your side. The nut problems are annoying, but not enough to send it back! Hope to see you in the premiere so we can chat! Cheers Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner Hey guys... sorry I missed the premier. I had a chance to drop my Meteora off at my trusted local luthier for a new nut... Sweetwater will cover the cost of the replacement ... catching up on you video now.
@@LMGuitarCorner Yes...I agree Fender has definitely dropped the ball on this really cool guitar coming out of the gate with so many issues. Not only is there the nut issue for me, but I believe I have the same finish over the frets issue. I'll have to polish the frets as well… which really should not have to be done. As many in my livestream commented, at $1150 plus tax, a new guitar with these issues is unacceptable. It seems to me Fender probably doesn't care because all they see are the numbers sold, but they really need to do a better job especially at that price range. Now the word is out about the lack of quality and I'd be surprised if there isn't some affect on future sales of these guitars. Honestly, if I didn't otherwise love the Meteora's shape, hardware specs, neck feel, comfort, and that beautiful Silverburst finish so much, I would have sent it back! I'm very curious how many other examples of these guitars have had similar issues… I would bet this is across-the-board and whoever's running QC there is gonna be in some big trouble! All that said, I'm really looking forward to getting mine back and though I'll have to polish the frets, and check out the electronics just in case, I'm sure I'm really gonna enjoy that guitar… it's quite a stunning beast! Might even drop a Vega-Trem into it! We will definitely have to do a Latency Jam together sometime soon! ! 🤘🎸😎🐦
Whelp. I have 100% the same issue. If I use the tremolo, or even do a bend it starts humming until I wiggle the trem again. Definitely seems like a grounding issue. I bought from Fender directly. Bringing it in for warranty service this weekend.
Hey Sean. I'm really sorry to hear that your guitar shares these issues. It's a shame that this many Meteoras have issues. Hope yours will be fixed without any further problems. Cheers, Lukas
I would be returning it constantly every time until they send me what I have payed for with no quality issues! Also shops like Thomann and all others as well should make sure the setup and proper QC check from the shop itself has been done before taking the money and shipping it off, especially for that kind of price! Ridiculous!
@@LMGuitarCorner kinda. Buy a Fender guitar and ship it to Russia with all the sanctions will cost as two Meteoras. And I just found a little company that make guitar bodies and necks, so I think it's easier to buy the body and neck and electronics and assemble it all with my friends
Hey! With first gen you mean the Tele-style with the black block inlays from 2018? Do you (or your buddy) happen to know if none of them were wax potted? But anyways, it's a unpleasant issue and I'm happy for your friend that it's fixed! Cheers, Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner The first Meteora was a American built tele pick up configure. Fender did another run of made in Mexico Meteora's with humbuckers fixed bridge and 3 colors to choose from. The second run of Meteora's were $999 US dollars now this 3rd run is $1,149 US dollars
Just bought a Meteora Bass, took it band practice the next day , where after playing for ten mins or so , it completely cut out , dead nothing coming out of the guitar. After a lengthy check of cables , pedal chain , amp, (because it couldn't be a brand new $1900 cdn guitar , right?) It was determined the pickup blend knob was installed with all the wires bunched underneath it, leaving a huge gap where the pikguard meets the body. back to the dealer store where it was diagnosed with a broken pot wire, week and a half turnaround time. Love the Bass but that's some piss poor QC Fender.....
Hey Graham, thanks for sharing your experiences. Pretty annoying to get that fixed on a new Bass, but 1 1/2 weeks doesn't sound too bad. The rest was alright? Finish, nut, frets? Cheers Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner Ya the rest of the guitar is pretty good , finish was fine , frets were even and properly rounded , I totally dig the sixties vibe the meteora shape gives off so hopefully it will be a welcome addition to all my other fender basses lol
Hi! Finde es toll, dass es auch in Österreich ein paar Leute gibt die auf RU-vid aktiv sind! Super Sache! Ich will mir schon seit einer gefühlten Ewigkeit eine neue Gitarre kaufen, beim letzten Besuch im Geschäft hat es mir die Player Plus Telecaster total angetan aber ich bin wirklich unsicher, es kursieren ja viele Meldungen über Qualitätsprobleme bei den Player Plus Modellen. Die im Shop war damals eigentlich ganz OK aber da wusste ich von den Problemen auch nichts und hab nicht drauf geschaut, manches erkennt man ja nicht sofort. Vermutlich werden die das im Shop aber auch vorab schon checken... Am meisten Sorgen macht mir die Thematik mit den Intonationsproblemen wegen der "scheinbar" falsch montierten Brücke und der schlampige Sattel. Die Meteora sieht ja gut aus, das Kabelproblem ist keine große Sache für mich, obwohl ich das so nicht akzeptieren würde wenn ich sie im Geschäft kaufe. Aber Sattel und Brücke umbauen ist schon häftig. Habt ihr euch die Player Plus Telecaster mal angesehen? Und wie ist der Vergleich zu anderen aktuellen Fender Modellen? Die Special Edition Custom Tele gefällt mir auch gut, die wird in Indonesien gebaut, ob die dort besser arbeiten als in Mexico? Scheint hier wirklich Schwankungen in der Qualität zu geben, sowas ist echt nervig!!!
Hallo, freut mich, dass du zu uns gefunden hast. Wenn der Shop gewissenhaft arbeitet, dann würde ich schon meinen, dass er diese Fehler behebt oder gar von sich aus die Gitarre zurück schickt. Im Endeffekt sind es alles Sachen die extrem leicht zu detektieren sind. Ich würde halt genau drauf schauen und den Händler ggf. zur Verantwortung ziehen. Das ist letztendlich ein Garantiefall. Ein Sattel zu tauschen oder nach zu feilen ist das kleinere Problem, das würde mich nicht abschrecken, eine falsch montierte Brücke ist aber ein anderes Kaliber. Da würde ich einfach das Geschäft drauf hinweisen und der soll das mit Fender abklären, weil verkaufbar ist das auf keinen Fall. Beim Sattel würde ich darüber verhandeln ob ich einen Preisnachlass und einen Sattel bekomme und dann selbst fixen. Ich habe leider abseits der Meteora noch keine Player Plus in der Hand gehabt, lediglich von der Player Series. Daher kann ich da leider keine fundierte Antwort abgeben. Indonesische Gitarren habe ich letzthin ein paar Ibanez gespielt und auch Lukas' neue Strandberg ist aus Indonesien. Das waren allesamt Top Gitarren, wie sich aber Fender da anstellt ist halt wieder auf einem anderen Blatt geschrieben. Auch da muss ich leider passen, da ich zuletzt nur in meinem Lieblingsgitarrengeschäft war, welches aber keine Fender führt. Vielleicht kann dir Lukas da mehr helfen, ich werde ihn mal fragen. Btw. darf man fragen von wo in Österreich du bist? Schöne Grüße, Martin
@@LMGuitarCorner Hey danke für die rasche Antwort! Ich bin handwerklich nicht ungeschickt aber mit Sattel tauschen und feilen hatte ich noch nie zu tun und hab auch das Werkzeug nicht, löten hingegen kann ich und hab auch alles dafür zuhause, aber so hat eben jeder andere Voraussetzungen. Ich bin aus dem Raum Mödling in NÖ. Gitarren und anderes Equipment hab ich bisher ausschließlich bei Klangfarbe in Wien gekauft. Bisher war auch alles soweit ok. Die Squier Classic Vibe Strat die ich meinem Sohn gekauft habe, hatte auch ein kurioses Problem, als ich die nach einigen Wochen mal "nachjustieren" wollte, stellte sich raus, dass der Imbus vom Halsstab einfach fehlte bzw. nicht mit dem Halsstab verbunden war, jedenfalls eierte der Imbusschlüssel nur im Loch herum ohne irgendwo zu greifen. Die haben die Gitarre an Fender zurückgeschickt und ich hab dann, leider erst 3 Wochen später, eine neue bekommen. Sogesehen mache ich mir da eh keine großen Sorgen aber ich möchte trotzdem nur ungern viel Geld für ne Gitarre zahlen die dann einfach unnötige Probleme hat. Darum würd ich mir, zumindest von den genannten Fender Modellen, keine im Internet bestellen, der Rückversand bei Thoman aus AT ist ja auch nicht kostenlos, zumindest nur dann, wenn tatsächlich ein Defekt vorliegt und wie kluant die da sind weiß ich nicht. Finde es eh schade. dass die die Instrumente ungeprüft raus geben, das machen die im Geschäft sicher nicht und da kostet die Gitarre gleich viel. Aber ja, online muss immer alles schnell gehen.
Mit Klangfarbe hatte ich bislang auch nur gute Erfahrung. Bin ja immer wieder mal in Wien, und dann schau ich da vorbei. Das Problem bei der CV ist natürlich fies. So eine gebrochene Trussrod ist jetzt nicht das erste, das auffällt. Natürlich ist es ärgerlich, aber soweit ich das beurteilen kann, achten die da wirklich auch drauf, dass das Zeug passt. Auch die Gitarren die ich da vor Ort gespielt habe, hatten alle ein vernünftiges Setup und die Saiten waren auch in Ordnung, auch bei günstigen Modellen. Das kenne ich auch anders, wo Custom Shop Gibsons ein Häufchen Rost aufgespannt haben... Ich musste bei Thomann schon mal was zurück senden und das war absolut kein Problem. Allerdings hatte ich auch tatsächlich diverse QC Issues an der Gitarre, die gar nicht gingen. Aber eine falsch montierte Bridge fällt da auf jeden Fall darunter. Ich würde aber wenn möglich auch auf jeden Fall auf ein lokales Geschäft zurück greifen. Bez. Nut feilen, da kannst, wenn du es nicht oft brauchst, durchaus auch auf günstige Amazon Feilen zurück greifen. Bei all dem Zeug kommt es letztendlich nur auf Geduld drauf an. Vorsichtig, Schritt für Schritt und man kann dabei eigentlich nicht viel falsch machen. Zudem kostet so eine Nut auch nicht die Welt. Habe übrigens auch Lukas gefragt, er hat leider auch keine aktuellen Erfahrungswerte. Schöne Grüße, Martin PS: Vielen Dank für deinen Sub! :)
@@LMGuitarCorner Sehr cool, danke für das Teilen eurer Erfarhungen, das hilft mir in jedem Fall weiter. Ich hab jetzt echt schon oft und lang überlegt bei Thomann zu bestellen aber ich denke Premium kauft man doch leiber vor ort wo man vorher alles in Ruhe testen kann und wo man weiß, dass der Service passt. Vielleicht hol ich mir mal ne Harley Benton von Thoman, ich denk da kann man für recht kleines Geld durchaus ein gutes Instrument bekommen und bei den Preisen ist es auch nicht dramatisch wenn man dann selbst ein wenig dran rum feilt und schraubt bis es passt. Ich werd am Wochenende jedenfalls zur Klangfarbe gehen und mir dann endlich meine Gitarre holen, bin gespannt was es dann wirklich wird haha.
@@TheNightstalker80 Gerne doch. Die Harley Bentons können auch total "hit and miss" sein. Ich habe eine die wirklich sehr gut ist (Die Akkustik von welcher wir auch ein Buddy Review haben) und bei den anderen war bei allen einiges an Arbeit notwendig. Eine war eben so schlecht, dass ich sie auch zurück senden musste, mit abgebrochenem Binding welches Scharfkantig war, fehlendem Filler bei den Inlays, Luftblasen und Kratzer unter der clear coat... Aber wie gesagt, dahingehend ist meine Erfahrung mit Thomann auf jeden Fall spitze, die sind mit Retoursendungen echt unkompliziert. Aber du hast natürlich total recht, wenn möglich bevorzuge ich auch teurere Instrumente lokal zu beziehen. Zum Einen um die lokalen Geschäfte zu stärken, damit ich auch weiterhin kurzfristig Saiten bekommen kann, und zum Anderen einfach auch um das Instrument mal in der Hand gehalten zu haben. Ich erinnere mich gerne zurück als ich meine #1, die rote 335 gekauft habe. Das ist ein Studio Modell, aber hat alle teureren Gibsons in dem Geschäft in den Schatten gestellt. Und das nicht nur ein wenig. Insofern war das für mich schon sehr früh eine Lehre. ;) Schöne Grüße, Martin
The same problem - no ground (humming and buzzing) with new Meteora. And I dont know what to do. There is no any guitar master in my town. There is no way to send it back too. The only way is to fix it by my self ... some how. If someone have any instructions I''ll be greatful
Hey there, it's not really that hard, do you know how to solder? Most likely you're also missing a ground wire. The first thing I'd take a look at is the wire to the clamp of the trem, if that one has connection. If you want, you can also send us a picture of the wiring on IG and I can have a look at it. And guide you where the loose wire is. It may take me to answer though, as I don't look at it on mobile. Cheers, Martin
@@LMGuitarCorner I guess I know how to solder, but theres a butt...you know...Anyway, tomorrow I will meet with the guitar master I've found in our town. Let's see what he says. It seems we've found kinda common language. THANK YOU, Martin, I've noticed what you said. You're really care. I'll tell you how it was Cheers, Azamat
Good luck Azamat! Tell him you need all the ground wires checked, if they are connected, including the shielding of the pickup cable. If he's got any idea of what he's doing, then he should know what to do with that information and easily be able to spot and fix the problem. Cheers, Martin
I have the Meteora mk2 HH made in Mexico and had some QC problems. The frets were a bit sharp, perhaps due to changing weather. But the worst was the pickups would squeal. I had the covers taken off and that solved it. The problem was the gap between the cover and humbucker creates a vibration that turns into a squeal.
Mine does that too for certain pedal / amp combinations. My American Professional II Tele Deluxe as well, unfortunately. It must be because of the pickup construction, as you said. Apart from the QC issues, how do you like yours?
@@LMGuitarCorner Maybe try taking the pickup covers off. It stopped my Meteora from squealing. My Meteora is okay. It's a backup to my SG. But i enjoy playing the SG. The Meteora always seems a less attractive option. If i could swap my Meteora for another SG, I would. And I probably won't buy another Mexican Fender.
@@LMGuitarCorner You can do what I did: remove the covers, then put a piece of tape on the humbuckers, then reinstall the covers. Solved the squealing problem for me.
A distributor that doesn’t do QC unless it’s asked for😂 that sounds lazy af. Sweet water QC EVERYTHING And they even send you a text from a dedicated person who is an expert in that thing a day later to see if you’re happy.
I just received (and sent back) a Fender Strat' HSS. They called it "none blacker" with an ebony board and chrome covered bucker. It was a looker, b this was the first Fender I've ever thought just felt cheap...sort of like the import G&L's feel. It just seems the parts they are using are quite cheap and not making the guitar play and feel better. And then they've raised the price substantially. Are we on the verge of another quality dive from Fender in the search of ever increasing profits? We'll see.
Hey Jim. Sounds to me like you made the right thing. If the guitar doesn't feel right or even cheap, it's better to return it. Will you buy a Strat type from a different brand now? I can highly recommend the AZs from Ibanez. Cheers, Lukas
Fender Mexico is still screwing up big time. Received 2 Jag-Stangs and a Player Plus Tele with tons of issue. A sad state of affairs from such a legendary guitar maker.
@@LMGuitarCorner I contacted Fender and they had me take it to a "Fender Authorized Guitar Tech", which was at my local Guitar Center. They have apparently agreed to replace the tele outright, which will be at least a couple weeks to get in according to the tech, but they denied coverage on the jag-stang, as the tech claimed it looks like 3rd party work was done on the neck. In reality, I don't believe that is the case as I bought through a reputable seller and I find it highly unlikely that they sent the guitar out to rework the entire neck, then tried selling it as a new item. They would have just sent it back to fender. Plus it came in a sealed box from the Fender factory. I sent Fender's customer support an email about it and requested the case be escalated to their management. I really hope they can resolve the issue and get their quality back in line with Fender of old. If not, the seller has already agreed to refund me for the guitar if I need to send it back. It really sucks cause it has left a bad taste in my mouth and made me realize that you cannot buy a fender guitar without trying it first and many shops don't carry anything beyond standard strat and tele options. You can't get a Jazzmaster, Jaguar or Mustang at most of the music shops I've been to and they definitely don't carry signature models.
Oh man, what a hassle! Waiting for the Tele of course sucks, but the issues with the Jag-Stang is major pain in the.... Your point is very true, you only get the 'popular' models easily in shops. One possible solution is to buy online already thinking about sending it back when there are any problems. When I got the Meteora, it was on backorder when I received it. But thinking about it - not sending it back feels like a win for Fender which they don't deserve for sending out bad guitars... Shitty situation!
Update: Fender Replaced the Tele, but even the replacement had some issues. Notably some small finish blemishes on the neck but the worst was a large chip out of the poly clear coat on the headstock at the corner on the bass side. I am not happy with that, but Fender has been ignoring all email communications for the last 2 weeks, after telling me to take it to another shop, so they can have the claim submitted as they were putting on the tech as the reason why it wasn't done. The tech at GC said the rep he spoke with was trying to weasel out of doing anything about the jag-stang, but his first impression was that the fretboard issues were something that was worked on by a 3rd party and he was not convinced it was factory, as stated before, so I really don't believe it, but I also don't believe fender made any good faith effort to make that right, so I ended up sending it back to Adorama for a refund. Amazon did end up giving me a partial refund on the tele due to the issues, but I'm still going to try to get Fender to make it right, especially the poly chip on the headstock, but I may end up having that fixed by a local repair tech. I haven't fully decided yet, since I'm hoping Fender will own up to the issues. Other than that, the new Tele has a much better matched body, no dings, plus all the pickups actually work. The action is a tad low for my preference but it plays well, though the frets aren't great and could probably use a crowning, since they're fairly flat on top.
@@SMAAAASHTV Hey man. Wow what an odyssey you're going through... I'm really sorry to hear that. At least you got a discount for the Tele, but preferably you would get the blemishes fixed, maybe a neck replacement? Regarding the Jag-Stang - I think it was the right choice to send it back. Are you fed up with Fender yet after all your troubles? Cheers, Lukas
If you've already rolled the dice on QC, got your instrument with a flaw, and fixed it? There's no reason to roll the dice again. It's fixed. The next one can either be awesome, like the one you got, or maybe worse, with another flaw that needs fixing or maybe one that can't be fixed. €100 for your trouble seems pretty good.
I fully agee. A couple of months have passed since I've filmed the video. I'm very happy with the Meteora now and (almost) forgot about the initial issues ;) Cheers, Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner awesome! I was thinking of asking you to follow up, but didn't want to demand your time. Your guitar is very pretty. I'm thinking of buying one, but am hesitant to trust the quality of the pickups. Inexpensive humbuckers (like on my Squier HSS strat) can feel pretty lifeless. Don't want to be stuck without single coils if the humbuckers aren't good quality.
Thanks! Feel free to ask anything you want, I'm happy to help. Personally, I really like the sound of the Fireball pickups and have no plans to change them. I also like the split coil tones. If you have the chance I highly recommend either trying before buying (mostly because of QC issues) or order them at place with a good return policy. Cheers, Lukas
unfortunately, this appears to be how Fender is controlling costs. NO case, major QC issue. truthfully, this is what you expect from Chinese manufacturers.
"... I was adjusting the truss rod ..." On a brand-spanking new guitar? Why would You do that, instead of shipping Your new guitar back, seeing as it had an uneven neck?
Adjusting the truss rod to get the right amount of relief is a personal setup preference and should not be a reason to return a guitar - at least in my opinion. Cheers
Great video. I ordered a Bel-Air Blue Meteora and it was cool… but it just didn’t feel like me, so I took it back and got the green one, and I love it. I find the pickups generate a fair bit of feedback, and are a little bit noisy, especially for humbuckers… I don’t think it’s necessarily just the guitar I kept, because I think both did it… I’m not sure if you have found that? I might take it in and have it looked at, but it definitely feels great and sounds good while playing it, but when you’re not strumming it just seems unusual.
Hey, thanks a lot! The green one looks great, my personal second favorite. Regarding the pickups - that's a tricky question to answer without knowing your setup. How much gain are you using? Is the noise still there when you roll off the volume? What kind of feedback (high pitched squeal? Noticed that with my Am Pro II Tele Deluxe, which also has humbuckers) and so on... If it's not the cable, you sitting too close to the amp and only happens with the Meteora, it might make sense to have it checked. I assume you did go through all the PU positions, tried it with and without coil split and touched the PU covers to make sure its not a grounding problem like with mine? Cheers, Lukas
@@LMGuitarCorner I am fairly close to the amp (but it’s still there if I walk away a fair bit), and I’m using an Ibanez Smash Box distortion pedal. I do have the gain levels up high. However, I tried a couple other guitars (two Jaguars, one with single coils and one with humbuckers)… both seem much less noisy. Hard to tell if it’s just less output pickups though. Touching the metal hardware or pickups does not duplicate the issues you had though, so it’s maybe not the same issue you had. There was also a bit of crackling with the Smash Box on but that just seemed to go away after a couple minutes. The pickups are set pretty low in the body similar to how yours were described. I will probably bring it in to the store and have them look at it. Although after I commented yesterday, I hooked it back up and turned the level down on the pedal and the high pitch feedback went away (mostly), but it’s still kind of a noisy guitar in all positions. Thanks for the reply!
@@GamerPastHisPrime you're welcome! It might be the same issue I have with the Am Pro II Tele Deluxe then... But yeah, definitely a good idea to have it looked at. Cheers
@@LMGuitarCorner I took it in for a set up (comes free with the purchase), they are going to check out the electronics. I’ll let you know if they find anything.
@@LMGuitarCorner so I got it back and they did a set up and tried to examine the electronics and they said they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. So I brought it home and it’s still loud and has a fair bit of hum and some feedback… lol so I don’t know. I still like how it sounds overall and it’s mostly just when I use the Ibanez Smash Box, but figured I’d let you know if you were curious. Thanks gain for the video!
Hey! How would you say this guitar compares to the American Professional II Telecaster HH if money isn't an issue? Those two guitars are pretty much neck and neck for me right now.
Hey! In terms of overall quality and feel, I would always choose the American Professional II Telecaster Deluxe, especially if money is not an issue. So far I've heard mostly really good things about the Am Professional Series. If you have any specific questions just let me know! Cheers, Lukas
Hey there. Good question! Unfortunately, I don't have a clue if Fender has any plans in this regard. I would love to see a made in USA version being part of their standard product line. Cheers, Lukas
Hey! There is most likely no objective answer to that. Some people just prefer one pickup over the other :) If you like the sound of one particular guitar / model, I think it doesn't matter where the pickups were made. Personally, I don't think there is a big gap. I love the sound of my 3 Made in Mexico Fenders! Cheers, Lukas
I had this exact feeling about my player plus meteora. it's a shame. beautiful but I didn't feel like putting the work into another guitar to make it play well.
Hey there. So I guess you returned it to the dealer/retailer then? It's really a shame, but if you check out the other comments under this video or our QC talk video which we released shortly after, you'll see that it is unfortunately way too common to have issues with the Player Plus Meteora. Cheers Lukas
I’m wondering if the issues you experienced would be caught by Sweetwater here in America? They claim to do a 55 point inspection so I can’t imagine the ground problem getting by them. They Plek them also - for a hefty price. I bought an Indonesian Tele that had no problems, but again, one would think they’d catch stuff like that? Fender better treat Sweetwater right if they are at the gate, protecting their reputation. Yeesh.
Hey Woody, thanks for commenting. I hope the 55 point inspection saves consumers in the US from these flaws and problems of a brand new guitar! Thomann does not offer that as a basic/included service for all instruments of a certain price point, unfortunately. Cheers, Lukas
I wanted the Meteora bass so bad, I had the money, and was ready to throw down on it. I played two of them. The CQ was so bad on both I just bought a jazz bass over it.
CQ issues on the basses I played if interested. 1. Uneven fret work 2. Sharp frets on the side 3. Glue spots on most of the frets 4. Glue or some kind of compound covered the board. 5. Scratchy pots 6. Blemishes on the body 7. Poor set up I could fix all that, except the body ding. For 1200 I didn’t want to do that my time is of value to me. Neither place would give me a deal on them. They acknowledged the problems but because they were new and the first run of them. They wanted to get top dollar.
Wow, that's really disappointing. Also from the stores. At least Lukas got a discount on his. In general I'm really disappointed with Fender on this series. To me it almost seems like a deliberate business decision to make use of the demand to save on QC. I have the feeling they are fully aware of delivering sub quality products but they don't care as they sell anyway. Almost like gaming companies behave with pre-orders. I'm disgusted by this, especially as I've made almost exclusively good experience with them up until now. Cheers, Martin
@@LMGuitarCorner it was so weird to me. I didn’t expect it. I do really like Fender. The MIM guitars I played the Meteora guitar they had too and it had good fret work. So I would never say, avoid the Mexican stuff. It might be they were trying to get them out fast. The meteora body shape is comfortable. That’s great he got a deal in the end. The end of the story was I did get a MIM fender player plus jazz bass at my friends shop. They said that a lot of the stuff is hit and miss. So not all the made in Mexico stuff is bad. You just really have to get your hands on one first. I would never blind buy one. That would be my suggestion.
Yeah, I have two MIM Fenders, both great guitars. But the issues with the Meteora were extremely shocking to me. We also talk about this in our newest video, because I felt it was necessary to tackle this again. The flaws I've seen on so many meteora reviews and owner stories were so apparent, that I have no idea how these can leave Fender if there is any QC. It was heartbreaking, as I only had good experience with them until now. And yeah, I agree nowadays it's probably really necessary to try any guitar before buying one, or at least have a good return policy at your online store of choice and set the expectations, so you're prepared to send it back. A few years ago this wasn't the case imho. Cheers, Martin
So, this is a year later, and the comments are just full of stories about having to fix a bunch of stuff on these guitars. Love the shape but I’ll pass.
What I would have done would be to pay the extra for a set up. I'm extremely surprised that Thomann does not provide that service on guitar at this price point. Sweetwater provides a 55 point inspection on any guitar over 399. If I can't play a guitar before purchasing, I would insist on a set up/ qc check by the seller. I certainly hope Fender's amp qv is better. An unsecured ground could instantly kill you on an amp.
Hey Elliott. Thanks for the comment. I was also surprised that they (Thomann) do not check it at all. In the future, I'll definitely ask for a setup. I was just playing it today. I (almost) forgot all the issues it previously had. It's a great playing and sounding guitar now. Definitely a keeper if everything works ;) Cheers, Lukas
THANK YOU For the heads up!!! They just lost my business... I was about to buy 2 of them... One for me, and one for my little brother... Wow... Unforgivable QC issue... NO WAY FENDER!!!!
Hey there. You're welcome! If you have the chance, buy them from a reputable, physical store that has them in stock and give them a thorough test ride. Now that the issues are fixed, I enjoy my Meteora a lot. I hope that not every Meteora has QC Issues... But what I've seen and heard, my guitar is far from a single incident, unfortunately. Cheers, Lukas
Hahaha nope, not really. You know, as a father of two small kids, I'm stopping them from eating their toys and whatnot... So no, stuff like that gets thrown away immediately. Cheers
You have every reason to be angry about the QC issues. Not good enough for a thousand euro guitar. I bought a lot of guitars in the last 12 months - 19 actually (don’t ask, difficult time in my life- healthy therapy). Mostly Epiphone, Squier, Gretsch, plus a Yamaha and a MIM Fender). I’ve had no issues with the Chinese guitars. Meanwhile I can’t find a Gibson that I can play for more than a couple of minutes because of the poor fit and finish. These companies need to do better. That issue you mention should have been picked up with a simple QC check at the factory. Doesn’t get more basic than that.
Thanks David, totally agree. Which guitar of the 19 you bought was the best in terms of QC, fit and finish and setup? I'll soon receive a Strandberg Boden Standard (Made in Indonesia)... Can't wait to find out how good that one is, got it at a discount (sold as a Refurb by Strandberg). Cheers Lukas
That toy, as you call it, is really handy. You're way faster than by hand. Two to three passes up and down the neck per string and the strings are rock stable. StringStretcha claims also, that the strings are more consistently stretched and more stable than stretched by hand. Can't confirm nor deny it, as I also got them perfectly fine by hand, but it took way longer for the same result. It's also a huge relief for the hands if you're restringing more than one guitar. Lukas also thought of it as a toy until I gifted him the second I got. He quickly changed his mind. ;) Cheers, Martin
@@bluwng You're welcome. We have a short on our channel which demonstrates how well it works. It's my favorite tool as it removed the annoying part of the string change for me. As I'm using mostly 11s, stretching the strings by hand did really cut into them. Cheers, Martin
Get a Schecter, or other high value/high craftsmanship/lower cost manufacturer, and get a LOT more guitar and quality for your money. Get a Fender, pay for F E N D E R, and get underwhelming craftsmanship. If you buy high end Fenders with disposal income, THEN you'll have a good instrument. If you are not in the category, stay away from the name.
So far my experiences with Fender products have been really good and personally, I wouldn't call the craftsmanship underwhelming in general. Before the Meteora I already owned 2 Mexican and 2 American made guitars. I'm not sure which models (or just custom shop?) you are referring to when you say high end Fenders. Anyway, you definitely pay for the name/brand and I agree with you that many guitars out of Indonesia or Korea at a similar or lower price point are of higher quality. Cheers, Lukas
And unfortunately, the situation has improved since I uploaded the video. Take the Tom Delong strat for example... Many RU-vidrs reported issues. Cheers, Lukas
I'm pretty outspoken on the garbage QC Fender has in their US production models but a single grounding issue is not "Major QC issues" for goodness sake. Disappointing but you take it into any Fender authorized service center and they'd fix that in an hour. You seriously exaggerated the depth of the problem.
I disagree with you there. It may not be a major issue, but it's a major QC issue because it should be obvious if you have any knowledge of an electric guitar and you do a basic function check. A person doing any QC is should have such knowledge and a function check should be part of the QC. This tells me they put very little effort in QC if any at all, so again even though it is not a major issue on the guitar it is a major QC issue in my book. Cheers, Martin
It's funny what some consider minor and others major. New guitars shouldn't be like this right out of the box. They should not need any repairs or fixing whatsoever if the quality control is up to par. We don't have to agree on that, but that's my point of view. Cheers, Lukas
Yeah, you can call it that way. However the shielding of the pickup wire grounding the pickup housing was cut off together with the insulation of the cable when they cut it off to expose the wires. So this one was a fault when wiring it and they didn't bother to fix it. I carefully removed some more to again expose some shielding. The other wire was simply not finished. Not sure if that makes it any better though... Cheers, Martin
Yup, it is. What concerns me is that the quality control doesn't seem to have improved much since we released the video almost a year ago. We are a small channel but we get comments on a regular basis about new Fenders (made in USA) with serious issues. Cheers, Lukas
@L&M Guitar Corner Bought one myself recently. Sharp frets, trussed not even engaged. They had literally put the parts together and sent it out the door. There can't have been any post assembly inspection at all. Ironically I bought a Gibson LP Gokdtop a year ago and it's flawless
Hey there. Did you keep your Meteora and fix the issues? Also, I think Gibson's reputation is worse than they deserve nowadays. They stepped up their game in my opinion. Cheers
@@LMGuitarCorner I don't really have anywhere to try guitars out near to where I live so I decided to just sink money into the guitar and have a luthier wor, his magic on the guitar. It's beautiful to play now, but it sacks to have to throw so much money at it
Saya menyukai 🎸 tetapi saya orang miskin tidak bisa membeli gitar listrik seperti itu, tetapi saya tertarik dengan gitar listrik itu karena saya hanya mempunyai 1 gitar akustik wow sungguh bagus gitar listriknya
1400 cad for a mexican fender better be pretty perfect when I paid 600 for my mim tele new in 2019, and my friend paid 1400 cad for an american hss strat in 2019. Garbage.
The Meteora's they did just a few years ago had many QC problems. Those guitars had humbuckers a string thru hardtail a switch to flip the volume pot position around and 3 colors Lake Placid Blue, Candy Apple Red and Surf Green they sold for $999 bucks US. I have the Surf Green one
@@LMGuitarCorner mine was ok but I had to dig thru a few to get the best one. I read a lot of bad complaints in blogs about the guitar. I also plan on doing pick up upgrade I have them I just got take time to install them
