Fender should be disgusted with themselves sending out poorly assembled guitars with zero quality control.
At this price point it is fraud in my opinion.
I am keeping the guitar because I have waited a long time for these to be produced and once I had finished with the rework it plays and sounds as I expected.
1. Bridge screws not fully installed..
2. 3 raised frets that needed repseating.
3. Pickup rubber mounts to short to actually keep the pickups secured to the pickguard, replaced with longer ones.
4. Wiring an absolute mess, I redid it from scratch
5. 4 scratched frets that needed rework.
6. All frets needed polishing.
7. Fretboard so dry and splinters of wood from the scalloping, gently sanded smooth and applied lemon oil.
8. Bottom Dunlop strap lock in correctly installed.
I am honestly at a loss, this guitar cost 1500 Euro and it felt like it was assembled and setup by infants..
The individual components, bar the fretwork are good quality, the paintwork is perfect and once all the faults had been rectified and some much needed TLC the guitar performs fantastically, neck profile is fast yet enough to grab hold of.
Anyway... I've said enough.
Fender have insulted Ritchie Blackmore as far as I'm concerned
