Astonishing work. Thank you for producing and sharing with the world. I fell in love with the Telecaster shape b/c of Prince's non-telecaster copy cat guitar that he would have pictured on his 45 and extended EPS.
Thank you Mary for this amazing tour! It was nice to see younger sisters of my Dark Night Strat being born ;) How I wish I were there someday. And your voice is so silky and clear, you could talk about digging a sand on a desert and it wouldn't be boring :)
The scene at the end where he said he loves his job, was fantastic. This video was so well made, Fender should use this video in their marketing. Makes me want to start playing guitar.
@@christianlacheze3323 Yes, nothing about the ruinous pickguard I got that had screws so far off the mark we had to chisel out 3/16" to clear the bridge plate. Another guy got one that looked like a kid's shop class cut it.
The best description of the Fender Stratocaster that I’ve ever heard was from the late great Jeff Beck (RIP). Jeff was the subject of one of those TV specials “Jeff Beck Talks Music”. When the interviewer asked Jeff why the Strat was his “weapon of choice”, Jeff said that the guitar gave him “endless colour”. Jeff then gave a pretty comprehensive demonstration of all of the styles of guitar that he could wring out of the instrument. I then realised why Jeff was/is held in such high esteem by his peers and fans alike. Jeff Beck - Master of The Stratocaster, May You Rest In Peace sir.
I am a huge fan of Jeff Beck, and was genuinely grieving for days after he passed. That one sentence of his sums up the appeal of the Stratocaster for mere mortal players, let alone the great master.
This is not a vlog, it's a documentary!❤ skilfully recorded and edited. Your smooth and warm voice blends nicely with one your host has (loud and clear). Happy anniversary Fender!
Can’t believe some of those machines are from 1950!! And still in use. Great video. Fascinating. I’ll never look at my strats and teles the same way. Thanks so much.
I find it really cool that my Corona made Stratocaster was made in that same factory , using the same machinery 25 years ago . Its the best guitar ive ever owned and it sounds incredible and plays like butter .
I’m just a 20 minute drive from the Corona factory. I hope California was kind to you. Your videos are so next level compared to other RUclipsrs. Very accurate, informative, and arresting, meaning I couldn’t look away, and was frustrated every time RUclips interrupted you with a commercial. You do fantastic work Mary, and your passion shows through in your professionalism, understanding, and deep passion for all things musical. Thank you 🙏 😊
1. Glad it wasn't a 1 hour + video. 2. Great video/editing. 3. My gawd, I could listen to your voice (singing & speaking), all day long!! Thank you for being you!
As my baby ages, its origin story becomes increasingly mysterious to me. Built when I was three, we met when it was ten and I was thirteen and we are daily companions. Now sixty-six years old, my 1958 Stratocaster is a wonder, made of apparently perfect wood holding its shape to perfection throughout most of Fender’s history. It seems to get stronger.
If Mary ever gets tired of being a musician, she could have a great career as a voice over artist and narrator. She really has the most posh accent and lovely voice
As a Bass player, the Fender Precision Bass is a timeless classic, still used today by countless artists it will never go out of style.I have had my Made In Mexico Fender Prcision Bass for 4 years and it still plays great.
Can't help but want one of these after hearing Mary speak about it. Her wisdom and passion about guitars 🎸❤ is spot on and I could listen to her beautiful voice whether she's singing or talking all day. I enjoyed this video and hope you stay blessed Mary Spender.
I did a tour of the Fender plant in Corona, CA 10 years ago with David Brown and it was just amazing. The plant is amazing-clean, well lit and massive. There is so much more to see than what is in this video. Everyone there was upbeat and pleasant-all lovers of things Fender. I did a tour of Gibson in Memphis, TN 2 weeks later and the old factory was dark and dirty. Very low tech. The tour leader obviously did not play guitar. People were depressed it seemed. Fender is ultra modern with CNC yet all goes to hands on building. Fender tour also included the Custom shop. On the tour they said you could put "dibs" on a guitar or bass if you wanted to take it home. A great experience.
Same here, did also the tour with David about 10 years ago. At the end of the tour he pulled out a very nice Tele special in white wirh flamey neck, which I liked very much, but I was unsure how to get it through customs when heading home. Seems he was at GL for some time. Glad he’s doing good. 👍
The magic is at the 17:30-ish mark when he starts talking about that guitar and how cool it is. You can just tell when a guitar is special and someone's love for guitars is infectious.
I always love watching factory tours and yours are one of the best, well edited, clear voiceover and a soothing vibe overall. It's also pretty special to me as a viewer this time around as there's an albeit small chance you saw my '54 in the process of being made. I had my eyes on the Custom Shop '55 for a while now and then the '54 got announced and presented a much more attractive spec and price. Fender tours always carry a much more approachable and friendly nature to what you'd get with a Gibson tour (the recent ones shot by Anderton's was definitely less cold than previous ones however)
Thank you, Mary, for a.simply awesome tour of Fender. So thorough, yet concise, with perfect length of commentary and content. This was way better than any Discovery Channel documentary to me. So much appreciate what you do. Thank you again!!!
I loved this! I worked in manufacturing most of my life, used CNC machines similar to the ones cutting the bodies and necks. My first job was in a machine shop in 1977 on Fender avenue in Fullerton Ca. I was told that Leo Fender owned all the buildings on that street. Also in the early 2000's the company I worked for moved to Corona Ca. within about a few miles of the Fender factory. I have built a few Appalachian style banjos, tried to play several instruments, but my joke is that I play the stereo best. It was great to see the factory tour, thanks!
Great video! This is the best guitar video I've watched this year so far and I don't think anything would beat this video. Everyone who loves Fender guitars and basses would love this video.
Mary, yet another amazing video by a wonderfully talented, knowledgeable, guitar player. Your interview skills and persona are second to none. Thanks again for teaching me so much. I appreciate you.
I am not a guitarist but this tour was fabulous. It really showed me how the process shows the care each instrument get its sound and looks. Thank you for taking me on your. God Bless, be safe and be well. 🎸🎸🙏❤️
I got so excited when I saw this vid in my recommended. I borrowed a Strat from a friend for 3 months and before i had a chance to even give it back, I already bought my own strat and it’s been my favorite thing ever since.
When the video started I was like “I’ve seen so many factory tours”. But you actually managed to tell your own story with this video and there are lots of things in there I haven’t seen yet. Like the computer aided wood matching in the beginning!
Why is the fretboard scarf-cut curved upwards instead of straight at 6:22? All American made ones have that except for MiM and Japan. I have an AM Pro ii Strat that has it and the strings touch it causing tuning stability issues. I don't even have that many wraps around the tuning peg.
That tele looks great. I love the burst on that pine grain. I agree with you. The airbrush was a great option choice. It's still an affordable way to spray the black.
Great video of a great guitar, about 50 years ago i went to my brothers stagparty and was admiring the guitars of the live band ,when a friend of my brother said that guitar is a Fender the best guitars i n the world ,i promised myself i would have one some day when i could afford one ,i now own more than one, having a Fender is like owning a Ferrari ,a legend ,really enjoyed the video😅
I enjoyed this video never was able to afford a fender my entire life and surprisingly I just received an all original 68 mustang in Daphne blue for Christmas.
At the 2:00 mark you see someone rounding the edges of the fretboard with a razorblade. So for those of you who ever wondered how these "master craftsman" do it... there ya go!! Nice share, Mary! Thank you!! Cheers!!
I have that shirt he's wearing ... He been in my closet? My very first guitar was a 1954 Stratocaster that my just divorced dad gave me for Christmas in 1963. Prior to that, I was playing my older brother's brand new 1960 Jazzmaster through his 1960 PRO amp. I would later lose my Stratocaster out the back of his 1961 Ford station wagon when we played in Palatka, Florida, dropped off our drummer on the westside of Jacksonville, forgot to put up the back window then stopped to pay toll on the old Fuller Warren crossing the St Johns. It went sliding out the back when my brother gassed that wagon. It fell out onto the Jacksonville expressway and some kind person stopped and hauled Stratocaster into the darkness. That was July of 1965. My brother would lose his Jazzmaster and Pro amp and fairly new reverb tank when he moved to Tallahassee in 1966 and had to pawn it all to live on. Hey, Mary! One of these Master Builders needs to be building me a '54!! Like my original Stratocaster hero used to sing, "Well, That'll Be The Day"! 🙂
WOW . . . there needs to be more exposure for this Fender Factory in Corona. Way more ! We see all of the other factories too much. And I have seen the Fender Amp factory. But the Fender guitar factory for an instrument that has played, and continues to play, such a large part of my musical life is emotional and magical. The same magic that is in music itself. I see an individual component that is partially completed and I get a flash of "I know this, this shape is a part of me, it is in my genetic make up, it feels like home". Then I place it as being a part of my Tele. The musical conveyance that is a part of me. And it so nice to see that Fender is a positive friendly bright work space that takes the care and does it right. (Not the toxicity that we see and hear from other large manufacturers for example.) Thank you Mary. Now fly right back there over the ocean again and do some shows on more detail of specific stations and areas ! .:) Is early next week for four shows enough time ?
Never owned a Fender but I have played both a strat and a tele of which I used a tele to record the lead guitar bits on our bands 3rd album. I actually preferred the tele because it felt more naturally comfortable to me. The strat neck felt clunky like I was holding a round chunk of wood which is more than likely due to that particular models neck radius, I think it was a 'U-Shape' neck and the tele was more a traditional 'C-Shape' or faster 'D-Shape' I'm not sure. The engineer told me both Fenders were custom built for the owner of the studio of which our band recorded in. Great guitars with fantastic tone.
Dear Mary, thank you and thank you again for this show. It was the best thing I've seen in a long time, and I hope to have a fender some day. I love the detail work,, different stages and how each part is specially made by special people who work with just that process to get it all right. It made me commit to doing my work with more concern.🖤💜💙💛🧡❤
Nothing like a custom shop Strat. The feel, finish and sound are something to behold. Great vid Mary.. So glad you did it. Hope to see you perform live someday. From east Kentucky USA. Take care.
I met Dave when we took the factory tour the year they first started doing the tour I think it was 2012 It was amazing. He is so knowledgeable and gave a great tour.
I always pictured elves working their magic in the Custom Shop. Getting to spec my Strat was one of the most fun things I've ever done. Most fun was getting it and having it exceed my expectations.
I’ve been on the tour 3 times. Always an amazing experience, they have it down. They also have an amp section as well. The finish part is really special, alit more work than I thought.
A very fine documentary! It's not really true though that anyone can order their dream guitar from "The Mod shop". You should add: "Anyone who is loaded with money." Some of us have to make do with a Made in Mexico Stratocaster, but I'm not complaining, since I love my Mexican friend.
What a great video! Your production value is applied with impeccable taste. I can so relate to many parts of this .I've worked in the tool and die trade most of my life and appreciate the time you gave that segment, right down to the punch presses in action. And that part at the end where he's talking about being greatful to have such a Job, I almost teared up. You must have made him feel very comfortable to open up like that.
3 Mod Shop Strats for me. Like you said, it's really great for left-handed players like myself that cannot find what they want from standard retailers. A wonderful video/tour, Mary!
Thanks Mary! I got a couple connections to fender besides owning a few and restricting a few as well. My buddy Tracey Chapman has worked there for years and a local customer is one of their label/decal vendors. It’s cool growing up so close. I will say I hope you checked out the snow which is less than an hour away but even more fun and more of what Southern California is all about, the beaches. 😅 I’m 61, till I was 18, corona was where we rode dirt bikes. In the late 80s the inland empire which is where corona is blew up when new housing developments appeared with homes at a fraction of the cost closer to the ocean. Now there’s an hours worth of traffic towards the beach in the morning and the same the other way in the evening (maybe more). Fullerton which is in the best county. (Orange) it a pretty cool spot “DTF” is known for lots of bars and restaurants , collage townish. Too far from the ocean though. If you live on the beach side of the 405 in OC you only need air con 2 weeks a year and heat the same amount of time. If you missed it on this trip, come back and you aren’t gonna hate it.
Right after this I watched Cleo Abrams tour the Red Bull Formula 1 facility. Very different products, but both the product of extraordinary craft and dedication. Two fascinating videos!
I'm not a guiarist but I love the sounds and the extreme variety. I am an artist and those boxes are absolutely gorgeous. I'm also an engineer and I appreciate the engineering. I'm also a nascent woodworker: OMG those things are extraordinarily beautiful. I'm running out of suprelatives, here, but the video, its filming, its narration, your "tour leader," and all the production were superb! You should give yourself tea and a bisquit! (If you're back in the UK, if you are "here'" give yourself tea and a cookie.😊)
WOW -- what a presentation. This is not a RUclips video, this is a world class historical Documentary. You have the most soothing, clear, and proper voice for hosting this style of video. Bravo Mary!! Now that I know the way Fender makes that perfect sound (The two Coke Cans and a Water Bottle) I can sleep at night. God Bless you Mary. Perfect video.
So much respect for the master craftsmen who create these beauties...no matter the product. Enjoyed this and Martin tours..tho the Martin history was a 👍missing with strat vid. Beautiful specimens
Very interesting. When I was a guitarist I always played Fender. I still have my 1965 Jaguar that I bought new when Surf music was all the rage. Since I switched to playing the pedal steel guitar many years ago I haven’t played guitar as much. Enjoyed this video very much. Thank You.
@stephentodd4895 Hiya Stephen..I saw and read ur comment, about the Strat. and found ur background interesting.. what kind of music did you play ?? Probably shouldn't have said " did " , so I'll replace it with the word, do lol. Do you play country ?? When you swapped over from guitar to steel , what type of music were you playing then ??? Sorry bud , I wasn't even thinking. Here I am bombarding you with all these questions , and ur probably thinking ( and rightfully so lol ) , who is this guy, and what's his bleeping problem ??? Well, I actually have just one more question, then I'm done. What kind of steel do you play now...??? MSA...Gibson...Emmons...any of these ?? I apologize for hitting you with all of this, my friend. I play country music myself, but while I love an old Strat , personally I prefer a Tele... no biggie ofc, it's just a matter of preference is all.. anyway, if you choose not to reply, I wouldn't blame ya..!!! Lol.. hagd and many blessings to all... 😊😊
A wonderfully-done Fender commercial, Mary. It's low-end, and not a custom shop job, but I do have a Strat, purchased new in 1986. It still plays great, and sounds just like a Strat should.
Absolutely brilliant information on the Stratocaster, 3 single coil pickups are nice and a Floyd rose tremolo for effects thank you for sharing with us
I’m glad to have two guitars built right there in corona. Got them in the 00s back when they were still affordable. Amazing part of California history and my two favorite guitar I own
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Astonishing work. Thank you for producing and sharing with the world. I fell in love with the Telecaster shape b/c of Prince's non-telecaster copy cat guitar that he would have pictured on his 45 and extended EPS.
Your cinema is astonishing.
Thank You Mary
Amazing Content, Thank You
I’m going see if they can create a guitar that I use to have that I lost to a pawn shop that I had custom setup.
Thank you Mary for this amazing tour! It was nice to see younger sisters of my Dark Night Strat being born ;) How I wish I were there someday. And your voice is so silky and clear, you could talk about digging a sand on a desert and it wouldn't be boring :)
Spender meets Fender. A match made in heaven ❤
Spender spends a day at Fender
I hear a signature model in the making...
Mary spender builds a Fender
Went on a bender with spender at fender. Now back to the UK. Return to sender…
When it comes to Fender, Mary's a big spender. Badum tss.
The scene at the end where he said he loves his job, was fantastic.
This video was so well made, Fender should use this video in their marketing. Makes me want to start playing guitar.
That's what I was thinking too. It looks like a fantastic place to work.
A masterbuilt is around $7-10k US
The pride he feels shined through better than a Custom Shop finish...
Can’t you see this is a Fender-sponsored video?
@@christianlacheze3323 Yes, nothing about the ruinous pickguard I got that had screws so far off the mark we had to chisel out 3/16" to clear the bridge plate. Another guy got one that looked like a kid's shop class cut it.
Mary Spender’s voice is perfect for voice-over narration. I could listen to her all day long. Her music is pretty cool too.
I wish she would do sleep stories for the Calm app
LOVE her voice
Strongly agreed
I can already imagine Mary doing a NatGeo or Discovery documentary voice over.
I just posted the same thing. She has the most posh accent and beautiful speaking voice
The best description of the Fender Stratocaster that I’ve ever heard was from the late great Jeff Beck (RIP). Jeff was the subject of one of those TV specials “Jeff Beck Talks Music”. When the interviewer asked Jeff why the Strat was his “weapon of choice”, Jeff said that the guitar gave him “endless colour”. Jeff then gave a pretty comprehensive demonstration of all of the styles of guitar that he could wring out of the instrument. I then realised why Jeff was/is held in such high esteem by his peers and fans alike.
Jeff Beck - Master of The Stratocaster, May You Rest In Peace sir.
I am a huge fan of Jeff Beck, and was genuinely grieving for days after he passed. That one sentence of his sums up the appeal of the Stratocaster for mere mortal players, let alone the great master.
This is not a vlog, it's a documentary!❤ skilfully recorded and edited.
Your smooth and warm voice blends nicely with one your host has (loud and clear).
Happy anniversary Fender!
Can’t believe some of those machines are from 1950!! And still in use. Great video. Fascinating. I’ll never look at my strats and teles the same way. Thanks so much.
I find it really cool that my Corona made Stratocaster was made in that same factory , using the same machinery 25 years ago . Its the best guitar ive ever owned and it sounds incredible and plays like butter .
I’m just a 20 minute drive from the Corona factory. I hope California was kind to you. Your videos are so next level compared to other RUclipsrs. Very accurate, informative, and arresting, meaning I couldn’t look away, and was frustrated every time RUclips interrupted you with a commercial. You do fantastic work Mary, and your passion shows through in your professionalism, understanding, and deep passion for all things musical. Thank you 🙏 😊
1. Glad it wasn't a 1 hour + video. 2. Great video/editing. 3. My gawd, I could listen to your voice (singing & speaking), all day long!! Thank you for being you!
As my baby ages, its origin story becomes increasingly mysterious to me. Built when I was three, we met when it was ten and I was thirteen and we are daily companions. Now sixty-six years old, my 1958 Stratocaster is a wonder, made of apparently perfect wood holding its shape to perfection throughout most of Fender’s history. It seems to get stronger.
What's the color?
If Mary ever gets tired of being a musician, she could have a great career as a voice over artist and narrator. She really has the most posh accent and lovely voice
As a Bass player, the Fender Precision Bass is a timeless classic, still used today by countless artists it will never go out of style.I have had my Made In Mexico Fender Prcision Bass for 4 years and it still plays great.
Spent countless hours at Fender right down the street here in Corona. Met Eric Johnson there and many others. My tech and I love hanging there!
I love the Strat above and beyond ANY other guitar. It's perfect! The Tele is a close second.
I could watch this over and over. And I probably will. Thanks Mary
The cinematography was great on this one. You really did a great work!
Took a beautiful Brit to give us the best American guitar factory tour! Well done, Mary. 😍
Thanks Britain lady.
The master builder. The master storyteller. Beautiful.
Thanks, Mary and Fender!
Can't help but want one of these after hearing Mary speak about it. Her wisdom and passion about guitars 🎸❤ is spot on and I could listen to her beautiful voice whether she's singing or talking all day. I enjoyed this video and hope you stay blessed Mary Spender.
Fantastic educational video, I'd love to go on a Fender Factory Tour. Thanks, Mary 😊
I did a tour of the Fender plant in Corona, CA 10 years ago with David Brown and it was just amazing. The plant is amazing-clean, well lit and massive. There is so much more to see than what is in this video. Everyone there was upbeat and pleasant-all lovers of things Fender. I did a tour of Gibson in Memphis, TN 2 weeks later and the old factory was dark and dirty. Very low tech. The tour leader obviously did not play guitar. People were depressed it seemed. Fender is ultra modern with CNC yet all goes to hands on building. Fender tour also included the Custom shop. On the tour they said you could put "dibs" on a guitar or bass if you wanted to take it home. A great experience.
Same here, did also the tour with David about 10 years ago. At the end of the tour he pulled out a very nice Tele special in white wirh flamey neck, which I liked very much, but I was unsure how to get it through customs when heading home. Seems he was at GL for some time. Glad he’s doing good. 👍
The magic is at the 17:30-ish mark when he starts talking about that guitar and how cool it is. You can just tell when a guitar is special and someone's love for guitars is infectious.
this video is as lovingly put together as a fender guitar
I always love watching factory tours and yours are one of the best, well edited, clear voiceover and a soothing vibe overall.
It's also pretty special to me as a viewer this time around as there's an albeit small chance you saw my '54 in the process of being made. I had my eyes on the Custom Shop '55 for a while now and then the '54 got announced and presented a much more attractive spec and price.
Fender tours always carry a much more approachable and friendly nature to what you'd get with a Gibson tour (the recent ones shot by Anderton's was definitely less cold than previous ones however)
Thank you, Mary, for a.simply awesome tour of Fender. So thorough, yet concise, with perfect length of commentary and content. This was way better than any Discovery Channel documentary to me. So much appreciate what you do. Thank you again!!!
I loved this! I worked in manufacturing most of my life, used CNC machines similar to the ones cutting the bodies and necks. My first job was in a machine shop in 1977 on Fender avenue in Fullerton Ca. I was told that Leo Fender owned all the buildings on that street. Also in the early 2000's the company I worked for moved to Corona Ca. within about a few miles of the Fender factory. I have built a few Appalachian style banjos, tried to play several instruments, but my joke is that I play the stereo best. It was great to see the factory tour, thanks!
Great video! This is the best guitar video I've watched this year so far and I don't think anything would beat this video. Everyone who loves Fender guitars and basses would love this video.
I never realized that I was interested in how a guitar was made.
This was a great video. Even the Hendrix advertisement was fun to watch.
There are only few things that keep their age, don't date. Aircraft like the Spitfire, mustang, Hughes 500 helicopter and the Fender guitars for sure.
Bravo to David Brown that showed around the facility. You can tell he really enjoys his job. How can you ask for any job that you love to do.
What an excellent representative David Brown is for Fender.
Mary, yet another amazing video by a wonderfully talented, knowledgeable, guitar player. Your interview skills and persona are second to none. Thanks again for teaching me so much. I appreciate you.
Great vid ,great camera work , thanks for taking the time to put that together, rob from Australia
I am not a guitarist but this tour was fabulous. It really showed me how the process shows the care each instrument get its sound and looks. Thank you for taking me on your. God Bless, be safe and be well. 🎸🎸🙏❤️
I got so excited when I saw this vid in my recommended.
I borrowed a Strat from a friend for 3 months and before i had a chance to even give it back, I already bought my own strat and it’s been my favorite thing ever since.
When the video started I was like “I’ve seen so many factory tours”. But you actually managed to tell your own story with this video and there are lots of things in there I haven’t seen yet. Like the computer aided wood matching in the beginning!
What a great company! I can understand how making a beautiful thing like a Fender guitar would keep workers focused and glad to come to work.
That telecaster at 19:00... what a beautiful guitar...
Why is the fretboard scarf-cut curved upwards instead of straight at 6:22? All American made ones have that except for MiM and Japan. I have an AM Pro ii Strat that has it and the strings touch it causing tuning stability issues. I don't even have that many wraps around the tuning peg.
That tele looks great. I love the burst on that pine grain.
I agree with you. The airbrush was a great option choice. It's still an affordable way to spray the black.
You can get better built guitars now from smaller boutique guitar companies for a fraction of the cost.
100% pure awesome. If this doesn't give you ideas for a custom guitar, nothing will.
Any chance you will be touring the PRS facility any time soon?
Just because they look gorgeous doesn’t mean they have great quality control.
Have to try before you buy.
@19:33 we can definitely tell man the energy you have comes through the screen!
Thanks!
David Brown is a man who clearly loves his job! The Tele at 19:01 is my dream come true. What a lovely, blissful video. Thanks, Mary.
Great video of a great guitar, about 50 years ago i went to my brothers stagparty and was admiring the guitars of the live band ,when a friend of my brother said that guitar is a Fender the best guitars i n the world ,i promised myself i would have one some day when i could afford one ,i now own more than one, having a Fender is like owning a Ferrari ,a legend ,really enjoyed the video😅
I enjoyed this video never was able to afford a fender my entire life and surprisingly I just received an all original 68 mustang in Daphne blue for Christmas.
At the 2:00 mark you see someone rounding the edges of the fretboard with a razorblade. So for those of you who ever wondered how these "master craftsman" do it... there ya go!! Nice share, Mary! Thank you!! Cheers!!
I have that shirt he's wearing ... He been in my closet?
My very first guitar was a 1954 Stratocaster that my just divorced dad gave me for Christmas in 1963. Prior to that, I was playing my older brother's brand new 1960 Jazzmaster through his 1960 PRO amp. I would later lose my Stratocaster out the back of his 1961 Ford station wagon when we played in Palatka, Florida, dropped off our drummer on the westside of Jacksonville, forgot to put up the back window then stopped to pay toll on the old Fuller Warren crossing the St Johns. It went sliding out the back when my brother gassed that wagon. It fell out onto the Jacksonville expressway and some kind person stopped and hauled Stratocaster into the darkness. That was July of 1965. My brother would lose his Jazzmaster and Pro amp and fairly new reverb tank when he moved to Tallahassee in 1966 and had to pawn it all to live on. Hey, Mary! One of these Master Builders needs to be building me a '54!! Like my original Stratocaster hero used to sing, "Well, That'll Be The Day"! 🙂
WOW . . . there needs to be more exposure for this Fender Factory in Corona. Way more ! We see all of the other factories too much. And I have seen the Fender Amp factory. But the Fender guitar factory for an instrument that has played, and continues to play, such a large part of my musical life is emotional and magical. The same magic that is in music itself. I see an individual component that is partially completed and I get a flash of "I know this, this shape is a part of me, it is in my genetic make up, it feels like home". Then I place it as being a part of my Tele. The musical conveyance that is a part of me. And it so nice to see that Fender is a positive friendly bright work space that takes the care and does it right. (Not the toxicity that we see and hear from other large manufacturers for example.) Thank you Mary. Now fly right back there over the ocean again and do some shows on more detail of specific stations and areas ! .:) Is early next week for four shows enough time ?
Never owned a Fender but I have played both a strat and a tele of which I used a tele to record the lead guitar bits on our bands 3rd album.
I actually preferred the tele because it felt more naturally comfortable to me. The strat neck felt clunky like I was holding a round chunk of wood which is more than likely due to that particular models neck radius, I think it was a 'U-Shape' neck and the tele was more a traditional 'C-Shape' or faster 'D-Shape' I'm not sure. The engineer told me both Fenders were custom built for the owner of the studio of which our band recorded in.
Great guitars with fantastic tone.
Great production on the video Mary - came across like it was shot and edited by a big studio.
Awesome video! Really appreciate pulling the curtain back and showing us how much of the process is done by hand!
Excellent job Mary. Thoroughly enjoyed your tour.
Dear Mary, thank you and thank you again for this show. It was the best thing I've seen in a long time, and I hope to have a fender some day. I love the detail work,, different stages and how each part is specially made by special people who work with just that process to get it all right. It made me commit to doing my work with more concern.🖤💜💙💛🧡❤
Nothing like a custom shop Strat. The feel, finish and sound are something to behold. Great vid Mary.. So glad you did it. Hope to see you perform live someday. From east Kentucky USA. Take care.
Another great run down 👍
Dave Brown is a great tour guide also! You couldn't have been matched up any better than him!
Very cool. His enthusiasm is infectious.
Mary, I couldn't think of a better narrator for this! Thank you.
Thanks for all your efforts Ms. Mary. That was definitely top shelf content. I’ll be watching it again in a few minutes. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Great vid, Mary! Prolly one of the best factory tour vids out there. Thanks also to David Brown. Take care...
An excellent video showing the end to end process with such enthusiasm and pride from your guide. It must have been thrilling to experience that tour.
I met Dave when we took the factory tour the year they first started doing the tour I think it was 2012 It was amazing. He is so knowledgeable and gave a great tour.
Nothing like seeing a masterpiece built by a master builder. I’ve got a 2000 Stratocaster. I love this guitar.
Mary's voice is like honey.
Thanks for the tour. Going to the Fender site to see how much my dream bass is going to set me back 😂
This is the best video of this kind that I"ve seen. Well Done!
Excellent music choice 😃I'm not a big Fender fan, but this video is just great!
I'm not much of an audiophile, but your narration is fantastic. You could do amazing hypnosis or meditation videos.
I always pictured elves working their magic in the Custom Shop. Getting to spec my Strat was one of the most fun things I've ever done. Most fun was getting it and having it exceed my expectations.
I’ve been on the tour 3 times. Always an amazing experience, they have it down. They also have an amp section as well. The finish part is really special, alit more work than I thought.
Amazing. The quality of you films is just off the scale. Thank you for this.
Thank the "Team" too.
Thanks so much, Mary. I've seen a lot of guitar factory tour videos. This one is one of the best!
Such fantastic video 👏🏼
Well done!! And indeed--he was a wealth of information and knowledge and an absolute HOOT on camera!! Terrific!!
That was a nice wholesome look at the Fender production. Thanks for doing that walk through.
You have such a PERFECT speaking voice!
A very fine documentary! It's not really true though that anyone can order their dream guitar from "The Mod shop". You should add: "Anyone who is loaded with money." Some of us have to make do with a Made in Mexico Stratocaster, but I'm not complaining, since I love my Mexican friend.
Thank you, Mary 🙏🏻🤍
Great tour!
Thank you Mary & Fender for the interesting tour. Hope to see it in person someday.
This guy loves his job!!! Thanks for talking and explaining this as you pop in and out sitting serenely in your studio
What a great video! Your production value is applied with impeccable taste. I can so relate to many parts of this .I've worked in the tool and die trade most of my life and appreciate the time you gave that segment, right down to the punch presses in action. And that part at the end where he's talking about being greatful to have such a Job, I almost teared up. You must have made him feel very comfortable to open up like that.
Thanks!
Wow, im looking at my American Strat a whole different way now! 😊 Awesome video.
Great video! This is what a RUclips factory tour should be, not a 2 hour rambling mess!
Could be the best guitar factory tour video I've seen. Many thanks.
There are many good guitar factories
3 Mod Shop Strats for me. Like you said, it's really great for left-handed players like myself that cannot find what they want from standard retailers. A wonderful video/tour, Mary!
Thanks Mary! I got a couple connections to fender besides owning a few and restricting a few as well. My buddy Tracey Chapman has worked there for years and a local customer is one of their label/decal vendors. It’s cool growing up so close. I will say I hope you checked out the snow which is less than an hour away but even more fun and more of what Southern California is all about, the beaches. 😅 I’m 61, till I was 18, corona was where we rode dirt bikes.
In the late 80s the inland empire which is where corona is blew up when new housing developments appeared with homes at a fraction of the cost closer to the ocean. Now there’s an hours worth of traffic towards the beach in the morning and the same the other way in the evening (maybe more).
Fullerton which is in the best county. (Orange) it a pretty cool spot “DTF” is known for lots of bars and restaurants , collage townish. Too far from the ocean though. If you live on the beach side of the 405 in OC you only need air con 2 weeks a year and heat the same amount of time.
If you missed it on this trip, come back and you aren’t gonna hate it.
Right after this I watched Cleo Abrams tour the Red Bull Formula 1 facility. Very different products, but both the product of extraordinary craft and dedication. Two fascinating videos!
I'm not a guiarist but I love the sounds and the extreme variety. I am an artist and those boxes are absolutely gorgeous. I'm also an engineer and I appreciate the engineering. I'm also a nascent woodworker: OMG those things are extraordinarily beautiful.
I'm running out of suprelatives, here, but the video, its filming, its narration, your "tour leader," and all the production were superb!
You should give yourself tea and a bisquit! (If you're back in the UK, if you are "here'" give yourself tea and a cookie.😊)
WOW -- what a presentation. This is not a RUclips video, this is a world class historical Documentary.
You have the most soothing, clear, and proper voice for hosting this style of video.
Bravo Mary!!
Now that I know the way Fender makes that perfect sound (The two Coke Cans and a Water Bottle) I can sleep at night.
God Bless you Mary.
Perfect video.
The guy clearly loves his job. The way he gets excited about using the same original die, or those paint finishes lol. Great to see.
So much respect for the master craftsmen who create these beauties...no matter the product. Enjoyed this and Martin tours..tho the Martin history was a 👍missing with strat vid. Beautiful specimens
Very interesting. When I was a guitarist I always played Fender. I still have my 1965 Jaguar that I bought new when Surf music was all the rage. Since I switched to playing the pedal steel guitar many years ago I haven’t played guitar as much. Enjoyed this video very much. Thank You.
@stephentodd4895 Hiya Stephen..I saw and read ur comment, about the Strat. and found ur background interesting.. what kind of music did you play ?? Probably shouldn't have said " did " , so I'll replace it with the word, do lol. Do you play country ?? When you swapped over from guitar to steel , what type of music were you playing then ??? Sorry bud , I wasn't even thinking. Here I am bombarding you with all these questions , and ur probably thinking ( and rightfully so lol ) , who is this guy, and what's his bleeping problem ??? Well, I actually have just one more question, then I'm done. What kind of steel do you play now...??? MSA...Gibson...Emmons...any of these ?? I apologize for hitting you with all of this, my friend. I play country music myself, but while I love an old Strat , personally I prefer a Tele... no biggie ofc, it's just a matter of preference is all.. anyway, if you choose not to reply, I wouldn't blame ya..!!! Lol.. hagd and many blessings to all... 😊😊
@@Jerry-ej3cm I play a GFI Ultra D-10
A wonderfully-done Fender commercial, Mary. It's low-end, and not a custom shop job, but I do have a Strat, purchased new in 1986. It still plays great, and sounds just like a Strat should.
Beautiful piece of Art.... 🙏
Absolutely brilliant information on the Stratocaster, 3 single coil pickups are nice and a Floyd rose tremolo for effects thank you for sharing with us
I’m glad to have two guitars built right there in corona. Got them in the 00s back when they were still affordable. Amazing part of California history and my two favorite guitar I own
Finely crafted video for finely crafted guitars. Very nice. 👍