[QUOTE=bunnyman;132609]It doesn't happen all that often in the drum business, I realise. But I give a glaring example in guitars: the $25K Eddie Van Halen Frankenstein. Reflectors are wrong, the blue paint are two glaring examples of the inaccuracies. Fender blended a few eras of the Frankenstein together, it seems.

I beg to differ with you. The Fender EVH Frankenstein was meticulously copied--every scratch, gouge, booger, etc.--from Edward's personal first choice beat up guitar. A secret identifying mark applied personally by Edward insured that he could identify the original guitar when placed next to the recreations. I worked for the company when the reissues were unveiled at a gala in California. I know the people who crafted the guitars with EVH's input. Many of the vintage reissues of iconic Fender guitars from the past have intentional minute differences from the originals in order to stifle unscrupulous people passing off fakes for large sums of money. Give me the original specs of a 57 Strat, a reissue 57 Strat, a ruler, and a micrometer. I can point out the differences to you.

I try not to start arguments in the forum. But, when an inaccurate statement is made about a company for which I worked 27 years, and own a tiny piece of (shares of privately held stock), I feel OK about offering a correction. And, by the way....for almost every statement about: "Leo never made this model that way", I have seen exceptions to the specs. Leo, himself, told me that he was not terribly concerned about tiny details if he ran out of a part for a guitar or amp. He would make running changes to substitute what he could get in order to supply the product. A prime example is pick guard screws that the "experts" claim Leo never used. I asked Mr. Fender about that when we first introduced the 57 and 62 Strat reissues. An "expert" said that the pick guard screws were wrong. Leo laughed hard when I told him about that. His response was: "Son...... If I ran out of the pick guard screws I preferred, I gave one of the screws to the guy nearest me. I told him to take the van to go to the hardware store down the street, and get me X number of pounds of the closest thing they have. So, I might have used slot head screws for a few days if I ran out of Phillips head screws". He would also change suppliers if he could get an alternative, but slightly different, part for a better price.

Your opinion about the Relics has some validity. The company backed off on the relicing process due to some complaints that the hickeys seemed excessive. Then the complaints about not enough hickeys began to come in. So, we made them standard with the lesser amount of wear, but would make more extreme relics when that was on the product order form. "Hey Bill. get the ball peen hammer, blow torch, bicycle chain, and chisel. George in Memphis just ordered a super extreme relic 62 Strat. But, let's leave a smidge of Fiesta Red paint on it".

If you were there for the EVH replicas, then I take back every thing I said bad about them. But I also implore you to go to vhlinks.com in those forums. There are a few guys who claim they Talmudically reproduced the EVH Frankenstein over several eras. These guys claim you had it wrong. I only went by photographical evidence on those forums to make up my mind. Again, I am NOT a guy who will fight for his point of view.

I HATED the road worn Strats that were out last year (or the year before) which had frankly WEIRD wear patterns on the neck... They were plain WRONG.

Knowing that Leo Fender used whatever he could get a hold of for his guitars and knowing he was into mass production at a low cost, I am not the guy who says "Leo would have not done it this way..." That being said, I know he did some low cost and even cut throat methods to save a dime or two...

I am glad I heard from someone who was actually THERE for the EVH Frankenstein- I never heard from any of you whilst they were being deconstructed on the vhlink.com forums...

Thanks for your input!!!

So-called "enthusiast" forums (including this one) bring out many self-proclaimed experts on whatever the subject matter may be. I have been guilty of pontificating from time to time. The more popular a brand, the more discussion and opinions about that brand. Fender and Gibson guitars are the most popular, most desired, most played, most copied, most talked about, and most written about. Consequently, there is more incorrect blurb related to Fender and Gibson much the same as the incorrect "facts" that some people post about Ludwig, Gretsch, Slingerland, and Rogers drums. I learned many years ago that self-annointed "experts" will steadfastly stick to their opinions, and keep spouting their inaccuracies even when shown irrefutable proof of their erronious babblings. When you work for a company that is at the top of the class they are in, you need to develop a thick skin. Here's an example. Quite frequently when calling on music stores for Fender, a store employee (usually a younger person) would want to chat. Talking with store personnel was always one of my favorite parts of the job. But, sometimes I would be confronted by an angry employee who felt compelled to tell me how great such and such guitar brand was because that company's "Strat" was priced more affordably. And, furthermore: "All that Fender is interested in is making money". These verbal exchanges called for as much diplomacy as I could summon. "Thanks for telling me your opinions. First of all, there is only one brand that may legally use the model name Strat or Stratocaster. That brand is Fender. And, now for your anger that Fender is in it for the money..... Why do you think the man who pays you to work here is in business? Why is your favorite company that slaps their decal on a cheap generic knockoff of a Fender guitar in business? Surely, it couldn't be for making money, could it"?

You mentioned the Roadworn series. That series came out shortly after I retired from Fender. I agree with you that the aging and distress marks on the guitars look quite artificial when compared with the Time Machine Series produced in the California factory. Time Machine guitars (and basses) include New Old Stock, Closet Classic, and Relic instuments. My favorites have always been the Closet Classics that exhibit light play marks and aging/crazing of the paint with some visible aging and wear on the metal parts.

By the way, As a retiree, I have no stake in the company except for the great memories, lasting friendships, and hopefully, good value for my shares of stock.

I had no problem with the Time Machine instruments, though I have to say I still like a genuine Tom Murphy creation BEST. I know someone who knows Tom quite well (after all, Tom lives in my home state), and have seen so much of his work first hand.

There's nothing wrong with trying to make money- after all, it's how I survive!!!

My one beef, however, is what happened as a result of the Fender Relics: guitars that look like the player played with 0 steel wool gloves soaked in 30W oil with checking that could have NEVER happened in nature!!!! That being said, it's not Fender's fault for those poorly constructed and finished instruments!!!!