From Guitar World · · 1m 20s
Ex-Fender boss builds the guitar Fender doesn't want
Mike Eldred ran the Fender Custom Shop. His first guitar under a new brand is an S-style with a message painted on it.
In brief
Mike Eldred ran the Fender Custom Shop. His first guitar under a new brand is an S-style with a message painted on it. When a company tries to own a body shape, the people who helped build its reputation are the first to test the boundary. Originally reported by Guitar World.
Fender won the body shape
A court ruling handed Fender legal protection over the Stratocaster body outline. Cease-and-desist letters went out to Thomann, PRS, Yamaha and others.
A former insider answers back
Mike Eldred ran the Fender Custom Shop through the 1990s. His new firm, El Cabron, just launched its first guitar, and it is unmistakably S-shaped.
The message is the finish
Across the body, in all capitals: a refusal to let a corporation set the rules. It echoes Tom Morello's Arm the Homeless guitar, itself an S-type.
“Never let a corporation tell you what the rules are”
More Rampage than Strat
The Black Corp runs a Gotoh 510 tremolo, one humbucker at the bridge, and a single volume knob. Closer to a G&L Rampage than anything vintage.
Banksy under the trem
Beneath the tremolo sits Banksy's masked protester throwing a bouquet, chosen to put peace and love ahead of anger.
Not the only one leaving
Ex-Masterbuilder John Cruz teamed with Farida for his own S-style. LsL Instruments, targeted by the campaign, answered with a brand-new shape instead.
The takeaway
When a company tries to own a body shape, the people who helped build its reputation are the first to test the boundary.
