schundog Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 Several Stat threads, along with the discussion around the "2 Leon" Tele shaped guitars Brent has passed along got me thinking (Dangerous!) I thought I recalled someone asking Marv why they stopped making those styles of guitars, and it had something to do with the fact that they were "friends with those guys," and didn't want to step on any toes. Friends with who? Leo? Bill Shultz? Don Randall? C'mon, it's not like anybody's going to mistake a Stratocaster for a Stat... There's got to be more to this story. Anybody know?
ledzef Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 At the last PSP I heard a interesting story about Heritage and Fender. Can't remember who told me but in the prototype room there is a "old strat" a mid 80's reissue. I guess it was shipped over to Heritage because in the mid80's Fender wanted to move the custom shop to Parson St. to kind of give Gibson the middle finger. But the creditors wouldn't approve shipping the machinery across country in case the Fender employees defaulted on the loan. I know Brent or someone else can tell this story better but that's what I remember. Hope this sheds some light.
DavesNotHere Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 I spoke to Marv at length at PSP IV about the Stat and all things Huntsville. He's from Huntsville (OK, Chase, now in Huntsville city limits) and his sister still lives in Hazel Green Al. I lived there there for about six years, so we actually knew some of the same places and families. He didn't didn't go into a lot of details and I didn't want to push, but when I asked why they stopped making that type of guitar he just said "Well we just weren’t selling too many of them, and besides we were friends with those guys at Fender, so we just stopped making them" We talked for close to an hour and reading between the lines, it seemed to me that when Heritage was having some design issues with Gibson, someone at Fender said "have at it, we're cool with you doing those" He didn't mention anyone to me by name. He also told me he designed the Stat with a music store owner in Kalamazoo. He told me his name but it escapes me now. It was awesome to spend that much time talking to Marv, but once he found out I lived in Huntsville we wound up talking moe about that than guitars
FredZepp Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 ... when things got tough and Gibson was trying to kill the Heritage dream in Kalamazoo with their lawyers.. it was Fender that made sure that it didn't happen. And the fine folks at Parsons Street never forgot that...
chico Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 the financing involved with the plan to make Fenders in Kzoo was California based and they wouldn't approve it therefore it never happened. If you recall, Fender was sold by CBS in the 80s. I got this info from the "inside". supposedly it was a done deal, but for the financing.
koula901 Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 ... when things got tough and Gibson was trying to kill the Heritage dream in Kalamazoo with their lawyers.. it was Fender that made sure that it didn't happen. And the fine folks at Parsons Street never forgot that... I love reading stuff like that. So cool. When business stops being cut-throat, and everyone plays well. There's enough business to go around, especially if you make a good product.
bolero Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 Wow interesting stuff....I saw that 57 strat in the prototype room and wasn't sure if it was real or not....it was covered in dust
tulk1 Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 So far everything posted jives pretty well with what Kuz and I got from Jim D. at PSPIII during our back lot tour.
DetroitBlues Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 That explains a lot about the guitars in the vault. That'd be crazy to have the Fender Custom Shop in K-Zoo! It would be awesome, but crazy.
smurph1 Posted March 20, 2012 Posted March 20, 2012 ... when things got tough and Gibson was trying to kill the Heritage dream in Kalamazoo with their lawyers.. it was Fender that made sure that it didn't happen. And the fine folks at Parsons Street never forgot that... Nice... Thanks Fender!!
dr_iggi Posted March 21, 2012 Posted March 21, 2012 ... when things got tough and Gibson was trying to kill the Heritage dream in Kalamazoo with their lawyers.. it was Fender that made sure that it didn't happen. And the fine folks at Parsons Street never forgot that... Nice... Thanks Fender!! This is a cool story. Thanks Fender indeed!
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