How can I get Fender to re-paint my Strat?

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pisces7378

pisces7378

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Hello... I have a Stratocaster from about 1988-89. It is red. Very red. There are no real cosmetic problems with the pain. I haven't scratched it up too much or anything.

However I would just like to have the red paint removed and have it stained in a 3-color sunburst. Does anyone know if Fender will do this for me? I really love the way a sunburst Strat looks, and as I am playing lower key music, I do not really like having such a BLARING red guitar on stage.

I looked on the Fender website (which is a shite website by the way) and could find nothing in the way of extra services such as re-painting a guitar. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Have you tried contacting someone in customer service?
I think you would be better off getting it done locally by a good
luthier. (It would probably be cheaper to)
 
I would just tell them your situation, and ask to purchase an American Series Statocaster body that is already painted. I would imagine they would need to take the neck off to repaint anyway, so the amount of work for reassembly would be the same anyway.

I bet purchasing the whole body would be cheaper than a one-off stripping and painting of an existing body.

Another point to add... It can be hit and miss on the wood for the sunburst models, as the woodgrain shows through. I looked at three different sunburst strats before I found one where the wood matched to my expectations. None of them looked real bad or anything, but the one I ended up with looks great. I heard they try to select the better looking wood for the sunburst models so they don't look like crap. If this is true, then there is a significant chance that upon stripping your red Strat body, it could be deemed undesireable for a finish that would reveal the woodgrain beneath. I know I would not want to get it back after spending the money just to find a knot staring back at ya! Just food for thought.
 
Do you have to have it refinished by Fender? There are plenty of reputable people who do this type of work and have no association with Fender. These same people probably charge 1/2 as much and will give you more personal attention.

LMK if you're looking for someone and I will send you my recommendations.
 
I once wanted to replace a maple/maple neck on my Strat with a rosewood/maple neck. I wanted a real Fender neck so that my guitar would remain 100% Fender.
Fender agreed to sell me a new neck, but insisted I surrender the old one to them for free. I guess they didn't want a rogue neck out there for someone to make a knock-off with.
They may be just a stingy w/ selling a body.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
i'm with the others in suggesting that you do NOT try to get the fender custom shop to repaint. it will be cheaper and easier and just as quality to get ANYONE reputable to do it for you. i used to have a candyapple red strat made at the same time as yours. quite a decent guitar.
 
Ok well basically it is like this....

I want a Fender Stratocaster with the exact same neck that I have now... which is a Japaneese neck with very thin fret wires. I hate the mexican/US fat wires. And I want the neck to be of light color. Not with a rosewood fret board. I want the body to be a darker three color sunburst. And I want the pickups to be two Fender Red Lace pickups and one silver lace pickup in the neck potition. So basically I am wanting a custom built guitar from Fender... but I do not want to spend $1,000 on it. That is why since I already have the perfect neck for me... I just wanted to re-paint it sunburst and I would buy the Lace pickups and was hoping to overhall my guitar for less than $450.

But it is looking like that is only a dream.

Will Fender sell me just a 3 color sunburst?

I can put the thing together myself.
 
If you have a look around the net you should be able to find the site for a company called W D Music based in England. They are licensed by Fender to sell replacement necks and Bodies. They do a sunburst body there, but it is quite expensive - your looking at £140 ish if I remember correctly.

Hope its helped.
 
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