The Steel Guitar Forum

A few years ago I had a poster of the entire range of fender electric guitars. Included was two fender non-pedal steels. One twin neck stringmaster type and one deluxe 8 single neck. I phoned the Fender customer service dept. to see if they are available. He said they are making them in Japan for the Japanese market only. They are not avaialable in the U.S. as there is no demand? Has anyone scored one of these recently made Fenders??

------------------

Steve:
I received a brochure and info from the Fender/Japan people concerning these guitars when they first came on market. There were extended delays in producing the guitars. I believe that they only built a few of them (several years ago). They told me that they might consider the U.S. market if there were enough demand. There was an unanswered question about import duties and shipping expenses. Apparently any potential sales would have to be thru an authorized dealer affiliation, BUT Fender USA was not involved at all. That may have been the problem. I've not seen nor heard any more about it since. The price was quite high and frankly, you could do better buying a used, vintage, double neck Fender on E-bay.

Until about a year ago, I've even seen them on the Fender-Japan website. I seem unable to see them anymore now... so... duh (?)
Anyway, I heard that they don't have it?. Well, seems that most anything made today is considered not to have it...

------------------
jaydee@bellsouth.net

Like JD, I saw a D-8 Stringmaster on the Japanese Fender website about a year or so ago. I emailed them for a price, and the rep from Japan emailed back and said they only had one left and were going to discontinue production due to lack of sales. He gave me a price in yen, and at the exchange rate at that time, the price in US dollars was about $1700. I said thanks but no thanks. I ended up buying a vintage US Stringmaster for half that price.