“Never let a corporation tell you what the rules are”: Former Fender Custom Shop head takes swipe at former employer with pointed S-style build
Earlier this year, Fender shook the guitar industry’s foundations when it sent cease and desist letters to a plethora of small builders demanding they stop making guitars similar in body shape to its iconic Stratocaster design.
Many in the guitar community criticised the move, and significant pushback was mounted by some of the brands targeted, including German retail giant Thomann – which went on the offensive to sue Fender after it was sent a C&D letter, presumably over its S-type Harley Benton guitars – and California-based boutique builder LsL Instruments, which hired the lawyer who successfully beat Fender in a trademark dispute on behalf of a consortium of brands back in 2009.
READ MORE: The best deals from Thomann Guitar Days – save up to 60% on guitars from Fender, Gibson, Strandberg, Solar and more
Now, former Fender Custom Shop head Mike Eldred has apparently made his thoughts about Fender’s legal action clear, with a new S-style build that appears to take aim at his former employer.
Mike Eldred was let go from the Fender Custom Shop a little over a decade ago, after serving as its head for around 17 years. During his time at Fender, he created the Filter’Tron pickup-equipped Cabronita Telecaster, and has continued a similar naming convention since his departure with his line of El Cabron guitars.
His removal made waves at Fender, and was a significant reason why John Mayer left Fender’s artist roster and later joined PRS, where he helped develop the Silver Sky, one of the biggest commercial guitar successes in recent history. Side note: PRS was another brand targeted by Fender’s cease and desist campaign.
Eldred’s new El Cabron Black Corp certainly makes a statement – one which we assume takes aim directly at Fender. Firstly, it’s a S-type guitar at a time Fender is clamping down on Strat copies, and secondly, it features a pointed message across its body: “Never let a corporation tell you what the rules are.”
Credit: El Cabron
The guitar also features the classic Flower Thrower artwork by UK graffiti artist Banksy, which symbolises the power of peace and love being more powerful than violence and aggression.
View this post on Instagram
We don’t know much in the way of specs, but we do know the guitar features a Gotoh 510TS bridge, and a single humbucker hand-wound by Willy Houston at Rocket Pickups, with voicing designed by Mike Eldred and Grover Jackson.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Black Corp guitar has already sold out on Mike Eldred’s El Cabron website, despite its wallet-denting price tag of £5,275…
You can take a closer look at the official El Cabron website.
Credit: El Cabron
The post “Never let a corporation tell you what the rules are”: Former Fender Custom Shop head takes swipe at former employer with pointed S-style build appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
