Yo, teachers and bass players! On today's video, Leland Sklar praised teachers as his shout-out-of-the-day!
If you don't have time, you can skip to 10:15.
But then go back and listen to the rest when you do have time.
Rod, I still have to watch your video and will do so before hitting the rack. In the meantime, here are my correspondences with Fender. Read if you're interested in how they can still be classy while breaking an old man's heart...
Reply #1:
Myles Lomazzo (Fender)
May 7, 2020, 9:49:57 AM MST
Hi Mike,
Thanks for reaching out. I apologize for your frustration.
We appreciate your desire that FMIC would produce more left-handed instruments. Fender, like most companies, is a market-driven company and as such, it is imperative that we understand exactly what our market is, so that we may meet those needs. With a 50-year history of musical instrument manufacturing and a 50-year history of offering more lefty models than most of the other instrument companies, we feel we have a good understanding of the marketplace. Demand for the product must be there to justify the cost of the development and tooling up the process to build more left-handed instruments. However, at this time such a demand to produce more left-handed models has simply not been shown to be there.
It is absolutely true that we do not offer as many lefty models as righty models, and these differences reflect the numbers of left-handed guitars we have been able to sell in the past and what we project that we will be able to sell in the future. There are far fewer left-handed guitar players in the world than right-handed players and consequentially that distinct market segment is also quite smaller proportionally. The hard fact is, that as a manufacturer if certain instruments do not sell, we simply cannot afford to make them. Even so, Fender is committed to continue to expand our selection of left-handed instruments as the market dictates, and as it is possible for us to do so, to meet the needs of left-handed guitar players.
While we are limited as to what our regular "production" facility is capable of, if someone does not find what they are looking for among our stock offerings, the Fender Custom Shop is always an option for building an instrument to one’s precise specifications. It is a surefire way for anyone to get exactly what they want.
Once again, we thank you for your interest and we hope this information is helpful to you.
Rock on,
Myles Lomazzo
Dealer Support Representative
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
17600 N. Perimeter Drive, Suite 100|Scottsdale AZ 85255
Reply #2 (after I thanked him and made yet another run at a limited number of lefty Mustangs!
Myles Lomazzo (Fender)
May 7, 2020, 10:36:29 AM MST
Thanks again, Mike.
Keep an eye out. We are always introducing new products.
Be safe!
Rock on,
Myles Lomazzo
Dealer Support Representative
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
17600 N. Perimeter Drive, Suite 100|Scottsdale AZ 85255
So there ya go. Never let it be said that a big corporation like Fender can't reach out and talk to the little man even if it's not what he wants to read. The journey continues...
