The number one problem I see is that the input jacks on Strats go bad. The nut comes loose, the jack itself twists around, and ultimately breaks a wire going to it, or the component itself.
Fender is a funny company. They've sold untold thousands of that classic model guitar, and it's seemingly infinite variations. Which is why I find it remarkably ironic - and dumb - they don't take the initiative to fix something they have to know is broke!
It can't be because they're "preserving a classic design" - because frak knows they've changed it enough times. I can think of many simple ways they could easily fix the situation in tooling, and while it might seem expensive to make a completely "new" part, it would be smart:
- they would set a precendent in the industry, that is besotted with countless uses of that same dumb design;
- it would be an obvious improvement pros would recognize;
- it would prevent the syndrome of a beginner guitarist, having purchased or been given one of their cheaper models from basically quitting because "the guitar is broke" (and likewise, not buying anymore Fender products)
- it would prevent people like myself, guitar teachers, from having to explain why their $120 cheapo Strat needs maybe a $50 bench fee to resolder a wire on a $.10 part.
I know I will be explaining this to many people in the future. It won't make sense to them. It's like GM using the same bolt for a common auto part since 1956, that always works loose and breaks, and never fixing it. For the longivity of a company that manufactures something for retail, that may not be a good idea from a QC perspective.
