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Fender USA lays off 300 employees - including senior positions

Tollywood

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2022
Messages
394
Last week the private ambulance company where I’ve worked for 12 years was swallowed by a corporate Goliath. I’ve been on vacation this week but today I learned that many of the office staff were let go since corporate already had people doing their jobs. I can only assume my doppelgänger in Nebraska has my role covered. Monday should be interesting…
 

herb

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2002
Messages
981
Couldn't find any alternative news source to support this claim. I call BS.
 

Foggy72

Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
442
Couldn't find any alternative news source to support this claim. I call BS.
I agree. A layoff of this magnitude would be documented in the music media, as well as local and national media.
 
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herb

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2002
Messages
981
At least some occurred... as former employees signaled on LinkedIn.
This article uses the YouTube guy as a source. As far as the LinkedIn testaments go, a couple of those can easily be faked. It's one guy that is trying to pull off this story. For what reasons, only he knows. I asked him to give an alternative link to the story and he just wanted to argue with me.
 

Amp360

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
852
Personally I would love to see FMIC broken up and sold. For all the internet noise about Gibson's apparent QC issues at least their guitars don't feel like toys. The amount of absolute garbage out there with Fender, Gretsch, Jackson, etc... on the headstock blows my mind.

Buy a name, slap it on any imported thing made as cheaply as possible and people seem to gobble them up. My theory is that in the early 00s we saw a shift from playing guitar to buying guitars. All of a sudden it became more fun to post photos of one's "collection" than to play. FMIC allowed these folks to check the box of owning an iconic brand for low money, but the tradeoff for the player was in the quality.

I don't like seeing anyone lose their job, but FMIC is committed to making things oversees so it's not surprising.
 

martinman

Active member
Joined
Aug 25, 2001
Messages
1,243
These days, the big names (IMO) don't offer anything unique to ownership. I can buy a $3000 fender or a $300 fender put them next to each-other and the "distance" between the two in terms of amenities are marginal at best (for the masses). Cork sniffers like us will talk about *and pay for* rolled finger board, nitro, ss frets, fretboard radius, but it really doesn't matter in the long run for most people.

I'll tell you what -- it's ultra competitive and I wouldn't want to be an instrument manufacturer these days. There's just so much saturation. Look at overseas manufacturers - Harley Benton, Eastman, etc, flooding the market with low cost shiny things.
 

Amp360

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 16, 2012
Messages
852
I want to love Fender but aside from the Custom Shop amplifiers not much does it for me. 99% of what they make look and feel like cheap copies of what they used to make.

For all the crap Gibson takes at leas they still make fairly priced USA manufactured guitars.
 

chardobon

New member
Joined
Jun 13, 2023
Messages
2
Personally I would love to see FMIC broken up and sold. For all the internet noise about Gibson's apparent QC issues at least their guitars don't feel like toys. The amount of absolute garbage out there with Fender, Gretsch, Jackson, etc... on the headstock blows my mind.

Buy a name, slap it on any imported thing made as cheaply as possible and people seem to gobble them up. My theory is that in the early 00s we saw a shift from playing guitar to buying guitars. All of a sudden it became more fun to post photos of one's "collection" than to play. FMIC allowed these folks to check the box of owning an iconic brand for low money, but the tradeoff for the player was in the quality.

I don't like seeing anyone lose their job, but FMIC is committed to making things oversees so it's not surprising.
Opinions about musical instrument brands can vary widely from person to person, and it's understandable that you may have preferences based on your personal experience and preferences. It's worth noting that Fender and Gibson are well-known and respected guitar manufacturers with a long history and a loyal customer base. I've often met their fans at https://goit.global/ph/.
While it is true that each brand may have quality control issues or instruments that do not meet some people's expectations, it is important to remember that there are also many satisfied customers who have had positive experiences with Fender, Gretsch, Jackson and other well-known brands of guitars.
Ultimately, choosing a guitar is a very subjective decision that depends on factors such as personal playing style, tonal preferences and individual needs. It is always advisable to try out different instruments, carefully study reviews and customer reviews, and consult with knowledgeable professionals or fellow musicians to find a guitar that meets your needs and preferences.
 
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