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Secrets of retired Fender Masterbuilder Chris Fleming: Pickups, Wood & the LSL Edge

Jeff Starr's Not Bad: Films

31,063 views

Chris Fleming is a retired master builder from the Fender Custom Shop. In this video he shares his industry secrets for making perfect Telecaster and Stratocaster style guitars and why he has chosen to work with LSL Instruments on new builds.

Links:
• Visit Watchtower Guitars to shop Chris Fleming instruments: http://Watchtower-guitars.myshopify.com
• LSL Instruments: https://www.lslinstruments.com

If you want to support these videos please:
• Comment, like and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/notbadfi...

• Join me on Patreon for exclusive content and behind the scenes adventures: Patreon: JeffStarr

• Shop my handmade guitar pedals: https://reverb.com/shop/jeffstarrnotbad
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Timestamps:
0:00 Why the Telecaster?
2:59 "It's a system."
5:02 Tone Wood
8:16 Ash wood
12:31 Guitar Pickups, in detail
16:43 What Are Scatter Wound Pickups?
20:05 Potting Pickups
23:47 Strat Style Pickups
27:30 Torrified or Baked Maple
31:26 Neck Shapes
37:18 Quartersawn Necks
39:22 International Mass Produced Guitars
40:40 International Mass Produced Guitars Continued
44:59 PRS SE Guitars
46:24 Guitar Finish, does it matter?
50:06 Why work with LSL?
52:40 Relic'ed Guitars
56:53 What Excites Chris?
59:02 What luthier skills should guitar players learn?
01:03:33 Neck Pocket Myths
01:08:06 Why Build Guitars?
01:12:14 Starting Late in Life?
1:13:54 How to be remembered?
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Other Links:
Patreon: JeffStarr
Instagram: mrjeffreystarr
http://Notbadfilms.com

20 Comments

@JeffStarr Creator 4 months ago (edited) Pinned

In the last few days Fender sent Cease and Desist letters to guitar manufacturers who are making S-style guitars. LSL was one of these brands. Do you think it is fair for Fender to do this? UPDATE: I was sent an official statement from LSL and they are fighting back. Check out the news happening in this video: https://youtu.be/n0lzgDIsT9c?si=WPq3zWj6sIDKUUKB

@Plexi417 4 months ago

What a fantastic video. I sold guitars for almost 20 years and have been playing for almost 40 years and I learned a TON from this video. Thanks Jeff and Chris!

@mjohnson5108 5 months ago

So good to see LsL get some love, they were one of the best kept secrets in USA-built guitars and they're finally getting recognized for it. I bought a T-bone and had to go back to order a custom Saticoy, theyre' just too damn good.

@gorgon9786 5 months ago

Totally gold from mr. Fleming.. he says all that i've thought about over at the last decades!..thanks for letting us with on this interview!.

@robertjones3839 5 months ago

What a treasure trove of information?Thank you

@ByGraceThroughFaith777 2 weeks ago

Awesome interview! Unlike most youtube channels you let the guest speak and finish up his ideas... And the amount of knowledge dropped here is incredible!! Thanks. Got a new sub from me

@pepppery 5 months ago (edited)

I share Chris's aesthetics when it comes to pickups. P-90's are my favorite ( think 61 Les Paul SG JR.) Broadcaster Pickups!!! yes. I never knew that they were potted with Shellac. Very informative Video:face-red-heart-shape::face-blue-star-eyes:

@jettschenker 5 months ago

I love listening to the old timers, no matter what the profession they’ve always got decades and decades of experience that is priceless

@alexbozas887 3 months ago

Great interview. What a great guy chris is.

@worthmoremusic 5 months ago

It ALL matters...the wood, the electronics, the hardware, the strings AND most of all I say, the hands of the player !
Great in-depth look ... Thank you both !

@voyxu143 5 months ago

Great interview Jeff. Thanks....!!!

@edc3093 5 months ago

Outstanding interview. It dispells so many guitar build myths. I enjoyed the interview immensely!!

@elZorroMozo 3 months ago

amazing iinterview, wow. I wasn't too aware of LSL (I own a Fender Custom shop), but with all the shinnigans Fender is doing lately made me aware of LSL , and now, with this interview I'm REALLY interested in them to Fleming serie! Ah! Fender shot itself in the foot on that front as well...pathetic behavior, sueing and menacing your ex director of the custom shop...

@JeffStarr Creator 5 months ago (edited)

I want to thank LSL Instruments for helping to facilitate this interview and Watchtower Guitars for the high resolution images. The guitars shown are for sale at: https://watchtower-guitars.myshopify.com

@Bowie. 5 months ago

This is my type of show. I'll be saving this and listening back a few times. Thx for this gem.

@zororosario 5 months ago

Thanks for the excellent video with Chris Fleming. An hour of pleasure learning.

@MusicTherapyLaz 5 months ago

Nice to hear a great interview with good questions and honest answers, subjective or not, by an experienced master builder! Really enjoyed this... new subscriber! 😎🤘🎸🎶🎵