I just found a website dedicated to Fender master builder Yuriy Shishkov. John Cruz. However, the Fender company employs only a handful of people in this role. Before beginning the GMB designation process, you must have the CGB designation or the CGR designation with five years of building experience, or 10 years of building experience and successful completion of three CGB/CGR courses. From its inception in 1987, the Custom Shop has grown from two builders to today’s more than 50 artisans—a veteran band of builders, each a specialist dedicated to their own area of expertise—working together to build your ideal Fender to your exact specifications. For many guitar enthusiasts interested in building guitars, becoming a Fender master builder is the ultimate goal. Most of the text is in Russian, but it has some amazing pictures of his creations including his "TeleStrat" and a John5 Tele with 3 Wide Range humbuckers! Fender was the first instrument builder I heard of as a kid. During his tenure, he was best known for his reproductions of classic instruments, including Stevie Ray Vaughan’s ‘Number One’ Stratocaster, Jeff Beck’s Esquire Relic, Gary Moore’s 1961 Fiesta Red Stratocaster, and most recently the Precision Bass from Phil Lynott. Being a guitarist and understanding what a great guitar should look, feel and sound like has always been a top priority for him. The ultimate symbol of the building professional, the Graduate Master Builder (GMB) designation is for experienced veterans only. Like Yuriy can do any kind of crazy flame finish you want on the fretboard. All good stuff, have a look. He had an in-depth knowledge of how to use various construction materials; he also crafted designs, directed the work, and often participated in the manual labor. Look, as a master builder who signs each FENDER GUITAR with his NAME, he is a public figure so to speak and a representative of fender and even if it's his private (or not) facebook page -what he posts reflects on fender. Every day on his way into the Fender factory, he would walk the long hallway lined with display cases containing some of Fender’s most historically significant designs; guitars collectors would happily pay five or six figures for, hung alongside impossibly rare prototypes that never saw the light of day. Some of them have unique characteristics. Based on what I've seen what they've done, I think you can't really go wrong with any of them. Fender is a multimillion $ company that has a vested interest in appealing to a very wide and diverse demographic. As a master builder at Fender, Cruz has an elevated public persona and as an (ex) employee of Fender he is representing Fender, whether he likes it or not. Nov 15, 2006 #2. When I moved to Corona and got a job here, I saw how much love and creativity goes into it, as well as the passion that people have for building guitars. John Cruz joined Fender in 1987, and was appointed Master Builder of the Custom Shop in 2003. Historically, the master builder was considered the central figure that ensured that quality construction work took place. Custom-Built. MASTER BUILDERS offers Training Programmes for learners at all levels, which are informed by industry requirements, and aligned to the Construction Education & Training Authority’s Sector Skills Plan. Guitar.com Live: Carlos Lopez, the highly-acclaimed Fender Custom Shop Master Builder, sat down with the esteemed Mike Adams to discuss his journey to becoming one of Fender’s most revered luthiers, life inside the dream factory and much more. Long before Carlos Lopez was a Fender Master Builder, he knew what he wanted to do. Your dreams are what make the Fender Custom Shop the reality that it is today. 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