fender factory mexico tours

• Stratocaster
• Marshall & Celestion

Ensenada: The made in Mexico

• Standard Series, Player Series and Player Plus Series
• Special Series & Deluxe Series
• Classic Series, Classic Player, Vintera & Road Worn
• Hybrid Stratocaster of the '90s

Fender Play The #1 guitar learning platform TRY FOR FREE

2 Min Read By Mike Duffy Share

Versatile by Design: The Acoustasonic Player Telecaster — Episode Two

See how the Acoustasonic® Player Telecaster® is made at a brand-new factory in Ensenada, Mexico, exclusively dedicated to creating this revolutionary instrument.

• #telecaster
• #acoustasonic
• #pablo sotel
• #american acoustasonic telecaster
• #versatile by design

The American Acoustasonic Series took the world by storm when it was first released in Telecaster form two years ago, soon to be joined by Stratocaster and Jazzmaster versions.

Built at Fender’s Corona, Calif., they revolutionized the way people think about the relationship between the acoustic and electric guitar. Now, Fender has another addition to the lineup in the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster, a streamlined version of the original ready to bring this amazing design to even more players.

In order to keep pace with the demand for the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster, however, Fender built a brand-new facility in Ensenada, Mexico, that is exclusively dedicated to producing this revolutionary model.

“I think the story of this guitar is about the lessons learned and every evolution of the Acoustasonic since the start,” said Ed Magee, Executive Vice President of Operations. “When you build acoustic guitars, temperature and humidity are absolutely critical, much more so than with a solid body guitar.

“We captured all of our build processes in Corona and applied that to the design of the actual factory where we’ll build this guitar in Ensenada.”

Since Ensenada is located on the West Coast of Baja California, climate control was a top priority throughout the build.

Experts were brought in to consider every aspect of the process to ensure it all flows around the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster. Located alongside the existing Fender factory that had operated out of Ensenada since 1987, the new state-of-the-art facility boasts insulated walls and roof, and room to allow wood to acclimate to the indoor temperatures.

And perhaps the most important aspect of the new Ensenada factory is the people that occupy it. As Marko Ibarra, Director of NPI and Program Management, estimates, each Acoustasonic Player Telecaster is handled by 30 or 40 people before it becomes a finished product, offering a little bit of their passion as it passes through their hands.

“Thinking about how every person who touches it leaves a little bit of their energy here, surely it must be alive,” said Ibarra. “The instruments are alive and ready to make new stories, to find a new home, to find a musician waiting for them to make a lot of good music.”

Just as the Acoustasonic Series is the first of its kind, the fully-focused Acoustasonic Player Telecaster factory is a trailblazer in the industry, a continuation of Fender’s rich history of innovation.

“The thing that makes me the most proud of the Acoustasonic plant — and not only the Acoustasonic plant, but the whole Fender campus in Mexico — is the human capacity, the human talent,” said Angel Espinoza, Vice President of Manufacturing Operation. “Our staff, all of our team members, are committed. They have an enormous sense of pride. We’re an organization that’s completely focused on quality, on doing things right. It makes us proud to see our products in the hands of musicians and for them to feel that they’re playing the best product possible on the market.”

To go inside the new Ensenada factory and see the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster in action, watch Fender’s latest edition of their Versatile by Design video series, featuring Pablo Sotelo of L.A.-based rock band Inner Wave.

Watch the full feature in the video above, and click here to shop the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster.

Don’t miss out!

Be the first to know about new products, featured content, exclusive offers and giveaways.

Related Articles

Strat Sessions: Buddy Guy Featuring Christone “Kingfish” Ingram

• #stratocaster
• #christone “kingfish” ingram
• #muddy waters

Introducing the Fender Next Class of 2024

• #fender next

Fender Next 2023: 25 Global Artists Expanding the World of Guitar

Search for: Search Button

Fender Mexico Celebrates 25th Anniversary

In the midst of canceling their planned IPO , Fender celebrated the 25th anniversary of their factory in Ensenada, Mexico.

The special celebration happened last July 20, 2012, marking the 25th year of Mexico made Fender instruments.

Looks like the show must go on for Fender Execs, even when their planned IPO was shelved, they celebrated the silver anniversary of their Mexico factory.

Sergio Villanueva, senior vice president, global manufacturing, for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, was quoted saying: “We are very proud to have reached such a significant milestone. The level of craftsmanship produced in this factory is a testament to its success.”

According to Fender, more than 1000 guests joined the celebration. Local dignitaries, company executives and factory employees commemorated the facility’s 25th anniversary. This special day was greeted by spectacular fireworks displays, while the employees and guests were treated to live mariachi music with performances by Escuelita Fender, Grupo Fandango, and the popular Norteño band Intocable.

If you are curious as to how the factory looks like, you can watch this video tour:

The “MIM” or Made in Mexico Fender instruments are popular because of their affordability, it allows budget conscious guitarists to own Fender branded instruments at a much more reasonable price. Some purists do contest that the quality of Fender MIM products are not up to par with their Made in USA cousins, but many guitarists have come to appreciate the value and quality of the instruments coming from the Ensenada factory. The factory’s longevity itself is proof that people do appreciate and buy their products.

To check out the latest guitars and instruments that they currently offer, you can visit Fender .

Related Articles:

Guild Custom Shop Tour

Fender Acoustic Custom Shop Tour

Jimi Hendrix Exhibit by Fender

Fender Custom Shop Showroom in Mexico City

Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1969 Relic Stratocaster

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Fender Guitar Visitor Center

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Fender Guitar Visitor Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Factory Tours

Celebrating american imagination and industry.

7 Fantastic Factory Tours You Can Only Take In Southern California

Natasha Kayes

I was born and raised in sunny Southern California and will never tire of the West Coast, although I spent several years living in Southeast Asia, about as far from California as you can get. Wherever I am in the world, I love straying from the beaten path, experiencing local life, and discovering hidden gems - camera in hand. The beach is my happy place and when I am not there (or writing), you will usually find me baking, watching movies, and cuddling my pugs. I have traveled around the country and around the world, and it never, ever gets old. Being able to combine my passion for travel and my love of writing is nothing short of a dream.

More by this Author

From bread to candy and vehicles to musical instruments, there are so many things produced in Southern California. It is one thing to enjoy a high-quality finished product, but even better to see firsthand the work and skill that goes into making it. Get a sort of backstage pass with these seven factory tours in Southern California and see how some wonderful products come together.

Related Stories

This Easy 1.7-Mile Trail In Southern California Is Covered In Wildflowers In The Springtime

This Iconic Southern California Tourist Attraction Is Slated For A Comeback

I Spent An Amazing Day On The Water With Dolphins, Gray Whales, And Sea Lions

Have you had the chance to take any of these awesome tours in Southern California? Share your tour experiences with us in the comments. If you love tours, check out these other amazing tours you can take in SoCal .

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Want more Southern California in your inbox?

Get the latest on things to see, do, and eat around Southern California!

Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!

An error occured.

Related Articles

• This Floating Sound Bath In Southern California Is The Most Relaxing Experience You'll Have All Year
• One Of The Country's Most Impressive Rest Stops Is Hiding Right Here In Southern California
• This Mystery Picnic Is The Ultimate Outdoor Foodie Adventure In Southern California
• You Won't Believe The Views You'll Find At This Incredible Airbnb In Southern California
• 12 Airbnbs That Are Available To Rent For The 2024 Indianapolis 500
• 14 Nature Lovers Must-Haves For Ultimate Adventure This Season
• 12 Airbnbs That Are Available To Rent For The 2024 Kentucky Derby
• What Will The US Tornado Season Look Like In 2024? Our Very Own Storm Chaser Weighs In

• Search forums

• Main Stratocaster Guitar Discussion Forum
• Sidewinders Bar & Grille

2003 Mexico Factory Tour

• Thread starter photoweborama
• Start date May 8, 2023

photoweborama

Strat-talker.

• May 8, 2023

Anti conformist reformist

Very cool! Thanks for posting.  

Senior Stratmaster

Given the high quality of the MIM guitars over the years, I'm not surprised with the quality of the Ensenada factory. Thanks for posting!  

This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.

Fender's Ensenada, Mexico factory struck by fire

While no injuries have been reported and the blaze was extinguished in “minutes”, the extent of the damage done remains unknown

Fender's Ensenada factory was struck by a fire on Wednesday morning, according to a local city news site.

As Ensenada.net reports, the fire started at around 6:30AM in one of the factory's warehouses. No injuries have been reported thus far, however dozens of factory workers had to be evacuated, and the fire department called to extinguish the flames.

Fears that the fire could have spread to neighboring facilities were eased when a fire suppression system on the second floor of the warehouse helped get it under control. Thereafter, it only took the fire department “a few minutes” to extinguish the fire entirely. The level of damage to the property remains unclear.

Fender's Ensenada factory is responsible for producing its Player, Player Plus and Vintera electric guitars , as well as many of its lower-priced artist signature models. It also has a newly allocated space dedicated to building the recently announced Acoustasonic Player Telecaster .

“The expansion of the Ensenada factory has been a 26-month long journey, but one that's been completely necessary to make Acoustasonic technology available to a widespread audience of players around the world,” said Ed Magee, Fender's EVP of Operations.

“We have an incredible depth of engineering, operations and guitar building experience in Ensenada and this investment gave the team an opportunity to tackle a brand new guitar manufacturing process to meet the growing creative needs of our players.”

At the time of writing, Fender has not made a statement regarding the fire at the Ensenada factory.

Get The Pick Newsletter

All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**

Join now for unlimited access

US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year

UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year 

Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Prices from £2.99/$3.99/€3.49

Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar .

Guitar World deals of the week: save over $200 on Fender Player bundles, a price drop for the Boss Katana, plus an amazing deal on a Positive Grid Spark 40

“My initial thought was, ‘What the hell am I gonna play?’ There are so many players on this track, and so much is going on, but they just let me be me”: Steve Lukather takes you behind the scenes of Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

“Designed for guitarists seeking the best tones ever produced by analog gear”: DSM Humboldt unveils the Simplifier X – “the most advanced analog amp simulator ever made”

Most Popular

By Phil Weller 3 April 2024

By Matt Owen 3 April 2024

By Matt Parker 3 April 2024

By Matt Owen 2 April 2024

By Matt Parker 2 April 2024