Fender Meteora set up

Описание: * Sorry about the slightly crap sound - something going on with the head-mounted mic only putting out a low signal, requiring boosting and fiddling post-production **

The fact that Ben Crowe at Crimson and me in my turn have both ended up making videos about the Fender Meteora that focus heavily on the amount of work that has to be done to... well... 'finish' the frets properly is a Fender blunder in my opinion.
For a guitar at the £999 RRP level the frets are a 'factory compromise' i.e. they're pressed into wood, sprayed over, given a quick (but aggressive) radius block levelling that flattens them quite a bit and also takes the amber lacquer off the top of the frets, then buffed and out the door. On the plus side the customer gets a guitar that CAN have the action lowered (no small thing)... but on the down side the customer gets a guitar with huge flat spots on the frets and crunchy amber lacquer everywhere. This looks... cheap. Sorry Fender. And it requires spending more money on a tech / luthier to re-crown and polish the frets properly, removing as much as is possible of the excess lacquer at the same time.
Plus the other 'normal' set up things (correcting the nut slots, setting the intonation properly, setting the neck relief etc)... but that's not a criticism since all other guitars require that. But Fender seems to be missing one thing - that we're at the mysterious £1000 price level... where, on approaching 4 figures, the customer (or tech!) expects to find something tangibly, noticeably, remarkably, recognisably better than on a £300 guitar.
To end up talking about these frets is, Fender, a real SHAME. Actually to end up talking about these frets and the PRICE is a real shame Fender. Because the body shape and finish is luscious; the pickups sound good with a wide, usable range of frequencies that make using the tone pots worthwhile. The pickguard shape is futuristic and the neck feels great despite how shabby the frets arrive looking.
If the frets were done, then I'd be saying "This guitar has something special in its looks and how it plays" and I'd feel that it was approaching the magical 4-figure price bracket. But they're not (on any example) which leaves me thinking that this less well finished than a Classic Vibe Tele or Strat at £350. Ouch Fender. You don't want that. The 'Build it and they will buy it regardless' approach works for these big brands for a lot longer than it by rights should; but even so it won't work forever as Gibson found out to its cost a few years back.
Some people will ask why Tom didn't buy something else - like a Classic Vibe Squier or even a vintage JV Squier - for less money; I expect the reason is that he had his heart set on this style & look and we all know that feeling. Like me, Ben Crowe at Crimson considered it worth putting the effort into - and the result is a very sexy looking guitar; a definite head-turner.