New Masterbuilders....

The newest Masterbuilders are Jason Smith and Stephen Stern... how many names have since left the custom shop, that allowed the 'new guys' to come on....I just found out that Elliot Easton used to use Alan Hamel and Ronee Pena...remember them? This was around 2000-2001. Christopher W. Fleming is the only 'Senior Master Builder' listed on Fender's site... so I guess he is the one currently in charge. Yuriy Shishkov is born in Russia. He studied under John English, and has a site in Russia, and many followers there. You can tell he studied under Mr English... his style of 'relicing' a guitar is identical for my mind to John English and Fred Stuart's style. Of note is that when John English made the 'Blackie' guitars (along with a couple other Masterbuilders), he conformed completely to the style everyone there used to do the Blackie's... Yuriy's guitars (at lease the one I have played) have a lot of punch, the kind Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes seems to like. I have owned 3 guitars from the collection of Rich Robinson... he seems to like fairly heavy guitars (8lbs), with a '70's type of finish (thicker), and a real punch in all positions (listen to the Crowes for the sound). Rich would like Yuriy's guitars....