This is a friends guitar that he got a few years back. Sombody went nuts with a rattle can and painted the body. I think it may be a Showmaster but I'm not sure, I have not removed the neck to check any numbers just yet. Any thoughts?

http://s888.photobucket.com/albums/ac86 ... photo1.jpg

Hi travis182, welcome to the Forum.

I'm usually cautious about giving definitive opinions on this kinda stuff, but on this one I am ready to say catagorically that this is not a Fender of any kind. Wrong headstock shape and completely wrong horns on the body, as well as the contouring of the cutaways on the back. Plenty more reasons, but that's enough to be getting on with.

As such it ain't even a Fakocaster, it's just a homebuild knock-up or similar.

If it plays nice and the price is right (low): good. If not, walk on by.

Cheers - C

The serial number on the heel of the neck is ST-556HMR. There is also a stamp of a red "A" and a stamp of a black "V". Is there a Fender website that I can look the numbers up at?

Travis that appears to be a heavy metal strat made in the late 80's early 90's not a showmaster. I believe the showmaster is a setneck not a bolt on.

Try this. You'll be out of luck, though:

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

Cheers - C

I am not making any declarations here on what it is ... but it may be a Fender. Besides Showmasters, there was also the Stagemaster. Someone mentioned above the Showmaster has a set neck. True. But didn't the Stagemaster have a bolt-on neck? What makes this confusing all the more is that Squier also sold Showmasters and Stagemasters (all of which, I belive, were bolt on). Maybe this is a Squier with a changed-out neck plate? Like I said, I don't know ...

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