I've noticed a trend on this forum. A crop of players who worry about the guitar they bought. "Is it real?" or "Did I buy a fake Fender?"

I hate people who sell fake Fenders. I’d like to beat the snot out of every last one of them.

But the better question is, "Do you like the guitar?" The truth is you should buy a guitar because you want to play it, not because of its name.

I'll give you three stories to prove my point.

Story #1

Back in '93 I bought a paint stripped Strat Plus. I was in love. It had such beautiful tone and personality.

That was until a "buddy" of mine said, "I think this is a copy." He felt that because the serial number started with, "E4," that it had no "Hip Shot Tem setter” and some other minor details, that it was a fake.

I was suddenly horrified. Like finding out you the wife you just married was a prostitute in a past life and you found out after the honeymoon.

I called Fender and got the scoop on the guitar. My '87 Strat Plus was in fact the real article and my friend a moron. The truth is that weather it was a fake or legitimate it was still an amazing playing and sounding guitar.

Story #2

I own 5 Strats, Black HWY1, Clapton Strat, 2004 50th Anniversary Strat, '96 Sonic Blue, and a parts-o-caster (AKA T-Bone) with Warmoth body & neck and Fender Electronics (i.e. pick ups). Of all the Strats I own everyone loves the parts-o-caster over all the other guitars. The day I got my '04 Anniversary Strat I was thrilled. I proudly showed some friends, but the moment that they started playing T-Bone no one gave a flying flip about the other guitar. My old lead guitarist in a band I was in would only play T-bone.
Story #3
Slash has a beloved amber colored Les Paul. It was his main guitar for quite some time. I’ve got news for you: it’s not even a Gibson. It’s a copy. A very nice copy, but a copy all the same.

No one should get robbed, but you have to ask yourself, "Why did I get this guitar?"

The bottom line is: Because you fell in love with the guitar?

Paris

a good point paris , but you forgot about the people that buy cheap crap of the bay and get stung big style, all because they thought they were getting a bargain a gibby lp for 300 bucks or a fender cs for the same price now when they find out it must hurt big time usually they are left out of pocket and with a crap guitar thats probably only good for firewood , i don't think they would hang it on the wall , to much of a reminder

_________________

Hey Paris does that Sonic Blue have the maple or rosewood neck?

I completely agree with your statements. We all want to be gear snobs but the bottom line for me is the setup on the guitar, the overall shape and feel of the neck, and the how good it makes me sound when I play it...

And it better sound good because I'm a talentless hack...

no bottom line is they bought a guitar that they thought was
what it was advertised as.
some people buy guitars as an investment, some dont.
i would rather put my money into a well playing name brand guitar than a parts guitar. good playing parts guitars are a dime a dozen
and can be found on every corner.
if a guitar is advertised as a fender such and such, and the price is
say $1,500, even if it plays well it better be what they said it was.
i wont be spending that much on a fake no matter how good it plays.
thats like after finding out you just got beat on a fake rolex and you say
"oh well, it keeps time well and looks nice"
i mean you were looking for a watch to tell time with right?
no you were looking for a rolex, paid the rolex price,
but got sold something thats worth far less, but it does keep time well and look nice.

tdanb2003

The Sonic Blue is a maple neck.

To tell you the truth I've been wondering about the color Sonic Blue. To me it looks like Dalphne Blue.

I always felt that Sonic Blue was a little lighter than Dalphne Blue, which seemed very blue to me.

It's a light blue Strat w/ a maple neck.

Why do you ask?

Paris

after owning 3 Tele's each of which I truly liked, I am building a custom Tele partscaster because I know it will be the guitar I LOVE.

_________________
Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

Rule #1:
If the deal sounds too good to be true, then it is too good to be true. Anyone gullible enough to fall for a crazy "CS Stratocaster only $500" (or similarly ridiculously priced) ad deserves to have their money taken.

Regarding Partscasters:
Don't discount partscasters
Many Partscasters are at least equal to, if not superior to many production line guitars.
If the builder has the necessary skill, a Partscaster built with:

Stew Mac or Warmoth neck and body,
Dimarzio or Seymour Duncan pickups
Schaller or Grover tuners
CTS pots

is essentially a hand built, custom guitar.

If the person assembling the bits has the skill, it's all about the quality of the parts.

_________________
"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

Paris been gassing for a daphne or sonic blue strat with a maple neck. The color reminds me of my college days at UNC. or what I can remember of them.

_________________
I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

mthorn00,

Thanks for the bit about home built guitars.

That's pretty much what my hoe built Strat, T-Bone is.

Neck: Warmoth rosewood slab fret board, birds eye maple neck (compound radius), bone nut, Fender locking tuning keys, jumbo frets, soft "V" shaped contour.

Body: 4.5lbs alder Strat body stained a reddish brown color.

Parts: 3 Texas Special pick ups, vintage Fender bridge, Tortes shell pick guard, aged knobs and pick up covers. 5 way switch.

This guitar is a tone monster! The best part is getting signed by Robert Cray.

First of all I want to thank you for posting this cause I have been on a rail for a while. I own a MIM strat that the only thing I dislike about it is the neck cause it has those tiny frets. But I had the guitar shielded and when I bought it on consignment they had replaced the stock pick ups with lace sensors and seymor duncuns. But body wise I am happy with it sounds good to me. I had kicked around the Idea of getting warmoth neck with jumbo frets but then its not a real fender strat.. So I thought of just starting over with a nicer american made strat but I check them out and they don't seem any better than what I have now except for the necks.. In fact some sound worse or have lousy setup.. Are you really happy with the warmoth quality did you have to have anything done to it after you installed the new neck..

Kersen13,

I don't think there would be that great a problem. Just make sure you have a really good Luther do the job. You only get one change to get it right. After that you have a very expensive fly swatter if it's done wrong.

What you might consider doing is having bigger frets put on the guitar. Find out which is cheaper.

Don't forget when you buy a new neck you will have to have the frets dressed, a nut installed (I suggest bone) the neck set up and the holes drilled.

Good luck!

Paris

What i've been trying to say, if it sounds good, who cares what brand it is?? (but i still love fender's, best sounding guitars i reckon)

_________________
riley

Many people are concerned about brands or names because they cannot play...or at least many of the Gear Snobs who are more concerned about brand names, and not how it sounds or feels, I have run into cannot play...

Thankfully many people are starting to, or already, realize its the player and not the gear. I saw a documentary about Prince, and Ronnie Wood from the Rolling Stones was sitting in on a concert of his, playing one of Prince's custom made guitars, but Ronnie Wood still sounded lie Ronnie Wood. BB King will most likely sound like BB King whether or not he is playing Lucille. Jeff Healey played Squiers and Jacksons, but made anything he touched sing...

_________________
RAMA LAMA FA FA FA