Ha! Well that's interesting.

Now I'm revising my previous suggestion. That neck heel and pocket don't look too Fenderish. No stamps, and what's that strip of black paint all about?

Now I'm curious to know more about these Westfields Mr Wookee mentions.

This is turning into a fun thread...

cheers - C

EDIT: typo

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Can't find a 22fret Westfield Fender copy. I'm more inclined to suspect Chinese knock off than legitimate business.

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No no and no

Its not actually black paint,its a strip of sort of tape material?From what i,ve found on the internet so far it,s looking to be more of Korean origin??.But ive never seen guitar with identical selection of head decals mines has.And why in the hell if it is Korean,would there be a genuine(ie it dates to Corona 2004)
Usa serial number on the rear of the headstock,and not just a Korean serial?

I think we can assume it is a fake......so I don't know if the erial number matters tbh.....I may be wrong....send the serial in and you might get some info.

Niki the Westfield Thinline copy has 22 frets although this obviously ain't a Thinline copy.

The COP TEK switch is the same as Westfield but I think some Squiers use that too....might be wrong but I'm sure, in the recesses of brain somewhere, I remember a Squier Strat I dealt with having that........

COuld we be looking at some sort of partscaster........

I am inclined to stick with Westfield, which also covers Sheridan, Boston and Lauren branded guitars and I would guess there would be another half dozen too.

Remember these factories often build 'generic' guitars and some office somewhere puts on decals................I've bought a few no brand guitars so that is a possibility.....

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

Black plastic around the truss rod adjustment nut was a Mighty Mite feature long before Fender opened it's plant in Mexico. It's not really a unique feature.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Because it's a fake decal. That much is certain.



That's right. I've seen that too.



This seems a strong likelyhood. Though if it's simply a cheapo guitar with a fake decal added we need to be looking for one that matches not only the 22 fret neck but the two string trees and the neck pickup without mounting screws through the pickguard. So far it's not a combination of features I've been able to track down...



Though this is also a fair possibility.



This is true. Though what I was really getting at is that I don't believe I've seen the Chinese fake-ocasters of recent years carrying the black plastic insert. They are usually nude, and I think we've seen them with walnut linings too. But not plastic - though of course I happily stand to be corrected on that.

And if it's a partsocaster then I don't think it's a Mighty Mite neck because their branding on the neck heel would be hard to remove. If it's an aftermarket neck it's not one I recognise. Again, keen for more information...

This Sherlock Holmes stuff is always fun! Where's my deerstalker...?



Cheers - C

PS: I know it's not quite a real deerstalker. Best I could do at short notice...

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JUst looked at the Squier section in this site............never thought of that and here's the standard tele........


two string trees, 22 frets.........................possibly a start......

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

HA! Some of us were trying to be too clever by half!

I think you have it, pappawookee.

So. This guitar starts life as a Squier Standard Tele, which costs £191 in the UK. Someone invests a fiver in a fake decal and suddenly that new Squier becomes a second hand American Standard for which Mr robbocop33 is charged £300.

Buyer beware, of course. But let's cold shoulder sellers and buyers of fake decals too, because this is what they are used for.

robbocop33, you mentioned the guy who sold the guitar to you said he'd take it back. Time to make good on that promise. Lucky for you.

Cheers - C

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I've read on the internet that a giveaway sign of a fake fender is to run your fingertip over the headstock decals and you will feel they are risen over surrounding woodwork,eh no!Not with mine,they have been lacquered over,i would say professionally!
I really thought that after finding out this is a Squire,i thought the decals have just been taken off it,then fake Fender ones put on,but i don't think its that straight forward.

YOu find if someone is determined to 'authenticate' a fake they will go to certain lengths to make it seem right. Lacquering a headstock isn't out of the question to further the fakery, it wouldalso help hide any issues from rubbing off an original decal.

It looks like the bridge, or saddles anyway, may also have been swapped.

Can I ask, how does it play? How's it sound? JUst curious......

Oh by the way.....the 'bar code' thing is a security tag....one of those things that set off shop security alarms.

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

In fact, it's easy-peasy. Aerosol of polyurethane lacquer, a few coats over the decal, level with wet-and-dry, buff up - and Bob's your uncle. Well worth it to add 50% to the original value of the instrument.

All too simple.

Cheers - C

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I understand how easy it would be,but im sure some 'fakers' are cack handed and not all necessarily skilled,or careful enough painters!;-)

Of course........no doubt about it. I have come across some absolute honkers in my time and had to break the bad news to a couple of clients that their pride and joy was actually a hunk of junk!!!

THere are very unscrupulous folks out there who whack on a fender decal, replace hardware with cheap 'relic' copies and throw the body about a bit to make it look old and try and pass them off as 'classic' 50s/60s/70s etc. You just need to look through ebay to find them...........And I'm talking fakes that even I can spot!!!!!!!

ON the other hand there are professional guys out there who can make a fake guitar and even a seasoned pro player wouldn't necessarily bat an eyelid until a professional tech or builder opened the thing up!!!!!!

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

Logo's being applied after lacquer is also a Fender technique on Deluxe, Vintage Reissue and a lot of CustomShop runs.

So rule that rule of thumb out.

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No no and no

Kind of thought that,bit of a vague check.The lacquer on mine has been 'really' well done,looks perfectly standard,i've had enough guitars to know it looks 'natural'.