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Post subject: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:01 pm
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Local pawn shop has this "Fender Stratocaster" for sale and since the guitar was relic'ed, hard to tell what model, version, or how authentic this "Strat" is..need you advice and help.

Here are the pics:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id= ... sp=sharing

Couple observations:
Here's why it could be a Fender Strat (maybe Mexi)?
1) Vintage Kluson type tuners
2) Small Headstock is right on sizewise to my CV Strat
3) Body is not plywood and appears to be a solid 1 or two piece (couldn't tell exactly).
4) Neck shape is about the same as other fender C shape necks like the current Mexi std. (not as thin as my CV strat)
5) Pickups have bevels on them and are pretty quiet without alot of hum (sound good).
6) 6 screw trem seems right considering the vintage tuners with a model like a 50's
7) Single ply pickguard (50's style?)
8) Neck feels like a real fender neck
9) If this were a cheapo copy, someone went through alot of trouble to relic it (I realize the back paint removal is extreme but the rest is obviously a pro relic job) and add high quality brass rolling saddles,
10) Due to the amount of work done to it (looks like a pro heavy relic) it would be not cost effective to waste the money on a relic on a cheapo guitar. See this relic (it sort of looks like something this company did) http://www.daxcocustom.com/guitar-relics/225/

Why it might not be a Fender Strat:
1) No visible serial number
2) Headstock logo.If it were a USA, or other, why would you scrape it off?
3) Nut adjust at top of neck - can't find a model with 6 screw trem, single ply guard, Klusons, that had a top nut hole?
4) 5 way switch seems not as beefy as the current USA strats (unless they made them cheaper or that style)?
5) Is string tree correct?
6) The only guitars I can imagine that come out of Fender looking "heavy relic'ed" are custom shop and if that were the case it would have custom shop logo on back of headstock and probably neckplate.
7) If this were a Fender strat - why would you reduce the value by getting rid of serials.

Thanks for any insights or knowledge about what it might be Fender, Model, Years?
Really appreciate it. Would hate to see this shop selling a fake but as much work as someone paid to put into the guitar, along with the prohibitive cost to get kluson vintage tuners, a good almost exact fender neck, solid wood body, decent pickups, etc...In my opinion, it would have been cheaper to just get an actual Strat so I am leaning toward it is a real Strat - but what model?
Thanks for your expertise and input. Detective work is fun.

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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 10:20 pm
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It looks like a partscaster to me. Some (but definitely not all) of them might actually be Fender.

Is it worth three bills?

You'll have to make that call.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:49 am
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Retroverbial wrote:
...Is it worth three bills?...


Yeah, if the bills are ones. :wink:

Looks to me to be a Squier neck with fake decal.

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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 2:00 am
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Looks wrong on many levels and certainly isn't a Custom Shop heavy relic.

The neck decal screams fake and, as you pointed out, you wouldn't remove an authentic Fender decal to apply one that looks wrong.

If it were $100, and played well, it might be worth a punt.

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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 5:13 am
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I wouldn't even call that guitar a Partscaster. Definitely not a US Fender, and the truss rod plug seems too pointy for a MIM or a Squier. The body could be from a Squier, but no way to tell on those pics. The "relic" job is nowhere near the level those daxco guys (or any pro) would do.

For 300$ you could get a second hand real MIM Fender, or a Squier Classic Vibe.

For this guitar... I'd stay away. And for the future: you won't find US Strats for 300$.


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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 12:14 pm
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I don't think the neck is Fender. The Fender logo an aftermarket waterslide type. Based on the look of the finish, the body could a Hwy1 body. It's got that hand buffed look my Hwy1 body had. The bridge does not look Fender.

I'm 100% certain that this is a parts-o-caster. It's worth whatever the parts might be worth.


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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 1:50 pm
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John Sims wrote:
The neck decal screams fake and, as you pointed out, you wouldn't remove an authentic Fender decal to apply one that looks wrong.

Along that line of thinking, no one would ever remove a real Fender SN in their right mind. It is not as if a MIM neck looks "just like" an MIA. Everyone who knows even a little about Strats knows that. Hence, that neck is most likely non-Fender. Best case is that it may be Might Mite... (?)

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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 7:10 pm
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The neck is a MightyMite, I think.
Saddles are wrong.
String height looks terrible.

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Post subject: Re: Is this a fake or real Strat - advice?
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:36 pm
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Flip it over and check if the two center holes for the trem cover are staggered or even with each other. If even it's a Squire body. Staggered means MIM or MIA.

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