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Post subject: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 10:37 am
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Hi everyone, I'm new here and am looking to get some opinions/advice on this "Strat" that I came across at a pawn shop. I would say it's a partscaster because It has a Mighty Mite neck so there's no indication of where it originates. It has a killswitch installed and mini-toggle to split the bridge humbucker and the knobs and pickup covers definitely don't look like anything I'd see on a stock Strat. The Corona California neckplate could very well not be original as I'm doubtful there's any chance this is an American body. The finish looks to me like Trans Red which I haven't really seen on any Fenders that aren't American but there's a good chance I'm wrong about that.

The guy in the shop says the body is from a MiM Deluxe Strat but I won't go off his word so I plan to ask if he'll let me open it up and check the body for markings, CNC holes, etc. For now, I'd like any opinions/advice on this guitar and if it would be worth the $275 price tag if it turns out to be a MiM body. I'm not really experienced with partscasters but I know they don't hold a lot of value so I'm not really sure if that price is decent or not. Thanks!

Here's some nice pics:

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:57 pm
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For that amount of money you could get a real mim strat. Walk away.


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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 10:12 pm
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The bathroom-vibe is strong with that one.


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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:29 am
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If you like the look, feel and the way it plays and sounds, as a partscaster the origin of the body is an irrelevance.

Is it worth it? Is it worth it to you? A guitar like that is only worth what someone is willing to pay, you can't really value it otherwise. If you try to value it based on the sum of the parts genuine Fender parts will push the price higher.

You are non the less perhaps on a better footing than buying some fake knock off. The extra switches might suggest it was assembled by a player so may contain some good stuff.

He is hardly asking a fortune for it. If you like how it plays I'd say it's worth a punt.

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:48 am
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John Sims wrote:
If you like the look, feel and the way it plays and sounds, as a partscaster the origin of the body is an irrelevance.

Is it worth it? Is it worth it to you? A guitar like that is only worth what someone is willing to pay, you can't really value it otherwise. If you try to value it based on the sum of the parts genuine Fender parts will push the price higher.

You are non the less perhaps on a better footing than buying some fake knock off. The extra switches might suggest it was assembled by a player so may contain some good stuff.

He is hardly asking a fortune for it. If you like how it plays I'd say it's worth a punt.


+1

I agree.

While I'm hardly a fan of Mighty Mite necks (I've seen more than my share of poor examples), it looks like the guitar was competently assembled using some otherwise quality components. As John mentioned above, if it plays well and sounds good the asking price is not out of line for a decent guitar.

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:54 am
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I don't think it's a MIM Deluxe body - no contoured heel.
Otherwise, looks like somebody was building his/her/its dream guitar - locking tuners, TUSQ saddles and string guides etc. On the other hand, the neck plate seems to be a bit slanted - which (if it's not just the perspective in the pic) raises doubts about his/her/its skill level.

The parts in the guitar easily add to that 275. How does it tune/intonate/play/sound/stay in tune? Is it otherwise just right for you, or will you start to miss the logo or get other regrets?

If everything says take me home, baby, go for it. If you have any doubts, wait for a better option.
PS: In my 'hood, that is about the price of a Classic Vibe Squier - MIMs go for over 400 monetary units.


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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:04 am
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The Deluxe Players Strat featured a standard heel and rectangular neck plate. And Transparent Crimson was an available color for the model during its production run. It's possible that the pawn shop's clerk simply misspoke when he called the guitar a "MiM Deluxe Strat".

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:13 am
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jmattis wrote:
... On the other hand, the neck plate seems to be a bit slanted - which (if it's not just the perspective in the pic) raises doubts about his/her/its skill level.


I think that is parallax as it looks fine in the next photo.

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:27 am
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I'd forgotten about the Dlx Players model, that could be right. Wiring mods of course, toggle switch instead of push/push etc.

On the neck plate, to me it doesn't look totally correct on either pic... Comparing:
Image


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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 4:35 am
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jmattis wrote:
I'd forgotten about the Dlx Players model, that could be right. Wiring mods of course, toggle switch instead of push/push etc.

On the neck plate, to me it doesn't look totally correct on either pic... Comparing:
Image


Good call that man. Fender bodies (and Warmouth judging by their web site) are pre drilled. Also Might Mite necks all seem to have white nuts. Perhaps this one has been changed to a Graphtech?

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:20 am
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Looks to me like there's $250 worth of salvageable parts in that thing.
I'd pay it.
For a $25 gamble?
You bet.

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 5:00 pm
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Hi, thanks for all the replies I appreciate the opinions. I had the chance to play it in the shop and really did like it. There were a lot of different tones I could get out it not to mention it feels great. I did some of my own research and I too think that it's a Deluxe Players model because of the Trans Crimson finish. I plan to pick it up soon and I've decided that for that price I won't be bummed if it's not a Fender body since I do like it quite a bit and with all the aftermarket things it's pretty versatile.


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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:27 pm
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How are the fret edges? I used a Mighty Mite neck on my partscatster, an it needed ALOT of filing to make the fret edges smooth. For me, all my parts were Fender except the neck (which is Fender licensed, though) and the Dimarzio pups, so I felt it warranted the "Fender Stratocaster" on the headstock (no SN, though, and I am not trying to deceive anyone).

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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2017 11:45 pm
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01GT eibach wrote:
How are the fret edges? I used a Mighty Mite neck on my partscatster, an it needed ALOT of filing to make the fret edges smooth. For me, all my parts were Fender except the neck (which is Fender licensed, though) and the Dimarzio pups, so I felt it warranted the "Fender Stratocaster" on the headstock (no SN, though, and I am not trying to deceive anyone).


They were pretty smooth, I think next time I go to play it again I'll take more notice of that though, thanks for pointing it out. I'm not sure if I'd put a decal on, I'd know deep down it's not all Fender and something about having a blank headstock seems kind of cool to me, knowing that it really is someone's creation. Although not mine, I still like the idea of that. I really would like to find out what the pickups are. The neck and middle may just be stock with chrome covers but the bridge has the wide range style cover on it but no Fender stamp so I'm curious to see.


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Post subject: Re: Partscaster Worth It?
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2017 2:29 am
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01GT eibach wrote:
...I felt it warranted the "Fender Stratocaster" on the headstock...


Perhaps, if it had all Fender parts, including a Fender neck (which would have had a Fender logo already) otherwise no it doesn't IMHO.

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