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Post subject: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:53 am
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I have a Blue/Green Maple Neck 21 fret Strat that I believe is a 57 Reissue. 50s era classic Strat headstock, previous owner added a Tōkai stamped bridge, never had a Trem cover, no screws for it, Kluson styled vintage tuners. The kicker, the neck has a handwritten in pencil 5-57 on the end under the trussrod screw, and on back of the heel. No numbers I can find on the body anywhere, and the paint is a little more greenish color under the pickguard. The neckplate starts with a 57 and is 5 numbers. Really odd 57 on the neck, and the plate starts with a 57. I am stumped. I do not believe the pickups or electronics are original, . Very hard time finding out what this is. More of a 60s type of neck, not a V shape like in most 57 reissues. All the 57 reissues I have found have a stamp, not a penciled on number. I thought originally it was a Tokai, but no longer believe it is, just the bridge. Guessing a Japanese or USA reissue, or perhaps tribute? Maybe Mid 80s but not sure. Hoping some experts here can help me figure it out. It really is a nice guitar, like it a lot.

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:19 pm
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Do you have a pic showing the unobstructed control cavity?

If it has the "hip" at the bottom to accommodate a pickguard screw then the body is not a '50s era (re-issue or otherwise). The pickguard itself appears to be a '62 style, with eleven screw holes. The neck may be a Tokai, aftermarket, or (a long shot since it doesn't have the typical MIJ stamps) a Fuji-Gen. The 12-fret dots are spaced correctly for a '50s-era neck and the 7¼" radius is prototypical for an authentic re-issue. As well, the string tree is correctly located, which pretty much rules out a MIA origin. I'd call the color Ocean Turquoise Metallic though it might also be a slightly faded Sherwood Green Metallic.

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:41 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Do you have a pic showing the unobstructed control cavity?

If it has the "hip" at the bottom to accommodate a pickguard screw then the body is not a '50s era (re-issue or otherwise). The pickguard itself appears to be a '62 style, with eleven screw holes. The neck may be a Tokai, aftermarket, or (a long shot since it doesn't have the typical MIJ stamps) a Fuji-Gen. The 12-fret dots are spaced correctly for a '50s-era neck and the 7¼" radius is prototypical for an authentic re-issue. As well, the string tree is correctly located, which pretty much rules out a MIA origin. I'd call the color Ocean Turquoise Metallic though it might also be a slightly faded Sherwood Green Metallic.

Arjay


Thanks. I am away from the guitar until tomorrow, I do not have a picture of the control cavity just the pickup cavities. Had a heck of a time figuring it out. The Tokai guys don't think it is a Tokai. They thought Fender. It is a really high quality neck, and body, the pickups are meh, and do not appear to be original, but who knows. The bridge is different than the middle and the neck.


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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:04 pm
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57xxx would be a more expected serial number from around '61 or '62. This alone establishes that it is not a '57, assuming that the serial number is real, and if the SN is not real, it's a bad fake with the mismatched date on the neck. A '57 ('55 to '57) would typically have a SN in the low 5 digit range (10,xxx to 20,xxx).
A vintage reissue would preface the SN with a "V"
A vintage reissue would also not have a false date penciled onto the neck heel.

One thing that catches my eye is, yes, the PG is a '62 style, but there is an extra hole by the middle pickup that would indicate that is not the original pickguard, or not the only PG the body has seen.
That hole would match both earlier and later guards.

No holes on the back of the body for the trem cavity cover... could be a refinish and the holes were filled, or it could be an aftermarket body, but given this and the date on the neck, I'm really leaning toward "Partscaster"

As mentioned, a "step" on the edge of the body next to the switch for that screw would prove it to be '60s (or aftermarket).
What does the bottom of the pickguard look like? Electronic parts, wiring, shielding, etc....?

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:14 pm
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CB91710 wrote:
57xxx would be a more expected serial number from around '61 or '62. This alone establishes that it is not a '57, assuming that the serial number is real, and if the SN is not real, it's a bad fake with the mismatched date on the neck. A '57 ('55 to '57) would typically have a SN in the low 5 digit range (10,xxx to 20,xxx).
A vintage reissue would preface the SN with a "V"
A vintage reissue would also not have a false date penciled onto the neck heel.

One thing that catches my eye is, yes, the PG is a '62 style, but there is an extra hole by the middle pickup that would indicate that is not the original pickguard, or not the only PG the body has seen.
That hole would match both earlier and later guards.

No holes on the back of the body for the trem cavity cover... could be a refinish and the holes were filled, or it could be an aftermarket body, but given this and the date on the neck, I'm really leaning toward "Partscaster"

As mentioned, a "step" on the edge of the body next to the switch for that screw would prove it to be '60s (or aftermarket).
What does the bottom of the pickguard look like? Electronic parts, wiring, shielding, etc....?


The pickguard is not original, that I am certain. There have never been any screw holes on the back of the guitar. The neck reminds me very much of Japan Made Fender necks I have had, and Tokais. Both the body and the neck have age to them, like 80s era type of age. I have several vintage guitars, fenders included, and this has been a puzzle as not vintage, but some sort of attempt at a reissue. I really thought it was a Tokai when I acquired it. Pawn shop find. I appreciate all the input, will keep looking.


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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 10:46 pm
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How about the electronics -- mini pots or full-size CTS? Vinyl insulation or cloth push-back wire? Ceramic pickups or alnico? Oak/Grigsby switch or ???

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 11:46 pm
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I imagine that the trem block has "MADE IN JAPAN" stamped in the bottom, which would suggest the whole trem is Tokai, probably made by Gotoh. That would fit the tuners - again, can't read the text in the pic, but guessing "DELUXE".

I'm thinking the color is a refin; pickup routing bottoms look like there's some version of sunburst underneath. If I'm right, it may be none of the "official-unofficial" Fender colors. (One more option for those already mentioned would be Teal Green Metallic.) Doesn't look like poly-thick, so could be nitro, but just as well something like Krylon. How does the neck pocket look like, any markings/stamps etc?

The electronics could give pointers to the age - at the moment I'm thinking eighties, but I could be way wrong.

Not a real 1957 guitar, but I think that was clear to ampegasaur from the beginning. Some sort of a Partscaster/Strat-Like-Object, which could be a very nice 50's style instrument if it didn't have the F-decals. Probably originated in Japan - there were a lot of (good) brands.


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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:29 am
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jmattis wrote:
I imagine that the trem block has "MADE IN JAPAN" stamped in the bottom, which would suggest the whole trem is Tokai, probably made by Gotoh. That would fit the tuners - again, can't read the text in the pic, but guessing "DELUXE".

I'm thinking the color is a refin; pickup routing bottoms look like there's some version of sunburst underneath. If I'm right, it may be none of the "official-unofficial" Fender colors. (One more option for those already mentioned would be Teal Green Metallic.) Doesn't look like poly-thick, so could be nitro, but just as well something like Krylon. How does the neck pocket look like, any markings/stamps etc?

The electronics could give pointers to the age - at the moment I'm thinking eighties, but I could be way wrong.

Not a real 1957 guitar, but I think that was clear to ampegasaur from the beginning. Some sort of a Partscaster/Strat-Like-Object, which could be a very nice 50's style instrument if it didn't have the F-decals. Probably originated in Japan - there were a lot of (good) brands.


The electronics do not appear to be original. So no help there. The bridge pickup is different than the other 2. No markings anywhere on the body. Looked everywhere. The finish appears to be factory, or if refinished, done professionally. Possibly Nitro. Will need to blacklight it.


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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:10 am
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Tuners aren't single line Klusons, so could be anything. Being pseudo Kluson makes me nervous.

Numbered neck plate is of no consequence as you can buy them off eBay so is no more than an eBay neck plate.

The Tokia saddles are probably legitimate Tokia as I can't imagine anyone would fake them.

The neck is interesting. I'm not aware of, and can't find indication in my references, of Fender rounding the back side of the headstock lower flute. I'm thinking it may not be Fender despite the logo.

All the body routing looks too clean to be Fender from what I can see.

I'm calling Partscaster with no obvious Fender parts.

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:12 am
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Just a guess, but to me it looks like the bottom 2 holes in the neck have been plugged and redrilled in a slightly different place indicating the neck came from a different body

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:10 am
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ted j wrote:
Just a guess, but to me it looks like the bottom 2 holes in the neck have been plugged and redrilled in a slightly different place indicating the neck came from a different body


Actually, all four holes look slightly wonky.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:42 pm
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It really is a nice guitar
Whatever it is, I certainly agree it looks great - especially if it really is a nitro finish! If it sounds as good, I'd be very happy to just play it!

Not being an expert myself, though, I'm always interested to read the opinions.

Cheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Fender 57 Reissue Custom Color? Help Identifying.
Posted: Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:22 am
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In my limited experience of Fender reissues I would agree that it is probably not an American neck as the skunk stripe ends level with the holes.
The earliest image I have is a 1998 '57 and the stripe ends about a quarter of an inch past the holes. Every AVRI neck heel I've seen was constructed similarly (excluding 60s versions of course!).


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