Now it's much easier to put those two pics alongside the "1957" at the start of this thread and observe the difference in the screw position. Take a much braver man that me to cite that as conclusive evidence, but educational, at any rate.

Only thing, if you were relicing a Reissue wouldn't you do more work on the plastics? I'd still be perfectly satisfied to be told the timber was real but the plastics were replacements. Would explain the low-ish $17,000 opening price too (if it's the one tdanb2003 saw).

BTW A nice detail on the second of these two pictures is how the lacquer has darkened where it has been exposed to the light above the waterline of the neck pocket, so to speak. Nice crazing in the lacquer on both necks, too.

Learning learning learning!

***

I'm afraid since noticing that Ad-Mart are based in Oz I'm much less hopeful over doing anything about them. I've threatened them with exposure to the BBC Consumer Unit (amongst other things), who are always hot for these sorts of stories. But I don't see them being much terrified by that, 12,000 miles away. The British Police Internet Dept. will just shrug and say, "what can we do?"

And Australia's a bit far for even my Missus to spare the time to go roast them over the barbie...

- C

Well, they did add a neck date and a body date.
They didn't show a close up of the pickups or pots, which could tell me a lot.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Sounds like you're pretty certain about it, huh?

I'd be fascinated to see the heel of a Reissue neck. I wonder if it would show those horizontal router marks, which I've found on none of the verified pictures of originals.

...Silly thing: got an old Sherlock Holmes show on the TV across the room as I type...

- C

Here's my "statisticiany" answer: I cannot conclude from the pictures I've seen that it's the real thing.

Aren't there any vintage experts ready to chime in?



If you want to see reissue neck heels, keep an eye on Ebay for Reissue '57 necks. There are some Japanese versions there now, but I couldn't find an American one in a quick search.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Haha - you're it, man!



Good, thank you: I've now looked at a couple of CIJ neck heels.

Brain working even slower than usual, but now I think of it, if the guitar at the start of all this is really an American Reissue wouldn't it have had the date stamped at the heel in ink (like my Am Series)? OK, easy to sand off and refin, but then those router marks wouldn't be there any more. Or does the MIA Reissue carry the date stamp on the flat underside of the heel, like those CIJs?

'Nother tiny factor to consider...

Cheers - C

Here's a lot more to consider:

1) the pictures need not all be from the same guitar (the scammer could have pulled pictures from anywhere to fool his mark)
2) we don't see a close up of the bridge saddles
3) we don't see a close up of the tuners
4) we don't see a close up of the pots (and their dates)
5) we weren't told of its serial number or shown its neck plate
6) we weren't shown "nail holes" or "dowels" to verify the body

About the only thing we have is a picture of a neck heel that actually suggests to me that it's a reissue and not the real thing.



If they used a chemical stripper to remove stamps from the heel, the router marks would remain.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

This is such a great thread, I thought I'd give it a bump (thanks Ceri for pointing me to it).

A real cautionary tale for thos of us who may jump int unwise deals when we get excited!

I think it just goes to show that
1) If it seems too good to be true, it probably is
2) Scams are normally simple, not complex. NEVER trust Western Union money transfers, and if the seller isn't willing to meet in person and take cash, then walk away. (actually, this is a good test of the deal, even if it isn't practical for you to visit... if the seller agrees to you collecting in person it might just give you the confidence to trust them to ship)

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The advert is still up.

http://www.ad-mart.co.uk/vintage_1957_fender_stratocaster-o307111.html

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No no and no

Yep. I got absolutely nowhere trying to talk to them. All that stuff on their website about their "responsible, law-abiding conduct" is clearly so much hot air.

And the police obviously didn't do anything either. I reported it, but...

Internet fraud for the whole country is handled by the Met's electronic crime department. Just the other day I heard figures for the number of internet scams brought to their attention. It was huge and naturally included stuff a lot heavier than fake guitar cons.

I suspect my complaint about an advert on a website hosted in Australia went to the bottom of someone's in-tray... and is still there.

Pretty crappy, huh? I tried...

Cheers - C

does the "seller" have to keep posting it?
Or is this the original ad you saw?

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Its the original ad i saw, placed on that site 22/09/08.

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No no and no