Why do people misrepresent items on ebay? Take a look at this and pick it apart. See if you can see what i saw...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Stratocaster-USA_W0QQitemZ180367990461QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item29fec51ebd&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A10%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

_________________
I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

Okay, I'm pretty new to this so, bare with me. I have basically NO knowledge of how to tell fakes from the real deal unless it is something VERY obvious. Outside of it being rather inexpensive for a USA strat all I could find from guitar dater project was the following:

Guitar Info
Your guitar was made at the
Corona Plant (Fender), USA
in the Year(s): 2002 - 2003

I can't wait to see what others find.

P.S....can you give me a hint ??

_________________
"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD

Should the serial no' be on the front of the headstock?
Is the custom contour body decal in the wrong place?
There are no strings on it. (always a bad sign in my book).

_________________
No no and no

thats no mia strat id say shes made in mexico

_________________
Stratohawk Guitar Works Custom Handwound Pickups-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stratoha ... page_panel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc72Re ... qfXXXkVTqA

This is a MIM here's why.

1. MIA doesn't have the 6 point trem.
2. Serial number should be on the back of headstock.
3. 2002 MIA should only have 1 string tree.
4. It's got the cheaper "butterfly" string trees as found on MIM's
5. The truss rod "cavity" (I don't know exactly what it's called) is black. MIA's should be brown. MIM's are black
6. MIA's should have the "spaghetti" logo.

That's all I can find.

_________________
2005 Fender American Stratocaster W/Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in bridge and Seymour Duncan SSL-5 in neck.
1995 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Line 6 Spider II 150 watt head W/Ampeg 4x12 Cab
Laney Pro-Linebacker PL65R

21 frets. But my knowledge ain't near comprehensive enough to say that that must be wrong...

Should there be staggered tuners on a MIA 2002? Presumably this one doesn't have them, hence the two stringtrees...

What are you seeing that I'm not, tdanb2003?

Cheers - C

Serial number location for sure...

_________________
08 American Strat - Blizzard Pearl
04 MIM Strat - Black Maple Neck
07 Gibson SG - Heritage Cherry
11 Gibson Les Paul Studio 60's Tribute GT
Martin Acoustic - 00CXAE
Marshall Class 5 Head
Blackstar HT5 Combo
Mustang V Head
Behringer AT108

yeah, and there seems to be enough room to fit an M in front of the drawn on Z before the serial number.... sheesh, what did he use a sharpie to put that Z there?

This might be a fake. But I just want to share my input. MIA's can have the serial number on the front. I have a 93 MIA Standard strat that has the serial number on the front. Also, my MIA does not have the speghetti logo. Not all MIAI know it is an original MIA because I bought it brand new and I checked it out later to date it. The one thing that tips me off that this is not an original MIA is that the serial number starts with a Z. I have a few MIM strats and that's what they start with. So, all that being said, I think that it's a MIM that someone has reworked to make it look like a MIA. But you just have to check everything!

The serial number starting with a Z2 would make it a 2002 MIA. A 2002 MIA should only have 1 string tree with staggered tuners, a 2-point trem, "spaghetti" logo, serial number on back, and brown truss rod "cavity". Everything about this guitar screams MIM with MIA decals.

_________________
2005 Fender American Stratocaster W/Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in bridge and Seymour Duncan SSL-5 in neck.
1995 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
Line 6 Spider II 150 watt head W/Ampeg 4x12 Cab
Laney Pro-Linebacker PL65R

MIA should have walnut in the truss rod cavity not black plastic. 6 point trem is wrong. Serial # does not look right, not a professional job. I'd stay away from it.

_________________
The time has gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say.

[quote="tdanb2003"]

To cut to the chase, too many things.

Even better, check out the " '89 " 7-UP Green EC Strat been offered at
$2500. That seller has a real 'tale' to tell. He also has The Bklyn Bridge up for bids.

Doc

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"

Cheers Ceri
I think everybody here just about covered what I saw wrong with it. I think Deepindigo gets the nod for noticing the most things wrong. I didn't even catch the trussrod color until he mentioned it. Ahh the things we can learn from each other... You guys are great...

I just also noticed that the Fender logo looks a little big too. Is it only me that thinks that?

Don't ever remembering seeing a serial number lettered like that and there's an unevenness which suggests that the "M" was removed.

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"