I purchased an old Stratocaster from a guy a few years ago for a song. And I am interested in selling it, but I have had trouble verifying its age. One reason for this is because the person I bought it from had stupidly made modifications to it, like installing modern pickups, replacing the inline tuners with post tuners and the string saddles were replaced as well. But, after comparing to other period guitars, the neck plate with the serial # 31975, the bridge plate and trem, the strap buttons and butterfly string tree for example are to my untrained eye authentic. But the most distinctive feature is the neck, the cellulose has a beautiful dark golden color with the spider webbing of tiny cracks only brought on by time, and I am pretty sure it has a rosewood "Slab" fingerboard. It has clay position dots both on the board and on the side. The original paint color appears to have been gold, but he had also painted it a sad black....it has begun to wear though and the original paint and primer has begun to show through. I have some photos to show it, If someone could take a look and let me know what they think I would be very grateful. I have an extensive collection of guitars...not as a collector but to play, and this one plays and sounds unlike any I have ever put my hands on despite its haggard appearance.

Well to be straight up with you if it sounds that good why would you want to sell it and not just keep it as a player. With everything that has been done to it you are not going to get much for it.

I say you keep it, customize it a bit yourself, and add to it's history

I was really just trying to find out its age, or information about it. Selling it may or may not be an option depending on what I can find out. I have several guitars and with the economic situation tightening down I thought I may liquidate some of them. The pictures really don't do it justice. The neck is what in my opinion would be worth something, if someone could give me some information about the guitar that would be handy.

Hi Solnovi, welcome to the Forum.

www.guitardaterproject.org says that your serial number indicates a 1959 Strat. Hmmm.

However, your photos raise some immediate questions.

For starters, that headstock, with its various features. And neck plates can be switched easy as pie - who knows where that one might have come from before you got the guitar?

It is worth investigating further. What you need to do is remove the neck and take us some nice photos of the heel end, with any markings you find there. Also, inside the neck pocket might or might not be useful. Apart from the pickups, do you think the electrics are original? If so, some nice detailed pictures of the underside of the pickguard would be very handy, and also the routing for pickups and controls.

And take us a good clear photo of the bridge saddles, why not?

All of that's going to tell us plenty more.

There's folks round here that might have things to say about the logo on your headstock. I have thoughts on that - but we'll leave that one to better heads.

Speaking of which, maybe Mr Orvilleowner will look in and speak to you about dowel plugs in bodywork...

At any rate, it's a guitar with a story.

Cheers - C

The neck looks like a 59 but to verify that you need to check also the logo design, if the body is a 59 also you still have one heck of a guitar. Take the guard off and neck and take pics then someone will be able to help you more.
Welcome to the board to.

I am really disheartened at this point, I am feeling like this is not good. As far as the electronics go he did replace the entire pick guard and pick up assembly. This neck is confusing me even more....I can not find any trace of a truss rod anywhere, but it plays so great, the tone, the feel are unlike anything else. It has the clay dots, and the visible screw holes where the inline keys were mounted, it is clearly old. The string tree is also a match. I am at a loss.....anyway here are the pictures you asked for see if you guys can figure it out.

The headstock decal is a complete fake... wrong for ANY period, but totally wrong for early Fender.

Throw in that hogged-out body... no date stamps... the obviously fake "relic" job... the bridge doesn't even look properly proportioned (which could be the camera lens, I know), let alone with the right saddles...

I would guess there's nothing "vintage" about this guitar. Good thing you got it for a song, because that's what it's worth. The EMG's are nice.... if it plays well and sounds good, then play it.

Hate to tell you this mate, you been had.

Note the complete lack of truss rod adjuster and rod. Everything else could be explained away. Even the done yesterday bodywear and wrong decal. After all bodywear has to happen sometime, and people do replace decals however stupid a concept that is. But fender have never made a guitar with no truss rod and that 2'1/16 bridge should be near impossible to get on a vintage strat, without doing a massive plug job. The scratchplate of a vintage shouldnt fit that, let alone a mother of toiletseat from 50whatever. Fender mexico dont even use those bridges their a strictly far east affair.

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Its known as a Vietnam strat ex servicemans strat made in the sixties and has no truss rod, I know because I own one and called him Lonely Boy how much did you pay for it. Its a fake Fender made around Taiwan and Vietnam area and Philipines. I like mine also has a real sixties sound. Dont fret about it, how much did you pay ?

Except the trem is different.

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Hello niki how are you mate I am glad you remembered that I have the fake first vibrato ever made designed from the Fender Chronicles history which gives my Vietnam guitar some class dont you think hahahahahhahahahahha

Well if the decal is fake which it likely may be it is still old because it has oxidized, and to my knowledge that is the one constant in fender decals...it is hard to fake a vintage decal, it is raised and has taken on that greenish hue that again only comes with time. I agree the body is hogged out he had obviously carved pieces away to make room for the active emg's and the paint is butchered, but honestly that's one of the things I like about it because to see it you think uggh, but then when it fires up it sounds awesome...dunno maybe it is all in my head. Either way it has more than paid for itself just from club shows that its seen. Still curious about the neck though, that has me more confused and curious than anything else. From my searching the string tree and strap buttons and various small parts are spot on fender vintage which is what had me stumped.

Solnovi it is a total fake ok accept it, the pic ups give it a nice sound and it plays well, it is a vintage guitar yes. Was this a friend who sold it to you and how much did you pay for it ?