Check out the post on the Harmony central forum (IS THIS A REAL FENDER) This poor guy I want to really say idiot traded a Tom Anderson for what he thought was a custom strat. Now the guy admits he really does not knoe Fenders well but you have to see this guitar as the guy who sold it never showed a picture of the back of the headstock. In fact he only showed one shot of the front of the headstock and you can clearly see the neck is no way custom shop.In fact it looks so dark it was deffinetly swapped from another ax and might not even be a real fender neck as there is no serial # on it and does not say custom shop anywhere. To me the body looks as though it could be a MIM body. I dont know why he did not drop by on here and ask about it he sure as hell would be sleeping better.

Again, I have to ask. Why do most people only bother to inquire about guitars AFTER they buy them?

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

Hi Straycat: I searched for a minute or two before giving up. Once again, a link would be very handy.

If you have the webpage in question open in a browser window, just click on the address of the page at the top, copy it and paste it into a post here. Like this:

http://www.harmony-central.com/

Then we can all see.

Thanks! - C

Sounds like it's the same unfortunate chap who posted on The Gear Page forums...

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=591285

WOW! That deal turned into a hot mess! No way I'd take an amp off that guy!

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

People are getting ripped off left and right and it sucks. I hear about this kind of thing all the time lately. The problem is the lack of information everywhere.

Weeks ago, I was in Sam Ash looking at a "Masterbuilt CS guitar" (I think it may have been a one-off). I took a look at it and saw the generic Custom Shop logo, no builder decal. I called an employee over to tell them that they labeled it wrong. He responded by telling me I was wrong. Then I explained that Masterbuilt guitars have builder logos. The salesman looked back at me as if he had personally been betrayed. He then told me that the guy who sold the store the guitar told them it was Masterbuilt and they believed him/didn't know how to verify it.

Normally, if a big chain employee couldn't tell the difference between a stratocaster and a telecaster I would just laugh about it. I dealt with this salesman before and he knows his stuff, so it was disappointing.

So in the mix of counterfeit guitars are "seller promoted" guitars. The guy in one of those forums got a standard billed as a custom shop and Sam Ash got a team built billed as a masterbuilt. This is especially frustrating to people who don't know better because they are probably looking to see if it's a real Fender, not if it is really CS, Masterbuilt, or otherwise.

Just gotta keep yourself educated and ask second opinions if unsure.

Mondo that is the ax. Ceri the link mondo added is what I was talking about.Ceri I have to apologize for my lack of computer skills. I usually go on after the kids are done which is like 11am. I type with one finger and if the boys are not around I have no help.lol I guess in the computer world I would be considered handicapped.lol But I do alright with what little ability I have and I sure as hell find a lot of things. In a way I look at it like guitar playing patience will get me where I want to be. But I am working on my skills and since the forum I type much faster.But getting back to that thread I cant believe how bad that guy got taken and for all those who would say thats why we could not sell like EBMM does BULL. Because anyone trying to sell a fake Fender here would definitely get shot right down.

Frankly, I think he took the amp knowing that it was the best he was going to recoup from the other guy.

It really is a shame to see people get royally hosed but unfortunately, this is an ever increasing fact of life. What he should have done was posted his intentions here and asked for some help. With all those pictures, well, you all know the rest!

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You dig?

It seems to be human nature to go for the kill and then seek approval afterwards...

I know when I bought my Custom Shop guitar at the beginning of this year (from a reputable dealer, though), I had done some research beforehand, but it wasn't until after the purchase that I thought "Hmm, there's this little thing called the internet — just maybe Fender has some sort of online presence? Perhaps I should check that out..."

Last time before that I had much to do with electric guitars, it was all "I know someone who has a cousin who might be able to get hold of some tubes for you" and guys learning by reducing the RPM on their turntables.

You can never underestimate people's capacity to convince themselves that they are the only person to have noticed a bargain when it's posted for all the world to see...

Thing is there is a TON of info , if a person doesn't leap before he looks.

Sadly there are, always have been, and always will be crooks. I can't imagine dropping any significant kind of money without making sure what I am getting is what i think I am getting. The problem is people seem to be lining up to give their money to fraudsters.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Hi Straycat: no worries at all, man. We've all been there!

I still remember the very first time I used a computer on my own. I struggled with it for an hour or two till I was exhausted. Time to switch off... how? Spent another hour searching for the off button - who's the joker who decided that when you want to STOP you have to press a button called START?


Haha - and now you're 400 posts in - and busy spotting scripting errors with the page setup here!

You're hooked good and proper, Mr mondo!

Cheers guys - C

I agree the info is out there. I meant to emphasize that places that you'd expect to have people who know really don't know. I probably should have said there are clueless people everywhere and they creep into places that you'd least expect. The information that you are looking for often isn't readily accessible at your local store.

You would do your research before you buy because you are intelligent.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Wow there really ripping him a new one on Harmony central and they are right .They told him he should of asked for advice before making trade and that he is probably someone with too much money and no guitar sense. I have to agree as you notice right of the bat the neck says synchronized trem and the guitar is a hard tail shesh and that nut I dont even know what to make of that and my God has he ever even seen a custom shop neck .Fenders Custom necks are just about the best neck you will see that thing is orange. Now to top it off he is accepting an amp from the guy too smooth it out. Yes this guy has too much money on his hands. The only smoothing is to send back the guitar or take a few friends and go for a ride or a plane trip for a visit.

Well hopefully he's learned for next time.

It's worse when someone gets ripped off like that again, after they know it was a rip off the first time.

I once saw a supposed Gibson in a store--without any indication it was a fake--and it as blatantly obvious from the headstock alone.

When I walked in and saw it--it looked legit, but as I got closer I realized it was a fake.

The store in question is not a Gibson dealer--and it was a used guitar--so I wonder if they got scammed?

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.