Hi all, first time poster here.

I have a line on a 2001 Strat, asking $350. Is that a good price? It is blue with a rosewood fretboard, looks to be in good condition. What would be a fair price for this model? Any known issues? Are the pups Alnicos or ceramics?

Many thanks.

That's too high, they're only like $500 brand new.

I've bought a couple for $120, but I usually see them between $200-$300.

I wouldn't pay more than $275 for one, and it would have to be real nice for that.

I was just looking at this one for $275, but only cause I like the color.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/msg/1647738734.html

In my neck of the woods, $300-400 is pretty normal for the "asking" price. I have never in my life seen a real Fender Strat intact as an entire guitar in any condition go for $120. Congrats to JasonSD who got TWO. Nice ...

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That's funny because I was just reading through another forum and it seems that these were $350US new back then.

If that is the case, $200 is about the best I can offer him, depending on condition of course.

Thanks.

yeah I sold one for $250, think it was a 2002, and I used the other one for my painting project. That was a 2006.

I also bought one for $20 once. Can't remember what year, the finish on the body had some cracks in it, but it wasn't in the wood. I sold that for $169 something like that.

Yeah, but prices have gone up since "back then" ... about $150 up. If you get it for that price, you stole it. Good luck ... I sincerely hope you talk him into it.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

275 is a fair craigslist price and 300 on ebay due to listing, finial value and paypal fees that equal around 25 to 30 bucks on that sale.

Thomas

Most sellers will come down in price the longer there item does not sell.

I have to agree with 01GT...here in Northern Ohio, the usual asking price is right around $300 to $350 for used MIM's in decent shape...give or take any upgrades that may have already been done and whether or not it comes with a case (for that $350 I would expect a relatively decent hardshell). So while it's not a bargain and certainly not a "steal", depending on where you live it is a pretty fair price if the guitar is in really decent shape. Certainly condition is a factor...if the guitar is pretty beat or has something wrong with it, a lower price would certainly be in order. If a guitar already had some or all of the upgrades I was planning to do, then I might pay a little more for it.

Just to give you a point of reference, I was recently at the Northeast Ohio Guitar Show this past weekend and there were three MIM's there...the first one was a 50th Anniversary which was in pristine condition that was going for $500 (with a very nice Fender hardshell). The second was an 01 MIM with gig bag and the seller was asking $300 for it...I took a close look at this one (meaning I actually played it) and while cosmetically it looked in really good shape, I don't think it was the original neck...just way too "fat and chunky" for an MIM...although the logo and hardware did look convincingly real. Then there was the 03 MIM...all original, and except for a small nick on the body near the neck pocket and a couple of -very- light scratches on the back (so light in fact that I didn't even notice them until I got home), the guitar was otherwise mint. The guy was asking $275 with gig bag because he had just taken it in on trade, I got him down to $250 without the gig bag (I -HATE- gig bags) and he gave me $40 trade for an acoustic (with gig bag) that I hadn't payed anything for originally, so basically I walked away with that one for $200. At the previous show I saw a couple of MIM's going for anywhere between $275 (without case) to $450. There was 1 that was going for only $250 with hardshell at that show but it was a very sorry fake...it was a Squier Bullet with an MIM logo on the headstock.

So again, around my area, $350 if a pretty fair price give or take the other things I've mentioned...maybe a little on the high side, but not bad at all.

As far as "known issues" with MIM's, there's really only two big ones...the pickups and the trem blocks. The older MIM's used half-sized zinc alloy trem blocks that really just suck the sustain right out of the guitar. On the other hand as I just said in another thread, for $20 - $50, it's an easy and worthwhile upgrade. The pickups...that's a bit more subjective. I will say that every mid-90's MIM I've ever played that still had the stock pickups, the pickups really just sounded bad...very flat and lifeless. In my '96 MIM I ended up with a set of Duncan rails (and a Callaham trem block) and now she sounds simply wicked. On the other hand, this 2003 MIM I just picked up, I think the pickups actually sound pretty decent. In this case I'm going to upgrade the trem block first and get some .010's on this sucker and then I'll play it for a while before I really decide about the pickups. If I don't like them, I may put a set of EMG's in this one...but the jury's still out there. I've seen where a lot of folks are actually quite happy with the post 2000 MIM pickups so we'll just have to see.

Also...and this is a personal opinion of course but...I think that with the heavier trem block and the heavier strings, having at least 4 springs on the trem is really a must. To me 5 springs feels to "stiff" but with the heavier strings/block, the original 3 springs felt sloppy...for me, one extra spring did the trick.

Personally I'm also rather partial to those roller T's as well. It's not an MIM thing as much as simply a Strat thing to me...for less than $5 and 5 minutes with a screw driver, it's a really easy upgrade. I can't really say that I've noticed any actual difference with tuning stability...all of my Strats are pretty stable to begin with, but it certainly doesn't seem to hurt anything either.

Alrighty, just my $.02 worth as usual...I hope it helps and let us know how it goes!

Jim

New ones cost $500 at guitar center or musiciansfriend, but I don't like the new logo on them.

Here in the Phoenix Area there's probably 200 new ads on craigslist a day for music gear. So we always have several MIM strats to chose from. I know a lot of smaller areas might only get a handful or ads a day and the selection is limited so they can probably charge a little more. Where are you from mitch?

There's a MIM HSS here for $200 right now, looks in good shape, but has cigarette burns on the back of the headstock. And I myself would prefer a guitar from a non-smoking house.

I would say about $200 to $300 max for a 2001 MIM in my neck of the woods. This is really depending on condition and whether it's been modded to death.

Thanks for all the replies. I may go down this afternoon and have a closer look at this guitar.

From what I can see, it looks to be in immaculate shape, comes with HSC (generic) and whammy bar. Seller claims it has not been played much. Judging from your responses, I may offer up to $250 for the guitar.

Are the pickups ceramic or alnicos? I am partial to my MIM Tele's Alnicos ('94 standard).

Again, thanks for all your replies.

So what's with all the strats being sold off? I just found a black 2001, asking $300. It seems that strats with rosewood boards are being sold off a lot more than its cousins.

Yeah 01GT I would say the low is around 250. high 325. and I am like you I have never seen a couple much less one at 120.

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