Hi all,

I'm new on this forum, and would very much appreciate your help!
I am considering buying a second-hand american vintage 62 stratocaster.

Everything seems allright from pictures I received, except for the guitar is said to have been specially ordered reliced (very lightly) by an important Fender distribution store in NY (the seller doesn't remember the name of the store). The back of the neck is lightly sanded out, and the finish on the back body countour is also worn out on the edge.

The seller says the guitar has 3-4 years, but has almost never been played, and claims that the relicing is original, and was marketed new in this condition.

As I have never heard of any american vintage strat to be reliced AND new, I was wondering if you guys have ever seen such a guitar, specially ordered by a shop.

I asked for the serial number and sent a question to consumer relations, but no answer so far.


Thanks very much for your help!!
Tim

Hi Nevin,

Thanks for your answer.
I should have specified two things:
- I live in France. The seller says he bought it new in a shop in France which imported the guitar from that store in NY;
- It's a black AVRI 62 strat. The colour has been discontinued and I am looking for that specific colour. I've been looking for black AVRI 62 second-hand strats in France for over a year now, and these don't show up very often !

I have done a lot of research on the specs of this model, and heard about Wildwood's and Dave's Guitar's thin skins. Unfortunately, we don't see them often in Europe, and they don't make them in black.

Regards,
Tim

American Vintage Strats normally aren't relics.
Are you sure it's not a Custom Shop or a Mexican Roadworn model?

Maybe it's relic job done by the first seller in NY.
I live in The Netherlands and I know there are shops and builders over here that "relic on demand".
They take a new guitar, like an American Vintage Reissue and beat it up.

I have a '57 Am. Vintage Reissue Strat for two years now and it's allready showing "road- and playwear", because the nitro cellulose lacquer is very soft and wears easily.

If I were you, I would keep on searching for a new one or a used one with minimal normal wear. Better it becomes a relic naturally by playing it yourself.

A tip: the '57 with maple neck is still made in black.

Salut de Pays-Bas

+1!

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY