I do not want to have more debate on this question, but I do want to assure everyone on this thread and this Forum that these bodies are NOT fakes. I have refinished bodies before, as I openly have talked about on various threads. Nothing to hide about that. These guitars I have are way past the kind of experience I have in being able to refinish, and I have done a lot of street rods and antique automobiles. After my examination, looking in every crack and cranny, seeing the small control-stickers that were in place, just like Fender does on all their bodies in their painting process, I am 100% convinced that these are Fender factory finishes. The only other people with this kind of talent to do this type of finish is the like of the guys at Warmoth. One thing not being taken into consideration is, how much the finishes can vary from day to day, or if there was more than one person doing them, or some are earlier than others, or someone was in training at Fender under the head painter doing some of them. There are a lot of variables and I have seen these types of variables on Surf Green, Antique Burst, Vintage White, Candy Apple Red, Midnight wine and some other finishes as well. I have a whole section on my website called "The Color Controversy" in which I address these variables. BTW, the few guitars I have refinished, I have always disclosed that I refinished them. I have done like 3 in the last 5 years. Too much work to do but was fun taking a beat old body and making it look new!

I did get an email from a Fender employee about these who stated: "I pretty much trust that you know your stuff as well as anyone could know your Fender stuff by your experiences. Certainly more than I --and i've been here 32 years this Oct. Let's not forget that there is enough divergence in what we do here that there are times nobody could figure between real and great copy. Sounds like you did your due diligence to me."

Also I contacted the buyer of the $2400 Ultra Firestorm that was called a fake. He told me he was going to take it too a reputable Fender tech to have it checked over to see if it is a fake and to have the tech look over all the solder joints, etc. Here is what he emailed me back through eBay yesterday:

"Dear xhefri - hey, great news, my fender is real and mint condition like right off the shelf, no ware or a mark on it, like brand new and what a beauty it is there, no fake here. - maget0"

I am really sorry the other thread turned into such a circus. In all the years of helping the Fender community, I have never had anything like this happen. Most people who contact me have a great deal of respect. If I would have been treated that way from the start I would have simply tried to share more info, but I saw it was to no avail — I was guilty before even having a fair trial!

Thanks for all the kind PMs people sent and the words of encouragement, especially form the folks at Fender. I was surprised to receive so many.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

Great update with great news.

Arc

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...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

......really????

Yes, really!! Brad had the last word on the subject on the other thread so give it up greenheart!

I think for the majority of us there was never a doubt.

Greenheart, you need to let this go. I think by now you realize that I am not part of a big conspiracy, painting these things. Why not agree to disagree? I respect your right to your opinion. You should do the same with me. So crazy that from the start of this whole issue, you somehow surmised that I am somehow helping these to be made, or am making them myself, for the purpose of selling them to make money. I do not know how you came up with this conclusion? If you would have called that night and talked kindly, and shared your concerns, we could of have a reasonable talk and put some pieces together. But you have your mind made up from the start that there was some type of conspiracy. There just isn't one. I just do not understand your level of unkindness and attacks, nor your methodology.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

Xhefri,

Greenheart's continued posting in this thread have been reported to Brad. Hopefully this will allow Brad to ban this loser once and for all.

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Bill

Issuing final warning to greenheart. No further postings on this topic from you or shweeson or you both will be banned here.

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Director at Fender. Guitarist & guitar collector. All views/opinions expressed here are my own and not Fender’s.

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Sorry Brad, I was not trying to stir things up again. honestly, I would be the first to admit that these bodies were fakes if I saw some discrepancies, like a different color in a plug route or neck socket, orange peel or flaws in the finish. When I received the Icestorm, I was highly suspicious as you can imagine. These, at best, have been an urban legend. I have had 3 people now who told me in the early 90s they saw one together with a Firestorm in a guitar shop.

So when I got the guitar, I had my camera in hand and took it apart and looked at everything "suspiciously." If this even smelled like a fake, I would have called foul and never would have put it on my website. BUT, everything was era correct, right down to the pickups, wires, pots and stamps in the neck socket, etc. I noted the small round inspection stickers with a clear coat finish on them, just like all the other Fender bodies I have seen. No smells of fresh paint either. No orange peel, which is common for a fake or refinish job. The guitar's body had been finished out professionally like Fender does. Even the small round, era correct place, where a sticker was placed to expose the flat black shielding paint in the pickup route—again just like Fender does. No signs of poorly covered "old paint" there or anywhere else inside the body. No signs of previous masking tape lines to cover up the the black shielding tape. I have explained, I am OCD about stuff. This guitar looked like it had been sitting a long time and was a bit dusty and dirty but in very good condition.

All the guitars that are in question are era correct as well. The Ultra the guy bought on eBay (I went back and found his feedback on tenstarguitars profile) was dated right, as well as the two I have.

Now about tenstarguitars. When i bought the Firestorm it was a mess. That is why I started that thread about restoring it. I contacted Rod (who is tenstarguitars) as I have his email from the paypal transaction. I let him know I was not very happy about the guitar. He explain that that guitar was being sold for an other guy and that he did that from time to time. In his email he mentioned that he found a lead about an estate sale coming up in a few weeks in Portland, Oregon, where there was some older Fender stuff that was going to be for sale. We ended up talking on the phone about that. A few weeks went buy and he mentioned in this estate sale he found out there were guitars, parts, bodies etc. and that some where apart, some where complete. He told me that the estate was from a guy who either worked at Fender back in the early 1990s or who had a close friend that worked there—it was not clear. In that batch of stuff being on auction, was this Icestorm and a few other Firestorm guitars (some bodies and some complete.) He knew I was not happy about the condition of the Firestorm so he offered the blue body to me—which I bought. Honestly in talking to this guy, he seemed like he really didn't care about these Fender finishes or guitars. He told me he dealt more with players and not collectors. I saw he sold a number of nice Les Pauls and some other guitars. That is the only contact I had with this "Rod." No other previous connect, as been surmised. I am just explaining to everyone what happened.

Now is there differences between some Firestorm type guitars and these? Yes. But with all the other factors, my years of experience with these models of guitars, the fact I use to operate a body shop years ago painting street rod and classic cars, led me to the conclusion that these are Fender factory finishes. Why the variance then? As I pointed out a few posts back, variance is Fender's middle name! LOL! It could be some of these were prototypes or test runs? IDK. But they smack of a Fender finish in quality and methodology.

When i get some direct sunlight, I will take some pictures of this one. The Firestorm is gone, I sold it too a friend who is happy with is and also believes the finish to be factory. One really can't emphatically state "fake" unless they have the guitar in their hands to inspect. All that can be said is not exactly the same...and that is fair. If i thought for a moment that I had evidence this was a fake I would be the first to admit it. I hate the fake Chinese stuff being pawned off on eBay and Craislist. I, as much as any Fender collector, want to put an end to people producing fakes, especially vintage classic guitars. So that is "the rest of the story."

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

Bravo.

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Bill

I do like the blue much more so than the red. I think if I came across a blue one I would give serious thought into getting it.

Who are you responding to?

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Bill

Ok. Best to use the "Quote" button or identify who you are responding to if you are not responding to a post immediately prior to yours. Helps to prevent misunderstandings and hard feelings.

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Bill

X...We are with you on this one all the way and you are correct as both those look exactly as I remember them.

I distinctly remember seeing both of these colors and have only seen these two colors once. I worked in a music store part time while stationed in Florida...I remember them, because I unpacked both of them when they came in. The dealer was known for getting low number CS guitars and unusual finish guitars and was a fun place to work at, especially as Bill Carson was our Fender South Eastern Rep, but that is another story for another time. I see nothing here that would make me think twice about anything you've posted as being anything but above board.

TBAZZ I am with you on this one, the blue looks fantastic and if I came across one, I might go for it too!


T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I was able to get out and get some shots in the sunshine today. This body is gorgeous, BTW. Not a flaw in the finish work at all. The blue color and even the color of the flake is just like my Player Strat Plus in Transparent Metallic Blue Burst.

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com