I just started a thread in the Tele forum about what I beleieve is a fake I purchased. Now I'm going through all my gear and researching it more in depth. Everything checks out pretty well, and perhaps I'm being paranoid here, but I do have one 97 Strat that I'm worried about because of something I found about Swedish replicas. The guitar appears to have never been played. It's pristinge in every respect and even appears to have original strings, case and documents unopened and attached including the case keys in a sealed envelope. I thought at the time I bought it it was a great find. Now having seen the info on these apparently really good sedish fakes I'm a little concerned because it does have the same Plus case, appears to be the same model, approximate year and series of the replicas and the somewhat odd brushed aluminimum tuners. Too good to be true? If anyone know a sure fire way of determining whether it's one of the Swedish copies please let me know.

The one item I did find was that with these replicas, even the case is a fake and has a different handle but I couldn't find out what the size difference is. Obviously if it has the smaller handle I probably have reason to be concerned but I have no idea what the size or measurements should be.

Send all you info including serial number to consumerrelations@fender.com

They will let you know in a few days.

I don't understand why you think your Tele is fake. 1983-1986 was a very ambiguous time with serial number dating. |Clear precise pictures would be a lot better rather than just close ups. To give em some context.
I don't see any good reason for you to suspect your Strat. Again, pictures.

I've never heard of Swedish fake guitars. Can you link to some information please?

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No no and no

Thank you for posting pictures, they were most helpful in identifying your guitar... oh wait...

My suspicions were just paranoia perhaps due to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCM-0VIbn4Q

If you look at the condition of this guitar which is more than 15 years old perhaps you might see my concern.

http://s1279.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 0360617278

The pick guard still had the protective plastic on it. I'm pretty sure after doing some more research it's the real deal but the video sort of bugged me. Especially about the tuners but I later found a real one (in a video by the same guy) that had those odd tuners.

Your strat is a real strat.

I wouldn't trust the guy in the video. He has another video with that guitar called something like Strat Ultra the real deal, but his guitar is not a strat ultra, it's a strat plus deluxe. Several forum members posted comments about that on his other video. Now he has this video saying it's a Swedish fake. I've never heard of a Swedish fake either, but I'm pretty sure what he has is a Strat Plus Deluxe that's been modded.

Bloke in the video is having an obvious laugh.
Your guitar is not a fake.

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Matthew - don't worry at all; that video you found has to be a joke video. It's just someone having a good time screwing around with people on youtube.

The guitar you have is a Strat Plus - it's a very nice one in the fairly rare for it's day natural finish.

The guy in the video is just messing around. He's showing a modded Strat Plus Deluxe from 1996 with the legit "50th Anniversary of Fender" medallion that was on every production-line Fender built in 1996 (Fender was founded by Leo back in 1946). The satin finish Fender/Schaller locking tuners are standard. The guitar in the video has been modded with the Dual Red Lace Sensor in the bridge position (which is the bridge pickup from a Strat Ultra) - that's why it has the maple neck. Also, Strat Plus Deluxes had ash veneers on the front and back of an alder body like that blueburst one in the video - the only exception to that rule was if the guitar had a natural finish it would have a solid ash body.

Your Strat Plus has the solid ash body. Rest easy - you have a 1997 Strat Plus and a 1983 CBS-era Standard Tele.

Your the bomb John. THe only issue I had other than what was stated is that the neck has a satin finish while the body is high gloss. Is that also normal? I appreciate you guys clearing this up for me by the way. It's just that given the condition on a 15 year old guitar I got worried. I actually work at a pretty well equipped lab and put it under a microscope and it appears the guitar has literally never been played. Not even a rub on the fret finish other than what looks like a couple of E, D and A chords played in demo. Pretty remarkable actually.

I also don't have any anniversary sticker. But although it was originally claimed as a 96 I think it is a 97 so I guess it wouldn't.

Your Strat Plus looks like it has an "N7xxxxxx" serial number - that should track to it being a 1997-ish build and therefore it wouldn't have that "50th Anniversary of Fender" medallion.



It's a real time capsule guitar; very cool piece. Yes, that is absolutely normal for it to have a gloss body and a satin finished neck. That has essentially been the spec on modern-style Fenders (i.e. not a reissue or an artist signature where the artist wanted a glossy finish).

I'm happy. Thanks John. Assuming this one is real it's amazing. Like I said, never been played as far as I can see.