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Post subject: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 11:10 pm
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Last edited by J2002 on Sat May 16, 2015 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 12:58 am
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J2002 wrote:
Hi everyone! I'm going to go look at a used 2012 AM strat and I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on what to look out for? Is it possible to tell that the pickups are fat 50s without playing the guitar or take it apart? Tell me what you usually look out for when buying used guitars. Thanks in advance.


Play it !!

And... if you like how it sounds... BUY IT !!

Don't get on with what it does or doesn't have...

If it plays good... and sounds good...

BUY IT !!

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 1:14 am
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Lightnin MN wrote:
J2002 wrote:
Hi everyone! I'm going to go look at a used 2012 AM strat and I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on what to look out for? Is it possible to tell that the pickups are fat 50s without playing the guitar or take it apart? Tell me what you usually look out for when buying used guitars. Thanks in advance.


Play it !!

And... if you like how it sounds... BUY IT !!

Don't get on with what it does or doesn't have...

If it plays good... and sounds good...

BUY IT !!

cheers!


+1!

If curiosity later demands a post mortem, take it apart, photograph everything you see, then post the pics. Someone here will likely recognize the constituent components "beneath the hood" and let you know precisely what you've got.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 2:15 am
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I think I would be concerned as to establishing it's authenticity.

I appreciate that if you like the way it plays and feels it could be irrelevant if it isn't "real", but you wouldn't want to be buying a Ford with a Ferrari badge if you were paying Ferrari money.

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 2:28 am
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Take lots of decent quality pictures and post 'em up here.
The good folks here are pretty good at spotting a fake, and we can give you a reasonable assessment of the guitar's authenticity - it will, however, be just an assessment and not definitive :)

Unfortunately the only way to get an idea about the pickups and controls is with the scratchplate off and viewed from underneath.
The only way to properly date parts (neck/body) is to dismantle the guitar and look for manufacturing stickers and stamps.


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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 2:58 am
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Last edited by J2002 on Sat May 16, 2015 7:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 3:24 am
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If the authenticity of the guitar is beyond suspicion, you like the guitar, and you feel the price is right, go for it.

I also concentrate on how a guitar feels & sounds, how is it set up (intonation, buzzing, trem settings all tell a tale...), fret wear, possible mods & the skill level behind them, etc.

Like advised above, posting good close up pics here usually helps; some forum wizard will surely recognize the Fat50s, - the staggering and beveling (& wires, markings etc. but there you'd have to do an autopsy) are characteristic on different pup series.
Or DIY: this page up > "Products" > "Gear" > "Parts/Electric Guitar" > "Pickups and preamps" and compare pics of the various Strat pup series.


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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 5:56 am
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J2002 wrote:
The guitar is mint, nice guy, nice neighborhood, bought from local music store, original receipt and it still got a few month of warranty left. He's asking for 70% of price from new...


Sounds like you should snatch his hand off him without delay. :)

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 7:07 am
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J2002 wrote:
The guitar is mint, nice guy, nice neighborhood, bought from local music store, original receipt and it still got a few month of warranty left. He's asking for 70% of price from new. I absolutely don't think anything is changed on it. I just wanted some advice.
The guitar comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty so I'm not sure what you mean by it still having "a few month(s) of warranty left." In any case, and as others have already said, if you like the way the guitar plays and feels and have no worries about its authenticity, then you know what to do.

And don't forget to post pics! We love pics!

Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 7:15 am
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Last edited by J2002 on Sat May 16, 2015 7:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 7:54 am
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So in mint condition, with all the doc's, under a year old for 70% list price.

There are "new" guitars in guitar shops older than that, and they have been wielded and thrashed by every wannabe poseur who comes through the door.

Get it. If you don't like it you can always sell it and shouldn't loose anything.

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 7:55 am
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J2002 wrote:
The guitar is mint, nice guy, nice neighborhood, bought from local music store, original receipt and it still got a few month of warranty left. He's asking for 70% of price from new. I absolutely don't think anything is changed on it. I just wanted some advice.


Therefore there is absolutely no reason to dismantle this guitar.
Have you played it thru your amp or worst case scenario a similar amp to yours ??
This being # 1.. Is it a guitar that feels right ? This is subjective and #2 is this guitar the tone you want.
The tonal coloring can be changed to many different tones just by rewiring or changing pots... Then pups etc...

Let's face it, Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters are basically parts guitars. All bodies and necks are assembled from a rather large inventory of parts and fitted according to this goes with that and that goes with this.. There are not any bodies or necks milled as a unit from raw baulks. Unless you are in the Custom Shop or very limited edition series...

It sounds like a good deal so why not ..

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 8:15 am
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J2002 wrote:
Hi everyone! I'm going to go look at a used 2012 AM strat and I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on what to look out for? Is it possible to tell that the pickups are fat 50s without playing the guitar or take it apart? Tell me what you usually look out for when buying used guitars. Thanks in advance.


Authentication is always a problem in the resale market. I would do my homework first. Go online and find examples of the same year and model of the guitar.

Going over the Fender website, I see that the Fat '50 pickup pole pieces have bevaled edges. I don't know if this helps or not.

Looking at lots of examples from ligitimate dealers (i.e. Gruhn Guitars and the like) will be a big help. Also take a look at earlier Fender catalogs, which can be downloaded from this website.

Posting pictures here before you buy is always a good idea.


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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 8:42 am
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Last edited by J2002 on Sat May 16, 2015 7:12 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: What to look out for when buying a used strat.
Posted: Thu May 14, 2015 9:14 am
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2012 was the first year for the Fat 50s in the Am Std Strat. The pole pieces have beveled edges and look like this.

Image

The headstock looks like this.

Image

To post pics, they must first be uploaded to a publicly accessible site such as PhotoBucket, then copy the IMG code from the site and paste it in your post. When you click "Preview" or "Submit", then the pics will be visible in your post.

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