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Post subject: is it nicked - or a fake?
Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:28 pm
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HELP!!! I have the opportunity to buy a "used" fender tele. Its imaculate - appears to have never been played, not a mark on it. Dark wood sunburst, rosewood finger board........Every thing looks right, its fitted with a bridge seymour duncan, and includes a quality hard case. Priced at 299 pounds, it should be a bargain that I would rip the shops arm off for.........but the serial number is missing. Shop say they foolishly put a super adhesive price sticker over the serial number, and it pulled off the decal......hmmmmmmmmmm.

Also, the headstock has the fender logo (in silver), but not the words "Telecaster". Is this unusual? The rear neck plate also has the fender logo.

Shop (pawn shop) say its a mexican model. Not sure how they draw that conclusion - especially without a serial number.

Main question is - is it a stolen guitar and may be worth a lot more or is it a fake and not worh the wood? Any guidance would be helpful.


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Post subject: Re: is it nicked - or a fake?
Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:34 pm
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Welcome.

The silver logo is alright but the fact that it doesn't have the word, "Telecaster" after it is a dubious thing. The neckplates on MIMs are plain, they do not come with the "F". Consequently, either you have a "Partscaster" there or a Fender guitar that has been toyed with. Needless to say, this is about all that can be said without you putting up some pictures of it. Personally, I'd positively avoid it.


tonyc1 wrote:
HELP!!! I have the opportunity to buy a "used" fender tele. Its imaculate - appears to have never been played, not a mark on it. Dark wood sunburst, rosewood finger board........Every thing looks right, its fitted with a bridge seymour duncan, and includes a quality hard case. Priced at 299 pounds, it should be a bargain that I would rip the shops arm off for.........but the serial number is missing. Shop say they foolishly put a super adhesive price sticker over the serial number, and it pulled off the decal......hmmmmmmmmmm.

Also, the headstock has the fender logo (in silver), but not the words "Telecaster". Is this unusual? The rear neck plate also has the fender logo.

Shop (pawn shop) say its a mexican model. Not sure how they draw that conclusion - especially without a serial number.

Main question is - is it a stolen guitar and may be worth a lot more or is it a fake and not worh the wood? Any guidance would be helpful.

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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:44 pm
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thanks martian. obviously I can't get a picture, don't think the shop would be too happy about that. But the fact that I'm asking the question does indicate something is not right !

Still....lovely guitar, play beautifully too............

Partscaster !! I like that (not heard that before) I'll be sure to throw that into a conversation asap.

thanks again.


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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:02 pm
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tonyc1 wrote:
thanks martian. obviously I can't get a picture, don't think the shop would be too happy about that. But the fact that I'm asking the question does indicate something is not right !

Still....lovely guitar, play beautifully too............

Partscaster !! I like that (not heard that before) I'll be sure to throw that into a conversation asap.

thanks again.


Glad to help!

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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:25 pm
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I have a very similar tele, color ,model, etc but I wouldn't buy anything without a serial number. Way too easy to fake. Save up another hundo or two dollars (pounds) and get one that you know is the real deal.

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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:11 pm
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The shop is spinning you a B-S story.

The serial number is applied before the varnish on the headstock.

Therefore even if a SUPER sticky sticker was put on over the serial number it would have to also remove the varnish as well as the serial number and you would spot that a mile away.

Definitely a fake IMHO.

CAVEAT EMPTOR my friend


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:29 pm
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Yeah, the good thing to do is stay away. 8)

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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:25 pm
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Stay away! Although the recent Special Edition series Lite Ash Tele did not say Telecaster on the headstock although a serial number was present on the back of the head. It wasn't available in the colour you mentioned though.

Stay away!

CC

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:27 am
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Thanks one and all - I'll take your advice (sadly).

A small point -m the pichture of a tele that is shown alongside goose63 is exactly whatI'm looking at. As I mentioned, the bridge pickup is a seymor duncan. Why would anyone fit a duncan to a fake? what a waste!

But I am aware, and accept the poit that the serial number is varnished in, and that's what put a doubt in my mind to start with.

Guess I'll have to go crawling to my loverly bank manager (not) and get a "proper" tele. I have a couple of strats, but just wanted to expand my horizons a bit.

thanks again.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:18 pm
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HA ! Sussed it !! It's a special edition fender Telecaster Koa - 100% genuine (minus a serial number) Currently valued on the market (with serial number) these are selling at around £650. So it is a bargain at 299

That sucker will be mine


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:56 pm
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tonyc1 wrote:
HA ! Sussed it !! It's a special edition fender Telecaster Koa - 100% genuine (minus a serial number) Currently valued on the market (with serial number) these are selling at around £650. So it is a bargain at 299

That sucker will be mine


Ah! So the Lite Ash wasn't the only Special Edition Series that didn't say Tele on the headstock. If thats the case then grab that baby and get twangin, pronto!

CC

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Post subject:
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:26 am
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No serial number? Do they make them with no serial numbers? If not, I would say it is of less value than one with a serial number, so you are probably paying the deflated price. Gee, here in the States I would venture to say the serial number was removed because someone does not want it identified, meaning it was probably stolen and then pawned. I know it would suck to have my guitar stolen, the serial number removed and sold by a pawn shop. I would walk away because a stolen guitar is not a good deal to ANYONE.

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:05 am
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Still sounds fishy. Guitars is supposed to have serial numbers.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 12:09 pm
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Generally one can tell if the serial number was removed by a close inspection. If MIM it should be on the back or front of the headstock and one would see light sanding marks. If Japanese it would be on the heel of the neck by the body. I have seen these sanded off so one could barely tell they were removed.

People remove serial numbers for two reasons: 1) The guitar is stolen 2) they did not want people to know where the guitar was made (Like some people want a USA model so bad they do away with the serial number and made in Mexico lable, hoping to dupe someone...or themselves! LOL!)

I agree, Stay away!

http://xhefriguitars.com/index.html


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 4:26 am
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I would have to say to be carefull with this one it sounds like a walk away.


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