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Post subject: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 12:53 pm
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Hey Ya'll,
Since I know a lot of folks around here shop on Ebay and since there's always a lot of posts on these forums asking "is it real", I thought I'd pass this one along.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Whos-In-The-Woo ... 1e98923514


I'm no expert on Tele's, but if you look closely at that guitar, everything about it just screams "Squier Affinity". Except for the paint job, it's virtually identical to my '09. The bridge, the jack plate, the body routing, the neck (lack of truss rod inlay and skunk stripe) and even the Paulownia body wood...REALLY looks like a CIC Squier to me. The paint job is moderately interesting, but if you look closely, it doesn't even look like the body was properly filled or sanded before it was repainted.

Anyways, just wanted to give people a head's up on that one as it looks like the seller is really trying to con people. "Vintage Relic Telecaster Replica"..."brand-new, unused, unopened"...pah-lease...


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 1:34 pm
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It's of course good to be aware this ain't a Fender, maybe not even a Squier.
But, the seller doesn't make such claims, either... So maybe give them the benefit of the doubt, that they would reveal the origins of the guitar if you'd ask for additional info. The seller's rap sheet seems OK.
"Telecaster" of course is a protected term.

(I wonder if that body donor was a Vintage brand guitar. The headstock... well, it looks odd for both an Affinity and for a Vintage.)


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:02 pm
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jmattis wrote:
It's of course good to be aware this ain't a Fender, maybe not even a Squier.
But, the seller doesn't make such claims, either... So maybe give them the benefit of the doubt, that they would reveal the origins of the guitar if you'd ask for additional info. The seller's rap sheet seems OK.
"Telecaster" of course is a protected term.

(I wonder if that body donor was a Vintage brand guitar. The headstock... well, it looks odd for both an Affinity and for a Vintage.)



For the sake of being fair, I just compared those Ebay pics to my '09 CIC. The only real difference I'm seeing (other than than the paint job) is the extra string T and the bridge saddles (which look like GFS). The headstock shape, the 12th fret dots, the neck pickup location, the jack...everything else really looks like my Squier. In fact, it was the body itself that first drew my attention...the body routing and the lack of string thru are really indicative of the Affinities. I had gotten my Affinity for an art project of my own specifically because of that body routing...I created a laser etched clear pickguard and I wanted that clean routing style under it.

I suspect that it is possible the guitar could be a GFS partscaster. I do remember that Guitar Fetish was selling some inexpensive Paulownia bodies a while back (although I'm not sure about the routing configuration). Even that however calls into question the issue of "partscaster" versus the idea of "custom"...does $80 worth of GFS parts really constitute a "custom instrument"? Really? Again seems really mis-leading to me.....

I'm finding it VERY hard to be forgiving here because so much of the terminology seems deliberately misleading. While you are correct in that the seller doesn't actually call it a "Fender" in the ad, the term "vintage" and even "replica"have specific connotations and suggests design elements which are not present with this instrument (BTW someone...presumably the seller...did in fact call it a "Fender Telecaster Replica" in a local Craigslist ad). More directly, if this instrument is indeed a Squier that's been stripped and repainted or is some kind of parts build, then listing it as "A brand-new, unused, unopened..." seems fraudulent. Likewise, because of the seller's rap sheet, I also have to question the "new" issue. While there are some misc guitar parts there, this seller seems to sell everything from video cards to car repair manuals which suggests this instrument is something OTHER than "a brand new guitar".

This is just the way I see it, but IF the seller had of been forth coming in the ad, I could be more understanding.
If he/she had of listed it as a unique piece of artwork based on a Tele style guitar, that would be different. Had the seller of said the guitar was "purchased new for use as artwork and is unplayed"...that too might be different. If it said that this instrument was assembled from quality aftermarket parts and/or somehow reflected a degree of professional craftsmanship, THAT would be different. Again however, this seller seems to be suggesting that the guitar is something other than what it appears to be.


Anyways, people can do whatever they want. I just wanted to toss out a head's up on this one before anyone gets burned since that seems to happen A LOT around here.


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:39 pm
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lomitus wrote:
I just wanted to toss out a head's up on this one before anyone gets burned since that seems to happen A LOT around here.


It's rare any of the regulars here get burned!

It's nearly always newcomers. And they tend to pop up here after the money has exchanged hands and the seller has disappeared.
It's a pity the newcomers join the forum after buying such instruments, but that seems to be what normally happens :(


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:45 pm
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stratmangler wrote:
lomitus wrote:
I just wanted to toss out a head's up on this one before anyone gets burned since that seems to happen A LOT around here.


It's rare any of the regulars here get burned!

It's nearly always newcomers. And they tend to pop up here after the money has exchanged hands and the seller has disappeared.
It's a pity the newcomers join the forum after buying such instruments, but that seems to be what normally happens :(


+1

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 9:36 pm
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lomitus wrote:
Hey Ya'll,
Since I know a lot of folks around here shop on Ebay and since there's always a lot of posts on these forums asking "is it real", I thought I'd pass this one along.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Whos-In-The-Woo ... 1e98923514

I really think that guitar art looks pretty F...ing cool.
The key to the advertised guitar is the term "replica."
While a replica can be an exact reproduction of an "original," there are millions if not billions of examples of "replicas" on the market, of all types of items, in which the "replica" varies significantly from the "original."

In addition, the advertisement does not even say that the guitar is a "replica" of any specific `"vintage Telecaster."
The term "vintage" is undoubtedly being used due to the six barrel saddle ('70's-ish) bridge that is on the guitar.
Ultimately, this guitar is being sold for the artwork, which I think is outstanding.
I would certainly like to own it.

There is almost nothing on line about the Carmel Guitar Co.
On eBay they have had seven 7 positive sales, 0, neutral and 0 negative since 2004.
The Carmel Guitar Co. may just have a primarily local clientele for low production, one-off guitars, (probably near Carmel, CA) which would be quite understandable.
While they apparently build guitars, including acoustic guitars, from scratch (see the video below), the eBay Tele is most likely a parts-caster.
That being said, I think its a super cool looking Tele with great artwork!!

I found the following video on line (which is about all that there is) about the Carmel Guitar Co. and their guitars and graphic guitar art.
Check it out:
http://vimeo.com/38387345


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 11:19 pm
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MickJagger wrote:
The Carmel Guitar Co. may just have a primarily local clientele for low production, one-off guitars, (probably near Carmel, CA)

The listing says Ohio.

MickJagger wrote:
While they apparently build guitars, including acoustic guitars, from scratch (see the video below), the eBay Tele is most likely a parts-caster.

No, it says the body is made of Paulownia - a very lightweight wood that's sometimes used in very cheap guitars, but sandwiched between stronger woods because it isn't very durable. As can be seen from all the wood grain dent problems on this guitar.
The neck is not a Fender neck either.
And they list the guitar builder in the listing.
So it's not a partscaster at all. It's a T-style guitar.

Apart from all the wood grain dents, it looks like it has had stickers on the 12th and 17th frets that are now gone, leaving ugly pale marks. It's not a guitar I would go for, but others might like it. As of when I post this, it's valued by bidders at $182.50, and I have my doubts the reserve will be met.


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 8:45 am
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arth1 wrote:
MickJagger wrote:
The Carmel Guitar Co. may just have a primarily local clientele for low production, one-off guitars, (probably near Carmel, CA)

The listing says Ohio.

MickJagger wrote:
While they apparently build guitars, including acoustic guitars, from scratch (see the video below), the eBay Tele is most likely a parts-caster.

No, it says the body is made of Paulownia - a very lightweight wood that's sometimes used in very cheap guitars, but sandwiched between stronger woods because it isn't very durable. As can be seen from all the wood grain dent problems on this guitar.
The neck is not a Fender neck either.
And they list the guitar builder in the listing.
So it's not a partscaster at all. It's a T-style guitar.

Apart from all the wood grain dents, it looks like it has had stickers on the 12th and 17th frets that are now gone, leaving ugly pale marks. It's not a guitar I would go for, but others might like it. As of when I post this, it's valued by bidders at $182.50, and I have my doubts the reserve will be met.

I never suggested that the neck was a Fender neck.
There is no difference between a "Partscaster" and a "T-style guitar".
Any Tele that is made of parts that are not original is a "partscaster" regardless of whether the parts are Fender parts.
If you wish to use the term differently, please be my guest.


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 11:05 am
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MickJagger wrote:
There is no difference between a "Partscaster" and a "T-style guitar".
Any Tele that is made of parts that are not original is a "partscaster" regardless of whether the parts are Fender parts.
If you wish to use the term differently, please be my guest.


I believe that most people here would use the word "partscaster" about a guitar that's at least mostly Fender, with parts swapped out, often from different guitars.
I don't think anyone except you would use the term to describe an all-original guitar that has never been a Fender.

Example of another guitar that's not a partscaster:
Image


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 9:13 pm
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arth1 wrote:
I don't think anyone except you would use the term to describe an all-original guitar that has never been a Fender.


Do you just have fun making stuff up..., or are you just having too much fun with Blinky??
Blink on this Arthur!! :twisted:

arth1 rocks out on his Partscaster for Blinky.

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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2015 10:38 pm
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MickJagger wrote:
arth1 wrote:
I don't think anyone except you would use the term to describe an all-original guitar that has never been a Fender.


Do you just have fun making stuff up...


Making up? I haven't heard anyone here support your view that an all-original non-Fender should be called a partscaster. You're the only person I have ever seen do that.

MickJagger wrote:
Blink on this Arthur!! :twisted:


My name isn't Arthur. Is yours MickeyMouse, or do you just like to, well, make things up?


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:46 pm
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arth1 wrote:
MickJagger wrote:
arth1 wrote:
I don't think anyone except you would use the term to describe an all-original guitar that has never been a Fender.


Do you just have fun making stuff up...


Making up? I haven't heard anyone here support your view that an all-original non-Fender should be called a partscaster. You're the only person I have ever seen do that.


I never referred to a commercial production guitar as a "partscaster."
Stop making up nonsense, you compulsive loser.
If you have nothing positive to say, then go troll somewhere else.


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2015 1:36 pm
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MickJagger wrote:
arth1 wrote:
Making up? I haven't heard anyone here support your view that an all-original non-Fender should be called a partscaster. You're the only person I have ever seen do that.


I never referred to a commercial production guitar as a "partscaster."


Oh, so the goalposts are at the "commercial production guitar" position now? And the guitar on eBay does not qualify for that, why, exactly? As far as I can tell, it's an all-original non-Fender guitar made and sold for commercial purposes. Do you think otherwise?

Can't you just state your definition of "partscaster", so we know what you mean, instead of having to guess at what you don't mean?
From here, it appears to be a wildly moving target, and not matching what anyone else means.

MickJagger wrote:
Stop making up nonsense, you compulsive loser.

Ad hominem attacks are against the posting rules. And tend to say more about the poster than the target.

MickJagger wrote:
If you have nothing positive to say, then go troll somewhere else.

So what positive did you just say in your post?

And trust me on this, goading you is not my pleasure.


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 10:17 am
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arth1 wrote:
And trust me on this, goading you is not my pleasure.

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CT Scan of Arth 1 while goading MickJagger.....


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Post subject: Re: A red flag on Ebay...
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 8:20 am
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Several weeks ago posted on the Cleveland Craigslist, I noticed about a half dozen similar looking guitars, and if my memory is correct the asking price was somewhere in the 2k range. I went back and looked for the postings and either they were all sold and were removed by the seller or they were flagged and removed. I didn't care for the look and the asking price was way too much for an unknown maker.


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