Members chimi Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 Hi guys, A while ago i bought what i thought was a US Fender Strat only to be told it was a squier parts caster. I'm hoping the second time is the charm. I'm going to be meeting later today to pick up this guitar. Looks to be the real deal, i hope! The CN serial number would make it a Custom Shop Nineties from what i've seen online. The owner said the only thing he has changed out is the pickups. To be fair this one looks a lot more high quality than the last. I was just hoping to get some reassurance this one is the real deal? It does have a nice case but no COA, given that he got it in the 93-94 time frame i don't really expect one, is this a big red flag for most people? Thank you for any information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 If the fret ends are at all protruding, run to the hills! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chimi Posted December 16, 2014 Author Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 So after my last purchase i got super paranoid and called Fender. Brett, the guy on the phone was awesome. Told me the store this specific guitar was sent to (which is the store the owner said he got it from). Made sure that it checked out (i sent him pictures). This one looks to be the real deal. The only thing he mentioned which is hard to tell from the pictures is a hollowflake finish which is supposed to sparkle a bit. So will make sure of that before i buy as it's hard to tell from the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Buttcrust Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 cool guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Floyd Rosenbomb Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 Cool! Some black and maple Strat inspiration,8edjfDUv-Ck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 The only way you can confirm it is to remove the neck and look up the serial numbers there. Even that can be faked however. Problem is Fender lost control of their product being counterfeited when they began making them overseas. The copies are so close to originals its nearly impossible to take the real ones from the fakes, and the quality can be just as good too. I will say the maple neck does look to be original. Birds eye maple which that neck is made of is very expensive now. A Counterfeiter will more likely go with a cheaper grade of wood to get the most profit. The Custom shop spends more on a better grade of wood. The neck plate looks too wide for the body however. Any Strat's I've seen always have about 1/8" body left on the lower hand cutout. This one goes right up to the edge. Over all, I'd be inclined to believe the owner that it is a real one but that doesn't equate to quality. You have to play it to see if its a good guitar ve just a name on a headstock. Fender had more bum guitars then most any other manufacturer I can think of. Part of it is inherent to the mass production. The other is the decline in quality woods and materials. You'll just have to play it yourself and decide. The non stock pickups should be a bargaining chip for you in reducing the price. He'd get more for it if it was all stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 Happy (Pending) New Guitar Day. Hope this one works out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted December 16, 2014 Share Posted December 16, 2014 Looks like a really nice guitar, and Fender seems to have confirmed it's one of theirs. Nice score! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wankdeplank Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 Second time's the charm baby!!!! Hope she's everything you dreamed of; Lord knows you've been through the mill. Oh yeah, big congrats, what a gorgeous Strat!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockPianoman Posted December 16, 2014 Members Share Posted December 16, 2014 That's a beautiful guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chimi Posted December 17, 2014 Author Members Share Posted December 17, 2014 Thanks guys, went and met the guy. Seemed like a stand up guy and was honest about why he was getting rid of it. The pickups are seymour duncan though he couldn't remember exactly what kind. I will open her up at some point and check them out. The guitar is stunning, and it does have the hollowflake finish the Fender rep talked about. Very very sweet, the neck looks amazing. I'd say it's a 9 out of 10 in terms of condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Posted December 17, 2014 Members Share Posted December 17, 2014 Wow, that is beautiful! HNGD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted December 17, 2014 Members Share Posted December 17, 2014 Nice score! I've got a lot of guitars in my collection, but the one thing I most often think my collection needs is thinning out with one nice Custom Shop Fender coming in. The closest I have is the EJ Strat. But what was alarming me early on in your description was that the pickups had been swapped out. Part of why I'd like a Custom Shop Model would be for the Custom Shop Pickups. Especially if they are wound by one of their premiere winders, e.g. Abigail Ybarra. But a lot of the Custom Shop models have standard "Custom Shop" pickups (E.g. Fat '50s, '69s, TSs, etc.) and I could see someone just wanting something different. But I guess I just wouldn't have the heart to modify a Custom Shop instrument. But glad it all worked out for you. Beautiful neck on that guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chimi Posted December 17, 2014 Author Members Share Posted December 17, 2014 Hey Gas Man according to the Fender rep it originally had texas specials in it. The original owner did say they hummed more than he liked, which was the reason for the swap. I'm half tempted to flip it, but it plays so damn well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted December 17, 2014 Members Share Posted December 17, 2014 HNGD! Don't flip that puppy, enjoy! But for considering flipping it, you get this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted December 17, 2014 Members Share Posted December 17, 2014 . . . The pickups are seymour duncan though he couldn't remember exactly what kind. I will open her up at some point and check them out. . . . The neck and middle are Vintage Rails (http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/vintage-output/vintage_rails_s/); at a guess, the bridge is probably a Hot Rails (http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/stratocaster/high-output/hot_rails_for_s/) since that's what the Vintage Rails are typically paired with as a bridge pickup. . . . I'm half tempted to flip it' date=' but it plays so damn well...[/quote'] Don't flip it. You've spent all this time looking for a Strat and it looks like you found a really nice one. Play it as is and swap out the pickups if necessary but don't flip it unless you really can't stand it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members realtree71 Posted December 18, 2014 Members Share Posted December 18, 2014 Hey very nice guitar and great score..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.