American Made Fraud? Craigslist

[Stratman Dan]

Basically, I bought this guitar yesterday and I got the guy down to $450.

But I noticed after I got it home that it is missing that 1 extra fret on the neck, and it appears to be a MIM neck being an American Imposter.

Do you concur or am I over thinking this? IS this American?

It is a pretty guitar though, I just hope I did not get scammed an extra $200 for an overpriced MIM fraud.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/msg/4615787800.html

 

[bluejazzoid]

It looks like a MIM neck... I'm not sure about the body. The serial number (which at least seems legit) dates to being a USA-made Strat from 1998... but that can be added/faked. So, it looks like you've got a partscaster to me... do you have any photos of the body routing, and backside of the pickguard?

 

[djg714]

Do you have a better shot of the bridge and saddles?

 

[megawzrd]

Neck string trees, tuners, plastic truss insert all looks MIM. Not including the lack of a 22nd fret.
Most all Am stds i have seen 97,98,99 also are 2 point bridge. I'd say MIM with fraudulent neck serial number. Interesting the neck plate has the access hole for the neck angle adjustemnt screw.

 

[Guitar Josh]

Not sure anything on that guitar is genuine Fender MIA. My vote is that you got scammed. Sorry. Nothing looks right about it. Sticker even looks wrong.

 

[korby]

Subscribed . Lots of nonsense going on in CL OC guitar sales .

 

[leftycajun]

Heres a lefty 1998 strat at a dealer site for comparison....
https://reverb.com/item/244801-fend...Na9zDuqJlpTe_kNsDUEFLRspobM1tVNU2MaAnEe8P8HAQ

 

[shawnshack]

It looks to be a mix of parts. It has a vintage pickguard (8 screws and 1 ply). But I doubt this is a 60's reissue. The saddles don't look right for that and it doesn't have vintage tuning keys. It could be one of the MIA 60's reissues with different saddles and tuners.

 

[korby]

Maybe send a link to this thread to the guy politely telling him you think he got scammed when he bought the guitar and you would like to get some or all of your money back . Maybe he didn't know .

 

[Polyester]

Unscrew the pickguard and take a look underneath. If the body has a circular hole by the neck pickup it's MIM. Even if it doesn't have a hole, that's still almost certainly not a legit MIA Strat.

 

[8len8]

Does it play and sound well? If Yes, then does it really matter if it's a fake since you got it for a decent price?

 

[Noise Under The Floor]

Not related to the USA authenticity but,

"If this post is up....it's still for sale."

Sold it to the OP yesterday. We should bombard him with responses, "Still available?"

 

[335guy]

To be MIA, the tuners would need to say Fender on them. Also, the made in the USA decal would be on the front of the headstock, right under the Fender logo. And the string tree is incorrect. Here's a couple of shots of a 1999 MIA Fender Standard Strat headstock.

 

[phazersonstun]

No skunk stripe on the back the neck in the ads pics either.
Many things wrong here.

 

[fendergeek]

Did you pay cash?

 

[shawnshack]

To be MIA, the tuners would need to say Fender on them. Also, the made in the USA decal would be on the front of the headstock, right under the Fender logo. And the string tree is incorrect. Here's a couple of shots of a 1999 MIA Fender Standard Strat headstock.

But this could be a 60's reissue, judging by the pickguard. If someone changed the tuners and saddles then we have an explanation for what's going on.

 

[bloomz]

Not related to the USA authenticity but,

"If this post is up....it's still for sale."

Sold it to the OP yesterday. We should bombard him with responses, "Still available?"

I DID IT.

 

[Guitarworks]

"Somebody stole case so it does not include one...."

Someone stole the case, but not the guitar...and never checked to see if it was in there or wondered why the case felt so light before walking off with it...

At any rate, it doesn't look 100% legit. You could contact the seller, claim it was misrepresented using his photos of the parts in comparison to the real deal, and ask for $200 back. If that doesn't work, at least you got what appears to be a decent used strat. I think a mom & pop guitar shop would probably ask about $450 for a used MIM strat anyway. $450 for a used MIA strat is too good to be true.

 

[SouthpawGuy]

The one on CL ....

My '93 Am Std

Mine has been modded with different pickguard and pickups

Looks like the OP has been scammed, lots of things are wrong. An Am Std should have an 11 hole pickguard, 22 fret neck, two point trem, block type saddles, Fender branded tuners, different string trees. I also have a '97 Am Std with maple neck which is identical to my rosewood one, unfortunately I don't have pics of that one.

In '93 the serial # was on the front of the headstock, by '97 it was on the back.
.

 

[hardtail01]

It's a hodge podge of parts that may or may not be Fender parts. Overpriced at even $450. I'd talk to the seller and tell him he sold you a fake guitar and try to undo the deal. It probably won't happen, as you should know what you're buying before you buy it. But it never hurts to try.