Anybody know anything about Fender stratocasters ?

Ian

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This one is in a local thrift type shop, beaten up to heck. Its got a Sunburst body, maple neck, skinny spaghetti type fender logo, "contour custom body" and "synchronous tremolo" decals on headstock. Serial number on the back plate reads V095242. Guy in the shop reckons it's a reissue, I dont know enough about them to know if it's worth grabbing or not. It's about $1000 USD (which is cheap for an american made strat here...)

Sorry I couldn't get photo's without appearing too eager !!
 

taabru45

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I'd go for it if you can......there I go again :roll: , you could always sell it later if needed, and the off chance that its old and authentic......maybe retire... :lol: Steffan
 

Ian

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Yeah I thought that when they first put the swing tag on it, but I'm thinking it's some sort of reissue (maybe a 57 vintage reissue ?), and from what I can see looking at Elderly's website not worth retirement money. There seems to be a heck of a lot involved in accurately dating something like this...
 

caveman

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Serial number and the maple neck definately indicates a 57 American Vintage Reissue, not sure about the year, but these are usually fine instruments, should come with a nice Tweed case too. Lightweight examples are usually better sounding than heavier ones. Price seems very reasonable...
 

dapmdave

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The problem with strats is that they can very easily be an assemblage of originally unrelated parts. Everything is just bolted together, and even those logo decals can be purchased.

Without knowing the history of the guitar, buy it if it suits you, but don't assume that it's especially valuable.

Dave
 

Ian

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nah, I'm not really an electric kind of guy. My son's got an 85 Jaguar and my old Epiphone something or other that I bought when I was 22, but that's all the electrics in this house.

This one only caught my eye as it might have been worth a few quid, but I'd rather save my pennies for an F30.

Didn't think Americans knew how to haggle, certainly doesn't seem to work for me with long distance deals in the US. Actually I'm usually just thankful if they reply to my emails.
 

stig

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guitardude said:
Didn't think Americans knew how to haggle, certainly doesn't seem to work for me with long distance deals in the US. Actually I'm usually just thankful if they reply to my emails.

It's a dying art, as independent stores give way to chains. As soon as you see a bar code on the hang tag, you can pretty much forget negotiating. They have computer lists to tell them exactly what to pay for your trade (about 30% of what they'll sell it for, if you're lucky) and everything is priced on some mythical "Blue Book."
The internet really has ruined guitar shopping! :(
 

fronobulax

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guitardude said:
yep, pretty sure the internets ruined everything, except porn of course !!

Porn? You can find porn on the 'nets? Where? :lol: :lol:

<veer>As a tech geek it is kind of scary to see how much new IT technology gets debugged supporting the Adult Entertainment Industry, who seem to be consistent early adopters</veer>
 

Ian

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..and how quickly my teenage boys can find it !! Funny story time. A few years back a collegue of mine received his first computer with internet access (being an older chap he was a late adopter). He decided he'd look up on the internet some stuff for his for work, which was the ultrasonic welding of PE pipe. The catch was that the process is known as "Butt Welding"....
 

Ian

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JerryR said:
guitardude said:
Sorry I couldn't get photo's without appearing too eager !!

You mean you haven't mastered the art of the surreptitious use of the cellphone camera :roll:

Mate, I've only just figured out how to answer the damn thing !!! And don't get me started on texting...
 

jimistone

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Pricing is relative to the area/region. That being said in the USA a used mexican strat is $200 if it's in prestine shape...a beat up and worn one is much less. A used American made strat is worth around $400 if it's in presitine shape...even if it's a '57 reissue. Online stores like guitarcenter online try to get $800 for a used guitar that would retail for $1000 (working on the premise that "there's a sucker born everyday"). More often than not they have to bite the bullet and "sacrifice" a guitar and actually sell it at it's fair market value.
The bottomline is this: You know what you want, like, and can afford to comfortably pay for a guitar. You also have a better grasp of the guitar market in your area. If you like the guitar then I say get it.
I look at it this way...
If you are going to keep this guitar for at least 10 years and average an hour a day playing time...that's 3650 hours of playing time.

On paying $400 "too much" for a guitar you're only talking about 12 cents an hour. To me it would be worth 12 cents an hour to get a guitar I really wanted.

If you are gigging the guitar will have made you thousands and paid for itself over and over again over the course of 10 years.
 

Steelpickin'

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Right on, jimistone...i cant count the number of (American) Strats and Tele's that I have bought and sold over the last 5-10 yrs. for $350 -$500!
Regardless of the model! Thats Guitar buyin and sellin' in the real world.
Price guide books are just that , a guide. Guitars are worth no more and no less than what anyone is willing to pay for them!! Nothng wrong with paying a little more for something you want..especially if you know they are in short supply!! that way if you want to get rid of them a few yrs. down the line you can probably get your money back. Truth be told...that dont happen all that often but, once you figure in the " I got to use it for...." factor, pretty much evens out! :D
 

Rich

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IMO Save your money and go for a Fender Custom shop strat. They are made from some fairly good quality materials and their playability and sound is far enhanced over the production models. I saved up for a 66' custom shop and it easily stands head and shoulders over the 20 odd Mexican and American standard strats I've owned over the years.

.....the only problem with the custom shop strats is the price is typically fairly high for a new one. I've found good deals ($1500 or so..) on used ones over at thegearpage.net in the emporiums.
 
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