Price Check/Opinions: Fender Strat

R

Rob

Little Hot Wing
Hey guys :helper:, I came across an interesting local sale, was wondering what you all thought. Waiting on pictures from the seller and will post when I get them. Asking $425

Description:
This is Fender Strat(NOT a Squier) with upgrades.
1 piece lightweight ash body (black, but showing the grain. (tru oil finished)
12" radius rosewood fingerboard, with distressed Vintage Gotoh tuners,
pickups are Fender Custom Shop 57/62's
string tree, with 1961 period correct decals (w/patent numbers)
Frets are medium jumbo, and perfect.
Bridge is also distressed American Vintage Reissue (6-screw) with big block
Pickguard is 3-ply mint green with full Callaham aluminum shield, Callaham
250K pots, switchcraft 5-way switch, and SOZO 1mfd tone capacitor (also Callaham).

The guy seems legit, he has perfect feedback on eBay with lots of guitar related sales. I did some research and it sounds like this could be a heavily modified Fender special edition "Lite ash" strat (Korean). I've found both good and bad reviews for that model, so I'll have to see for myself if it's a dud.
My concerns would be:
1. The Lite Ash model (as far as I can tell) had a bird's eye maple neck, no rosewood fingerboard. Wondering if the body and neck are from different guitars. Seller says it was built by another local guy so he can't say for sure
2. Will have to see exactly what "distressed" means and if I like it. I've never played a 12" radius so I don't know if I would like it.
3. Price. $425 seems high to me, but given the upgrades if it plays well and is in great shape might be reasonable?

Any experience with the model guitar, price advice, or advice for what to look for if/when I check it out would be most appreciated.
 
I'm thinking the body...everything else is obviously been replaced. There's a lot of good stuff thats been changed over on the guitar.
 
I had a Lite Ash Tele for a while, and sold it to Lino a few years ago.

Pretty nice guitar. It wasn't a 1 piece body though, and the neck and fretboard are birdseye with abalone dots.

There are so many special run Fenders out there, and it's so easy to swap parts that it's really hard to tell exactly what it is the guy is selling.
 
Update: Just got the pictures, not really digging the finish, neck doesn't look original, leaning towards "no" on this one...

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Mark Wein said:
There's a lot of good stuff thats been changed over on the guitar.
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That's what caught my eye too

Prages said:
There are so many special run Fenders out there, and it's so easy to swap parts that it's really hard to tell exactly what it is the guy is selling.
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That's what I'm thinking, might be worth bringing it to someone who can tell me what it is. Wish I had connections like tjhe pawn stars guy.

Kerouac said:
Yeah, that just screams "mutt" to me.

EDIT: Especially with the SRV neck plate. :facepalm:
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Yeah, he sells custom engraved neck plates on eBay. That would have to be swapped out.
 
well, I think in this case its not actually "worth" anything unless you lie how it sounds and plays.
 
I don't think that's a fender neck. The way the neck carve blends into the headstock looks nothing like my MIA strat.
 
[SPAM]
If you're looking for a Strat, I've got an American Standard for sale.
[/SPAM]
 
Weird. It just looks hoky how it comes to a sharp point where it joins the neck. I'll post a pic of mine tonight if I have some time. I'd really have to bond with that guitar to buy it.
 
I used to have an American Standard "Natural Ash" Stratocaster. It was great & I wish I didn't sell it. Wanted to upgrade the pickups & tuners, but had zero cash at the time. Had one of those trem-setters installed in it.

Looking at this one- yup, it WAS fantastic:(
 
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