# Winnipeg Kijiji: Real or Fake Custom Shop Strat??



## Festus McCorkindale

This dude says he’s selling a Fender custom shop strat, but doesn’t have the COA or original case. Claims the guitar was bought used in Calgary for $3600. Anyone have an opinion? Anyone from Calgary remember this sweet deal kicking around as a used guitar at L&M?


----------



## bzrkrage

Did you run the serial number?


----------



## Festus McCorkindale

bzrkrage said:


> Did you run the serial number?


I haven’t asked him for it yet


----------



## StevieMac

Far too many unanswered questions for anyone to just offer up an LP Standard in trade IMO. I'd expect serial info & a lot of additional pics (neck, cavities, wiring & p/u assembly) before giving it _any_ further consideration. Given the missing CoA & original case plus the finish issues, which would make it MUCH harder to move if you had to, is it even worth what an LP Standard would normally sell for? I don't know...


----------



## GeorgeMich

It looks like 2 different guitars. One back headstock picture the CS logo is damaged and the other back headstock picture it looks fine. I would pass.


----------



## Verne

Look at the wood grain on the headstock. It's the same guitar, just "repaired".


----------



## Okay Player

bzrkrage said:


> Did you run the serial number?


Fender has changed their site recently. I went to run something the other day and it wouldn't let me unless I registered the guitar.


----------



## Hammerhands

The ad says it was bought at L&M Victoria?

Can L&M identify it?


----------



## Jim Soloway

When I was running Soloway Guitars I used to do a lot of trading to keep things moving. I stop taking any Fender Custom Shop guitars when I realized that there was such a big market in COA's and custom shop parts (including necks, neck plates, and cases). There's almost no way to definitely verify the authenticity of a Fender Custom Shop guitar.


----------



## blue_dog

StevieMac said:


> Far too many unanswered questions for anyone to just offer up an LP Standard in trade IMO. I'd expect serial info & a lot of additional pics (neck, cavities, wiring & p/u assembly) before giving it _any_ further consideration. Given the missing CoA & original case plus the finish issues, which would make it MUCH harder to move if you had to, is it even worth what an LP Standard would normally sell for? I don't know...


Is it only me or does the front decal "with synchronized tremolo" looks fuzzy and small. As well as the customshop decal, the lines look kinda thin. Too many questions.


----------



## Verne

I'm not defending the guitar, but the fuzzy decal is because of the picture. Look at the high E tuner. It's also out of focus. The custom shop decal is not original because of the repair and likely sourced cheaply. I'd have gotten a Fender dealer, or warranty establishment, to do the actual repair(s).


----------



## Powdered Toast Man

I saw that ad too and kinda wondered about whether it was real or fake. Is that a piece of scotch tape over the trem arm hole?


----------



## Verne

I hope that scotch tape is purely for holding the trem spring in.


----------



## GuitarT

I've never seen a Custom Shop with finish peeling on the back of the headstock like that one.


----------



## player99

I had a custom shop strat that the decal on the back bubbled up. Not much, just a bubbled spot, and the decal or clear never came off.


----------



## player99

.


----------



## Powdered Toast Man

Guy is still reposting this locally for trade. Let's see, we have no COA, a USA Standard case, the CS logo is damaged and mostly missing, he claims it's a 58 or 59 (doesn't know) but it's got a CBS headstock on it, and no photos of the underside of the PG to show the wiring or the neck heel. Either he has no idea what guitar he has, he's got no idea how to sell a guitar like this, or it's a fake and he's looking for a sucker.

Here's the link:
Custom Shop Strat for Trade | Guitars | Winnipeg | Kijiji


----------



## 2manyGuitars

Powdered Toast Man said:


> Either he has no idea what guitar he has, he's got no idea how to sell a guitar like this, or it's a fake and he's looking for a sucker.


Why not all three?


----------



## 2manyGuitars

...and now that there’s a serial number, a call to any L&M might provide _some_ info.


----------



## guitarman2

Jim Soloway said:


> When I was running Soloway Guitars I used to do a lot of trading to keep things moving. I stop taking any Fender Custom Shop guitars when I realized that there was such a big market in COA's and custom shop parts (including necks, neck plates, and cases). There's almost no way to definitely verify the authenticity of a Fender Custom Shop guitar.



Yup which is why I buy Fender custom shop guitars new from authorized Fender dealers. Yeah I take a hit if I end up selling but at least I know I have authentic.


----------



## Powdered Toast Man

I just ran across the ad again and I was looking closely at the pics. The finish damage on the neck and headstock is very strange. The photos of the front of the neck show all kinds of missing finish from the front edges of the headstock as well as the area behind the nut. Also the finish is missing all over the fretboard from around the fret wire. This is NOT play wear and completely unusual from the relicing I've seen on CS guitars. Its almost like a refret and refinish gone wrong. 

The other thing that caught my eye is the fingerboard radius is 7.25". That's actually unusual because 95% of CS guitars are 9.5" or flatter. Even their period specific reissues are almost always 9.5".


----------

