# How to tell if an MJT body is legit?



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Someone is selling a cool MJT/musikraft strat on kijiji, specs are pretty good. Normally MJT's are a) relic'd b) missing a little bit of paint if they're a light relic (so I thought).

This one has scoring, but no wear to speak of. I'm not so heavily interested that I would ask the seller to disassemble the guitar to prove the parts just yet.

Quality Parts Stratocaster MJT Musikraft Fender | Guitars | London | Kijiji


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Should be marked in the neck pocket if memory serves.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Contact MJT with this pic and ask if they recognize it?


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

they do offer a closet queen finish where it basically looks like VOS. Otherwise stamped body and neck


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

It's just weird to me to have scoring but no paint removal. @vadsy I will google their closet queen version and see if it lines up.

Hopefully the seller has a pic of the body pre build to validate. Saves a lot of hassle haha.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

USACG's were unmarked but i see they are now part of MJT, not sure when that happened. Good luck getting the info, nice looking guitar.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

davetcan said:


> USACG's were unmarked but i see they are now part of MJT, not sure when that happened. Good luck getting the info, nice looking guitar.


I think a year or so ago? I have a buddy from another board that used to work at USACG, and I think he left when they joined.

Really wish my strat would sell, but gonna pop down to L&M and see if they will give me enough cash to be worthwhile.

Here's a TGP hit from google, so I'm feeling a bit better about it:


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

Yes, I also have a MJT telecaster with just finish checking, no paint removed.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

I think mine has the MJT stamped in the neck pocket. A lot of finish checking and some paint chips on mine.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Thanks everyone. I'm going to pass on this guitar, just because one better suited to my GAS has shown up.

Should I post in the Kijiji Deal section?


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

Yes


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

MJT occasionally does one just with lacquer checking and no other wear.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

MJT bodies all have a stamp in the neck pocket. Relic and checking is relative to how quickly it was made.

Checking = baking the nitro to cure it faster or natural age or temperature shifts etc. Relic usually = faster production less concern about perfect finish. In the case of a custom shop Fender, it is to make them look historic.

Closet clean took MJT 7 months to make for my strat body. Shipped in the dead of winter and was checked to all hell when it arrived 3 days later (not via Canada Post obv).

But ya, they make all ranges of aging if you are willing to pay / wait.


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

The MJT stamp in the neck pocket will likely be sanded out while removing the overspray before seating the neck. You can check the pocket depth, which is deeper than a fender pocket, about 17.8mm.

I have one sitting on my bench that I haven't assembled yet (almost a year) because I haven't got over the little religious notes they put in with it when it shipped. Soured the experience for me.
C


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## Cardamonfrost (Dec 12, 2018)

Crap. Necrothread caught me again.
C


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## skeetz (Mar 26, 2014)

I have picked up a few MJT bodies from their auctions in the past - not easy to win unless you just have to own a particular piece that that caught your eye. So you throw in a stupidly much higher bid knowing that you now have a greater chance of winning it. Sometime there is someone else who is just as stupid and outbids you. Hey “stupid” did you know that if you “contact the seller”, you can order an almost identical body and finish from them that you absolutely must have and pay their standard order price? I’ve seen winning auction prices go through the roof sometimes whereas the same body and finish could be ordered for $200-$300 less. I noticed that many of their “reliced” double bound bodies are so unnaturally “overdone” - you can barely see the binding. So I decided to place a custom order at their double bound body price. I ordered a swamp ash tele body that had to weigh less than 4lbs, non- reliced tangerine nitro finished with cream binding and routed out for a neck humbucker and a single coil bridge pickup. The only hassle was that I had to wait for two months to eventually receive it (partially because it takes a while for the nitro finish to properly “cure”). I was with the wait. I got exactly what I wanted and after noticing a few more that looked like mine, sold for between $175 and $250 more that what I paid. One happy camper with a beautiful non- reliced MJT tele body resulting in a fantastic “build”.
Hope I didn’t bore too many of you regarding my personal experiences in dealing with MJT. Oops! My intention was not to write an essay. Sorry, my fellow brothers and sisters.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I am heavily considering a wraptail jazzmaster full build from them in future.


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## zztomato (Nov 19, 2010)

Cardamonfrost said:


> I have one sitting on my bench that I haven't assembled yet (almost a year) because I haven't got over the little religious notes they put in with it when it shipped. Soured the experience for me.
> C


I know, eh!? I got one of those little messages last year. I was a little miffed. It was the only time it happened and I do get a lot of bodies from them. I wonder if someone complained. Maybe it was just one of their employees on a crusade? Ignorant thing to do.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

zztomato said:


> I know, eh!? I got one of those little messages last year. I was a little miffed. It was the only time it happened and I do get a lot of bodies from them. I wonder if someone complained. Maybe it was just one of their employees on a crusade? Ignorant thing to do.


Keep in mind that these dudes huff nitro all day long...

*Note: Early MJT offerings used Allparts necks/bodies and didn't have an ink stamp.


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