I don't really know, just the headstock I suppose. I'd want to see a whole lot more than that before the beer vouchers came out from under the floorboard...
Looking at this on my phone. It looks like there is no plastic ring on the string tree. It seems to sit straight on the wood unlike that of an AVRI.
Pointless. By bow I would have lost interest. If those pics you've shown is all you get, forget it. It must be worthless.
To be fair to the seller , he,s not going to strip his guitar down to sell it. How many guitars do you see on ebay with pics of guitars stripped down, unless they are expensive vintage guitars The pics show bevelled magnet pickups - correct for 1998 pickups. To the OP- chances are it is legit with maybe a pickguard change- how original it all is - no one knows without major surgery. If you're buying online its the chance you have to take. If he wants top dollar for it[£1000+] try and see if you can have a return policy if its not all original
It is claimed to be an AVRI. That isn't exactly an inexpensive axe. There are signs already that parts may not be what they should be. Those low resolution, poor quality pics suggests it may be deliberate concealing. Does not inspire trust.
I just checked the pics of my 4 AVRIs. As I thought, on every one of them the string tree is screwed directly to the wood of the headstock. Plastic rings underneath are only used on cheaper guitars, aren't they?
You seem to be misreading those signs - that's why you're over-reacting a bit. I agree we need to see more pics, but it's too early to write the guitar off yet.
I was going to comment that the sharply beveled pickup poles look right for the 57/62s in a post 1998 AVRI. I don't know of any other Fender pickups with such a pronounced chamfer on the poles.
I stand corrected. Blimey! I'm loosing my mind.. I was absolutely certain about that little plastic spacer and totally wrong!