61 Strat Opinion

The only two things that could be verified as vintage, bridge and electronics, we don't have better pictures of.

As for the body, it's been butchered and it could be just about anything. Heck let's say it's was hand made by Leo fender himself, no way to prove it one way or the other.

The neck, I don't know, the finish isn't original. It could be a repro with braz board. Never seen a date like that scribbled like it was done by a 6 year old.

In summary, too many red flags. I'd stay away.

 

Unless it's the same price as a 60s MiM, I'd avoid it. The date markings are not Fender, the refin on both neck and body have destroyed any evidence of originality, and the guitar probably won't play as well as a Mexican or AVRI.

So I don't see any upside to buying the guitar.

I think people need to remember that the value of a vintage guitar is either 1) it's a great player, in which case the finish can be a bit rough or 2) it's an investment, in which case originality and provenance are essential.

In all other cases, modern guitars will be better.

 

Quoted for truth. The multi-thousand dollar prices of vintage guitars is almost all collector value. At the end of the day you get a guitar that, if you're lucky plays as well as a $350 classic vibes Squier, all the rest of the price is collector value. No baseball card collector would pay a million bucks for a copy of a Mickey Mantle baseball card. A copy is worth a couple of cents maybe. If it's not original and genuine, the collector value isn't there.

 

Yes, very difficult. If this is a copy it's an old copy and very well done, but that neck date...looks like no Fender date I've ever seen. I think that date is fake and I wouldn't pay more for this than I would pay for an AVRI--unless it absolutely captures my heart when I play it. If the owner screws up all the markings that identify a guitar as being a valuable collectible in an attempt to make it appear to be an even more valuable collectible, I don't see why we ought to feel sorry for them.

 

11k is way, way too much.

Guitar Village in Farnham have several refins for less than that. For instance -

https://guitarvillage.co.uk/products/fender-stratocaster-sea-foam-green-refin-pre-owned-1962-vg

Just realised that is sold, but they have others at 10-11k that are much better than the one you've shown.

Like this - https://guitarvillage.co.uk/products/fender-stratocaster-sea-foam-green-pre-owned-1962-vg

Theres also a 69 for £7k which looks better.

 

11k is what a 62 refin would sell for. But that guitar has too many issues. The heal of neck looks cut wrong too.

I have seen neck dates that look like that. Not many, ....by 1962 Fender was backlogged under 1000s of guitars -and was cranking out strats, teles, bass, etc. hence the fast scribling of the date.


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How's about this.. 1962

https://www.vintageandrare.com/product/Fender-Stratocaster-PRICE-REDUCE-1962-72179

 

It's nice alright. But if you've got the preCBS bug, that's not your medicine.

 

Im saying complete fake on this one , probably based on a law suit Japanese brand , head stock at the ball end is to big for a start, none of the routes are correct either .

 

Agreed and the scratch plate is a mess that s an ugly repair.

 

If I were you, I'd rent a 60s Strat for a month, from any shop that rents instruments to local recording studios.

These are always solid instruments, that are 100% working and properly set up.

After a few weeks, you will know if the hype matches the price.

You will see if you can live with the higher action that a 7.25" radius requires.

You will see if the limited switching options on the pickups is something you like.

The rental fee might save you serious cash, and you won't have the risk of all those fakes that even fool the experts.

 

It always intrigues me that refinished preCBS strats (of like originality of parts) sell for 10,000 US dollars, or 10,000 pounds despite the quite different exchange rates of the currencies....

I guess just more scarce in the UK?

 

It's probably just Brexit.

There is no lack of early 60s Strats, they are making more of them every day.