A bit of advice before buying

[jmyers1982]

Hello everyone.

I've been playing guitar since I was a kid and always been a Fender fan.
Recently, since I now have the possibility to buy an original one, I started looking around.

My favourite is the sunburst and looked for something like this ones:

Find Gear - 'fender stratocaster 1970 sunburst' | Gbase.com

Guitars Gibson, Fender, Guild, Martin, Vintage - Gbase for musicians

www.gbase.com

This in particular:

1968 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst > Guitars Electric Solid Body | OK Guitars

It's 1968 and the popularity of the venerable Stratocaster has tanked. The suits at CBS are ready to pull the plug and concentrate on Jaguars and something new to be called the "Marauder" (not to m...

www.gbase.com

The thing is that I would like to try it first and living in the UK I could find this one in Italy:

1970 Fender Stratocaster : Serial 282443 - Cesco's Corner Guitars

Cesco's Corner Guitars is the place for any vintage guitar enthusiast! Here we share with you our knowledge, history and passion to provide the most valuable vintage experience possible.

www.cescoscornerguitars.com

I showed it to a friend who is more expert than I am and he pointed me towards here to ask for advice as the price is a bit over average.

What do you think? Is everything fine here?

Thank you in advance for your kind advice!

 

[Pandamasque]

Some day I'd like to own an early-70s in Olympic White. I like how those early polyurethane Fender finishes age.

If you can't go and try these guitars in person, I would at least inquire about their weight.

You may want to check this out too:

 

[Mr Dunlop]

Gonna need alot more pictures of the insides to verify if the guitar is authentic.
Pictures of the neck heel, pickups, pots, etc..

 

[Miotch]

Gonna need alot more pictures of the insides to verify if the guitar is authentic.
Pictures of the neck heel, pickups, pots, etc..

This is what the ad says, anyway:

1970 Fender Stratocaster : Serial 282443​

This fantastic guitar has been built between late ’69 and early 1970. It features a amazing contour body with a vibrant 3 tone sunburst finish in excellent conditions, with just a small amount of red fade on the body front. The all original late 1969 dated pickups sounds amazing. The only modifications ever done to it are a “newer” volume pot, changed in 1979 with a original fender replacement, a professional refret with medium jumbo frets and the guitar has other tuners at once, now the original F tuners are back in place.

Asking Price: 14,500€

I like it a lot, but seems pricey for a '70, But I tend to judge prices from what I remember in 1979, so maybe it's not overpriced. It's more than I'd personally pay, though. But I also don't generally understand anything about the British/European prices or the exchange rate

 

[PlayerOne]

Fender CBS, is way overpriced regardless of it's condition, which looks very used to me. I would keep looking.

 

[=KARMA=]

I used to have an August ‘71 4-bolt hardtail which happened to be very light (a few ounces over 7lb), but it also had quite narrow nut and so it felt quite cramped when playing open chords, up to about the fourth or fifth fret.

In an ideal world, you should really try before you buy but understand that this is not always easy to do. Something worth bearing in mind.

I will also add that I didn’t pay anywhere near that for mine, and probably only ended up breaking even when I sold it.

 

[Will Lefeurve]

This is what the ad says, anyway:

1970 Fender Stratocaster : Serial 282443​

This fantastic guitar has been built between late ’69 and early 1970. It features a amazing contour body with a vibrant 3 tone sunburst finish in excellent conditions, with just a small amount of red fade on the body front. The all original late 1969 dated pickups sounds amazing. The only modifications ever done to it are a “newer” volume pot, changed in 1979 with a original fender replacement, a professional refret with medium jumbo frets and the guitar has other tuners at once, now the original F tuners are back in place.

Asking Price: 14,500€

I like it a lot, but seems pricey for a '70, But I tend to judge prices from what I remember in 1979, so maybe it's not overpriced. It's more than I'd personally pay, though. But I also don't generally understand anything about the British/European prices or the exchange rate

14k+euro for a 70s Strat.. geez.. I've just spat my early (very early) Bordeaux over my keyboard. Tell me.. someone's joking! I bought my house in la belle France for less than that with a 1/4 acre of land in 2015.

Oh please.. someone end this madness, for what is basically just an old bolt together guitar fabricated in a factory. Buy a Classic Vibe and get a decent guitar in your hands for pennies.. made in a factory.. sure.. but not by bloody CBS. The company responsible for Fender's demise and then some..

 

[Gary Davies]

So you have been a Fender fan and you have a chance to buy an "original" one. I guess it's worth saying that if you spend that kind of money on a brand new Custom Shop model (well a lot less money than that) you will still be buying an original Fender. Plus it ought to be a much better guitar than a typical guitar from that era (OK folks will debate the heck out of that no doubt and hey these might be absolute beauties). Just trying to offer some food for thought.

Anyway, it seems to me that you would be well advised to do a lot more research before spending that kind of money. What makes you feel a guitar from that particular era would be best for you? Do you think that is the golden era? Fender was established in 1946, the Strat appeared in 1954, things went kind of bad in the 1970s and early 1980s, the Custom Shop was founded in 1986/7 and so on. If you know all that and you still want to go for a 1970s guitar then cool! But if so, I would suggest you go find one you can hold and play before parting with the cash. Plus, if you are in the UK, please bear in mind that officially you will have to pay a lot more than the prices quoted because of import tax and VAT. If you are flitting between the UK and Milan and can sneak it back through Customs all well and good, but be aware of the potential for significant extra costs. Come back with a little more about your reasons for buying and what needs you think this purchase will fulfil.

 

[s5tuart]

^^^^^^Listen to Gary!

 

[StratUp]

Listen to s5tuart telling you to listen to Gary!

OR at least look around and establish the market for what something like that is worth.

 

[Gary Davies]

^^^^^^Listen to Gary!

Hey and listen to @s5tuart too!

 

[Gary Davies]

Listen to s5tuart telling you to listen to Gary!

OR at least look around and establish the market for what something like that is worth.

Ha ha you beat me to it!

 

[wooders]

Listen to me telling you to listen to Stratup, to listen to s5uart, to listen to Gary

 

[revtime]

I am doing alot of thinking as well. Not spending that much but still a very significant amount for me. Dont make an impulse purchase. Be very sure you wont have buyers remorse.

 

[Rbert0005]

I like the idea of a custom shop one for like 1/3 to 1/2 the price for exactly what you want.

Bob

 

[andy86]

So you have been a Fender fan and you have a chance to buy an "original" one. I guess it's worth saying that if you spend that kind of money on a brand new Custom Shop model (well a lot less money than that) you will still be buying an original Fender. Plus it ought to be a much better guitar than a typical guitar from that era (OK folks will debate the heck out of that no doubt and hey these might be absolute beauties). Just trying to offer some food for thought.

Anyway, it seems to me that you would be well advised to do a lot more research before spending that kind of money. What makes you feel a guitar from that particular era would be best for you? Do you think that is the golden era? Fender was established in 1946, the Strat appeared in 1954, things went kind of bad in the 1970s and early 1980s, the Custom Shop was founded in 1986/7 and so on. If you know all that and you still want to go for a 1970s guitar then cool! But if so, I would suggest you go find one you can hold and play before parting with the cash. Plus, if you are in the UK, please bear in mind that officially you will have to pay a lot more than the prices quoted because of import tax and VAT. If you are flitting between the UK and Milan and can sneak it back through Customs all well and good, but be aware of the potential for significant extra costs. Come back with a little more about your reasons for buying and what needs you think this purchase will fulfil.

This is sound advice. If you OP are new to the cult, listen to this guy. he is quite the expert.

Also, there is something fishy with that guitar. I was monitoring one myself in Italy not long ago and I still got the pics. The serial number is the same as that strato you found on sale. Not a good sign.

 

[Wrighty]

Hello everyone.

I've been playing guitar since I was a kid and always been a Fender fan.
Recently, since I now have the possibility to buy an original one, I started looking around.

My favourite is the sunburst and looked for something like this ones:

Find Gear - 'fender stratocaster 1970 sunburst' | Gbase.com

Guitars Gibson, Fender, Guild, Martin, Vintage - Gbase for musicians

www.gbase.com

This in particular:

1968 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst > Guitars Electric Solid Body | OK Guitars

It's 1968 and the popularity of the venerable Stratocaster has tanked. The suits at CBS are ready to pull the plug and concentrate on Jaguars and something new to be called the "Marauder" (not to m...

www.gbase.com

The thing is that I would like to try it first and living in the UK I could find this one in Italy:

1970 Fender Stratocaster : Serial 282443 - Cesco's Corner Guitars

Cesco's Corner Guitars is the place for any vintage guitar enthusiast! Here we share with you our knowledge, history and passion to provide the most valuable vintage experience possible.

www.cescoscornerguitars.com

I showed it to a friend who is more expert than I am and he pointed me towards here to ask for advice as the price is a bit over average.

What do you think? Is everything fine here?

Thank you in advance for your kind advice!

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Not read the post nor looked at the pics. Just read the title. Best advice is DON’T DO IT. IT WILL LEAD TO A LIFETIME OF GAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stu78]

Just get yourself a Tokai @jmyers1982 and save your cash. Worked for me! .

 

[Gary Davies]

This is sound advice. If you OP are new to the cult, listen to this guy. he is quite the expert.

Also, there is something fishy with that guitar. I was monitoring one myself in Italy not long ago and I still got the pics. The serial number is the same as that strato you found on sale. Not a good sign.

Interesting and cheers! Now there is a red flag if I ever saw one. I didn't read all the details of those Strats in the original post, but I did later pick up that one had had a refret. A refret is not necessarily a big issue in itself of course, and nothing like as concerning as seeing the same serial number on two guitars (although that can apparently happen legitimately but best to be extremely cautious as @andy86 has indicated).

As the OP did use the word "original" in the initial post and since the term can be interpreted in different ways, I guess it's also worth pointing out that at least in my view, a refretted guitar is not 100% original. Whether the term "original" applies to a CBS-era guitar that was built after Leo sold his original (ish) company to CBS, or a brand new Custom Shop guitar is also something that people could take a view on.

 

[hornpiper]

Fender CBS, is way overpriced regardless of it's condition, which looks very used to me. I would keep looking.

?? I disagree, doesn’t look very used to me at all really, especially being 51 years old. Top it off, it’s still a 4 bolt neck, which are more sought after, than the later 3 bolt 70’s necks.