eBay Content: Disingenuity ('USA' Strat)

HarrySeven

This.

However, check the feedback (second item down).- seems like it's been sold before? ('93 date)

GuitarZero

It does say in the description that it's unlikely to be genuine so as usual in these cases - caveat emptor.

HarrySeven

GuitarZero said:

It does say in the description that it's unlikely to be genuine so as usual in these cases - caveat emptor.

Indeed.

However, use of terms such as "unlikely" still leaves that tiny amount of possibility that it *might* just be the genuine article - and thus may encourage less sussed punters to bid.

The prior feedback (if this is indeed the same guitar) suggests that this may already be apparent to the seller.

GuitarZero

It's a fair point.  I think there are still some naive people who use ebay and may well think that at some point they are going to unearth a gem that's going to make them their fortune.  Any ambiguous statements definitely play to these types of people, much like the line that goes 'I don't know much about this guitar...'.

In my mind, it's definitely the same guitar, likely originally sold as the genuine article, then returned by the guy who left the neutral feedback.

Funkfingers

Blatant fake.

CBS-style neck heel and pocket date stamps indicating the same date? I don't think so! One of them is in the wrong location. Also, not a single QA inspection name or number stamp.

You would have thought that eBay rules forbid the misuse of a registered trade mark in this manner.

Gassage

The last time I saw a finish like that it had been applied by Coco the Clown's make up artist.

Bridgehouse

Gassage said:

The last time I saw a finish like that it had been applied by Coco the Clown's make up artist.

It looks like it's still in the same room where they applied the finish as well....

thermionic

"Likely fake". EBay's policy of allowing counterfeit (i.e. illegal) items on their site is shocking. No wonder people are leaving it. 

Funkfingers

Gassage said:

The last time I saw a finish like that it had been applied by Coco the Clown's make up artist.

Bridgehouse said:

It looks like it's still in the same room where they applied the finish as well....

IMO, the body finish is original.

The more that I look at the vendor's photographs of the guitar, the more it resembles a tarted up early Chinese STRAT - from before the label Affinity was applied to them. 

The decal change and rubber stamp malarkey fails to disguise the budget Oriental pickups and fulcrum vibrato. Neither of those would look out of place on a JHS/Encore/Vintage. (Hedges bets in parody of original eBay listing.)

ICBM

What do you mean, fake? It's as American as the most powerful man in the world!













President Xi Jinping

jpfamps

Gassage said:

The last time I saw a finish like that it had been applied by Coco the Clown's make up artist.

Who is now working for Donald Trump....

hoofhearted

Almost fooled me - it looks pretty close though what do you think is off with it? dates on neck pocket and neck and the plastics? anything else? funny how the brain makes you want to believe its the real thing when clearly it isnt! 

ICBM

hoofhearted said:

Almost fooled me - it looks pretty close though what do you think is off with it? dates on neck pocket and neck and the plastics? anything else?

Finish
Cheap bridge with vertical arm socket
Pickups
Plastic parts especially knobs and switch cap
Pickguard and backplate screws
Jack socket
String tree
Machinehead collars
Strap buttons
Truss rod adjustment nut
Stamps in neck pocket and on heel
Hole right through heel
Nylon wrap tape for neck shim

All absolutely typical of a cheap Chinese copy. I may have missed a couple more...

That's also a very badly misaligned neckplate - the screw holes are in the wrong places, far too close to the end/side of the neck which is why the neck has cracked - you wouldn't ever see that on a US Custom Shop model.

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

hoofhearted said:

Almost fooled me - it looks pretty close though what do you think is off with it? dates on neck pocket and neck and the plastics? anything else?

Finish
Cheap bridge with vertical arm socket
Pickups
Plastic parts especially knobs and switch cap
Pickguard and backplate screws
Jack socket
String tree
Machinehead collars
Strap buttons
Truss rod adjustment nut
Stamps in neck pocket and on heel
Hole right through heel
Nylon wrap tape for neck shim

All absolutely typical of a cheap Chinese copy. I may have missed a couple more...

That's also a very badly misaligned neckplate - the screw holes are in the wrong places, far too close to the end/side of the neck which is why the neck has cracked - you wouldn't ever see that on a US Custom Shop model.

Other than that, tho.. pretty close huh?

Alnico

Interesting use of the words "Hairline Crack" when describing the neck heel.

adamm82

Alnico said:

Interesting use of the words "Hairline Crack" when describing the neck heel.

I think he's been smoking hairline crack

adamm82

HarrySeven said:

This.

However, check the feedback (second item down).- seems like it's been sold before? ('93 date)

I feel sorry for the brother in law who's been playing it happily for 13 years only to suddenly have doubts about what it is.