Help with Vintage 1975 stratocaster (Frets too high?)

p90fool

meltedbuzzbox said:

Definitely think that neck is a MIJ jobbie due to the fret markers

I hate to ask but what did you pay fella?

I have a CBS rosewood neck bought brand new by me from Soho Soundhouse, who were the UK's biggest Fender dealer at that time;

http://i64.tinypic.com/21jty82.jpg

deanbutler

guitars4you said:

deanbutler said:

Hey guys I know this is not all original at all and would have been a lot more if was. This is the closest to a nice beaten up 70s I could get. Will get some more pics up.

nothing wrong with a non -original players grade guitar , so don't be 'embarrassed' by it - often with changes and a good set-up they can end up performing far better than a clean original example - so you still get the old mojo character but in many ways correct all the things Fender got wrong with that era

Thanks for this. I like your way of looking at it

shefguitar

deanbutler said:

guitars4you said:

deanbutler said:

Hey guys I know this is not all original at all and would have been a lot more if was. This is the closest to a nice beaten up 70s I could get. Will get some more pics up.

nothing wrong with a non -original players grade guitar , so don't be 'embarrassed' by it - often with changes and a good set-up they can end up performing far better than a clean original example - so you still get the old mojo character but in many ways correct all the things Fender got wrong with that era

Thanks for this. I like your way of looking at it

You want to be sure you’ve got what you paid for though. Was the neck described as original? Have you taken it off to check the heel stamps?

deanbutler

shefguitar said:

You want to be sure you’ve got what you paid for though. Was the neck described as original? Have you taken it off to check the heel stamps?

Hey only just got it in post this morning. Will be taking it for s setup this weekend at local guitar shop and will get chap to take a look as woundn't know where to start.

welshboyo

@deanbutler don't be disheartened by the comments, I think it's a great looking and will be after a decent setup - a good player too.

There is something about scruffed up 70's Strats that gets me all woozy - I love 'em - this one for me is in a good colour too and IMO the right combo with the RW neck.

If you knew about the non-originality and the price was right and it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling then that's all that matters at the end of the day

deanbutler

welshboyo said:

@deanbutler don't be disheartened by the comments, I think it's a great looking and will be after a decent setup - a good player too.

There is something about scruffed up 70's Strats that gets me all woozy - I love 'em - this one for me is in a good colour too and IMO the right combo with the RW neck.

If you knew about the non-originality and the price was right and it gives you a warm fuzzy feeling then that's all that matters at the end of the day

Hey Welshboyo. Thanks buddy for those words. Good to hear some good things. To be honest I don't mind everyone speaking there mind as want to find out what I purchased. Either way I love the look and those massive filled in holes on the neck I actually love as makes it look like its been in the war. I would love a totally original desired guitar but they start at 3x the price of this one and mean start and go up to the stars....

shefguitar

deanbutler said:

shefguitar said:

You want to be sure you’ve got what you paid for though. Was the neck described as original? Have you taken it off to check the heel stamps?

Hey only just got it in post this morning. Will be taking it for s setup this weekend at local guitar shop and will get chap to take a look as woundn't know where to start.

No worries pal. Sorry not meaning to give you the third degree! I don’t have any problems with non-original parts as long as they’re described as what they are.

I think the reason you’ve had a good response here is because vintage guitars are a minefield and there are a lot of charlatans out there. Hope the guitar works out well for you. I have a 70s sunburst Strat that’s pretty beat up and I love it.

Bridgehouse

HarrySeven said:

peteri said:

Massive, massive recommendation for Feline Guitars in Croydon, they've regretted 3 vintage guitars for me and each one has been superb.

What a fantastic idea - on your behalf, someone to take on board the angst and absolve you of all emotional negativity re. purchasing a guitar.

How long have Feline been offering a professional regretting service?

I wonder how much it would cost to take on your guitar regret??

deanbutler

shefguitar said:

deanbutler said:

shefguitar said:

You want to be sure you’ve got what you paid for though. Was the neck described as original? Have you taken it off to check the heel stamps?

Hey only just got it in post this morning. Will be taking it for s setup this weekend at local guitar shop and will get chap to take a look as woundn't know where to start.

No worries pal. Sorry not meaning to give you the third degree! I don’t have any problems with non-original parts as long as they’re described as what they are.

I think the reason you’ve had a good response here is because vintage guitars are a minefield and there are a lot of charlatans out there. Hope the guitar works out well for you. I have a 70s sunburst Strat that’s pretty beat up and I love it.

Hey Sheguitar its all cool. I would like to get to the bottom of it and know if body and neck are original. Dont mind it being modified as long as I can say its a 1975/1976 strat.

meltedbuzzbox

Do you like the way it plays and can you live with what you paid? That's all that matters.

The year it was made means absolutely nothing if it plays like a dog

peteri

Sorry if all these came across as negative - the other pictures tell a much better story!

And I can recommend Jon at Feline for his regretting service, he basically sits you down and shows you what you should have bought!

Bridgehouse

The finish on the body looks original. It's poly - you can tell from the chipping and wear, and the way it scuffs - and that target burst is absolutely mid-70s in colour and contrast. 

If it really was a 1/3 of the price of an all original, then I'd say that was more than fair.. I've seen 70s bodies go for that on their own..

FelineGuitars

peteri said:

Sorry if all these came across as negative - the other pictures tell a much better story!

And I can recommend Jon at Feline for his regretting service, he basically sits you down and shows you what you should have bought!

Okay the regret joke is getting a bit vintage now

But fretwork is our area of expertise, as @peteri knows (just working on hIs 1969 tele right now)

NeilMcG

That's pretty nice. A real used&abused&modified guitar looks so much better than the fakey relics.

A fret level and setup will get that playing a treat I'm sure.

SteveRobinson

p90fool said:

I have a CBS rosewood neck bought brand new by me from Soho Soundhouse, who were the UK's biggest Fender dealer at that time;

http://i64.tinypic.com/21jty82.jpg

Wow, what year is it? I don't think I've ever seen such a sharp transition on a Fender Tele neck.

deanbutler

This red stamp on neck looking like a good or bad sign?

SNAKEBITE

peteri said:

In terms of getting the frets sorted - massive, massive recommendation for Feline Guitars in Croydon, they've regretted 3 vintage guitars for me and each one has been superb.

With the best will in the world I don't think he'll be going there, have you seen the photos?

Sun and palm trees, I don't think he's from around these parts.

ICBM

deanbutler said:

This red stamp on neck looking like a good or bad sign?

Good. The red ink could well be the usual Fender date stamp, but applied clumsily too high up. If so and the second last digit is a 5 or a 6, then it's a '75 or '76 neck.

http://www.strat-central.com/70sstrats/

I'm sure it's an original neck, it doesn't look like a MIJ at all to me - especially not the dots, which have the distinctive ring around the edge.

deanbutler

SNAKEBITE said:

peteri said:

In terms of getting the frets sorted - massive, massive recommendation for Feline Guitars in Croydon, they've regretted 3 vintage guitars for me and each one has been superb.

With the best will in the world I don't think he'll be going there, have you seen the photos?

Sun and palm trees, I don't think he's from around these parts.

The pictures are from the Ebay listing, guitar was in California. I'm in sunny Buckinghamshire in UK

PS this is my prefered local shop https://www.vintageandmodernguitars.co.uk/
Think the chap Phil there really knows his stuff.

deanbutler

ICBM said:

deanbutler said:

This red stamp on neck looking like a good or bad sign?

Good. The red ink could well be the usual Fender date stamp, but applied clumsily too high up. If so and the second last digit is a 5 or a 6, then it's a '75 or '76 neck.

http://www.strat-central.com/70sstrats/

I'm sure it's an original neck, it doesn't look like a MIJ at all to me - especially not the dots, which have the distinctive ring around the edge.

Oooh this sounds alot better. Fingers crossed. Looking at it more closely I think last two digits are 56 but cant see far enough down to say for sure.

Also the number on the 3 screw plate on the back of the neck says 660312. I looked this up on a website and comes out as a 75. So if second to last digit on neck is 5 then that makes it look pretty good that two parts are genuine 1975s?

Where on the body can you find out what the date is?