'Vintage' Guitar Advert of the day.......

Strat54

Love this sales summary for a supposed '53 Tele on Reverb....'mostly'

Selling as-is and at this price point because this guitar is what it is. A great 50s Tele thats nowhere near original and may or may not have all come off the line on the same day or even the same month.


https://reverb.com/item/12217230-fender-telecaster-1953-mostly

And vintage guitar dealers wonder why their section of the trade has a bad name!

peteri

That's brilliant!

So basically it's a 53 neck (something which I doubt too!)

I look out for vintage stuff (have a fair number), and this seems to be an increasing pitch by both US and UK dealers. Either optimistic pricing, or completely brushing over repairs/refins.

For example there's a well known London dealer that has a few Teles at the moment, one they described as all original has had the neck sanded, when I challenged them they said 'but it's still original just without the lacquer'.

Firstly, that's just rubbish

Secondly - there's no need to sand the back of a mid-60s Tele, it just shouldn't need it - unless someone has refin'd the neck and you're trying to disguise it

Third issue with that particular guitar, it had a front humbucker - so hardly all original! (It was mid-60s)

I think we'll see a lot more of this, there's just not the stock around to support the interest/number of dealers

heavyrocker

I don’t know, I think the seller is being pretty honest about what it is aren’t they? Even if it is a partcaster built from an original ‘53 neck the price is probably not far off (assuming the neck is genuine of course!)

Strat54

'What I know for sure: 
The neck dates to 6-10-53 (see photos)
The body, hardware, and pickguard show no obvious signs of being non original'

Its what they don't show that tells the real tale. If you have a genuine '53 neck that you are confident of then photograph the key points that substantiate that claim. But they never do,. A pencil date means nothing. 
Lots of repro hardware on there. Body isn't 50's either. Comical stuff.

Funkfingers

Strat54 said:

"pickguard ... no obvious signs of being non original"

The vendor can shove that right up his (lacquer overspray) ring.

The black guards were finished in clear spray lacquer. The operative stood each guard on a paint tin to do the job. Hence, the characteristic *ring* of improperly lacquered guard material on the underside. (Conspicuous by its absence in the photographs.)