First reissue USA strats

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koneguitaristkoneguitarist Frets: 4125
Anybody own one, and what would you think value is for a good condition with original case model. 62 reissue from 82-83.
I seem to remember the issue of wrong placed markers at 12 th fret. Thoughts ?
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Comments

  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    edited May 2014
    They seem (particularly in the States) to be very collectible. Dots are in the wrong place, the neck doesn't feel like any real 60s Strat I've ever played, the transition from the back of the headstock into the neck is all wrong - the body's the wrong shape too.

    They are reasonable guitars but nothing particularly special. Gilmour's use of a '57 reissue from around this period seems to have added to the appeal.

    Don't know the 'going rate' I'm afraid - though it's likely to be more than they are actually worth....
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  • ESchapESchap Frets: 1428

    I've got a neck from one with pencil date of 4-83 in a Parts-a-caster I built with an MJT body. 

    Its got a very nice 71/4" radius slab board, extremely thin nitro finish which has heavily aged naturally.   Headstock logo is almost gone too as it was never lacquered over.  It's got the narrower spaced dots at the 12th which I believe came in in late 62?  Gave me the ideal excuse to build a '63 "relic".

    Neck profile is very like a 1960 Gibson, very slim with next to no shoulder.  I like that profile and in fact built the guitar round the neck.

    Headstock shape and logo script apparently are very close to '59 in spec.

    image




    Couple of Pics



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  • matonematone Frets: 211
    Had a 50`s years ago,had a lovely neck which wasn`t really like an original but very nice!
    Good guitars but not worth a huge premium over later stuff imho.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71950
    ESchap said:

    Headstock shape and logo script apparently are very close to '59 in spec.

    image
    Doesn't make it a bad neck, but that's not very close to a real old one really - this is a real '59:


    The '83 is much skinnier, especially parallel to the B tuner, and the radius there is too large.

    They were just closer than the previous attempts at a 'return to small headstock' shape of the "The Strat" and "Dan Smith Strat".

    Oddly enough the early Custom Shop reissues, including 'Cunetto' Relics, have a *different* wrong shape too! Which somewhat destroys the illusion of being a real old guitar... although these are also sought-after now.

    It puzzles me why, since it's very obvious - and it would be very easy to just get an old one and draw round it, even if the original tooling had been lost. I can only think that it was deliberate.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • matonematone Frets: 211
    I think most inaccuracy on re issues  is deliberate to outwit the fakers. It`s always something that
    can`t be altered and rightly so really.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71950
    But they've been getting more accurate due to market pressure - so that doesn't really work any more. The best method is to deeply stamp them where it's not visible from the front - or in the case of the wrong headstock shapes, from the back of the gig...

    I don't see the point in making a reissue and have something as fundamental as the basic headstock outline wrong. There is a more cynical explanation - to be able to sell a "more accurate" reissue to the same buyers later. This definitely does happen, but again whether it was deliberate in the first place or not, I don't know.

    Overall I'd guess incompetence rather than conspiracy, though - certainly with the earlier ones. I would guess they either didn't care, or thought the buyers wouldn't, or both.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • stonevibestonevibe Frets: 7080
    Had a few of these as a teenager. Sold them all and kept my later '86 Japanese ones instead.

    Made a tidy profit too!

    Nothing special in terms of 'vintage' Strat. Nice build quality, lots of glaring mistakes in terms of being correct and sound wise were okay, not amazing.


    Win a Cort G250 SE Guitar in our Guitar Bomb Free UK Giveaway 


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  • matt1973matt1973 Frets: 385
    I had one, they're not terribly accurate. Thought it was superb nevertheless. It had Van Zandt pups loaded and oozed that old school sparkle that I've not heard in any of the Strats I owned before or since.
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  • koneguitaristkoneguitarist Frets: 4125
    I wonder if it's the inaccuracies that make them more sought after. I suppose at the end of the day ita a vintage vintage reissue!
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  • NeilNeil Frets: 3594
    If an '82/3 it will be a Fullerton made Strat.

    Aren't these making Custom shop money now?
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  • matt1973matt1973 Frets: 385
    I got mine for £350 lol
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  • luscombeluscombe Frets: 155
    Hi

    I think they are brilliant guitars. I have a 1984 Fullerton built '62 reissue,and I think it is the best Strat I have ever owned. As someone has already mentioned, they are very collectable in the USA, and there is at least one dealer who specialises in them. Here is a link to one of the USA web sites. As you can see, the Fullerton plant also made other reissues during the '82 -84 period (Telecasters, Precision basses ect):
    http://www.fenderreissue.com/

    As for values, I wouldn't consider selling mine for less than £2,000. Here it is (if the link works!)

    http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199/jeffsilvaire/e8_3_zps54bb77d8.jpg
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  • luscombeluscombe Frets: 155

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  • matt1973matt1973 Frets: 385
    Thats in excellent condition for a Fullerton.
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  • luscombeluscombe Frets: 155
    Yes, It's virtually mint,, other than slight marks on the neck/headstock where someone has had it on one of those silly guitar hangers.
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  • JeztoneJeztone Frets: 27
    Nice guitar, Im always amazed at how people pay 4 figures for a 76 Strat. I remember as a teenager visiting a friend of a friends house & the eldest son was a guitar collector. He had allsorts. yamaha SGs, Les Pauls, Flying Vs Ibanez Roadstars & Artists. but I remember his three strats. A Fullerton 62 reissue in Salmon Pink & a 76 in Sunburst with a black scratchplate. He also had a JV Squier in red. The best playing guitar was the Fullerton & the 76 was just disgusting in fit finish & weight. When I walk into guitar shops now & see people fawning over these things I want to shit myself laughing
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  • matonematone Frets: 211
    Yep amazes me when I listen to people fawning over 70`s Fenders and saying they`re worth ridiculous money!
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