Is this guitar original?

Iamnobody · October 2014

Wolfetone;383944" said:
I am happy that a '77 Tele would be worth £1200 or even more. I would say that's a good price to pay for a genuine guitar. The main gripe I have is that the buyers description certainly doesn't match the reality. Whether the seller was aware of the 'originality' issues, I can't tell.

It appears that the guitar body could be genuine but doesn't match the neck if what I have read is true. It has almost certainly been repainted and very badly. The '£495' sticker on the reverse of the pick guard is baffling. It does match the neck though. I am uncertain of the originality of the case but it is the same as many other cases that I have seen with Fenders of similar years.

The electrics have been replaced and will require attention. I am unhappy with the state of the fretboard as whoever did the refret, firstly, didn't remove the old frets properly (from the side) and then failed to make good the damaged lacquer. It's a mess.

Any other qualified views are very welcome before I decide how to approach the seller.

I think the fact the seller didn't mention a refret let alone a poorly executed/damaging one is sufficient grounds to return it.

GuitarMonkey · October 2014

Wolfetone said:

One final thing I spotted was that the bridge plate doesn't quite cover the pickup cavity and you can see the cavity protruding from under it!!

That's actually normal.

stonevibe · October 2014

Get your money back.

The seller is having a laugh with this one.

blueskunk · October 2014

Id be very polite outling the issues then asking for the refund asap.

GuitarMonkey · October 2014

Wolfetone said:

The neck plate is also strangely thin as you can see the 'F' impression on the other side.

So is that.

jonnyburgo · October 2014

Send him a link to this thread

jonnyburgo · October 2014

I'd love to see his evidence of paying over £1700 for it too

GuitarMonkey · October 2014

Given that the other "bidder" has mostly bid on this seller's items I'm guessing it's a shill to push up the price.

stonevibe · October 2014

jonnyburgo said:

I'd love to see his evidence of paying over £1700 for it too

£700 would be closer to the truth and even that would be pushing it.

ICBM · October 2014

GuitarMonkey said:

Given that the other "bidder" has mostly bid on this seller's items I'm guessing it's a shill to push up the price.

In that case it needs reporting to Ebay as such too, they take a dim view of it and it will greatly help in any claim against the seller.

Wolfetone · October 2014

ICBM said:

meltedbuzzbox said:
My friends has a 70s Tele (72 I think) it has a 3 bolt micro tilt neck plate
Did that stop in the mid 70s then?
No, only the Custom and Deluxe got the neck tilt - standard Teles remained with the four-bolt.

The thin F plate is correct - Fender reduced the amount of metal in them, then when they dished and indented the finish at the corners, they added the plastic gasket to stop it!

The tuners have definitely been replaced with a larger type with a front compression nut/collar at some point and then re-replaced - if you take one of them off you'll see the bore has been opened out to a larger diameter… if done really well, only from the back to a depth of about 2/3 the way through.

As the others have already said, far too much about this guitar is non-original for it to be worth anything like the price, and easily enough to make a 'significantly not as described' claim worth pursuing, if it was sold as original.

Refinished
Badly refretted
Tuners replaced & headstock almost certainly bored out
Badly replaced electrics
Wrong case (if claimed to be original)

Richardj · October 2014

That doesn't look too good. Probably are replacement tuners then. The originals would have picked up a bit more grime and signs of use than those even if they weren't rusty.

Richardj · October 2014

Sorry.

meltedbuzzbox · October 2014

What you gonna do then sir? Did you like the way it plays and sounds? Is there any reason you went for a 77?

ICBM · October 2014

Wolfetone said:

ICBM said:
Tuners replaced & headstock almost certainly bored out

Corrected.

Probably had Schaller M6 Minis on from the position of the extra screw holes.

Wolfetone · October 2014

meltedbuzzbox said:

What you gonna do then sir? Did you like the way it plays and sounds? Is there any reason you went for a 77?

I have sent a politely worded refund request to him. It sounds OK but the splintery lacquer is a bit off putting to be honest. I like what the 77 Tele's represented at the time. They were a 'punk' guitar.

OilCityPickups · October 2014

My black 75 Tele's bridge didn't cover the rout either. If it plays well and you are happy with it, fine. If either of those statements is not the case ... send it back :-)

stonevibe · October 2014

Get a '66 like Strummers.

richardhomer · October 2014

ICBM;383947" said:
No, only the Custom and Deluxe got the neck tilt - standard Teles remained with the four-bolt.

And the two humbucker 'Type II' Thinline got '3 bolt' treatment as well. This was what I meant about the basic Tele getting away with CBS's worst improvements - though the Microtilt neck was a Leo Fender design - so the chances are they would have been introduced, even if he'd kept control of the company.

Iamnobody · October 2014

Good luck with the refund. If you don't mind a rosewood neck and want a black Tele - these look good.

http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Fender_Wilko_Johnson_Signature_Telecaster_Electric_Guitar_Black_RW/FEN-014-0075-306?CAWELAID=1940201646&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=CIfim6aztsECFbHHtAod3UoABw

£459

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