Price check please (78 Strat)

DrCornelius

Have one in hand that I really like .

it’s a 78 , replacement pickups (bare knuckle) , no case and replacement Callahan bridge and trem. Everything else stock and just under 9lb so no back breaker.

Guy wants £1500 for it - the last 76 Strat I sold was all stock and went for £1650 ish but that was before the current inflated prices.

Does it sound the right ballpark ? Feels a couple of hundred high to me but it does play very nicely tbf.

Thanks for any help 

PS - I’m not buying it to sell it of course but you guys know me, it won’t be long before something else catches my eye

munckee

Compared to sale prices I see for late 70s it seems a decent price - but that depends on what they actually raise.  I would have thought all original would be £1,800 - £2,000 so 78 with the changes c£1,600-£1,700.

Treewig1

There are some pretty significant ‘upgrades’ there and I presume the originals are not included!  If they were, £1500 would be a brilliant price.  Without the originals and a case, I think £1500 is a bit on the high side but not outrageously so. An all stock 78, with trem and case would be in the region of £2000.

mrn1989

Its not natural finish by any chance is it?  https://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/product/fender-stratocaster-1978-w-bkp-sinner-set-kallaham-bridge-2nd-hand-yfender107368/

DrCornelius

mrn1989 said:

Its not natural finish by any chance is it?  https://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/product/fender-stratocaster-1978-w-bkp-sinner-set-kallaham-bridge-2nd-hand-yfender107368/

That’s the one - tbh I didn’t want this to be a name and shame job as I’ve always had good service from them in the past. I did pay £1599 but was trying to make it less obvious to track down ! 

In a nutshell the replacement bridge , trem and block wasn’t mentioned in the ad but it’s interesting that in the link you posted it is part of the web page title so maybe they just forgot to add it to the listing ?

I was a bit peed off and instigated a return but it really does play well so I wanted to get some more opinions before I packed it up.

Philly_Q

I don't know about values but it's a great looking Strat.

Ossyrocks

Knobs, switch tip, pickup covers and trem tip would have originally been black too.

Treewig1

And the trem cover would’ve been black and with six string holes rather than a straight cut slot

viz

It's lovely. maybe you can gently find the missing bits as and when they come up cheap. it's a gorgeous thing.

DrCornelius

I’d like to give you all Wiz’s as you are all right - it’s lovely but overpriced for what it is with all the changes 

dazzajl

Given the notorious inconsistency in 70s Strats, a little premium for one you really like would be fine for me. Not being told everything, a bit less so. 

RevMatt

Just one other thing (and I know nothing about strat values), but the comments above were probably on the assumption of a private seller ('guy wants £1500'), but you're talking retail with overheads, plus the 14 day distance seller protection plus warranty, so that probably brings the price closer to what it should be. 

Philly_Q

Now that I'm imagining it with all black parts, it's exactly like one that someone brought into my school around 1979-80.  It would be weird if it was the same one and it had somehow found its way to Richtone 40-odd years later.

viz

DrCornelius said:

I’d like to give you all Wiz’s as you are all right - it’s lovely but overpriced for what it is with all the changes 

Yeah but in 10 years' time it will be like a '68 is today, and the odd 100 quid will be meaningless by then. Fall in love with it, don't worry about how much it cost. They have to make a profit. (I'm not working for them, just trying to make you feel better lol)

though could you ask for a case? or go halves on one? if they have one

WBT2079

I bought an all original 79 last Feb with case for £1500, so seems a bit steep. Would barter with the shop, they’ll be making a mark up. When I was chatting to a shop, I was shocked at the profit margins they aim for on second hand goods.

DrCornelius

Cheers all , Ive been playing it for the past hour or so as it’s my day off and must admit playability is triumphing over originality at the moment . I’m hoping it’s a keeper as if not I’m going to take quite a hit if I change my mind.

Zoonyboy

At first I thought it was pricey, too, but there are a few improvements over factory stock there, and building your own Warmoth would cost over a grand these days with that hardware, and if yours plays and sounds good and is a Fender.....

gordiji

Isn't the 'sinner' set very hot ? nothing wrong with KK downing, especially on sinner but it probably won't sound typically stratty.

DrCornelius

The sinners are crazy hot, almost like a burstbucker with loads of sparkle but you can roll the volume down and they clean up really nicely. Very impressed with them . 

Philly_Q

gordiji said:

Isn't the 'sinner' set very hot ? nothing wrong with KK downing, especially on sinner but it probably won't sound typically stratty.

Except all his fucking moaning how he didn't really mean to quit Judas Priest, and what a bunch of bastards they are for accepting his resignation letter, and what an even bigger bunch of bastards they are for not inviting him back when he wrote a second letter slagging them all off.  Silly sod.

(Sorry, I think that's a bit off topic.)

mikeyrob73

viz said:

DrCornelius said:

I’d like to give you all Wiz’s as you are all right - it’s lovely but overpriced for what it is with all the changes 

Yeah but in 10 years' time it will be like a '68 is today, and the odd 100 quid will be meaningless by then. Fall in love with it, don't worry about how much it cost. They have to make a profit. (I'm not working for them, just trying to make you feel better lol)

though could you ask for a case? or go halves on one? if they have one

That would involve @DrCornelius keeping a guitar for 10 years