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Commodore 64
April 2nd, 2010, 01:15 PM
Guy said it's MIA, serial Z2736523, Sky Blue in color, with a bridge plate that has 3 posts and barrels with 2 strings per barrel. Says he doesn't know anything about guitars. He's asking $450. I'm trying to figure out what it is.

Sounds maybe like a Highway One. Did they make those in 2002-2003?

So Far I know it's made in Corona Factory in 2002 or 2003, but that's it. Anyone else have any ideas? I'm going to look at it in 30 minutes.

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/msg/1673452655.html

Eric
April 2nd, 2010, 01:24 PM
Guy said it's MIA, serial Z2736523, Sky Blue in color, with a bridge plate that has 3 posts and barrels with 2 strings per barrel. Says he doesn't know anything about guitars. He's asking $450. I'm trying to figure out what it is.

Sounds maybe like a Highway One. Did they make those in 2002-2003?

So Far I know it's made in Corona Factory in 2002 or 2003, but that's it. Anyone else have any ideas? I'm going to look at it in 30 minutes.

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/msg/1673452655.html
I have almost nothing useful to add, but good luck with it. Hopefully it turns out well, though it seems a tad sneaky. Why would he only send pictures to people who are interested instead of posting them?

Anyway, good luck.

Commodore 64
April 2nd, 2010, 01:34 PM
OK leaving now. If I do get this, I WILL have to sell of a guitar or two.

mainestratman
April 2nd, 2010, 01:36 PM
It's a 2002, I can tell you that. http://fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php

Tig
April 2nd, 2010, 01:49 PM
Get a written receipt for the sale.
That can protect you against "possession of stolen property" charges in some states. I say this because he doesn't know about guitars, and it could be hot.

Also, be sure to meet at a safe place. People were getting robbed near here last year when meeting to buy guitars.

Just sayin' C.Y.A.!

Eric
April 2nd, 2010, 01:54 PM
Get a written receipt for the sale.
That can protect you against "possession of stolen property" charges in some states. I say this because he doesn't know about guitars, and it could be hot.

Also, be sure to meet at a safe place. People were getting robbed near here last year when meeting to buy guitars.

Just sayin' C.Y.A.!
That's good advice, methinks. I imagine he's on the road or has already arrived by now, but yeah, I hadn't thought about that angle before now.

Commodore 64
April 2nd, 2010, 06:49 PM
OK I'm taking pictures of it now. I think I might have bought a fake. I got it for $400, but it's very strange. It's a top loader, it has a contoured body on the backside, like a Strat, and the logo seems wrong. I'll be back in a few with pics. Called Fender, they said it's a 2002 or 2003, but they don't have a record of that exact serial number.

http://www.lucky-cricket.com/files/unk_tele.jpg
http://www.lucky-cricket.com/files/unk_tele_topload.jpg
http://www.lucky-cricket.com/files/unk_tele_Logo.jpg
http://www.lucky-cricket.com/files/unk_tele_Strat_Contour.jpg

Any thoughts?

Katastrophe
April 2nd, 2010, 07:23 PM
Looks fishy to me... Could be the angle of the photo, but the distance between the pickguard and bridge looks a little too wide... plus the saddles are waaaaaay out there... Along with the issues you pointed out (countouring, top loader), I'm thinking someone must have thrown some cheap parts into a cheaper prepainted body, slapped a neck with a Fender contoured headstock (which may or may not be Fender) on it, and put it up for sale.

I'd stay far away.

Commodore 64
April 2nd, 2010, 07:32 PM
Heh. Stay far away. Too late for that. heh. it's in my lap.

It's a fake (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaster-discussion-forum/206933-did-i-just-buy-fake-tele.html#post2423911), and it's going to be a testbed for PUPs until I make a good player out of it. The grounding wire wasn't even soldered to the bridge plate.

mainestratman
April 2nd, 2010, 07:35 PM
It's pretty.. so if it sounds and plays good, go with it. :-)

Kazz
April 2nd, 2010, 07:50 PM
I got bad news for you C64....I would bet dollars to donuts that is a fake....too many red flags to list.....headstock curvatures, top loader bridge, saddle springs, gap between bridge and pguard......etc etc.

Commodore 64
April 2nd, 2010, 08:12 PM
Well, I gotta sell my Godin to cover some of this cost. My coworker wants it, he'd give me 200, which I think is a good deal for him.

Tig
April 2nd, 2010, 08:44 PM
I'd guess the saddles are out there to make up for the base plate mounting being so low. They had intonate it somehow.

Well, at least it might be fun to mess with and not worry about damaging it's value. Such is life...

“Some people think of the glass as half full.
Some people think of the glass as half empty.
I think of the glass as too big.” -George Carlin

markb
April 3rd, 2010, 03:49 PM
If it's a good sounding and playing instrument, who cares who made it? Personally I'd remove that decal before selling it on if that's your intention.

Commodore 64
April 3rd, 2010, 07:23 PM
If it's a good sounding and playing instrument, who cares who made it? Personally I'd remove that decal before selling it on if that's your intention.

It's a piece of shit. I can't get the 1st and second strings to intonate because the bridge is so wacked out. The PUPs sound like ***. My ' 94 MiM tele Squier Series blows it away.

I would never, ever sell this guitar to someone. If I can get it to play half decent, I'll give it to a friend whose daughter is learning to play, she'd love an electric. And yes, I will sand off that (in retrospect) ridiculous label.

Katastrophe
April 3rd, 2010, 08:58 PM
Sorry to hear it, man. Hopefully, you can get it to play halfway decent.

Kazz
April 4th, 2010, 06:46 AM
Check the setup on it C64. Make sure that the distance from the 12th fret to the Saddle is half the length of the entire scale. You may need to be move that Bridge plate up some to get it intonate properly.

sumitomo
April 4th, 2010, 01:09 PM
Sorry but you should have bought a brand new CV50"s for 350.00,you would have been a Happy camper!Sumi:D

mrmudcat
April 4th, 2010, 01:39 PM
Fake.............im sorry to say brother............................this crap pisses me off:nope

Eric
April 5th, 2010, 09:34 AM
It's a fake (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/telecaster-discussion-forum/206933-did-i-just-buy-fake-tele.html#post2423911), and it's going to be a testbed for PUPs until I make a good player out of it. The grounding wire wasn't even soldered to the bridge plate.
Sorry to hear that this didn't turn out so well. On the plus side, you do have some nice MIM axes and enough amps to keep you happy, so it's not like you gave away your life savings to buy That One Great Guitar.

Also, I'm with you on your recent tele crush. I've been playing my lovely chinese SX lately, and I really enjoy the simplicity of it all.

Commodore 64
April 6th, 2010, 06:12 AM
Yeah it really was ridiculous for me to even buy that guitar, even if it was real. I already have 2 tele type guitars, the MiM and a Jay Turser, which is also a nice player (it's tuned to Open G at the moment). This morning I was just looking at the guitars on my wall, and was like WTF was I thinking?

But then yesterday, I was looking at those SX teles, and some Xaviers. So inexpensive...so tempting.

Eric
April 6th, 2010, 06:45 AM
But then yesterday, I was looking at those SX teles, and some Xaviers. So inexpensive...so tempting.
That's the tough part about never having owned a MIM anything: no basis of comparison.

The SX is most definitely a cheap guitar, but I kind of like that about it. Still, if I had a nicer one, I'd probably be playing that.

hubberjub
April 6th, 2010, 07:34 AM
Did I miss something? Why don't you take it back to the seller?

duhvoodooman
April 6th, 2010, 07:45 AM
Why don't you take it back to the seller?
+100!! Threaten the guy with small claims court & triple damages for willful fraud and see how quick you get your $400 back....

Commodore 64
April 6th, 2010, 08:10 AM
1. All I have is the seller's phone #, he will not answer calls.
2. Met seller at a gas Station to buy guitar, no clue where he lives.
3. Talked to Aunt who is a lawyer. It's his word against mine and Ohio is a buyer beware state.
4. Lawyer aunt further told me that repeated calls and texts to seller could result in me being charged with stalking and harassment.
5. Even if I won triple damages in small claims court, it's still up to me to collect (e.g., he probably won't/can't pay me).
6. $400 loss sucks but expending time energy and effort to find this guy, sue him, and win will cost WAY more than $400.
7. I have 7 other guitars that I can't play very well.
8. I'm the idiot who bought a clearly fake, and a very badly faked guitar.

Seriously, there's nothing more to do. I got scammed. End of story. It won't be the last time I learn things the hard way. I reckon I won't purchase another fake guitar in the future, though, now that I'm $400 poorer and wiser.

Best thing now is for others to read this and learn how not to buy a guitar on CL. Heh.

Eric
April 6th, 2010, 09:05 AM
Yeah, I read your rundown on TDPRI and, as much as it sucks, I tend to agree with you. That's tough to do, because it means owning up to your purchasing decision, but I think it's probably the wise thing to do.

Tig
April 6th, 2010, 10:04 AM
7. I have 7 other guitars that I can't play very well.


You got me beat by 4 guitars! (that I can't play very well, either)

So, I have some water front property that you might be interested in... :poke

Funny how each generation has to learn that fire burns, or how to reinvent the wheel. I've been burned plenty of times, and you should see my wheel collection! :thwap

oldguy
April 6th, 2010, 07:01 PM
Commodore 64, if it eases the burn any, I've bought and traded for lots of guitars/amphs over the years, and haven't always ended up with bargains.
AAMOF, I've come up on the short end more than once.
That being said, consider yourself lucky. You've learned from it, and while 4 bills is nothing to sneeze at, it could have been worse. :AOK

duhvoodooman
April 6th, 2010, 07:05 PM
You've learned from it, and while 4 bills is nothing to sneeze at, it could have been worse. :AOK
True, dat! :socool

Geraint Jones
April 7th, 2010, 10:53 AM
My mate has just bought a Les Paul Supreme from China for the princely sum of $400 from one of these dropship sites . I don`t think he's holding his breath that it`ll be verified but how long before these imports flood the market making auction sites a no go.

Geraint Jones
April 7th, 2010, 11:17 AM
Oh yeah and sorry for your misfortune Commodore . We live and learn .

Brian Krashpad
April 7th, 2010, 12:12 PM
Man, I just saw this. Mojo sent. Wish I'd seen that headstock before you bought, it was pretty clear it was not the real deal.

Live and learn. I've been lucky, but I feel your pain.

:(

mainestratman
April 7th, 2010, 12:59 PM
Honestly, this is why I deal very little with online stuff for guitars... I think amphs are a little more difficult to fake, but still.. I'm scared to death I'm gonna drop money I don't have on something just to find out it's a POS.

Eric
April 7th, 2010, 01:33 PM
Honestly, this is why I deal very little with online stuff for guitars... I think amphs are a little more difficult to fake, but still.. I'm scared to death I'm gonna drop money I don't have on something just to find out it's a POS.
To be fair, I don't think this was an online thing outside of the fact that it used Craigslist, but I do see your point. I'm coming around to your point of view, because sometimes online stuff can be hyped up a bit (read: guitarfetish.com).

The trick is being able to try the stuff you're interested in beforehand. I sometimes feel like there's little chance if Guitar Center doesn't carry that brand.

mainestratman
April 7th, 2010, 01:39 PM
Yeah.. it doesn't matter if it's eBay or CL.. I'll look at pictures, but that's about it... plus, I like the idea of buying new and getting the warranty..

If I'm looking for a beater guitar or something, then maybe I'll look at some of the local classifieds (not many people use CL up here)... or let the guy at the local-ish shop know what I'm looking for.. he can get stuff in from the other stores the umbrella company owns (a total of 4 or 5 stores in Maine)... and since they're local, they work at not ripping off people.

marnold
April 7th, 2010, 02:45 PM
The Latin is old but still rings true: caveat emptor!

Commodore 64
April 7th, 2010, 03:06 PM
The Latin is old but still rings true: caveat emptor!

Absolutely! But I still love Craig's List, this $400 mistake will make sure I don't make a $4,000 mistake.

duhvoodooman
April 7th, 2010, 05:50 PM
Absolutely! But I still love Craig's List, this $400 mistake will make sure I don't make a $4,000 mistake.
In that case, you just saved $3,600!! Get yourself a new Gibby LP Std. and you'll still have a grand left over!

Ain't it great how the GAS rationalization process works! :poke

Commodore 64
April 7th, 2010, 06:23 PM
I think I may save up for a Taylor Electric, considering how much I like my Taylor Acoustic.

Jimi75
April 8th, 2010, 08:08 AM
It was obvious fake, sorry. I only read your post today, so I could have warned you. Good luck with your next purchase. Instrument business, legal or private is still a huge ocean full of sharks! Sad but true!

Duff
April 10th, 2010, 05:58 AM
I noticed that you alluded to not liking something about your Xavier. What is exactly the problem? Isn't it a 335 copy? Sounds like a nice guitar if it is anything like my Xavier XV500 when it comes to build quality and tone.

I think my Xavier LP tribute in white is a great guitar with a three quarter inch maple cap over mahogany and inside the wiring cavity is nice heavy wire and big pots, including good looking swith and jack along with a high quality solder job and no loose wire; very tidy I might say. Plus the guitar plays really great, is heavy like I enjoy my LP's, no chambering here. Although the chambered one looks like a nice hybrid guitar, the LP tribute with the P90 and the bridge zebra alnico zebra hb.

I think a guitar like an Xavier or Agile would get you way farther ahead than a risky fake guitar.

I feel badly for you 64, I hate rip offs. Maybe donate it to someone who needs a guitar to get started. It could relieve you of rip of anxiety and help out a person that doesn't have anything. I would sand off, or grind off the headstock fake fender name though and smooth it over and put some poly or varnish over the place it was; maybe even make my own design name like, "Imposter 1" or "offender".

Kazz
April 10th, 2010, 07:11 AM
OfFender I like he he

Eric
April 10th, 2010, 09:00 AM
I noticed that you alluded to not liking something about your Xavier. What is exactly the problem? Isn't it a 335 copy? Sounds like a nice guitar if it is anything like my Xavier XV500 when it comes to build quality and tone.
Are you talking about this quote?


sometimes online stuff can be hyped up a bit (read: guitarfetish.com).
I just meant that if you read the descriptions on their site, you will think they offer the best products ever made; there's a lot of hyperbole on there. Generally speaking, I think GF has good stuff, but their descriptions make it seem better than I think it is.

Regarding the XV-900, I think it's good, though the pots are backwards (linear taper on the volume) and the tuners are below-average (and the headstock is stupid, but that's sort of separate). A lot of guitar for the money, that's for sure.

Duff
April 10th, 2010, 09:43 AM
I know what you mean about the overblown descriptions.

I love my XV500 LP tribute though.

I have bought many GFS pickups and liked them; however, I lastly bought a set of hot "GFS PB Pro PLUS- OVERWOUND Alnico P Bass style" P bass pickups and put them in a nice Squire Black with black pickguard P bass I picked up cheap in super shape with a great neck.

The pickups are a GREAT improvement over the stock affinity ones on the Squire, needlesstosay; however, my other top contender for the pickups was the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder P bass pickups. I have played quarter pounder P bass pickups before and have been amazed.

The GFS hot P bass pickups do not sound like the SD quarter pounder P bass pickups. For the difference in price I wish I would have spent the extra money and purchased the SD quarter pounder P bass pickups. I might get some yet, as a definite upgrade.

The XV500 though, is outstanding with serious heft, which I like in a LP type guitar and has super great tone with the crunch paf pups. This lp tribute is a great guitar for the money, tuners should be replaced. I will check my tone controls. Straight up into the tube amp this guitar sounds good on both channels. Thru my inexpensive Korg AX5G it sounds super good, of course; into the amp directly from the pedal. My digitech RP 350 sounds even better.

I bought some Little Killers that I liked, but they don't even start to compare to the Seymour Duncan Hot rails, no way, I don't care what anyone says about that comparison. My SD single coil sized bridge hot rail in the neck of one of my strats, with a 59 single coil sized humbucker in the middle and the venerable JB Br. single coil humbucker in the bridge sounds nothing like the little killer and these SD single coil humbuckers are outstanding pickups. This combination was advised by an engineer at Seymour Duncan as being a good choice and one made by many great players. I can see why. Not being a great player I can still, at my level, see why they would like them; five distinct sounds. This set of pickups continues to grow on me each time I play the guitar. I also had all the wiring and pots and switch and cap replaced, along with a new jack and installed Fender locking tuners. This is one awesome Squire. Heavily flammed maple neck, every quarter inch is a flame all the way up the neck thru the headstock. It's black with a black pearl pickguard I put on it. Nothing worked on it except that you could play it wide open without too much noise even though nothing was grounded and the tone controls were not operational. It now works as well as any strat I own and sounds probably the best, feels the best, and looks super super good, if not being the best looking because I have a couple beautiful looking ones.

So, yeah. GFS has its place but then so do other companies. I can see myself buying another one of their guitars.

Have you noticed harmony-central.com has completely changed their page, much to the worse? I'm very disappointed.

Eric
April 23rd, 2010, 02:08 PM
Off-topic for sure, but since it's your thread I figure I'm allowed...

With your current assortment of gits (let's see...Teles, Strats, offset, and acoustic IIRC), what do you find yourself defaulting to most of the time? Still the MIM Tele?

Commodore 64
April 23rd, 2010, 02:28 PM
Off-topic for sure, but since it's your thread I figure I'm allowed...

With your current assortment of gits (let's see...Teles, Strats, offset, and acoustic IIRC), what do you find yourself defaulting to most of the time? Still the MIM Tele?

When I play electric, it's hands down the MiM Strat. I play it 80% of the time. I dig that guitar, and will add a heavier trem block someday soon, but other than that, I don't feel like it needs anything.

The MiM Tele ~15% (it's on CL as we speak) and the others 5%. The MiM tele needs a neck adjustment and perhaps a fret sanding. I was going to do it myself, as I'm eager to do that sort of thing until I saw a CV50s Squier Tele today at GC for $250, which, of course, I bought. I'm trying to downsize...to 3 electrics. I'd like my collection to be the MiM Strat, CV Tele, and the Godin Silverline.

This means I have to unload a Yamaha Pacifica, A Turser Tele, a MiM Tele, and my Samick Jazzmaster. The Samick is a really cool guitar, I just never play it. I'm really torn about that one, I absolutely love the tone of the P90s in it, but for some reason, I just don't like to play it so much.

Oh I also have that AXL pseudo strat with the Duncan SH-4 in the bridge, but I'll probably give that to my friend (who has had it for the past 7 months) because he loves it.

Eric
April 23rd, 2010, 02:38 PM
I'd like my collection to be the MiM Strat, CV Tele, and the Godin Silverline.
Is that a pun on a Godin Redline or did I miss something? Weren't you going to sell that one?

Anyway, good luck with the sales. I've found no buyers for the stuff I was going to sell (mostly bargain Asian stuff FWIW), then just after I told a kid at church he could borrow my 50w Crate tube amp, I get two emails asking if I still have it. Ah well, I already committed to him...

Hopefully you'll fare better with your gear (which is probably actually known outside of online guitar message boards, unlike my stuff).

Commodore 64
April 23rd, 2010, 02:53 PM
Not a pun, I just forgot what it was called. My friend (the same one with the AXL) has had the Godin since a day or 2 after I bought it. It's such a nice guitar, that I want to keep it, even though I haven't played it for more than 20 minutes. LOL. That just seems so stupid. WTF is wrong with me!

Eric
April 23rd, 2010, 03:28 PM
even though I haven't played it for more than 20 minutes. LOL. That just seems so stupid. WTF is wrong with me!
Just the same thing that's wrong with everyone else here...

The other musicians at church just roll their eyes when I show up with some new pedal/amp/guitar. Even though I'm actively trying to get rid of stuff, I keep finding new ways to buy it. Frustrating, huh?

Commodore 64
April 24th, 2010, 04:40 AM
Just the same thing that's wrong with everyone else here...

The other musicians at church just roll their eyes when I show up with some new pedal/amp/guitar. Even though I'm actively trying to get rid of stuff, I keep finding new ways to buy it. Frustrating, huh?

Yeah, yesterday I was playing through a Hot Rod Blues Jr...OMG that reverb sounded so nice...and the master volume was cool. I never had an amp with that...crank the volume, turn down the master volume and you get a nice tone at lower levels.

Eric
April 24th, 2010, 09:15 AM
Not a pun, I just forgot what it was called. My friend (the same one with the AXL) has had the Godin since a day or 2 after I bought it. It's such a nice guitar, that I want to keep it, even though I haven't played it for more than 20 minutes. LOL. That just seems so stupid. WTF is wrong with me!
Well, if you ever want to sell or trade the Godin, let me know. I'm very interested in those.