Hey you guys. Here I am again with another used stratocaster I found in a new music shop. It striked my eye, because it said Fender "Custom Shop" on the back of it, and apparently the guy said it had "eric johnson pickups in it"... Things started to sound fishy from this whole situation. The guitar did not claim where it was made anywhere on it, and the serial number started with MZ5 + SIX digits. This 70's style headstock with a bullet truss rod neck had a "60" emblem on the back of the headstock and it also said under the serial, "from 1946-2006" My best assumption was this is some kind of 2006 60th Anny Custom Shop strat?? Also it was really weird because it had a seymour duncan... (hot rail)? pickup in the bridge! Maybe im rusty on eric johnson pickups but I wouldnt imagine this set up. Please folks, I know there are some excellent fraud strat spotters on here. I just need you guys to take a look as some of these pics I snapped of it and give me an exact descrription of what it is!
The guy said he wants 700$ for it, and he'll throw in a hardshell case. Hell for a 60th Anny Custom Shop Strat, I would assume it would have a hardshell with it especially if its 2006! But after my research, I seem to have a real hard time finding a "Custom Shop" 60th anny Strat. In fact, it seems the only strat even close to it is a 60th anny mexican made strat? Thats just going off of the MZ serial, but as I stated its MZ5 + 6 digits not + 5. After much debate, I went back and took an even deeper look to see that the "custom shop sticker" isnt exactly "real" looking. You can see it is very much a "sticker" and the whole guitar isnt looking very real anymore. But the bullet truss and interesting neck plate is all throwing me off.
Let me know if I can flame this guy for trying to sell as a Custom Shop or if It is something I dont know...
Thanks guys,
Josh
Serial Number: MZ5205137
Seymour Duncan Hot Rail?
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
Actually with even futher searching, it seems the closest match would be a Fender Classic Series 70's Style Guitar for 700$. Its virtually the same exact guitar except different bridge pickup, and not including the 60th emblem, cusotm shop sticker, and the 46-06' sticker, also considering the fact that I cant find that serial anywhere on fenders website. Also I noticed on this headstock the "original contoured body" sticker is not on the headstock like it is on the 70's classics.
Heres a link to the 70's classics!
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-70s-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=510471
Opinions?
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
That looks to me like a Mexican 70's re-issue. You won't be able to tell on the pickups until you take them out, but the Duncan isn't stock - actually the Eric Johnson pickups wouldn't be stock either.
You can get a NEW 70's reissue for around $650 and the case would be an extra $50 - 70.
Unless you really dig it, I would pass.
-=- Steve
"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"
