Please, need very experienced advice

[Daniel Rodriguez]

The next image is supposed to show an original, almost mint, 1960 Stratocaster (only body refinish, everything original):

http://personal.telefonica.terra.es/...nitest/s60.jpg
(image is aprox. 350kb. size)

Please, I need your advice about authenticity of this item.

Thank you very much.

[Marcondo]

The neck date looks strange and just too new to be a 60.

You said the body was refinished thats why it looks so new.

The electronics look ok but would need some pot codes to be sure.

If you did decide to buy it be sure and get a 48 hour no questions asked return.

I've just never seen a neck date put on that sloppy.

Here are some pics of a 55 Strat if you want to use for comparison.

http://www.marcondo.com/marcondo/55/index.html

[elcidd]

Looks right, from what I can see on the photos. Always hard without an in-hand inspection so I could be wrong.

What are the pot codes? It looks like you may be able to see the body date under the tremolo springs. What is it dated?

All the hardware and electronics look reallllllly clean. Why the body refinish if everything else looks so mint? Did somebody just want a sunburst?

What do the rest of you guys think?

[Tonefiend]

I cannot see any of the tell tale machining marks onthe body. In the cavities the pin router left a bit of chatter on the old ones. When guys make these with routers the cuts are very clean.
Also I see no trace of the old paint. And why did they refin the neck pocket the way they did?

Also the heel of the neck has been sanded. If it is original neck, It is missing the tooling marks ont he heel. It looks sanded. Not to say it isn't real.

[guitar george]

Bear in mind that a 1960 guitar is 40+ years old. (Not bad with the math, ay?)

I would say it's chances of being original are very slim indeed.

For the money the seller is not doubt trying to get for it, you could probably buy a master built from the Custom Shop.

Don't get me wromng, I love old Fenders but at this point in the vintage guitar cycle, most of the good ones are gone.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Daniel Rodriguez]

Your words distilles knowlegde. I fully understand.

Thanks ;)

[Marcondo]

The whole guitar just looks TOO NEW to be 40+ years old.

There are so many fake Vintage guitars going around you have to be extra carefull these days. Some people can fake them so good its really hard to tell but they always leave some signs that something isnt right.

I guess somewhere out there might be a 60 Strat that was kept in the case all its life and never exposed to the air that might look extra clean and new like this one but those are usually owned by older people who bought it new and they even usually have the sales receipt from when they bought it. I have seen some like that, that are this clean but its super rare.

[Cogs]

Yes, obviously a refin. But it's common for the neck date to be sloppy like that one is. Go to this guy's website & you can see a bunch like that. The decal looks to be a replacement also, which makes me think the neck has been refinished. The cross-piece in the "F" & the tips on the "E"s lack definition & are not pointy. It's got the right capacitor, though!

[johnabraham]

Could be a 1960 custom shop type or 62' vintage reissue with some old parts. I used to have a real 1960 and there is too much in what i see to say it's straight. John.