What Is This Strat?

Long convoluted story...but to break it down real fast, the other guitarist in my band had my girlfriend pick up a craigslist buy for him yesterday, as she works in the same city as the seller lives.

Would link to the add, but the seller has apparently deleted it within the hour.

(interesting to note he linked to a TDPRI thread in the add!)

Advertised as a 1998 Mexican Made 50's re-issue strat.
Says its in "Great condition, original owner, missing one tuning machine feral which 'doesn't affect tuning.'"
Which it does.
"Completely set up with 11's plays great."

My girlfriend comes home with the guitar...it looks like somebody attacked it with a ball peen hammer...missing finish in spots. Not intonated at all...won't stay in tune to save its life. Neck is like a banana, guitar is covered in grime, major fret wear on the frets, dings in the neck, etc. All the screw heads are bunged up big time, bridge pickup doesn't work, etc.


I had a conversation with my guitarist that this is what he gets when he sends a non musician to pick up a guitar which he has NEVER SEEN IN PERSON! :shock: Oh well, lesson learned for him, but now he's stuck with it.

Anyway, here is the real reason I'm posting.

It doesn't have a v-shaped neck, although I admit the tinting is beautiful.
Is this actually a 50's re-issue? Or is it a parts guitar? Did somebody try to make a blackie, or is this an actual production run guitar? It isn't the same as our friend's 50's classic strat, or my father's '57 re-issue strat

It was very clearly in pieces, and re-assembled before my girlfriend picked it up...neck bolts were loose, and other teletale signs.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3741.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3743.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3745.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3746.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3747.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3749.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/sekesguitarist/DSCN3750.jpg

Thanks ahead of time for any replies on this topic!

nothing?

Not sure its a 50's style neck with the Split-Top tuners and rear TR adustment with the plug in the headstock, Tinted, also the single-ply PG, etc.

in the motorcycle world we call these "swap meet specials"
a bunch of parts thrown together, usually not very well
at least that's what it looks like to me

in the motorcycle world we call these "swap meet specials"
a bunch of parts thrown together, usually not very well
at least that's what it looks like to me

This is what my theory is as well...

It could be a "swap meet special" I think it might be a Fender Classic 50's MIM stratocaster from the first couple years of production. In those days they did not put on the aged pickup covers and knobs. They were white like the pickguard as it appears here. Those models in those days did not have a real V neck, its a "soft" v neck now in the newer ones. Also, I might suspect that the tremelo arm has been replaced by something else that does not have the same bend of the original (or it is the original but it has been rebent to to a different angle and the plastic knob removed. Its hard to say from the picture). My best guess is that most of this guitar started life as a MIM classic 50's. And they are nice for the money.