Vintage Neck Plates ...... Or Not !

CSS · December 28th, 2006, 12:32 AM

So on eBay, how would one know if a neckplate came from the year advertised if there is no serial number on it? Is it, take someones word for it that a rusted up neck plate is from a 62 Custom? Oh, and I would hate to see the rest of the rust bucket that some of these screws and plates come off of. And the one with the serial numbers, just how hard is it to forge one of these and say it is OLD or whatever? The prices people pay on someones "word" for it is just amazing.

Another neck plate auction that gets me is the made in Corona neckplates that are found on the USA guitars today, and the large F logo plates I see some selling for 20 up to 40 dollars. Musicians friend sells these replacements for something like 9 bucks, or maybe less.

Only on eBay

Lostheart · December 28th, 2006, 04:05 AM

Well if it's from a 62 Custom the neck plate should have a serial number, doesn't it?

But I hear ya...lots of stuff on the Bay looks suspicious!
I aged some Tele knobs myself (without any of the acid fume crap) and they look identical to original 52 knobs that are on sale all the time.
Would worry me if I was about to buy a set of "original" knobs on eBay!
I guess you're on the safe side when the seller has the rest of the guitar in his other auctions!

And yeah...even the generic 80's neck plates sell for quite a bit nowadays...I was looking for one myself and I was shocked when I saw the auction taking off towards the end and people paid like 50 bucks for it!!!

Fatmanstratman · December 29th, 2006, 09:28 AM

There's a guy on eBay who will sell you a neckplate with any serial number you want on it. You just tell him what you want, pay your money, wait a while, no questions asked.

I have no qualms in admitting that I will be ordering one myself shortly - it will have the 6 digits of my date of birth, and will be put on the back of my RelicCaster, once it has been suitably aged. And that is where it will stay - hence no qualms.

Sure, these dudes who sell such things on eBay are inviting fraud, but be honest - you don't HAVE to buy them. Its not the sellers - its the unscrupulous buyers who are intending to use these items to try to make a "ringer" look more authentic prior to selling it on.

It would be a different matter if the neckplate had the "F" logo on it, but surely ANYONE can buy a non-Fender blank neckplate for a Tele or Strat and ask someone to engrave any number they like on it? That is NOT fraud. In fact, I think our member Ron Kirn used to offer/still offers such a service - and I would hardly consider Ron to be a fraudster!...

Well, maybe a bit.... JUST KIDDING!!!! Love you really, Ron......

Lostheart · December 29th, 2006, 02:06 PM

Those repro neck plates on the Bay fool no one...the font used for the serial number is an entire different one than the one used by Fender back in the days and anyone with a little knowledge can tell that they are not the real deal...
(Even Relic Master J. Wilson used wrong stamps early on)
But IMHO it's pretty easy to make a convincing fake neck plate if you are willling to invest a little money to get the right kind of stamps.
Luckily I don't have the dough for real vintage stuff and so I won't be tempted by an item that in the long run proves to be not the real deal...

Sunburst Island · December 29th, 2006, 04:02 PM

I believe we (Fatmanstratman) have butted heads in the past regarding this subject. A little bit of skepticism can be good, a lot is well... ummm, I'm just glad I don't carry it around on me.

Doubt all you want to, but not everyone who wants to unload vintage parts that they've had boxed up, unused, & away from the light of day want to scam anyone. Not everybody has unscrupulous motives, and with that I say... if you don't want it, don't bid, but if you do bid, I ASSURE YOU that the 2 vintage 'F' neck plates I have up for auction as of now are the real deal, plain and simple. Someone on this beautiful big blue and green globe is going to have a great, trustworthy, & original part to restore their guitar that may not be fully complete as they want it to be. Plus, Ebay just happens to be the "middleman" to help get that out and in open view.

Fatmanstratman · December 29th, 2006, 04:19 PM

Sunburst Island, I think you may have misunderstood my post...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

Its not the sellers - its the unscrupulous buyers who are intending to use these items to try to make a "ringer" look more authentic prior to selling it on.

Like I said, its NOT the sellers - good luck to you with your eBay auctions, and I hope you get top-dollar for your original "F" plates!...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

It would be a different matter if the neckplate had the "F" logo on it, but surely ANYONE can buy a non-Fender blank neckplate for a Tele or Strat and ask someone to engrave any number they like on it?

What I was saying here is that if someone was trying to sell a fake "F" plate with a serial number on it, then that would be trying to infer that it was an original Fender product; however, I see no harm in anyone engraving ANY number (or even someone's name etc.) onto a blank, non-Fender neckplate. It would only be the BUYER that could then try to use such a numbered plate in a fraudulent manner.

I don't believe that I was being in the slightest bit "skeptic" - just honest!...

December 28th, 2006, 12:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
CSS Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC and Augusta, GA Age: 49 Posts: 844 25 Photos	Vintage Neck Plates ...... Or Not ! So on eBay, how would one know if a neckplate came from the year advertised if there is no serial number on it? Is it, take someones word for it that a rusted up neck plate is from a 62 Custom? Oh, and I would hate to see the rest of the rust bucket that some of these screws and plates come off of. And the one with the serial numbers, just how hard is it to forge one of these and say it is OLD or whatever? The prices people pay on someones "word" for it is just amazing. Another neck plate auction that gets me is the made in Corona neckplates that are found on the USA guitars today, and the large F logo plates I see some selling for 20 up to 40 dollars. Musicians friend sells these replacements for something like 9 bucks, or maybe less. Only on eBay

December 28th, 2006, 04:05 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lostheart Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,391	Well if it's from a 62 Custom the neck plate should have a serial number, doesn't it? But I hear ya...lots of stuff on the Bay looks suspicious! I aged some Tele knobs myself (without any of the acid fume crap) and they look identical to original 52 knobs that are on sale all the time. Would worry me if I was about to buy a set of "original" knobs on eBay! I guess you're on the safe side when the seller has the rest of the guitar in his other auctions! And yeah...even the generic 80's neck plates sell for quite a bit nowadays...I was looking for one myself and I was shocked when I saw the auction taking off towards the end and people paid like 50 bucks for it!!! __________________ Casper: "Mmmmm. Butterscotch, yo. That's the best!" From the movie Kids

December 29th, 2006, 09:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
Fatmanstratman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Fatmanville, Cambs., UK Posts: 2,850	There's a guy on eBay who will sell you a neckplate with any serial number you want on it. You just tell him what you want, pay your money, wait a while, no questions asked. I have no qualms in admitting that I will be ordering one myself shortly - it will have the 6 digits of my date of birth, and will be put on the back of my RelicCaster, once it has been suitably aged. And that is where it will stay - hence no qualms. Sure, these dudes who sell such things on eBay are inviting fraud, but be honest - you don't HAVE to buy them. Its not the sellers - its the unscrupulous buyers who are intending to use these items to try to make a "ringer" look more authentic prior to selling it on. It would be a different matter if the neckplate had the "F" logo on it, but surely ANYONE can buy a non-Fender blank neckplate for a Tele or Strat and ask someone to engrave any number they like on it? That is NOT fraud. In fact, I think our member Ron Kirn used to offer/still offers such a service - and I would hardly consider Ron to be a fraudster!... Well, maybe a bit.... JUST KIDDING!!!! Love you really, Ron...... __________________ . . . *"Behind every argument is someone's ignorance."*

December 29th, 2006, 02:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lostheart Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,391	Those repro neck plates on the Bay fool no one...the font used for the serial number is an entire different one than the one used by Fender back in the days and anyone with a little knowledge can tell that they are not the real deal... (Even Relic Master J. Wilson used wrong stamps early on) But IMHO it's pretty easy to make a convincing fake neck plate if you are willling to invest a little money to get the right kind of stamps. Luckily I don't have the dough for real vintage stuff and so I won't be tempted by an item that in the long run proves to be not the real deal... __________________ Casper: "Mmmmm. Butterscotch, yo. That's the best!" From the movie Kids

December 29th, 2006, 04:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
Sunburst Island Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: States Posts: 538	I believe we (Fatmanstratman) have butted heads in the past regarding this subject. A little bit of skepticism can be good, a lot is well... ummm, I'm just glad I don't carry it around on me. Doubt all you want to, but not everyone who wants to unload vintage parts that they've had boxed up, unused, & away from the light of day want to scam anyone. Not everybody has unscrupulous motives, and with that I say... if you don't want it, don't bid, but if you do bid, I ASSURE YOU that the 2 vintage 'F' neck plates I have up for auction as of now are the real deal, plain and simple. Someone on this beautiful big blue and green globe is going to have a great, trustworthy, & original part to restore their guitar that may not be fully complete as they want it to be. Plus, Ebay just happens to be the "middleman" to help get that out and in open view.