A coupla suspicious pieces

[msalama]

One's gotta be careful out there in the wildernet -

1) The guy claims it's a '73 Daphne Blue, whereas in reality it's a refin:

Fender Telecaster 1973 daphne blue | Reverb

Awesome Telecaster from 1973, ask any questions.

reverb.com

2) All kinds of red flags with this one too... one of the last old model Customs? I somehow don't think so:

Fender Telecaster with Maple Fretboard 1972 Sunburst | Reverb

1972 Fender Telecaster Custom, sunburst. Made in USA, serial number 378041. This guitar is 100% original, this rare Tele is ready to be played! The bridge pickup code dates it to 1972, both pots are from 1966 (original to the guitar). It comes with a no-logo export rectangular black to...

reverb.com

Or am I wrong about the 2nd one? The first is definitely a repainted '73 and the guy even admits that when asked. Thoughts?

 

[Fretting out]

What’s wrong with the second one?

The dome knobs aren’t original but that’s all I’ve spotted so far

Seems kind of cheap or maybe that’s what they go for?

Right now there is a scam going around where stuff is priced as really good deals usually out of Germany and and some UK that are listed by new sellers with no feed back

You Will NOT get that REALLY good deal

 

[derekwarner]

The back of the sunburst body looks like a younger brother or sister to my 70 instrument

It's the extra red in the blend & the gloss top coat...... those Guys were pretty good craftspersons at the burst process

The front of this guitar looks like it was painted by a different person with different paint air brush pots on a different day

Look at the dimensional depth of the transition from black to red to yellow.........there is about 1" variance between the transition from to back

Derek

 

[Telecaster582]

The back of the sunburst body looks like a younger brother or sister to my 70 instrument

It's the extra red in the blend & the gloss top coat...... those Guys were pretty good craftspersons at the burst process

The front of this guitar looks like it was painted by a different person with different paint air brush pots on a different day

Look at the dimensional depth of the transition from black to red to yellow.........there is about 1" variance between the transition from to back

Derek

That's what I was thinking. And pots from '66? I didn't think it they would have that many overstocked parts?

 

[msalama]

What’s wrong with the second one?

The following maybe?

1) The serial looks kind of high for an early to mid '72 original Custom (was a completely different model after that, as you know)
2) Front and back finishes don't match (and yes, the front has gotten a lot more exposure, but still)
3) The price; a genuine "Last Mohican" would fetch twice that I'd wager
4) No photos of body & neck stamps / markings, PU markings, etc.
5) Notwithstanding the price, still no sale - why?

Just hunches, and I do know it's impossible to date a Fender by serial only, but still.

 

[Fretting out]

That's what I was thinking. And pots from '66? I didn't think it they would have that many overstocked parts?

72 is just about the last year I believe for 66 pots

It’s not uncommon to find them up till then

Fender bought an CRAP LOAD in 66

 

[Antoon]

What’s wrong with the second one?

The dome knobs aren’t original but that’s all I’ve spotted so far

Seems kind of cheap or maybe that’s what they go for?

Right now there is a scam going around where stuff is priced as really good deals usually out of Germany and and some UK that are listed by new sellers with no feed back

You Will NOT get that REALLY good deal

I believe the pickguard to be a replacement too. The red seems to have faded more on the front than on the back but that may be explained by it spending a lot of time behind a shop window?

 

[kuch]

I think legitimate vintage dealers would always show the neck/pocket stamps. Without them, I wouldn't pay even that much for a "vintage" guitar.

 

[bcorig]

After reading many of this type of thread my question is “How can a prospective buyer ‘really’ know?” Overwhelms me.

 

[blue metalflake]

Domed knobs, second string tree, is it the angle of the photo or is the body a bit flat at the Jack socket.
Not at all sure exactly that is, but you’d want to see neck code, pocket markings, etc

 

[Killing Floor]

Refin might not bother me because Daphne blue is the ultimate evolution of all things. What does bother me is the unfilled grain under that beautiful color. That is not a Fender body. Also, don't use that headstock in a sword fight, just saying.

Both of those are at least $3,000 high for 72-73 Tele even if they were legit.

Here's a 72 that's verified by a boutique and well-established dealer. This is a little high but gives you a better idea what the price should be for 100% legit, documented and fully vetted 72 Tele:

Store

Take a look at what these year Teles are selling for at Gruhn (which you know is not a discount house). If these were 100% legit and documented and professionally verified they would be $1,500-2000 overpriced). Run away fast.

 

[Fretting out]

Refin might not bother me because Daphne blue is the ultimate evolution of all things. What does bother me is the unfilled grain under that beautiful color. That is not a Fender body. Also, don't use that headstock in a sword fight, just saying.

Both of those are at least $3,000 high for 72-73 Tele even if they were legit.

Here's a 72 that's verified by a boutique and well-established dealer. This is a little high but gives you a better idea what the price should be for 100% legit, documented and fully vetted 72 Tele:

Store

Take a look at what these year Teles are selling for at Gruhn (which you know is not a discount house). If these were 100% legit and documented and professionally verified they would be $1,500-2000 overpriced). Run away fast.

Woe! There’s a map at the bottom of that website

I want to know about this omelettry!

Is it all omelette all the time?

 

[Tarkus60]

People are ate up with vintage.....cracks me up.

 

[skunqesh]

The first ('blue') is a very amateur refinish (at best). Neck looks likely to be early 70s, but..

without detailed pics of the guts and pockets, date stamps, etc the ad is worthless.

why some sellers post a near dozen identical pics / head shots, but won't open the controls, pop the pickguard or remove the neck - is beyond me.

'Vintage' has become like the term 'Organic' - they're both rooted in spreading extra manure.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

A wise man once observed that there seem to now be more "vintage '57 Strats" than there were Strats produced in 1957. Yet another reason to avoid the "vintage" market ...

 

[Fretting out]

A wise man once observed that there seem to now be more "vintage '57 Strats" than there were Strats produced in 1957. Yet another reason to avoid the "vintage" market ...

I’ve heard that with les Paul’s

How they produced maybe 1500 or so 58-60 les Paul bursts and of that 1500 there’s 5000 left today….

 

[msalama]

Yeah! The vintage market's not dead, it just smells funny...

 

[msalama]

And the shape seems off as well, plus no notch. A Japanese reissue body perhaps?

 

[Gorquin]

It's sometimes hard to determine what's going on in the vintage market. Some guitars look like scams, others are hard to determine, AND the prices have gone nuts! Last year I purchased a 1976 Fender hardtail Strat w/OHSC. The pots, maybe the switch, and the pickups where changed. All disclosed by the seller, a store selling on Reverb, but the body was 100% original and in decent shape. No routes to the body at all. Neither the seller or I could determine exactly what the pups are. They might be Fender but not sure. White and Black wire, plastic bobbin, the bridge pup reads about 14K. They could be cheap junk....but ....for what ever reason...they sound great. LOL weird !The neck was refretted (nice job) but they never tinted the maple neck when they refined the fretboard so it was a bit light. It's darkened up a bit since I purchased it. The case was in good shape but someone had added two extra latches years ago. I only paid $1100 for it but now a butchered guitar is going for that much.

 

[Sputnik03]

One's gotta be careful out there in the wildernet -

1) The guy claims it's a '73 Daphne Blue, whereas in reality it's a refin:

Fender Telecaster 1973 daphne blue | Reverb

Awesome Telecaster from 1973, ask any questions.

reverb.com

2) All kinds of red flags with this one too... one of the last old model Customs? I somehow don't think so:

Fender Telecaster with Maple Fretboard 1972 Sunburst | Reverb

1972 Fender Telecaster Custom, sunburst. Made in USA, serial number 378041. This guitar is 100% original, this rare Tele is ready to be played! The bridge pickup code dates it to 1972, both pots are from 1966 (original to the guitar). It comes with a no-logo export rectangular black to...

reverb.com

Or am I wrong about the 2nd one? The first is definitely a repainted '73 and the guy even admits that when asked. Thoughts?

If it looks too good to be true, it is. When you buy from private sellers, you gotta be prepared to take the lumps. There are some very rotten bastards out there, and they are after the contents of your wallet.