[Tiresias]

At the guitar shop in town (I am an expat living in Gwangju, Korea) they have a Fender Stratocaster selling for 500,000 won (about $ 500 US I think).

Anyway, at another shop right across the road from my apartment, I see another Fender Stratocaster for 250,000 won.

Which to buy? The cheaper is the best choice supposing they are both either real or fake. But if the more expensive guitar is real, I think I'd rather pay another $250.


Can anyone tell me if there's a way to cheak whether or not either of these are real Fender Stratocasters?

Thanks.

[RAILhead]

You don't want t a Strat man. But, if you really think you do, you won't be buying an American made Strat for less than $500 unless you're buying from an idiot or it's damaged.

[Kevin]

I like strats Rail.. they aren't the most versatile guitar.. but for that sound...

I have one just to get the Pink Floyd like sound.

[d0ubled0wn]

Whatever guitar you go with, be sure to check the quality of the neck in relation to the body. A buddy of mine bought an American Strat and the neck will not align properly to the body. Play the high notes on the high-E and the string falls of the fret board. It was not repairable.

[ObiWan Flanders]

Does it really matter which may or may not be real? Play them both, if you like either one buy that one. Simple. Way too much emphasis put into names...

Besides, I don't think Fender has made a quality guitar in decades...

[ghporter]

I would be exceptionally suspicious of a "genuine American" product for sale in Korea, even for a reasonable price, let alone an unreasonably low price. This is not a knock against Korea or Koreans, but a reflection of experience. A bunch of friends of mine have been stationed there and have managed to get knock off products (sometimes on purpose) of practically anything they could possibly look for. I'd be interested in some sort of verification the product was indeed genuine before I even thought about buying it.

[Doofy]

Have a read of http://www.edromanguitars.com/rant/vintage.htm
(warning, this guy rants like he's Rob's role model).

In short, if you like it and it works for you then don't worry about whether it's a proper Fender or not.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by d0ubled0wn

Whatever guitar you go with, be sure to check the quality of the neck in relation to the body. A buddy of mine bought an American Strat and the neck will not align properly to the body. Play the high notes on the high-E and the string falls of the fret board. It was not repairable.

That sounds like a MIA Strat re-badged as a USA Strat. Lots of that going on. Esp on Ebay.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Doofy

Have a read of http://www.edromanguitars.com/rant/vintage.htm
(warning, this guy rants like he's Rob's role model).

In short, if you like it and it works for you then don't worry about whether it's a proper Fender or not.

Ed Roman is known around the guitar community to be a self serving dumbass.

He will tell someone something sucks just to get an extra buck.

He makes his own bolt-on guitars, and any guitar manufacturer that doesn't do things the way HE does them, he bashes them to make it look like he is doing it right.

The biggest claim that got him the "dumbass" award was him claiming PRS started using the extended heel on certain guitars because it was cheaper to make etc...

That wasn't the case McCarty told PRS that he needed to make his bigger to create more sustain and tone. So PRS did it. This heel first showed up on the McCarty guitar and eventually made it's way into the other PRS line.

He is the butt of many jokes.

While I am sure everything he says isn't untrue, he does write alot of ******** to gain guitar sales.

Sales through FUD.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Ed Roman is known around the guitar community to be a self serving dumbass.

I know, I know. That's why the warning was given.
However, I reckon his rant on that page is right - if the copy's good enough, there's no way of telling if it's a proper Fender or not.

[Kevin]

Oh yeah... I've seen copies you can't tell. I've also played some MIA Strats that had a funky clear coats. That is just messed up. Esp for the price.

Gibson is also slacking lately with QC..

It seems they are catering more to the collector, and less to the player now a days.

REALLY pretty guitars that look stunning, but have HORRIBLE fret work.

Having said that, the best Ibanez guitars I have played were MIA.

And PRS and a few other companies still care about the player.

There are only a few guitar brands I would buy on Ebay. There are only a few that are that consistently good.

People wonder why vintage guitars are worth more. It's because they were made better back in the 50s and 60s.

I like guitar companies that still make em like that.

Heck, the main LesPaul Slash has used for much of his recordings (The one on the Sweet Child of Mine video) isn't even a REAL Gibson. (Well sort of not) it was made by someone that worked at Gibson...

He custom made it himself. It wasn't an off-the shelf LesPaul.

Slash claims he also has problems finding decent ones.

[bad_quote]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Oh yeah... I've seen copies you can't tell. I've also played some MIA Strats that had a funky clear coats. That is just messed up. Esp for the price.

Gibson is also slacking lately with QC..

It seems they are catering more to the collector, and less to the player now a days.

REALLY pretty guitars that look stunning, but have HORRIBLE fret work.

Having said that, the best Ibanez guitars I have played were MIA.

And PRS and a few other companies still care about the player.

There are only a few guitar brands I would buy on Ebay. There are only a few that are that consistently good.

People wonder why vintage guitars are worth more. It's because they were made better back in the 50s and 60s.

I like guitar companies that still make em like that.

Heck, the main LesPaul Slash has used for much of his recordings (The one on the Sweet Child of Mine video) isn't even a REAL Gibson. (Well sort of not) it was made by someone that worked at Gibson...

He custom made it himself. It wasn't an off-the shelf LesPaul.

Slash claims he also has problems finding decent ones.

This is not factual. There might be evidence out there somewhere that refutes all of your viewpoints, so I should completley disregard anything you say.

[MacNStein]

Originally Posted by bad_quote

This is not factual. There might be evidence out there somewhere that refutes all of your viewpoints, so I should completley disregard anything you say.

???


Seems that they're late with your weekly (sometimes daily) banning.

[Kevin]

Oh he is just mad that he can't provide the proof to back up his statements in another thread.

[bad_quote]

See what you jsut said COULD be true but I believe the other direction with absolutely no evidence to support my viewpoint. Just because we haven't found underground smurf people with 3 arms each doesn't mean they don't exist. >rolls eyes<