If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

[DarkStarAstro]

Hi everyone,
I have been looking for a guitar to get me started back playing after almost 2 decades. I have really wanted to get back to my roots and it all started with a Fender Strat.

I found this listing on eBay and have been very reluctant to bid, due to fear of being burned. This is supposedly an American Standard custom with G&G included. It is a beautiful guitar "if authentic", pretty much EVERYthing I was looking for. I was going to go MIM Standard, but if this is a legitimate piece I find it hard to justify not getting it. Would some better versed in fakes, etc... give me a thumbs up or down on this? 9hrs left and the bid is still at 315.00. I have contacted him twice and he is very easy to get hold of and answers questions thoroughly and pretty much within an hour.

I hope this is not breaking a rule posting an eBay listing here, if so I deeply apologize and ask to please have the thread removed.

TIA- to any who can provide any input on this one. If real this would be perfect for my disabled fixed income and would pretty much take care of my guitar needs for the foreseeable future, minus an unexpected bad case of GAS at least:lmao:

Here is the eBay listing and pretty pretty please don't bid against me, I am trusting you guys:

American Standard Custom

 

[superpete]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

it doesn't say it is a custom american standard; it's a parts guitar with a fender neck and pickups. notice he doesnt say the body is fender, just american made. it might be a highway 1 body that has been buffed to be shiny, or it might be a no name body. it isn't fresh off the fender factory line, but it seems like a cool guitar for the money

 

[blakejcan]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

calling Orpheo

 

[DarkStarAstro]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

Thanks guys,
In one of the emails I sent to him I asked if I was reading the listing right and that is was truly an American Standard and what year it was, his response was that it was made in 2008 by Adam Graves ( I have to be honest I have no idea who that is so... ). He went on to say it was assembled based on his specs and that all parts are American made. Yes he replied politely and quickly but did everything but answer my actual question ( now that I have gone back and re-read his answer, due to your comment on the body superpete ).

Appreciate the quick replies very much!

 

[superpete]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

adam graves is likely the guy that built the parts guitar for him in 2008. but the serial number on the neck makes it a 2007 fender. that is not an american standard headstock, it is a highway 1 (which he mentions in the ad).

 

[Mathías Gabriel Rock]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

That's a partscaster with a Fender neck.

 

[Ayrton]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

I think the auction has already exceeded its value.

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

To be fair, he very clearly says it's a project, a parts-caster if you will but doesn't mention the origin of the body, other than to say in a roundabout way that it is American-made.
The fact that he doesn't say the builder of the body is probably either because he's not well-known or not a professional.

All in all if the parts are good and the assembler/tech is decent it could be a pretty cool guitar for a good price. If only you could play it first, although I guess there's no time for that now...

 

[DarkStarAstro]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

adam graves is likely the guy that built the parts guitar for him in 2008. but the serial number on the neck makes it a 2007 fender. that is not an american standard headstock, it is a highway 1 (which he mentions in the ad).

Thanks superpete,
I looked up the serial number as well and came to the same year.

Well,
The auction is over now and I appreciate all the input from everyone! All things considered I am glad I didn't make a bid on it. I would rather just have a nice stock MIM Standard that I can do upgrades on if I wish to do so, then take a chance on something like this. The whole tiptoe around the body ( even when directly asked in an email ) is in itself enough to scare me off.

Didn't hurt to ask though, seeing as I have not bought a guitar in almost 20 years there is a lot I have forgotten when it comes to recognizing specific parts, etc..

Thanks again everyone, will let you know what I end up doing.


PS-Should I pm a Mod to lock this thread since the auction is over, or just leave it be?

 

[Mathías Gabriel Rock]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

You can lock it by yourself, but there's no need to do it I guess (although I locked one last week).

 

[DarkStarAstro]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

Thanks for the tip, I didn't realize I could do it on my own.

Much appreciated!

 

[Mathías Gabriel Rock]

Re: If it seems too good to be true, well you know the rest-BUT!!* Time Sensitive*

You are welcome!