How to Identify Your Fender is Genuine or NOT

[Laxs]

Hi All,

my intention make this thread is for our discussion and sharing our informations about How to identify a Genuine fender.

First lets talk about STRATOCASTER
several points which we need to identify are:
1.Serial Number
2.Tuning Machine
3.Neck Plate
4.Bridge
5.Potentiometer
6.Pickup
7.Production Date which stamped under body and neck joint.

Example:

Serial Number : Z3059680

this link will help you identifing the guitar

Result:
Your guitar was made at the
Corona Plant (Fender), USA
in the Year(s): 2003 - 2004

Next Step is checking, is your guitar really fender stratocaster like on above?
Let start with
1. Tuning Machine
This the Example
you will saw many of pictures there, you can do double check with other website
or ebay to make sure the correct tuning machine.
2003 tuning machine it should be like this

2.Neck Plate
your guitar is corona made so it should be like this
you also can use same method like number 1 if you like

3. Bridge
Important is you check the bridge and block, the block is should be thick and solid.

4. potensiometer and pickups
fender has come with several pickups but the potensiometer is must be like this. the potensio is a fender CTS. remeber the shape of the potensio!!!!

5. Production date which stamped under neck and body
you must find like an examples on below to make sure.
1
2
3

my suggestion when you plan to bought a fender. please ask first the serial number... and then searching on internet like step 1 to 5. keep it on your mind. look on the guitar which they offered to you... compare... and DEAL or NO DEAL

Actually that several point on above can made by luthier... so the best way is
ask the people who know fender... let them try... because
feel when you play it and sound wont never lie

Hope will help you.

Cheers,
Laxs

 

[jskadiang]

......wat. What about Mexican and Japanese Fenders? Also, the short form of potentiometer is NOT "potensio". And the pots in a China replica are also round. =/

 

[Laxs]

......wat. What about Mexican and Japanese Fenders? Also, the short form of potentiometer is NOT "potensio". And the pots in a China replica are also round. =/

sorry mate i think is a potensio... sorry my english isn't good....
for mexican or japan, maybe other softies can add here.

Cheers

 

[dodgethis]

The short form for potentiometer is pot. Where does the 's' pop up from?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer

And if you think that your command of English is lacking, please take steps to polish it up.

 

[c.adl]

The short form for potentiometer is pot. Where does the 's' pop up from?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer

And if you think that your command of English is lacking, please take steps to polish it up.

no offense but come on man. give him a break. he's just trying to help..

 

[Laxs]

The short form for potentiometer is pot. Where does the 's' pop up from?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer

And if you think that your command of English is lacking, please take steps to polish it up.

sure i will, thx.

do you have another idea to identify?

Cheers

 

[dmitry_a]

I'm curious, you cited the tuners, electronics and bridge as ways to verify the guitar's authenticity, however, such components are easily replaceable. Hence, you can easily find genuine guitars with aftermarket parts. Same goes for the bridge.

Serial number,... i'll take it with a pinch of salt if i want to con you i would probably give you a serial number that works. Also I've read on other forums that there are fakes with 'valid' serial numbers appearing on the market.

Stuff stamped on the neck/body is a good bet (although troublesome)

One thing you can look out for are the decals, for gibsons and ibanez, some people can spot fakes from the stubble things in how the name is written (font, angle, size, placement).

Best is still to actually try the guitar.

 

[j_m_s]

one main area that you didnt point out is the 12th fret markers.. original fenders have them closer tgt...

 

[Boogified]

I think a good way to spot a fake fender is to test it. Not experienced enough? Good for you. I always think a fake fender looks like a toy to me.

 

[Laxs]

Best is still to actually try the guitar.

Yes, agree.

 

[obzervr]

Another first look giveaway would possibly be at the truss rod adjustment access I think. It would likely have a walnut (darker coloured wood) insert unless it is a vintage neck that spot a truss rod adjustment access at the heel of the neck.

I managed to dismantle a handful of Fenders so far. What is obvious is American and Mexican bodies that I worked on has this One hole of about 20cents coin (slightly smaller) 1 cm deep under the pickguiard for American and 3 holes, aligned one on top of another, two the size of a 10cents coin and the middle one the size of the 20cents coin. But I found that this feature not seen on Japan/Korean strat and one 80s Mexican strat. So I'm not sure if this is a consistent feature.

 

[dodgethis]

If the seller claims that the guitar is stock, check on the Fender site for the appropriate model's parts and wiring diagrams and compare to the photos he/she claims is the guitar being sold.

Eg, a claimed-to-be stock American Standard Stratocaster with a 6 point tremelo mounting and Vintage Noiseless (albeit with the wrong sized script) pickups and individual string slots on the backplate are so way off the original specs, it's not funny. My friend got into this situation but I told him to back off after verifying what parts the seller said the guitar has.

Note: If the seller claims that the bridge was changed from a six point trem to a two point trem, or vice versa (this second scenario is highly unlikely though), there will be obvious signs of this change in the area.

This brings me back to my original point. Research the model you are buying and check that everything matches up to what he/she claims. There are a ton of resources, accessible via Google, to be had.

If he claims it's modified, well, caveat emptor.

Oh, and one may want to check out Section 49 of the Trademarks Act, pertaining to the sale of counterfiet, trademarked goods.

 

[junkiemanxl]

Judging from post can sometimes help spot scams. It's a preventive measure before giving the seller a call.

1. TS has 0 - very little postings and only recently joined the forums
2. TS is giving too good to be true prices
3. Hardcase or case candies not provided.
4. TS has multiple pieces of the guitar for sale
5. No documentation of purchase and list as new
6. Item not located locally

these are just some of the tell tale signs. learning to spot a fake is homework on google and from experience.
When in doubt, there's always helpful softies to help spot a fake.

 

[taypeng81]

+1 to dodgethis suggestion.

I think the simplest way is to:

1. Ask the seller what model is it exactly and then compare specs. ( If model unknown then try to match parts/specifications). if nothing matches, its a warning sign.

2. If guitar was modified, what was modified? e.g. 6-point tremolo cannot be modified to 2-point tremolo and vice versa without leaving holes on the guitar.

3. Serial no?

If you look at MIA and MIJ fenders long enough, you can spot the differences in the finish. The finish on a china fake and a real fender is night and day (to me)

 

[Whitestrat]

Serial Number : Z3059680

this link will help you identifing the guitar

Result:
Your guitar was made at the
Corona Plant (Fender), USA
in the Year(s): 2003 - 2004

serial numbers on fenders vary quite a bit. But these are also not the correct way to track. There will be a batch number on the body and on the neck. Again, these 2 do not necessarily match.

Partsocasters make it virtually impossible to trace a serial number, as back plates can be changed.

Furthermore, Leo Fender meant for the parts to be replaceable, and therefore did not bother with authenticity.

Next Step is checking, is your guitar really fender stratocaster like on above?
Let start with
1. Tuning Machine
This the Example
you will saw many of pictures there, you can do double check with other website
or ebay to make sure the correct tuning machine.
2003 tuning machine it should be like this

Again, not really reliable. Klusons are easily duplicated. The newer fender tuners are also easily faked, as are the MIJ gotoh ones.

2.Neck Plate

your guitar is corona made so it should be like this
you also can use same method like number 1 if you like

Pointless. Neck plates are replaceable. Some custom shop pieces are also blank. not reliable.

3. Bridge

Important is you check the bridge and block, the block is should be thick and solid.

Bridge & Block are also not helpful because many faked products actually use real MIJ or MIM parts with the zinc blocks. They're not difficult to make.

4. potensiometer and pickups

fender has come with several pickups but the potensiometer is must be like this. the potensio is a fender CTS. remeber the shape of the potensio!!!!

Fender does not own CTS and neither is it true the other way round. CTS makes the same pots for many other applications as well, so these are not proprietry.

Also, the pickups are easily copied, because there's nothing special. The CS sticker can be copied.

5. Production date which stamped under neck and body

you must find like an examples on below to make sure.
1
2
3

This only verifies the age of the parts. It says nothing about being authentic Fender.

No. The only way to tell is to buy from an Authorised Dealer.

 

[ymmak]

I tend to find those "selling on behalf of friend" sale thread a bit dubious. Nowadays, so many people have broadband internet, iphones, and mobile broadband, it isnt too hard to sign up for a soft account to post a sale thread, so why trouble your friend? I tend to think that something could be amiss. Of coz, this is may not be 100% tell-tale that the product in question (be it Fender guitars or whatever) is fact, but I cannot help it but to feel skeptical. When you see threads like that, I suggest the buyers to be more careful.

I also tend to distrust sellers who are selling 2 guitars of the same make and model concurrently. I get even suspicious when I see that the user account is new with very little posts in the forum. I could be overly paranoid, but still, it is wiser to be more careful than not.

 

[fgl]

Aiyah what for you all worry so much -

just send to me for appraisal .....

my charge ..cheap - One tong seng chicken rice per appraisal