Phony Fender?

[Fleebag]

Seen this on my local craigslist today. Pretty bad fake/cover up if you ask me.
I emailed him "What's up with the headstock? Is there a reason it's painted? Any room to negotiate price?"

His response "It was never painted. We can negotiate. What's your offer?"

My response "It's obviously white in color so it was painted at some point. Is that an american standard or another model? Thanks".

Yeah I'm bored. I like harassing a-holes like this. Will update if anyone's interested.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[MIMike]

He didn't advertise it as a Fender...maybe because he assembled it himself (in America), he feels safe calling it an American Jazz (style) Bass.

 

[PortlandBass77]

I'm not so sure if it's fake.... I think I've seen some others with a white headstock before. Also it looks like he has the papers for it.

 

[Fleebag]

I've never seen the white headstock myself. Well I guess I'm the a-hole if it's legit. Awaiting response....

 

[makaspar]

It's phony. Not sure what it is - but I'm pretty certain that it isn't a Fender or even Squier neck.. The decal is a poor forgery, the headstock looks too big to me, the tuners aren't Fender, and a sunburst fender wouldn't have a white painted headstock..

 

[sissy kathy]

I'm not so sure if it's fake.... I think I've seen some others with a white headstock before. Also it looks like he has the papers for it.

That could be the receipt for the truss rod wrench; I had to buy that Fender truss wrench disparately; about $16 if I recall correctly.

 

[tjh]

Have him send you a picture with the pickguard off ... maybe open the control cavity for a couple shots as well ... and have him take a measurement of the length of both pickups for you ... interesting seam right down the middle of the back of a laminated body ...

 

[buldog5151bass]

Sure - I'd like to know. Why not ask him straght what it is and what papers he as?

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

No Fender ever came with that headstock. Black label Fenders all had bare headstocks. The label is not even the worst part. The neck itself is clearly not even Fender from the giant truss rod access prairie-dogging the headstock.

 

[Fluid Power]

Man that's ugly! I was thinking it might be a CBS neck, maybe three bolt, stuck on a STD or Deluxe body. But the head stock shape is what I have a real stump over. It does not look right! Don't care if it is real or not, it's butt ugly. IMHO

 

[ReidK]

But the head stock shape is what I have a real stump over. It does not look right!

Really! I don't claim to be a Fender expert, but pull up a few images of real Jazz headstocks and put this one next to them. The position of the tree relative to the machines is wrong. There's also way too much blank wood to the right of the machines - either they're too close together or the head is too long, maybe a little of both. And the scoop near the nut on the treble side looks too deep, though I have seen some variation there in real Fenders.

Even if we allow for some parts-swapping (like that truss-rod nut), I really doubt that this is a Fender product, let alone a US Jazz.

Reid

P.S. Let's give the seller the benefit of the doubt. Hey may not be a liar; it's quite possible that he got ripped off and never realized it.

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

I think it is not "honestly represented" lets say...here is why. The decal scale is way off. It is oversized and the patent numbers are ridiculously large even though the font is correct, the numbers are not, and on a legit decal the abbreviated word "Pat." (Patent) PRECEEDES the numbers not "Pat. Pend." (Patent PENDING) AFTER the numbers. I think it is a poorly scaled home made waterslide. I think what you are looking at is an old Korean or Mexican Squire Series. The first year of both said "Fender Precision Bass" or "Fender Jazz Bass" with "Squire Series" in small print on the headstock ball like where you might find Deluxe Series, etc on a newer Fender. You will often see this little decal "Squire Series" sanded off on ones for sale, leaving what looks like a "Fender" Fender. The Mexican decals were even monotone black like this one. White would only be "correct" on a white bass, and these aren't the monochrome Mexican decals, but similar. Also the picture of the heel is like an early Koren/Mexican Squire in that the arch is pronounced and doesn't "blend" into the neck in the center of the arch. My Korean body wouldn't accept a Standard Squire neck. It was a smidge narrower and had like a 10" board radius, not 9.5, it was nearly flat with tiny frets. Tuners are like the early Korean Squires (cast base) I can take pics from the back and show you they are the same backs as in the peg head I put up. As for the bullet truss rod nut? It might be just that...a bullet truss rod NUT jammed into the hole on top the allen truss rod nut doing nothing but sitting there looking like a bullet nut rod, furthering it's "forgery-ness", or might do something but that red T handle Fender truss rod wrench in the case is a 3/16ths Fender issue T handle and won't FIT a Fender bullet nut. If it fits THAT one...not kosher. Peghead does look a little weird (see pic of a Korean P I had)but I've seen all types of goofy different over the years if you've seen the K or M Squire Series and the wood definitely smacks of a laminate veneer over the plywood bodies these had. Either way, it isn't a "real" American Jazz Bass...I think it might be an old Squire Series from Korea or Mexico...he (seller) might have bought it as a "Fender" but whether it is....probably not.

This is not 3/16ths...Bullet rods are smaller...and don't hang out like that one...see.

 

[brisonic]

could be for real if Link Removed is also..

 

[God's Favorite Bass]

could be for real if (url deleted) is also..

That one IS real...custom colors, in the case of your example Olympic White, match body color. On a burst it wouldn't have had a custom color headstock and even if it were from another bass...still bogus decal, but you DID find a good example of a custom color headstock

 

[ReidK]

Neither that Korean headstock nor the "special factory run" shows any of the anomalies I described. If this thing was made by Fender, it's pretty damned bizarre.

Reid