Amateur Body Route...

[simonhpieman]

So, I'm well into the CBS era Fender Strats - big headstock, nice big grain swishing across the natural ash body...

I'm also well aware that they can potentially weigh a ton and not play or sound too great. I'm hoping the 79 I'm looking at is an exception to the rule when I go to try it out...

ANYWAY, it's had it's body routed for a humbucker. It's not been done professionally but it's not been swimming-pooled or hacked at terribly, it's still roughly a humbucker shape, just a bit wonky.

Thanks to a replacement pickguard (the original is long gone, apparently), it's back to its original 3 single-coil configuration with all 3 original pickups which is what I'm after, but how does that affect the value?

A good 70s strat is maybe £1500 now? Maybe up to £2000 for an absolute minter (and that plays and sounds ok)? So what do you think the reasonably ok (and hidden from view) route does?

[Despot]

Still depends more on the year than the routing.

Personally I wouldn't be bothered in the slightest. Here in Dublin '70s Strats go for around 2k-2.5k depending on the year and condition (and when I say '70s strats I really mean '75 to '79 - earlier tend to be closer to 3k now). With the hack job I'd say it would be in the 1,800-2,300 range ... so maybe 200 quid knocked off. The main thing being that it's hidden by the guard.

Does it still have the original pickups? That would be a bigger issue for most people than the hack job.

[simonhpieman]

Are you in Euro with your figures, there? The conversion to £ looks about right/favourable for me - good to know I can ship it out your way if I end up not liking it!

Pickups are all original, there's just a replaced, modern guard (I assume the old one was hacked up to fit the humbucker).

Not disputing Despot here but I would welcome additional opinion on this

[Despot]

Yep - euro currency.

And Irish market conditions may not be the best comparision for the UK - it's a much smaller market here with really only two stores that stock vintage, meaning private sale is the only other option (and less common).

[rexter]

I would say somewhere around £900-1,000 would be decent for that. At least it has the original pickups!
79 is quite late in the grand scheme of things and looking at eBay there are a lot of deals around £1,000 for guitars from that year.

NIce 76 worth chasing?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-fend ... 0009.m1982

I had a 78 hardtail which sounded amazing and played nicely. Bit heavy of course...

[simonhpieman]

The shop isn't going to go for £900-£1000 when it's on at £1450. Probably best I leave it, in that case. As you say, they don't exactly seem to be in short supply. Even the Mexican ones are harder to get hold of than a genuine 70s!

Thanks for the headsup, though I actually already spotted that 76 and I'm up that way at the weekend so will try and take a look at it if I get a few minutes spare.

[rexter]

Wow i’d Say £1450 is way over for a routed ‘79.
Loads on eBay at the moment for less without issues. And plenty of ones with issues for a lot less!

[MechaBulletBill]

I wouldn't touch a '79 strat when there are plenty of old Tokai Silver Stars that, with a little modification, outdo them in every aspect. That is, unless you're devoted to the F-word.

[shadowplay]

I wouldn't touch a '79 strat when there are plenty of old Tokai Silver Stars that, with a little modification, outdo them in every aspect. That is, unless you're devoted to the F-word.

True and a few other similar brands like Fernandes. To be honest I find 70's Fenders a little too cheesecloth, bellbottom and macrame for me, I'm far more attracted to the optimistic go faster modernism of the original. I also hate those shouty logo's.

You know how hippies say; 'you have to have been there man'? I'm the opposite, I remember the 70's and it was by and large the decade that style forgot, especially for males. The day my mum brought me home drainpipes from her secretarial job at Levi's was an auspicious day, oh how the local kids in their Birmingham bags laughed all the way to see Slade in Flame .

D