Would you risk buying a guitar whose serial had been scraped off?

close2u

Fender MIM Strat?

https://i.imgur.com/Ms7msYw.jpg

JerkMoans

Edit

I can think of only two reasons someone would deliberately remove a guitar's serial number: either it's nicked, or someone was proposing to try something fraudulent by substituting a number for a more expensive model.

Either way, my answer to your question is 'not on your nelly'.

close2u

under the pickguard ...
https://i.imgur.com/woM4xGO.jpg

in the neck pocket ...
https://i.imgur.com/dq9kc5c.jpg

on the neck ...
https://i.imgur.com/n1aEQuh.jpg

springhead

Has to be stolen, why else would anyone do that?  I wouldn't touch it. 

stickyfiddle

Almost certainly been nicked at some point. It also looks shit. It's not likely a major saving since it's a cheap guitar, so why get involved?

Rebar

Stay well away. Its most likely to have been stolen at some point. Avoid. Avoid  Avoid. 

crunchman

Can you report it to the plods as suspected stolen goods? 

close2u

Seems fairly unanimous. The seller ad mentions it, says he got the guitar in a trade and doesn't know why it was done.

stickyfiddle

close2u said:

Seems fairly unanimous. The seller ad mentions it, says he got the guitar in a trade and doesn't know why it was done.

Presumably because the thief wanted someone willing and naive enough to act as a fence!

peteri

On really old guitars where it's been refinished, yes if priced correctly.

As others have said here - no way on that one, it's not even subtle! That's nicked, there's no other reason

midlifecrisis

about a year and a half back i bought a used tele off a seller on gumtree. Not until i got it home and looked for the serial no. couldnt find it. I assumed as i couldnt see it on the headstock, maybe it was betwwen the neck and body. Only when i looked really really closely i could see where the varnish had been rubbed away and number erased, then varnish reapplied, it was a neat job. I phoned the seller to query this, He gave me a convoluted story about giving it to his cousin, who did this (maybe to disguise it was a MIM and not a USA.) then his cousin giving it back.
I wasnt convinced and as he said he'd bought it new i asked if he had a reciept. He said he'd dig it out and email it to me. Not expecting to hear anything, he eamiled me an andertons reciept/delivery note.  Still not convinced I phoned andertons, who confirmed the sale, the guys name and were really helpful, saying the guy buys a lot of stuff from them.
I still felt uncomfortable, not least if i came to sell it id have to explain all this again. I spoke to the seller and reluctantly he agreed to take it back and refund me. I somehow think he was genuine but not sure. It was a cheapy tele special so the idea that he'd replaced it with a cheaper neck doesnt make sense.
But i dont want any hassle later down the line.

impmann

Looks dubious to me.

Corvus

Looks hooky. In fact looks like Capn Hook did it with his hook.
But then if nicked why such a totally dumb way to go about it. Hard to fathom that.

SimonC

Perhaps they thought there might be three “Lucky 7’s” underneath.

Rollin_Hand

Ahem...I did this to my own Ibanez, I didn't really like the usual "Made in China" decal or whatever it is.
I just need some light wood stain to cover the patch.

http://i63.tinypic.com/ab03v4.jpg

Does anyone think that removing that "Made in China" will bother people if I want to sell the guitar on?

Freebird

SimonC said:

Perhaps they thought there might be three “Lucky 7’s” underneath.

Or 666 might be a bit worrying if he was a religious type

midlifecrisis

Rollin_Hand said:

Ahem...I did this to my own Ibanez, I didn't really like the usual "Made in China" decal or whatever it is.
I just need some light wood stain to cover the patch.

http://i63.tinypic.com/ab03v4.jpg

Does anyone think that removing that "Made in China" will bother people if I want to sell the guitar on?

It would bother me if i saw it. All due respect but why would you do that? seems pointless, whats wrong with chinese made guitars anyway.

ICBM

Corvus said:

Looks hooky. In fact looks like Capn Hook did it with his hook.
But then if nicked why such a totally dumb way to go about it. Hard to fathom that.

Because some thieves really are that thick. They seem to think that if you can't prove it's stolen by being able to read the number, then it isn't.

I've seen loads like it in the last thirty years of working in music shops, and there's only one explanation. If it was to disguise the cheapness of the model they would have scratched out the Made In Mexico bit instead.

RandallFlagg

Nicking a MIM Strat, bit desperate isn't it? Surely a MIA or CS would be better bounty

matt.drink73

RandallFlagg said:

Nicking a MIM Strat, bit desperate isn't it? Surely a MIA or CS would be better bounty

Or an 11k PRS

lovestrat74

Took mine off my baja when I stripped it - oh well! Neck's a keeper, hey ho