Identify this guitar: 60s Classic Player or Classic Series strat

slowpilgrim

Hi guys,

Hoping someone can help me to ID this guitar. It was hanging on the wall at my local guitar store, heavily discounted due to it being second hand and having burnt through the nitro finish where it's been hung on the wall. The shop guy reckoned it was a 60s Classic Player, but I've not heard of the 60s CP ever being made with a lacquer finish and a 6 point trem. I only got to play it briefly and it could well have been a 12" radius, but I'm not a Fender guy so I don't have a feel for what a rounded radius feels like.

So - is this a 60s Classic Player, or is it actually a Classic Series? Dates to 2014-15. 

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danishbacon

slowpilgrim

Thank you! I didn't realise Fender could tell you the model!

stickyfiddle

Yeah, I didn’t know the serial thing either, but they never did lacquer finished CPs. Also the CPs had 2-point trems so this would def be a Classic

thermionic

These are great Strats as long as the price isn’t inflated. I got one off ebay a few years ago and it’s nice and light, although the neck is marginally slimmer than the earlier Classic 60s I had. It should come with a tweed case, which although nowhere near as nice as the cases that come with newer ones, is perfectly functional.

BTW mine had a patch of nitro burn as well but it was only on the black edge but it faded away with time and some gentle polishing with T-Cut.

danishbacon

slowpilgrim said:

Thank you! I didn't realise Fender could tell you the model!

No problem hope your deal works out

slowpilgrim

They've listed it for £699, offered me £675 in the shop but max I'd do is £625ish (considering this lacquer model is pretty hard to find now). Maybe this is a little high, but the condition is great (other than the headstock burn) and it is a brick and mortar shop so of course they'll have margins. The only similar models I can find now are the road worn 60s, which will have pau ferro fretboards - nothing against it, but my preference is for RW.

I'll be sure to ask about the case as that's definitely grounds for money off if it isn't included.

thermionic

£625 is not too bad if it plays/sounds good to you. I paid £565 for mine about 3-4 years ago. They don’t turn up that often and unfortunately the pre-PF ones will always attract a premium (but like you, I probably wouldn’t mind paying it). People are asking £700 for 15-year old bog standard Classics now, which is ridiculous as they were £500 new (the lacquer ones were around £800 iirc, but they crept up to £900 just before they were discontinued.

slowpilgrim

Yeah I think if I waited I could probably get one for cheaper off eBay, just may be waiting a while and the lacquer finish / 60s C / 7.25" radius is my jam. Weird how pre-PF 'special run' guitars could be a 'thing' if PF is here to stay for mexican guitars. Speaking of rising prices, I just got a Silverface Champ and it's been mad researching how the prices have increased in the last decade, I guess as people find themselves in apartments more they're looking to smaller amps but still will pay a premium for vintage vibe.

thermionic

I doubt you’d get one cheaper actually. Price inflation of run of the mill gear has gone crazy and a nitro-finished rosewood board Fender below AVRI prices will be hard to find. I consider what I paid to be a very good deal, even 3-4 years ago.

slowpilgrim

Bought it today for £650, which felt like a fair deal as they'd restrung it and done a great set up on it since I popped in on Thursday, and the tweed hard case was included. Turns out it's a new guitar as well, had the cellophane and hang tags still on it and everything. The burns in the nitro from a hangar are quite severe, but in another context that would just be 'authentic relicing'. It does make me wonder how a guitar from 2015 can still be sold 'as new'; maybe it's B-stock that's been locked away?

Regardless, it plays great, feels great and I'm really really happy with it.

PonchoGreg

I think you did well there! And for what it's worth I reckon £650 is right, especially if it's technically new (bar the nitro burn) and you get the service that comes with buying from a store.

I think sometimes we can become fixated on trying to get the absolute best price possible on 2nd hand stuff (even if the difference ends up being 50 quid, which in the grand scheme of things is not a vast sum). I'm quite guilty of this, but for instance I paid the same for a roadworn Tele a couple of years ago, when they were going for nearly a grand new, and I never looked back.

Put it another way: I think 650 for a nitro finished strat, with fender on the headstock, with the specs you like, is a pretty good score. Let's face it, if fender was reintroducing these now they would be a cool grand, so getting one at 65% is perfectly acceptable.

Enjoy the guitar!

slowpilgrim

Yeah I agree, Andertons just released their special edition road worn strats with basically the same specs (plus better pickups) retailing at £1000... and they sold out almost instantly. The shop manager told me they made £18 out of my Strat given it was supposed to retail at £850+, and I think he was being pretty honest.

I might upgrade the pickups in time to a 57/62 set or similar, but otherwise it’s got everything I need.

thermionic

Considering these crept up to £900 just before they were discontinued, that’s definitely a good deal. What’s the weight and neck shape like?

I’ve always rated the pickups in the Classic Series, but I decided this was a good enough Strat to deserve a hand-wound upgrade, and I put in a set of Radioshop Vintage ‘63s

handsomerik

FYI the classic player models all had 2 point trems which is an easy identifier.