You guys have more experience: What's up with this guitar?

Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 352 Location: Illinois

Yay, more issues and skepticism! This is my first attempt at buying a guitar off eBay, hence all the specificity and questions. This guy is also starting to piss me off. This just in:

Thank God for screenshots (sorry if it's a bit small)

As you can see, I've made a small chart comparing the various guitars with similar names to the one I'm looking at on eBay. I asked the seller questions about the guitar's specs, but he stated that "...the guitar has been boxed up for 2 weeks since the last guy who won the auction didn't pay me and I relisted it. So I can't actually look at the guitar except for the pictures." What the hell does he think I JUST DID!?! His responses are in red.

He can also bet his a** that he'll be removing the guitar from said box to give me specifics or else I'll just walk on him. Might even hit "Bid" and then cancel it just to be mean...

He states that his guitar has a 5-way pickup selector, but I noticed that the switch looks like a normal 3-way (notice the chrome ring under the actual switch) compared to the flat, 5-way pickup selector I've seen on Fender Strats. Even worse, in ALL of the links I provided in my original post, not ONE guitar has a similar looking 3-way pickup selector.

The pickup selector, the chrome hardware, the neck inlays. This Franken-Schecter is freaking me out. I mean, the guy said the original owner sold it to a guitar tech who posted it on eBay (and this dude bought it) so maybe the tech swapped stuff out? That would explain the different inlays, but how often do you swap out a set neck unless it breaks? Plus, I'm not even sure how often people do that or if it's even worth it.

If Schecter would get back to me already maybe this wouldn't be an issue. Haven't heard back from them and it's been a week. Also, this doesn't seem like the type of guitar someone would go through the trouble of replicating to make money. Dean forum users, in all of your diverse experiences, hep me! D:

Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 6629 Location: Minnesota

If it makes you uncomfortable walk away.

Problem solved!

Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 352 Location: Illinois

Graunke wrote:

If it makes you uncomfortable walk away.

Problem solved!

If only I worked that way! Laughing

Obviously I won't buy the guitar if I feel even the slightest inkling of something iffy, but my curiosity is getting the better of me on this one (as usual). I just find it odd as hell that there can be 3-4 versions of this guitar online; never seen anything like it. At this point, since I already have this guy's ear, I'll keep asking questions. Again, it would be lovely for Schecter to get back to me already to clear at least some of this up.

Thanks for the input, though, Graunke!

Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 4140 Location: southern ohio

Gotta agree with Matt....there are tons of guitars out there to buy.

Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 6629 Location: Minnesota

Most likely, Schecter probably doesn't realy care if you buy a used guitar from an unlicensed dealer/private party.

if the seller doesn't want to take the time to properly answer your questions, that tells me he don't give a s#%t. And if he doesn't give a s#%t about answering your questions, he probably did not give a s#%t about packing the guitar either, or taking care of it while it was in his possession. Or While he made the modifications that you are concerned about.

Wipe the dust off your sandals and walk away, or buy it, and take the risk of having issues.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

I clicked on your graph and this is all that came to mind...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi1U4CeSNK4

Dude you're way over-thinking it. First off, Schecter has released so many different runs of their guitars over the years that it may be impossible to just compare any specs with whatever you can currently find. Second, people don't switch out inlays. That's just not done due to the amount of work there. You'd have an easier time steaming off the fretboard and putting a new one on that trying to switch inlays... 3rd, just walk away. In the time you spent on this thread you could have found something else you liked and bought it.

Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Posts: 816 Location: South wales, uk

the same factory that fakes gibby's also faked schecters...esp...fender..dean and jacksons.... they had gibby's mostly accurate...as we know. but the others were damn sure hideous. seems a fake to me... unbranded tuners and wrong inlays. my guess it's a chinese fake,

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

Have you taken the time to send a pic of it from the auction to Schecter customer service and just ask them? I would think they may know better than any of us.

If it's this auction, there is nothing fishy about it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Schecter-C-1-EX-Baritone-Guitar-New-Seymore-Duncan-Pickup-Great-Shape-/330854164076?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D4786741149515170835%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D330854164076%26