Fake 1959 Stratocaster.

Here's one that wins my worst fake of the month award. The original ad as it appears on Ebay highlighted in yellow and the pictures are from the listing. I have no affiliation with the seller or personal knowledge of the seller. This one is so bad. The seller types in all caps for an extra touch of trash.

The Ebay listing 200502390680 scheduled to end Aug 4, 2010 

listed as FENDER STRATOCASTER/1959/REAL RELIC/ERIC CLAPTON BLACKY

"REAL RELIC / 1959 FENDER STRATOCASTER / 1959 NECK AND BODY / HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REFINISHED AND RELICED WITH NITRO / ALL OTHER PARTS ARE CORRECT 1959 REPROS / ILLUSSION PICKUPS / CORRECT CAP AND WIRING / EXCEPT 5 POSITION SWITCH / THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLAYING INSTRUMENT / PUT IT TOGETHER FOR MYSELF / STARTING AUCTION AT MY RESTORATION PRICE / NO RESERVE / BID ON THIS AS A GREAT PLAYER / ITS COLLECTABLE VALUE IS MINIMAL IN MY OPINION / IT IS HOWEVER A JOY TO PLAY AND A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY"

Obvious body routes are not a 1959 Stratocaster. Check out the trem route ... that's a perfectly round oblong - not 59 spec. All routes are the wrong shape and "CNC" in nature. Look at the worm route in bridge PU  ... a 90 degree elbow. These are just a few observations. This is an import of some kind. Probably a Japanese Reissue like the neck.

If the overly long walnut truss rod plug were not enough - a harsh flash to block your view of the decal ... classy. What this clown doesn't know is this Japanese neck has the wrong headstock shape too. Real 59 strats have a different and larger shape at the lower point under the F in Fender. Original contour body decal screams; Japanese Fender.

This one is the smoking gun for even the daftest observer. A stamped "59". Necks in 59 were pencil dated if dated at all. Further, the truss nut is totally wrong and in the wrong place. 59 Fenders'  truss rod nut are located much closer to the fret board. It looks to me like this says ST - 59. That's a Japanese Reissue model #. Absolutely NOT a 1959 neck.