Blowing off steam about selling online.

[LucSulla]

Sometimes, it is all I can do to not let my college professor side take over with some of the messages I get on Reverb and FB. 

Today, it was, "Hey, does it come with the backplate?"

This is clearly stated in the ad. I just want to send back, "Check the syllabus."

20 years ago, when I worked in retail, I was used to answering stupid questions as just being part of the job, but those callouses have worn off. 

[bruce919]

you assume they can read.... 

[LucSulla]

2 minutes ago, bruce919 said:

you assume they can read.... 

If they couldn't, I'd be less annoyed. At least there would be a reason ... some additional questions, but a reason. 

[kizanski]

39 minutes ago, bruce919 said:

you assume they can read.... 

If they can write, they can read.  

[velorush]

55 minutes ago, LucSulla said:

Today, it was, "Hey, does it come with the backplate?"

Serious question: do any of you keep the backplate on? I'm a Strat devotee since 1986 and I have never left a backplate on. I don't even know where any of them are. 

Second question: I'm buying a $1000 (or multiples thereof) guitar. Am I really concerned about a $10 piece of plastic that should be removed anyway? Caveat: the guitar is an original Pre-CBS Strat - yep, the backplate would be priceless, but I'm guessing that is not the sort of guitar on offer.

[bruce919]

32 minutes ago, kizanski said:

If they can write, they can read.  

They used the mic on their phone for talk to text. 

[kizanski]

22 minutes ago, velorush said:

Caveat: the guitar is an original Pre-CBS Strat - yep, the backplate would be priceless, but I'm guessing that is not the sort of guitar on offer.

That reminds me.  I have the backplate from my '59 Strat.  

I'd love to sell it, but I wouldn't know how to prove it's from a '59.  

[LucSulla]

1 hour ago, velorush said:

Serious question: do any of you keep the backplate on? I'm a Strat devotee since 1986 and I have never left a backplate on. I don't even know where any of them are. 

Second question: I'm buying a $1000 (or multiples thereof) guitar. Am I really concerned about a $10 piece of plastic that should be removed anyway? Caveat: the guitar is an original Pre-CBS Strat - yep, the backplate would be priceless, but I'm guessing that is not the sort of guitar on offer.

It's a Purple Charvel So Cal that I flirt with selling. It's a nice guitar, but it's in this bermuda triangle of where it would really benefit from a tone knob, but I have two other Charvels that don't and are also great. So I don't really want to mess with it, so it never gets played. But I like it. Rinse repeat. 

And no, I don't leave mine on. I immediately take them off and bag them with the proper screws. I hate worrying with that too on top of everything else if I change string gauges. 

I do sometimes leave them on with a dive-only trem though. 

[RobB]

42 minutes ago, LucSulla said:

And no, I don't leave mine on. I immediately take them off and bag them with the proper screws. I hate worrying with that too on top of everything else if I change string gauges. 

I do sometimes leave them on with a dive-only trem though. 

This. My EJ didn't come with one. All others are off with the cover/screws bagged in the case.

[seeker]

If I ever take a backplate or a trussrod cover off and don't immediately put it back on, wanders away free range. Forget the screws, they fall into that orphan sock blackhole.

[kizanski]

4 hours ago, kizanski said:

That reminds me.  I have the backplate from my '59 Strat.  

I'd love to sell it, but I wouldn't know how to prove it's from a '59.  

I wasn't joking.  

[tbonesullivan]

As someone who writes descriptions / ad copy for items as a job, I can just say that people are stupid. And so are some of my coworkers in customer service who ALSO don't read the damn description before asking me questions. I worked customer service at this same company for years, and I know exactly what people want to know about the items we're selling, so that's what I put in the description. I just don't get it. If I'm gonna spent over a grand on ANYTHING I'm gonna read every damn word of the description, and pore over every picture. And if I still have questions, I ask, like "what's that stuff all over the pickup pole pieces on this Stingray, did someone try to resurface them?"

[Cboss]

12 hours ago, kizanski said:

I wasn't joking.  

Describe it as the original pristine back plate from a like condition 59 strat, and price it at whatever pie in the sky figure comes to mind, $8,000 or something; that carries its own validation it seems

[hamerhead]

13 hours ago, kizanski said:

I wasn't joking.  

Have it carbon dated, you fossil.

[velorush]

19 hours ago, kizanski said:

That reminds me.  I have the backplate from my '59 Strat.  

I'd love to sell it, but I wouldn't know how to prove it's from a '59.  

I was curious, so I posed the authentication question to ChatGPT. Might be some helpful information here, but interesting either way:  

Verifying the authenticity of a backplate (tremolo cover) for a 1959 Fender Stratocaster is a nuanced process. Fender components from that era have distinct characteristics, and collectors or vintage experts often scrutinize details closely. Here's what to look for:

---

✅ 1. Screw Hole Pattern

• Genuine 1959 backplates have 6 screw holes, arranged in a slightly asymmetrical pattern.

• Measure the spacing and angles carefully—modern reissues often have subtly different spacing.

• Compare to a verified 1959 backplate template if possible.

---

✅ 2. Material

• Original backplates were made of white ABS or cellulose nitrate plastic.

• Early '59s may have single-ply white plastic, though by late 1959, 3-ply white (W/B/W) became more common.

• If the plastic has shrinkage, yellowing, or warping, this can be a good sign (though not definitive on its own).

---

✅ 3. Screw Hole Aging

• Check for consistent wear around the screw holes.

• Genuine vintage plates show subtle rounding or cracking at screw holes due to decades of tension.

• Tool marks or fresh plastic shavings may indicate a modern reproduction.

---

✅ 4. Machining and Beveling

• Originals have a very specific bevel angle on the edges—typically around 45°, but hand-done and slightly inconsistent.

• Look for hand-finishing marks—modern CNC reproductions tend to be too perfect.

• The beveled edge may show signs of color variation or dirt buildup due to age.

---

✅ 5. String Slot

• Originals have a narrow rectangular string slot.

• Compare its dimensions to verified examples (e.g., ~2.5 inches long and 0.25 inches wide).

• The edges of the slot may be slightly rough or rounded from use.

---

✅ 6. Smell Test (Caution)

• If it’s celluloid nitrate, it may emit a camphor-like smell when gently warmed by friction (rubbing).

• Be careful—celluloid is flammable and brittle.

---

✅ 7. UV Light Test

• Under UV/blacklight, vintage plastic often glows differently (usually a dull cream or greenish hue) compared to bright white modern plastics.

---

✅ 8. Provenance

• If the backplate came with a documented 1959 Strat, especially with matching serial numbers, case candy, or sales receipts, that greatly helps.

• Check if the patina, fading, or wear matches the rest of the guitar.

---

⚠️ Red Flags (Repro Indicators)

• Perfect symmetry or plastic that’s too white.

• Incorrect screw spacing.

• Sharp, CNC-precise beveling.

• “Aged” plastic that looks artificially yellowed or relic'd.

---

💡 Tip: Compare with Known Originals

Use high-resolution reference images from reputable sources like:

• Gruhn Guitars

• Norman’s Rare Guitars

• The Fender Stratocaster: A.R. Duchossoir

---

If you want, you can upload a photo of the backplate and I can help you analyze it in more detail.

[LucSulla]

On 7/19/2025 at 11:23 AM, velorush said:

I was curious, so I posed the authentication question to ChatGPT. Might be some helpful information here, but interesting either way:  

Verifying the authenticity of a backplate (tremolo cover) for a 1959 Fender Stratocaster is a nuanced process. Fender components from that era have distinct characteristics, and collectors or vintage experts often scrutinize details closely. Here's what to look for:

---

✅ 1. Screw Hole Pattern

• Genuine 1959 backplates have 6 screw holes, arranged in a slightly asymmetrical pattern.

• Measure the spacing and angles carefully—modern reissues often have subtly different spacing.

• Compare to a verified 1959 backplate template if possible.

---

✅ 2. Material

• Original backplates were made of white ABS or cellulose nitrate plastic.

• Early '59s may have single-ply white plastic, though by late 1959, 3-ply white (W/B/W) became more common.

• If the plastic has shrinkage, yellowing, or warping, this can be a good sign (though not definitive on its own).

---

✅ 3. Screw Hole Aging

• Check for consistent wear around the screw holes.

• Genuine vintage plates show subtle rounding or cracking at screw holes due to decades of tension.

• Tool marks or fresh plastic shavings may indicate a modern reproduction.

---

✅ 4. Machining and Beveling

• Originals have a very specific bevel angle on the edges—typically around 45°, but hand-done and slightly inconsistent.

• Look for hand-finishing marks—modern CNC reproductions tend to be too perfect.

• The beveled edge may show signs of color variation or dirt buildup due to age.

---

✅ 5. String Slot

• Originals have a narrow rectangular string slot.

• Compare its dimensions to verified examples (e.g., ~2.5 inches long and 0.25 inches wide).

• The edges of the slot may be slightly rough or rounded from use.

---

✅ 6. Smell Test (Caution)

• If it’s celluloid nitrate, it may emit a camphor-like smell when gently warmed by friction (rubbing).

• Be careful—celluloid is flammable and brittle.

---

✅ 7. UV Light Test

• Under UV/blacklight, vintage plastic often glows differently (usually a dull cream or greenish hue) compared to bright white modern plastics.

---

✅ 8. Provenance

• If the backplate came with a documented 1959 Strat, especially with matching serial numbers, case candy, or sales receipts, that greatly helps.

• Check if the patina, fading, or wear matches the rest of the guitar.

---

⚠️ Red Flags (Repro Indicators)

• Perfect symmetry or plastic that’s too white.

• Incorrect screw spacing.

• Sharp, CNC-precise beveling.

• “Aged” plastic that looks artificially yellowed or relic'd.

---

💡 Tip: Compare with Known Originals

Use high-resolution reference images from reputable sources like:

• Gruhn Guitars

• Norman’s Rare Guitars

• The Fender Stratocaster: A.R. Duchossoir

---

If you want, you can upload a photo of the backplate and I can help you analyze it in more detail.

I'm going to be honest. I use ChatGPT a lot for streamlining lecture notes and things when I already know what something is but am too burned out on writing for anything to come out concise and still make any sense at all. That program gets an AWFUL lot wrong. It's programed to always give you an answer and be obsequious as hell while doing it. Social media gets page time out of stoking high negative emotion; the LLM companies do it by sounding as human and likable as possible. 

I'd take that all with a grain of salt because it will pull stuff equally from any open source Fender records online, old Harmony Central posts, Reddit, and god knows where else. 

[velorush]

16 hours ago, LucSulla said:

I'd take that all with a grain of salt because it will pull stuff equally from any open source Fender records online, old Harmony Central posts, Reddit, and god knows where else. 

Absolutely. There are a number of quasi-conspiritorial threads constantly running through my head at any moment interacting with anything created by entities with varied and often nefarious intent. That said, I have found ChatGPT to be useful in helping me aggregate information for evaluation (rather than trusting AI to evaluate for me).