Are parts from STRATosphere legit?

[tresdad]

I purchased many parts, body, etc. from STRATosphere on ebay. Does anyone know if I should have any reason to be concerned if the parts are genuine fender? I have always had great dealings with them and would like to continue if they are legit. Any replies are greatly appreciated.

[cavpilot]

they're the equivalent of an auto wrecking yard: they part out perfectly good guitars.

Never seen anything they were selling that looked anything but genuine.

[tresdad]

Thank you cavpilot. Kind of sad about parting out perfectly good guitars though. Still good news that they are legit. Now I do not have that little voice in the back of my head saying China, China, China. :thu:

[customtele]

My guess is they part out guitars that are good but have minor flaws. Sell a body from a guitar with a dinged neck, etc.

[marekk]

is anyone concerned that when you bid on their auctions there is always an auto bidder? i have NEVER been able to place a bid on their auctions that was not instantly countered up to a certain point. i suspect auto shrill bidding to insure they get their price....:eek:

[59vampire]

i have a beautiful olympic white thins skin hotrod strat body from them real as can be

[Jimmy Chitown]

is anyone concerned that when you bid on their auctions there is always an auto bidder? i have NEVER been able to place a bid on their auctions that was not instantly countered up to a certain point. i suspect auto shrill bidding to insure they get their price....:eek:


After being shot down on 3 three auctions for a body, over a couple month time period (where the final price was very close to the BIN) I started looking at completed auctions as well as ongoing ones. Seemed to me like either their items are real popular with snipers and last minute high bidders and they seem to have a large stock of many similar items -or- they shill bid/buy them and relist them in a day or two. I did see, however, a very few items go for a relatively cheap price--once in awhile.

I did some looking at the bidding/buying histories of the bidders but not too intensely and not finding anything obvious, I gave up. I am no ebuy expert, but wouldn't listing fees and the hassle make this not worthwhile?

Otherwise, I think the parts are bone-fide Fender, and if I wanted something they had (mostly MIM and some high-priced RI's), and was willing to pay close to their buy-it-now price, I would deal with them.

[brandonroy]

I purchased a classic player 60s neck from them and put it on my highway one strat. Great neck, no problem at all.

[6StringSling]

is anyone concerned that when you bid on their auctions there is always an auto bidder? i have NEVER been able to place a bid on their auctions that was not instantly countered up to a certain point. i suspect auto shrill bidding to insure they get their price....:eek:
You never know. I can tell you this - I know exactly when, on my home PC or my PDA, to place bid so that no one has a chance to outbid me if I happen to have the high bid. I would think that I'm not the only one. For the most part, if I have me eye on something and decide on the maximum I'm willing to pay for it (including shipping), I'm successful more than 90% of the time when I bid at the last second.

[Yavin]

I bought some Hot Noiseless pickups preloaded in a pearl PG a couple years back. I was not overly impressed with the pickups, but they appeared to be legit. If I recall, shipping was a little on the high side, but hey, its Ebay.

[tumbleweeed]

They seem to have direct access to Fender stock. A couple years ago I bought a HWY 1 loaded body then found the complete guitars for around the same price and cancelled. They charged me about $50 to do so, too. They arent cheap but if you get lucky on a "no starting price", last second bid, with few bidders, you can do good.....Its rare, though

[jl in nc]

They are one of the companies that I snipe bid a lot on. The only thing I would be worried about is the pickups from Fender strats. Some of the pickups they sell as USA Fender are actually MIM or MIJ types. Most are what they claim to be though

They do a lot of shill bidding also, as I have seen their items listed multiple times after they finish low. To me that means that they are too cheap to put a reserve on the auction.

Dont get me wrong, I have bought a TON of stuff from them, and they ship fast, and their products are usually top notch. I guess I am a little more jaded to some sellers Ebay tactic, so it doesnt rile my feathers too much. It takes me 10 seconds to put in a snipe bid, and if I dont win, I have about 150 others each week to go on.

[Dugzee]

I've done a lot of biz with them and all the parts I've gotten are legit. They aren't cheap though. The good thing is that if I miss out on a neck or body another one like it eventually rolls around, they seem to have an endless supply. Also, if you contact them directly you can get some things outside of the auctions.

[badhabit]

I bought some Hot Noiseless pickups preloaded in a pearl PG a couple years back. I was not overly impressed with the pickups, but they appeared to be legit. If I recall, shipping was a little on the high side, but hey, its Ebay.

I have some of those hot, noiseless Fender pick-ups as well. I do not care much for them either. But not Stratosphere's fault. They did not make them. I bought a neck from them. It wasn't cheap but after trying other necks, I decided a Fender neck was what I wanted.

[ibenhad]

I have it first hand that they do buy legit Fender guitars and strip them. Not saying all their stuff is but I do know they buy lots of genuine brand new Fenders to strip.

[59vampire]

they dont sell fender parts from fender.....and they shell bid...

they dismantle a guitar and part it out......more $$$$

If i was Fender, id revoke their dealer status.


Umm first its "SHILL" not shell and you should really have proof before you make a statement like that. You never know who is who on these boards.........:cop:
I dont recall ever seeing them claim they are selling new parts from Fender. Now, lets take a looksee. That Jazzmaster you have, whats it worth a grand? at best? If someone offered you 6 bills for the neck, 4 for the body 2 for the electonics and a hunj for the hardware would you take it?

That being said, if you could make more money at your job would you do it? At the end of the day with their fees from ebau and paypal, the profit is not much greater but it comes easier by offering many different items.

[sdgails]

Umm first its "SHILL" not shell and you should really have proof before you make a statement like that. You never know who is who on these boards.........:cop:
I dont recall ever seeing them claim they are selling new parts from Fender. Now, lets take a looksee. That Jazzmaster you have, whats it worth a grand? at best? If someone offered you 6 bills for the neck, 4 for the body 2 for the electonics and a hunj for the hardware would you take it?

That being said, if you could make more money at your job would you do it? At the end of the day with their fees from ebau and paypal, the profit is not much greater but it comes easier by offering many different items.

Your right I am making an opinion and assumption from other threads on the internet about it, as some have noticed shill bidding. This isnt the 1st time someone has mentioned this. I read some of the posts and formed my own opinion. Perhaps I should hear the other side to be fair.

[sdgails]

Your right I am making an assumption from other threads on the internet about it, as some have noticed shill bidding. This isnt the 1st time someone has mentioned this. I read some of the posts and formed my own opinion. Perhaps I should hear the other side to be fair.

As for selling Fender certified individual parts, looking at the listing, they just dismantle the Fender guitars and sell the parts off. The parts are genuineFender, of course. It looks like he's A smart entrepeneur.