Hello, all! I'm hoping someone can help me identify a guitar that was given to me recently. I'd like to know if this is a legitimate Fender guitar, or a frankenstein model someone threw together. My cousin found this in an attic and said if I wanted to get it fixed up, I could have it. But I'd like to know if its a legit Fender before I spend a lot of money restoring it.

First off, the headstock says "Fender Stratocaster", and the serial number on the back of the body says "L01010", making it a 1963.

However, the body shape is more like that of a Jazzmaster. And that's where things start getting tricky. Casue it doesn't look like any Jazzmaster I've ever seen. It has three knobs instead of two, and the bridge is totally different.

Can anyone shed some light on what exactly is going on? Is this a legit Fender model, or some cheap pawn shop special that somebody threw a Fender neck on? Thanks!

That is a Partscaster for sure. Although the neck and neck plate look to be original Fender for sure being an L series within that range, puts the neck and plate solidly in 1963. Can't read most of the patent numbers on the headstock, but looks like there are three which would line up between 62 and 63.

Now the body is NOT original to the guitar. The two P-90s are Gibson pickups and the pickguard are not Fender. The knobs, bridge plate, and input Jack appears to be from the original guitar. Could either be someone replaced the body with a homemade job and installed some Gibson pickups and pickguard, or someone bought a bunch of parts and then did the homemade body?

FWIW

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

What the Stratman said.

Still a cool looking guitar, I think if you spend some time with it, you could get it playable for little cost. If not, you still have a vintage neck that may fetch you a few bucks to put towards something else, or you could look for a strat body, sky's the limit.

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"Where would rock and roll be without feedback?"

KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS!

That is the most badass guitar I've ever seen. Just clean it up a bit, and maybe clear coat the body. Or, if you don't like it, send it to me I'm open to donations.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

Thanks for the replies! I agree, it is a pretty cool looking guitar...one of these days I'm gonna clean it up and put some strings on it and see how she plays. Looks like its been in the attic for awhile, I hope the electronics still work. Thanks for the feedback, everyone!