It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:39 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 3:13 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:55 am
Posts: 5
Hello,
I have had this loaded body for over 10 years, but that's about all I know about it. I have searched and searched but can't seem to find a definitive answer of what this is. I don't know where it was made, model, nothing. A friend of mine wanted the neck (which he seems to remember was Made in Mexico) and so I got the body with intentions of putting a neck on it.... and well.. I didn't. Here are some photos to help.. I hope.. The date on the pickguard is either 2002 or 2003... that also aligns close to when I bought this.

Thanks in advance for any information about this guitar.
Image

Image

Image


Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 4:32 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
As see in 2002 and 2003 Fender Frontline

Look to be fat Strat in a Standard Series ? MIM


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2016 11:58 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:55 am
Posts: 5
I have looked in 2002-2004 catalogs and can't find any model that is this flat black with flat-grey pickguard.

I would think an HSS style would stick out. Someone suggested it was called "Goth Strat"... does that help?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 12:46 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
I'll throw in a guess: 013-3100-343. That spells out as a MIM Deluxe Fat Strat® HSS from 2003 (the non-FR version) in Pewter. That pickguard is probably a mod (the original would have been B/W/B-3ply like the trem cover).

Any chance of tracing the neck (or pics of it) for the serial number; Fender should have records for that era?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 2:30 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
jmattis wrote:
I'll throw in a guess: 013-3100-343. That spells out as a MIM Deluxe Fat Strat® HSS from 2003 (the non-FR version) in Pewter. That pickguard is probably a mod (the original would have been B/W/B-3ply like the trem cover).


+1

This Strat was featured in the 2002 Frontline catalog (page 80) as well. The illustrated example is pewter and features the 3-ply black pickguard.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 2:56 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:55 am
Posts: 5
jmattis wrote:
Any chance of tracing the neck (or pics of it) for the serial number; Fender should have records for that era?


The neck is long gone. A friend of mine wanted it for a project, and he vaguely remembered it being a MIM neck, but didn't infer he still had it.

Thanks for the help on this. The "gunmetal" pickguard looks really cool, I've toyed with getting a neck for it, but I'll probably just list it on eBay as a loaded body. Whoever did the pickguard did a stellar job, up to and including dating it. But everything is layed out as I would expect to see from the factory so I'll likely just refer to it as described... "MIM Deluxe Fat Strat® HSS loaded body from 2003 (the non-FR version) in Pewter with a gunmetal gray plastic single-ply pickguard. The pickguard is dated July 2003." or something to that extent.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 4:44 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
I have some doubts about the wiring being all factory stock; especially the soldering on the switch isn't as I'd expect on a MIM from the beginning of the new millennium. And Arjay, does the 2002 Frontline page 80 guitar have a black (or chrome, as I recall...) trem arm?
(Complaining & claiming conspiracy: The infamous Fender Marketing & Brainwash Department dropped the pre-2011 Frontline pdf's from the new support pages, instead of adding older-than-2006 to the selection. Damnation, my foil hat is too tight.)


Also on authenticity, etc; my writings are guesses & opinions, not facts. I'm just about sure the body ís from Fender Ensenada - but that's just me. 8)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 4:54 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:55 am
Posts: 5
jmattis wrote:
I have some doubts about the wiring being all factory stock; especially the soldering on the switch isn't as I'd expect on a MIM from the beginning of the new millennium. And Arjay, does the 2002 Frontline page 80 guitar have a black (or chrome, as I recall...) trem arm?
(Complaining & claiming conspiracy: The infamous Fender Marketing & Brainwash Department dropped the pre-2011 Frontline pdf's from the new support pages, instead of adding older-than-2006 to the selection. Damnation, my foil hat is too tight.)


Also on authenticity, etc; my writings are guesses & opinions, not facts. I'm just about sure the body ís from Fender Ensenada - but that's just me. 8)


I was originally thinking it was part of the inexpensive Made In USA line that I heard about back then... but wasn't sure of the timeframe, but when I contacted the guy who got the neck, he remembered getting a MIM neck from me, and that's the only neck I ever sold him, so I kinda leaned back to Mexico. Overall it seems like a quality instrument, but I don't have enough Fender experience to compare it to anything.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 5:35 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 6:57 am
Posts: 2238
Location: UK
MiM Trem claw and saddles so, almost certainly, a MiM (or atleast they are). Had the Pickguard been factory I would have expected the trem cover to match so it is perhaps most likely it was black originally.

Pickguard manufacturers are as likely to put dates on their products as anyone else (particularly if it was bought loaded), so the pickguard date is of no relevance to that of the rest of the guitar.

Stickers check marks, dates and the like are generally apparent even on solid colour bodies. Their absence makes me think a refinish.

_________________
John

After all this time I should be better.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 6:49 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Pots and switch look good quality like we found in American Standard,
Pickups too.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:25 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
Posts: 4241
stratele52 wrote:
Pots and switch look good quality

Well, (if I'm right) it's a MIM Deluxe. IMHO, those are very well on par with the US products - minus of course the one fret. :lol:

Checked the service diagram; the stock version should have the normal trem arm in a Ping vintage bridge, Fender brand pots - plus a black/white/black pickguard.
The (stock) switch functions are interesting; position 2 gives the mid plus the inner coil on the 'bucker, position 1 the full humbucker alone.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help to identify this Strat
Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 3:40 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:55 am
Posts: 5
After reviewing the service diagram and looking at the parts closely.... than add in that my friend remembers getting a MIM neck from me back then.... I must say, this is really nicely put together. Again I'm 1/2 tempted to find a Fender neck for it, but it's on eBay now. We'll see how that goes.

Thanks for the assist.. I am one of the founders of another brand's guitar forum. I thought those guitars were hard to ID... I will never complain again... :)


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 12 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: