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Post subject: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:00 pm
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Ok Fender Guitar fanatics....

Need some help.

Found a sweet black 76 Strat with a good weight and neck feel.

However, I’m trying to determine it’s authentic or not and it’s value.

Here’s what I found.

Tuning machine heads swapped with Schaller.

Neck pickup is a Lace Sensor

Five Way Switch

Lacquer checking on the body (thought poly didn’t do that?)

Middle and neck pickups pole are clean, no rust and they aren’t rounded. Supposedly original but they also have cream/aged parchment covers.

Bridge saddles are not stamped with Fender.

Pick guard is white.

They want much less than market value.

I’m concerned the body isn’t real and the electronics have no original parts.

Does include OHSC.

I asked them for pics of the neck pocket, neck heel, and backside of the pickguard.

What should I be looking for?

I’ve always wanted a guitar from the year I was born. This might be my one chance at something affordable.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:59 pm
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'76 is tough because it was a transition year
It should have 3-bolt tilt-neck, 3-way switch, bullet truss rod, and 2 string trees, but the way Fender was, particularly the transitional years, you could have some features from a previous year model.
A late model '76 may have the serial number on the headstock with only an "F" on the neck plate, early model would have been on the neck plate and likely 6 digit in the 595xxx to 7xxxxx range (overlapping with '75). In '77 the serial numbers transitioned to "S7xxxxx"
'77 introduced the 5-way switch.
A '76 would more likely have a black PG with either white or black trim, likely black. "Flat" (non-staggered) pole pieces pretty much flush with the cover would be correct.
The bridge saddles were a cast Zamak, not stamped/folded. They were stamped.
The tuners were not known for stability, so they and the bridge saddles were frequently the target of upgrades. I swapped out the saddles on my '78 with a set of brass block saddles within the first month.
Likewise, the 5-way switch was a common upgrade.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 9:58 pm
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DetroitBlues wrote:
...I asked them for pics of the neck pocket, neck heel, and backside of the pickguard....


Those, and a full pic of headstock, all posted here, would help a lot.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:02 am
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As soon as the store opens, I'll try to get some pics.

Since I plan on making this closer to the original, I will probably replace some parts myself.

[list=]Repro tuners with newer, "correct" tuners.

Seymour Duncan APS II flat pole piece neck pickup

copper shielding to body

new pickguard w/ copper shielding (does modern pickup holes align with the 70's?)[/list]

That should make the guitar closer to an original I would suspect.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:10 am
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This sounds dangerously like you have already sold it to yourself. ;-)

I think more confirmation that the core beast is what it purports to be would be sensible.

I must say, I am rather jealous that you can consider a Strat from the year of your birth. Being the wrong side of 50 similar is beyond my meagre guitar budget. All the best with your quest.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:34 pm
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Duncan APS II's are fine pickups, but Alnico 2 isn't original spec for any '70s Strat.

Foil shielding is also not correct for any '70s Strat.


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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 10:04 pm
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If you're going to be making all of those changes, then it boils down to the main issue being whether or not the body and neck are authentic... you expressed concerns about the electronics but you're going to swap them out anyways... may as well go with a new set of CTS pots and an Orange Drop with a new 5-way and everything will be brand new.

Get some good pictures (pickguard off would be helpful, but is not easy if it's in a store) and someone can probably help.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:19 am
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Spoke to the shop owner.

He was very adminate about stating this is a player guitar, not a collectors piece.

I told him, I plan on playing it. Couldn't afford it otherwise!

Here's what he told me on the backstory.

Guitar was from an estate sale.
Neck pickup was lost in a few boxes, so he used a spare Lace Sensor lying around.
Body was routed for HSH configuration.
Pickguard was replaced
Tuners were replaced
Nut was replaced with a Graphtech
Neck was refinished (except the headstock)

They sent me some pictures yesterday.
Pots and neck date to 1976.
Bridge and Middle Pickups seem right.

Serial number is interesting on the neck plate.

Take a look:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 5:26 am
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Looks legit.
There are no signs of any filled holes in the neck or pocket, serial number is the correct range for a '76, I'd say that is an original matching 3-bolt neck and body.
The fiber bases on the middle and neck pickups look right.
Fender sells the F-stamped tuners that would match the original holes for $70:
https://shop.fender.com/en-US/parts/tun ... ml#start=1

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:03 pm
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John Sims wrote:
This sounds dangerously like you have already sold it to yourself. ;-)....


It's only money. If you have it then you can decide what to do with it in your own time. If you let it escape (right or wrong) it will always be the one that got away.

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Post subject: Re: Need Help Identifying 1976 Stratocaster originality
Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 10:05 am
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Well, I bought it. So it should be here in a couple of days. I was visiting my dad a few hours away from me when I stopped in that shop. Found this on the wall. Took me a couple of days to decide.

for the price, it cannot be beat!

I'm glad I chose well.

I do plan on shielding the body cavity and replacing the pickguard with a black one.

I bought replacement vintage correct tuners for it.

While I could spend anywhere from $120 to $400 on a vintage era correct pickup, I think I will buy a SD flat pole piece pickup.

The pots and remaining electronics should be good.

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