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Post subject: Is it a 50th-Ann Strat?
Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 3:19 pm
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Hi,
I am a new UK member - new to Strats too - a collector.
I have just bought a MINT Stratocaster 50th Anniversary American Series. Its serial number Z4031562 places it firmly in the 2004 American Series and it has the 50th-Ann chrome neck-post-plate.
The confusing things is that it has a Rosewood fingerboard, 3-tone Sunburst livery and the pups don't look like repro-54's either - one observer has also said that the body is not Ash but Alder.
Can anybody equate all this with the guitar being a genuine Am-Series 50th-Ann model?, or is it a skillfully adapted Standard Am-Series model?
thanks - Mackerel


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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 3:25 pm
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hmmm... could have possibly been a pickup swap, but i'm not sure... pics would be helpful, possibly one of the body, on of the pickups, one of the 50th aniv. marker, and any other things you think may be helpful

edit: ya, i just check the serial number, definately a 2004 model.... um possibly he just had and that somehow busted or something and replaced that parts on that guitar with the 50th. aniv. parts? i don't know


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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:26 pm
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Hi Citizenerased,
Thanks for reply.
I don't know if you can attach pictures to these posts (my first go at it), so I have posted them to my ISP's FTP space:-
http://members.aol.com:/brianmoth/Start ... kPostPlate
http://members.aol.com:/brianmoth/Start ... /BodyFront
http://members.aol.com:/brianmoth/Start50thAnn/BodyBack
http://members.aol.com:/brianmoth/Start50thAnn/Pickups
The guitar was hardly used when I got it and MINT - seems a bit unlikely that any major part-swapping has gone on.
The 50th-Ann guitars did not have a separate serial# sequence of their own and simply formed part of the American Series for 2004, so nothing can be deduced from the s/n.
If you look at Harmony Central and Musician's Friends previews of the limited edition run for 50th-Ann Strats, both show pictures of 3-tone Sunburst instruments, but refer in their text to 2-tone Sunburst only.
However, everyone seems to be agreed that all 50th-Ann Strats had Maple fretboards.
I hope that the pics might give some inspiration!
Mackerel


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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:15 am
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mackerel,
No,..it's not a 50th AmSe.
All American made Strats made in 2004 have that "50th Anniversary neckplate".
Fender only made three "true" American made Anniversary model's,(CS 50th,Amse 50th,and 50th Deluxe),..what was common to all of those ,were a 2 tone sunburst finish,and maple fret boards,and special cases.
The CS and AmSe. models have ASH bodies,and the Deluxe had Alder.
Mid. year,..they made a "golden" MIM 50th also,..still with the maple necks.
Here's a pic of my 50th AMSe.

Image

_________________
50th AmSe. Strat
54 ThinSkin Strat
Mesa Boogie LoneStar Special 2-12 Combo
Mesa Boogie Nomad 45 1-12 Combo


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Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 10:05 am
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Hi Longhair55,
Sounds as if you might have got to the bottom of it!
So, mine is a Standard American Series Strat. but has the 50th-Ann neckplate because it was made in the anniversary year - 2004.
It looks as if some of the music industry might have got it wrong in their web previews of the 50th-Ann series by showing pictures of 3-tone Sunburst instruments for the the 50th-Ann-SE model.
Anyway, it's good to know.
Many thanks Longhair
Mackerel


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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:12 pm
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Greetings for the U.S. I read your e-mail concerning your 50th Anniversary. I’m the guy to ask. I own one. 1st off without photos it’s hard to tell what you have. The guitar you described doesn’t sound like a 50th Anniversary Strat. The “official” 50th Anniversary American Series Stratocaster came in 2-color sunburst (really dark brown to a golden amber color) and a maple neck only. The pick guard is single ply parchment with beveled edges.

What you may have is “The 50th Anniversary Deluxe Strat.” It did come in 3-color sunburst (black-red-yellow (amber)) and a rosewood fret board. The volume knob should have a push button top (S-1 switch) and Abalone dot position inlays, 22 medium jumbo frets, and 3 new Samarium cobalt noiseless pickups.

I hope this information helps.

Paris


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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:24 pm
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Hello Paris,
I've had number of replies now and the unanimous opinion is that it's not a "proper" 50th Anniversary Strat, but probably just a Standard American Series instrument with the "50th-Ann" neckplate that all American Strats were fitted with during 2004.
Many thanks for your reply. It confirms what I am now pretty certain of.
Mackerel


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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 4:53 pm
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“The 50th Anniversary Deluxe Strat.” It did come in 3-color sunburst (black-red-yellow (amber)) and a rosewood fret board"
Sorry,..that's wrong.....
Here is a pic of my 50th Deluxe,they only came,as like this.....
I bought this new,..sold it after getting the 50th AmSe.


Image

_________________
50th AmSe. Strat
54 ThinSkin Strat
Mesa Boogie LoneStar Special 2-12 Combo
Mesa Boogie Nomad 45 1-12 Combo


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Post subject: Re: Is it a 50th-Ann Strat?
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:29 pm
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mackerel wrote:
<snip, snip>
Can anybody equate all this with the guitar being a genuine Am-Series 50th-Ann model?, or is it a skillfully adapted Standard Am-Series model?
thanks - Mackerel


The definitive solution is to e-mail this question to the folks at Fender Support and ask them to send you the configuration of the guitar with that serial number as it came off their assembly line ..... (as opposed to the cellar-assembly-line of some 14-year-old boy).


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