I bought a black Stratocaster brand new in 1981 and was wondering how much it would be worth today. I played for a few years, then put it away, so it's in very good condition. Anyone have an idea what it's worth?

Have you checked ebay and other sites? Usually they'll give you a good idea how much it's worth.

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I thought that there might be some experts on this website.

Really, there isn't as much price talk on here as you might think.

I think we are all too aghast at the thought of selling a Strat.

I'm not seriously thinking about selling my Strat, but I'm curious as to about how much it's worth.

What kind of Strat is it? Country of origin? You haven't given us nearly enough details.

It's a black 1981 Strat made in the U.S. How can I identify what type of Strat it is?

Hi thepiranha: you are the second fella here in the space of a few days asking about the value of a black 1981 American Strat. The previous one was on this thread:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... sc&start=0

Estimates that time round varied between £500/$750 and £3000/$4500. Which is quite a range...

Does yours also have a maple fingerboard, by any chance? We have to start calling these "Sting Specials", or some such.

Cheers - C

Hey, thanks for the advice, Ceri. I read the posts and they were quite helpful. The serial number on my Strat is S986548, which is similar to the serial number of the other guy's Strat. I don't know if this means that they were manufactured in the same year.

Your guitar was made at the
Fullerton Plant (Fender - CBS Era), USA
in the Year(s): 1978 - 1981

Sounds like you know your Strats. How much do you think it's worth? It's in good condition.

Can I assume that my Strat is worth around $2,000?

Can you post some pictures of it?

That seems high.

Check www.gbase.com for what dealers are selling them.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

I have a 1980 strat. Once, maybe 10 or 15 years ago I checked it's value by looking through the ads in the vintage guitar mags. What I found was that the strats from this time period were valued lower than any other period. This was no doubt due to the three-bolt micro-tilt neck. But for what it's worth, this strat served me well for many years and its X1 bridge pickup was (and still is) excellent and very hot. After I bought my '62 RI, the 1980 took a back seat for me. I was seduced by the vintage mojo of the '62 RI. But teh 1980 is still a good guitar in its own right, and there are sounds that I can get on it with that bridge pickup that I can't get on the '62. So to make a long story short, I don't know the monetary value of a 1980 or 1981 strat today, but I know that they will have their day.