ok this is an update on my earlyer thread about my strat,
somone suggested i took the neck off to check and what i found near broke my heart!

there are several "comfy holes" whare the neck bolts in, these holes dont go all the way through don't know what they are for! hence comfy holes i have no idea whare they come fae!
there is nasty sealer around scratchplate, there is several markings and cant distinguish what is what maybe someone else can help, the clearest thing i see is a stamp, (not sure if this is factory or the modifyer) i think the later of the two.
the neck simply reads may 12 writen in black pencil,
stamp ready april 1989
thanks for any input.

Thats very odd. I also have a $@! strat. Your S/N C is a 85-86 year but with a 89 stamp? Mine is a 89-90 with an I S/N. Mine also has all the crayon marks and pencil marks but not the holes. I think there was alot of inconsistinces back then with the Japaness. Mine also does not say Made in Japan or Crafted in Japan.

na not the japanese there quality control is second to none.

the guitar body is completly modifyed from origion so theres no way to distinguish i guess, it's the neck that i wonder about!

i think the stamp was put on by the modifyer, all markings are from around the same time, so yeah i have no idea still about this and it's effin me off! the serial number on the neck either refers to a japanese neck 85/86 or american colectors edition which i have no idea about, i guess i should stop thinking about all this, clean her up and get playing her again,
what ever she is,she sounds and plays beutifully, maybe i got ripped a little on the price but cest la vie.

That stamp looks to say 1980 to me.

Truth be told japanese instruments have always been an enigma as far as serial numbers go. If it worries you that much contact fender customer services. It looks legit to me though.

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No no and no