My father gave me an old Strat with probably one owner besides him, Its in like new condition(very well kept) I love it!! I want to know how old it really is since the man he bought it from said it was a "78" model. I checked the #'s and they are all over the place. The serial # is E443914. I do know its from the "70's, What year I dont know. I love this thing! Its the best gift in the world. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Im new here so Im learning things about my guitar that I love to death. Thanks everyone for being understanding of my cause.

Welcome to the Forum.

If it is an MIA it was made between 1984-1988 and if it is an MIJ between 1984-1987.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I called DAD and he said the guy had one like this in the "70's and thats why he bought it. I feel dumb. I found a place that says between "83 and "87 with serial # E 443914. Cool! Now I know. Still dont know what the E stands for? Thanks for the assist man! You know who you are...lol I will still keep lovin it and playin even if she aint as old as expected. Thanks again

I have an "E" MIJ Strat that is a '72 Re-Issue. Could be where the confusion came in.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Its an MIA Strat though so I guess americas good..lol I love it anyway. any Idea what its worth? I wont part with here though Its some thing to actually play beside this Ibanez (CIMAR)Cx-140 I got. They dont enen acknowledge that thing. Ibanez says they nevr made them.LMAO ...Thats how bad this thing is. Thanks again bro!

I have no idea on value. I usually see what the same year/model is going for on eBay for an estimate.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

For the MIA Fenders, the letters stand for the decade;

S=70's
E=80's
N=90's
Z=00's

The first number after the letter denotes the year of that decade so;

S6=1976
E4=1984
N8-1998
Z7=2007

I'll have to look back through my Fender Stratocaster book, but I believe 1976 was the first year they started doing this. Once the MIM's were introduced, they followed the same serialization scheme except w/an M before the decade letter.

MN6=MIM 1996

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pjtrate3 awesome work bro, thanks! Its an E that starts with 4 so Im guessing 1984 ballpark figure. Thanks again!

Ballpark is exactly what CAFeathers said above: 1984-1988.

You will have to "look under the hood" if you want a more precise date.
There are date codes stamped on many of the parts, but you have to take the guitar apart to see them.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

right, especially w/the change in the company in the mid-80's, a lot of left over parts were used as I've actually seen date stamps as far apart as 7-8 months. Obviously you go with the latest date stamp to determine roughly what year it is.

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The mind is like a parachute; it doesn't work unless its open-FZ