Greetings, all. I found something this week at an estate sale, not quite sure what I got. Did Fender ever make a Strat with the jack in the base of the body rather than on the face? And only two controls (Vol and tone)?
S/N on the neck says it's a mid-80's MIJ, all the hardware says Fender, but the pickguard and pups have been changed. Pics when I get a photobucket account sent up. Thanks.

Look forward to seeing it...And it sounds to me like a Showmaster.

The strats made in the early 80's that had just 2 knobs had their output jack in the guard where the 3rd. knob was. The Elite's had there jack in the side of the body but they had 3 knobs and 3 push button pickup selectors. Please post a pic it will help.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Several of the HM series strats have the input jack located on the edge of the body. Not sure here but I believe the contemporary strats may have had that feature as well. Is the head stock either black or the same color as the body? If I had to guess I'd say its a HM.

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

woops I missed the MIJ part in that post. If it were a HM it would have the word STRAT on the front in one of two ways ( FENDER STRAT or STRAT). The Contempory MIJ had the jack in the side as well. Most had TBX controls and a humbucker in one position. A pic would Id. it.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Thanks, y'all. A few more honeydews and I can get to posting a photo or 12...

OK, some pics. I think. This photobucket thing is new to me..

Really nice looking guitar congrats!!!!

Nice robot as well.

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CREDO ELVEM IPSUM ETAIM VIVERE

That my friend , is one fine example of one of the variations on the Fender japan Contemporary Stratocaster. Excellent find. One of the nicer examples I have seen in a while!

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

you could do coke off that thing

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anti-rhythm circuit

I must admit I am baffled it has the pickup configuration and head stock of a Contemporary Model 27-5700 but thats a system one tremolo where as the 27-5700 had the system III tremolo. You can tell by the location where the trem arm attaches thats a system one on there.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Thanks for the input. I almost feel bad, now, I used the non-standard pup config to talk the guy down to $125.00 US. I thought they were after-market mods. I said "almost".

cvilleira, I'm afraid I have no idea what this means: "I am baffled it has the pickup configuration and head stock of a Contemporary Model 27-5700 but thats a system one tremolo where as the 27-5700 had the system III tremolo. You can tell by the location where the trem arm attaches thats a system one on there."

Is that a good thing, a bad thing, or one of the great mysteries of the universe?

telenado: "No thank you, please, it only makes me sneeze, and then it makes it hard to find the door."

nicholsoni: The "robot" is my roadie...normally, he holds one of my patch cables. He's one of two. All I can afford, but they don't talk back (much).[/quote]

I had that trem on a explorer i built some years back. Very good system, string break at the bridge is greatly reduced by the roller saddles. The locking nut for it is missing though.

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No no and no

Cvill of the contemporary's i have seen there has been a bit of inconsistency in the parts used. different nuts/trems etc. the different models have different configurations. his looks like it might be the 'unknown' model.

I have been told it was a transition configuration, wasn't given an official model number. Apparently one of the more rare and collectible ones!!


Unknown: There is also an unknown model number featuring 2 single coil and 1 humbucking pickups, 5 position selector switch, 1 volume, 1 TBX, System I tremolo, rosewood fingerboard, 25.5" scale length, side mounted output jack.

and $125 for the strat borders on larceny!!! congrats

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.