Can anybody help on the 1st year of these? Picked one up that looks different than the ones I'm seeing on the Fender site, it came with 2 string trees and no trem bar and 5 claw springs. I see the newer models have the trem bar and no string trees. Did someone just mod mine or was the first year different?

Thanks for the help

Awesome guitar!

Because that model sports the staggered tuners, I've never seen an EJ strat with string trees. My guess is that its an after market addition.

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

It not supposed to need them due the fact that the peg head is much thinner than a typical strat head, so the posts have a much sharper break angle from the nut. Ive played them, and dont know why it would need trees. I put sprezel locking on a MIM reissue I have, and was able to cut the the wing for the b string on the butterfly tree, so I only have to use one side to keep the high E down.

I was hoping someone had the 1st year also and could tell me if there's had come with a trem bar and string trees. I would agree it shouldn't need the trees

If memory serves, it was 2005, and I believe never had string trees, their against EJ's religion i think.

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

Your particular EJ Strat has likely been modified... there were a few complaints about the high e string slipping off the edge of that lovely nitro neck with the medium jumbo frets filed flatter. The shortest route that most players would have taken to fix that problem is likely what you are seeing on your guitar... adding the trees. Unless it bothers you very much, you should proceed to enjoying that neck and those hot-rodded 50's tones!

BTW, trem bar is one of those items that probably got misplaced... easily replaced from Fender. The 5 springs come with all EJ's, stock.