I just got a used stratocaster that was MIM. It is a 94-95 post fire MIM strat, but it has some very odd features that push me away from thinking its a standard mexican fat strat (H-S-S) that I first thought it was.
1. Tuners- Tuners are Vintage Style tuners, not the enclosed types found on mexican standards.
2. Neck - The neck is more of a sixties style. Very thin, not a modern C, but rather a vintage style neck. Closer to the B style neck I played on sixties strats and vintage jazzmasters. Tinted neck, rosewood fretboard.
3. The front headstock just says fender stratocaster. The back headstock has the Made in mexico mark and the serial numbers. From what I heard this is a sign of the higher end MIM models.
4. Body has more weight to it...closer to american or japanese strat. It looks like body has a vintage sunburst finish. Not sure of the finish type...nice grain on the wood.
5. The routing in the body is an open rectangle. No "black" paint, no wood. I guess this is the "universal" routing.
6. Pickguard and electronics - three ply pickguard, one volume, one tone, Coil tap switch, five way blade. S-S-H Layout. Pickguard has no writing on back from what I can tell. The electronics do have capacitors.

So I am basically confused. I have no clue what this guitar is other than a MIM strat with a better neck than I would expect from a MIM strat. I am having a hard time determining what this is.
The sound acousticly is great. When plugged in it sounds like a fat strat should.

I am not complaining, I really bought this guitar more for the body, so the vintage style neck is a pleasant surprise. Just a little confused at this point.

There is no appreciable difference in body weight between mexican and american guitars. If anything Japanese guitars with their preferance for basswood or poplar should be the lightest.

Whats a B neck?

Modern mexican strats have made in mexico on the rear. The lettering on the front is all black, it should have the word stratocaster written on the front.

Dont know if swimmingpool routing was derigour in 94, my 95 has Hss routing. The absence of black paint is ok, black shielding paint is a recent thing.

A picture would be helpfull in identifying it.

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http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Standard-Str ... 286.c0.m14

It looks identical to this, save for a lighter sunburst color and a rosewood fretboard. Vintage tuners. I am not sure the guitar is a "mexican standard" as the guy listed.

A "B neck" is the type of neck fender used in the 1 5/8" nut neck.

The fact is the neck is very thin. Very comfortable to play. But also very different from other fender mexi-standard necks I played.

wouldnt touch it with a bargepole. The body isnt fender and the bit of the fretboard ( that the seller has done everything to show as little of as possible ) doesnt look right either.

Stay well away.[/img]

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Thats not my guitar, nor am I intending to buy it. I put it up to show the model.
Trust me...its a fender. I have one NEARLY identical to it. The neck has the proper serial numbers, and this is something fender did put out between 1994-1996. The body is fender on mine...its pretty easy to tell that.
The post fire 1994-1996 guitars some are odd to say the least. They are also hard to identify at times.
This is no parts-caster, unless of course two nearly identical parts-caster MIM guitars showed up on two different sides of the country.

Then post a picture like Niki asked of your guitar! Let's see what you have. There are some real knowledgeable people here!

What is the serial no'?
How and when did you acquire the guitar?
Can we see the neck heel and pocket?

That body finish doesnt look like any kind of burst i've ever seen before. The solid black back is a new one on me too. To the best of my knowledge putting the serial on the back of the headstock didnt start till 2008, indeed my 95 mim has the serial and made in mexico on the front of the headstock.

Seeing the guitar in question is pretty vital to identifying it.

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I have a 94 MIM. Some quick notes..

1. Tuners- The normal enclosed ones came stock on mine.
2. Neck - I believe the neck IS a modern C, but it just seems a bit thinner than the modern C on my 98 MIA. I do agree that that thinner neck is nice.
3. My headstock says both on front, as have most of the MIM's I've seen around that year.
4. Poplar is the body, and mine is lighter than the alder on my 98 MIA. Poplar doesn't have a great grain, which is why it's normally painted. Tone wise, a bit muddy compared to alder and ash.
5. Mine is routed the same.
6. I have the SSS, but the rest is the same on my end.

Including the solid black colour on the back of the guitar?

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Okay I FINALLY found out what this guitar is after some research. Fender only made it for a very limited time. It is called a STRATOCASTER SPECIAL. Its a Poplar Body or alder with ash veneer, which is weird in of itself. Basically fender made this guitar during a short period. They were a little more expensive then standards when they were being produced ($500-$550, as supposed to $400). It is a real mexican strat, just not a very common one. The reason why they are unrecognizable is because well...fender did not make that many of them. Thanks for the help...not meaning to confuse anybody.