My Vintage 62 reissue has a label decal. Not just the Fender Stratocaster phrase but also a small label for the Original Countour Body.
I gently run a fingernail over the decal and it scratched very easily.

Is this normal?

Over the years I've owned 4 different Strats, but never had label decals. The best one is on my 50th Anniversary Deluxe, which is just beautifully part of the wood - you can't even tell that's an addition... and you certainly can't scratch it!

I don't believe that's normal. That should be a decal covered well by multiple layers of hard finish.

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James Burton Upgrade Telecaster
Hot Rodded Am Fat Strat Texas Special (now featuring Kinman Traditional II pickups)
Fender Blues Jr.
SWR California Blonde
Pedals Pedals Pedals

Sounds normal to me... some of the reissues and reproductions are period-correct in every detail. My '66 relic has a very obvious decal, with much wider edges around the logo than you'd see on Strats from other years. Turns out that among the other "transitional" elements after CBS took over from 1965, the decals were contracted out to a different company for a while and they look more amateurish than decals from other years. They also tended to scratch off more easily, although from what I've read it depended on the batch. The beginnings of the legendary '70s quality control, I guess!

At various times the decal has been applied over the finish instead of under a coat or two of lacquer, and the older ones were also printed on a thicker film. These days Fender reissues are as true to their '57 or '62 counterparts as they can make them.

Perfectly normal on 50's and early 60's reissues. Its the same way the original guitars were made. Isnt the EJ guitar the same because he says he can hear the difference?

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No no and no

Sounds normal to me.I have a SRV strat and it has a decal label.Just dont run your fingernail over it .

It is normal as I have it on my Clapton strat and freaked when I did exactly what you did. I am also sorry to the 3 people who bought 2 green and one black Clapton from Sam Ash in Brooklyn in 92 for the tiny scratch on there headstock decal as NO one could convince me that was the way it was supposed to be. So I had to play a few Claptons one day in Ash and yes it is the way they are made.

That was you?

Hi Nikininja,

Sure enough that sounds like our boy Eric Johnson.

Cheers.

Doctor Ineed your help it hurts when I do this!!!

OK thats no problem to treat! DON'T DO THAT!!!! The bill will be in the mail.


And it has nothing to do with how the labels are made, it's how they are applied doing the finishing process. At what point.

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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

Like CV said, stop doing that!

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Its totally normal dont worry about it. My AVRI 57 is the same way. back in the 50s and 60s the decals were put on after the final finish has been sprayed. Fender is just staying true to how the guitars were made back then.

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American Vintage '57 Strat
Super Champ XD