I just bought what I thought was a Fender Strat from a pawn shop here in Indy. Upon closer inspection I became suspicious that the Fender script was not original, but a very good forgery. There are markings on the back of the head that say "made in USA". I can find no models with Fender script that matches that on my guitar. I cannot even match the serial number with any on this website. There is a number stamped just under "made in the USA" it is: SN IC99050274 on the back of the head. The front side says Fender in script that looks like it was stenciled on in sharpie after something else may have been carefull sanded off. I've tried to wipe off the lettering with alcohol, but it didn't come off at all. It is apparent that the made in USA and serial number are authentic as is the Stratocastor labeling and the standard series labeling. The neck and body are both stamped April 90 or 99 it is hard to tell which. If it is a squire in Fender clothing, then it must be a 90 model. The SN suggests that this is a Fender signature series (which I doubt, the pickups don't appear to be Lace) but I'm positive that the numbers are authentic. The color of the body is a dark green with a white pick guard and the neck is maple. What the hell is this thing? Did I get a fake Fender or is this thing for real?

Pictures of the guitar, and the serial number would be helpful. Based upon your description. I have no idea what to say.

I DO know that Fender did indeed have squiers manufactured in the USA and marked Made in USA. They were assembled around 1989 when there was a fire in the Mexican production facility.

Long story short, please post pics, otherwise I really can't say anything.



This is a photo of my old USA made Squier that I sold a while ago.

Oddly enough, I'm leaning toward this being an actual Fender now. I've seen a couple Strats from this era that have the odd Fender label on the head and they are "signature series guitars" even though mine bears Standard Series on the head. In particular, they were Eric Johnson models. The odd part is that they do not have string trees and mine do. I was told that they are produced via the normal production line so they are not badged as custom shop guitars, but the examples I've seen do not bear "standard series markings". Were there signature series guitars that were marked as standard series? Is it possible that the all black Fender markings were temporary and the fact that my guitar has this label is just coincidence? I'll try to get some pictures up asap. I just got this thing today. Thanks for the input, and if anyone else knows anything, please speak up.

SN IC99050274

I'm pretty sure Signature series guitars have serial numbers that start with an "SE", Atleast my John mayer and the Clapton's I have played do.

IC sounds like a Squier indonesia or China prefix. Is the headstock large or small. Post pics so we can know for sure. It sounds sketch

Fender had I serial numbers used in 89-90 but not IC

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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

There are made in USA markings on the back of the head that are almost certainly real. I agree that the serial number seems a bit odd. I don't know what else to tell you guys. SN is a prefix for a signature series strat though. SE refers to an 80s model, SN refers to 90s models although some 1990 models still have SN. The neck and body are both stamped April 90 or 99, I can't tell. The neck actually says IC April 90.

Here is a link to an album of photos of my strat. If you need to see anything that isn't visible, let me know and I'll add a pic. Thanks
http://www5.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare ... =snapfish/

American made Squiers were only made for like a year and the serial numbers are either a E or N + six numerals!
The I prefix was use for Fender guitars 1989 made for international sale and the Made in USA is on the heel. No C in the prefix and not Squier!

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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

Sorry that just doesnt look right to me. The headstock shape is all squire, couple that with the decals being wrong (that fender logo is way off, too small and too bunched up). I dont think you can trust a thing about it. Especially when you consider the overall poor condition of the headstock to the seemingly good condition of the neck and body. It looks like a decal job gone wrong.

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No no and no

Thats not exactly true My John Mayer Signature has a serial number thats is

SE04....

After seing those pictures it is clearly a Squier. Big Headstock, 70s style block saddles. Decal is wrong on the front, and made in USA would not be placed like that on the guitar. Its a Squier Standard made at the Cort factory.

Verfication of the IC serial number

http://www.squierguitars.com/pdf/curren ... 20Bass.pdf

This is not a bass guitar though. Would IC apply to all Cort Squier guitars? Did they even make strats at that plant?

the affinities had IC serials too, so I would assume they made Standards here too or yours maybe a maple necked affinity I forgot they had maple necks on some of the newer ones.But the Bridge Saddles look like the ones on my affinity. Whatever it is, it definitely aint American

http://www.squierguitars.com/pdf/curren ... ervice.pdf

Thanks Yogi, you pointed me in the right direction here. I got some specific guidance on deciphering serial numbers and it appears that this is an indonesian strat after all made in 99. I thought all the markings looked VERY suspect when I picked it up. The morons in the pawn shop thought they had something there and wouldn't go less than $200. Luckily the damn thing didn't work when I bought it so I got for less than $100 otherwise I'd have never touched it. I resoldered the connections last night and it actually sounded nice. It's had work done to it's innerds and I suspect that it may have some borrowed pickups, but it's certainly no prize.
Perhaps I'll sand the neck down again someday and put Squier decals back on it. It bothers me to have such blasphemy sitting in the corner.

Less than $100 is an amount you can live with. But this is obviously a made in Asia squier, that someone has tried to do a decal job on...a poor decal job on. It isn't even anywhere near close to authentic.