Hello all,
I'm looking at purchasing a 2009 fender stratocaster and the serial number is T050977. How is that the serial number, when i read on the fender site it says all T serials are from 94-95.

Here is a link to the guitar in question http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... 0500235646



The seller has also provided me with the following information :

"It says 'made in japan' on the headstock under the Fender logo.

Hi mate. Some of the Fender Strat serial numbers are:

T009501
T050977

They don't follow the normal tables as these say 'Made in Japan' , as these are Standard Strats. But you should be able to find some information on that."

Is this guy legitimate?

They look ok to me. The seller is right japanese serial no's are more complicated that Alex Fergeson's anger managment councelling. The japanese factory seems to put every bit of detail into that serial no'. Date, builder, model type, month, what colour socks the ceo's dad is wearing that day.

If your really hung up on it, why not email customer relations. consumerrelations@fender.com

I've known a few genuinely good guitars come under terrible scrutiny, just because of that numbering system. Its quite a common problem.

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No no and no

That's the quote of the day!

Hi tonyzmanutd, welcome to the Forum.

For what it's worth, the Guitar Dater Project does indeed return a result of 1994 - 95 on those serial numbers - though that site ain't infallible.

And for what it's worth (again), my new Japanese Strat carries the serial number S08**** at the heel, where it also says "Crafted in Japan". No numbers or "made in - " on the headstock. (No doubt 08 stands for the year it left the factory.)

None of that proves anything.

Apart from these issues everything on that Ebay sale page looks legit - I think...?

Cheers - C

Alex Ferguson i a genius. Period.

Anyway thankyou for the help, what does he mean by standard stratocaster. Is that what I think it means or is their some hidden meaning like it comes without something. I'm relatively knew to Guitar and that so go easy on me

Ah Tony i wasnt knocking sir Alex, merely making a comparison with hopefully a bit of humour included. You cant argue with success and the bloke consistently gets results, despite his temper. But hey whatever works for him.

Looks a decent guitar at the right price to me. Japanese instruments are consistently of good quality. A lot more consistent than any of the other plants anyhow.
If I was in Oz I'd snap it up at that price.

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No no and no

Hi again Tony: ST-STD is Fender Japan's designation for their "Stratocaster standard" model. In other words, one that isn't a reissue, a signature model, or an upgrade in some aspect or other.

Some useful sites to educate yourself further. This is the site of a UK seller which provides a bit of information (in English) on the mainstream models:

http://www.guitaremporium.co.uk/index.p ... uitars&a=0

And this is the site of Fender Japan. A useful tip (courtesy of Forum user Orvilleowner) is that where links are written in Japanese you can hover over them with your mouse and an indication of what they mean in English will appear on the bar at the bottom of your browser window. Assuming you don't speak Japanese, that is:

http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/

That site is not to be confused with:

http://www.fender.jp/

That last is the website in Japan of the main American part of the company, selling the US, Mexican and Korean parts of the catalog.

Any help?

Cheers - C

Thankyou to both of you.

I was having a laugh with Sir Alex, who do you support yourself?

I shall purchase this guitar as a Fender Stratocaster Standard MIM would set me back about $1100 and this is much cheaper and better from what people tell me.

Birmingham City for my crimes. Been that way since i can remember, grew up next to the ground. They may even get a side together capable of doing something again, one day.

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No no and no

I suppose my local team would be Crystal Palace FC. Or at the other end of my regular travels I could choose between Plymouth Argyle or Exeter City.



Dunno if it means anything to you, tonyzmanutd in Australia, but I'm also about a mile from The Oval Cricket Ground. I've had more to cry than laugh about over the years on my few visits there...

All of this explains why I'm more interested in Japanese (and other) Fenders...

Cheers - C

Oh my grandfather is Croatian an he's been a supporter of United since the Busby era and it was always drilled into me to support United by him and yeh.
I'm pretty passionate and that. Me and him are the Only United fans in our family the rest support Hajduk Split in croatia as that's where my family descends from.