I have recently decided to trade in my stratocaster for something else. Not sure what yet but , the serial Begins with the letter "I"

"I(XXXXXXX) = Limited number of these "I" series guitars were made in '89/'90.
They were made for the export market and have Made in USA
stamped on neck heel."

So what kind of value do these strats have?

I think somebody was playing with a rubber stamp. As far as I know, all USA 80's guitars started with an "E". Japanese Strats started with "I".

No, dick. The Fender site lists the serials that start with the letter I as

http://www.fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php

The "odd" serial numbers on the chart below exist somewhat outside the more well-known Fender serial number schemes. If you have what you consider an odd serial number, it might appear here.
NUMBER DESCRIPTION
AMXN + 6 digits California Series electric guitars and basses; 1997 and 1998
DN + 6 digits American Deluxe series instruments; 1998 and 1999
NC(XXXXXX) Squier® Strat Bullets (dating unclear)
FN(XXXXXX) U.S.-made guitars and basses destined for export market. Some may have stayed in the U.S. or found their way back (made to Standard Stratocaster specs; dating unclear)
I(XXXXXXX) A limited number of these "I" series guitars were made in 1989 and 1990. They were made for the export market and have "Made in USA" stamped on the neck heel.
LE(XXXXXX) Blonde Jazzmaster® and Jaguar® guitars with gold hardware made in 1994. Sold as a promotional three-piece set with a Blonde Deluxe Reverb® Amp
CN(XXXXXX)
VN(XXXXXX) Korean-made Fender/Squier guitars (dating unclear)
CA(XXXXX) Gold Stratocaster; 1981, 1982 and 1983
CB(XXXXX) Precision® Bass Special from 1981, CB(XXXXX) Gold Jazz® Bass from 1982
CC(XXXXX) Walnut Stratocaster; 1981, 1982 and 1983
CE(XXXXX) Precision Bass Special from 1981; Black and Gold Telecaster from 1981-1982
CD(XXXXX)
CO(XXXXX) Precision Bass Special (Walnut) from 1982
GO(XXXXX) Precision Bass Special (Walnut) from 1982, Gold Stratocaster from 1982-1983
D(XXXXXX) Jazz Bass from 1982

SE(XXXXXX)
SN(XXXXXX)
SZ(XXXXXX)
Signature Series Instruments
SE8(XXXXX)-1988, SE9(XXXXX)-1989
SN0(XXXXX)-'90, SN1(XXXXX)-'90, SN2(XXXXX)-'92, etc.
SZ0(XXXXX)-2000, SZ1(XXXXX)-2001, SZ2(XXXXX)-2002, etc.
3 digits of 500 35TH Anniversary Strat from 1989-1990
G(XXXXXX) "Start" from about 1980, (Gold hardware, two-position rotary tone switch)
4 digits stamped on bridge plate U.S. '52 Vintage Telecaster 1982-1988 (Check neck date for specific year)
5 digits stamped on bridge plate U.S. '52 Vintage Telecaster 1988-present (Check neck date for specific year)
T(XXXXXX) Tribute series instruments
C(XXXXXX) Collectors Series
XN(XXXXX) FSRs and '52 Teles


So if you have nothing besides your sarcastic bullshit which is not helpful then keep your #$@*&!% lip shut. thanks rjake

Take it easy. This is a family oriented forum. We try to keep things friendly here. No need to start calling names and spouting profanities. There are plenty of other sites for that type of thing.

_________________
"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Blazing Saddles...

Try putting in on Ebay with an outrageous reserve of like $40,000...it'll cost you a buck or two for the listing but you will find out -exactly- what the guitar is worth in regards to what someone is willing to pay for it.

Peace,
Jim

um......... welcome to the forums......???

With that type of attitude and language no welcome from me!

I have always that "someone should teach a course in common sense". They'd probably be a millionaire overnight.

_________________
"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD

I guess I did miss type. I meant to say all 80's USA "Strats" instead of "guitars", with the exception of the V series start with "E".
So, mmenley, prove me wrong.

And yes, I know where the support section is.

I disagree...I don't think they'd become a millionaire simply because I doubt very few people would enroll in such a course. Even if they did, as they saying goes "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink...no matter how much you whip and beat him".

Humans really seem to have very little interest in "common sense" (or courtesy for that matter)...if we did, concepts such as politics and religion would have died out -long- ago.


Jim

I disagree...I don't think they'd become a millionaire simply because I doubt very few people would enroll in such a course. Even if they did, as they saying goes "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink...no matter how much you whip and beat him".

Humans really seem to have very little interest in "common sense" (or courtesy for that matter)...if we did, concepts such as politics and religion would have died out -long- ago.


Jim

There's a lot of confusion and conflicting information about these "I" serial number guitars.

I believe the info in the serial number section of this website isn't to be trusted because it looks like the webmasters here just pulled all of that info from other sites! (Those other sites were around much longer than this one.)

I've never seen pictures of "what's under the hood" of these "I" guitars. Pictures the body routings, neck heel, under the pickguard, etc, would go a long way to establishing the true origin of these things.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

You guys are right I was way out of line. Sorry, rjake. Thanks for the replies, all of them.

Now THAT's what i like to see... someone who
can admit when they were out of line & apologize.

It's such an easy thing to do, really... but, sadly, it
seems that people these days are very reluctant
to do it, even when they know they were wrong.

I commend you, mmenley. Welcome to this great forum.

Now, as for Indonesian Squier Strats... here's the 'Blackie'
i just bought from Craigslist for $40 about an hour ago!

Serial number reads: SN IC99014***, w/ the SN IC9
being in bolder type than the rest of the numbers.
Does this make it a '99 or am i out of my mind?

we need more people like that now days.