http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-ViewAdLargeIm ... =169033867

looking into trading for this strat. the p/ups have been replaced with a JB jr. and two SD single coils, im wondering what type of strat this is. have not found anything on the main fender site about it.

looks mexican or korean to me.

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No no and no

well, this dude says he's put 2200 into the guitar..perhaps a high end korean?

I doubt its worth more than £400. It looks like a nice body with a mexican neck and for some reason a fake decal, or a Korean neck. On a nicely figured body, in a fender case.

I cant think of any guitar that sports that kind of body wood figuring. I'd need to see more pictures or the original advert. Something is amiss.

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No no and no

The body kinda reminds me of the Squiers Deluxe FMT/QMT from '04 (fotoflamed). Those had big 70s headstocks tho.

A Mexican neck with 22 frets? It looks like Mighty Mite neck to me (with a fake decal, as you say). The 12th fret dots look too wide.

Unless I saw more and better pictures (especially of the serial number), I would say it is a Fake. If not Chinese, then a partsocaster being passed off as real.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

what I can tell you is that the FENDER logo on the headstock, is exactly like my Lite Ash Stratocaster which was made in Korea around 2004-05. It is very particular in that it is, as far as I know, the only headstock made by Fender with that particularly awkwardly placed "Fender" decal position almost centered on the headstock's bottom edge and it does NOT say STRATOCASTER or anything else.

As I tried looking closer, although I cant tell, it also looks like the tremolo is like my Korean Lite Ash - at first glance, the saddles look like the Standard American Strats' but if it is the same as mine, then it is NOT the same as the American Standards. It would instead be a CF II Tremolo made by Cort. My wild guess is you could be looking at a Korean Fender assembled by Cort Guitars.

That was exactly my thinking,"looks like a lite ash neck". Does the 22fret detail match up with your lite ash?

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No no and no

The Korean Lite Ash Strat had Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 single coil pickup sets. Best thing about them - can't see why anyone would change those out. The finish was also a lot lighter - and natural wood.

I see the bridge p/up is now a SD lil59 (or maybe a Screaming Demon) - can't tell what the SCs are. And the scratchplate is definitiely non-original.

I'd be passing on this if it were me..

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

YES - my Korean Lite Ash has 22 frets as well. Also, mine has the same increased spacing between the two dots on the 12th fret, even though mine is a maple fingerboard with abalone inlays.

Indeed, it does not look like a Lite Ash body given the darker wood and perhaps the switching out of the SDs, however, the neck could very likely have come from a Lite Ash OR perhaps its a different altogether guitar but may have been supplied with the same source who supplies the neck. I have yet to see another neck with the same FENDER decal placement and look.

I'm sure the Korean ID is correct.

What we are looking at is the MIK Special Edition Koa Strat which was discontinued early this year. Here is a picture of it from a legit source:



As we can see, the seller of the guitar in the OP has installed new pickups in the original pickguard and added a nice case. I think his pricing is, um, a little hopeful...

Cheers - C

MYSTERY SOLVED!! awesome!!