Hey guys, I've been playing guitar for a few years, and I've always dreamed of that Fender strat, and sometimes, dreams come true. But sometimes, they're too good to be true. I was randomly searching Craigslist and found a strat for 200 (already sounds sketchy) unlike one I've seen before. I tried to run the serial number, and couldn't find it. Is this just a logo on a squire body? I don't have the keenest of eyes, so I can't tell.

http://lexington.craigslist.org/msg/1511251285.html






Thank you in advance, from a (hopeful) Fender owner.

Looks like a 98 Mexican Standard, however the Bridge saddles look like Cheap import saddles, but I'm not to keen on the details of MIMs from those years

Looks legit to me. A late 90's fender mexican squire series based on the logo and the saddles. Its had the pickups swapped for something else as have the tuners. No doubt they've been upgraded.
I'd pay the asking price for it.

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No no and no

I would hold out if it were me. I don't know about your area, but MIM Strats come up pretty often in my area for $200, and usually they're newer than that.

I believe you're right, the guy said they looked like his MIM Tele saddles, so they're probably not stock. Do you all think it's worth the 200?




I live in Greensboro, NC and Lexington, KY and they usually run 350, only just recently have I seen 2 fenders for 200. And since I'm always willing to do trades and part with my guitars (except for my Martin, of course) I might turn it around if it's not perfect.

Thank you guys for the info, I'm not well versed in history of guitars and picking out specifics just from looks, so it's great you all are willing to help a kid out.

I'm going to go play it this week, AND!!! get a vibro-champ XD so I can have an awesome recording combination.

ALSO:

If you all could tell me what you think the pickups are, any way to tell what ISNT stock, and how to tell if the saddles are decent that'd be great.

It seems as if I can bargain a little, maybe down to 175, so let me know, thanks!

Alister rest assured its a 97/98 Fender Mexico Squire series strat. USA shaped neck and body. Originaly they had squire tuners pickups and electronics. That guitar still has the squire bridge, the tuners and pickups, probably the electrics too have been changed.

Make no mistake about the squire in the name. Its a hell of a guitar. Heres my USA strats

Easily over $6K's worth there.

Heres my 95 squire series that sees more play than those 3 combined.


Its well worth going and trying out. You may well love it as much as I love mine. Anything important that I've done musicaly, I did on that guitar. If you don't like it, no harm no foul.

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No no and no

SN used MN8300879 as I read it off the headstock. It is a Fender Stratocaster.

Guitar Dater Project states:

Guitar Info
Your guitar was made at the
Ensenada Plant (Fender), Mexico
in the Year(s): 1998 - 1999



Fender: Mexico
Fender Mexico was established in on May 5th 1987, Ensenada, Mexico with electric guitar production beginning in 1989. Ensenada facility includes eight buildings, covering more than 200,000 square feet. This includes Electronics, Electric Guitar, Amplifier Cabinet, and String manufacturing. More than 1000 employees are on staff and are supported by the Fender Quality Control team which travels from Corona to Ensenada once a week to help maintain quality. Fender Mexico guitars and amplifiers are made using many U.S. components, again maintaining the highest standards.


RK

The neck is legit but the body and all its components appear to be the cheapest Squier (Affinity?) or similar ilk; definitely NOT MIM Fender.

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You dig?

Martian I dont like to disagree with you but in this case your wrong. If you look at the white guitar I posted a picture of, that was my first strat bought new from a very reputable seller. Same bridge.
A lot of people took the squire series logo off. The latter coloured fender decal came in in 97 on that series as opposed to the earlier all black one that my guitar sports.

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No no and no

If I were to try this out, and say look under the pickguard, would that tell me?

I need a way to tell if it is legit, since now there seems to be disagreement. Is there anyway I could figure it out by looking at the pictures
OR
When I get there by inspecting some specific part of it?

More like look under the neck in the neck pocket. There should be date stamps there. It does appear the neck is legit.

RK

Unfortunately, no. At the risk of sounding pompous, unless you really know guitars from a technical point of view, there are no definitive flags in your case. See, the older MIMs for the most part had the same guts as the Squiers do now. What tipped me off was the body shape, the bridge and the shape of the strap buttons. FWIW, that pickguard and the knobs aren't original either.

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You dig?

hmmm, this is not good. See, I've been playing for a while, I just haven't had the experience with the technical side of guitars such as modding and inspecting that I probably should have. Is there a place on the fender website or other where I can get the EXACT specs on a 1998 fender MIM strat like body size, etc so I can measure it out or something to tell? And no offense Martain, but I do want another opinion or two to tell me it's not legit, as there's disagreement and I need it to be resolved somehow.

I might end up asking him to meet me at a local guitar shop, so they can tell us or something, maybe that'll work. But I'd prefer not to as they might ask me to pay or not know the right answer.

Sorry to keep posting, I feel like I'm taking over the forum, but do you think they could have used this body, switched out the pickups and neck?