I used to own this guitar and I am trying to relocate it. I was not the original purchaser, but here is what I do know.

The headstock said that it was a Stratocaster, Made in USA, the serial number started with an E4_ _ _ _ _ , it had 3 tone knobs, a 3 way switch, bolt on maple neck, locking strap connectors.

Unfortunately I don't have any close up pics of the headstock to identify the serial number as I hear they are hard to follow anyways. I need to figure out what year this guitar was made so that I might have a better chance at tracking it down.

I sold it 4 years ago for $450 because I was in a really tight spot. The buyer sold it on ebay that same day for $750. There are a few defining blemishes on the guitar, and case, as well as the strap. Frankly, I feel really connected to this guitar and incomplete without it... Thank you for your help!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2029057&id=35700768&saved[/url]

Was it an old strat when you owned it? I was checking a serial number appendix for stratocasters and it said that E4_ _ _ _ _ serial numbers were made in 1984,85,87, and 88.

I have no idea how accurate that it is, but maybe it will at least give you a starting point.

_________________
Vox AC30 coming soon!

Hi John Byrne, welcome to the Forum.

I'm not quite clear - are you trying to find a Strat similar to the one you used to own, or that actual guitar?

If the latter, then... good luck! You don't even know the serial number? How can you possibly locate the guitar? Your only chance is to talk to the guy you sold it to and see if he still has any record of the next guy to whom he sold it on.

Sounds amazingly unlikely to me...

On the other hand, finding another Strat of the same period and model should be much easier.

Cheers - C

Yes,

I had a friend sell it for me. I'm in the process of tracking him down although I'm afraid he might be in jail currently. He should have the info for the guy that bought it for $450. I'm crossing my fingers that the guy still has something on his ebay account that will lead me to the guy that bought it from him that same night for $750.

The reason I want this specific guitar is because I think that it had after-market pick-ups. I have never played a guitar that sounded like this one. There is another story to this guitar too.

My mother found this guitar about 10 years ago in the middle of a very busy road at 2:00 a.m. It was in a case and had a guitar strap, whammy bar, and a schematic for a vintage Fender amp of some kind. I was amazed...

We posted an ad in the paper for 4 weeks, notified the police, and answered all kinds of phone calls for the "lost instrument found in the middle of _____ & _______" People called looking for flutes, saxes, trumpets, violins, but not even one guitar and definitely not a Fender Strat. At that point I played the guitar for 4-5 years and loved it. It had that bluesy sound that I had been looking for and despite it's dings, scratches, and chips, I loved it.

While in college far from home I found myself in a predicament where I was about to become homeless even though I was working full-time while going to college full-time. I tried to pawn it but I couldn't get enough money for it. I tried to sell it to the pawn shops with the same problem. So, I had a friend put it on display at a local bar for about 3 days and it sold for $450 which was the lowest I could go and barely kept me from being late on my rent.

That guy that bought it thought it was older because I didn't really know and I had "mis-led" him. For that, he sold it for $750 and didn't even play it...

Sorry for the long story, but that's it.

Oh, and I'm a music major in classical guitar...so I used that guitar several times a day...

John

Ha. Well you did exactly the right and honorable thing: kudos to you. And you got a nice guitar out of it! I guess that's karma or something.

Very sad to hear how you had to part from it. Unfortunately unless you can track it through the line of sale it is amazingly unlikely that you'll get it back. Which is a pity, because it seems like it had an unusual sound you knew how to appreciate.

I'm afraid what happens now is that you buy a new Strat and then go on a lifelong search amongst aftermarket pickups for "that" sound. That ride is going to be long, probably ultimately fruitless - but lots of fun along the way, too. So make a decision to enjoy it!

Best of luck to you - C

Wow! Thats some story.

I was under the impression that you knew who you got the guitar from and sold it from.

I really think its a long shot you'd be able to find the exact guitar, but you should be able to get a similar guitar and find some pickups that will give you a similar sound to the original guitar.

However, if you can track down the person you sold it to, you may be able to get another lead and ultimately find the guitar.


Good Luck!!

_________________
Vox AC30 coming soon!

Is that a Teal Green Strat? A bit hard to tell colour on my computer. What kind of bumps and bruises did it have that you could identify?

Last year I bought a TG Strat E4 with aftermarket pickups that plays like a dream, and has a few 'marks of honour' on it. Out of all the Strats built it is likely a coincidence, but wouldn't that be weird.... I didn't buy it from eBay, though, but from a dealer, and no telling where he got it. No flaming strap though, it has a Fender strap and case. What else can you tell us about it?

Just bumping this thread, cos wouldn't it be astounding if this actually was the one?

I'm not holding my breath - but it would count as the year's most fantastic story on the Forum if it came true...

- C

If it WERE true, what to do next? More likely not, but makes for a good 'what if' story, yes? It would be a lot more interesting if I had found Jimmy Page's stolen Black Beauty Les Paul...

What to do next? I guess John Byrne makes you an offer and you see if you feel like accepting it. Absolutely no obligations: it is your guitar to do with as you choose. If you want to keep it at least he knows it has an owner who understands it's charms and so he can sigh and move ahead with his guitar playing life.

None of that's going to happen, of course: but it's a nice fantasy.

BTW: Jimmy's Black Beauty? I've got that, though I didn't like the look or tone so I repainted it and fitted a Floyd and some active EMGs. Naturally!

Cheers - C

What else can I tell you?

There is a chip about 1 cm wide on the middle of the 1 fret directly under the high E string. It is discolored from the regular light maple color here to a darker wood.

Any other dings on the guitar that I owned didn't remove any paint. There was a pretty good ding under the tone knob rounding towards the back of the guitar.

It had strap locks installed on it. You had to have a strap that connected to it or it would fall off. The chili-pepper strap was one that did. I guess they could have been replaced, who knows?

The last thing that I can think to tell you is about the case. It was not a Fender case and I'm pretty sure that the keys were missing. It did not have a combo lock. The case was lined with black "fur" and was relatively clean on the outside except for some scuffs from normal wear and tear. It did have one large dent on one of the corners I believe on the bottom side. It was about the size of a roll of dimes.

There's what I can remember from 4-5 years ago...

If you have anything particular maybe I can come up with some more info.

Thanks!

John

_________________
"Genius is beautiful, as is madness. Although they often ride in the same saddle with one cocking the hammer and the other on the trigger"

Thats an amazing story, you don't hear one like that too often. For some reason I'm reminded of the story I read about Buddy Guy, where his Strat fell out of the van he was in. He jumped out and stood in front of it to defend it from oncoming cars before picking it up.

My guess is that its going to be pretty difficult to come across it but at least you know some of the unique details of the guitar so that you'd be able to easily identify it.

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/guitarmike26

Free & Easy Down the Road I Go

Unlike Mike26, unfortunately I've heard similar stories a number of times over the years. Most of the time it's an "I really needed the money" story but I've also heard "the gf/wife gave me an ultimatum" and "I stopped playing so I sold all my equipment"...multiple variations on a similar theme. It always ends up the same though...with a sad sigh and the words "I wish I never sold it".

Unfortunately I can't help you. I have to agree with the general consensus here that it's unlikely you'll ever get that specific guitar back again. Personally even if I did find it, I'm not sure I can say I'd spend $750+ on an instrument I sold for for only $450...some how that just doesn't make sense to me. Would be easier and less frustrating to just move on. The only thing I can really offer here is simply this piece of advice to others in a similar boat as you; learn from the mistakes of others. I've been flat broke and I -do- understand the whole money thing....been there a couple of times myself but I just can't be one of those people who spends the rest of his life talking about (and searching for) "the one that got away".

I do hope you find the guitar that you're looking for and more importantly, I hope that you've learned something from this experience.

Peace,
Jim

Nope, not the same guitar, but could be a stand-in for a movie. I have a finish chip on the maple under the E string, but not on the 1st fret, and a ding on the lower bout but not near the tone control. No bashes on the case, either. Keep looking, but try some other guitars along the way. Never know which one will speak to you.

I had a broke scenario years back, and had to sell a Fender Bassman with separate head and cab, in off-white tolex. 1961 I think. At the same time I also moved out an original Danelectro Coral Sitar which were only made for two years. Sad, but in the interim I have gained some good sounding amps, and a Sitar copy made by Jerry Jones which has MUCH better intonation than the original, which went sharper the further up the neck I played. Almost painful after the fifth fret. Don't have my first car, either.

Thanks for the ray of hope there. I'm still trying to reach the guy that sold my guitar but I'm 99% sure he's in jail... If this doesn't pan out I'll have to buy another one and start trying some pick-ups.

Thanks again,

John

_________________
"Genius is beautiful, as is madness. Although they often ride in the same saddle with one cocking the hammer and the other on the trigger"