Hi, I have a question maybe someone might know. I bought a used Fender strat a few years ago. The store said it was a deluxe strat. the serial # is z0028311 with silver lettering on headstock. Has a LSR roller nut and locking tuners. On the Fender web site it says that a deluxe strat is designated as a serial# of DZ.... . Is this a deluxe strat? How can I be sure.

Yep, my Fender Stratocaster American Deluxe has DZ as the start of the serial number. I think that the Z start is an American Standard (2000 or later).

You need to find out when they started using the "D" as a prefix for Deluxe models. If it was before 2000. then "no, you don't". If not you may have some sort of premium model ... maybe.

Is this any help?

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

What kind of pickups does it have? A Deluxe Strat Plus would have locking tuners, an LSR, and Lace Sensors. A pic would help. Where did you buy it. Pity they could not give you a decent bio on the guitar. Not unlike being treated for a brain tumor by a medical office assistant.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Thanks for the replies. I bought it a few years ago from a local retailer used and it was sold as a deluxe strat. I want to sell it and buy a new deluxe. Someone pointed out that it might not be a deluxe because of the serial#. I believe it's a 2000 according to fender (Z0).

oops, It has noiseless pickups

We really need pics. You're talking what sounds like Sperzel locking tuners, an LSR nut, and Fender Noiseless pickups, and a serial #date at which those pickups may have only been found on the Clapton Strat. So now I wonder do you have a modified Strat Plus.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I'll upload pic's tonight. Thanks

Unable to upload a pic. The color is translucent red with a white pickguard. It does have Abalone dots, does that mean it's a deluxe? [/img]

Noiseless pups
Abalone fret dots
Locking tuners

Same features on my Deluxe. But mine has a standard nut not an LSR nut. It is easy enough to change out stock pups with Noiseless ones (I'm about to do this on my MIM 60s Player whenever UPS gets around to delivering). Same for tuners and, to a degree, the nut.

It is possible that someone took a Standard and did some upgrades. Not a bad thing as this puts it at the same level as a Deluxe. What does the neck plate say? And is there any unusual space between the 'serial number' and 'Z' (mine has about 1/16" between that and the 'D').

:twisted::evil::twisted::evil::twisted:

A Deluxe would also have a pop-in tremolo ...

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Not necessarily. Mine doesn't - it is a screw in. It is definitely a 2001 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster (DZ1...) purchased new from an 'Authorized Fender Dealer'.

Note that there are some variations (LSR nut or locking tuners, for instance).

I just ran into this same question two weeks ago off my website. The guy had a Z005xxxx no D prefix but it had locking tuners, noiseless pickups, abalone inlays on the neck, and the chrome headstock logo. His did not have the roller nute and it did have string trees. What an odd combo!

He found out it was Standard Deluxe Strat. Most of these that I have seen start with DZ prefix. 1999-2000 was a transistion time as Fender introduced their new Deluxe and Standard series Strats to replace the Strat Plus line. In fact, some in 1998-99 were even called a "Plus."

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Xhefri's Guitars
www.xhefriguitars.com

To add to the confusion, I have a 1999 American Deluxe Fat Strat. Has the usual LSR nut, sperzel locking tuners, noisless pups, abalone inlays, 2-point trem with pop in arm. Serial # does begin with DZ.