I purchased a used Strat Elite around 1985. The serial # on the head stock is E332022. I checked the serial # list on the Fender web site & found an approximate production date of 1982. Is there any way to find out the exact date it was produced, how many were made, value, etc...
This is the finest instrument I've ever played & will be with me till the end.
I was approached at a gig this New Years Eve by a collector and he asked me some questions that made me curious enough to navigate my way here to this wicked cool forum.
Any information that anyone has at all about this wonderful instrument would be greatly appriciated!
Thanks

You should be able to remove the neck and find a date stamp on the bottom of it.

_________________
-- Joe --
77 Bradley Les Paul Custom
06 Ovation Elite-T 1868T-5
12 Martin Custom GPCPA4 RW
07 PRS CE22 MT
11 PRS MC58 Artist
04 Ltd EC-1000FM ASB
95/02 Fender Stratocaster MiM
03 Epiphone '56 Gold Top LP P90
04 Fender Telecaster MiM

The Elite came in three models-THE ELITE-GOLD ELITE and WALNUT ELITE. They were made in 83 and 84 the Elite was offered in either a maple or rosewood neck except for the Walnut which had an Ebony board the Gold also has gold hardware/ Three alnico II pups,three knobs-v,two tone,three push button pickup selectors ,active MDX(mid range ) and TBX. The guitar combined the classic Strat with active electronics and a revised tremelo,with drop in string loading. All this is courtesy of the Blue book of guitars.

The on that has value is the Walnut which can fetch 2K or better the Gold in the $1,300 to $1,500 range and the regular Elite $1,000 to $1,300 or as we say whatever it is worth to someone.lol Any way you look at it you have a great ax.

great guitar, the stamp by the heel of the neck and pots can narrow down the date.

_________________
2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

Hello Artiefish,

I sold my perfect condition '83 Elite for $1500
a few years back. I was a good guitar.

Cheers.

Welcome. Get yourself a copy of A.R.Duchossior's fine paper back "The Fender Stratocaster", as well as Tom Wheeler's great book, "The Stratocaster Chronicles'. Both required reading for membership here

The Strat Elite was Fender's entrance into the world of active pickups, and is the precursor to the Eric Clapton Signature Series Stratocaster.

P.S. Our Motto: If you can't find someone here who knows..... it never existed.

Doc

_________________
"Another day in paradise!"

Hi artiefish. Can you post pics for us? Welcome to the forum.

_________________
-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

I'd love to see some pics too!

Yes; pictures!

Peace
84

Well I found mine in a pawn shop last month & I love it! It is a beater, but plays & sounds great. Nice flat 12" radius maple fretboard - which is just the way I like them. The active electronics are really cool. I love the boost.

The Elite served as a basis for the Eric Clapton Stratocaster.

Eric had two of these Strats in his guitar collection, one in black and another one in vintage white. Both guitars had a '57 Strat neck fitted.

The vintage white Elite (shown below) is a pretty rare bird, as it sported a standard 5-way selector switch and normal Stratocaster knobs, as opposed to the 3 push-push buttons and rubber insert knobs of the regular production models.




Although Fender US has officially dropped the Elites from its pricelist in in 1984, Fender Japan has produced a 22-fret Elite Strat for the Japanese domestic market which lasted until 1986.

hi folks
I got one of these Fenders - usa elite with active pick ups.
Always loved it, still do. got it around 83.

But I have noiseproblems with this cat.

Going into my boss turbodistortion it makes a lot of noise when the distortion is on.
(no noise when it´s off)
It thought there was something wrong with the pedal, but checked it with my Squire strat (got it for free..!) - no noise.
It doesn´t change if I move the elite strat into the next room. (the elite does not like to be close to the amps, at least not pointing the pick ups at the amps).

The "funny" thing is that it´s mainly the turbodistortion - combination that generates the noise.
With other distortionpedals it not that bad (EMMA Raaz, homemade RAT).

I ve changed battery - doesn´t help.

An suggestions for a solution.?
And no: I love my turbodist....

regards
Søren Bendixen