This is no Partscaster.

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That is a beautiful guitar,the wood grain is one of the most striking I've seen on a vintage Strat.I'd say the most logical reason for the date differences would be as someone already stated,that a 54 body had been lying around for some reason and got mated to a 55 neck.Another possibility could be that since the grain was so unique they waited for a unique neck to put on it ,as the headstock has a fine birdseye grain.Yet another possibility could be that the original neck got broken soon after purchase and replaced with the 55.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Hence its a vintage Parts-ocaster....

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Of course you can never be sure about a used guitar (do sellers ever lie?), but that small difference in dating between that body and neck is not proof that they didn't leave the factory screwed together.

I'd like to know what date code is on the pots and what the first couple digits of the serial number are ...

My 1954 has serial number 10XX ... with a 7/54 body date, but no neck date.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

FAP! you dirty sod! ha but yeah that is agreeably some mutual love right there its a really nice piece of kit and he's a lucky guy

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A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence. ~Leopold Stokowski~

My 54

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24052538@N ... 3170/show/

That is a beautiful reissue.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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The pot code is 304443, which according to this site:

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/potcodereader.aspx

means:

"This potentiometer was made by
Stackpole Electronics, Inc.
in the 43rd week of 1944 or 1954

This means that (given this is an original part) this is the earliest possible date your guitar (speaker) was made."

Which would coincide with my Trem cavity date of 10/54.

As far as the serial # goes, most people agree that they are not sequential, were just in a box and randomly selected. Mine is four digits beginning with 84**.

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Its amazing people have these guitars from 60 years ago. Even more mid blowing is how much they are worth! I'd be afraid to play a guitar knowing its worth a new luxury car!

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Well, the "batches" of serial numbers are sequential ...

the first Strats had numbers in the 0100s and 0200s stamped onto the plastic trem cavity cover.

Then the first neck plate serial numbers went from 0001 to the 1200s.

Then the neck plate serial numbers jumped up into the 6000s (supposedly to merge all instruments into a single serial number series).

Some Strat historians consider Strat production to have begun in 10/54 (with the first official order) and consider earlier models to be prototypes.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

Of all the strat I have played the 54 is the favorite style. Reissue or real deal. By 1959 things had changed. I owned a real 59, several reissues and they were not like the 54s.

Thomas

I should try out a '54 reissue. I've heard the 50's necks felt a lot better then the 60's.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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The neck is more of a U shape to it on all my 54s. I have a MIM and 2 thin skins reissues. They all are just great sounding and feeling guitars for my taste, Very consistant in design with the real deal 54 except for the radius and larger modern frets. Both improvements on the 54 original.

The 60s neck is not as comfortable for me but still tolerable. The 65 CS neck is similar to the 54 U shape. I don't know why that year was different but my 65 CS is just like a 54 neck.

Thomas

My '54 Masterbuilt's neck is a CLUB. Seriously, '54s has about the biggest necks I've ever seen on a Strat if the CS has any say on it.

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Some Guitars played through an amp...

I would agree that club is a good discription for the U shaped 54 neck and my 65 Custom Shop neck.

Thomas