I HAVE AFENDER STRAT WITH A STRIPE DOWN THE BACK OF THE NECK RIGHT IN THE CENTER THE LENGTH OF THE NECK, A FRIEND HAS A IDENTICAL GUITAR EXCEPT HIS HAS NO STRIPE,WHAT IS THE STRIPE ABOUT?? IT SEEMS TO BE LAMINATED INTO THE NECK??

There is a steel rod in your neck to reinforce the wood, called a truss rod.

in one piece necks, the rod is inserted from behind, and a walnut plug is use to fill the top of the slot. on necks with a separate piece of wood used for the fretboard the rod is installed on the front under the fretboard. the same plug is still used, it is just covered/hidden by the fretboard.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

The strip of walnut you see on the back of your neck is called a 'skunk stripe'. Here, I googled it for you: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sour ... =&gs_rfai=

Your Strat had its truss rod inserted from the back of the neck. Your friend's Strat had its truss rod inserted from the top and the fingerboard attached over it.

edit: Twelvebar, you beat me to it!
Actually I changed my mind, the stripe is a 'racing stripe' and it helps you play faster than your friend

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Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

"Infallible Web Dogma":

It is a 'skid mark' imbued into the wood by some wild and hefty critter while sliding down it when it was still a maple tree.

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You dig?

Quality!!

Andy

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Pending Greatness

Only the best around here!!

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