Ok....it's my very first time on the forum here after owning a slightly beaten up 1994/1995 Japanese made Strat. Serial number S 0273** and has a violet clearcoat with a very darken, even black edges to the body of the guitar. Now...... I'm not a complete expert on most subjects in life, and Fender guitars is one of the things that I'm not hot on. I know some facts about them because I've follow artists like Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, et al for a while now.

So here's the question. Is my Strat real.....or has someone tacked on a Fender neck and parts to a non standard body and passed it on as a Fender original? It has the vintage tuners with fisheye type string hold...if you know what I mean. And the screws on the scratchplate are all blackened and slightly krusty.

Hi, welcome here. I'm not an expert on the laminated maple top MIJ Strats, but it looks OK to me at first glance. The '62 Reissue pickguard screw placement on this type of guitar is strange though (the screw betwen the middle and neck pickups on the bass side). Can you get a closeup pic of the headstock and a clean shot without the Les Paul in the way? What do the stamps say in the neck pocket and control cavities?

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

Give me a few moments and I'll see if I can take a couple of photos of the body and the headstock for you. Sorry about the Les Paul, I have 2 of those...and would love to build my own Strat if I ever had the cash.....

It looks to be a slab-board '62 re-issue with a foto-flame top.

I'd say it's authentic.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

So that explains the '62 reissue style pickguard. I learn something new here everyday.

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

I discounted the round string tree since that may be an after-the-fact replacement (by rights it should be a "butterfly" type). But the single string tree, the correct-for-62 12th fret dot spacing, the heel-adjust truss rod, the pickguard, and the standard vintage trem bridge seem to rule out a MIJ "Contemporary Strat".

Somebody really familiar with MIJ/CIJ serials can prolly tell us more.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Ok....here goes....I'm not hot on posting pictures up on forums because in my experience, there's always a slight different in how to post them. So if someone could kindly post the pictures on here via my links.....

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... =876385022

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... =876385022

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... =876385022

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... =876385022

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1 ... =876385022

Ehhh???? What's that in English??? I wouldn't dare take the Strat apart. I did that with a limited edition Washburn with a Floyd Rose tremolo on it....and never put it back together because the bloody thing refused to get back into 1 guitar. So this Fender is not being taken apart in my clumsy hands!

But I hope you can view the photos and let me know what you all think.

Yes, it looks legit, if your really worried about it, take it to a Fender Luither and have it appeased.

That way you will know for sure, but from the photos I would not be concerned.

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Judging from what I see it looks legit to me.

1. 11 screw laminated 3-ply white/black/white scratchplate.
2. maple neck (no skunk stripe) with 21 fret rosewood fingerboard.
3. Truss rod adjuster at body end of neck
4. One string guide.
5. Vintage Kluson style tuners.
6. Basswood body- except natural and fotoflame finishes which had alder body with basswood cap.


When shopping for a used '60s (or 50's) Reissue note that 'economy' versions were exported with unstamped string saddles and non-staggered pole, pickups.

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Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

So just to recap. The guitar is genuine, alder body, maple/rosewood neck and not to worry about it. Hope it's not a basswood body because I hate the idea of basswood in a Fender. My brother had a replic Eric Clapton "Blackie" for a while and the weight diffence was stunning. The Eric Clapton replica was alot heavier than my Strat and the neck was a V while mine is a D or C shape. I have to admit though.... My two Les Pauls were a bit heavier than a "Blackie". Shame he sold it.

Would love to meet someone who really REALLY know their stuff about Strats and Fender. But living in a corner of the UK, it's a difficult. Thanks for the help. I won't say how much I bought my Strat for but I love the reaction off people in music shops when I whip out the Strat because they don't see many old Fenders while surrounded by new equipment.