Hello everyone...
I'm new here and i have 2 MIM strats and one U.S. made that i just got last week.
I bought it used from somebody that did'nt know how to play so he kept her in her case for years....the thing i wanna know about it is what year is the guitar...there's no serial number on the neck (looks like somebody remove the label on the back of the neck)
I went to my local fender store and the guy was like huh ??? i cant help you with that????

here's what she also have:
Noiseless pick ups
Corona California 5 holes neck plate
Spaghetti style logo on the neck
6 screws tremolo
tuners that have the F on them.

Here's some pics






Thanks in advance and keep on rockin' !!

if you take the neck off, the year should be stamped on the heel of the neck and in the pocket where it is bolted on.

That looks like a 70s type of strat. The MIM Classic Series 70's strats started about 1999. There should be a serial # on the back of the head stock if it's a MIM classic series and they came with the 3 bolt micro-tilt neck&plate. If It's a late 60s or early 70s it should have vintage style pickup with staggard poles. The 70's strats that came after 75-76 had even pole pices and micro tilt 3 bolt necks. So, your pictures rule out the MIM Classic 70s strat. I have no clue what that could be.

I don't think that your guitar left any Fender factory like that. It does have a modern USA neck plate, but the neck is off of a Fender Classic Series 70's stratocaster ( made in Mexico ). As for the body, it looks like it too COULD be the original body to the neck, because the neck plate that is on it now goes right up to the edges of the wood, which looks to me like someone had the 70's 3 bolt neck strat, and converted it to a 4 bolt You won't be able to tell without removing the neck, but in any case, this is (most likely) not an American made guitar

Hey TTSC, he said in his post the pickups are the noiseless type, so they are likely not original equipment on this guitar Also, the tremolo arm, if original to the bridge, is not a genuine 1970's piece. The real ones are shorter and have a sharper bend. I think someone just converted a MIM Classic Series 70's to a 4 bolt. It's STILL a sweet guitar though.

Parts guitar - neck from an MIM Classic 70s; a real 70s neck would either have some patent numbers (1970-early 1976) or would have a serial number (mid 1976 until they quit makeing them in late 1981/early 1982). The Fender Vintage Noiseless pickups would be used on American Deluxes from 1998-2003, Eric Claptons from 2001 to present. Neck plate is from a 2000 or later Amercan Series/"new" American Standard or an American Deluxe. Body and bridge - who knows; could be an MIM body and bridge, could be something else.

Not long asked the same question on here an got a lot of useful help, here is a link to the thread, if nothing else its a good read an hope that its some use to to !

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=49469

Nice looking guitar BTW

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Dan...

Fender 1987 MIJ Stratocaster, Texas Special Loaded.
Fender 2007 MIA Jazz Deluxe.