Hi,

I just bought a used Strat and after much research I still cannot find out what model it is. Here's what I do know:

made in August 2002 (indicated on the heel of the neck and S/N)
Made in the USA on the headstock, Corona on the plate
rosewood fingerboard
3 single coils, staggered poles, coated braided wire (white and black for the neck and bridge, yellow and black for the neck) and purple coil wire.
vintage tremolo

Anyone know what pick-ups are in this, what model it is, is it all American parts?

Thanks for any help!

No serial number ? And send us some pictures ; headstock, body,,,,,

Hi there.

Well, from the photos you have posted I can say it's a.....?

Too many fakes out there to go by serial numbers, and Corona neck plates you can buyt all day long off e-bay.

We need to see it to know what you have.

_________________
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.

LOL!! Sorry guys, I should have followed my gut and attached some pictures.

Not sure if theses are adequate, but here they are:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9161.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9163.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9165.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9166.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9168.JPG

looks like a partsocaster to me. American Series/highway one neck, mexican body ( You can tell by the jig holes), American pickups. However I can't be sure without better pics

what kind of pics do you suggest?

Back of the headstock with tuners, Also pots; vol and tone and switch , These electronic parts could say a lot of history.

O.k., how about this?:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9169.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9170.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9172.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9173.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/IMG_9174.JPG

Good shots of under the hood, but some of the overall view would be helpful too.

_________________
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.

some more pics:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/Picture%201.png
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/Picture%202.png
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14238882/Picture%203.png

For future reference, when posting close-up pictures of hardware and electronics, try switching your digital camera to "macro" mode for better focus. Most digital point and shoot cameras have a digital macro mode for close-up photography.

Looks like a parts guitar to me. The neck is probably a Highway 1; the 1st generation of these had the small headstock. The headstock and serial number decals look pretty ligit. There is the possibility that it could be an American Series neck with a second string tree added - an American Series neck would have a round metal disk on the back side of the heel (between but above the lower 2 screw holes) for the Micro-tilt. No Micro-tilt disk, then it's likely the Highway 1 neck. Regardless the tuners have been changed to vintage-style with plastic buttons (both the Highway 1 and American Series have sealed tuners). The vintage tuners would cover up any mounting holes for the original sealed tuners. Of course it could also be a replacement neck with very good counterfit decals.

The neck plate is from an American Series or "new" American Standard; they are the only ones to have the "Fender Corona California" neck plates. There is a hole in the plate for adjusting the Micro-tilt but there is no Micro-tilt mechanism in the body.

The body looks MIM to me also; and I'm just not up on the electronics enough to comment on them. However, it does look like a nice build.

Hi there.

It is an unusual guitar.....I mean more unique, the bridge and tuner say it's a 60 IR type, but all the 60's IR's I can find show chrome tuners, not the white Ivory.
But you look at the pick guard and it has been changed to the white pearl, so if they would change the guard, changing the tuners to match is not outside of reasonable.

As to the pick ups, they looked to have been changed as well to a custom shop set. Unless you can find numbers on them it would be hard to say just which ones they are, but as long as they sound good, who cares.

I am going to stick my neck out and say it is legit and you have a really nice customized 60's RI Stratocaster.

_________________
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.

wow, this is great, thanks guys!

The pick guard and tuners were upgraded by the person who sold it to me. But, he bought it used, so he doesn't know anything beyond that.

I'll have to check the neck again to see if there is a metal disk.

It's a bummer Fender doesn't engrave the model name on their pick-ups. Jeffytune mentioned possibly they're Custom shop, but I'm curious as to why as there's no sticker or anything written on the pick-up indicating that. I wonder if they're just American vintage reissue pick-ups: 50's, 60's or something?

SE

It can't be a 60s reissue for a number of reasons

* Headstock adjustable truss rod is incorrect
* 2 string trees are of the Highway one/American series variety which is also incorrect for a 60s RI.
* Tuners are incorrect
*Sting spacing is the smaller import spacing, a 60 RI would have the wider Vintage spacing
*Pearloid pickguard is incorrect
*Serial Number is on the neckplates of USA 60s RI.
*Pickup routing is wrong For a 60s RI, it would be routed for 3 single coils.

I believe this guitar is a Highway one neck, Kluson style tuners with plastic buttons, American standard/series neck plate, MIM body, Some kind of aftermarket Alnico pickups.