Hope someone can clear this up for me: I own a Candy Apple Red '66 Time Machine Strat Relic, with a maple cap fretboard (built in April, 2005), and it has a decal with four (4) patent numbers on it; not three like all the others I've seen! Is this some sort of an anomaly (like Bigfoot...), or did they do this for awhile and then change it (the decals) to three patent numbers? If so: How come?
Thanks!

You should post this for Mike Eldred to get you an answer.

Well, from 1965 into 1968, Strats are supposed to have 5 patents (2,573,254 & 2,960,900 & 2,741,146 & 3,143,028 & 2,817,261) under the logo.

But I've recently seen 1967 Strats (at gbase) with varying numbers, making me think that they were still going through supplies of 1964 logos with 4 patents ... check out gbase.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

According to the Fender Stratocaster book that I have, '61 to mid '62 there were 2 patent numbers. From mid '62 to mid '64 there were 3 patent numbers. 4 patent numbers first appeared with the transition logo in mid '64 and continued until mid '65 when they started using 5 patent numbers. Then after January '66 started using only 3 patent numbers. So, an early '66 could have 5 patent numbers, and a later '66 would have 3 patent numbers.

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Hmmm, this site http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender2.html#strat
doesn't mention 3 patent numbers at all during that period. The 1966 pictured there is from Sept and has 5. Check out differing numbers at gbase ... I found 1966s with 3, 4, and 5 in a quick check.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Yeah, I guess that Fender has been inconsistent with serial numbers and such. Could have been some left over decals from '64 to '65 used in '66? I did see the '66 Strat that you mentioned, it does say "late '66" and has 5 patent numbers. It wouldn't surprise me if there were 3, 4 or 5 patent numbers in '66.

From the same site:


Edit:
Changed "necks" to "decals"

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Hi I've had some 66 time machines. The one in teal green metallic had 4 patents. The other two both in sunburst may have been a special order were more recent and had only three with the last two having des before the final patent number. I think the last two are period correct although nothing would suprise me.
I suspect it would be valid to have four patents just like the 65 depending on when it was made and how many stickers were left.
As to why the custom shop changed this as mentioned M.E. would know

Yes, the patent number with the "DES" in front was the third number of the 3 patent number scheme used starting in '66, and continued til mid 68 when they dropped to 2 patent numbers. 2 patent numbers until mid '70 then only 1 patent number (the 1 number was changed in mid '72), until '76 when the patent number was dropped. Of course there seems to always be exceptions to all of this.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.