Looking for a little advice I'm afraid. Just picked up a really sweet American Deluxe Strat, looks, sounds and feels really great. BUT, in the cold light of not 'being in the store with a pocket full of cash' I have queries about it's features, maybe someone can help?
DZ2 serial number so it's a 2002, rosewood 'board, abalone dots, chrome logo, locking tuners - all fine there.
Metallic red body, is it Candy Apple or Chrome, did the Deluxes have that colour option? Has the cutaway heel.
Vintage noiseless pickups, well certainly noiseless with 'Noiseless' marked covers.
S1 switch which seems to do all the right things.
Overall I love it but not sure all of the features are right for a '02 Am Dlx.
Any help much appreciated.

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Standard Stratocaster w/mid-boost & Lace Sensors
Am. Standard Stratocaster FSR Daphne Blue
Tele-bration Mahogany Telecaster
Fender Pro Junior w/custom 2x10 tweed cab - nice!
Koch Twintone 2
The odd Parker and PRS

I'm thinking the color is Chrome Red and it should have the SCN pickups with the S-1 switching.

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

+1

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If it's a 2002 it should have vintage noiseless pickups instead of SCNs; also there won't be an S1 switch. All those features are correct for a 2002.

The color has me confused - there wasn't a metallic red on the 2002s; there was a transparent red and a metallic tangerine. By 2002 they did have the beveled neck heel. Chrome red was never used on American Deluxes; only on the American Series. Candy apple red did become an American Deluxe color in 2004; however, it is only used on the V-neck model.

Ok mate how about posting some pics for us so we can get to the bottom if it for you?

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I believe the deluxes offered a color called "candy tangerine" as their red guitars , but I could be wrong.

I agree all those feature are found on deluxe strats but too early possibly for the S1 switch. Candy apple is a valid colour for a late v neck so I agree with John C. Only way to tell is lift the lid and confirm the body date stamp and check for modified wiring.

Hi, many thanks for the help so far, I will get busy with the screwdriver this weekend and take a peek under the hood, then hopefully stick up some picks.
(I was reluctant to mess with it as I always seem to end up fiddling with my guitars and had tries so hard to leave this one 'pure - oh well!)

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Standard Stratocaster w/mid-boost & Lace Sensors
Am. Standard Stratocaster FSR Daphne Blue
Tele-bration Mahogany Telecaster
Fender Pro Junior w/custom 2x10 tweed cab - nice!
Koch Twintone 2
The odd Parker and PRS

Hi, OK, really confused now. Pickups are definitely 'Noiseless', not SCN. S1 switch possibly fitted aftermarket, but done very well (looks factory). hadn't noticed but bridge saddles matt like US Standard rather than shiny Deluxe, also trem arm screws in, not push in. VERY strangely body is stamped 'BECK' in front pickup cavity, still not sure about colour, lighter than my Candy Cola Telecaster but not at all orangey, so C A R or Chrome (?) and definitely original not refinish. Also very light compared to my '91 MiM Standard.
Annoyingly cannot read any of the body or neck dates, last digit obscured, not sure if this is deliberate or not by last owner.
Trying to post picks but for some reason Photobucket hates me!

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Standard Stratocaster w/mid-boost & Lace Sensors
Am. Standard Stratocaster FSR Daphne Blue
Tele-bration Mahogany Telecaster
Fender Pro Junior w/custom 2x10 tweed cab - nice!
Koch Twintone 2
The odd Parker and PRS

Starting to sound very like a partsocaster. There is still a possibility it is a special run but unlikely. There should be a date stamp in the neck cavity and it should be close to the same year as the neck serial... If the body has a barcode you should be able to relate this to the part number in the fender pdfs for the deluxe models. I think the last three relate to the colour but I'm starting to also think Jeff "Beck" That is Jeff Beck body and electronics etc and a neck from another strat. Maybe whoever had the strat didn't like the Beck Neck with the roller. I hear they were quite beefy.

Alright, from what I understand so far you bought a guitar thinking it was a MIA deluxe But now you have your doubts, is that right?

If so I am assuming that the serial number is intact. Going of of that assumption the best and easiest way to check if it is legit or not is to send the serial number to fender, their email can be found under the support section at they'll of the page, and ask for all the specs of the guitar with your serial number. The color will most likely be given as a code so you should probably ask for the specific name of it.

Hope that helps and good luck with finding out what you have.

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Tomaz

Gear:
2007 electron blue MIM standard strat
Mustang I amp, small but deadly
fender CD-140 sce acoustic
squier affinity strat
frontman amp came with squier.
digitech multi-effects pedal

Spoke to a really helpful guy at Fender Customer Relations about the Strat. Serial no matches to a 2002 Deluxe with Candy Tangerine body (this one Candy Apple Red), S1 retro fitted, but done very well so OK with it. Pickups are fine, not worried about term as don't really use it. Guy at Fender also said Beck models and Deluxes have same body so could easily have meant to be a Beck model but went into Deluxe production line for some reason. Ultimately it looks more and more like a parts caster, but with all Deluxe bits, so what effect does this have on the value, have I been ripped off?

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Standard Stratocaster w/mid-boost & Lace Sensors
Am. Standard Stratocaster FSR Daphne Blue
Tele-bration Mahogany Telecaster
Fender Pro Junior w/custom 2x10 tweed cab - nice!
Koch Twintone 2
The odd Parker and PRS

It really depends on the price you paid and what the original sale description was.
The reason why I suggested beck body etc was I think the beck model had a screw in whammy and the deluxe had a pop in whammy. Yours has the screw in so I though maybe someone has stuck a deluxe neck on it! Don't remember the beck coming in CAR but anything is possible. Who knows could still be a deluxe with only slight modification..

Originally described as 2002 American Deluxe Stratocaster in Candy Apple Red.
Paid £729 + shipping, which is quite good for the UK, but still not exactly bargain basement.

_________________
Standard Stratocaster w/mid-boost & Lace Sensors
Am. Standard Stratocaster FSR Daphne Blue
Tele-bration Mahogany Telecaster
Fender Pro Junior w/custom 2x10 tweed cab - nice!
Koch Twintone 2
The odd Parker and PRS

Do you have pics?

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