Hey everyone,
I came across a few guitars from a friend and a Strat was one of them. There are a few things that raise a few questions on it that makes me wonder what in the world it actually is, but the biggest quest one is, and I have never seen this before and I have owned a LOT of Strats in mt time, it has a Fender Locking Tremolo. Does anyone know of a time that Fender made this? I mean it actually has Fender engraved in it, fine tuners and all, Sperzel Locking tuning pegs and a Floyd Type string retainer. The pickguard is also odd, its almost like tolex, but not. I will post some pics as soon as I can but if anyone can give me some info on this, I would be VERY thankful.
Thanks in advance,
-Farmhouse

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What really gets me is the Fender Locking Bridge. Ive NEVER seen a Strat with a locking bridge before, this is the part that is throwing me. Any one with some info on this would be great.
Thanks for all the help guys. If I can be of any help to anyone in answering a question on building, as I build a lot of guitars since I have been on disability. Rather than feel sorry for myself and let my injury get me down, Ive used this time to do what I love, but have actually been building for over 20 years, been disbled for 3.
Thanks again,
-Farmhouse

Well, Fender made a number of Strats with locking trems or Floyd Rose trems (including the Richie Sambora Strat). They can all be found here:

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... e-diagrams

They all seem to be HH or HSS configurations, no SSS. Also, none of them say "Fender" on the trem. But I don't think the list is complete.

The serial number would be a help. You can e-mail

consumerrelations@fender.com

with the serial number and they will tell you all there is to know about the guitar.

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Bill

I have seen many of those bridges I think its a System 1 mosty on Japan Contemporary models 1984to 87. I think that guitar has some different parts on it the nut dont look right and you can see the old tuner screw holes filled too

me too.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Dittos.

The MIJ Contemporary was the first thing I though of. I don't think I've ever seen a System I trem on a US-built Strat. It seems to me those things appeared around the same time that Fender-US was experimenting with those horrid Free Flyte bridges (mid '80s mebbe?)

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

I suspect thats the trem off a Japanese Fender Heavy Metal Strat on a assortment of after market parts. Sorry to say.
Maybe the body is genuine, I can't really tell from the picture. The neck is definitely a replacement. The 12th fret dots are too far apart and it's not right for a HM Strat.

Here's the American versions

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No no and no

Thanks guys,
That has been a great help to me. I was going CRAZY trying to figure this one out. I do admit I am very unfamiliar with the MIJ's, and did't event think to look in that direction. I knew I could find some good solid answers from some experts here.
YOU GUYS RULE!!!!!

That is not a Japanese guitar. It's an amalgamation of parts.

I'd avoid it unless it's a great player for no money. It certainly won't pass as a Fender.

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No no and no

Does the headstock have any logos?

The pics are bad. The 12-th fret markers look too far apart: a sure sign of a non-Fender neck.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

not a fender guitar.

Well...I cleaned it up, had to put 8's on it cause the nut slots are so thin, I havent had a chance to plug it in yet, I just finished today and have a few finishing touches to do, but so far, it sounds pretty freaking good acoustically speaking...resonates well, frets are in good shape, VERY glad it has the Shaller Locking Tuners. It did tune on a tuner on all 3 pickups, so they do work. Depending on how they sound, I have a Seymour Lil 59 and Quarter Pounder to replace the bridge and neck....the middle can wait for the time being. Not bad for no money, I would say a solid B for an Experiment gone ugly guitar.

how much you have in this fiddle?

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

just the price of the strings way cool. And after playing it for a few days now (the pickups are all working) the decision is.....they are for sure original. On a clean setting, the neck and middle pickup sound pretty good, bridge is VERY thin, but distorted, they sound HORRIBLE!!! A pickup change is going to for sure be in order, but playing wise, this guitar is pretty much on the side of ALL RIGHT!!! I let a good friend of mine, a 20+ year veteran of the Nashville session and gigging scene play it and he loved it, said it reminded him of when Strats were Strats, good solid neck....said it possibly had a dressing cause the frets are low but not a thing wrong with them, stays in tune perfectly, even though not the original neck, feels just like a Strat. Also, before changing the strings, I took the guards off and found the body to be originally a vintage white, so I have possibilities of what I can do with the body, it already has some crazy patterns in it. So, I think I will change the pickups, probably the electronics and use her a on blues and classic rock style playing. Now it's on to the 1997 China Squier.
-Farmhouse

if thats all ya got in it then your doing good. change the pup out if ya need to.
tell your buddy strats are still strats. better made today than they ever have been.
anyways, try the pup change. if that dont make things better, raise the action a bit and use it as your slide guitar.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."