Got a great deal on a Strat yesterday. Olympic white with rosewood neck. Plays and sounds great. It was listed as USED "American Strat" but it is not American Standard.
Neck just says Fender Stratocaster, no MIM USA or Japan. Vintage style with truss rod adjust at heel. Serial No 65XXX is stamped on neck plate. Neck and body both have 8-61 written under the finish (overspray in PU cavity on body). 3 way switch with lots of oxidation. Body has 3 routs for pickups rather than large rout.
I assume it is a 60's RI but the pickguard is not mint green.
Can't find dating for reissues on web. Any help is appreciated.

well the 3 way switch tells you it's vintage.thats about all I know,I think if its vintage it has to be made in the USA.65XXX,I'm getting the fealing that that means it was made in 65,but I'm no expert.XXX

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IF I DO SOMETHING STUPID,DON'T SAY A WORD...

+1

Let the games begin.

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 think i figured it out. SN is on neck plate.

That's a bootleg. Just at a glance, the headstock shape and decal are wrong for that year along with the truss rod nut being below (clearing) the fingerboard where on a real one, it would have been more through it. Also, the spacing and 'font' of the serial number on the neckplate are outright wrong.

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You dig?

Thanks a lot for you help. I figured it wasn't a real vintage but thought it was some type of reissue. Sounds like it's not even a Fender. Might keep it because it plays and sounds nice. Being a fake kind of bugs me though. Bought at GF so I figured they knew what they were selling.

You're welcome.

I doubt very strongly it is a Fender. Like you said though, it plays and sounds nice. Therefore, it evidently is a good guitar. Never presume however, anything about any store for in today's economy, well, you know the rest.

Good luck with it!

Oh yea, and where's my manners? Welcome to the forum!

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You dig?

Thanks. I've read the forum for a while. My first time participating. Very helpful.
"GF" in my last post should have been "GC" so I have 30 days to return.
I've always been a Fender fan (usually Teles) so the fact that it's counterfeit takes some of the soul away from this one. Too bad. It is a well made bootleg.