I have a stratocaster with a serial number of S960430...Made in U.S.A. Can anyone tell me what year it was made?

Welcome.

Either 1978 or 1979. See here:

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... uct-dating

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You dig?

Fender used those for several years - while the "S9" translates to "1979" they actually used those numbers from as early as late 1978 through the end of 1981 - pretty much through the end of the big headstock Strats. I don't believe Fender's Consumer Relations data goes back to the CBS years; probably the only way to really find out when it was made would be to either remove the neck and check for date stamps on the heel and in the neck pocket of the body or to check for the dates on the volume and tone pots by removing the pickguard - kind of the latest date of all three is the closest to when your guitar left the factory.

great answer John

rwbeagle: got any pictures?

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.