Hey all, I stumbled upon an 1983 fender strat on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Smith-St ... 3f0b36a4a8 . I had no idea that for one year fender made strats this way.Meaning it has no back routing but still a functional tremolo and the guitars cable input imo in the perfect place.Any thoughts about the condition of this guitar?? The neck looks band but is it unusable?Or any input from owners or people who have played one.I saw some videos on youtube but really I'd like to know more.Or even if there are other fenders like this???Thanks!!

A bit of history - that model Strat was made for approximately 2 years (1983, 1984, and I believe a handful were assembled in 1985 just before and just after the sale from CBS to FMIC in February 1985). These are typically referred to as "Smith Era" or "Standard" Strats (or sometimes "cost-cutters" or "2-knob Strats"); usually the collectors only call the 1982 model the "Smith Strat" - or at least that is the terminology that I use and a lot of folks here use. These weren't necessarily big sellers; most of them regardless of the year they were assembled have "E3XXXXX" serial numbers. A handful of them do have "E4XXXXX" serial numbers, but for the most part the "E4" numbers were not used by CBS (FMIC later used the "E4" decals on the American Standards that were built from late 1986 through 1987 and even into 1988). Fender never used an "E5", "E6", or "E7" serial number on a USA-made guitar.

Now, on to this particular guitar - that big chunk from the neck looks bad to me - there's more than wear there, some wood is missing. Also the bridge is very oxidized - you won't have an easy time finding replacement parts for those since they were only used for 2 years and haven't been used for almost 27 years at best. I personally never liked the neck shape on these back in the day - they are pretty wide (1.70" nut width) and have very thin shape. But even if I did love these I would really have to see the condition in person (or get a reasonable return period) before taking a chance on this one. Also, the pickguard has been replaced - they didn't have a pearloid pickguard back then (but I can't remember if these had 3-ply white/black/white or single ply white pickguards - it's just been too long).

Thanks for all the info!!! Well too bad it seems that you do not have much like for these models.I on the other hand think these guitars look amazing.I just don't think I will ever get a chance to play one as rare as they are now.I know that guitars get reissued and I am hoping they do these justice and rerelease them. If they were meant to be made cheaper than come on fender!!!!Yeah I would pass on buying that model it looks more of a musuem peice than a player.And I looked at other ones and it was a one ply white pickguard.Take care of yourself and thanks.Anybody else have any info/stories??

I got a freind who plays one. Its ok not something I would buy his seems to go out of tune alot.

Just another blasphemous footnote in the byzantine history of the Stratocaster.

A late friend of mine out in SoCal owned one for a time. He said that compared to his '72, the Smith era Strat felt and looked like a toy.

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 guess I wasn't clear; I only meant to say that I only call the 1982 Strats where they went back to 4-bolt necks and smaller headstocks "Smith Strats" although techincally both the 1982 and the 1983/84 models were called the "Standard Stratocaster" by Fender and they both had design work by Dan Smith.

In all honesty the only thing I have against this Strat design is that I just don't like that neck shape - I really wanted an Elite back then, but the more I tried them out the more I realized the neck shape just kills my hand. I feel the same way about any really flat and thin neck (like Ibanez, Jackson, Gibson LP Classics, etc.) - nothing wrong with any of these guitars, just not for me due to the neck shape.

That series of Strat features a 4-bolt neck angle adjustment for adjusting the pitch of the neck to the body. Fender instruments at the time where designed using almost no neck angle. You where enabled to custom adjust the neck angle by manipulation of the screws and use of an Allen wrench which was originally supplied with the guitar.
It also had a few other unique features. A Bi-Flex Truss Rod, Freeflyte Tremolo System. You have a lot less routing which means more wood to resonate. It's been a pretty sturdy guitar for me over the last 27 + years. I got mine 17 Oct, 1983.

Over the years I have made a few changes.

What's one man's trash, is another man's Stratocaster.

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Ok, John I think I understand ya! So the neck is flat like a jackson? I think I follow you.It's just too damn bad I was only 1 when these came out.And I can't imagine why these weren't popular.It's just different.I've played many fenders in my time as a player and hobbyist and this model will still haunt me I suppose.Like I said I've seen youtube videos and despite what people have said about this model it seems you either like it or hate it.As for tuneage one person dived bombed the hell out of this guitar and it was still in tune.Maybe I'd swap out the tuners for some locking ones.Strings normally stay in tune after you buy a new pair of strings in about 2 days anyway.And thanks to ny for the pics and story.That is a real sweet guitar if I had my choice id go either with your color or the black.Ever have any problems with the cable coming out?Bet its less anoying than the input jack location on all strats. and most importantly no backplate that always pisses me off when it rubs against my belt all my guitars do not have them but I feel the springs.It looks like yours is a keeper though.Did you glue the fender guitar amp decals on the guitar??And how on earth did you find another pickguard??

Thanks for the compliments Bro. As far as cables go, I just use right angle cables when I plug into my amp. No problems. I pulled the amp logo's off of my Mustang II. I just screwed them into the guitars body. Your right, when you say, "He's a keeper," so I'm not too afraid to do that cosmetics to my buddy. . I ordered the pickgaurd from Fender a long time ago. One more note, the neck is unusually narrow, and flat. I find it a blessing, because I have been damned with a guitarist worst handicap, small hands .

_________________
"Bring me four fried chickens, and a coke."
HOUSE-OUT!

I hear you ny I too suffer from that(small hands).I am assuming the neck is not much different than from my 91 am standard.I was thinking too that couldnt you use any 62' pickguard on this body?I mean couldnt you theoretically install a 1/4 plug where the 2nd tone knob would be?Well again your guitar is pretty unique what youve done to it.I couldn't bring myself to drill anything to my fenders but it will stand out.Now I've decided this is my next guitar I just have to get one at a reasonable price so far on ebay it's slim pickings.