Hi everyone. Out of curiosity and also as my insurance company have changed their rules etc, I'd like to get a better idea of the date etc of my strat if anyone can help. The serial number comes out as 1969 but it has the microtilt neck. The serial number is on the top edge of the microtilt plate. This plate has a large F on it and says 'patpending'. It has the large headstock, bullet truss and just one butterfly string retainer. The face of the head is quite yellowed. The neck stamp is in green ink but is ilegible. Bridge is the two piece with the old stamped saddles which also say pat pend. Pick ups have staggered pole pieces. The body finish is white and has yellowed a little. It has very fine 'cracks' running lengthwise. I don't think the finish is original. Pick up covers and switchgear have yellowed slightly more than the pick guard which is 3 ply. I'll post some pics when I get my camera working but was wondering if there's an obvious explanation for the microtilt plate bearing a 1969 number? The chrome is worn but the number is clearly stamped. I'm guessing the guitar is maybe a late 1970? Whilst I need a value for the insurance I'd never sell it as it has such a good feel to it. It sounds so superior to my modern ones even without being plugged in! I'll hopefully post pics in a day or so. Thanks. Dave

Dave yes we'll need some photos to give you a good ball park price. I have my guitars and amps on a writer with my insurance company and had written appraisels done through Gruhn guitars. You have to send them pics and all the info you gave us and they will give you a written appraisel/value. Not sure an insurance company would take our word for what it's worth

Dating a guitar base on its Serial numbers stamped on neck plates can be difficult. You can only get to a certain date range. To get a good date, check the end of the neck and or neck pocket to see if there is a date there...CBS stopped dating necks during the early seventies, if I remember right, but not sure exactly when. Maybe someone will come along and have more difinitive time frame.

HTH

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Hi. Can anyone tell me how to post some pics please? Sorry I'm a bit thick! Thanks. Dave

upload them to www.imageshack.us and then post the links imageshack gives you

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[img][IMG]http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/428/stratandcody2011019.th.jpg[/img]








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Hope this works! Thanks for info

Hey Dave,

Wow, rare dog.
My guess, it´s built in 1970 (string tree) and maybe one of the 1st bullet trussrod Stratocasters. What is stamped on the neck?
Thx for the fotos, awesome guitar.

Cheers,
Robin

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Thanks Robin. Neck stamp is illegible. All I can say is it is in green ink. Is there any significance with the neck plate showing pat pending? I think most have a patent number?

If you look under the pickguard, you can get more info.

Look for (write down) numbers on the backs of the volume and tone pots.
Look for numbers on the back of the pickups. If you tell us (and show us photos) of what you find, we can help date it and see if the finish is original or not.

How long have you had it? How many times has it been refretted?

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Hey Dave,

regarding the neck plate and the patend pending.
The patent of the microtilt was filed at the 14th of July in 69 and patented at the 29th of Dec. in 1970. So your guitar (the neck plate) has been built before the 29th of Dec.1970.
Maybe Fender did a very short run of the microtilt/bullet trussrod to see how well it works.
Because they had no number they put the patent pending on the plate.


Cheers,
Robin

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http://www.youtube.com/robinstrower
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She's a keeper.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I'll take off the scratch plate in the next few days (when looking after my two kids and puppy allow! Ha) and post pics etc. Robin. That's interesting info re the tilt plate. I'd wondered whether the guitar was a sort of 'crossover' build. I've only owned this one for about 12 months. No knowledge re re-frets I'm afraid. There's a little of the usual 'groove' sort of wear on the first few frets but hardly any wear to the neck, just very slight discolouration to parts of the lower edge by the fretboard. It's the nicest feeling strat i've owned (and I'm horribly old!) and only wish i could've had something like this when I was a kid! My insurance company have put an individual item limit of £1000 on my contents policy so I need to know whether it's worth more than that. Thanks everyone. Dave