I was scrolling a dutch website calles Marktplaats and I saw this stratocaster on there.
In my eyes it's a fake strat. The owner claims that it's a real Fender and that i'm not correct. I still think it's fake and I like to know what you guys think.

It's about a MIA strat made in August '88.

http://link.marktplaats.nl/495258343

_________________
Guitars:
Fender USA Standard '89
Godin G4000 '95
LTD Viper 400 '01
Ibanez RG550 LTD '97

Amps: Koch Studiotone Tube amp / Hughes & Kettner ATS MKII
Pedals: Ibanez WH10, Ibanez CP10, Boss CH-1, Boss MT-2, Aria FL10

It is possible that this is an "I" series Strat; I have never seen one in person and they only rarely turn up on the web. Per the Fender website under "Product Dating" the "IXXXXXX" serial numbers Strats were made in 1989 and 1990 for export only. They were stamped "Made in the USA" on the neck heel. Here's the link; scroll down to the bottom of the page for the section on odd serial numbers:

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/u-s-instruments-product-dating

Hopefully someone more familiar with these will post; it appears to have the markings of an "I" series Strat but I couldn't tell you if it is a legit. There were also MIJ Fenders made in 1989/1990 with "IXXXXXX" serial numbers so it would be easy to scratch off the "Made in Japan" decal from the neck heel and put a "Made in the USA" stamp into the wood.

Well that tremolo bridge sure isn't even close to the American Standards of that era!

The backplate screws are parallel to each other too.
I wouldn't dismiss John's advice on the strength of that or the bridge unit though.

However on further inspection the serial number is misaligned and the Made In USA on the back of the neck looks like it was carved in by a blind stonemason.

Avoid

_________________
No no and no

I remember seeing these guitars at a music store in Saarbruchen Germany while stationed there during the 90's. At the time I thought it was odd that they stamped the Made in USA where they had the "Made in Japan" stickers on guitars imported to the US. The saddles do not look to be original, but everything else is as I remember it.

FWIW

T2

_________________
-----------------------------------------------------------
What time is it? It's Fender Time.

niki - thanks for the vote of confidence!

As I said - being here in the USA I've never seen one of those "export only" USA "I-series" Strats; without someone else who has seen one corroborating that this is one of them my other guess would be it's a Made in Japan Strat from that same era (which also used the "IXXXXXX" serial numbers) with a faked "Made in the USA" stamp. Frankly that grey colored serial number decal and the Gotohs-style tuners make me think "Made In Japan".

Of course 1988/89/90 is also that era where we had some odd guitars that looked like they should be 100% MIJ but were really assembled in the USA from MIJ parts like the HM Strats, etc.

The body shape is wrong. Look at the horn on the pickguard. It's off center.

_________________
1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I've seen the "innards" of a couple of these "I-series/stamped Made in the USA" and they were clearly of Japanese construction.

My belief is that the whole "export only" story is a concoction that has spread around the internet and even to this Fender site.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

These are limited number guitars built for exports only 1989 and 1990 they feature made in USA stamp on the heel of the neck they say their are few to be found in USA . I dont know but I have one and it has a nice neck. I will try to post more pics of it

Hm - here is a thought: Could these have been shipped from Japan as unassembled parts (basically "kit" guitars from FujiGen), then they were assembled here and stamped "Made in USA" and shipped overseas so Fender could fulfil some orders (at the higher "Made in USA" price versus the MIJ price)?

No, made in USA is - MADE in USA. Otherwise it should say Assembled In USA.
Yeah, but some strange things happened back then, for sure.

Cheers,
Robin

_________________
_________________________________
http://www.youtube.com/robinstrower
_________________________________

You can tell by the backplate it is fake. On a real Fender, the two middle screw are staggered a bit. The ones on this guitar are lined up evenly. At least that's what I've read.

Oh, and hey, that thing doesn't even have any STRINGS on it. Just sayin'......

I vote fake.

Its not fake