New to forum, glad to be here. Looking at an ebay auction on a strat running for the next 28 days. It is adverstised as a 2002. What is unusal is it has a cherry quilt top and a Mexican ss number. I asked the seller about the quilt top stating I had never seen a Mexican quilt on a Strat. He said he wasn't the original owner but side stepped my question. I checked the serial number on the Fender website and it seems that there is one extra digit in the number. The MZ2105254. According to my research that is one too many numbers unless I am wrong. Anybody care to look at it and give me their thoughts. The ebay auction number is 220887704665. Copy and paste this number in ebay search window and it should come up. Thanks

Am no expert, but I'll weigh in.

My guess is that it's a MIM partscaster. MightyMite sells a body similar to that for the mid $200s so the value of the parts is probably what the guy's asking if the frets and finish are absolutely pristine. If not, it's not much of a bargain which is why the guy has it on a 28 day auction.

That said, I've never like the MIM ceramic pickups and the neck is nearly 10 years old, so basically what you got is a nice looking top with a mundane neck and pickups you might grow to hate and eventually replace.

For the same money you'd be much better off with either a Classic Series, Classic Player or PowerHouse strat which all feature really nice necks, and upgraded pickups.

Just my 2¢

The serial number could be a real one. I don't know why Fender's site says "(origin and date code) followed by five digits". The origin and date code can be followed by five or six digits -- it all depends on how many they built that year. The Mexican plant often (usually) builds more than 100,000 guitars a year so they need more than 5 digits.

I don't recall any flame top Mexican models so I'd also suspect the body has been replaced. But even if it's stock and all-original that's just an ok deal, not a big bargain or anything like that.

If you find it really attractive you could use the "make an offer" option.

If you like and you can get a good price I would buy it . Here is another one on EbaY same body 230697297590