Bought this beauty on EBAY last month...

2002 Fender American Series Double Fat Strat in Surf Pearl, HARDTAIL!!

I LOVE this color...always wanted one, even though I never saw one this color in person. I just love surf green with rosewood fretboards, and I figured a surf green with a metallic flake to it had to be good! (Hard to see the "pearl" in the pictures though.





She currently sports straplocks and locking tuners. Once I discovered locking tuners, I decided that all of my strats will have them. Makes string changes so, so easy.

What the hell took you so long, ricky?

She's gorgeous!



Arjay

_________________
"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

Nice and "Minty" and yes the pun was intended! Fine looking guitar and a nice score!

T2

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

Beautiful guitar. Thanks for the pics.

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Wow! That is one beautiful guitar!

Glad to see another MIA HH hardtail... there's not many of us here.

_________________
2005 MIA Strat HH Hardtail
Modified 2000 MIM Strat HSS

nice guitar congrats!

Nice colour- beautiful guitar!! I could be wrong, but with that colour combination and a pearl pickguard along with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups, I think this could be a "Big Apple" Strat.. or a Hot Road Series. I do know this colour was associated with the latter

_________________

the Big Apple strat was in production from around 97 to 99, until Fender renamed their MIA guitars the "American Series". This one was part of the Hot-Rodded American Series. This one was called the "Double Fat". They also made the American Series Texas Special (previously known as the "Roadhouse Strat", as well as the Texas Special Fat Strat (previously known as the "Lonestar Strat"). I have kind of an obsession with the Strats from 2000-2004. I just love the way they were made. Yes, this color was specific to those model strats.

I used to own a 2000 Texas Special Fat Strat in Sienna Sunburst...absolutely gorgeous, but was stolen.

This color was special to the Hot-Rodded American Series. You don't come across one in this color too often, especially a Hardtail...I only saw 2 come up on Ebay in a 2 year period. One was a Texas Special Fat Strat, and then there was this one. It was just good timing...I was in the market for another guitar, and had the $$ on hand.


About a year and a half ago I saw another one that I'm sure was the same color, but the gentleman who had it on ebay was selling it for someone, and insisted it was just surf green. I just think he didn't actually get a good look at the guitar, because Fender didn't make the double fats, or any other USA series guitars in a surf green.

Fender DID Strats in surf green!

Here we go again

I'll correct myself...there were no American Standards or American Series Strats made in Surf Green. THERE WERE some artist series models, like the Jeff Beck strat (which I NEVER actually saw on a shelf of any music store I've been to), as well as some other special models that were available in surf green. But, NO OTHER STRATS came in surf pearl.

Absolutely right!

I don't what chromefake was thinking of but he seems to insist on reinforcing some nebulous point by vicariously posting pics of OTHER PEOPLE'S GEAR. I doubt he's ever owned a Fender guitar or amp in his life.

I for one knew what you were referring to.

Arjay

_________________
"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

Sorry for the inconvenience, but the pics I've posted from other gear are solely for REFERENCE PURPOSES only and NOT as a vicarious thread theft.


Also, I've no spare time to take a couple of shots from my gear due to a bunch of annoying computer crashes...

When the time permits, I'll post pics as promised.


Cheers

Bullshit!

Arjay

_________________
"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

And how do you think about this, old fellow?

Hope you'll now be happy with these pictures...




















Please feel free to note that's a Clapton Blackie-inspired guitar because of the black finish, 8-ply guard, 1-piece maple neck and Gold Lace pickups, but the differences end there.

There's no active boost circuit on this MIJ Squier Silver Series Stratocaster and the stock 6-screw vintage bridge has been replaced with an American 2-point pivot.

EasyGlider string guide, Gotoh tuners with staggered posts, Schaller locking strap buttons and 21 jumbo frets are just the icing on the cake.

PS: Don't worry about the date. I had no time to set the date preferences on my camera.

Oops, I'm very sorry, I forgot to save the pictures into a safe place.

At last, here's another one: