I went through this before, am trying to sell this thing and am getting all kinds of people telling me this isn't an American Standard strat. I want to be as honest as possible. I bought this as a 2002 American Standard for 550.00. After looking at some others I realized the color wasn't right. You can smell paint when you open the case. I know that it is an american standard neck. The body has a different bridge on it. I was just speaking to someone on the phone and he told me if the pickup pole pieces are not even that it isn't american pickups in it. Can anyone help in Identofying what I got here. I called Fender and they told me that the original body was black. When I took it apart the inside cavities are all black. Here is some pics:

http://s1135.photobucket.com/albums/m635/les1957/

Thanks

Hi there it is not an American std body since these have the two stud pivot bridge.
What are the numbers in the neck cavity?
These refer to the part number of the body and its color and you may be able to reference this back to the service diagrams.
The black paint may be just shielding paint hence the colour .. Or it may be just paint...

It is not an American Standard. My guess is partscaster. Would need a picture of the neck pocket to see what is there. The body, bridge, and pickups look to be not from the american standard. And lastly the body is not of a color ever offered on a regular American Standard. JMHO.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

It's not an American Std. But it is deffinately a 2002 American Series Stratocaster. Fender retired the 80s/90s Am. Std. in about 2000 and replaced it with the American series.

Changes made by Fender:
Fender got rid of the swiming pool pickup route on the Am. Std. and replaced it with a more vintage style (not quite, but closer). Fender felt that the missing wood on the Am. Std. hurt tone.

Fender went back to the vintage style body contours. The Am. Std. was not as round. Staggerd and redsigned the pickups, added vintage style saddles for better tone, removed a string tree, rolled the edges of the neck (for that "roken in feel." One of the best changes), changed the metal and design of the bridge block (I prefer the vintage style), added a different tone pot in the neck tone knob (Am. Std. had a TBX tone knob), and added partchment plastic parts.

Over all I think they are better guitars than the Am. Std.s from the 80s and 90s.

I own an '04 50th Anniversary American Series (S/N says '03, but Fender didn't start selling them until '04). Everything looks the same as my guitar. It's the original body. the pickup routes look right.

The bridge has been swapped out with a vintage bridge (sometihg I might have done). The original is a two point. I bet if you take off the bridge you may see the original wholes. I've never make that kind of mod, so I'm not sure if it will be noticable or not.

The color was changed to what looks like Fiesta Red to me.

The pickups for the Am. Series were staggerd so they might be stock. If the pickups were swapped it was because the owner wanted something better sounding than the stock ones (at least to his ear). Odds are that they are high end after markets or CS Fender (Texas SPC or 57/62s, something like that).

Also I think the neck has been sanded down on the back (another thing that I might have done) I would put a really thin clear coat to protect the wood, but over all it's not the end of the world. I have sanded the necks down a little bit before, but never to the wood. I also noticed some neck ware on the fret board.

With all of these personal mods, I'm guessing that you own a working musican's gigging guitar.

I just bought a 79 Strat that has been modified with Van Zandt pickups (some of the best pickups I've ever heard), a special tone cercuit, and a different pickguard and knobs. The frets need some work and the paint is gone and it looks like it's seen every dive bar for the past 32 years. Is it perfect? No. Is it stock and mint condition? No. Was I a little disappointed that it didn't have the original pickups? Kind of, but not for long. The fact is that it's mine now and I love it. And as soon as I get the neck worked out it will be perfect. The nice thing is that I didn't pay that much for it.

Why are you selling it? Are you trying to sell it for $550? If you are then it's seems like a fare price to me.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

What Paris says about the crossover from American standard to American series is correct. I'd be interested to see if it does have the holes for the bridge

Thanks Paris, I apreciate the info. I had a few people call me telling me this wasn't an american standard. I was curious and you answered my questions. I found out it is a 2000 model. I didn't really want to sell it. I was hurting for some cash. I love the feel of this thing and the it sounds awesome with my Peavey delta 30. I am not going to sell it for 550.00. Somebody would have to offer me a little more to get this one from me.

Glad to hear that I could help. I also use a Peavey Delta Blues amp. It's a good all around amp.

Do yourself a favor and don't sell the guitar. You WILL regret it. I know from personal experience. I used to own an old '87 Strat Plus and I sold it. I'm still kicking myself. It was the best guitar I've ever played and I miss it till this day.

I've sold some other guitars that I wish I still owned. I'm telling you, find another way to get some money. Think about it. You might get 1K for the Strat in the short run, but that money will go quickly and you will kick yourself. Do some odd work on the side, but don't sell what you can't replace. Money is temerpary, but a geat instrument is hard to replace.

Just to Remember "" ALL AMERICAN STANDARD STRATOCASTERS HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE 2 POINT TREMOLO SYSTEM "" I Seen Your Pictures ,, looks like a partscaster for sure ,, some parts look like the older "Highway One Series" and Another Thing to Remember is Stratocasters that have the Micro-tilt hole in the Neckplate usally always have the 2 point tremolo ,,, Hope This info Helps ,,,, Play on Play on !!!!!

I disagree with your assesment. I can't tell about the pickups, but the only thing that looks like it has been swapped out is the bridge. I wouldn't call it a "Part-o-caster" on that alone. The body and neck are both correct for the Amercan Series Strat.

Besides the bidge, what else are you using to base your assesment?

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

Lets just call it modified. Filling the bridge holes and adding a vintage bridge is a fairly heavy mod though.
A close up of the part number in the neck pickup cavity may help solve it.
Paris I agree on your take on the Standard vs the Series. I much prefer the Series but I'm sure many like the old standard and it is just a matter of personal taste.
Haven't Fender gone back to the "standard" in the name?

I agree with the personal taste thing. I owned an '87 Strat Plus (Am. Std. with added highend parts) and '96 Am. Std., which I gave to my cousin.

I just purchased a heavy modified '79 Strat modified with Van Zant pickups and a by-pass that connects the bridge pickup with the neck and middle pickups.

The neck has a lot of fret ware and all the paint is gone, but it sounds sweet and the neck is super fast.

Fender consumer relations confirmed the the body parts number to the neck. Was told that it was sent from the factory in Black so I called the guy up I bought this from and he finally called me back. He told me that it is a 2000 American series. Also told me that he did switch the bridge to an american vintage tremelo. That he liked it better than the 2 point bridge system. He had plugged up the holes with dowels resanded the guitar and painted it Fiesta Red with celluose paint. He did a great job, I never would have known it . I personally like the color alot better than the original black that it was sent from the factory with. Was also told that all pickups and switches are original. I am not hurting as bad financially as I was. Everytime I pick this baby up I like it more and more. I am thinking about switching the pickups in it to some custom shop texas specials. I haven't made up my mind yet, as I have listened to a lot of different pickups on youtube. I kind of like the Texas specials sound. But its a decision thats hard to make.

Glad to hear that you got all the facts and that you can keep the guitar.

My advice would be to go to a music store and play every guitar that has the pickups that you are interested in. Here are a few guitars I would check out and the pickups they carry:

1. American Special: Texas Specials (own them and love them)
2. 50s Road Worn & Jimmy Vaughn sig. Strat: Tex-Mex (I really like these pups and they are cheaper than the Texas Spc, but similar).
3. EC Strat: Vintage Noiseless (My EC Strat has Gold Lace Sensors, so I'm not familiar with them).
4. American Vintage: 57/62 pickups

The reason I suggest is that hearing them online is not the same as playing them. When you hear them online you are hearing a different person's attack, touch and playing style, through their amp.

If you decide to test drive pickups, make sure that when you go to the store play through an amp that is as close to your own amp as is possible. Also remember rosewood necks sound different than maple neck.

Good luck.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

Thanks again Paris !! Thats a good idea about checking the pickups out personally before purchasing. How long have you been playing ? You seem very knowlegable !

I've been playing since 1984. I started playing Stats in 1993. I wasn't noledgable at the time, But over time I've did a lot of research and reading a lot of books.

I'm always more than happy to help people.

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1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus