We rehab lefty Strats and Teles for donation to the troops. Recently, we purchased a 2010 MIM Stratocaster that the seller swears up and down is a "2010 Fender Stratocaster MIM Mint Lefty Limited Run".

He described it as: "The color is a white blonde finish over a ash body and really looks fantastic."

We paid a lot for it compared to the MIMs we usually rehab. When it arrived, we noted that although it's in really good shape, there is NO (read ZERO) indication that this is anything more than an Arctic White Mexi Standard.

We'd think that a "white blond finish over ash" would reveal the grain, as the coating would be slightly opaque or transparent? This is solid white. As in, you couldn't see the grain unless you scored the poly with a knife.

We ran the serial number thru Guitar Dater and it came back "unknown". The S/N# is MZ10255532.

So, all we know is that it's a 2010 model? The neck plate is blank. The headstock has the S/N on the back (with the usual "Made in Mexico"), but no decal denoting any special edition, limited edition, etc... Nada.

Anyone know if there WAS a 2010 MIM Strat White Blond over Ash model released?

Anybody got a clue as to what this really is? Did we get burned?

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I used to have guitars...
My kids ate them. (sigh!)

It sounds like a MIM Standard Strat in Arctic White.

I couldn't say you were "burned" without knowing how much you paid (and no, I wouldn't ask) but a used MIM Std isn't worth much more than $325 on the secondary market.

HTH

Arjay

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"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

Hi Rronin,
Just wondering if you recieved qanything besides the description you posted. Tags? Reciept? Some indication of the model number?

I Can tell you this. The MZ serial # did not come up in our system. Just for the heckof it I replaced the Z with and X and that DID come up....coincidentally as a 014-4620-380 part number---which is described as a Fender STD STRAT LH RW AWT TINT.

So...not sure what you have going there to be honest but it sounds like what you describe.
Here are the specs for the one i did pull up....again, just in case:
********************
Model Name: Standard Stratocaster®
Model Number: 014-4600-(Color #) and 014-4602-(Color #)
Series: Standard Series
Colors: (502) Lake Placid Blue,
(506) Black,
(509) Candy Apple Red,
(532)* Brown Sunburst, *add $60.00,
(575) Midnight Wine,
(580) Arctic White,
(Polyester Finish)
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple, Modern “C” Shape,
(Gloss Headstock Face with Satin Urethane Finish on Back of Neck on Rosewood, )
Fingerboard: Rosewood (P/N 014-4600) or Maple (P/N 014-4602), 9.5” Radius (241 mm)
No. of Frets: 21 Medium Jumbo
Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)
Width @ Nut: 1.650” (42 mm)
Hardware: Chrome
Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment
Pickups: 3 Standard Single-Coil Strat® Pickups (Ceramic Magnets)
Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade:
Position 1. Bridge Pickup
Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup
Position 3. Middle Pickup
Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup
Position 5. Neck Pickup
Controls: Master Volume,
Tone 1. (Neck Pickup),
Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
Strings: Fender® Super Bullets® 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-3250-003
Unique Features: Vintage Styling,
Fender Transition Logo,
Parchment Plastic Parts
Source: Mexico
Accessories: None
U.S. MSRP: $689.99,
$749.99, *(332)
INTRODUCED: 7/2011
DISCONTINUED:
DISCONTINUED COLORS:
COMMENTS: Uses Standard Gig Bag, P/N 0991412000 (Not Included),
Changed from Satin finish neck to “Gloss Headstock Face with Satin Urethane Finish on Back of Neck” 7/2011.
Added (302) Lake Placid Blue and (309) Candy Apple Red in 1/2009,
Upgraded in 11/2008 with tinted neck, parchment plastic parts and pickguard and transition logo and switch to 014 part number prefix. Price raised $100.
WRENCH SIZES: Truss Rod Adjustment Wrench, (3/16” Hex), P/N 0038467000,
Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench, (1.5 mm Hex), P/N 0050919000
NOTICE: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

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rob Schwarz
Director,Fender Customer Service
Proudly serving Fender Customers
for over 30 years

Hi Rob,

Thanks for jumping on this for us!

We didn't receive anything but the axe, a righty (duh!) whammy bar and a gig bag. Nada else. We buy MIMs all day for less (I have several here waiting for rehab), but we thought this one "special", so we paid more. Too much more based on the going (Craigslist/Ebay) rate.. Stupid us.

Sorry, the serial number was indeed a typo. I really should reread these things before I hit "submit".

It is actually "MX" and not "MZ".

So, just to clarify, this is a Mexi Standard Stratocaster in Arctic White, correct? NOT a Limited Run or Special Edition as claimed?

Fender Standard, Left Handed, Rosewood, Arctic White, Tinted neck. Correct? I know, I know... I don't speak "Fender"...

Thanks for the intel. If this is less guitar than we were led to believe, I need to see a man about an axe...

Again, my thanks.

RRonin

_________________
I used to have guitars...
My kids ate them. (sigh!)

Hopefully Rob is subscribed to this one; he could re-run the serial number with the correct MX prefix and see what comes up.

If he doesn't bounce back into the thread tomorrow try emailing consumer relations directly.

He said that he did replace the Z with an X, and the specs given were for that number.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Well that's what I get for making one last post before I went to bed last night; I just didn't read Rob's post carefully enough.

I kind of got caught up in that marathon Firestorm Strat Plus thread .

I get caught up looking at the photos in that Firestorm thread, lol! I like that color.

But yes, the specs i posted were for MX10255532 which should be a lefty and to the best of my knowledge is not an FSR or anything like that. The serial I pulled up shows completion 1/6/2011 and shipping shortly thereafter to a dealer.

All the best,
rob

_________________
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rob Schwarz
Director,Fender Customer Service
Proudly serving Fender Customers
for over 30 years

Rob,

Man, I love your style. Find a fire. jump on it and put it out...

I'm in contact with the seller now and we're trying to "remedy" the situation. It's a nice axe, it's just not "Special" or "Limited".

Now if you could only do the same "healing" for that Firestorm thread. What a beautiful axe! The dude should have renamed it "Phoenix"! What a bunch of drama! I'm surprised that the moderator let all that nonsense in the last 8 pages run itself out.

Once again, FENDER rides in on their "Arctic White Alder" horse and rescues us! Thanks for that. It's truly appreciated.

RRonin

_________________
I used to have guitars...
My kids ate them. (sigh!)

Rronin,
:O)

_________________
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rob Schwarz
Director,Fender Customer Service
Proudly serving Fender Customers
for over 30 years

Unfortunately the mod is on vacation.

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...I for one, sure would appreciate the return of intelligent conversation, spirit of assistance and the simple yet effective ignoring of those who can't seem to hang with that...
Best regards,
rob

I'm just glad that Rob wasn't out on vacation. He just got me out of a real jam. Again, buddy, if you're still lurking this thread, you ROCK! Please accept my thanks!

As for the moderator of that Firestorm thread... Man, is he missing it! He's gonna come back to a real mess.

I know that ego helps make us great players, but some people need to check theirs at the door. That thread is a real good example. Too bad too, I was learning some tasty "luthiercraft" before it all blew up. Pity that.

_________________
I used to have guitars...
My kids ate them. (sigh!)

Based on all the great (and IMMEDIATE) intel, we had a meeting of the minds with the seller and he's kicked back considerable cash to us to make up the difference in what IS, and more importantly, what wasn't.

Using data from ROB nailed the coffin closed.

It's really hard to dispute facts that come right from Fender Heaven...

We didn't get the axe we hoped for, but we ended up with a beautiful axe at a fair price. It'll get some Secret Strat Project love and then we'll send it on to a new "lover" stationed in the Sandbox.

Peeps, do your homework and then get the goods by going direct to the wellspring. We simply and calmly presented the facts and then waited for the seller to react. He got duped by the collector that sold him the axe. And, he immediately made it right.

It's nice to deal with a seller who "mans up when things go south". Kudos to him. He proved himself worthy in our eyes.

The proof is already in my paypal account.

Again... Thanks, ROB. You totally rock and taught me a valuable lesson at the same time.

See, you can teach an old Dawg new licks...

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I used to have guitars...
My kids ate them. (sigh!)

Great to see sometimes people actually do the right thing! The fact finding on this post was really amazing and on a side note what you do for the troops is absolutely wonderful thank you for your time and interest

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Mona
"Music is What Feelings Sound like"