I have just acquired a Strat that was depicted as a Japanese neck on a USA body.
I need to know if the body is indeed American made. I have taken the pick-guard off and can find no identifying stickers, labels, markings that would indicate the country of origin! There is a bar-code sticker in the neck pick-up cavity.
It has only numbers: 0056229-791. There is another round sticker which is caramel in color with, what looks like 3T21 handwritten on it. It could also be "3TJ1". It's difficult to be sure.
It has a 6-point bridge with Vintage style saddles that say, "Fender". Not sure what the finish is but I do know it is not chrome and it is not black.
I also removed the rear cover-plate where the number, '79' written in marker on the body cavity under the springs. ?
There is no doubt as to the origin of the Maple/Maple neck! At the bottom of the neck, just above the neck-joint, are the words, Crafted in Japan. snAC30256 and the truss rod adjustment is at the heel of the neck rather than in the head-stock.
On the front of the head-stock it says; Fender (gold lettering edged in black) Stratocaster, With Synchronized Tremolo. At the tip of the head-stock are the words; "Original Custom Body".
I will add pictures as soon as I remember how to do it.
Thanks everyone for taking a look!

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"Music is Love, & Love is Music, if you what I mean. People who believe in Music are the happiest people I've ever seen!"

Without getting to deep,
there are many known factory Fender guitars
that have the MIJ and MIA parts.
Consider it a MIJ.

Now, you will need to verify if the neck & body shipped together as one unit
and then you can claim an original MIJ Fender Stratocaster.

Otherwise, you will have a non-original Partscaster.
It may still be a great guitar.

Just good to know, now and record the information for your
future knowledge, future sales or if you give it to a friend.

Take care. Toppscore.



Send more info, photos, the neck-butt numbers, the neck-head stock serial numbers,
the tone/volume potentiometer date codes, numbers/info within the body's neck cavity.
Anything will help

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Also, I checked a guitar dating service
and your serial number came up as unknown
for MIJapan and CIJ Crafted in Japan and
USA mader Fenders.

Keep in the back of your mind that some idiots
can copy or make guitars look real or change dates, etc.

Make it your mission to get it correct if you have
an original, a partscaster or a total fake guitar.

Good luck. Toppscore


"AC30256" does not show up at all.
double check to see if the number I have is accurate.

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I knew it was not a full-on Japanese Fender. The neck only was Japanese. I very much appreciate your advice but I have traded the guitar since posting this topic.

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"Music is Love, & Love is Music, if you what I mean. People who believe in Music are the happiest people I've ever seen!"

What was the body?
Again, there are MIJ Fenders on USA labeled bodies.
Fender probably shipped bodies to Japan
or Japan shipped necks to Corona.

So, all could be legitimate and Fender Factory original.

What did you conclude?
Was the body truly USA???

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Chubby D...Ignore what you have been told. That Number JT31 sounds exactly like a number that would be on a body for a MIJ.

The guitar dater site is notorious for coming up empty, I have an early 85 MIJ Esquire I bought new and it has never appeared on the guitar dater site. Are you sure the serial number on the neck is AC vs AO or something...MIJ Necks started with a Letter +6 digits.

What makes you think the body is not MIJ? And to be honest NO ONE can be sure where the body was made without pics and even then sometimes you can't tell FOR SURE. Take what you were told with a grain of salt...it was conjecture at best.

A good source for acurate and respected information can be found on this following site...this guy REALLY knows his stuff.

http://www.xhefriguitars.com/page14.html

FWIW

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Chubby, no worry about it.
Personally, as previously mentioned, it probaby was a MIJ.
But, since it is long gone from your possession,
just wondering if you remember if the body was MIA.
And, MIA would still keep things together as a MIJ.

What did you trade for?
What are you jamming with, now?
Toppscore

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Sometimes it's better to assume it's a parts Caster until positive ID can be made. I keeps one's hopes in check. I picked up a Frankencaster yesterday too and Although I know I have a MIJ neck, I don't know the origins of the body. The body is a natural purple color of some unknow to me wood. The guitar has a hard tail and the typical 3 single pole pickups. Very cool looking and well playing guitar that also has an unverified Dick Dale autograph on the headstock. $195 out the door(OTD)!

I like what you say.
The OP has traded away the guitar.
Betting it was a real MIJ.
But, at least we have created awareness of MIJ necks.
Toppscore

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Does anyone have a link for checking MIJ serial numbers?

I believe our own Xhefri is good at that . Get your glasses
http://xhefriguitars.com/page14.html

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A-man