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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:22 pm
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These were a limited number of these “I” series guitars were made in 1989 and 1990. They were made for the export market and have “Made in USA” stamped on the neck heel. The last one I saw on Ebay in July went for $530


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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:39 pm
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My approach to dating a strat is to first find out if its low end or high end... and if high end, is it a production model or a custom shop strat?

once I find that out, for low end strats I like to take them for a burger and fries, maybe a movie if I think it they're easy and I might score with them...maybe a cheap bottle of liquor if they need a bit of loosening up.

... for a high end strat, I'll spring for steak and a decent bottle of wine ... maybe I'll spring for a cheap motel near the highway if things go well.

... for a custom shop model - only best - lobster, the best wine in the place, and if she's into we'd come back to my place and play all night long. ; :lol: :lol: :lol: :P :P :P


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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:11 am
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goodinbed wrote:
These were a limited number of these “I” series guitars were made in 1989 and 1990. They were made for the export market and have “Made in USA” stamped on the neck heel. The last one I saw on Ebay in July went for $530


That's interesting because all of what i' had read listed these "I +6 digits" as MIJ. i understand now when folks say Fender did some mixed up/confusing things in their marking!


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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:46 am
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goodinbed wrote:
These were a limited number of these “I” series guitars were made in 1989 and 1990. They were made for the export market and have “Made in USA” stamped on the neck heel. The last one I saw on Ebay in July went for $530

Are you say then, these are Made in USA???? Or Made in Japan to exported to USA?

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:16 am
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A little late to the show...but here's a basic question...

I usually look at the trem cover and match up the screws...if the center ones are aligned...usually a sign of something unofficial?

Two of the linked photos shows the back and they are clearly aligned.

Image



I've never noticed a Fender product shipped this way...though some fakes are made with offset holes...

???

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 10:45 am
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Guess i should have used HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING A 'STRAT' for the subject as opposed to just dating it!

This one seems to be an enigma and i'm as confused as ever. But i appreciate all the input. Lots of great info thanks!


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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:53 pm
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Xhefri wrote:
I am sure this is a 1989-1990 MIJ Strat. These are really pretty decent guitars, way better then a Squire, IMHO. As pointed out, someone stamped Made in USA on the back of the neck.


I agree that they are MIJ. I've seen under the hood on a few of these stamped I-series guitars and they were all clearly of Japanese construction.

Someone probably made quite a few bucks off of this fraud. The disception has even made it onto respectable serial number lists ... not the least of which being the list on Fender's own website (talk about a lack of quality control).

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:07 am
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goodinbed wrote:
These were a limited number of these “I” series guitars were made in 1989 and 1990. They were made for the export market and have “Made in USA” stamped on the neck heel. The last one I saw on Ebay in July went for $530


OK, i thought i was finished but then i read this again and something struck me so i went back and had another peek.

i examined the entire neck and "Made in U.S.A." stamp very closely using a high-power loop under intense light. As stated, i am not a techy (barely even a player), but i am sure this neck/fingerboard are original, including the finish, and so here's the puzzler - the stamp is under the clear coat. Had it been stamped afterward by 'some joker' it would clearly have adulterated the finish around it. No question. Hmmmm...


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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:16 am
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Anyone who could remove the "Made in Japan" decal from that area of the neck could also have refinished after stamping. So, the finish over the stamp doesn't really mean anything. I am no expert, it could be legit, but I'm not buying it. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:18 am
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I am glad this thread came back up as I was looking for it the other day. Like the last post, I found that Fender did make some guitars that match this description. The Made in USA stamp on this guitar looks flaky but, as pointed out by the last post (by edspaghetti) here is what Fender has in their ODD and UNUSUAL SERIAL NUMBERS listing:

I(XXXXXXX) A limited number of these "I" series guitars were made in '89 and '90. They were made for the export market and have Made in USA stamped on the heel of the neck.

I had a guy email me about a guitar kind of like this one but had an H serial number..... looked a little weird. This guitar in question just does not look USA to me....

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:15 am
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Xhefri wrote:
The Made in USA stamp on this guitar looks flaky but, as pointed out by the last post (by edspaghetti) here is what Fender has in their ODD and UNUSUAL SERIAL NUMBERS listing:

I(XXXXXXX) A limited number of these "I" series guitars were made in '89 and '90. They were made for the export market and have Made in USA stamped on the heel of the neck.


Yeah, here's the thing on that.

That particular piece of "serial number history" has been a part of many (unofficial) web pages going back in time, way before this Fender.com site was put up. I am afraid that Fender's well-intentioned webmasters simply copied one of these web pages when they started their serial number history section. Now this bit of old fraud/internet myth has official sanctioning.

I don't know if we can get Fender's attention to correct it.

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:34 am
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orvilleowner wrote:
Xhefri wrote:
The Made in USA stamp on this guitar looks flaky but, as pointed out by the last post (by edspaghetti) here is what Fender has in their ODD and UNUSUAL SERIAL NUMBERS listing:

I(XXXXXXX) A limited number of these "I" series guitars were made in '89 and '90. They were made for the export market and have Made in USA stamped on the heel of the neck.


Yeah, here's the thing on that.

That particular piece of "serial number history" has been a part of many (unofficial) web pages going back in time, way before this Fender.com site was put up. I am afraid that Fender's well-intentioned webmasters simply copied one of these web pages when they started their serial number history section. Now this bit of old fraud/internet myth has official sanctioning.

I don't know if we can get Fender's attention to correct it.

Now that is interesting! As I am carrying on the myth on my website. How did you come to know this? I cut and pasted this serial number section shown on my site right from Fender, so you are right...that was the source for me. Maybe let Brad or Rob Schwarz or someone from Fender know?

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:15 pm
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orvilleowner wrote:

Yeah, here's the thing on that.

That particular piece of "serial number history" has been a part of many (unofficial) web pages going back in time, way before this Fender.com site was put up. I am afraid that Fender's well-intentioned webmasters simply copied one of these web pages when they started their serial number history section. Now this bit of old fraud/internet myth has official sanctioning.

I don't know if we can get Fender's attention to correct it.


Hi there,
The "odd" serial number section of the Product Dater, though admittedly anecdotal, was not "simply copied" from other web pages by well-intentioned webmasters. All of the product dating info that wasn't saved to our mainframe computer.....which essentially is anything before 1993, was gotten by reference books---also referenced in that area of the dating page--and by non-web based research (due largely because much of that list goes back to 95 or so when there wasn't a whole lot of web). Soooooo...it is AS correct as any of that information is likely to get.
I agree that dating and identifying/authenticating are two (or three?) different things.
If you've got good/compelling info to the contrary-- that truly shows it as a "fraud/myth", feel free to share. As far as I'm aware, the info as posted is accurate.
Cheers,
rob

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 12:25 pm
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Rob Schwarz-Fender wrote:
orvilleowner wrote:
Yeah, here's the thing on that.

That particular piece of "serial number history" has been a part of many (unofficial) web pages going back in time, way before this Fender.com site was put up. I am afraid that Fender's well-intentioned webmasters simply copied one of these web pages when they started their serial number history section. Now this bit of old fraud/internet myth has official sanctioning.

I don't know if we can get Fender's attention to correct it.

Hi there,
The "odd" serial number section of the Product Dater, though admittedly anecdotal, was not "simply copied" from other web pages by well-intentioned webmasters. All of the product dating info that wasn't saved to our mainframe computer.....which essentially is anything before 1993, was gotten by reference books---also referenced in that area of the dating page--and by non-web based research (due largely because much of that list goes back to 95 or so when there wasn't a whole lot of web). Soooooo...it is AS correct as any of that information is likely to get.
I agree that dating and identifying/authenticating are two (or three?) different things.
If you've got good/compelling info to the contrary-- that truly shows it as a "fraud/myth", feel free to share. As far as I'm aware, the info as posted is accurate.
Cheers,
rob

Thanks Rob! Sure would like to clear this up. I have seen three of these Ixxxxx serial number Strats that have MADE IN USA stamped on the heel of the neck. The one on this thread does look questionable, that is, to be USA made, but one never knows. I look forward to a reply from orvilleowner where he got this info.

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Post subject: Re: HELP NEEDED DATING A 'STRAT'
Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:01 am
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i too am finding this very interesting and would love to get to the bottom of it.

In the mean time, i would like to recap a couple of things:
- all solder joints inside look original and pots all match
- neck & body have are similarly stamped
- more than one viewer confirmed seeing the USA and Fender logo with I+six digits serial number and a few sites have posted these serial numbers
- i am no techy but i am very good at observation and have gone over this thing with bright light and strong magnification and there is absolutely no indication of any refinishing/changes except for the aforementioned pick guard.


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