Hello.

I want to buy an MiM strat. The on i am looking for now is made in 90's('95 exacly). I was looking for a photo with serial number like this using Google, but i haven't found anything like this. I mean: serial number and "Made in Mexico" below it in that exact spot. Is it original?

Second thing: do the guitar tunings look original?

Third one: Have they ever made HSS like this: maple freatboard and black body?

Pictures:
http://i49.tinypic.com/29wvlmd.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/14e9a3a.jpg


PS: Sorry if i did any mistakes.

The Mexican "Tex-Mex" model had the serial number and "Made in Mexico" in that location, and those are the correct tuners for that model (American Vintage Reissue tuners). Everything about the neck looks correct for a Tex-Mex neck. The Tex-Mex actually debuted in 1996 but many of them had "MN5xxxxx" serials.

There was a HSS version of the Tex-Mex, and it was available in black with a maple fingerboard. The bridge should be an American Vintage Reissue bridge with a full-size steel block, but I'd need bigger/closer pics of the bridge (front and back) to confirm that it's not just a Tex-Mex neck bolted onto a MIM Standard body (or other non-original body).

A couple years later the Tex-Mex became the basis for the Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Signature.

I'm not sure if the black pickguard, black pickups, and white knobs was a combination they offered. And all the Tex-Mex's were routed for HSS. So it's very possible that it's not a completely stock Tex-Mex even if it has the correct bridge. (And as I said, from those pics the only thing I'm very confident about is that it's a genuine Tex-Mex neck.)

Here's one of Fender's original ads dated 1996 showing the Tex-Mex Strats......



HTH

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