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Post subject: '63 Strat?
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 8:34 pm
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A friend recently was given a beautiful vintage (apparently) strat, which I have for a setup, and posible fret job. The neck plate is not original (no serial #, large "F", and micro tiltl hole), but everything else looks original to me. Headstock decal reads "Fender Stratocaster with syncronized tremolo Pat. 3,741,146 3,143,028 Des. 169 062". What does the Des. # mean, and could this be original? I'm pulling the neck & pickguard tommorow, and I'll update with what I find. Thanks for any tips or help with this.....Michael


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 8:50 pm
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Pictures would help tremendously. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 8:57 pm
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Michael C. Williams wrote:
The neck plate is not original (no serial #, large "F", and micro tiltl hole), but everything else looks original to me.


Who does that?

:shock:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 11:34 pm
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Hey Arjay, How you been? Can't imagine who would do such a thing...I need to ask my friend if he can get any more history on this beauty....just got my hands on it today...I'll get some pics tommorow ...


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 12:58 am
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They ain't planted me yet.

:mrgreen:

And I'm still pissing off whomever I happen to take a shine to at any given moment.

:lol:

To determine that instrument's bonafides you'll need to disembowel it down to the sub-atomic level. You'll be looking for the characteristic nail holes in the body, a proper penciled or ink-stamped neck date, the gray-lacquered trem block, original "PAT. PEND." marked saddles, clay-dot position markers on the fretboard, pot codes which are period-correct for the era, etc etc etc.

But you knew that already I suspect.

I think we'll all be interested in some pics if you find some time to post them.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:29 am
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I believe those headstock numbers: Pat. 2,741,146 3,143,028 Des. 169 062

would put the guitar, if authentic, as between 1966 and 1968.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 10:15 am
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orvilleowner wrote:
I believe those headstock numbers: Pat. 2,741,146 3,143,028 Des. 169 062

would put the guitar, if authentic, as between 1966 and 1968.


+1

Which in practical terms means the headstock should be the large CBS-era type.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:32 pm
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Hmmm....it is the smaller, 50's type headstock....hope that does'nt mean there's been some waterslide hanky-panky...the neck sure looks as old as the body. Neck pocket has a very real looking stamp that says "TD "62". I've got pics, but can't seem to remember how to post 'em...how doe's that work again?


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 11:04 pm
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A stamp "TD 62" sounds a lot like a Japanese marking for a '62-style Strat. :? I can confirm that the numbers that you listed are indeed not found until '66 to '68 on genuine vintage Fender Strats, so would only be on the big headstock, and even the Fender logo will be different on a '63 compared to '66 to '68 logo.

To post pics, they must be uploaded to a publicly accessible site such as PhotoBucket or similar. Once uploaded, you can copy the "IMG" code provided on the site and paste that code into your post here. After pasting the code in your post, clicking "Preview" or "Submit" will show the picture.

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:27 pm
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Thanks, Shimmilou....here are a few pics...Image....Image....Image


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 3:41 pm
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And a few more...Image....Image,,,Image...Image....Image


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:22 pm
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Does that neck have a maple cap?

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:49 pm
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Kind of looks like a maple cap. Body looks MIJ, neck looks like a fake fender to me.


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:18 pm
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Here are a couple more pics..Image...Image...Image...Image...


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Post subject: Re: '63 Strat?
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:31 pm
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Thanks for the pics Michael C. Williams.

I have to agree, that's no Am '63, not even an Am RI, or anything Am for that matter. That is a faked neck and body, the pots aren't correct, the relic job on the electronics looks sprayed-on. It does look Japanese, with a fake decal and relic job. That decal doesn't even exist on any real Am Fender. The Fender logo is similar to a circa '63 Fender, but as pointed out before, those patent numbers would be found on a '66 to '68 Fender with a completely different logo, and only on the large headstock. Couple all of that with the wrong neck plate...... :(

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