It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 1:11 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 23 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:29 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:09 am
Posts: 5
Hi Everyone,

Mt name is Alex Harvey and I am based in Suffolk in the UK.

We have had this Fender Stratocaster in our family for almost 20 years and my dad handed it to me around 3 years ago.

It was purchased second hand and am intrigued about its origins. The guitar appear to have had the machine heads changed for generic Grover ones which is odd. Also it appears to have a after market 0 fret. There are a few other niggling bits, but I would really appreciate some advise guidance, opinions on what it is.

Pictures to follow: -

Image

Image



Thanks everyone!

Alex


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:30 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:09 am
Posts: 5
Image

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:31 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:09 am
Posts: 5
Image

Image

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:31 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Jul 05, 2014 10:09 am
Posts: 5
Image

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 2:36 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
I'm not certain that I've ever seen a Strat with patent numbers on the decal and a contemporary-style truss rod adjustment access at the headstock.

There is no "zero fret" that I can see -- it appears to be an aftermarket roller nut.

Weird!

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


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:23 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 6:28 pm
Posts: 1956
If you pull the neck and the pick guard you can get some numbers off the neck and pots. Call or email Fender and they will help you identify. 8)

_________________
Robert Moog - "Hey... where do all these patch cables go?"


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:28 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 1:20 pm
Posts: 9640
Location: Indiana
IMO, the truss rod adjust hole, twelfth fret dot spacing, saddles, and pup pole pieces, all indicate a Squier. Add the fact that there is no serial number or country of origin anywhere to be seen, which means a fake decal.

_________________
---> "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.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:00 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:01 pm
Posts: 1479
Location: Los Angeles, USA
There is no country of origin or serial number so it would be hard to pinpoint without a teardown but it does appear the headstock decal was tampered with. It is most definitely not a USA neck. Seeing the electronics would help confirm but the pots on non USA are most likely not dated so as far as the exact year unless it is written on the heel or neck pocket it would be anyones guess other then you know is it around 20 years old. Also many non MIJ squires will not have any markings on the neck heel or pocket etc and the routes will be different.

I was thinking an early MIM squire was possible but those typically had one string tree and a slightly different truss rod insert. The closet I could find that seems like the same headstock (sans the roller nut) from 20 ish years ago is a Korean Squire series but still can't be 100% sure without digging deeper. Also from the other tuner holes it does not point to USA, MIM, or MIJ leaving other import IE: China/Korea
Image

_________________
I'm almost out of stuff to sell.


Last edited by ebaysux on Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:14 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2011 9:26 pm
Posts: 269
Location: Near The City By The Bay
For this one, it's the 12th fret marker separation. I'm not so good with stickers...

Looking at a Fender Stratocaster, the markers are usually separated by one pair of strings...approximately. Looking at a Squier, or anything else (but a good copy), the dots are usually separated by two pairs of strings...approximately.

Need to see codes on electronics and other internal details to make a determination on the body...for me...at least they got the trem cover screws properly offset...at best a partscaster...

And...when, and how severely was it dropped to get that neck-joint crack. Just the finish, or deeper?


Cheers.

_________________
1967 Epiphone Madrid EC-30
1975 Fender Stratocaster
1981 Rickenbacker 360
2002 BC Rich Bich
2007 Fender Standard Stratocaster
2012 Taylor GA3-12
2012 Squier Telecaster
2017 Les Paul Kit


"Make every song you sing your favorite tune."


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:29 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:01 pm
Posts: 1479
Location: Los Angeles, USA
HeyJoe42 wrote:
For this one, it's the 12th fret marker separation. I'm not so good with stickers...

Looking at a Fender Stratocaster, the markers are usually separated by one pair of strings...approximately. Looking at a Squier, or anything else (but a good copy), the dots are usually separated by two pairs of strings...approximately.

Need to see codes on electronics and other internal details to make a determination on the body...for me...at least they got the trem cover screws properly offset...at best a partscaster...

And...when, and how severely was it dropped to get that neck-joint crack. Just the finish, or deeper?


Cheers.


I have an early 90s Korean Squire and it also has the "proper" trem cover screw offset, not a partscaster so that is normal for those. However mine is an actual Squire "by Fender" and I suspect the OPs is a Fender "squire series" which I believe is a step up in that it should have the conventional neck pocket area thickness where the Squire "by Fender" has the thinner area. However my bridge and pups look identical to the OPs as well as the truss insert and string tree spacing. Now it is hard to tell by the pic but if it is the thinner neck pocket area then it might be the same model I have just with a tuner swap and the roller nut, and of course a swapped out decal.

EDIT: I take that back, the truss rod insert on mine is longer. So it might be a different year thing or his is a different model or origin Squire or Squire series.

_________________
I'm almost out of stuff to sell.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:18 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:45 pm
Posts: 852
Location: SoCal323
The trem and volume/tone knobs match my MIK squier II. That's all I can contribute. Hope it helps.

_________________
Its a lifestyle.....

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:38 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:02 pm
Posts: 1978
Location: Manchester
Hello Alex, welcome to the Fender forums.

I'm not sure precisely what your guitar is but it's certainly not a Fender Stratocaster. Sorry but there it is. Too many little details are just wrong, it looks very much like a far eastern copy guitar with a decal applied to make it look like a Fender instrument.

_________________
Image
Image my stuff on soundcloud


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:23 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
GilgaFrank wrote:
I'm not sure precisely what your guitar is but it's certainly not a Fender Stratocaster. Sorry but there it is. Too many little details are just wrong, it looks very much like a far eastern copy guitar with a decal applied to make it look like a Fender instrument.


+1

It's indisputably a forgery -- no doubt in my mind.

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


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:37 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:14 pm
Posts: 2561
Retroverbial wrote:
GilgaFrank wrote:
I'm not sure precisely what your guitar is but it's certainly not a Fender Stratocaster. Sorry but there it is. Too many little details are just wrong, it looks very much like a far eastern copy guitar with a decal applied to make it look like a Fender instrument.


+1

It's indisputably a forgery -- no doubt in my mind.

Arjay


Guess we're not likely to hear from AH anytime in the near future....

4 and done !! :lol: :lol: :lol:

cheers!

_________________
Image

'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Fender Stratocaster - unknown Origins
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 8:01 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:01 pm
Posts: 1479
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Upon a little more review seems this is most likely a late 80s early 90s MIK squire or squire II. Now mine is a 94 and the only difference is a slightly longer truss hole insert and the string trees are a little higher (like 1/16"-1/8" at most). Other then that mine is identical bridge and saddles, identical pickups, identical thickness, identical trem cover, identical frets, the old tuner holes on the neck look like they would take the same import tuners mine has, identical knobs and switch cap, identical screws and PG screw locations (but my PG is a one ply) so it seems exactly like an MIK Squire or Squire II "by Fender" from the era. When I searched for late 80s to 92 the neck is identical with the trees in the exact same position and the slightly shorter truss rod insert.

Also owners are claiming it is made of plywood but still sounds good and has decent resonance...go figure. Not sure if mine is plywood since it is a few years newer but it does play nice, excellent neck and sounds fine...that is until I plug it into an amp or board. So I only use it as an around the house beater to practice and write on unplugged. I thought of maybe one day doing tuners, bridge, block, nut, pups, pots, switch etc but realized I have so many other guitars that need finishing I will never get to this MIK.

EDIT: Almost forgot to add...I have a crack forming in the same exact location. Not sure if is only surface finish or deeper but it does not seem to be affecting anything so I am not too concerned. I paid exactly zero dollars for it from an ex that gave it to me.

_________________
I'm almost out of stuff to sell.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 23 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: