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Post subject: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 12:49 am
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Were there 4 bolt necks before the E2 Smith Stratocasters?
This guitar has a 4 bolt neck but a S9 serial number
Any ideas what this is?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-1981-Fende ... 5667c771a8


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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:53 am
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My 1978 25th Anniversary Strat was a four-bolt neck, large CBS-era headstock, bullet truss-rod adjust -- just like the guitar in the listing.

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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 3:55 am
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I don't think that it's a 25th anniversary Strat.

1. The puckguard and parts are the wronmg color.
2. It is missing the word, "Anniversary" in big letters on hte upper harn.
3. The back belly contour is wrong for this period in Fender history.
4. Also the truss rod adjuster is on the wrong end.
I would be leary of buying this guitar.

Here are some examples of what I'm am talking about.

http://guitarvillage.uk.com/product/128 ... o-COA.aspx

http://www.hi-guitars.com/VG0017.html


I would not be surprised to find out that this is modern body and parts, married to a '70s neck. This guitar might be a nice player, but it's work about $600 - $800 (cost in parts). The neck itself is worth about $400 - $500.


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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:46 am
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I've never seen a 25th with the bullet truss rod; only with a heel truss rod - plus they didn't use the regular serial number system. There was the 1981 International Colors model in Sahara taupe but it used up the left-over 25th Anniversary bodies and necks and had the heel truss rod adjuster:

Image

Image

As you can see - S9, but heel adjuster and 4-bolt.

I think the one in the OP must be a 4-bolt conversion.


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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:50 pm
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I have not actually seen any 70's- pre smith Strat ever with a 4 bolt and bullet truss from the factory. That all went along with the micro tilt. My guess is like so many post 72 Strats it was simply converted to a 4 bolt to make it more stable.

If you purchase it make sure you do a teardown for authenticity right away and if it is not as represented you can ship it back for a refund.

You could also ask the seller for a pic with the neck removed. If that is an authentic 79ish Strat it will be clearly apparent that is was converted from a 3 bolt.

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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 4:22 am
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Here is a good website for getting information about late '70s era Strats. Its author has saved me a great deal of pain and suffering when making purchases.

http://www.strat-central.com/70sstrats/


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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 7:17 am
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ebaysux wrote:
I have not actually seen any 70's- pre smith Strat ever with a 4 bolt and bullet truss from the factory. That all went along with the micro tilt. My guess is like so many post 72 Strats it was simply converted to a 4 bolt to make it more stable.

If you purchase it make sure you do a teardown for authenticity right away and if it is not as represented you can ship it back for a refund.

You could also ask the seller for a pic with the neck removed. If that is an authentic 79ish Strat it will be clearly apparent that is was converted from a 3 bolt.


I agree with you about it probably being a conversion.

Just from a history perspective besides the 25th Anniversary there is also that Sahara Taupe model from the 1981 "International Colors" series with a large headstock and the 4-bolt/heel adjustment neck - these evidently used up some left-over 25th Anniversary parts (but with the "normal" S9 serial number on the headstock). That was the only one of the "International Colors" that was like that; all the other colors were the typical 1981 3-bolt/bullet headstock style. I remember that in the city I were I lived in 1981 the Fender dealer changed; the new Fender dealer had a wall of the "International Colors" models in most colors but not the Sahara Taupe; I originally found the info about that one being a 4-bolt on the now-shuttered Stratcollector.com site.


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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 8:14 am
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John C wrote:
ebaysux wrote:
I have not actually seen any 70's- pre smith Strat ever with a 4 bolt and bullet truss from the factory. That all went along with the micro tilt. My guess is like so many post 72 Strats it was simply converted to a 4 bolt to make it more stable.

If you purchase it make sure you do a teardown for authenticity right away and if it is not as represented you can ship it back for a refund.

You could also ask the seller for a pic with the neck removed. If that is an authentic 79ish Strat it will be clearly apparent that is was converted from a 3 bolt.


I agree with you about it probably being a conversion.

Just from a history perspective besides the 25th Anniversary there is also that Sahara Taupe model from the 1981 "International Colors" series with a large headstock and the 4-bolt/heel adjustment neck - these evidently used up some left-over 25th Anniversary parts (but with the "normal" S9 serial number on the headstock). That was the only one of the "International Colors" that was like that; all the other colors were the typical 1981 3-bolt/bullet headstock style. I remember that in the city I were I lived in 1981 the Fender dealer changed; the new Fender dealer had a wall of the "International Colors" models in most colors but not the Sahara Taupe; I originally found the info about that one being a 4-bolt on the now-shuttered Stratcollector.com site.


I actually saw one of these Sahara Toupe Strats. Not an exciting color.


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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 11:08 am
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John C wrote:
ebaysux wrote:
I have not actually seen any 70's- pre smith Strat ever with a 4 bolt and bullet truss from the factory. That all went along with the micro tilt. My guess is like so many post 72 Strats it was simply converted to a 4 bolt to make it more stable.

If you purchase it make sure you do a teardown for authenticity right away and if it is not as represented you can ship it back for a refund.

You could also ask the seller for a pic with the neck removed. If that is an authentic 79ish Strat it will be clearly apparent that is was converted from a 3 bolt.


I agree with you about it probably being a conversion.

Just from a history perspective besides the 25th Anniversary there is also that Sahara Taupe model from the 1981 "International Colors" series with a large headstock and the 4-bolt/heel adjustment neck - these evidently used up some left-over 25th Anniversary parts (but with the "normal" S9 serial number on the headstock). That was the only one of the "International Colors" that was like that; all the other colors were the typical 1981 3-bolt/bullet headstock style. I remember that in the city I were I lived in 1981 the Fender dealer changed; the new Fender dealer had a wall of the "International Colors" models in most colors but not the Sahara Taupe; I originally found the info about that one being a 4-bolt on the now-shuttered Stratcollector.com site.



That is good info and must be quite rare. If I ever see a deal on a strat from that era with a 4 bolt, large headstock/non bullet truss I will check it for authenticity. Generally if it is using a 4 bolt large headstock non bullet it would be assumed as some kind of 67-68 reissue. As far as the one in this post from the eBay ad it is clearly not one of those and the only question really is if the body is correct which if only converted to a 4 bolt is not unusual, but will depreciate the value some.

When I looked at the shot of the back it does appear to have a mark left from the 3 bolt neck plate but since there is not a good close up it can't be confirmed. The price is a bit high but reasonable however I would really want a shot of it with the PG and neck removed to be more confidant...and as well would want a shot of the electronics as original late 70's/early 80s parts are climbing in price.

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Post subject: Re: 4 Bolt S9 Serial Stratocaster?
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:52 pm
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The only thing that makes me pause is the paint and condition.

The neck is so over-tinted, it looks like a re-paint/fake aged paint. Then there are no scratch's I could see on it and that makes me thing it a partscaster.

Without doing a full inspection, i would be very weary of it.

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