It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:24 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 1:53 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:45 pm
Posts: 2770
Location: Kansas
ebaysux wrote:
I own the same guitar but it is a 2002 model. I was under the impression it went by "American Standard" as well as 2003. Does anyone know for sure what years it was called "American series"? I have heard the term "American standard series" which wiki says "as of 2012" but not sure if that is official.

EDIT: Found this info on another forum (Strat-Talk). Is it accurate?

There was no American Standard series in '02.

Fender named their American strats "American Standard" from 1987 to 1999. IN 2000 they renamed (the same guitar for the most part) the "American Series" and then in 2008 they made a few more revisions (bent steel saddles) and renamed the series the "American Standard" once again.


Yes, that's pretty much accurate. Fender did a fairly major overhaul of the American Standard model in 2000; when it was introduced at the Summer 2000 NAMM show (in July in Nashville, TN than year) they did drop the "Standard" part from the name and the ads began referring to them as the "American Series". That being said some of the literature would just call them "American" during this time as well. I believe the Marketing-speak was "there were so many upgrades we just can't call them 'Standard' any more". But of course, after calling this model the "American Standard" for over 14 years a lot of people just kept calling them by the old name.

This period ran from July 2000 through the end of 2007. Fender introduced the next major update to the model at the Winter 2008 NAMM show in January of that year, and at that time the "Standard" part was restored and the model was once again officially the "American Standard".

But regardless of the name used they are the evolution of the same model, filling the same price-point in Fender's lineup. So the name was:

1987-July 2000: American Standard
July 2000-2007: American Series
2008-present: American Standard

Hope that helps.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 2:13 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Johnnyb0y wrote:
Okey hehe yeah its awesome :)

Yeah sure send them when u can!

Much appreciated! :wink:



Follow Shimmilou good advice about consumer relation . They will give all the specs . My Frontline is very poor .


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 2:59 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 1:20 pm
Posts: 9640
Location: Indiana
John C,

Do the pups look like Am Std pups? They look just like Tex-Mex to me. :?:

_________________
---> "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: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:21 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Location: Sweden
stratele52 wrote:
Johnnyb0y wrote:
Okey hehe yeah its awesome :)

Yeah sure send them when u can!

Much appreciated! :wink:



Follow Shimmilou good advice about consumer relation . They will give all the specs . My Frontline is very poor .


Yeah i have emailed them and attached the pics still waiting for answer.

shimmilou wrote:
John C,

Do the pups look like Am Std pups? They look just like Tex-Mex to me. :?:


judging by the color of the wires and the date it was made its likely its alnico v pickups, tex mex has red yellow white +blacks

found another tread on the exact pickups:

http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/pickup- ... 7-62s.html

seems like its MIA Alnico v's

Question is if Lace Sensor Hot Gold would be an upgrade cus I'm thinking on getting a set of those!
Have any experience with Hot Golds ?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:27 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:01 pm
Posts: 1479
Location: Los Angeles, USA
shimmilou wrote:
John C,

Do the pups look like Am Std pups? They look just like Tex-Mex to me. :?:


This is the issue as far as I can tell. The numbers on the bobbins (and that style as used on many strats look) really only tell you the bobbin. I have the same numbers on some pups I have from a 2002 hwy one however they all have black and white wires. I notice on the standards/American series with the "Delta tone" use the same bobbins but have different colored wires on the pups, and the bridge pups are sometimes higher output identified by 2 screw heads on the underside of the bobbins. The Hwy ones I have look like this which research indicate are "alnico II's" (2) and the term "vintage" might be tossed in there as they tend to do with almost everything lol. To note they are staggered pole as I believe all these style were after 2000 ish.

Image

I have also seen these exact bobbins on mexi 60s/70s reissues.

The tex-mex as well appear to use the same bobbins with the same part # and also use the different colored wires. So it seems the only way to tell visibly if there is a way, is by the wire colors as stated.

_________________
I'm almost out of stuff to sell.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:48 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
My 1995 American Standard pickups look the same , black plastic bothom with number printed on


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 5:47 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:01 pm
Posts: 1479
Location: Los Angeles, USA
stratele52 wrote:
My 1995 American Standard pickups look the same , black plastic bothom with number printed on


Yes, it seems those exact bobbins were used on many Americans as well as Mexi reissues for quite some time. I would not even be surprised if a few snuck there way onto some MIJ reissues as there was a time from what I gather they did use USA electronics on some of those...and perhaps even bodies and necks. Oh, the mysterious ways of Fender over the years.

What I am curious about is on the loaded Hwy one I have all the pups are identical in appearance including the wire colors. I wonder if they used as RWRP in the middle pup. I heard they did but I guess to only way to verify is if I use a compass. All the wires are black and white and all the blacks are going to ground from the factory. Really odd that if it is an RWRP in the middle they left no indication whatsoever. I reckon I could also just wire it to an amp and listen if there is a decrease in hum/buzz when in 2 and 4 switch position. This way I won't have to find out after it is installed.

_________________
I'm almost out of stuff to sell.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:18 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:54 am
Posts: 2573
Location: Laurel, MD
If I were to take a guess, this a 2003 American series, the guitar which replaced the '80s and '90s American Std and was later replaced by the current Am. Std. Strat.

Many qualities of the Am. Series were retained in the current Am. Std., to include the neck shape, neck edges, and body contours.

The American series Strat was updated in the pickups, saddles, and the bridge block.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:41 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Johnnyb0y,

PDF send .


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:09 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:45 pm
Posts: 2770
Location: Kansas
Sorry; I didn't make it back to here last night. But it looks like everyone answered the question about the pickups.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:23 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Location: Sweden
stratele52 wrote:
Johnnyb0y,

PDF send .


Yeah i got it!

Many thanks to you :)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 11:14 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:20 pm
Posts: 496
You said that you scraped some paint off the neck and other places. Did you take off the neck and check out the pocket? Sometimes paint finds it way in and a little time taking it off can improve the tone. The more wood to wood contact the better. Also, a lot of things have been used as shims - playing cards, strips of paper, etc. If yours has anything like that and needs a shim use hardwood veneer. Somebody else might be able to recommend something better, but veneer seems to work fine and is cheap. No paper, plastic, or cardboard.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 2:30 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
fenderfan wrote:
You said that you scraped some paint off the neck and other places. Did you take off the neck and check out the pocket? Sometimes paint finds it way in and a little time taking it off can improve the tone. The more wood to wood contact the better. Also, a lot of things have been used as shims - playing cards, strips of paper, etc. If yours has anything like that and needs a shim use hardwood veneer. Somebody else might be able to recommend something better, but veneer seems to work fine and is cheap. No paper, plastic, or cardboard.



I use brass thin sheet available at any train / airplane hobby shop

.005 " ,010"...... many thickness available


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 7:53 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2015 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Location: Sweden
fenderfan wrote:
You said that you scraped some paint off the neck and other places. Did you take off the neck and check out the pocket? Sometimes paint finds it way in and a little time taking it off can improve the tone. The more wood to wood contact the better. Also, a lot of things have been used as shims - playing cards, strips of paper, etc. If yours has anything like that and needs a shim use hardwood veneer. Somebody else might be able to recommend something better, but veneer seems to work fine and is cheap. No paper, plastic, or cardboard.


Yeah i used fine sandpaper and made it very smooth and plane basically, no paint left, it had a piece of paper of the manufacturing date which i scraped off, the neck on this one seems accurate with no need of adjustment :)

Thx for the tip (Y) :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Help me identify an 2003 AM STD Strat and the pickups pl
Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 7:04 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 6:01 pm
Posts: 1479
Location: Los Angeles, USA
fenderfan wrote:
You said that you scraped some paint off the neck and other places. Did you take off the neck and check out the pocket? Sometimes paint finds it way in and a little time taking it off can improve the tone. The more wood to wood contact the better. Also, a lot of things have been used as shims - playing cards, strips of paper, etc. If yours has anything like that and needs a shim use hardwood veneer. Somebody else might be able to recommend something better, but veneer seems to work fine and is cheap. No paper, plastic, or cardboard.


Interesting. I have used matchbook covers on some that did not have micro tilt. Didn't notice it make any difference in sound/tone but then again I was not really listening for any. But next time I will try veneer as I always at least try things out before knocking it if it is cost effective. We read about all these tips and tricks and never really know what is valid unless you try it for yourself. Just like some claim certain woods make a huge difference yet some say they had plywood or basswood strats that were the best they ever heard. Then some claim nitro finish lets the wood "breath" so it has better tone and that poly will "smother" it, and others say there is no way a human could tell the difference because it is a solid body electric and not acoustical. And then some say the 70s Strats were the worst and others say they are some of the best, which I actually agree with since I have owned around 10 of them.

Where I do hear a difference is with the fingerboard. I notice a distinct difference all else being equal between a maple and rosewood fretboard.

It does make some sense that a good "wood to wood" contact at the neck attachment point would be optimal but I would love to test for myself if removing a little paint is really going to have an impact I can hear. We are talking mils here. Gibson uses glue at the neck joint...that is a lot thicker then paint and they seem to sustain and tone just fine.

_________________
I'm almost out of stuff to sell.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


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: