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Post subject: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 11:53 am
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This guitar has been identified by Fender as a September 1996 Traditional MIM. See post #20 for specs

Need help determining which model this 1995 MIM Strat is exactly?

My research seems to suggest these tuners only came on Squier series MIM guitars, but I don't see any evidence this is a Squier. Fender support didn't have any information when conducting a serial number search, but the rep did say "there was a fire down there in the 90's and some records were lost ... and early on some serial numbers weren't recorded at all"

So, the stock tuners are not very precise and I plan to upgrade them. The guitar does not have any tuning stability issues, so lessons on keeping a guitar in tune with the stock junk tuners aren't needed. Any suggestions for a high quality set of tuners with a high ratio, say 18:1?


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Last edited by Tone Meister on Tue Sep 08, 2015 11:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:28 pm
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It looks like someone has removed the Squier logo from the headstock.
The Fender logo is in the same flat script, and the tuners match the ones you want to swap out.

If it were me I'd fit a set of Gotoh or Schaller tuners, which might well mean having to ream the peg holes out and drill new holes for the location screws.


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:29 pm
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Tuning stability ; how is the nut slots ?


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 12:32 pm
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Hi there I'm no mexi expert but do a search on Fender Traditional Series MIM.
It may come up with some of the answers you are after. :D


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:25 am
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On those pics, I'd also guess it's a "Squier series" model - check the neck pocket, there may be a clarifying stamp.

On tuners, check out Schaller F-series, they're my favorite - you might even find a "drop-in" (quote marks because IMHO&IRL drop-ins don't exist) model. Of course, other quality brands also do the job.


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 4:07 am
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I'll try to figure out whether it's a Traditional or "Squier Series" but it really matters not because this is a fine guitar. The fretwork, feel, and playability rival my custom shop and the neck is well crafted out of a nice piece of wood. I very much like the way the ceramic pickups sound.

I'll pull it apart the next time it needs strings and pull the pickguard and look at the neck joint. I have a set of Fender F-tuners here and the mounting screw holes are on the opposite diagonal to these tuners.

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Last edited by Tone Meister on Tue Sep 08, 2015 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 12:55 pm
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stratmangler wrote:
It looks like someone has removed the Squier logo from the headstock ...

There was never a Squier logo on the headstock. I got the guitar from the original owner and the guitar has never been altered. Right now I'm leaning toward it being a Traditional, but it really doesn't matter a lot at this point. It plays like an American Strat and the fretwork, feel, and playability rival that of my custom shop Strat. I couldn't be happier at any price.

stratmangler wrote:
If it were me I'd fit a set of Gotoh or Schaller tuners, which might well mean having to ream the peg holes out and drill new holes for the location screws.

Do you have specific suggestions for a high ratio tuner, say 18:1 or higher?


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:00 pm
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Tone Meister wrote:
The guitar does not have any tuning stability issues, so lessons on keeping a guitar in tune with the stock junk tuners aren't needed.

stratele52 wrote:
Tuning stability ; how is the nut slots ?
:roll:
The guitar is set up perfectly. The tuners are not smooth and have a low ratio, which makes precise tuning a crap shoot at best.


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:32 pm
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Tone Meister wrote:
stratmangler wrote:
It looks like someone has removed the Squier logo from the headstock ...

There was never a Squier logo on the headstock. I got the guitar from the original owner and the guitar has never been altered. Right now I'm leaning toward it being a Traditional, but it really doesn't matter a lot at this point. It plays like an American Strat and the fretwork, feel, and playability rival that of my custom shop Strat. I couldn't be happier at any price.

stratmangler wrote:
If it were me I'd fit a set of Gotoh or Schaller tuners, which might well mean having to ream the peg holes out and drill new holes for the location screws.

Do you have specific suggestions for a high ratio tuner, say 18:1 or higher?


The tuners are the standard crappy ones seen on lots of Squiers, which is why I think it's a Squier - the signs are that they're the original tuners.
I've encountered the occasional Squier with those tuners. The one's I saw did not feel good at all when tuning up.

I was thinking of these as replacements, which are the Gotoh SG381 model - they're 16:1
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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:45 pm
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These trapezoid tuners came on the Traditional as well.

Would that single screw hole catch one of the open holes that will be left once the stock tuners are removed, or do you know? Gotoh makes tuners up to 21:1 ratio.


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:31 pm
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Tone Meister wrote:
These trapezoid tuners came on the Traditional as well.

Would that single screw hole catch one of the open holes that will be left once the stock tuners are removed, or do you know? Gotoh makes tuners up to 21:1 ratio.


I hadn't thought about it, but there's a chance that one of the screw holes might line up. Could be a plan :)


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 3:01 pm
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How about those F tuners you have?
Wondering if the some of the holes would line up with the original holes.
I realise they are opposong holes in the tuner types but if you put an F in you would see what I am wondering ..... :D


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 7:34 am
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From the pics of the headstock, yes - the guitar is a Fender "Squier Series", regardless of what the original owner may have said. The fact of the matter is that it just doesn't take much to remove that "Squier Series" from the mouse ear...to this day, a lot of people get their nickers in a bunch when the see the word "Squier". Along with the tuners, assuming the guitar is in fact all original, I suspect you'll find this instrument to have the low end pot metal string saddles on the bridge, half sized zinc trem block, as well as the import control pots and pickups. And yes, it is my understanding as well that these instruments were in fact the result of a fire at the plant down in Mexico.

Now that said, SOME of these instruments were in fact VERY good and with a few upgrades, they can make some REALLY great guitars! I have a '93 "Black Label" and she's really a fun little axe. Personally I think these are some of the best necks Fender has ever made...wonderful feel to say the least. The one catch there is that some of these instrument did in fact have laminate bodies (such as many of the Korean imports of the time). There are a few good laminate bodies out there, but more often than not, I've had problems with laminates...such bodies aren't typically too resonant and they have a bad tendency to crack around the neck pocket. If it is in fact a solid body on the other hand, it's probably basswood and personally, I think they are VERY well worth a few upgrades.

As far as tuners go, personally I'd suggest the vintage style Wilkenson's from Guitar Fetish. They're not an "exact" fit as you have to drill a couple of extra screw holes (I don't think there are any exact replacements for the chrome covered junk), but I have these on my '93 and have found them to be excellent...

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Wilkinson-F ... p_891.html

Also, if yours does happen to be a solid body, I recommend replacing the bridge as well...a stock MIM bridge with the steel saddles and upgraded trem block will make a HUGE difference! Pickups are a bit subjective...the stock pickups in mine were "ok", but I upgraded them to some over-wound GFS pickups and am much happier. That said, if you like the way the pickups sound, keep 'em.

Alrighty, hope this helps!


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:48 pm
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What's the ratio on those GFS Wilkinsons? Looked all over to see if I could find out but couldn't find any info on them.

I'll do whatever it takes to get them installed, no biggie there.


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Post subject: Re: 1995 MIM Strat - ID help & tuner upgrade help
Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 10:58 pm
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Gee guys do your homework.
It is a traditional mim. Yes it is just like a squier series but no one has rubbed squier off it! :D


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