Conference napalm::guitar

    I've owned several older strats & teles, all with maple fingerboards,
    some with the stripe down the back & some without (seperate
    fingerboard). None of them had that silver bullet truss rod adjuster
    up at headstock - they all adjusted down by the base of the neck
    (were you were sure to chew up the pickguard).  Be that as it may,
    I'm pretty sure that those silver gizmos didn't make their appearance
    until sometime around the mid '70s - I just don't recall when.

    Late 1971-early 1972

    That long ago, huh?  My my, where DOES the time go?  Thanks.

    I believe (and I'm sure Danny will correct me if I'm wrong)
    that the introduction of bullet adjusters at the headstock
    also coincides with the switch from 4 bolt to 3 bolt attachment
    at the body.  For vintage snobs, this is the final borderline
    for "good ole strats".
    
    /rick

    I do believe you're right - I almost forgot about that 'improvement'
    

    Can anyone comment on the value of one of the earlier strats of
    this type?  I'd guess the age at around '73 or so, sunburst finish,
    maple neck, nice shape.  

    I'd say about $400
    
    /rick

    Here's some more info on dating old Strats.  In all
    cases, the dates indicate during what year a feature
    was introduced; combinations of both old and new
    features always occured during that year as old parts
    were used up.  Also many vintage Strats on the market
    now are Frankenstein creations of parts from different
    periods.

    1954	Strat introduced, one piece maple neck,
		4 bolts, small headstock with "spaghetti"
		logo, adjuster at heel, one layer Bakelite
		pickguard with 8 screws, 4, 5, or 6 digit
		serial number on heel plate, two color
		sunburst finish.  Strats were always
		offered in tremelo and non-tremelo
		versions.
		
    1957	Custom colors introduced; the early
		ones were Fiesta Red, Black, Olympic
		White, and Blond.

    1959	Neck changed to slab rosewood board on
		maple, pickguard changed to 3 layer Celluloid
		with 11 screws, sunbursts changed to 3 color.
		"Slab" rosewood fingerboard means that
		the underside was milled flat, making
		the rosewood slightly thicker toward the
		center of each fret position.  Celluloid
		pickguards oxidize with age and take on
		a greenish or blueish tint.

    1962	Neck changed to "curved" rosewood fingerboard,
		where the underside of the rosewood follows
		the top contour.  Rumor has it that the change
		was introduced because of problems with slab
		boards separating on Fender basses.

    1963	Pickguard screw on the upper bout between the 
		middle and rhythm pickups moved toward the middle
		pickup (this is pretty obvious when you see it).
		Serial numbers were restarted, 5 digits with an
		"L" prefix.  These were known as "L-series" Strats

    1964	"Spaghetti" logo on the headstock changed to a thicker
		"transition" logo.

    1965	CBS officially buys Fender.  Pickguard changed to
		vinyl.  Serial numbers were restarted, 6 digits
		with a large "F" on the heel plate.  Very late
		in the year, a large headstock was introduced
		This and the "F" plate are what usually distinguish
		Post- from Pre-CBS Strats

    1967	Maple cap fingerboard on maple neck optionally
		available, logo changed to black, modern style.

    1971	4-bolt necks changed to 3-bolt with bullet adjuster
		at the nut.  The end of the "vintage" Strats.

    /rick

    Thanks - everything I wanted to know about strats but was afraid
    to ask!

    Geeze I love my '75 strat, 3 bolt neck and all....
    
    dbii

    re [.-1] I guess if it holds the neck on it's enough!  My hagstrom
    Swede fastens the neck with 2 screws.  I was really uneasy about
    it at first, but it's been ten or so years now, and it's still there.

    
    	I remember playing a strat that had a triangular neck.
    
    	I think it was a 57.  Was that a characteristic of a 
    	certain year?  Or a custom neck?
    
    
    	thanks
    
    	tom
    

    I believe 57 Strats generally had the most pronounced V shape,
    but in truth you can find V necks from many different years,
    including post-59 rosewood ones.  In those days, necks were all
    hand shaped and each person in the factory had his own way of doing
    it.
    
    /rick

    Ok Guys let's try this one...
    My friend has a Strat: Black w/Maple neck and White Pick guard ser.
    number V005795 with 4 bolt attachment and adjusting nut at base.
    There is no specification of which country it was produced in.
    It has Fender Synchronized tremolo. Tuning keys feed strings down
    through center.  Came with 3-way switch installed and a 5-way in
    a accessory bag. Has a chrome 'plate' that can cover the tremolo.
    
    Came in tweed case and booklet says it's modeled after '57 strat.
    
    Any clues??
    
    thanks in advance,
    
    BJ
                                                                       

re: -1

I'm not an expert, but this sounds *very* similar to my guitar, and I 
believe it is the same model. Its a re-issue of the classic '57 Strat.
Fender introduced them about 5 years or so ago. I bought mine new at the
time for $649, and I think they sell for about $500 used nowadays.

Maybe someone could provide more info? (I just play 'em!)

Alan S.

    Yep sounds like a '57 re-issue.
    
    dbii

    Thanx, This thing is real light compared to the later models...
    the neck is discolored. We do or don't know what year and country
    this is from??
    
    BJ

    
    All "vintage reissue" models are U.S. made.  The neck color is supposed
    to be that way.  I think it is meant to look "aged", but not having
    been checking out Strats in 1957  8^)  8^)  8^)  that's just a guess.

    The earliest vintage re-issues were actually made in Japan, but
    none were ever officially sold in the US market, although a few
    have found their way over here.  If yours is one of these, it will
    say "Made in Japan" somewhere on the headstock.
    
    And of course, the Japanese re-issues are more collectible :-)
    
    /rick

    I have a strat that has some big differences from most others I've
    seen.  The neck is rosewood, with a serial number E 3_____, which all
    looks normal.  But, there are only two knobs, volume and tone, and the
    cord plugs in perpendicular to the pickguard.  Also, the tremelo arm is
    removeable by just pulling it off (just sort of snaps in).  The handle
    of the tremelo arm is all steel, unlike the newer strats I've seen with
    the white plastic handle.  There is no hole in the back of the body to
    access the springs, you have to remove the pickguard, which I did last
    night, revealing only three springs (and only three places for
    springs).  Is this a strat-copy body with a original strat neck, or
    what?  Thanks in advance for any info!!
    
    			Steve

    I've got one just like it except mine has a maple neck.  Bought it new
    in 1983 and it's called the Fender Standard Strat.  They had a higher
    tech version that year also with push-pull volume and tone nobs, etc.,
    that went for twice the price.  If I remember correctly, Fender was
    going through a reorg at the time and was trying to stimulate some more
    demand for its products which hadn't seen any changes/innovations for a
    few model years.  They eventually have gone back to the three nob,
    angled cord plug design for the Strat in the past few years.
    
    
    
    						Ron
    

    
    Re: .21, .22
    
    Ron is right, it's a "Standard" Strat that was the last ditch attempt
    by CBS to compete price-wise with the Japanese.  They did get the price
    down by about $200 with the cost-cutting made possible by the cosmetic
    changes.  There were also Teles, P and J basses in the series, all with
    similar cosmetic oddities.  For those with more cash, they cointinued
    the "Vintage" (reissue) and "Elite" (high-tech redesigns) lines.  
    
    Within two years, CBS sold Fender, all US production stopped for
    awhile, and when it started up with the *current* "American Standard"
    Strat, it was with the three knob, sunken jack, etc. setup.  The Elite
    line also sunk with CBS.  Those instruments are real sleepers, very
    versatile and selling for peanuts used.
    
    							Brian

    Can anyone tell me the date of manufacture and place of manufacture
    of the following Strat..
    
    
    		Black Strat S962316
    
    
    Thanks Bob

    If I remember right (this is right off the top) the "S" series Strats
    were US made in the late 70s.  
    
    I don't *think* that the Fender serial numbers have enough information
    in them to be able to isolate the exact date of manufacture, but I
    could be wrong on that.
    
    I have an "S" series Strat too...
    
    Greg

 
  S9 + 5 digits = 1979 strat
    
Vic

    Hi,
    
    I have a Strat from Nov./Dec 62: Three color sunburst, rosewood
    fingerboard, Kluson tuners, "greenish" pickguard, 3way switch - really
    all original and in very good shape...
    The only problem I have with it: sometime back in the seventies the
    neck has been refinished . and the fool who did it (wet?)sanded the
    upper side of the headstock and so all the original decals are gone:
    Fender logo with Pat numbers and the little round one, saying
    "contoured body".
    
    Who has an idea where I could get those decals?
    
    
    sascha

    I've seen an ad in the back of Guitar World magazine advertizing
    Fender Decals. Can't recall too much about it, though. It was just
    a little classified ad. Might have been in Guitar Player. Vintage
    dealers know where you can get them. Some sell them themselves. They
    use them to restore instruments. Reputable dealers will want to be
    convinced that you are buying it for an actual Fender instrument.
    Close-up photos showing lots of detail including the logoless head-
    stock. Be sure you say that you want it for a '62 Stratocaster, as
    there have been many different logos, various patent numbers, etc.
    I paid $20 for one, but the dealer said he was having a hard time
    getting them and didn't know if he could get more. Of course, after
    that I saw the ad, so maybe they aren't hard to get now. Good luck.
    -ron

    Thank you Ron,
    
    tonight I'll try to find that ad in GP/GW.
    
    sascha