New old Strat thing

Stuckfast

So, I've been thinking about getting a Stratocaster for ages, and picked this up quite cheap on eBay:






The seller says they had it properly set up, and it does indeed play well. Question is, how much of it is actually a Mexican Fender Strat? Is that a real Fender colour, and if so, what's it called? (It's a lot more beaten up in real life than it looks in the photos.)

The serial number dates it to 1996.

Lebarque

If it plays nice and sounds good, don't worry about it. Enjoy!

Stuckfast

Well, I'm not worrying about it, just curious!

ICBM

What does it look like under the pickguard?

That may give more of a clue, and possibly help explain that nasty scar that runs out from under it near the volume knob - or if it's like the one we're working on in the shop at the moment, scare the crap out of you when you see what's been done!

I could be wrong but I don't think the trem block is correct for a Mexican Fender, it looks like a cheap far-east one - the shape of the bridgeplate doesn't look quite right either.

Octafish

The Mexican Standard originally had a tapered/thin trem block. This changed in the mid 2000s when they were upgraded spec wise. Obviously it's been modded pickup/knob wise and the pickguard is unlikely to be original. Removing the scratch to view the routing may well confirm if it's genuine Fender or not. The spacing/location of the screw holes on the rear for the trem cover look good.

Stuckfast

Here's some pix with the pickguard off. The humbucker says 'Made in Japan TU-3'. The saddles have Fender written on them.

Stuckfast

Sorry, KU-3.

p90fool

Those three holes are typical of Mexican Strats.

Bridgehouse

I reckon Mex Strat that's had a refin, some new pups, pick guard, knobs and such. Judging by the wear on the end of the fretboard it had got tired and someone fancied sprucing it up. 

I might be totally wrong tho

ICBM

Yes, that's a real Mex Fender. The early ones must have had a worse bridge than I remember…

The neck and middle pickups appear to be original, the bridge is (I think) a Kent Armstrong.

No explanation for the scar, but at least it hasn't been hacked out for a humbucker too close to the bridge like the one we have in the shop!

Stuckfast

Good stuff, thanks. I suspect that the scar was made by a screwdriver in trying to remove the adjacent scratchplate screw. Its hole is stripped.

Do you think it's a refin, or is that an original Fender colour? If it is, it hasn't aged well.

Octafish

Stuckfast said:

Good stuff, thanks. I suspect that the scar was made by a screwdriver in trying to remove the adjacent scratchplate screw. Its hole is stripped.

Do you think it's a refin, or is that an original Fender colour? If it is, it hasn't aged well.

Yeah, someone being clumsy with a screw driver was my thought as well.

Hard to tell if it's a refinish. There's paint in all the CNC holes and routing so no obvious indication of refinish. Remove the neck, the neck pocket may give a clue. I can't find any details of colours available on Mexican models from the 90s.

The serial number means it could be 96 or 97. If it's 96 it should have a 50th anniversay sticker on the rear of the headstock.

You could try contacting Fender. They might well be able to provide a spec list (including colours) for the 96-97 Fender Mexican Standard models.

impmann

I haven't seen a Mex of that age in Shoreline Gold before... plus there's normally shielding paint inside, so I'd imagine its been refinished.

Jack_

How cheap is cheap? That's the crux...

Stuckfast

£150, with a hard case.

Stuckfast

Admittedly, a hideous hard case.

impmann

Worth every penny.

ESBlonde

This /|\

Octafish

impmann said:

I haven't seen a Mex of that age in Shoreline Gold before... plus there's normally shielding paint inside, so I'd imagine its been refinished.

Not sure when they introduced shielding paint, but quite a few 90's Mexican Standards didn't have any. There have been a number of upgrades to the Mexican standard spec over the years.

Bridgehouse

Yep - cheap and good value even if it's a partsocaster or a refin.

impmann

Octafish said:

impmann said:

I haven't seen a Mex of that age in Shoreline Gold before... plus there's normally shielding paint inside, so I'd imagine its been refinished.

Not sure when they introduced shielding paint, but quite a few 90's Mexican Standards didn't have any. There have been a number of upgrades to the Mexican standard spec over the years.

Actually, yes you are right - especially the early ones didn't... but it looks like a refin to me.