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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I apologize for being off topic here ...
After years of collecting dust in my folks' home, my beloved Fender Strat is back, and this time it's for keeps. The reason I'm writing this is that I need info. about this guitar, and I'm sure there are members here who have knowledge about retro Fenders, besides Ovations.
I did some research of my own, but to no avail. The only info I got was that the guitar was made at a time when CBS owned Fender. It's a beautiful sunburst color, and everything else is original except for the nut. It's made in the USA and the serial number's E 311353. On the pickguard, instead of the usual 1 volume, 2 tone controls, this guitar only has one of each. The output jack is located in place of where the 2nd tone control is normally located. It claims to have a freeflyte tremolo system (whatever that is), and the back is all wood (no door compartment) with the exception of the metal plate in between the body and the neck. I wish I could post pictures, but e-mail me at gilblim@gmail.com, and I'll be more than happy to send you pics of it. Someday, I'll post pics in the OFC gallery. :)
I was only 12 at that time when my dad gave it to me as a Christmas present. Over the years, I gigged with it, but was never consistent. I would play it for weeks (and even months), then set it aside to collect dust. One day, I would pick it up and fall in love with again, only to end up being set aside and the whole cycle starts over again. It's only been set-up and serviced once by Paul Bordeaux back in college. Shortly after that, he moved his business in Malone, NY where he currently does custom inlay work.
I would really appreciate any info. you can provide me with regards to the year it was made, what is it made of, and perhaps what it would be worth if it were to be on the market today.
Thanks.
Peace!
Gil |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 803
Location: Avondale, AZ | It sounds like a beauty. I'll give you $49 for it. On second thought, it sounds like you have an emotional attachment so how about $50? |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Wow ... I'm flattered. Thanks for the generous offer. :rolleyes: In the meantime, I'll sleep over it, since it's the only solid body electric in my possession *rofl* :D |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 2487
| Malone...Hey I've heard of that place! What-a-ya know a fellow highlander.
Good luck on the Fender search. Wish I had my Strat back myself.
Randy |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 133
Location: Studio City, California, USA | Sounds like you havve an early to mid 70s hardtail Strat. What does the fender logo on the headstock look like? Straight or Spagetti? Also, how many bolt to secure the neck to the body 3 or 4.
So CBS, eventhough some people are gonna come here and say no Ced you're wrong, trust me i'm right, baught fender in 1965. And 1st strat made in April 1954, so you got 1954 to 1964 that pre-CBS which means mucho bucks. You got CBS which is 1965 (INCLUDED) to 1981 (not sure but around that year i might be off a year or two from memory). In the early 70s, i think 71 fender went for the 4 bolt neck to the 3 bolt neck. The went back to the 4 bolt neck in 1979 but only for their silver anniversary model of the year. The other reguylar strats that were made in 1979 have a 3 bolt neck. And all strats had the 4 bolt neck in 1980.
So knowing that, i'd say you got a 1972 hartail strat, if in good condition all original and of course if she is indeed an early 70s hardtail, it's worth about 1000 dollars. Would be more if it was the regular bridge. |
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Joined:
January 2003
Posts: 1498
Location: San Bernardino, California | http://www.stratcollector.com/adverb4.html
page down to 1983
http://www.stratcollector.com/scn/base/83.html |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 133
Location: Studio City, California, USA | Not CBS then, therefore not made before 81. Four bolt neck.
Close enough concidering the infos for the owner and from memory. |
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Joined:
February 2003
Posts: 2178
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | BruDev is right, it's a '83.
I knew because of the serial # E 311353 ....the "E" stands for Eighties ....and the 1st # is "3" for '83 and that's about ALL I know about it!! :eek:
I think the last # (3) means the builder had eggs for breakfast that morning!
Get "The Fender Stratocaster" book at Amazon or it pops up on ebay from time to time..... |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 1445
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada | '83 is about right for this guitar although a few were made in '84. It is a called a Standard Stratocaster and as a cost cutting measure, Fender dropped one tone control and put the output jack through the pickguard were the second tone would have gone. This saved them some parts and body-routing time costs. They also had a cheaper but flakey tremolo system that didn't work well at all. It wasn't very well received and was dropped rather quickly from the line.
I had one once and it sounded not too bad but was a bear to play.
That being said, there are good and bad in them all and you may have a good one!
CBS sold Fender in 1985.
Wayne |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Thanks so much for all your replies!
1983 sounds about right, and yes, I was informed that the strat was designed with one volume and one tone control as a cost cutting measure by CBS. People who owned these guitars either love(d) them or hate(d) them. As for the tremolo, it seems intact after all these years. Also, I played strictly rhythm, so I never really got to use it much and just treated it like a fancy decoration. :D
BruDev, I'm glad that the link that you provided has identical pictures of the strat that I own. For a while, I thought that it would be hard to find, because of it's features (lacking) that doesn't seem to fit the anatomy of the strat that most of us grew up with.
Whew! scary how time flies ... and this guitar that I largely ignored and neglected is now 22 years old. :eek:
It's definitely getting the pampering it long deserves ... I just treated the wood with a soft cloth and some guitar polish, and it shines just like back in its day. The metal parts, on the other hand, including the frets and the screws on the pickguard has oxidized and corroded. Any suggestions?
Peace!
Gil |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Hey Randy,
The 'highlands' as you mentioned are definitely some of the great places to be, and your neck of the woods is no exception. If my memory is correct, your town should be somewhere north from Schenectady, and close to Lake George. I may be originally from the Syracuse area now living in Long Island (thanx to Mrs. Ignimbyte), I did spent many great years in the North Country region. I love the outdoors, and I used to go to hiking trips on weekends. I might have passed by your area numerous times, and did not even know it. :)
Plattsburgh State Univ. was my alma mater, and a lot of the local folks from that area who are either famous or almost famous in the music biz, were once classmates, buddies or co-workers of mine. :) Among them were Leigh Gibson (and his sister Erin) of the bluegrass group The Gibson Brothers; Max Verna and Dana Monteith of The Ominous Seapods; and drummer Sam Brewton of The Zucchini Brothers who catered mostly to entertaining children.
I worked one summer managing the ice cream shops (Ben & Jerry's) in both Lake George and Bolton Landing, and I must admit scooping frozen treats for some famous peeps including David Crosby (very down to earth), Andy Rooney and Pete Townsend (extremely generous tipper!!). In my final semester at Plattsburgh State, I did my student teaching experience in the Ticonderoga Public Schools.
Ahh ... the memories I'll tell ya. Those were definitely good times!
;) |
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Joined:
March 2003
Posts: 195
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado | Hi Gil,
I think there is only one sure way to date a Fender. Pull the neck and look at the date stamped on the neck. It will be month, year, and neck code(shape of the neck).The Fender serial numbers are notoriously inaccurate as a method of dating.
Cc |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | Early 70's strats are pulling 10 grand now, no matter the build quality. It's scary!
Anyway, I'd leave the screws alone or replace them. For the frets, I'd take the strings off and remove the neck. Then, I'd tape the neck fret by fret so that only the fretwre itself is exposed, and give them a quick polish with 0000 steel wool. I've done this a number of times, and it makes them nice and shiny, as well as easier to play. Rich Harris has a great Tutorial on how to clean up an old guitar on his site. Check that, follow the steps that apply to your Strat (he uses a Universe) and you'll end up with a nice shiny guitar. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 26
Location: Music City, USA | Originally posted by jim777:
Rich Harris has a great Tutorial on how to clean up an old guitar on his site. |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 107
Location: South Jersey | Rich is a great guy, and I'd highly recommend him to anyone looking for an Ibanez electric. You won't get a better out of the box setup from anyone. |
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my beloved strat is back!
