California Strat 1997-1999

[CoolCat]

"The California Series came about thanks to the joint efforts of Fender's Corona, California factory and its Baja California Norte, Ensenada, Mexico facility," noted Mike Lewis, marketing manager for Fender's electric guitar division. "The bodies and necks are shaped by Fender's craftsmen in Corona and subsequently hand-painted at our ultra-modern facility in Mexico. Final assembly, including the installation of vintage hardware and electronics, is then completed in Corona. All three instruments are marked by exceptional attention to detail, tonal quality and playability."
Features common to each California Series instrument include an alder body, tinted maple neck equipped with medium jumbo frets, U.S. vintage hardware and electronics. All three models are also available in Black, Candy Apple Red, Brown Sunburst, Fiesta Red and Vintage White finishes. U.S. suggested retail prices, including gig bags, are: $799.99 for the California Strat, $849.99 for the California FAT Strat, and $849.99 for the California FAT Tele.

just ran across this for $500 including hardshell case so thats $400 approx for the git.$100 for the case. I don't need a case.
looks very nice, said to be in great condition...

Any owners or inputs on this Fender "Cali" Strat?

comparing to my Squier 51, I admit I prefer the hardtail tuning of the Squier 51. the 51 is setup to my own perfection too....hmm? I could pull $200 from the 51 towards the Cali-Strat...I don't need the case so there's $100 off too.
So maybe $200 out of pocket in the end.

maybe a road trip to go see this sexy Fiesta Red hand paint job?
whats that mean "hand paint job" they painted it by Brush instead of a air spray gun?


anyway, at the least here's some Eye Candy....for you fellow gear addicts

 

[CoolCat]

US Stratocaster- California Series

So no one owns a California Stratocaster?
Specifically curious about the paint job on this one.

I must say its an elusive mfg. run, with little info on the internet pertaining to these "California Series" 1997-1999's.

Found this bit from 1997-
Emmission restrictions are so ridgid these days is hard and expensive to shoot bodys and necks with nitros so Fender shaped these bodys and necks in the California factory then sent them to Mexico so they could be sprayed with nitros paint then sent back to California for final assembly with 60's style reissue parts.
Black, Candy Apple Red, Brown Sunburst, Fiesta Red and Vintage White finishes

Anyway, after visiting this guitar and 200miles of driving today...
I got 20minutes of playing this elusive US California Stratocaster.

cosmetics-visual- C...this one has been played some dings and concerns. all original still and the real US California Stratocaster of course holds a minimum of a "C" grade....but the color was not like the picture?? imo. A strange pink-orange "Baja Orange" the owner said. Can Nitro Fade a red to a PINKISH Orange?

playability- A+, lite gloss, tinted yellowed all maple neck...Fender US emblem, with little California Series on the headstock. Setup was excellent imo.
I didn't want to leave without it really...

Price- B
The owner lowered the price to $450. including off brand hard case. I didn't ask for any lower because I'm tight on money and the color of paint on this was wierd, as I said. $400 cash would probably do it. Maybe $375 without the hardcase? Maybe not

The owner mentioned numerous people had checked it out but its still hanging. Another customer came in while I was there and first thing said was "this is a strange color?"
the strange pinkish orange.."Baja Orange" not red like the Fiesta Red on my previous US Strat. and yet not orange like the bottom pic (above).

Anyway thats my ametuer pricing and grading...20minutes worth.

Here's the Texas ph if anyone wants to call. Tiny little town, near I35/Ft.Worth. 817-297-4470

Seemed like a cool dewd and a player. He had several others like the SRV and the Eric Johnson...its the real deal a "California Stratocaster" ..

the color was closer to the bottom pic, yet the Fender add states Fiesta Red like the guitar color below.

oh well...no big deal.

 

[CoolCat]

I've been reading and surfing on this California Strat. I can't find any relation to the odd "pinkish orange" color....so I can't help but wonder if its not the original body? As I understand it there was only a few colors used on this run.
No mention of BAJA ORANGE.

How can one tell if its a original body or some off-brand?

Also it had this similar crack by the neck.
I've seen this numerous times on used guitars and wonder is it the wood or typically just a paint crack?

 

[foo]

I have no knowledge of recent Strats (i.e. anything after about 1982) -but the 60's color 'Fiesta Red' was actually a salmon pink color.

If that helps - cool.

 

[CoolCat]

Salmon pink is a good description of what I saw. Maybe I'm wrong again and it is the real body...the few articles don't seem to show the color as I saw it.

Salmon pink.... I didn't read anything where they were trying to paint it like 60's but there was mention of RI 62 hardware. Very interesting...

I searched around and saw some from $450 to $700. This one was a bit beat up, so it'd have to be the low end.

Interesting little run on these for 2yrs.approx.

thanks...probably not a lot of these out there I guess, the colors may have been a bit too out-of the norm..

 

[TheNewUnknown]

For what it's worth I have a California Fat Tele and it's by far my favorite guitar I own, over my fender deluxe strat and les paul. Only made thru 97-98 (?).

 

[CoolCat]

California Series...the one I played was really nice...obviously, I still have some jonesy going for it...

fiesta red by any chance?

 

[andtide]

the elusive california

I own a corona strat, and i never want any other guitar. I never sleep without my strat close by. It makes my heart tense when i talk about it actually. The tex mex Pickups are awesome, the tone that comes from this guitar is just so dynamic.

I also find it difficult to get certain details about this guitar as well, to my dismay. I don't believe that the statement mentioned in various articles pertaining to the choice of color; was entirely accurate. I am entirely 100% sure that the body is completely genuine, but its color is not the aforementioned, but instead, a maroon color. Very unique and awesome. The only mod on this guitar was the black pick guard i put on myself.

 

[zoid]

i think i have that exact one, salmon colored, and i love it! i got a white strap for it and i think its very surf
it is a real color, the store i got it had a bunch of odd color and i picked it up in So cal back in either 98 or 99 in long beach.

i just took it to get cleaned/setup, the thing is a AXMN7----- so it is 1997 (or 98?) and they gave me a $499.00 insurance value. i think i paid around $300-350 for it back in 98 (at 4% a year it should be closer to 525$ by now) no cracks or any wear like what you showed.. ill have to put up a pic when i get it back

anyway i put noiseless pickups on it back then, and a few band stickers (those can be taken off) i love it, and certainly as a collectible i'd like to know, is it something i really need to consider taking very good care of?

 

[BrentDomann]

It's certainly a possibility that the guitar is Fiesta Red. That color is sometimes pink, sometimes like tomato soup, sometimes orange. The color mix is never the same, but it's always a "not quite red" kind of red. By the way, it's not nitro. It's poly.

Cracking in the paint at the heel is a common thing on bolt-on guitars, but usually the cracks are small. If it's really serious, you should do what you can to make sure it isn't a wood crack. If it's just a finish crack, it's because of stress on the paint coat at that joint - not necessarily tension, sometimes it's just a tight neck pocket that eventually overstresses the paint.

IIRC, the California Series was a precursor to the Highway 1s; they were built in the USA with some finish work in Mexico or built with Mexican parts. I have played a few, and they are nice guitars.