How to identify a Strat body?

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Scottgman

Scottgman

Legend in Own Mind
How do you identify if a Strat body is American/Mexican/Japan? How can you tell what year it was made? Are there any websites with all this information? Are there any warning signs to look for that indicate a clone/copy? Can I ask any more questions? :)

Cheers!
 
Sorry, should've been more specific. I'm talking about just the body. I'm going to put together a Strat and I don't want some cheap knock-off clone/copy for a body.

From what I understand, Fender didn't put serial numbers on their guitar bodies (still don't?)?

I guess you can tell I'm not a Strat guy.
 
Well, sometimes early models have the date actually printed on the end of the neck that gets bolted onto the body.....it is hidden until you take off the neck.........................this is in addition to the usual serial number place......................so if you have access to the original neck from the body you want, information could be gleaned...........


I don't know if Fender still does that, but I know my '65 Tele neck end has it........
It's possible that in some body cavity there may be a date as well, (or should be) because part of the problem with dating Fenders, is that sometimes newer or older necks were assembled to newer/older bodies around the time when Fender was sold to a certain huge corporation..............




gibs:cool:
 
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Thanks. That's good to know. I just found out about the neck that went with this body. The neck has the same date as the date stamped in the neck cavity. Also, the neck has an American serial #. Looks like it's the real deal. It's only a 1995 Standard Strat-- not some vintage collectable-- but I didn't want to end up with a Crapocaster.

Anyway, this is gonna be fun... weeee!!!

Now I gotta find a neck....
 
If you going to build a guitar from scratch anyway....why don't you just order a body and neck made of the wood you choose. You can get strat bodies, not made by fender, that are very nice.
Really, if its going to be a parts o caster its not going to matter whether the body is made by fender or not......its not going to be a fender guitar.

I would find a neck I liked (probably WOULD go with a genuine fender there) ...call in the neck mesurements and have a nice one piece swamp ash body made for me.

I've been wanting to try a 2 tone sunburst

then, you would have a hell of a nice body
(with the correct neck pocket)...
to finish any way you want to....and a neck that says "fender" with the "correct" decal on the "correct" shaped headstock.

(face it....if the headstock ain't right...it just ain't a strat)

what more could you ask for in a project guitar?
 
jimistone, good point, I hadn't really thought about getting a different body. The neck I was planning on getting genuine Fender for sure. So where are some places to get good non-Fender Strat bodies?

I was mainly looking for a used body because of cost. I just don't want to spend the money on a brand new Strat anytime soon and I thought it would be fun to piece together my own. I've already got two electric guitars so I'm not in any hurry. I was just planning on sniping some good deals for necks on Ebay. If I get a neck that doesn't work or I don't like, I can just resell it.

I'm sure I'll be starting a post in the next couple weeks about Strat pickups. It'll be one of the classic "What are the best pickups for a Strat ?" threads. LOL :)
 
Try either warmouth or stewmac, both have all the parts, plus I believe Fender recognise Warmouth parts. (it might be spelled warmoth...not sure)
It is quite common to find a Fender with different dates in the pocket to the one on the neck, remember these parts are mass produced in different parts of the factory, in fact when Leo Fender was churning them out in Fullerton the factory sprawled over many different buildings, so by time the thing got assembled it could be several months difference.
 
I have been building some guitars and have gotten many of my parts from Carvin. I love their necks and the ebony fretboards they put on them. I got a new finished no-name body from ebay at a good price. I had to drill the holes, but it has nice wood with a beautiful finish. Another body I got from a local music store is a Jackson, but I still need to get a neck for it. I will get a Carvin neck for it too. I also bought a Carvin kit guitar that is very nice.
 
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