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FDP Forum / Fender Guitars: Stratocasters / Picked up a pawn shop strat today - questions

Therealfrogman
Contributing Member
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Pueblo, Co

illegal is a sick bird....
Oct 11th, 2017 04:42 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
It is CAR / Maple neck MIJ and appears to be all stock. Well I think it is CAR so say so if you agree. It has a few little nicks in it and the frets have some honest wear on the treble side.

Did they call it 50's classic or RI ? Same thing in my mind, the neck says ST-54DEX2 which looks to be typical for any MIJ that I have owned. $210 / no case or bag. I am guessing it is Basswood.
Link

vomer
Contributing Member
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Broke Down

in the Brassicas
Oct 12th, 2017 03:54 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
That's a beauty. A steal for $210. Yes, the ST-54's were reissue models with period-correct touches like the string tree and the 8 hole guard, kluson=style tuners, heel-end truss rod adjust, and a 2 7/32" bridge. But I don't think they were ever officially called "Reissue". (And the Classic 50's are the similar Mexican versions.)

Is the neck a V or a C shape? The pickups are most likely MIJ with plastic leads, although some got Texas Specials.

The body probably is basswood, if it's light, if it's heavier it might be alder.

What's the first letter of the serial number?

Absolute bargain, hope you enjoy it.

Hammond101
Contributing Member
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So. Cal. USA

Oct 12th, 2017 04:16 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Very nice and a very good deal. It's worth at least three time what you paid. A CAR Strat has eluded me but it is a color I'd like to own. Currently I have only a MIJ Jazzmaster in CAR.

BF66Prince

Texas Gulf Coast

Fender Aficionado BF Lifetime Member
Oct 12th, 2017 04:18 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Nice score there.

That's probably a 90's 50's Reissue.

I've got a '90 MIJ Fender Black 50's Strat RI and a '91 MIJ Fender CAR 50's Tele Reissue.

I bought the Tele new in '91 and the Strat used in '96.

Both are excellent guitars.

They're never going anywhere.

Therealfrogman
Contributing Member
*****

Pueblo, Co

illegal is a sick bird....
Oct 12th, 2017 04:22 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
It has a V serial number and the neck and pocket say 96. The neck profile is V until the 10th fret and it tapers to C. I had a MIM 50's classic ten years ago and I do not remember it having the tapered profile.

Yeah I do not think they use the reissue term on these either but it sounds better.... I had a 60's MIJ the same year and it was a 62 replica as close as any I have seen, sold it as a 62 and did not get any complaints. It was basswood and it was lighter than this one.

My classic 50's was really heavy! That much I remember. The pups do have the plastic leads and sound great, I dont have anymore sets of TS's to compair with, mostly a house of Tele these days :)

Mick Reid
Contributing Member
****

Australia

American-made in Oz!!
Oct 12th, 2017 10:38 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Nice one frogman!
I too have always wanted a CAR strat. And it *has* to have a maple board too!

Nothing wrong with basswood IMO. One of my best playing/sounding strats is basswood. Not great grain for clear finish, but good tonewood with a coloured poly.

Congrats

Peegoo
Contributing Member
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Enjoying

the downtime
Oct 13th, 2017 04:50 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
That was a killer deal!

Basswood is great for a guitar body. Not the traditional Fender ash or alder, but good enough that Ibanez uses it for all their guitars--including their top-of-the-line solid body models that get opaque finishes.

Therealfrogman
Contributing Member
*****

Pueblo, Co

illegal is a sick bird....
Oct 13th, 2017 05:17 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
There are some pretty outrageous things said by haters of basswood and searching for info on this strat dialed me right into a herd of them.

I had another one and it rocked just like all of my ash and alder guitars, I may not be the top tone guy around but I got a bunch of guitars and as far as I know the pickups and string vibration account for a majority of the sound, I think ;-)

I like it but it was an impulse purchase. I grabbed it off the hanger and another shopper was waiting for me to hang it back up so I just walked around with it for a while and decided to get it.

Peegoo
Contributing Member
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Enjoying

the downtime
Oct 13th, 2017 05:27 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Yeah, the haters are the same goobers that angle their Strats' vibrato springs from the block to the claw.

Idjits.

Mick Reid
Contributing Member
****

Australia

American-made in Oz!!
Oct 13th, 2017 10:10 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
"I grabbed it off the hanger and another shopper was waiting for me to hang it back up so I just walked around with it for a while and decided to get it."

Hah!!! Was he like inconspicuously following you around pretending to be browsing at other stuff???
That's funny!

Tony Salieri

Houston, Texas

I'm a tone deaf hack.
Dec 24th, 2017 09:27 AM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Nice score! Reminds me of the deal I found on a Fernandes LE-2 at a pawn shop.

"...I grabbed it off the hanger and another shopper was waiting for me to hang it back up so I just walked around with it for a while and decided to get it."

"Hah!!! Was he like inconspicuously following you around pretending to be browsing at other stuff???
That's funny!"

I do a LOT of
thrift, re-sale, charity, & pawn shop
shopping, and have been on both sides. I once waited, hoping the guy would say no when his lady wanted to buy a pair of Bose multi-speaker speakers, but he said yes (the price was $39.99 for the pair). And I've had to politely but firmly ask/tell folks to 'back off' until I finished checking out items.

Therealfrogman
Contributing Member
******

Pueblo, Co

illegal is a sick bird....
Dec 25th, 2017 03:13 PM Edit Profile Print Topic Search Topic
Actually I flipped that thing a month ago fer a perty penny ;)

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FDP Forum / Fender Guitars: Stratocasters / Picked up a pawn shop strat today - questions

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