Hoffman Amplifiers Tube Amplifier Forum

Other Stuff => Guitars => Topic started by: yorgle on April 30, 2021, 09:34:45 am

Title: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: yorgle on April 30, 2021, 09:34:45 am
I'm doing some repair/setups on a couple of guitars for a friend and one of them is, what I believe to be a 1980's era Fender Stratocaster, made in Japan.  I know little about Strats so perhaps someone here could help me identify what model this is so I can order the correct parts.   The bridge/trem system is missing, but from the shape of the body routing, it looks to have had some sort of Floyd Rose style bridge.  The guitar has the HSS (humbucker, single,single) pickup arrangement with a push/pull pot and five-way selector switch.  There was some sort of locking nut at the headstock that appears to be missing parts.  The tuners are no-stripe kluson type.  The neck plate is a rounded triangle shape with three screws.  The headstock logo says Fender, not Squier.  Anyone recognize this?

EDIT:  the neck plate has 4 screws, not 3
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: mresistor on April 30, 2021, 06:19:16 pm
It sounds like you have a Japan Vintage contemporary stratocaster ..    take a look at the pictures and specs in the links on this page and see if one of them is like yours. You can also explore the whole site.
http://www.squierwiki.com/1987-Catalog (http://www.squierwiki.com/1987-Catalog)


Also look at this page and scroll down and you can see pictures of the Type 1,2 and 3 tremolo systems they used on the Squiers.  https://reverb.com/news/a-brief-history-of-squier-and-the-origins-of-fender-mij (https://reverb.com/news/a-brief-history-of-squier-and-the-origins-of-fender-mij)




And as always   posting some pictures would help us to help you .    Hard to use the imagination for it.
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: mresistor on April 30, 2021, 06:25:41 pm
Is there a serial number on it anywhere ?


It's probably like this one..     https://reverb.com/item/4889368-fender-contemporary-w-texas-specials-1986-3-color-sunburst-zebra-fender-case

Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: Latole on May 01, 2021, 03:43:12 am
Is there a serial number on it anywhere ?


It's probably like this one..     https://reverb.com/item/4889368-fender-contemporary-w-texas-specials-1986-3-color-sunburst-zebra-fender-case

OP wrote it is a HSS, picture from your link ;

Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: ShoemanGB on May 01, 2021, 06:14:05 am
If it says Fender on the headstock, it's probably not a Squier  :icon_biggrin:    Painted headstock HSS with Floyd Rose locker and funky switch/pot setups were common Fenders in the '80's.  One of my friends still has his he bought new when we were young.  Solid guitars.  Everybody wanted to play like Eddie back then.  He still has his Rivera era II series amp bought new, but I forget the model.   
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: yorgle on May 01, 2021, 07:15:56 am
Thanks for the ideas guys but so far none of the pics match what’s on my bench- the bridge rout on this thing seems bigger than the type 12&3.  I’ll try to upload some pics later today.  Here’s the serial number if it will help ID this critter:  1022484.
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: yorgle on May 01, 2021, 10:47:58 am
Found it!   It’s identical to this one, only black.   Is it really worth this much?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/274275980047?hash=item3fdc1f530f:g:p5QAAOSw2WhePJkn
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: mresistor on May 01, 2021, 01:10:25 pm
Cool, with a Kahler licensed FR bridge..  I don't think the neckplate on that one is original.  If it is they forgot to build in the micro-tilt that the neckplate was designed for.  Guess you can use a suitable FR bridge or are you shooting for finding an original Kahler?
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: yorgle on May 01, 2021, 01:32:31 pm
Cool, with a Kahler licensed FR bridge..  I don't think the neckplate on that one is original.  If it is they forgot to build in the micro-tilt that the neckplate was designed for.  Guess you can use a suitable FR bridge or are you shooting for finding an original Kahler?

I’ll have to ask the owner how much he wants to stick into this.  The neck adjustment is there- it’s just down in the hole. 
Title: Re: Mystery Stratocaster
Post by: mresistor on May 01, 2021, 05:36:26 pm
Yes I see that now,  the ad says the micro-tilt is present..