# Any idea what this strat is?



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

I've been dealing with this guy on another item. Would consider taking his trade but I have no idea on Fenders (although I bought a Mexican strat yesterday). I tried the Fender site it came back with nothing on the serial number.

PS - if it's a deal please buy it so he has some cash.

fender stratocaster electric guitar and fender amp | Guitars | Bridgewater | Kijiji


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

91 or early 92 MIA according to Guitar insite. 

Also says early 90s MIJ, but it states MIA on the headstock.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

With 50 years sticker on the back it should be a 1996-however the serial number decal or sticker seems off.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

agreed, the sticker is odd (I think the stamp is just off a bit), but the guitar looks legit. I had one from this era and the tuners, logo, bridge, string trees all look correct to me.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

Wouldn’t N6 mean *N*inety *6*?


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

2manyGuitars said:


> Wouldn’t N6 mean *N*inety *6*?


Correct. With that it looks almost like a decal, and I seem to remember they were done in black ink.


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## Pedro-x (Mar 7, 2015)

yep i saw that one and thought the serial looks wrong... not exactly sure whats up but i wondered if it was taped off and the headstock re-clear coated


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## Jimmy Fingers (Aug 17, 2017)

That serial number is this:


*AMERICAN STANDARD STRATOCASTER® (1987-2000)*
*Serial #:*
N6140242
*Brand:*
Fender
*Product Category:*
Guitars
Labels dont look right .





















Don't look like that at least. I wouldn't trust it. Hes asking a lot.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Everything about it looks right for a 96 american standard except the look of the serial number. The spacing between the first and second digit can look like that sometimes but the different color I've not seen that before.
Is it possible the seller edited that picture to change the serial number?
(I own a 2 90s Strats so I'm familiar with what they look like, but I'm definitly not an expert.)


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

It all looks right to me. I have a same generation ‘93. I think the wierd halo around the serial is probably the result of that area being somewhat protected from the uv and smoke stains etc. It looks played, maybe a little grubby, the pickguard actually has a nice yellowing to it. Mine has aged similarly. I don’t think my serial looks like that though.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

@tomee2 I spoke to the owner today. He's an older gentleman who's had it for about 10 years. I doubt he's into photoshop if you know what I mean.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

BlueRocker said:


> @tomee2 I spoke to the owner today. He's an older gentleman who's had it for about 10 years. I doubt he's into photoshop if you know what I mean.


Got it. But remember, the people who wrote the first version of photoshop are now in their 60s... age might not equate with computer illiteracy.


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## tdotrob (Feb 24, 2019)

BlueRocker said:


> @tomee2 I spoke to the owner today. He's an older gentleman who's had it for about 10 years. I doubt he's into photoshop if you know what I mean.


That reminds me of the scene from I love you man where he meets the elderly gentleman from friend finder.com. Who had a much younger profile picture “Wow, your really good at the internet”


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

1996 American Standard. It's legit.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

BlueRocker said:


> I've been dealing with this guy on another item. Would consider taking his trade but I have no idea on Fenders (although I bought a Mexican strat yesterday). I tried the Fender site it came back with nothing on the serial number.
> 
> PS - if it's a deal please buy it so he has some cash.
> 
> ...


I think that serial number is enough to make me not trust it. I’ve never seen anything like that before.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

If you compare the "Fender 50" sticker in the op's post and Johnny Fingers post #8.
They are notably different. (Does that prove anything?)


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

My go to for guitar serial numbers is Guitarinsites and even though it does make sense that serial is 96, the website says earlier. So something amiss with the serial?? Maybe not his doing, but a PO could have made his own decal maybe? The overall boldness of this particular serial is different than the one Jimmy Fingers posted. All earlier Strats MIJ or MIA had serials that were slightly varied in their appearance mind you. But that "strip of tape look" is peculiar.


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Kind of a crappy picture, but what looks different is the font and the spacing. It's possible it was partially erased at some point (boosted?) and then reapplied. Seeing it in person would help....look under the hood etc.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Ask the seller to take the neck off and grab a pic of the writing on the butt and neck pocket?


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

BlueRocker said:


> @tomee2 I spoke to the owner today. He's an older gentleman who's had it for about 10 years. I doubt he's into photoshop if you know what I mean.


Keep in mind you may want to resell it someday. Unless you can explain the discrepancies, you'll have a hard time moving it.


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

tonewoody said:


> If you compare the "Fender 50" sticker in the op's post and Johnny Fingers post #8.
> They are notably different. (Does that prove anything?)


Good eye but there are at least 3 different versions of that sticker I've seen over the years, could be more.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)




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## Thunderboy1975 (Sep 12, 2013)

tomee2 said:


> Got it. But remember, the people who wrote the first version of photoshop are now in their 60s... age might not equate with computer illiteracy.


Thats the DOS generation dont forget.


Anyone else sat for hours typing code into a VIC 20 or Commodor 64?


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