# '83 MIA 2 knob Strat in London



## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

Not mine, but it does give me an idea what people value these at. Either way, it's a great sounding guitar if it sounds anything like mine.









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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Don’t kid yourself. $1800 is ridiculous.


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

I didn't say it was a definitive value. I said "what people value these at". Mine isn't for sale, and won't be. It's an amazing guitar with tone for days.

No doubt he's basing his asking off Reverb. When I was looking into mine, I looked there and saw them as high as $2500.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

There was an identical one for sale in Ottawa a few months back. Asking price dropped from $1500 to $1200, where it sat for 4 weeks or so then dissapeared.
There's a second one up here sitting for at least a year at $1900. Original owner with case too.


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## TimH (Feb 4, 2006)

People are getting stupid about "old" guitars. I was thinking about this the other day when I saw a 78 Goldtop for $7500. Back when i started into gear really heavily (~2002?) I was really into Les Pauls. The word on the street at the time was how, in general, Norlin era LP's we not very good. "Stay away from them" was the word of the day. 

We've been seeing it for a while...as real 50's and 60's guitars get eaten up suddenly people are getting more for 3-bolt boat anchor Fenders from the 70's and pancake body Norlins and whatnot. Even super cheap MIJ copies from that era fetch a large sum. It's absolutely foolish IMO. 

Not every guitar built before 1985 is vintage, good, or desirable.


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## EchoWD40 (Mar 16, 2007)

TimH said:


> People are getting stupid about "old" guitars. I was thinking about this the other day when I saw a 78 Goldtop for $7500. Back when i started into gear really heavily (~2002?) I was really into Les Pauls. The word on the street at the time was how, in general, Norlin era LP's we not very good. "Stay away from them" was the word of the day.
> 
> We've been seeing it for a while...as real 50's and 60's guitars get eaten up suddenly people are getting more for 3-bolt boat anchor Fenders from the 70's and pancake body Norlins and whatnot. Even super cheap MIJ copies from that era fetch a large sum. It's absolutely foolish IMO.
> 
> Not every guitar built before 1985 is vintage, good, or desirable.


This. 
Norlin era especially are terrible guitars. Of course you will have the people who will defend them to death because they need justification for their purchases


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

One thing about these late CBS 80s Strats is that there are no reissues. They're unique, and one day one will show up in the hands of a rising star and then they'll end up on the 'radar'. I'm sure they're great guitars and if the price is right worth buying.


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## GuitarT (Nov 23, 2010)

Cool guitar and an interesting piece of Fender history but I agree, the price is a little out there. This short lived design was implemented with the sole purpose of reducing body routing and therefore reducing production costs. It doesn't make them a bad guitar but the collector desirability of any "cost cutting era" guitar is typically not great and is usually reflected in the price. I don't thing this is a bad thing as it allows players an affordable option if they want an older guitar.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

Here is one from a dealer:





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## Davestp1 (Apr 25, 2006)

TDeneka said:


> This.
> Norlin era especially are terrible guitars. Of course you will have the people who will defend them to death because they need justification for their purchases


This IMHO is totally off the mark. All era's have "some" hit and miss guitars. The Norlin era had lots but they also pushed some fantastic guitars out the door....Same with 70's Fenders, there are clunkers but also great ones. They were good enough for Blackmore, Trower and countless others....Just got to play them to find them.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

rollingdam said:


> Here is one from a dealer:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How dare they price their wares for less than Reverb! Ha..
Anyway, that's a nice store to visit if you're ever in the Kemptville region south of Ottawa.


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## bentwire17 (Sep 7, 2011)

82-84 MIA strats were part of a company in a whirlwind of competitive change.
With cost cutting came a few accruements that I particularly liked including a 12” radius board.
Especially the maple board ones.
The pups sound very stratty , if I may?!
The same vintage of Fender amps were in a battle with Mesa Boogie competition and the changes that Dan Smith was bringing in. 
Only through ownership of countless Strats and Amp’s from this vintage 82-84 can I say that I like them , especially at their price point.
The strats don’t go for much more than $1200.
The Tele’s from this vintage go for more and rarely seen listed for long. 12” board again.
I’ve had a pile of these and like them fwiw.


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## EchoWD40 (Mar 16, 2007)

Davestp1 said:


> This IMHO is totally off the mark. All era's have "some" hit and miss guitars. The Norlin era had lots but they also pushed some fantastic guitars out the door....Same with 70's Fenders, there are clunkers but also great ones. They were good enough for Blackmore, Trower and countless others....Just got to play them to find them.


I mean with the amount of work done to Yngwie's strat it's hard to consider it a factory guitar. Trower I do not have knowledge of his guitar so I will refrain from commenting.
Sure they could make an occasional good guitar, but there is a reason why Norlin era have the notoriety they do. I even remember someone on here claiming that the pancake bodies weren't there to cut costs 😂


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

TDeneka said:


> I mean with the amount of work done to Yngwie's strat it's hard to consider it a factory guitar. Trower I do not have knowledge of his guitar so I will refrain from commenting.
> Sure they could make an occasional good guitar, but there is a reason why Norlin era have the notoriety they do. I even remember someone on here claiming that the pancake bodies weren't there to cut costs 😂


Pure conjecture.
The costs of labour with making pancake bodies would match or exceed the value of the wood saved, if any.


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## EchoWD40 (Mar 16, 2007)

Diablo said:


> Pure conjecture.
> The costs of labour with making pancake bodies would match or exceed the value of the wood saved, if any.


Has nothing to do with "wood saved" and more to do with being able to use the same tree for more guitars. Not conjecture, its common practice. 
Complete non sequitur there.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

I'd love to know exactly why they did the pancake bodies. No supply of large logs? A way to use green wood likely to warp? 

Has any ex Gibson employee ever said what it was?


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

Verne said:


> When I was looking into mine, I looked there and saw them as high as $2500.


For one of these to sell for $2500, you’d definitely need 2 knobs involved.


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## pckpat (Aug 19, 2009)

EchoWD40 said:


> I mean with the amount of work done to Yngwie's strat it's hard to consider it a factory guitar. Trower I do not have knowledge of his guitar so I will refrain from commenting.
> Sure they could make an occasional good guitar, but there is a reason why Norlin era have the notoriety they do. I even remember someone on here claiming that the pancake bodies weren't there to cut costs 😂


Trower used a stock '72 for his first few solo albums ( as well as a couple of his last songs done with Procol Harum).
He has had a nice fender signature Strat for quite some time now. He gets great tone live too.


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