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NOTE: Due to continuous updating, this guide has now exceeded the 20,000 character limit so I have started a Part II guide which you will likely need to continue on to.
Buying a Fender Stratocaster - A Guide for the Novice
One of the most frustrating and confusing purchases to consider for
the novice
guitar buyer is the Fender Stratocaster (aka Strat). There
are so many different variants of the Stratocaster being produced by
Fender (or Fender licensed entities) that it's nearly impossible for first time buyers to have any
idea what the differences are or why there are so many in the
first place. Here's
what I hope will be
a guide for the novice. I am certainly not an expert on the subject. This is not intended to enlighten experts so please keep that in mind while reading. But I believe I've learned enough during my own experiences to be of some assistance and guidance to those just starting out in this endeavor. For the sake of simplicity, I'm just going to talk about the
most common recent production Stratocasters. Keep in mind that
there are a whole slew of others out there including vintage American and
Japanese Standards and Squiers, Korean Pro-Tone Squiers, vintage
re-issue and anniversary models, Classic and Deluxe Series, Custom Shop models, Artist models etc.,
that are beyond the scope of this guide. It's really mind-boggling the number of different kinds of Strats you'll come across. Go to www.fender.com sometime and peruse their product selections. Anyway, let's get started.
- Current production Fender Stratocasters come in 3 basic groups which are:
1) "American Standard" Stratocasters, which are made in America (aka MIA) at the Fender factory in Corona, CA. (take the tour! http://www.vintagerocker.com/fender/factory2/index.html). These were originally called "American Standard" until around 2000, then underwent some slight changes and were marketed as "American Series". In 2008 they underwent some further changes and went back to the "American Standard" moniker. The "Standard" label identifies them as the standard Fender offering of the Stratocaster model (as opposed to Deluxe, Artist, Custom Shop, Re-Issue, etc). They are all the same except for the color selection. The "American Standard" will say "Made In U.S.A" right on the front of the headstock (although this may be found on the back of the headstock on certain non-Standard models). The American Standard Stratocaster has a typical retail 'street price' of around $1000 new. Used prices can run anywhere from around $600 -$950, depending on age and condition, for a '90's to current year model. Earlier than that and they start going up a bit. In fact, if it's a true '50's or '60's model (not re-issue), they can cost upwards of $25,000-$35,000. But we're not going to focus on those in this guide, so from here on just assume we're talking about 90's-2008 models.
The "American Standard/Series" will have a serial number (S/N) that will be found on the back
of the headstock. Those made in the 90's will have an S/N that starts with 'Nx' and those made in the 2000's will have S/N's that start with 'Zx', where 'x' equals the last number
of the model year. So a serial number beginning with 'N3' will be a
1993 model and a serial number of 'Z3' will be a 2003 model. The
serial numbers of both will include 5 or 6 additional digits. (i.e.
N3256324 or Z3621835). A note here for clarification, sometimes production years will carry over into the next year so it is
possible to get a guitar with a serial number indicating a year other
than the actual production date. For example, I've got an American
Standard with a serial number starting with 'N5' which is actually a
1996 model. It's got the 60 anniversary sticker (like all the '96's) and
the neck pocket and pickguard are stamped '1996'.
Here's a couple good websites to check serial numbers
and descriptions for all different sorts of model year Stratocasters. NOTE: You'll have to cut and paste any URL from this guide into your browser as Ebay does not allow links outside of Ebay.
http://www.guitarnucleus.com/fenderserial.html
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html
The standard American Standard/Series Strat will come with 3 high-quality single-coil pickups made with alnico (aluminum/nickel/cobalt) magnets, specifically alnico 5 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-coil). This is one of the main differences over the lower priced, non-USA models which we will be discussing later. The 6 pole pieces on each pickup (one for each string) are the actual magnets. In the cheaper single-coil pickups (standard on most of the Mexican and Squier models), the pole pieces will be steel and the magnets will consist of ceramic bars (ferrite) running along the bottoms of the pickups. The alnico magnets are typically the one's to have if you want to really nail the vintage Fender Stratocaster sound. Here's a couple decent links for some suggested reading on pickups and pickup differences.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-coil
http://www.guitartechcraig.com/techpckp/pickups.htm
http://www.stratcollector.com/pups.html
Notes: There is also a budget priced American Stratocaster called the 'Highway
1' that has been produced since around 2002. These are currently about $750 shipped for a new 2008 model and can be found used for as low
as $450-$500 for an older model. They feature a cheaper, thinner finish and a slight difference in pickups and hardware, although starting at the 2006 model there have been 'upgrades' (here is a link to another Ebay guide that briefly explains the upgrades/changes if you are interested. Fender Highway 1 Stratocaster Upgrades ) These guitars would be rated somewhere between a
genuine American Standard and a Mexican Standard model. The newest Highway 1's have the large, 70's style headstock but you have to be very careful with the older models because it can be very hard for the average person to distinguish the difference between these and the American Standard. Many sellers don't mention that they are actually selling a Highway 1. I've seen many that just say "American Stratocaster" for sale. Some sellers may not even know what they have either. It's best to go to the Fender website and read all of the model specific descriptions, look closely at the pictures, and learn the differences. You can ask the seller to verify which model they are selling. If you are not convinced that they even know you can compare the Ebay seller's pictures to a known model of the same year. Or you can always ask someone else. There are some great Fender online forums out there that you can join and post questions in. Post a picture or a link to an auction and let the experts decide.
Another note: There was also an "American" Strat made for a year in 1997 called a 'California Series'. They will say "Made in USA" and will have a small decal on the ball end of the headstock that will say "California Series". Supposedly the bodies for these were shipped down to the Mexico plant for painting and then it was shipped back to the U.S. for assembly. The serial number is a little unusual and may start with 'AMXN7' followed by 5 digits. They are considered 'Made in the U.S.A.' though and are considered by some to be a bargain if you can find them for around $550 or less.
And finally to our second category,
2) Fender Standard Stratocasters,
which are only made in Mexico (aka MIM). "Fender Standard" is the proper designation for a Mexican made 'Standard' Stratocaster. So "American Standard" = MIA, and "Fender Standard" = MIM. Some people call them "Mexican Standard" which is probably a better, more descriptive way to refer to them. These will have 'Made in Mexico' and a serial number
right on the front of the headstock (except for certain vintage
re-issue and deluxe models). The serial number will begin with
'MNx' for 90's models and 'MZx' for 2000 models, where 'x' = the last
digit of the model year, followed by 5 or 6 other numbers. So a serial
number beginning with 'MN3' will be a 1993 model and one starting with
'MZ3' will be a 2003 model. These typically
sell new for approximately $399-$445 shipped to your door from the
online discount places ( like www.musiciansfriend.com ) Sometimes a special issue will be more and prices may differ depending on color options. Keep
these prices in mind before bidding on an auction. It pays to do
some research first! Stock Mexican made Standard
Strats will routinely be offered for sale for between $250-$325 used on Ebay, depending on model year and condition. If you are patient you will be able to find a very nice
one in this price range. This is not to say a nice used one is not
worth a little more than that. It's just that you can
easily find a very nice one cheaper, if that's your goal. If it's a
very recent model (2007-2008) in great shape, with no issues, then it may be worth a little more, but just remember before you plunk down that much cash that you
can get a brand new 2008 model, which supposedly has a few upgrades over the previous years models, shipped to your
door for $399-$435 (depending on color) if you buy from one of the large online dealers such as Musicians Friend, or if you search the Ebay Stores for authorized Fender retailers. And sometimes you can get a scratch and dent item for closer to $300.
( NOTE: Some of the newer Mexican made models like the Classic and
Deluxe models and the Artist models can be much more expensive....and
nicer!... than the Standard models and rival the American models in
sound, feel and quality!)
And now our 3rd major category,
3) Squier Stratocasters, which are currently made overseas in places like China and Indonesia, with some coming from Korea. (Note: There were some that were made in Mexico in the very early '90's that have the standard Mexican serial number, i.e. MNxxxxxx and also some made in the USA in the 1980's I believe that may start with and 'E'). The newer ones will say 'Crafted in Indonesia' or 'Crafted in China' on the back of the headstock but the older ones will normally have 'Made in Korea' or 'Made in China' on the front of the headstock. I won't go into the serial numbers too much here other than to say that they are normally found on the back of the headstock, but these will say "Squier" in large letters right on the front of the headstock instead of the regular "Fender" logo that's on the American and Mexican Standard models. The Squiers may say something like 'by Fender' in smaller letters. To make things more confusing, the Squier line of Stratocasters come in 3 sub-models. The top of the Squier line is the 'Standard' which sells for around $199 new, the 'Affinity' which goes for around $149 and the bottom of the line 'Bullet' which goes for around $99 new. Those are shipped to your door prices. It's amazing what some people will try to sell these for on Ebay but you should be able to find a very nice used Squier Standard on Ebay for between $120-$160 shipped.
The hierarchy of course is 'American Standard', then 'Fender
(Mexican) Standard', then 'Squier Standard', then 'Squier Affinity' and
lastly the 'Squier Bullet'.
The American and Mexican Strats will have
similar bodies and necks as far as materials go but the Americans will
typically have the nicer feeling necks, bodies made of fewer pieces, much nicer finishes and better hardware (tuners, bridges,
etc) and electronics (pickups, tone/volume controls, etc). The American models will have a 22 fret neck with a width of around 1.68" at the nut and most Mexicans will have a 21 fret neck with a 1.65" width at the nut. Both are very good quality though and lots of people are perfectly happy with
the Mexican models, which are a great value for the money. You can
upgrade the pickups to American Series quality or better and end up
with a really great guitar. The general rule is to
buy as good of a guitar as you can afford. The better the guitar, the more likely you are to pick it up and play! Used is a great way to start
as you can usually get your money back on a resale. That's if you don't overpay to begin with, which is what this guide is intended to
prevent. Plus, when you buy used you can get a much better guitar for
the same amount of money. The American models and some of the Mexican made special models can hold their values very well. Use the new and used pricing I've listed
above as a guide but it never hurts to do your own research. Check the Ebay 'Completed Listings' for similar models to get a good idea what the going prices are.
- What's a Fat Strat? -
Yes there is such a thing as a 'Fat Strat' also called an HSS (Humbucker, Single-coil, Single-coil) Strat. The typical Strat has 3
single-coil pickups. The Fat Strat has 2 single-coil pickups, one in
the neck and one in the mid position, and a humbucker pickup in the
bridge position. Humbuckers give what's called a 'fatter' sound than a
single-coil. They have more windings and, as a result, are 'hotter' (more output). Generally speaking, the
hotter the pickup, the more prominent the midrange frequencies will be hence they're said to have a 'thicker' or 'warmer' sound with less treble bite.
Humbuckers are what you'll find in guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul.
The Fat Strat can give you more tone options if that's the kind of
sound you're after. But if you're after the true vintage sound of the
Stratocaster you may want to stick with the standard 3 single-coil
variety. You can buy after
market single-coils that are wound hotter and give you a warmer sound
also. A lot of people will add a hotter single-coil in the bridge
position which I guess could give a "similar" effect as a humbucker.
There are also HH Strats which contain two humbucker pickups and no
single-coils at all. These can also be referred to as 'Double Fat'
Strats.
- Some things to watch out for when buying a Strat
- Stratocaster parts are highly interchangable. Leo Fender designed them that way on purpose. Necks can be removed and replaced very easily by removing 4 screws. Other parts are easily changed out also and there are a ton of after-market parts and/or parts from Stratocaster copies (many inferior), including necks and bodies out there. Read the ads carefully, ask questions if the ads aren't clear, look for serial numbers and check the sellers feedback ratings. I will actually read the feedback the seller has received. His overall rating may be deceptive. Maybe it's all from buying and not from selling. Look at his feedback from buyers. Look at the sellers previous sales. If it looks like they sell a lot of guitars but then try to play dumb in an ad about a certain guitar you should maybe be suspicious. Keep in mind that you can buy very real looking Fender logo decals out there. So anyone could buy an after-market neck and slap a Fender decal on it and attach it to any Strat looking body (Squier, after-market, copy, etc). That's not to say that there aren't excellent after-market parts out there......there are, but there are also inferior parts too. But the bottom line is, if the guitar has a Fender Stratocaster decal on the headstock but no serial number anywhere you should be suspicious.
- Many sellers who are selling a Stratocaster will fail to
mention in the ad that it's a Squier! Or if they do mention that
it's a Squier, they won't mention which model it is (Standard, Affinity
or Bullet). And they will often make a point of not giving you a good
shot of the headstock so you won't be able to see for yourself. Some of
these sellers are obviously just not real knowledgeable themselves but
others do it on purpose to dupe unsuspecting buyers. They are counting
on your lack of knowledge to charge more than the guitar is worth or to
get a quick sale. If the ad does not mention what model (or year even)
the guitar is you need to ask specific questions
and if you don't get an answer you should be very careful. The bottom
line is, if it was made in Korea, China or Indonesia then it's
definitely a Squier of some sort.
- Make sure you know the cosmetic condition of the guitar before bidding. If it isn't mentioned you can email the seller and ask specific questions.
- Don't fall for bogus claims from the sellers. I've seen many
sellers tout their Strat as being 'upgraded' when in fact all they've
done is put a different pick guard on it or
replace the nut. While maybe nice, these modifications alone do not
really warrant a premium. Another trick sellers like to play is to
claim that the era or year (or factory) their Strat was made in
"was back in (pick a date or factory)
when they made them good" or "better", "not like the junk they make
now", or similar claims. Actually the truth is that the quality and
quality control today is probably at an all time high.
- Anniversary decals - 1996 was the 50th anniversary of Fender and every production-year 1996 Fender guitar got a little "50th Anniversary" decal on the back of the headstock. 2006 was the 60th anniversary of Fender so every production-year 2006 Fender guitar got a little "60th Anniversary" decal on the back of the headstock There is nothing special about these as far as build quality or materials. They are the same as any other year's model, although I suppose they might have sentimental value to some. They are not any rarer than any other year's model either, although some seller's claim so. There are some 50th and 60th Fender anniversary 'Commemorative' models however that have a 'Commemorative' engraved neck plate. These are rarer as they were only issued for limited times but are basically the same guitars with a fancy decal and neck plate. This Fender anniversary/commemorative issue is very confusing as there are also Anniversary 'Stratocasters'. 2004 was the 50th anniversary of the Stratocaster. There are 50th Anniversary American Series Stratocasters that are special issues and will command higher prices. So just keep in mind that there are "Fender Anniversary" (50th in 1996 and 60th in 2006) and "Stratocaster Anniversary" (50th in 2004) and hopefully you'll be able to keep things straight.
- Many sellers like to quote the original list or retail price of the guitar. Don't go by this number! The street prices on new guitars can be up to hundreds less than the list or retail prices!
- Between 1994-1996 (S/N will start with MN4-MN6), there were some Mexican Standard Strats made that had a very small 'Squier Series' decal on the ball of the headstock These are not to be confused with the 'Squier' Stratocaster model line! Although very similar to real Mexican Standard Strats, there are some subtle differences. These models were made using the same bodies and necks as the Mexican Standard version but they used the cheaper Squier hardware (tuners and bridges). The single-coil ceramic pickups appear to be the same as the Mexican Standards but, since they used a hodgepodge of parts on these, it is not a guarantee. The volume potentiometer can be 500K ohm vs the typical 250K. These guitars do not have the typical 'Squier' decal in large letters, they have a small 'Squier Series' decal on the ball of the headstock, right in the front. Many, if not most, previous owners have found a way to remove this decal (out of vanity?) but there are still many easily identifiable traits. The easiest way to tell is by looking at the 'Fender' logo decal on the front of the headstock. The following picture show a standard Mexican 'Fender' logo decal. Notice how it is a silver-ish (or gold-ish) color with a dark outline.
Now here is a picture (below) of the 'Squier Series' headstock. This
one happens to have the 'Squier Series' decal but also notice how the
entire 'Fender' decal is a solid dark color and there is no outline around the logo. As far as I know, these are the only Stratocasters with the solid dark logo and no outline. However, with the enormous varieties over the years and the sharing of parts between factories I suppose it is possible to find an exception. But chances are extremely good that if you see this type of Fender logo , it's one of those with the 'different' tuners and bridge.
NOTE: A clarification on the solid dark logo: In the very late 60's and throughout most of the 70's there was a darkened-in Fender logo on the American Strats but it was within a gold outline and usually on the large 70's style headstock. Here is an example of the American on top and the Squier Series on bottom. It's really hard to tell with these small pictures, but the logo on top has a gold outline around the Fender logo and then is colored inside the outline. The one on the bottom is solid with no outline. There is a special '70's issue Mexican Strat that does have the period-correct logo like the top picture below but it is in an outline and also happens to have the large 70's style headstock and large 'Stratocaster' decal. So, to identify the true 'Squier Series' decal Strats look for all of the following... the small headstock, solid dark Fender logo with no outline, serial number starting with MN4, MN5 or MN6 and the different tuners and bridge/saddles (see pics in Update 2 at the end of the review). Despite what some sellers are saying, you cannot dispute the fact that the tuners and bridges are not the same! Yeah, so maybe the decal's not there...it doesn't matter.
Please continue on to Part II (under construction). If you have found this section of the guide helpful, please feel free to vote below. However, keep in mind that Part II may contain some corrections, additions and/or qualifying statements regarding comments made in Part I. I always welcome any corrections, critcism, comments or questions. Please feel free to email me.
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