Is this an American Strat?

[ganzosrevenge]

Are Fender neck pockets always as messy as that? It looks terrible.

The Only production Fender I have seen with no paint in the neck pocket on a consistent basis is the Eric Johnson Strat, but that's at Eric's insistence. Otherwise it's at the discretion of who was painting your strat that day, although there tends to be less paint in MIA / AmDlx / AVRI strats than their foreign counterparts... sometimes you may even get lucky and find NO paint in the neck pocket, but the only one that has none on a consistent basis is the EJ strat.

[Diocletian]

I didn't mean the paint, I mean the carving of the wood. There's big gaps where it meets the neck.

[Funkfingers]

Fender neck pockets can be as messy as this one. On the other hand, this particular one is definitely not a USA Fender. It looks more and more like a Korean Squier - PCB selector switch, small pots, "Butterfly" string guide - with an American decal applied to its headstock.

Also conspicuous in the photographs by their absence are the metal inserts for the micro-tilt adjustment system normally fitted on American Fender Stratocasters of the period suggested by the N1 serial number.

The neck anchoring screw holes in the heel have obviously been well used. Somebody must have had several goes at this project.

I also cannot help noticing that there is pencil handwriting underneath the QA sticker on the heel.

The only glimmer of hope is that the neck might possibly be MIM rather than MIK.

Phee-yew! It's a stinker!

[WhoFan]

I didn't mean the paint, I mean the carving of the wood. There's big gaps where it meets the neck.

Fender for many many years has routed their neck pockets with 2 little extra scoops out of the corners... that way if the heel of the neck is not an exact fit for the body rout the neck and body will still bolt up as only part of the heel butts up against the body......

[WhoFan]

this strat is from the USA in a way... there was a series in the early 90's that where MIM quality but with MIA badges...

[Lucid_Lunatic]

I'm pretty sure it's a Korean strat. I just sold a black one. Even the neck is Korean with a U.S. decal I think. I'm pretty sure all American necks have a 22 fret neck and that one is a 21. (I think some re-issues might have a 21 fret neck, but I'm no expert & that doesn't look like a reissue neck) The body and pockets have the identical routings that my 93 Korean had. The back of the neck and the profile of it where it joins the body is identical to the Korean too.

[Iron Horse]

this strat is from the USA in a way... there was a series in the early 90's that where MIM quality but with MIA badges...

That pencil writing under the sticker on the neck is weird, is this in all of these "MIA" Mexican Fenders?

[WhoFan]

I'm pretty sure it's a Korean strat. I just sold a black one. Even the neck is Korean with a U.S. decal I think. I'm pretty sure all American necks have a 22 fret neck and that one is a 21. (I think some re-issues might have a 21 fret neck, but I'm no expert & that doesn't look like a reissue neck) The body and pockets have the identical routings that my 93 Korean had. The back of the neck and the profile of it where it joins the body is identical to the Korean too.

not that it's a good thing but i'll do some research on the strat model i'm thinking of today... they did release a 21 fret "MIA" junker in 91...

[astrozombie]

dude that guitar is pretty jacked up.

its seen some serious use, take that thing back, its iffy.

[YHWH]

USA-made Fender American Standard necks have 22-frets. My Chinese-made Squier Strat also has 22 frets... BUT IT'S A SQUIER. That body looks Chinese... it has the same crappy trem and electronics as my beaten-up, black Squire Strat (R.i.P.). Fake Fender neck decals can be easily duplicated/forged... or can be more cautiously "lifted" off a legitimate Fender neck and glued onto an imported neck. To OP: I say you've been duped...

[beandip]

I still have a feeling this might be an MIM American.

[ErikH]

No way in hell that's a MIA, MIM or even a MIM/MIA hybrid (California series).

-MIA bodies were universal routed in the 90's.
-MIA necks (aside from vintage RI's) havd 22 frets (since 1988).
-MIM necks in the 90's had vintage size frets, those are medium jumbos.
-The "USA" on the neck plate is script engraved. Not a factory job.
-The trem claw, screws, trem, and ground wire on the trem claw all scream Asian origin.
-I can about guarantee that the body is thinner an a MIA or MIM Strat.
-MIA/MIM Strat pickguards don't come with countersunk pickup mounting screw holes or switch mounting screw holes.
-MIA bodies have the micro-tilt adjustment. This one does not (and it was not removed).
-There is a vintage style string tree on the headstock, and only 1. MIA's have more modern T style string trees and there are 2 of them.
-The tuners were upgraded.

I say all of this because it matches my import Strat to a T, aside from the headstock (mine has the large CBS headstock). My evil twin bandmate has a California Series Strat and the features of this don't match his at all.

To the OP, you got hosed. Get your money back.

[Jessie Sammler]

they did release a 21 fret "MIA" junker in 91...

MIA standing for "Missing In Action", in that case.

[WhoFan]

trying to comfirm that Fender did try to release some MIC MIM quality strats with a MIA badge on the label has proven to be harder then i thought... the one guy that i thought would be able to help me id this guitar as a failed cheap MIA model has little to offer me...

[beandip]

trying to comfirm that Fender did try to release some MIC MIM quality strats with a MIA badge on the label has proven to be harder then i thought... the one guy that i thought would be able to help me id this guitar as a failed cheap MIA model has little to offer me...

What year did the mexico plant catch fire and they moved production to Cali for a few months?

[beandip]

Nevermind, that was 94