N(u)GD: 1996 Fender Tex-Mex Stratocaster

[Funkfingers]

Popped out to buy a 500k pot and some strings. Came home with a very clean, nicely refretted 1996 Tex-Mex HSS Stratocaster.

Not sure how original the instrument really is. The vibrato sustain block is substantial with parallel sides rather than the skinny, tapered SE Asian item found on Fender MIM Standard Strats. (Pressed steel saddles rather than solid cast ones.)

The neck is a nice, deep D profile, refretted with medium jumbo wire and beautifully finished. I plan to install it on my two-tone sunburst Classic Player Strat body ASAP.

The guitar body may be Poplar. Where the grain shows through the opaque finish at all, it is fairly nondescript. Definitely not Swamp Ash! This body is going to require a neck transplant - almost certainly the MIM Standard neck currently on the CP body. A refret with huge wire would lend the second guitar a scalloped vibe.

EDIT - On closer inspection, the grain showing in the neck pocket reminds me more of basswood than anything else. Whatever it is, the pickups suit it. The 2003 MIM neck is now on the 1996 body and the intonation turned out very close on all six strings without resorting to adjustment.