help identifying my Fender Strat

[AdamM]

Can anyone shed any light on this for me?
I bought this Strat off the rail In Nottingham, UK about 7/8 years ago for £1200
All I've managed to gather is that it's a Factory Special Run of some kind.
I have no idea of the woods used but would like to find out as much as possible about the instrument. I'm going to email Fender with the serial number and see what they can tell me.

The only one, other than mine Ive ever seen is Tom Morello's Soul Power guitar, although his is heavily modified.

here's a photo
http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/q...M667/strat.jpg

[SuperSwede]

US made?

Whats the serial number?

[ShortBuSX]

Whats the serial number like? There are several really good Fender seriel number data bases, google "Fender serial numbers"...that should get you in the ball park.
But you might call Fender with the serial number, theyll be able to give you all the details. I called them about my MIM Sunburst and they were very helpful and willing to answer all my questions.

[AdamM]

US made

serial number is on the back of the headstock (at home, I'm at work now)

I'll email Fender with the number then and see what they can give me.

Not that I have any intention of selling it, more for insurance purposes, but do these FSR guitars tend to be worth much? I know Fender won't value it for me. Says so on their site.

[AdamM]

me a few years ago gigging it

[ShortBuSX]

US made

serial number is on the back of the headstock (at home, I'm at work now)

I'll email Fender with the number then and see what they can give me.

Not that I have any intention of selling it, more for insurance purposes, but do these FSR guitars tend to be worth much? I know Fender won't value it for me. Says so on their site.

I wouldnt email em, theyve got a toll free number...theyre real friendly.

[AdamM]

international toll free?
I'm in the UK

[mrmudcat]

http://www.fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php


From fenders hompage go to support tab at top and then to product dating tab.

[ZMAN]

The closest I can come is the Aerodyne Strat. It is a Little thinner than an ordinary strat and has the binding. It does not have a chrome guard, it came with a black one and black knobs. It is in the 2004 Fender forum.
They had the same Headstock. There was also a Tele.

[Spudman***]

The closest I can come is the Aerodyne Strat.

That's what I think too.

[ZMAN]

The only thing is he said he purchased it 7 or 8 years ago in Britain. They could have a whole different set of special editions over there. There was a black and chrome Squier but that had the large headstock. I almost bought one of the Aerodyne strats because I am a sucker for binding.

[AdamM]

This is what Wiki says about Tom Morello's

Originally a Factory Special Run (FSR) released at Guitar Center. Morello has then modified it with the same whammy bar as ATH which is the Ibanez Edge Floyd Rose Tremolo, a toggle switch wired as a kill switch, a locking nut and a Seymour Duncan Hotrail pickup in the bridgeposition. Main guitar in Audioslave. Standard E.

There was a matching Tele which is still on the Music Center site but the Strat is "out of stock or discontinued"

The machine heads are unusual too. I'll see if I can get a picture

[AdamM]

the machine heads lock from the back.

serial number stars DZ1

data base tells me it's 2001 American Deluxe series

[ZMAN]

Definitely a Deluxe Series. I have the same locking tuners on my 50th Ann. Deluxe from 2004 only in gold.
The FSR (Factory special runs) are hard to document because a lot of them are contracted by the larger guitar online stores. They usually have a distinct format as yours does. I am sure Fender would help. It is funny how these FSRs turn up later as special editions in the fender line up. I am pretty sure the Aerodynes had a set neck as well.
Yours probably is a bolt on as most deluxes are.
As far as I am concerned it is a keeper, and I would hold onto it. You obviously like it because you have had it all these years.
I really like the bound guitars and have always wondered why fender didn't use it. I guess they like the look of chipped edges. The closest I came to owning a guitar like this was the FMT HH Tele. I had a set neck and bound body and two hummbuckers with a coil tap from the factory. It was too toylike and I traded it in on my 50th Deluxe. It had a 15 degree radius on the neck and huge jumbo frets.
One question, did it always have the Chrome guard and the hardware as it is shown in the pictures?

[AdamM]

yes, the chrome guard and hardware are all original.

I'll admit, I'd not always been a huge strat fan, but you know what it's like when you pick a guitar up in a store and know instantly it's perfect for you.

It was exactly the sound, look and feel I was searching for and as soon as I put it through a Marshall JCM2000 and cranked the tubes I knew I had to have it. My wife was furious when I came home with a $2000 guitar when I was out helping a buddy test budget guitars.

The only problem I have now is that the band I've just set up and am about to start gigging plays old 80's/90's rock and metal and the single coil just doesn't have the punch I need. I'm considering putting a Hotrail in it. I'm also worried about the trem as a few of the lead breaks require some pretty aggressive work. I'm not sure I'd like to go as far as fitting a Floyd to it though.

Might just have to invest in a Jackson DK2 for those tracks.