After the introduction of the Fender Stratocaster Ultra series in 1989, ebony was officially selected as a fretboard material on some models (although several Elite Series Stratocasters manufactured in 1983/84 such as the Gold and Walnut were available with a stained ebony fretboard). Does someone know the approximate value of the guitar? The tremolo springs are mounted below the scratchplate, removing the need for rear routing and plastic cover plates. The finish around the edge of the bridge is chipped in areas. The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most iconic electric guitar models of all time[3]. Early 1960s Stratocaster with rosewood fingerboard and three-ply pickguard. Don't miss any news and events and register here for our email newsletter, GuitarPoint GmbH However, assuming that it is a U.S. Made guitar a 1988 Stratocaster would have a current listed resale value of: Su closed, 1984 Fender Dan Smith Stratocaster "2-Knob" - Black, incl. DESCRIPTION "Two-Knob" Smith
The Fender Jazzmaster had been promoted as the flagship guitar in the Fender line. Super clean 1984Fender Stratocaster in Blackfrom the Dan-Smith era in excellent and all original condition. Exc+ 95%: $800.00 USD Fender Stratocaster Corona California, serial-z6028678 real of fake ? ", and onwards through to "Let It Be". Does not come with a case. 19541959, one piece maple necks (including fretboard); 19621966, thin Brazilian rosewood fretboard known as a "veneer-board"; 19541964, Spaghetti logo on the headstock; 19641967, gold "transition" logo on the headstock with small writing of the word "Stratocaster"; 1965-1981, headstock enlarged on the right hand side. This setting's characteristic tone is not caused by any electronic phenomenonearly Stratocasters used identical pickups for all positions. Are you sure youre using the best strategy to net more and decrease stress? Technically, it's the first Strat remodeling that should be called the 'Smith Strat', but people have come to think of these later "two-knob" models as Smith's greater claim to fame. Your digging led you this far, but let me prove my worth and ask for references! Made in Japan. However, for value purposes it is an 84-88 series model. During this time, vintage instruments from the pre-CBS era became popular. The volume and tone controls, plus the jack input are all mounted on the solid scratchplate, again removing the need for extra routing & plastic. Probably made between 84 and 87 this is a killer feeling Strat made to plug in and play! As they followed Jimi Hendrix's popularity on TV, CBS asked for the word Stratocaster on the headstock be made larger so that people could read the model name easily. [16] As such, the resurgence of the Fender Stratocaster is credited to the arrival of Jimi Hendrix in the late 1960s. Specs! Cool andaffordable oldie for the price of a new US Standard Strat. The double unison guitar solo on "Nowhere Man", was played by Harrison and Lennon on their new Stratocasters.[23][24][25][26]. The painted headstock is atypical - this guitar came from a "factory special run". E8 serial number in black lettering on the front of headstock is made in usa and should be to the right of the pic you sent. The "quacky" or "doinky" tone of the bridge and middle pickups in parallel, popularized by players such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, David Gilmour, Rory Gallagher, Mark Knopfler, Bob Dylan, Eric Johnson, Nile Rodgers, George Harrison, Scott Thurston, Ronnie Wood, John Mayer, Ed King, Eric Clapton as a solo artist [22] and Robert Cray, can be obtained by using the pickup selector in position 2; similarly the middle and neck pickups in parallel can be obtained in position 4. Condition: This guitar is in very good condition. Weighs 7 pounds and 6 ounces. The Stratocaster's double cutaways allowed players easier access to higher positions on the neck.[9]. Solid block saddles were on ALL American Standards until the late 1990s when they went to bent steel. Original 21 small frets. Fender Products Catalog 2006, page 54, Fender Musical Instruments Company. Super rad period for Japanese Fenders! Serial no. I am not sure you are correct about the E4 NOT being an actual 84 Standard. pre-owned guitar, bass or amplifier we have had for sale. Includes FREE COURIER DELIVERY to any address in Australia. [4] Pivoting "tremolo" bridges are common, balanced by springs mounted in a rear cavity, and the bridge has six individually adjustable saddles whose height and intonation can be set independently. Fender Products Catalog 2006, Page 32, Fender Musical Instruments Company. Despite being credited with inventing the most popular electric guitar in history, Leo Fender made very few alterations to the basic design of the Fender Stratocaster (and the Telecaster for that matter) up until 1965 when the company was sold to CBS Instruments. There are various scratches, nicks, dings and dents throughout the instrument. It's not from 1984, it's an early American Standard, they began in very late 1986 (October-November-December), full scale production began in 1987. Just seen your other photo's. The made in country should be on the guitar. Be sure of your position before leasing your property. original black Fender hardshellcase. Exc 90% Cond: $700.00 USD Modern "American Vintage Reissue 1962" Stratocaster. The serial number indicates a later production, confirmed by the 3/84 date penciled on the back of scratchplate. Originally two- or three-tone sunburst; many other colors subsequently produced. Including original black Fender hardshell case. bass, or amplifier? I have an E816996 strat that im trying to figure out. Nut width measures 1-5/8. The serial number is Z0126764. No matter their experience level they agree GTAHomeGuy is THE only choice. The neck is usually made from maple and attached to the body with screws (often referred to as "bolts") and has a distinctive headstock with six tuning pegs mounted inline along a single side; the fingerboard may be maple or another wood, e.g. As well as the vintage reissues, Fender launched an updated model in 1987: the American Standard Stratocaster. Guitars that duplicate the Stratocaster by other manufacturers are sometimes called S-Type or ST-type guitars. Original Stratocasters were manufactured with five vibrato springs (three in late 1953 prototypes) attached to a milled inertia block and anchored to the back of the body. The Stratocaster's body is front-routed for electronics, which are mounted in a plastic pickguard. This "in between" tone is caused by phase cancellation due to the physical position of the pickups along the vibrating string. [10] The design featured a solid, deeply contoured ash body, a 21-fret one-piece maple neck with black dot inlays, and Kluson SafeTi String[11] post tuning machines. The '57 Vintage Reissue Stratocaster was discontinued in 2012.[29]. I got a fender stratocaster serial number mn1 mexico made 19 On my Blue 1969 stratocaster where do I find the serial number. [34][self-published source][35][self-published source] The Strat Plus Deluxe was introduced in 1989 with pickup and tremolo variations. Various other companies have produced their own Strat-style bodies known as Superstrats. It may not display this or other websites correctly. only correct way to verify is to pop off neck and check the butt end date and neck pocket date, which should correspond with in weeks of each other, if there months apart,then someone added the neck to the body.. as far as value, it all depends on the color and the condition. Nearly all of the 1960s models of the Stratocaster had a rosewood fretboard, and maple fretboards would not be re-introduced in large numbers until 1970. Despite another batch of cost-cutting moves for his CBS bosses, the model that came of the lines later in 1983, running through to '84 was far more in keeping with Leo Fender's fifties designs, including the smaller, more accurate headstock shape, proper 4-bolt neckplate and the truss-rod adjustment shifted back to the headstock. (And it makes string changes an absolute breeze!) I don't think the lower double stacked pot is original either, is it a push pull to engage the neck pickup for 7 positions? "ART/ARCHITECTURE; Strummed by One Hand, Sculptured by Another", "IN PRAISE OF: The Fender Stratocaster | IN PRAISE OF: The Fender Stratocaster", "How to Use a Stratocaster's Controls: Complete Guide", "1954 Limited Edition Stratocaster Owner's Manual (Catalog Copy)", "Vintage Guitar Case Study 1954 Fender Stratocaster", "Vintage Guitar Case Study 1963 Fender Stratocaster", "Chronological Collection of Fender Stratocasters", "How Micro-Tilt Majorly Affects Your Action", "Jazz Bomb. Along with the improvements mentioned above, (headstock shape, truss-rod adjustment and 4-bolt neckplate), this great-sounding Strat also features a solid Alder body, Fender-stamped die-cast tuners with metal buttons, single-ply scratchplate, (plastic parts are all nicely yellowed), and a revised six-saddle bridge/tremolo unit. Definitely a Standard and not a Custom or Import. The "C" Shaped neck was maple with either maple or rosewood finger board and 22 jumbo frets. Fender introduced a five-way selector in 1977, making such pickup combinations more stable.[21]. 1985 "Contemporary" Stratocaster with original (pre-CBS) headstock shape, locking tremolo and humbuckers. Good 60%: $475.00 USD There is considerable debate about the effects on tone and sustain of the material used in the vibrato system's 'inertia bar' and many aftermarket versions are available. Fender hardshell case. Our expertly trained sales team is ready to help! % Keine Besteuerung plus shipping costs, https://guitarpoint.de/product/1984-fender-dan-smith-stratocaster-2-knob-black/, 1-piece solid maple neck with walnut-skunk-stripe. In 2017, the American Standard Stratocaster was replaced by the American Professional Stratocaster, with narrow frets, a fatter 'deep C' neck profile and V-Mod pickups. All electronics and parts are in excellent working condition. Most Stratocasters have three single-coil pickups, a pickup selector switch, one volume control and two tone controls. It's doubtful that before he shifted across to Fender from Yamaha USA, at the behest of CBS, whether Smith could ever have imagined his name being permanently associated with one of America's greatest ever icons, the Stratocaster electric guitar. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously manufactured the Stratocaster since 1954. How Much Is A Fender Stratocaster Serial Number MZ090168 Made in Mexico Ori Fender Telecaster Corona California, Serial-Z6134372 Real Of Fake ? In 1956, Fender began using alder for sunburst and most custom-color Stratocaster bodies. & vintage gear archive, a history of every Body: Solid contoured body in a beautiful Sienna Sunburst finish. They decided to manufacture two Vintage reissue Stratocaster models, the one-piece maple neck 1957 and a rosewood-fretboard 1962 along with the maple-neck 1952 Telecaster, the maple-neck 1957 and rosewood-fretboard 1962 Precision Basses, as well as the rosewood-fretboard "stacked knob" 1962 Jazz Bass. Indie Icon: A Jazzmaster History", "Custom 'EZ Trem' Tremolo Arms For Fender Stratocaster", "Fender Stratocaster History: The evolution of an icon", "Eric Clapton Speaks: Best blues guitar, Gibson or Fender? This Smith revised unit is a really innovative and effective top-loading system, which may actually transfer more resonance to the body than the conventional rear-loading system. and of course what a person would actually pay.. your referring to the picture which is a standard, at least the neck due to the string tree's. This is not showing any movement and is not causing any structural or playability issues. Let me show you why my clients always refer me to their loved ones. Hi,i have a fender stratocaster ,serial I,guitar was made at the Fuji-gen P How much is my Fender Stratocaster worth? Th 9:30 - 18:30 [30] In addition to the Player series, Fender has also released the Player Plus series that features noiseless pickups, locking tuners, and a 12" radius.[31][32]. During the CBS era, particularly the 1970s, the perceived quality of Fender instruments fell. In December 1964, George Harrison and John Lennon acquired Stratocasters and used them for "Help! This was tailored to the demands of modern players, notably having a flatter fingerboard, a thinner neck profile and an improved tremolo system. These first few years (19821984) of reissues, known as American Vintage Reissues, are now high-priced collector's items and considered as some of the finest to ever leave Fender's Fullerton plant, which closed its doors in late 1984.[28]. Mint 98%: $1,000.00 USD The increased 1970s production levels saw a gradual departure from the high quality instruments of the 1960s and the introduction of Japanese manufacturers into the market. fender started back up production in early to mid 1987, e4 seems to mean 84 but no, upon production, they used nos parts, stickers etc on the first guitars, e4 means 87,88 and sometimes 89.. confusing yes. The tremolo arm is a replacement, but it does the job. VG 70%: $550.00 USD Made in Japan at an awesome time for the FujiGen Gakki factory! Tenant rights in Ontario can limit and leave you liable if you misstep. The words Fender, Telecaster, Stratocaster and the associated headstock designs are registered trademarks of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Sealed Fender tuners, 25.5 scale length. Price: AUD $1,850.00
The company regarded 1957 as a benchmark year for the Strat. Fender has produced various 'deluxe' modern American Stratocasters with special features. 0 Dual skirted control knobs, slider switch and a single-ply white pickguard. A true vintage Strat
We 9:30 - 18:30 Strat Talk is the leading online community and marketplace for Stratocaster guitars. Be Good, The guitar introduced into the popular market several features that were innovative for electric guitars in the mid-1950s. Maple fingerboard with a 7.25 radius. This guitar is all original and in very good condition. Maple fingerboard with black dot inlays, black dot fret position markers and a 1 11/16 nut. The neck has fast D-shape which is great to play. The colors available were three-color sunburst, daphne blue, black, bing cherry transparent, cobalt blue transparent, and honey blonde.[36]. The tremolo arm is a replacement, but it does the job. Though advertised as "Tremolo" (a change in volume amplitude), vibrato is the correct term for pitch variation. These guitarists inhibit the bridge's movement with a chunk of wood wedged between the bridge block and the inside cutout of the tremolo cavity, and by increasing the tension on the tremolo springs; these procedures lock the bridge in a fixed position. The simple control layout and bridge design are rare and a great way to own a piece of Fender history. Ash needed grain filler and sanding blocks for contour sanding, though it was still used on translucent blonde instruments.[12]. In 1985, Fender's US production of the Vintage reissues resumed into a new 14,000 square-foot factory at Corona, California, located about 20 miles away from Fullerton. Early ones didn't have the center detent. [20] When two pickups are selected simultaneously, they are wired in parallel which leads to a slight drop in output as slightly more current is allowed to pass to the ground. As of 2019, these include the more affordable American Performer Stratocaster (successor to the Highway One and American Special Stratocasters) and the more expensive American Ultra Stratocaster (successor to the American Elite Stratocaster). Thanks for your help, Maserio: The two point tremolo with saddles match my 1995. The neck has a slight bow most prominent on the treble side around the middle of the neck. So, here we have a Dan Smith designed, American built, Standard Stratocaster, "second version" 1983 1984. Some Stratocasters have a fixed bridge in place of the vibrato assembly; these are colloquially called "hard-tails". Post-1987 "American Standard" Stratocaster with two-point tremolo system and truss-rod adjustment at nut; fingerboard is maple, but rosewood is equally common. It's ashort-lived and rather rare Stratocaster model also known as "2-knob Strat" because it only had 1x Master Volume- and 1x Master Tone knob. Harrison used it as his main guitar in the Beatles from 1965 to 1970, and throughout his solo career. depends on the color of serial number, black is usa, white is japan ee is export made in usa but made for export market.. plain as black and white,,, black/usa and white/japan mr x, Jeff: Bridge pickup looks like it may have been changed. For your consideration a 1980s Fender Stratocaster in Red! Along with the improvements mentioned above, (headstock shape, truss-rod adjustment and 4-bolt neckplate), this great-sounding Strat also features a solid Alder body, Fender-stamped die-cast tuners with metal buttons, single-ply scratchplate, (plastic parts are all nicely yellowed), and a revised six-saddle bridge/tremolo unit. Playability/Sound: This guitar offers all the classic Fender tones players have come to know and love from the Strat. To summarise, the specific features in the evolution of the Fender Stratocaster between 1954 and 1979 included:[14]. Sure, these days you can find anything you want online with just the click of a button. At only $1750, complete with its original hard shell case, this is a fantastic buy in a true vintage Strat. However, I'm interested in the value of the instrument but could not find anything. The Stratocaster features three single coil pickups, with the output originally selected by a 3-way switch. Stock tremolo does not include a bar. The guitar boasted 3 Modern Classic pickups, with the bridge pickup being wound with copper wire and it was called the Hot Classic pickup. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top "horn" shape for balance. You must log in or register to reply here. rosewood, and has at least twenty-one frets. [5], There have been some minor changes to the design over the years and models with features that differ from the archetypical design. collection with up to $500,000 paid same-day for your gear. Almost perversely, Dan Smith's second variation on the Stratocaster wasprobably an improvement over his earlier, 198183 version. Germany, Email: info@guitarpoint.de Very late fifties
Original single coil pick ups and wiring. These guitars have really shot up in price recently, doubling and sometimes tripling what they were selling for just twelve to eighteen months back. Made in USA, or Made In Japan? 0% Keine Besteuerung plus shipping costs, incl. The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed from 1952 into 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. Despite full knowledge of this, Leo Fender always provided the new Fender guitars with a bridge cover to prevent corrosion on the bridge parts. The model line received upgrades in 2000, when it was renamed as the American Series Stratocaster, and again in 2008, when the American Standard name was restored. VG 70% Cond: $550.00 USD I bought mine new and have the paperwork. You are using an out of date browser. The truss rod and neck tilt adjustment function fine. Alder body
Inter-departmental Dupont support research provided a flexible basecoat for their wood applications. Top-load Freeflyte bridge and vibrato system and six individual saddles. The stacked pot was part of the TBX tone circuit until Delta Tone came in. His guitar is not a 1986 strat. With his 1983-84 model, Dan Smith came very close to recreating the much-loved Stratocaster as it existed in the late fifties. GST Included, Almost perversely, Dan Smith's second variation on the Stratocaster wasprobably an improvement over his earlier, 198183 version. There are Strats with E serial numbers that were made in California, and there are indeed some E serial numbered Strats that were made in Japan. [6] The Stratocaster's sleek, contoured body shape (officially referred to by Fender as the "Original Contour Body"[7][8]) differed from the flat, squared edge design of the Telecaster. Hi, how much is my Fender Stratocaster made in Mexico worth? Chrome Gotoh tuners. In 1960, the available custom colors were standardized with a paint chip chart, many of which were Duco automobile lacquer colors from DuPont available at an additional 5% cost. The Most beautiful Stratocaster of them all . This is a early 1984 model with a neck dated to January 1984. Dick Dale was a prominent Stratocaster player who also collaborated with Leo Fender in developing the Fender Showman amplifier. Worth every dollar. Fr 9:30 - 18:30 Various other modern American-made Stratocasters have been produced. Case: Includes original hardshell case. Trying to find out the value of a Fender stratocaster made in corona Califo HOW MUCH IS MY FENDER STRATOCASTER WORTH AMERICAN 1984 ABOUT 7 - 8 LBS. The treble side of the bridge post has caused a small crack in the wood. Some players, such as Eric Clapton and Ronnie Wood, feel that the floating bridge has an excessive propensity to detune guitars. The Fender Custom Shop produced an entry level, team built Stratocaster that was discontinued in 2008. I have a Fender Stratocaster Squier series made in Japan. JavaScript is disabled. However in newer guitars, since the middle pickup is almost always wired in reverse (and with its magnets having opposite polarity), this configuration creates a spaced humbucking pair, which significantly reduces 50/60 cycle hum. honestly it really depends on the market, today for instance, the market is dead, guitars are overpriced and not selling. Across the board, eighties Fender guitars are now selling at prices seventies models were commanding just a short while ago. Vintage 1984 Fender USA Made American Standard Stratocaster Sienna Sunburst Finish. Hope this helps, The distinctive body shape, which has become commonplace among electric guitars, was revolutionary for the time period, and for the first time a mass-market electric guitar did not significantly resemble earlier acoustic models. Early 1950s Stratocaster with ash body, two-tone sunburst finish and single-ply pickguard. Wasn't it in 2008 they went to bent along with change in description from Series to Standard. The best way to get the ball rolling is with a no obligation, completely free consultation without a harassing bunch of follow up calls, emails and stalking. Technically, it's the first Strat remodeling that should be called the 'Smith Strat', but people have come to think of these later "two-knob" models as Smith's greater claim to fame. Neck: Nicely rounded slender maple neck with skunk stripe down the back. As string gauges have changed, players have experimented with the number of springs (often four though Hendrix used five). A single-ply, eight-screw hole white pickguard (changed to an 11-hole three-ply in late 1959) held all electronic components except the recessed jack plate, facilitating assembly. Basswood body finished in red. At only $1750, complete with its original hard shell case, this is a fantastic buy in a true vintage Strat. Volume pot looks to have been changed too, doesn't match the CTS pot in the middle tone position Wasn't it in 2008 they went to bent along with change in description from Series to Standard. The colors included white blonde, two-color sunburst, black, ocean turquoise, surf green, and ice blue metallic. GST Included, Copyright 2022 Just Guitars Australia , All rights reserved, Fender Stratocaster, 1984. This Instrument is part of the Cream City Music used I don't recall 1987 American Standards having TBX.maybe they did? Fender released their first Stratocaster signature guitar for Eric Clapton in 1988. WhatsApp: 4916094485205, Mo 9:30 - 18:30 This thicker board lasted until 1962, when the fretboard was made with a thinner 'veneer' of Brazilian Rosewood. A popular Fender Reissue Stratocaster was the '57 American Vintage Reissue. Fender has released numerous models with different pickup configurations and has made other small modifications to the electronics and components of the base model, such as changing the initial 3-position selector switch to a standard 5-position selector switch, offering more tonal variety, as well as other small cosmetic changes to things like tuning pegs and types of woods used in various parts of the guitar. The color was originally a two-color, dark brown-to-golden yellow sunburst pattern, although custom color guitars were produced (An example is Eldon Shamblin's gold Stratocaster, dated 6/1954). 2022 Gbase - All rights reserved - v5.1.4373.1 (gb1). Fender Stratocaster E455831 - what is the value of this guitar? Along with the Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, and Fender Telecaster, it is one of the most-often emulated electric guitar shapes. Some touch-up solder work has been done. But when do you know when youve found everything you NEED? Tu 9:30 - 18:30 This Smith revised unit is a really innovative and effective top-loading system, which may actually transfer more resonance to the body than the conventional rear-loading system. 1984 fender stratocaster original hard case book usa made serial no e413516. The three-pickup design offered players increased versatility and choice in tone quality over earlier one- and two-pickup electric guitars, and a responsive and simplified vibrato arm integrated into the bridge plate, which marked a significant design improvement over other vibrato systems, such as those manufactured by Bigsby. The neck is still very comfortable with good playability. The Custom Classic Strat was intended to be a combination of the best aspects of vintage and modern Strats. Isn't there a better term than "luthier" to describe modern guitar makers? The tremolo springs are mounted below the scratchplate, removing the need for rear routing and plastic cover plates. 21 original frets in excellent condition, Incl. His remarkable playing style and musical prowess led to a dramatic increase in sales and thrust the Stratocaster into musical history as the premier electric guitar. Late 1960s Stratocaster with large "CBS" headstock, played by Jimi Hendrix.. 1970s Stratocaster with large "CBS" headstock, "bullet" truss rod and die-cast bridge. After 1965, the Fender company, under the control of CBS Instruments, saw a drop in sales of the Fender Stratocaster to customers. Condition: This is a great playing Strat with an awesome finish. your lower valued one are the typical colors, black, sunburst, however midnight wine, car, cab, frost red, fiesta red, and any pastels could double the price.. biggest things collectors look for are stress cracks at neck pocket, chips and dings and scratches. In the floating position, players can move the bridge-mounted vibrato tremolo arm up or down to modulate the pitch of the notes being played. The guitar is in great condition, with just some light play wear on the body, (highlighted in pic # 6), and three quite small paint chips two on the bottom edge, and one on the treble horn, (shown in pic # 8, above the overhead lights reflection). It has barely any wear only some minor scratches and a littlediscoloration on the pickguard. ", "January 4th: Fender Guitar Company, Which Was Started By an Out of Work Accountant Who Never Learned to Play the Guitar, was Sold to CBS for $13 Million", "Player Stratocaster | Electric Guitars", "Fender launches all-new Player Plus electric guitar and bass models with fresh finishes and switching options", "Setup Procedures for the Fender Strat Plus Models", "Strat Plus Owner's Manual Addendum (1987)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fender_Stratocaster&oldid=1095244175, Musical instruments invented in the 1950s, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Articles with self-published sources from June 2018, Articles with dead external links from March 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Surf Staple. All the 'bits' look to be AM Standard. Brandon Talbot | Sales Representative for Cityscape Real Estate Brokerage, Brandon Talbot | Over 15 Years In Real Estate. value depends on the color and condition I stand corrected Good catch. What's listed on the headstock there? These guitars have really shot up in price recently, doubling and sometimes tripling what they were selling for just twelve to eighteen months back. On many modern Stratocasters, the first tone control affects the neck pickup; the second tone control affects the middle and bridge pickups; on some Artist Series models (Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy signature guitars), the first tone control is a presence circuit that cuts or boosts treble and bass frequencies, affecting all the pickups; the second tone control is an active midrange booster that boosts the midrange frequencies up to 25dB (12dB on certain models) to produce a fatter humbucker-like sound. The Strat Ultra was introduced in 1990, again with pickup variations, and also with an ebony fingerboard. Many sales people will tell you what you want to hear and hope that you arent going to ask them to prove it. Fantastic 'out of the box' Fenders tho. As the bridge floats, the instrument has a tendency to go out of tune during double-stop string bends. Do you want to sell your used or vintage guitar, Phone: +49 6109 607860 The guitar is in great condition, with just some light play wear on the body, (highlighted in pic # 6), and three quite small paint chips two on the bottom edge, and one on the treble horn, (shown in pic # 8, above the overhead lights reflection). Per the serial number portion "55831" it was probably made in the third or fourth quarter of 1986. It's perfectly fine, it's a 1987 American Standard in Graffiti Yellow - the 2 string trees are as they should be too.