Identify this serial number?

normington · February 7th, 2010, 03:31 PM

Newbie on this forum - hi everyone!

Looking at buying a Squier Strat Standard - somebody's offering me a Squier Strat but I don't know whether it's standard or affinity or what. There's no writing on the tip of the headstock like there usually is, to tell you what line it's from. The serial number says CA003073765.

Here's a picture of the guitar:

And one of the headstock:

Is there any way I can find out what model this is from this information?
Cheers,
Andrew

Kyri · February 7th, 2010, 03:34 PM

Hi Normington and welcome! I can't see the 2nd pic but if the body is full thickness then it is likely a standard, if it is thinner then it is likely an affinity. That what I think from what I can see of the neck anyway. The thinner ones are around 40mm thick.

normington · February 7th, 2010, 04:14 PM

Any other way I can tell? I'd have to travel to get to the guitar, and I'd rather know what I'm going for before I leave.

Am I right that Affinity's have 21 frets where Standards have 22? Any other tell-tale signs?

Also, why does it not have the writing on the headstock that is normally present, to tell you which model it is?

Mech · February 7th, 2010, 05:34 PM

I bit hard to see, but I don't think that is a Standard. And that serial # is definately not of the Standard lot. I'm thinking Affinity.

normington · February 8th, 2010, 03:20 AM

What about the shape of the headstock? All the standards and affinity's I've seen have a much wider one - this seems to be of the older, thinner style. Am I right to think this? I've seen SE's with this shape of headstock, is that what it might be?

Mech · February 8th, 2010, 11:36 AM

Maybe an older Bullet......or Affinity. Pop the pg or look at the neck heel for more info. Maybe it has the import pots or regular 250's. But to help, you have to provide a larger/closer image of both sides of the headstock and/or body parts.

Good luck!

Blackmore Fan · February 8th, 2010, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by normington

What about the shape of the headstock? All the standards and affinity's I've seen have a much wider one - this seems to be of the older, thinner style. Am I right to think this? I've seen SE's with this shape of headstock, is that what it might be?

Its my guess that its an SE. Bullets, Affinities, and Standards self-identify, whereas many SEs have the letters "SE" nowhere on them.

corosith · February 8th, 2010, 11:38 PM

If it were a standard it would most probably indicate it on the headstock and would have a thicker body versus the thinner run of the mill affinity body. About the only info I can see is that it was made in China by Axl, the only standard squier strats that I know of are made by the Indonesians which seem like half reasonable guitars.

normington · February 10th, 2010, 11:38 AM

Okay, I'll run with that. So how does an SE compare to the other models?

Blackmore Fan · February 10th, 2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by normington

Okay, I'll run with that. So how does an SE compare to the other models?

I've had mine for a little less than a month and I'm very pleased with it. I've read that the Standard series has better pickups (Alnicos) than any of the others, but its my belief that the SEs play as well as the Affinities and Bullets (although some of the color combinations for the Affinities and Bullets are downright beautiful).