60's Classic Series Stratocaster

[sjtalon]

I bought what I believe is a 60's Classic Strat. circa 1998 S/N MN8

I base this on the type of neck it has and it appears to have 57/62 (they call Vintage in the spec) staggered pole pups @ 5.58 5.55 5.57 ohms -- all black and white leads.

It is 3 T Sunburst but what I thought is strange is the back of the body is all black ?


Can anyone remember any 3TSB that where like that ?

[thaus]

Can you post some pics? Never heard of something like that coming out of a Fender factory but who knows?? I don't think that classic series ever had the 57/62's in them but they could have been switched out. (which is to your advantage!!).

[AllroyPA]

I remember someone saying Warmoth had all black backs .. look in the neck pocket ! Sometimes ya gotta take it apart to see what'cha got !

[sjtalon]

Thanks for the reply.

Part # wise both the 50's and 60's Classic Series (NOT PLAYERS) list the same number for all the pickups.

Spec wise, Fender lists:
3 vintage-style single-coil pickups with staggered pole pieces, alnico magnets, and aged covers.


I did some snooping around and read posts to the effect that these "vintage-style" are actually 57/62's. But I'm not saying that is the gospel.


Also the resistance matches advertised 57/62's (5.6 ohm). If you go through resistance specs on Fender Strat pups, they very quite a bit and 5.6 could only be 57's ( Fender's anyway).

Just more puzzle pieces.

[thaus]

The one classic series Fender I used to own didn't have cloth wire on the pups. Most MIM instruments (notice I say most!!) have plastic-coated wiring. I have a 50 classic Strat and it came with plastic-coated wires. As AllroyPa said, if you're comfortable snooping around, taking the neck off may reveal other clues!!

[thaus]

Also, didn't that series come out in 1999? Could be wrong but I seem to recall an earlier discussion about the start dates for the Classic 50's and 60's stratocasters.

[sjtalon]

I emailed Fender the s/n and I just got this from Cust. Relations (great folks I might add !).

It’s a 1999 MIM 60’s Strat. Well the neck is anyway


Model Name: ‘60s Stratocaster®

Model Number: 013-1000-(Color #)

Series: Classic Series

Body: Alder

Neck: Maple, “C” Shape,

(Gloss Urethane Finish)

Fingerboard: Rosewood, 7.25” Radius (184 mm)

No. of Frets: 21 Vintage Style Frets

Scale Length: 25.5” (648 mm)

Width @ Nut: 1.650” (42 mm)

Hardware: Chrome

Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Vintage Style Tuning Machines

Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo

Pickguard: 3-Ply Mint Green

Pickups: 3 Vintage Style Single-Coil Strat® Pickups with Staggered Pole Pieces, Alnico Magnets, Aged Covers

Pickup Switching: 5-Position Blade:

Position 1. Bridge Pickup

Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup

Position 3. Middle Pickup

Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup

Position 5. Neck Pickup

Controls: Master Volume,

Tone 1. (Neck Pickup),

Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)

Colors: (300)* 3-Color Sunburst, *add $60.00,

(302) Lake Placid Blue,

(306) Black,

(309) Candy Apple Red,

(Polyester Finish)

Strings: Fender Super 250R, Nickel Plated Steel,

Gauges: (.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046),

P/N 073-0250-006

Unique Features: Aged Knobs and Switch Tip,

Vintage Styling,

Synthetic Bone Nut

Source: Mexico

Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag

U.S. MSRP: $1,090.00,

$1,150.00 *(300)

NOTICE: Product Prices, Features, Specifications and Availability Are Subject To Change Without Notice

INTRODUCED: 1/1999

DISCONTINUED:

DISCONTINUED COLORS: (324) Inca Silver, 1/2008,

(366) Burgundy Mist, 1/2007,

(305) Olympic White, 1/2005,

(356) Shell Pink, 1/2005

COMMENTS: Replaces Japanese Collectable Series ‘60s Reissue Strat

WRENCH SIZES: Saddle Height Adjustment Wrench, (.050” Hex), P/N 0018531000

[pfogle]

thanks for that info - I just got one of these last week (a 2003) and I love it - it's the burgundy mist, which I did't know has been discontinued, so that's a nice surprise!

[thaus]

Good that you got it figured out! Does the neck or heel have any markings? It really does sound like the body is something else or someone has refinished it. And those pups, if they sound good, sounds like a bonus. It is strange that some colours are just discontinued. I love shell pink and had to finally buy a MIJ body to get that colour.

[sjtalon]

Thank you all for your help. I am kind of figuring this out in stages and am working on getting photos taken and put in photobucket to post. Thanks all for staying with me.

I have disassembled it.

Thaus you are right, this body is not original.....it is NOT alder that's for sure. This turns out to be a a Partsocaster. I did buy it with my fingers crossed as to what it was (60's Classic) and had few and poor pictures to go on but, whatever, I took a chance and did get it cheap enough to part out (sell). The neck is REAL nice and 7.5 radius is a little hard to come by so if I do sell I should get a pretty good $ for that anyway.

As Allroy says:
Sometimes ya gotta take it apart to see what'cha got !

Stay Tuned........

[sjtalon]

Neck Pocket has; AUG 17 1994 then above that, larger stamped letters; "S.T" and then a "S" which could have another letter after it I can't make out.
Swimming pool job and what kind of wood is this ? Pine ?

[AllroyPA]

Looks like a pine knot does'nt it ... hum .. they had those crimping connectors in there huh ?

[sjtalon]

Yep, pickguard is a 11 hole - dates JAN 29 1998 ! The one hole by the middle pup didn't have a screw in it because naturally there was nothing there to screw into (route underneath). This needs a 8 hole pg.

I new it wasn't alder and thought, well being Fender (hoping) maybe Ash, but not with that knot !

What a Mutt she is !

[AllroyPA]

That's bizzarro-land ... almost makes ya wonder why they bothered to put a stamp in the pocket ... not that it looks bad the grain is nice.

[thaus]

Could be a Japanese body, which are often identified with ST**-***. Maybe Sneakypete will chime in or you could pm him and ask. Body looks ok, actually has nice grain except for the knot. Looks pretty good to me actually.

[AllroyPA]

It prob was fitted with a couple of humbuckers orig, that's why the countersinks for ony neck and bridge into the body routes.

[Orlando Mike]

Looks like a veneer top, ...also...all the swimming pool routes I have seen were smooth on the bottom of the route...57/62's definitely have cloth wiring

[AllroyPA]

Originally Posted by Orlando Mike

Looks like a veneer top, ...also...all the swimming pool routes I have seen were smooth on the bottom of the route...57/62's definitely have cloth wiring

This is prob true pete said anytime he ran across sunburst where the top horn was painted all black it was a ply-body ... but pine ? I suppose may still hold true. I guess they blacken the sides and the back to hide the veneer on top.

[thaus]

Yes, veneer sounds right. Or maybe a photo-finish like the Japanese like to do on their necks. Why would someone veneer a knot though??

[AllroyPA]

Originally Posted by thaus

Yes, veneer sounds right. Or maybe a photo-finish like the Japanese like to do on their necks. Why would someone veneer a knot though??

Most likely a thiner cut of pine on top plyed out under it.

[sjtalon]

Looks like it's solid all the way. I don't see ply seams. Looks like the same grain all through the thickness of the body cavities. I even took the trem cover off the back and there is some paint in there but what areas I see don't reveal a veneer seam.
I would think if it was a veneer top, it wouldn't be very thick and you would notice the seam right ?

[sjtalon]

PG and 7.5R 60's Neck

As far as the pickups, I know 57/62's have cloth wires. I shouldn't have stated they where acually the pickups used. What I thought I read was the 50's and 60's Classics where a MIM "copy" of those (magnet and wire wise) possibly ? These are staggered poles as well. They did sound REAL nice and bell/chimey when I played it before gutting it, even though the strings actually have rust on them !

[sonny wolf]

That body is definitely not a 60s classic series though the neck is.It doesn't look like alder(which is what that series uses),it's more like ash with it's thick grain patterns.The 60s reissue doesn't have the 'swimming pool' cavity routing.The sunburst finish with the all black back is not to spec either.There was a series in the mid 90s made in mexico by Fender called the special series...they had poplar bodies with ash veneer tops and the same type of sunburst as yours...maybe it is that(???).Also,57/62 pickups can easily be distinguished by their very beveled magnet polepieces,cloth wire and fiber bobbins(instead of plastic).Hopefully you still got a great guitar regardless of the specs.If it has the magic,then that's the most important thing.

[sjtalon]

Right on about the magic Sonny !
I have a Strat with "REAL" 57/62's in to compare and your right about the bevel, ect.,.

Update in the body (wood) from another post at TDPRI:
possibly, Oregon Pine AKA Douglas Fir.

Like I said about the MIM pups in my other post, copies with vinyl insulated wire too.
Like these reissues (poles, stagger just the same) :
Vintage 60s RI Fender Stratocaster Strat PICKUP Guitar - eBay (item 200395149088 end time Oct-21-09 07:58:10 PDT)

[sjtalon]

When I bought this ( from poor pictures remember) I was fired up to have it replace the 2005 MIM Std I have ( 3 TSB, Alder 57/62's). Because of the neck leading me to it being (hopefully) a 60's classic. Things happened fast and I had to pull the trigger on buying it so am doing the research AFTER the fact. So a slight let down in what I ended up with but there is ALWAYS a gamble in buying used..........especially from a pawn !

[thaus]

Well, if it sounds good and plays well, all the other stuff doesn't matter. It actually is a pretty nice looking grain. The black back wouldn't bother me unless I paid a lot of $$.........just set it up well and play away!! Always cool finding out more info on any guitar though!!

[sjtalon]

Well, like I said, when I bought it I was hopin' it was a 60's Classic series to replace my '05 MIM Strat. No problem I got it for a good price so am going to part it out for sale. It's got the big honkin' block vintage Fender trem in it too !


Thanks to all of you for the comments....it was fun. I have a post over at TDPRI Strat looking for some input on what type of wood this body is.


Happy Pickin'