USA Squire with 4 Digit Serial Number

[Thrup'ny Bit]

Thanks to everyone who responded with info on this guitar. It is greatly appreciated still, and yes I still have it. Actually, what prompted my return to the thread was to retrieve copies of pics I posted to provide to law enforcement. The strat was stolen days ago, but I located it and am waiting for the 30 day hold mandated by law on pawn shops before I can pick it up.

Forgive me if I sound thick, but your strat was stolen, you found it and now you have to wait thirty days before you can get it back? What a strange world we you do live in.

 

[Bodean]

Awesome that you found it, many don't.

 

[Thrup'ny Bit]

Awesome that you found it, many don't. Perhaps with your photo evidence you can get it back sooner?

Over here the guitar would be taken and held as evidence by the police. Then returned broken, scratched and otherwise beyond use 18 months later, after the case against the shop was dropped for lack of evidence and the scrote that nicked it acquitted because he didn't mean to do it...

 

[johnnymg]

Thanks to everyone who responded with info on this guitar. It is greatly appreciated still, and yes I still have it. Actually, what prompted my return to the thread was to retrieve copies of pics I posted to provide to law enforcement. The strat was stolen days ago, but I located it and am waiting for the 30 day hold mandated by law on pawn shops before I can pick it up.

Good luck with getting that guitar back. It sounds like a rare guitar.

Welcome to Strat Talk.

 

[Bodean]

Over here the guitar would be taken and held as evidence by the police. Then returned broken, scratched and otherwise beyond use 18 months later, after the case against the shop was dropped for lack of evidence and the scrote that nicked it acquitted because he didn't mean to do it...

Depending on the law in the locations county, the only time law enforcement will confiscate an item is if it's a firearm. Usually the item is claimed by the individual, paperwork is filled out, the item can be bought back by the owner minus the pawnshop fees. Then you have to get reimbursed from the pawn broker through the court system. Sometimes if it is not to expensive the pawn shop will return to avoid court costs and the hassle. Pawn shops can face fines if proven they knowingly accepted stolen goods. Which in a guitars case is hard to prove. Neither the crook or the shop probably knew what they had.
I would be interested to know what the pawn shop was selling it for?

 

[skypeace]

Oldish thread, but what an interesting one. Rare guitar, identified then nicked, and photos in this thread needed to identify it to authorities. Man this is better than TV.

 

[claptonfan1]

Just an update. It's been over 5 years. I did get the guitar back after the 30 days, in the same condition as pre stolen, and I still have it. It's 34 yrs old now and I'm still lovin' it, and really love it's color now as originally white, has turned into a really beautiful very light, heavy on the cream coffee color.

 

[claptonfan1]

Yours is number 822 of the initial production run. Later versions were serialized 'E' for eighties and 'N' for nineties. The first run of approximately 1500 or so carried no year designation...just the run number. The body is alder and the neck is maple.

The partially obscured number in the neck pocket is probably a run code rather than a date which would tell the assemblers how to build it (color, fretboard and so on...).

HotDan, Doesn't look like I thanked you personally for your answer with such good info way back when. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

[stratmanshow]

I know a bit (actually a fair bit) about these. They were built in Nov. and maybe Oct.89. I have one that is from the second serial number series dated Dec 7 89 and a serial on the neckplate (000609). The highest neckplate serial I have found was 00012XX. After this the serial went to the headstock and over the next few months they changed a lot. Yours and mine have a very slightly smaller body than a regular strat, (usually) with a pool route.. This changed to a regular size and then a regular route. These first 2 models had a vintage style truss rod, with rosewood or (rare for Fender) maple cap neck with unbranded (I suspect Gotoh) tuners, 1 string tree, and in my case, it's a terrific neck clay dot type markers.
These were still used on the early models in 1990 and then changed to a headstock truss adjust and a full size body. Over the next 18 mo. or so the guitar basically morphed into what became the Mexican Standard when they began production.
These 2 models are not covered at all in The Squier Book in which Page talks about the last 92 model which is when they were discontinued.
Also of note is that these were one of the first or maybe the first Squiers to have a narrower string spacing and nut. The tremolo block is the smallest I have ever seen on anything, and the screws are 1/8" longer but thinner than typical MIK or MIJ. The pickups are a la 90's Mexican ceramics with a double bar, and dime size pots. Pickguard screw pattern is unique. Mine was replaced.
The asking prices for all the US Squiers is a bit insane, but they seem to get sold.

 

[claptonfan1]

I know a bit (actually a fair bit) about these. They were built in Nov. and maybe Oct.89. I have one that is from the second serial number series dated Dec 7 89 and a serial on the neckplate (000609). The highest neckplate serial I have found was 00012XX. After this the serial went to the headstock and over the next few months they changed a lot. Yours and mine have a very slightly smaller body than a regular strat, (usually) with a pool route.. This changed to a regular size and then a regular route. These first 2 models had a vintage style truss rod, with rosewood or (rare for Fender) maple cap neck with unbranded (I suspect Gotoh) tuners, 1 string tree, and in my case, it's a terrific neck clay dot type markers.
These were still used on the early models in 1990 and then changed to a headstock truss adjust and a full size body. Over the next 18 mo. or so the guitar basically morphed into what became the Mexican Standard when they began production.
These 2 models are not covered at all in The Squier Book in which Page talks about the last 92 model which is when they were discontinued.
Also of note is that these were one of the first or maybe the first Squiers to have a narrower string spacing and nut. The tremolo block is the smallest I have ever seen on anything, and the screws are 1/8" longer but thinner than typical MIK or MIJ. The pickups are a la 90's Mexican ceramics with a double bar, and dime size pots. Pickguard screw pattern is unique. Mine was replaced.
The asking prices for all the US Squiers is a bit insane, but they seem to get sold.

Wow stratmanshow, that's great info! If I remember correctly, when I bought mine from Thoroughbred Music in Tampa, they also had in stock the same guitar in red and a dark blue. I was not aware of black availability, if offered for this series. All good additional info! Here's pic of guitar today...

 

[MT Poteet]

No I haven't. Do I risk any harm to the guitar by dismantling it, especially removing all the tension from the strings? By pocket do you mean under the pick guard?

Just don't mess with it if you are uncomfortable taking it apart, it's just a guitar.
I don't understand why a lot of people think that is necessary.