How can I tell if the body of my strat is genuine Fender Japan and not Fender Mexico? What can I look for?
I have a suscpision that a guitar shop that sold me a Japanese 50s reissue that I ordered may have bolted a Japanese neck to a Mexican Body? Ive noticed that the tone pots are 250k, is this any help?
ANy info would be great and would put me out of this questioning. Japanese Serial Numbers on Peghead Decal
Note the lack of S, E, N series. These are reserved for U.S. made Fenders in their corresponding decade. BUT note that the "E" and "N" series does sometimes appear on "made in Japan" models. This could have been a mistake on Fender's part using the same prefix for both U.S. and Jap-made guitars. In any case, if it says "made in Japan", then it is...
JV + 5 Digits = 1982 to 1984
SQ + 5 Digits = 1983 to 1984
E + 6 Digits = 1984 to 1987
A + 6 Digits = 1985 to 1986
B + 6 Digits = 1985 to 1986
C + 6 Digits = 1985 to 1986
F + 6 Digits = 1986 to 1987
G + 6 Digits = 1987 to 1988
H + 6 Digits = 1988 to 1989
I + 6 Digits = 1989 to 1990
J + 6 Digits = 1989 to 1990
K + 6 Digits = 1990 to 1991
L + 6 Digits = 1991 to 1992
M + 6 Digits = 1992 to 1993
N + 6 Digits = 1993 to 1994
O + 6 Digits = 1994 to 1995
P + 6 Digits = 1995 to 1996
Dating Mexican Made Fenders
SERIAL NUMBERS CIRCA
MN0+ 5 DIGITS 1990-1991
MN1+ 5 DIGITS 1991-1992
MN2+ 5 DIGITS 1992-1993
MN3+ 5 DIGITS 1993-1994
MN4+ 5 DIGITS 1994-1995
MN5+ 5 DIGITS 1995-1996
MN6+ 5 DIGITS 1996-1997
MN7+ 5 DIGITS 1997-1998
MN8+ 5 DIGITS 1998-1999
MN9+ 5 DIGITS 1999-2000
MZ0+ 5 DIGITS 2000-2001
MZ1+ 5 DIGITS 2001-2002
MZ2+ 5 DIGITS 2002-2003
MZ3+ 5 DIGITS 2003-2004
MZ4+ 5 DIGITS 2004-2005
MZ5+ 5 DIGITS 2005-2006
NOW if you take your neck off the guitar...look at the pocket where the neck fit onto the body and see if there is anything there like a date/origin/serial/etc.
ALSO look at the heel of the neck and look for markings like initials/date/origina/serial/etc
after this kind of work, you should be sure about the guitar. you won't find anything under the pick guard and 250k pots are used on single coil pick ups while 500k pots are used on humbuckers...ok that's all. Look for a serial and see if they fit the above ones. And if you got a jap one. Awesome, they rock and are going up in price everyday. If you have an early 80's one that's even better, especially if it's a vintage reissue!!!! $$$ Well that was clever wasnt it!! ok Does the neck say Fender made in USA on the headstock?
On the metal hardware it should say made in USA too. If you cant find these markings, take it to anothe dealer and check. You have a good case for reimbursement and a lawyer to sue if your guitar is not made in USA. ok? I'm not 100% about this, but apart from the superior finish on Fender Japan guitars over the Mexican ones, I think all the Mexican Fenders have the body routed for a bridge humbucker, i.e. a larger rectangular hole at the wammy bar end, as opposed to the 'vintage' guitars having a slanted hole for the standard single coil pick up. Most Tone pots are 250k on passive pickups, such as the Strat uses.
If you go to the Fender site I believe you can trace the guitars origin via the serial number. Normay Fender guitars are Aspen body and Maple neck I suspect that you may have been ripped-off. The tone plots are a bit off! | 