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NGD: E Series Fender Standard Strat!

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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4,003
I just scored a Fender E series..I LOVE it..very impressed!
My neck is a lil flamey too... slightly slender up at the nut..but feels great.
20170721_084720_hdr-jpg.238499

Lake Placid Blue!!
20170708_144304_hdr-jpg.236908

But ONLY in pics! In real life it has a greenish glow, so looks more Ocean Turquoise.
20170721_105201_hdr-jpg.238531



Was thinking of doing a full on '65 style makeover..with '65 AVRI guard, pickups and accessories...but I really love it as is! Even stock pickups..ceramic yes..but sound very rockin'.

So it looks like conventional wisdom says that these were made '84-'87, and were the Start that was made while the tranistion from CBS to FMIC was made..lucky me, mine doesn't have a penciled in neck date..Several sources also cite that the E serials are completely random, so E8 isn't always 1988..(wouldn't care if it were, would just like to know definitively!)
20170715_163623_hdr-copy-jpg.237987

And only ST-362V in neck pocket..though it looks like numbers in there too..
20170715_163547_hdr-jpg.237986

Neck markings..is the 6 1986?:hmm
20170715_163645_hdr-jpg.237988


A CRL 5 way and CTS250K pots were added before me, but I did un-do the Dan Armstrong mod..I like 'em traditional. Also removed a treble bleed, and installed a NOS .05 orange dime cap.

Still MIGHT get a '65 guard and Pure Vintage '65 set to see..but honestly, digging the stock pickups..lots of rock fury in them!! Maybe being plumbed through CTS pots and a good switch helps?
 

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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Not sure if pics are showing up..(I see them on my end)

Another pic:
xoJSPZxgbTK5qlzZvAQ1f9aMv1FGghSD9aP3QjpzKLj_kPhbOkIp2w1yX9Etfes5rx60YJBVf1xy9RDNcF-oXKmMjp15eiw3-k9qYFmGf4cTE8bIw59gtsrgyVG84z4U0Qc_1KRfU8wxLRcCQ8YlDOABBxchys3Gcrg-EzfQsW8b36g7bEkDBHziKs8O4H-qHeSbGvMlIgElF9d9jBZqW3RfptEZAiOLW8C78rBHeQg974W4B9ZpzsqsmadUgqdddpOBNPXWtdk7KJIriNVkDNU5tcvGFv8WYBqfjyjX2985LY3L_1lHJ-fgLtXr0r_iHXL1zKsrbaLfrP8CD7zjMuIRJfGUqgMiBJg_bHjUFFVo1SMVffAnkqldTjWJb-D4O6LvOcF-W0cors3C23586PZtE5h4_8XISFyaoFBhIkZ-pT1oj4P2UpxkhDzdBzfbmRU5tAqVk8uENz0x3Mw6XA5ouMKGNtkBe6VJaBzEEsxXWZphVKMm-QAP-DZWyHelAjNuyEIIL8TDRM0UED0yVXAdzrbPrug4Y_YxkheKmMRBCU8XHqwlD0r5zA9aIC88qe0Cmy5Eqd_Cpi-gA3hOtEilXQ6sVxFxng_V0QziPdRE6v_2sB2uIzTg4kiCl4uEsLjGxS204ti0RZi9xMHfZyJYDYMMt9OdgKbmgyiqg5kw8Q=w1131-h2006-no
 

deytookerjaabs

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Is that an import one?


My good buddy & former instructor used a mid-80's '62 style MIJ Fender in vintage blonde for years, didn't change a thing to it, it was strat-tastic. The one's I've played have all been consistently good guitars, very close cousins to them are the "fernandes" import models where they changed the headstock but they retain all the same hardware etc (only nothing being labeled "fender") which you can still pick up for next to nothing on occasion. I had a shoreline gold fernandes '62 style for a while myself.
 

Tom Wittrock

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Aug 2, 2001
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42,567
I just scored a Fender E series..

What do you mean by "E series"? :hmm

I have owned many different Fender Strats and other models with a serial number starting with E. Are they "E series"?
My 1982 Strat is so different from my 1987, considering new ownership and factory.
 

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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What do you mean by "E series"? :hmm

I have owned many different Fender Strats and other models with a serial number starting with E. Are they "E series"?
My 1982 Strat is so different from my 1987, considering new ownership and factory.

Hi Tom, in a way they would be!
E Series MIJ though was made from '84-'87. The SN# decals were random, so E8 isn't '88, E4 isn't '84 always. Made at Fugi-gen Gakki...
Info is pretty vague on these, but seems to all more or less jive with this:
http://stratconnection.com/historyoffendermijstrats.htm
From Fender themselves:
https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us...my-Japanese-made-instrument-was-manufactured-
They were made by Fender Japan while CBS owned Fender was sold to FMIC.

Well built IMO..very stratty sounding, and probably will leave stock pickups.

Color is Lake Placid blue stock, but has aged to Ocean Turquoise.:jim
 

Tom Wittrock

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Messages
42,567
Hi Tom, in a way they would be!
E Series MIJ though was made from '84-'87. The SN# decals were random, so E8 isn't '88, E4 isn't '84 always. Made at Fugi-gen Gakki...
Info is pretty vague on these, but seems to all more or less jive with this:
http://stratconnection.com/historyoffendermijstrats.htm
From Fender themselves:
https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us...my-Japanese-made-instrument-was-manufactured-
They were made by Fender Japan while CBS owned Fender was sold to FMIC.

Well built IMO..very stratty sounding, and probably will leave stock pickups.

Color is Lake Placid blue stock, but has aged to Ocean Turquoise.:jim

So, if I understand you correctly, "E series" refers only to MIJ guitars with an E serial number.
That seems really confusing [to me, at least], unless MIJ is added to the term.
 

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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So, if I understand you correctly, "E series" refers only to MIJ guitars with an E serial number.
That seems really confusing [to me, at least], unless MIJ is added to the term.

It was to me too, seems like slang for these..more so for dating purposes.

Technically, it is a Fender Standard Stratocaster,(ST-362) made by Fender Japan, from '84-'87.

Normally, there is a penciled date on the butt end of the neck..but mine doesn't have any, but has all other correct markings. Had the pots been original, I could have used a pot code, but they were changed to CTS 250K, with a CRL 5 way.
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
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Messages
42,567
It was to me too, seems like slang for these..more so for dating purposes.

Technically, it is a Fender Standard Stratocaster,(ST-362) made by Fender Japan, from '84-'87.

Normally, there is a penciled date on the butt end of the neck..but mine doesn't have any, but has all other correct markings. Had the pots been original, I could have used a pot code, but they were changed to CTS 250K, with a CRL 5 way.

You have pot codes for MIJ pots? :hmm
 

Wilko

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That color was always a more bright blue with a hint of turquiose. I never would have called the color of the e-series either Fender or Squier branded guitars "LPB".

That number 362 means it was the 3 pickup '62 reissue. not a "standard" stratocaster which lacked a couple of the vintage features and IIRC had the lower screw placement on the guard and a two post or blade bridge.
 

deytookerjaabs

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That color was always a more bright blue with a hint of turquiose. I never would have called the color of the e-series either Fender or Squier branded guitars "LPB".

That number 362 means it was the 3 pickup '62 reissue. not a "standard" stratocaster which lacked a couple of the vintage features and IIRC had the lower screw placement on the guard and a two post or blade bridge.



I was wondering if it was an import one because of the tuners without knowing one way or the other. Do you fellas know if it was the model designation or anything specific why some seem to have the modern tuners and "MIJ" on the headstock w/ceramics etc versus the ones with more vintage appointments? What's really funky is those models with the vintage neck/body (i.e. construction/radius/etc) but they have a floyd style trem with a locking nut, always seemed silly to me.
 

Kris Ford

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Jan 6, 2007
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I was wondering if it was an import one because of the tuners without knowing one way or the other. Do you fellas know if it was the model designation or anything specific why some seem to have the modern tuners and "MIJ" on the headstock w/ceramics etc versus the ones with more vintage appointments? What's really funky is those models with the vintage neck/body (i.e. construction/radius/etc) but they have a floyd style trem with a locking nut, always seemed silly to me.


Every other source says it's a Standard...so I REALLY don't know..I'm safe calling it a Fender Stratocaster...I think...
I wondered so too, considering that they made a "62" style, that had the spaghetti logo, A5 pickups, vintage Kluson style tuners, single butterfly string tree (this came with those, but maybe not originally) with the Made in Japan on the heel as well..

MIJ stuff is confusing!!:fc
 

Wilko

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You're absolutely right. The '62 did have a spaghetti logo. I was forgetting that yours has the contemporary logo set. I thought those were later, like '90 or so, but of course I could be wrong.
 
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