Need help to I.D.'ing this Strat

[charvelguy]

I picked this up off eBay over a year ago and it's getting a slight makeover project. The guy said he either thought it was a Vantage or a Might Mite. There's no Identification other than a SS# written in perm marker and finished over, which made me believe it was a project. The WD pickgaurd that came off the guiar was loaded w/ three Dimarzio SDS-1 with a mishmash of pots.. one being a Dimarzio vol reads 34- dimazio 500k..no date code. any clues? MOP dots, maple, w/ walnut or rosewood strips, rosewood board. The trem is a standard fender style bridge that has a brass block that doesn't quite line up with the plate. The saddles were Fender swapped out with graph techs..just need a LSR nut installed.
guitar front guitar back

[ March 13, 2003, 04:33 AM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[83SanDimas]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

I've seen that before... Maybe its a cort?

Kevin

[charvelguy]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

yeah, thats what the seller said..it was described and sold as MIJ, which given the possible year (being that it's 22 fret..late 70's early-mid 80's) and the degree of craftmanship I could see... but there is not anything to ID it except something triggering someones memory.

So chalk one vote up for Cort.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

Thats actually a "C Series" neck thru Strat.
Made in Korea about 1980ish. we had a couple of them when I worked at MGR. one had the Cseries logo on the headstock and one didn't The one that didnt look just like that one but with differnt pups. It played ok but just seemed weird.
We sold it for about 250 I think.
Gil

[charvelguy]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

I paid 275.00, but it came with the set of Dimarzio's SDS-1 and Schaller m6 mini's. The pups you see here are EMG SA's with a homemade wood pickguard from made from maple.
This came with a brass nut which the cut was slightly off and someone botched the install..so I'm pretty certain that was a non stock item.
I didn't notice the fine crack in the rosewood nut area until I removed the nut, but it's nothing major..it's a small crack that been glued. I just was a bit PO'd it wasn't mentioned.

A C- series huh? Were they their own manufacturer or were they contracted by Samick or Cort etc.. to have this built.
This actually is a pretty nice guitar but well see what it plays like when it's done.

Thanks again for the info!

[ March 14, 2003, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[83SanDimas]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

You may want to check out a fender forum.

I have seen actual fender "Neck Thrus" and the heals was different. I am unfamiliar with the C series. I have seen the cort (I think it was a cort) in person. That does look like it. It was an overseas guitar.

Kevin

[charvelguy]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

yeah, I think I'll post this on the Fender forum as well. I contacted C-series, the person replying had no clue of it being on of thiers.. it's strange cause there's no serial and I can't see this as being refinished. Maybe it had a decal that was removed but it has a persons ss# in two parts of the cavities. Maybe I should cross reference that. Certainly it has or wouldn't be painted with the strips running the full length of the neck and body.. the neck is laminated as one piece and the body attached as bookmatched maple wings. The headstock has a little piece added for the strat shape.

Thanks again for your answers!

[ March 14, 2003, 04:08 PM: Message edited by: charvelguy ]

[JacksonShredder]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

Hey CharvelGuy
i will buy those Dimarzios off of you
drop me a email

Sid

[83SanDimas]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

Post if you find out

It was several years ago when I saw it. I would have bought it but was in a terrible. I looked on eBay for other strat head neck thrus but only find the reverse squire that I am not interested in. Let me know if you think of parting with it.

Kevin

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Need help to I.D.\'ing this Strat

The C-Series we had had the same laminated 5 piece neck thru design and same heal with the walnut strips going thru the headstock too just like this one. I believe they were their own company out of Korea. The guy e got one of them, from was stationed in Korea in the army and bought it when he was there. The necks arent bad but it just didnt seem right to me. Maybe im just to used to my wide flat Jackson necks. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
The tone of the wood was desent so it had potential just wasnt that great as it was. Tuners slipped and the pups were weak.
They did use stickers for seriel numbers like alot of the Korean made guitars have.
If anybody is lloking for a Neck thru strat head guitar. Theres a JB player concert series at the MGR in Arlington HIeghts Il. I know its there cus I sold it to them. It has a brand new Kahler on it too.
Gil