Posted this on the Fender forum - HM strat info?

[DonP]

And the fact that everyone wants to believe that their MIJ HM was made in the USA.

NO! I can't be! I'll slit my wrist if it's not a Made in USA Fender!

BTW, is his modified, or did they come that was stock from Fender?

[charvelguy]

Mine says nothing, so I guess it was made nowhere?

If yours has a decal for the serial at the end of the neck going into the pocket.. I'm going to say its likely MIJ. Its a common spot for MIJ Fenders to put the decals for serials. I 'think' they were make in Fugi Gen Gakki plant (Ibanez, Heartfield) ..not sure on that.

At some point...it seems logical to assume the assembly for "Made in USA" labeled guitars had to be based here for some part of the operation in order to have legitimacy.

[SGplayer]

No original owner's manual, case, or electronics. Everything else is original (neck, hardware, body).

With the 'F' knobs that mine has, is that an indication of USA or MIJ?

Is it a pain finding these F knobs? On of mine is missing the "F" cap on top of it.

Oh, and my s/n is at the base of the neck as well.

I had one of the mid 80's Fender made USA red Strats for the Japan market ones not the HM though. Also PM me I still have some of these 80's F-knobs left. I pulled the knobs off & replaced w/aftermarket ones then,
here's a link to the odd serial numbers from Fender: http://www.fender.com/support/dating...al_numbers.php

http://www.fender.com/support/dating/japanese_dating.php

[DonP]

Many thanks to Gerald (SGplayer) for getting me a good "F" knob. Now I'm on the hunt to find the correct pickups and a case. I'm a bit shy about posting pics of this guitar because I haven't had a chance to clean it (I think there is buggers on the body LOL!). The neck is F'ing awesome, like a well worn Charvel, but different in profile. Slightly fatter, and it feels wide like you have lot's of real estate on the fretboard for going crazy. Anyway, here are the pics. You can see my old knob with the missing "F" cap.









Do you guys think I should keep the color original, or have it painted? There are some dings where the paint is missing on the edges.

[Carbuff]

Thats funny, when I first got mine it was in one of those cheap cardboard cases too. I guess the pink gets no respect, so to speak. I would only refin it if the pink will keep you from playing it. I have no problem with my pink guitar. If people dont like it, they can get the hell outa my house!!

[DonP]

Thats funny, when I first got mine it was in one of those cheap cardboard cases too.

Really? Maybe this is the corrct case for the guitar after all?

I really want to hear house it sounds with a Super 3. The pickups in there now are a pair of Aria Pro USA rails and some sort of beat to shit PJ Marx. Whoever wired it wired all of the coil taps together, so the humbucker isn't humbucking currently, but not fully single as well. Kind of a blend, like if you use a spin-a-split.

[charvelguy]

Probably would not hurt to put a dab of glue those insets on the set you have.
I'm always looking for the lost ones on my GK or Laneys too.

[SGplayer]

Don, finally located a pic of my mid 80's
Fender USA made for japan market strat,
this is where I had the xtra F-knobs from,
also this maybe the type case your
lookin for??? It was an excellent guitar
I just couldn't get used the Kahler spyder.

[Groove_Machine]

SG player...............do you still have this or sold it years ago? I never seen any with that colour scheme

[charvelguy]

that is more like a contempo strat done in a light photoflame with a skunkstripe neck.

[thebisch]

SGplayer, what makes you think that is a MIA Fender?

[SGplayer]

The head stock stated made in USA, but I think it was made in USA? (I remember a E4 + 5 numbers) for Japan? market. I'm no Fender expert. I sold it 6 years ago. It was kinda cool, it had a translucent red w/faux? maple flame top & back. I just couldn't get used to the clunky heavy Kahler spyder tremolo. But too me also screamed made in Japan!!! Strange Carvin pickup.....

[thebisch]

Oh, if it said MIA, then I guess that's what you can go by. A friend of mine had one of those but it had no country of origin markings on it except the USA neck plate. His screamed MIJ right down to the fret board inlays, tuners, finish, body shape, neck profile, and even the transistion from neck to headstock on the back of the neck.

[DonP]

Looks great SGplayer.

I still haven't fixed the wiring in mine yet, but I did score a Super 3 for it. Still undecided as to which pickup to try first (this or the Super D).

I take it my guitar screams MIJ also? You guys know strats better than I do.