model body

[dimefan90]

are san dimas bodies identical to model ones

[Franx]

No

(edit: I deleted the exclamation mark)

[dg]

There are quite a few differences. Here are some (comparing bolt-on strats only):

San Dimas bodies have a longer belly cut which extends a little beyond the back of the trem cover plate (if the guitar has one). On a Model Series body, the belly cut will end short of the back edge of the trem cover plate.

The shape of the lower horn & access cutout is slightly different. The San Dimas cutout is more "open". Hard to describe, but pretty easy to see side-by-side or in pics.

Control cavities. Most Model Series will have the Ontario control cavity shape vs the smaller San Dimas shape. The Model 1 & 2 have the San Dimas shaped route, but there are still differences: The recess shelf inside a San Dimas control cavity is consistent and follows the shape of the outer part of the rout. On a Model Series, the corners of the shelf will look different, and there is a bulge in the rout about in line with the volume pot. Again, this is much easier to see in pics than to describe.

Trem cavity plates: San Dimas strats will have a non-recessed trem cavity plate. Most Model Series guitars will have recessed trem cavity plates. I think only the '86 Model 1 & 2 have non-recessed plates. Somebody correct me on this if I'm wrong.

[dimefan90]

thank you for that very detailed analysis.