Block board USA Fender ?? Yes.

[Andy Eagle]

Back in the early 90s Fender got a little too complacent and downgraded the USA standard one push too far.
3 to 5 pieces of alder or sometimes even poplar with a veneer top and bottom even for three tone sunburst. This an a very thin no tint urethane finish on the neck with no fret end dress at all, just the bevel. This is basically the same as the new MIM Player.
91~2 were the years . These are one of Fenders lowest points, as bad IMO as the mid 70s and the 83 two knob.

Look at the apparent one piece body. Now look at the give away on the other side;

Veneer over poplar.
The veneer also doesn't bend in to the ribcage contour so the black comes down to cover it.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Agreed, they got to a point that they didn’t care at all.

 

[Andy Eagle]

Electrics are still the same as day one at Corona.

and the logo is the horrible IMO silver transition.

Now the worst part; These are 30 years old and qualify as "vintage," never in my book . The only Strats from this era that are collectable now are rare colour Strat plus models and very early runs with different parts . Fender used up Elite strat tuners and had wood screw studs for the first runs. Some had EE and E4 prefix serial numbers too. But an early 90s strat made of blockboard is about as collectable as a Yamaha Nonspacifica even though it is now 30.

 

[Andy Eagle]

Agreed, they got to a point that they didn’t care at all.

They are so much better now.

 

[secondwindow]

I bought a new Strat Ultra in '85, in Guam, that I remember as being a good guitar, build-wise. I don't think I'd trade any of my Suhrs to get it back.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

They are so much better now.

I have an American Deluxe that feels and plays great, and, after replacing the S-1 switching and the noiseless pickups and the bridge with stamped saddles, it sounds nice and old.

 

[Andy Eagle]

I bought a new Strat Ultra in '85, in Guam, that I remember as being a good guitar, build-wise. I don't think I'd trade any of my Suhrs to get it back.

Strat plus Ultra didn't com out till 90 ? do you mean the Elite of 83? probably still around in shops in 85? It had the jack in the side and three active pickups.

 

[Andy Eagle]

Fender have made some poor decisions over the years. The 1980 "Strat" with a small head that was supposed to be the same as the original but they drew it from memory and it turns out they couldn't.

 

[Andy Eagle]

One thing that Fender gets stick about that is undeserved is the three bolt micro tilt. The first thing I will say about it, is it is vastly superior to the four bolt one . It's problems are entirely down to poor manufacturing tolerances of the time. It had a threaded machine bolt in to a threaded plate with sufficient neck plate around it not to crush in to the wood. The new one is purely there to aid with a three minute set up as the guitar is shipped.

 

[RevDrucifer]

Man, that sounds like a lot of work putting a body together just to use cheaper/shittier wood!

 

[Andy Eagle]

Man, that sounds like a lot of work putting a body together just to use cheaper/shittier wood!

$2 worth of wood glued together vs $10 worth that also needs gluing.

 

[secondwindow]

Strat plus Ultra didn't com out till 90 ? do you mean the Elite of 83? probably still around in shops in 85? It had the jack in the side and three active pickups.

Yes, you're right - it was the Elite. I was remembering the year wrong, too. I was on Guam in 83/84.

It had the active pickups, for sure, but don't remember the jack location.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Yes, you're right - it was the Elite. I was remembering the year wrong, too. I was on Guam in 83/84.

It had the active pickups, for sure, but don't remember the jack location.

I had one of those. Complete boat anchor, but I wanted a Strat and was young and not well-informed. Sadly, I passed over a wonderful Ibanez lawsuit Explorer that felt, sounded, and played wonderfully to get it....

 

[gitfruit]

I am pretty sure my Strat is from these years, it sure has the silver logo. I changed tuners, tremolo and PUs, but never got it to sound like a Strat.

 

[mr_fender]

Mines a '97 so it's on the recovery from the dark years. A bit on the heavy side for an alder Strat, but it's been a solid guitar over the years. I had it refretted about 10 years ago, and it's never quite been the same since. Can't quite bond with the tall thin frets I chose at the time. Should have stuck with medium jumbos. I wish stainless was an option at the time too, I'd definitely have gone that route as it's showing some decent wear already.

 

[mr_fender]

Fender have made some poor decisions over the years. The 1980 "Strat" with a small head that was supposed to be the same as the original but they drew it from memory and it turns out they couldn't.
View attachment 114621

Painted headstock on Strat or Tele just look so bizarre for some reason. Doesn't bother me at all on other guitars, but Strat and Tele headstocks should be naked.

Did they forget how to draw a circle? The end looks like a weird toe.

 

[secondwindow]

I had one of those. Complete boat anchor, but I wanted a Strat and was young and not well-informed. Sadly, I passed over a wonderful Ibanez lawsuit Explorer that felt, sounded, and played wonderfully to get it....

Mine was the first guitar I got that wasn't a no-name, used from a pawnshop. So, that Elite seemed like a big step up to me.

After a short time, I realized it didn't sound much like a strat, very compressed, and I didn't care for the three push buttons to engage pickups. But, I thought it played well.

I let it go for $500, half of what I paid. I don't recall what I got after that - must not have been a keeper.

 

[Stewart]

I just had to check my Strat that looks just like that picture. I bought new in the early 90s. Turns out mine is from 1993. I always liked this guitar, ignorance is bliss

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Mine was the first guitar I got that wasn't a no-name, used from a pawnshop. So, that Elite seemed like a big step up to me.

After a short time, I realized it didn't sound much like a strat, very compressed, and I didn't care for the three push buttons to engage pickups. But, I thought it played well.

I let it go for $500, half of what I paid. I don't recall what I got after that - must not have been a keeper.

Still kick myself almost 40 years later about that Ibanez. Same here - first name-brand guitar ever. My first GF was about the only worse first in my life than that Elite Boatanchor, in retrospect....

 

[skolacki]

Still kick myself almost 40 years later about that Ibanez. Same here - first name-brand guitar ever. My first GF was about the only worse first in my life than that Elite Boatanchor, in retrospect....

I bought one of those Explorers in Japan 1983. Black with 2 buckers. Body rang like a bell. Sold it to a buddy who wound up trading it away. Wish I had kept it.