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My 1983 Fender Strat USA – Pics and Story

25K views 28 replies 22 participants last post by  Funk49 
#1 ·
I've decided to share this with all my friends here on Jemsite who like Strats. I know there are a few of you around so I present to you my beloved '83 Strat.

I bought this guitar from a gigging bluesman in Italy 1993 who played and gigged the sht out of it in the bars and clubs of Milan. I bought it quite cheap as it wasn't in the best shape, pretty much as you see it now - but I loved it then and still do now. We left home together in 1995 and she has been with me ever since.

So what's so special about the 1983 Strat you ask? Well, not much really :lol: It seems to have been an experimental year for the Strat. You'll notice the weird trem bridge, called a "FreeFlyte Tremolo System". It's basically a top loading trem with no access to the springs cavity on the back of the guitar, instead it's under the scratchplate. The trem is very stiff and not comfortable to use at the moment so I keep the trem arm in a cupboard somewhere and use this axe as hard tail. This is where the beautiful tone of the guitar has its origins, I believe. The stiff trem design (practically fixed) gives a Paul Gilbert style 'snap' to the strings …

The other idiosyncrasies of the guitar is that it has only 1 tone knob instead of the traditional 2, the input jack is strangely perpendicular to the scratch plate and the scratch plate itself is one-ply instead of the traditional 3-ply. Why, you ask? Well, it seems as though they were cutting some costs on the Standard in '83 and obviously did not continue this design for very long :rolleyes:

This guitar will soon undergo its first proper service since I've had it:

1. It needs a full refret.
2. The machine heads are battered and the high -E one is a clumsy replacement (wasn't me :lol:). A brand new set will be installed.
3. Volume and Tone knob have been replaced with new ones.
4. Needs new lacquer and sanding/cleaning of the fretboard

More pics to follow.




 
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#5 ·
A friend of mine had a black one just like this in high school. I believe Dave Navarro used one like it on One Hot Minute. It was cool that it was so unique for a Strat, but from what I've heard and read you're right about the quality - this was made just before the employees bought Fender and turned it around. The early 80's models were subject to a lot of cost cutting.
 
#12 ·
and relic that body.
Man, you should see the state of it, it looks good in pics but there are some major chips and scratches on it. It does not need relicking, I assure you.

I love the comments guys, thanks.....I know it's a mongrel of an axe (which is why I wanted to share) but I truly think the world of it, it fits me like a glove!
 
#16 ·
I'd say just give it a good cleaning and replace the worn out frets but, by any means don't redo the fingerboard. The guitar has a nice personality as it is and clearing it or even attempting to restore it would steal its thunder.

congrats!

Jimmy:smile:

P.S.: I'd like to see pictures of the underside of that pickguard..
 
#21 ·
i have a the same strat in black, s/n E 330054. mine seems to be in a bit better condition but it lack the intresting story behind it. i have been trying to find people with a similar guitar and your the first person i have been able to find with the same one as me. its a very cool guitar indeed.
 
#26 ·
Nice Strat.... Yeah, 83 was an odd ball year for Fender with the Stratocaster and for most folks they are not very desireable. I like yours though....and as others have said PLEASE don't change anything about yours(cept a refret). It has natural history and natural, honest play wear(something very hard to find these days).


hotrod
 
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