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FDP Forum / Fender Guitars: Stratocasters / American Series and California Strat - differences...

size15 uk ok - so u know me	May 14th, 2012 08:21 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic just got a Fiesta Red 2001/2 ASe... i hope...coz the California Strats seem similar when i read about them - anyone know what the differences are?
5Strats Contributing Member ********** *** Edmond/OKC Axe Victim	May 14th, 2012 10:05 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic The American Series is what the American Standard Strats were called for a period of time so that's what you should compare the AS Strat to.
jhawkr Contributing Member ********** ********* USA Final Four!	May 14th, 2012 11:28 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic The California Strat was partially made in Mexico and then final assembly happened in California. Very nice guitars but they suffered a bit when the news got out that they were not entirely MIA even though they were identified that way. Big stink with the gub'mint for a while. Too bad as they really were some dandy guitars.
Paul L Contributing Member ***** New Jersey, USA Support local music!!!	May 14th, 2012 11:36 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic IIRC, the California series had U.S. vintage hardware (as well as "California Series" in small script on the headstock, with a transitional style logo), 21 frets and Tex-Mex pickups. Came in vintage white, fiesta red, CAR, black & 3 tone burst. Not really much to compare to an American Standard/Series other than MIA on the headstock.
size15 uk ok - so u know me	May 14th, 2012 11:40 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Ok... so mine has staggered fender tuners, standard type two pivot bridge, none pressed saddles (smae as on American Standard), no load (second) tone pot wchi also works on the bridge pup - so it must be an A Series... thanks
John C. Kansas City	May 14th, 2012 11:54 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Yep - that's an American Series Strat. Fender called them that from about July 2000 through the end of 2007. Here's the rough timeline of how Fender flip-flopped the name: American Standard - from late 1986 through June-ish 2000 American Series - July 2000 (intro at the Summer NAMM show) to December 2007 American Standard (version 2) - January 2008 to present (with a pickup change that happened this year).
Jim Bob America	May 24th, 2012 04:08 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic California Series guitars were only made for two years – in 1997 and 1998. In this series there are two models of strats, the California Stratocaster (3 single coil Tex-Mex pickups) and the California Fat Stratocaster (two single coil Tex-Mex pickups) and one humbucker (Tex-Mex humbucker at the bridge). The Tex-Mex Humbucker is a little hotter than the JV humbucker to give you an idea of how it sounds. There was also a fat tele model in the series. They have 9.5 inch radius necks, a tinted C profile neck with satin finish, and medium jumbo frets. The bodies are 2-3 piece alder which is the same as American series (MIMs typically are 5 to 7 piece bodies), and the necks are either maple/maple or maple/rosewood. California Series guitars were made mostly at the Corona, California factory where the bodies and necks were cut out and finished. These were then sent to the Fender factory in Ensenada, Mexico where they were hand-painted. Then the bodies and necks were returned to the Corona, California factory where they were fitted with U.S. made pickups and electronics and with U.S. made vintage hardware, and were assembled and finished. Their shape and style are basically MIA 50s and 60s vintage reissue guitars with the larger radius fretboards. Fender put MIA decals on the headstocks but the U.S. government said that wasn't allowed since there was a small amount of the work on them done in Mexico. Fender discontinued the series. They were priced just below a comparable MIA model and as such you get basically the quality of an MIA 50s or 60s reissue for a bit less money. The simplest way to tell whether a strat or tele is from the California Series is to look at the serial number on the headstock. If it begins with the letters "AMXN" then it is from the California Series. If it doesn't begin with those exact 4 letters, then it is from some other Fender series. California Series guitars are the only Fenders ever made with serial numbers starting with "AMXN". These letters stand for American/Mexican/1990s. The first number of the serial number will tell you if it is a 1997 or 1998. They were made in Black, Candy Apple Red, Brown Sunburst, Fiesta Red, and Vintage White. From the ones I have seen over the years, I think that Fiesta Red, and Brown Sunburst are the most common colors, then Black and Vintage White are in the middle, and Candy Apple Red is the rarest. U.S. suggested retail prices, including gig bags, were: $799.99 for the California Strat, $849.99 for the California Fat Strat, and $849.99 for the California Fat Tele. I have a California Fat Strat and love it. If you ever have the chance to try a California Series strat or tele you should jump at it. If you ever find anyone willing to sell theirs (which is not easy to do and no mine is not for sale) and you have the chance to buy one in nice condition, you should give it really serious thought since they are remarkable and high quality instruments. (This message was last edited by Jim Bob at 04:08 PM, May 24th, 2012)
mountjoy canada	May 26th, 2012 09:02 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic They were sanded and painted in Mexico. Mine is a fantastic guitar.
Jim Bob America	May 27th, 2012 08:09 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Mike Lewis, marketing manager for Fender's electric guitar division said, "The bodies and necks are shaped by Fender's craftsmen in Corona and subsequently hand-painted at our ultra-modern facility in Mexico. Final assembly, including the installation of vintage hardware and electronics, is then completed in Corona. All three instruments are marked by exceptional attention to detail, tonal quality and playability."
telus1 BC, * CANADA * Muddy Waters Telecaster Club!!	May 28th, 2012 05:26 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic A keeper...anybody want a Fiesta Red for a Vintage White one? (This message was last edited by telus1 at 05:26 PM, May 28th, 2012)
MacReverb II Contributing Member ******** Watervliet, NY	Jun 9th, 2012 08:16 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Every California series guitar I ever tried weighed a ton.
neilp US Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est	Jun 9th, 2012 03:21 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic I have a Cali Strat. I think the best analogy to the current Fender range is the 62 Hot Rod Strat. The specification almost exactly the same if you ignore the mint green pick guard and the pickups. I found mine in mint unplayed condition on craigslist a couple of years ago for $500 including a hardshell Fender case. It still had the plastic on the pickguard and the sticker on the trem cover. I looked for mine after playing a friend's Cali Strat. He is a pro player and rated his highly. His certainly sounded great in his hands. I'm still working on making mine do that bit! Hot Rod Strat
mountjoy canada	Jun 9th, 2012 07:38 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Just put mine on the bathroom scale and it's a shade under 8 pounds.
stratcowboy Contributing Member ******* USA/Taos, NM	Jun 9th, 2012 07:45 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Don't mean to throw cold water on weights...but bathroom scales are notoriously inaccurate (especially for stuff like guitars and such). Best to use a nutritionist's scale or a pro postal/shipping scale.
mountjoy canada	Jun 9th, 2012 09:57 PM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic Thank you. Very helpful
jhawkr Contributing Member ********** ********* USA Final Four!	Jun 10th, 2012 11:02 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic If you weigh yourself with and without guitar it'll be close enough. Bathroom scales are setup for more accuracy in the 90-220 range. I weighed a Tele on my digital bathroom scale and on a postal scale at work. The result were within a half pound. That's ballpark and good enough unless you are extremely anal about such things.
stratcowboy Contributing Member ******* USA/Taos, NM	Jun 10th, 2012 11:49 AM   Edit   Profile   Print Topic   Search Topic This is the FDP. Of course we're anal!

FDP Forum / Fender Guitars: Stratocasters / American Series and California Strat - differences...

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