Help me figure this 1976 Strat out!

[ndekens]

About 5 years ago I bout a beatup what was labled 1978 stratocaster from a guitar center for cheap! After looking at the axe more carefully at home I thought it was a in reality a 1975.....Now, since the electronics where no longer original and it was loaded with some duncan pickups; I had went and bought a pickguard off ebay for a 1975 strat and some pickups for a 1975 as well and thought none of it anymore. Until recently after an attempt to sell this I as told its not a 1975 but rather a 1976 which I have comfirmed by actually taking the neck off and looking at the serial numbers.

The neck shows "09???266" and the body shows "2366".

Now hear is my issue. I cannot tell if the body was a complete refinish or was simply repaired where ones arm would normally rub!







As you can see there is a distinct difference and obvious messup where they tried to repair the area! But the rest of the body is painted perfectly and does not appear to be a amature repair job at all and seems original. With one exception!!!



I do not see where they would have mounted the stick to the neck pocket as it lookes to have been painted over and there is no bare wood.

Also another reason that I am skeptical of the body is the wood grain! It doesn't appear to be that of alder but more of an ash.

[ndekens]

So anyways what are your guys opinion on this guitar? Is it a Refinish or a repair gone bad? Is it ash or alder? Hear are the rest of the photo's:

[ndekens]

[ndekens]

[ndekens]

[holmis63]

That is a real beauty neck you got there, flamed birdseye maple? Is there some wood caled that name??

Some mix to that guitar i guess, sadles from a sixties strat or NOS? Body and neck from ´76 and the pups from ´75 but that could have been the stock setup! I would´nt be worried about the paint/scarce issue or whatever it is, just add some mojo to the beauty!

Nice guitar

[holmis63]

Oh, sorry, the body wood looks like ash to me. Is it on the heavy side like my ´79, it´s probably ash? The grain shure looks like ash (like on my Baja tele) but i´m not an expert though!

If it´s ash it´s probably a repaint, the ash models had solid colours and the alders bursts and nt:s i believe

[ndekens]

Oh, sorry, the body wood looks like ash to me. Is it on the heavy side like my ´79, it´s probably ash? The grain shure looks like ash (like on my Baja tele) but i´m not an expert though!

If it´s ash it´s probably a repaint, the ash models had solid colours and the alders bursts and nt:s i believe

Well, the quality of the neck is really the reason I bought it! And yes it is a bit heavy. Dunno how heavy but its about as heavy as a 11 pound squier II I have thats made from Northern Ash.

Yes It probably is a repaint but it also looks as though it was repaired after repainting too! I figure the neck would show more wear then it does if it was repainted then repaired.....anyway. This axe does have some mojo! And the string saddles are stamped Fender - Fender so I dunno how old they are.