Strat Identification Help

[waylay00]

So I was walking around my school's library today, and I notice a big Strat-style guitar sitting in one the display case windows. Apparently the theme of the month for the library is a look at Memphis' musical past with the blues, etc. After looking at the guitar though, it didn't turn out to be a Squire or some cheap display knock-off as I had originally expected. It was, in fact, a Japanese Strat.

However, what perplexes me is that it had some sort of odd looking locking tremolo on it, as well as a string "clamping" type device near the string tree, I guess to serve the purpose of a locking nut.

It has three single coils. an off, vintage white type color (like the Yngwie Strat), and a maple fretboard (22 frets).

Does anyone have any clue as to what model this could possibly be and how much it is worth?

It think it looks like this, but with the off white finish:

[Kap'n]

I can't tell, but does it have this big clunky two pivot bridge with fine tuners that looks like it's made of pot metal, with "Fender" imprinted in it?

That's a c. 1982-83 Japanese Strat, from the transition period when they were gearing up the Corona plant.

A friend had a white one. Biggest POS strat I've ever played. My Squier from the same era was much better.

[waylay00]

I can't tell, but does it have this big clunky two pivot bridge with fine tuners that looks like it's made of pot metal, with "Fender" imprinted in it?

That's a c. 1982-83 Japanese Strat, from the transition period when they were gearing up the Corona plant.

A friend had a white one. Biggest POS strat I've ever played. My Squier from the same era was much better.

Yep, it has Fender imprinted on it, with the fine tuners. Thanks for the info!

[stratelecaster]

Called the contemporary stratocaster. The bridge and nut lock device is called the System 1. I've got 2 of them, both E5 series, a lot of bad things said about them but really a sweeeeet neck.

[John C]

Kap'n has it nailed except for the time frame - it is more like 1985-87.

The Japanese Contemporary series happened after FMIC bought the company from CBS circa April 1985. It seems to me that Fender might have continued to import these Japanese Contemporary series until 1988 or even 1989 to keep the lineup larger while they were ramping up production at Corona (Corona started slowly with limited runs of AVs, followed by the American Standards, Strat Plus and the first sigs [Clapton and Malmsteen]). However, I think some of the later ones came with Kahler roller style fulcrum bridges instead of the Series I bridges on the earlier ones (although the ones I've seen with the Kahlers could have been replacements for damaged Series I trems - those Series 1 trems were notorious for stripping out and no parts were available).

[Guitarcarr]

Yes, all of you are correct. I actually own one of these and bought it in
1986. The tremlo on mine is not a kahler and the fine tuners did strip out within 2 years of me owning it. When I went to get the parts replaced I was told they did not make parts for that tremlo anymore.

Actually the rest of the guitar was very well made. At this point I have it setup as a slide guitar and it works fine.

[Kap'n]

Kap'n has it nailed except for the time frame - it is more like 1985-87.

That makes sense, now that I think about it. I bought my Squier in the summer of '85, IIRC, and sold it in the fall of '86, and compared it side by side with the Contemporary Strat somewhere in there.