How old is my Fernandes The Revival '57 Stratocaster

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Subcomandante Claes

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Could someone please help me date my Fernandes '57 strat? I bought it second hand here in Spain and the guy just said that it was made in Japan in the mid 80's. How can I tell what year it was made? Who made them, Tokai? I took it apart last night to clean it and found this number on the neck #Y80801, but the neck plate says #L120144. The pots are marked with J Noble 15A 250K, switch 6D-1 and cond. 473 z. I don't really know what to look for but the pickups seems to be grey in the bottom could that be the, L-5000 Vintage Arched PP Gray Bobbin, they are mentioning here:
http://www.music-trade.co.jp/fenandeshistory2.html

That's all the info I have, if someone knows how to trace these then please let me know. Here are a lot of pictures, http://s1305.photobucket.com/user/S...des The Revival 57 Stratocaster?sort=3&page=1 I didn't want to post them all in the thread.

fernandes2.jpg

fernandes1.jpg

fernandes3.jpg


According to this guy on eBay it should be a 1982 - 1985 since it has "Electric Sound Research Group" under the Fernandes logo. Is that correct? http://www.ebay.com/gds/Date-Fernan...hape-amp-Logo-Design/10000000004209844/g.html
 
I?ll take a guess and say it?s a 1988 -
I think the first number of the neck code is the year

Here?s a link where you can look at a few Fernandes strats, you probably want to use a web translator:

http://www006.upp.so-net.ne.jp/guitarcrazy/page_flame06.htm

The one on the far right looks to be very similar to yours (neckplate, code, pickups etc.)

The earliest RSTs had the `Stone logo` neck plate if I understand it right. Looks like the serial number plates came later ( probably about 84 / 85 )

+ I wouldn?t take everything in that ebay `logo guide? for granted. Doesn?t look like totally reliable information to me.
 
Thanks a lot for the help Len, great detective work. Yes, I think you are right, the first number seems to be indicating the year, at least during the 80's. Everything seems to match the RST-50 '57 so I guess mine is from 1988. I wasn't sure how trustworthy that eBay guy was but I read somewhere else that they stopped with the proper Fender heads around 1985-86, that's why I thought mine might have been made earlier. Are these made by Tokai in the Tokai factory or somewhere else, FujiGen perhaps? Does anyone else know anything more about this? I always like to learn as much as possible about my guitars.

Thanks a lot for all the help,
Claes
 
Maybe they introduced the edgier headstock at that time but it did not fully replace the Fender-shaped headstock.. I?ve seen too many guitars produced later which have that headstock (also basses).

I don?t know where they have been produced. Maybe someone else can help.

The greybacks look similar to the greybacks in Tokai guitars. But well, even if the pickups were made at the same place (I don?t think Tokai produced the pickups at their own factory) there are at least 4 different types of Tokai greyback pickups (for Springies & Silverstars). And the Fernands Pickups probably have different specs. It?s hard to compare them :)
 
hi
i think the y on the neck are older Fernandes .... i have the same y on fujigen from the early 80
i got a 80s model with the modified head stock and it has the pickups with the bar magnets and fujigen pots not noble pots
it has a sticker on the back of the head
says ....made in Japan and serial number

my best guess is before 86 :D
all the best
otto
 

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