Hola, Aporto esta informacion sobre los modelos 50th aniversario de Fender de 2004, donde explica la diferencia entre estos modelos y las Fender construidas en 2004, en las que aparece la chapa conmemorativa, pero que realmente son modelos Standards de Fender sin las caracteristicas de las 50th aniversario.
Un saludo.
Since 2004, there have been increasing numbers of standard Fender American Deluxe and American Series Stratocasters being passed off as premium '50th Anniversary Limited Edition' models. The year 2004 was the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster (not to be confused with the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the Fender Company in 1996 and 2006, which also saw the issue of limited edition commemorative models). To celebrate this anniversary Fender produced four limited edition commemorative 50th Anniversary Stratocaster models distinct from the the standard production line models. These were the Custom Shop 1954 replica, the 50th Anniversary American Deluxe, the 50th Anniversary American Series, and the 50th Anniversary Golden Stratocaster (the last from their Mexican factory). This guide is essentially concerned with the 50th American Deluxe and 50th American Series Stratocasters.
The 50th Anniversary American Deluxe commemorative Stratocaster has a number of features that distinguish it from the standard production line American Deluxe Stratocaster. It was only produced in two-colour sunburst (as opposed to three-colour sunburst and other colours for the standard production line models) with maple neck/fretboard and single-ply parchment pickguard. It was fitted with goldplated hardware, and came in a special oblong deluxe tweed case with a '50th Anniversary' logo embossed in the lining (instead of the moulded cases that the standard production line models came with).
The 50th Anniversary American Series commemorative Stratocaster has even more features that distinguish it from the standard production line American Series Stratocaster. These had ash bodies (usually characterised by distinctive grain patterns which made them particularly attractive), as opposed to alder used in the standard production line models, single-ply parchment pickguards (unlike the 3-ply ones on the standard production models) and only came in two-colour sunburst with maple neck/fretboard. These also came in the special oblong deluxe tweed case. Less obvious, and without a doubt the feature that makes the 50th Anniversary American Series so desirable, are the special Custom Shop '54 pickups they were fitted with (these pickups are not the same as the after-market Custom Shop 54 pickups available in shops, and cannot be obtained any where else, unless they have been removed from a 50th American Series) .
Fender regrettably made it easy for scammers as all standard production line Stratocasters produced in the anniversary year of 2004 were fitted with commemorative neck plates. However, these alone do not make the guitars '50th Anniversary' models. Apart from the neckplate, these standard production line guitars are no different from those produced in 2003 or 2005. Many sellers now try to pass off standard production line American Deluxe and American Series Stratocasters as 'limited edition 50th Anniversary models' merely on the strength of the commemorative neck plates.
What to look for when buying a 50th Anniversary American Deluxe Stratocaster:-
Colour - MUST be two-colour sunburst, no other colour is genuine.
Neck/fretboard - MUST be maple, NOT rosewood.
Hardware - MUST be gold.
Neck plate - 50th Anniversary etched plate.
Pickguard - Single-ply parchment, NOT 3-ply white/black/white or any other colour, with laser-etched logo.
Pickups - SCNs with S1 switch system, in 3 single coils configuration only, NOT HSS.
Case - oblong tweed case with crushed gold lining, NOT black moulded case.
Fender inspection card - this should state the 'part' or model number 0112004803 together with the serial number of the guitar (standard production line models will show different 'part numbers').
What to look for when buying a 50th Anniversary American Series Stratocaster:-
Colour - MUST be two-colour sunburst, no other colour is genuine.
Body - MUST be ash, usually identifiable by prominant grain patterns.
Neck/fretboard - MUST be maple, NOT rosewood.
Neck plate - 50th Anniversary etched plate.
Pickguard - Single-ply 11-hole parchment, NOT 3-ply white/black/white or any other colour (the 50th American Series is quite possibly the only Fender Stratocaster model with an 11-hole single-ply parchment pickguard. All other parchment pickguards are either 11-hole 3-ply or 8-hole single-ply).
Pickups - Custom Shop '54s in 3 single coils configuration only, NOT HSS. Apart from the unbeveled pole pieces, these are difficult to distinguish by sight alone. If you have the opportunity, try out the guitar plugged into an amplifier, and, if possible compare with a standard Stratocaster, and you should be able to recognise a superior tone. However, tone is subjective, and a better way to distinguish the authenticity of the guitar by its pickups is as follows. The production line American Series models come with a hum-cancelling reverse wound / reverse polarity middle pickup, which means that positions 2 and 4 on the 5-way switch, which combine the bridge and middle pickups, and neck and middle pickups, are relatively hum-free. The genuine 50th Anniversary American Series on the other hand does not have a reverse wound / reverse polarity middle pickup, and positions 2 and 4 therefore hum as much as the other positions.
Case - oblong tweed case with crushed gold lining, NOT black moulded case.
Fender inspection card - this should state the 'part' or model number 0102004-803 (10 denotes American Series, 2004 denotes 50th Anniversary model, 8 denotes a deluxe tweed case, and 03 denotes a two-tone sunburst finish) together with the serial number of the guitar (standard production line models will have a 'part' or model number 0117402-7XX).
For those wishing to acquire one of these not only as collectors' items but also as outstanding musical instruments, it is the 50th American Series they should go for. Apart from the gold plating and purely cosmetic features, the 50th American Deluxe is no different from, or better than, the production model American Deluxes, and, with the SCN pickups, tend to have a more 'modern' than vintage sound. The 50th American Series, on the other hand, has an outsanding 'vintage' tone, and is widely acclaimed to be one of the best non-Custom Shop guitars ever produced by Fender. It is probably not surprising that there are now considerably more used 50th Deluxes for sale than 50th American Series', as owners have become wise to what they have and are more inclined to keep the latter. Accordingly, the 50th American Series' are becoming increasingly rare and rapidly rising in value.
Un saludo.
Since 2004, there have been increasing numbers of standard Fender American Deluxe and American Series Stratocasters being passed off as premium '50th Anniversary Limited Edition' models. The year 2004 was the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster (not to be confused with the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the Fender Company in 1996 and 2006, which also saw the issue of limited edition commemorative models). To celebrate this anniversary Fender produced four limited edition commemorative 50th Anniversary Stratocaster models distinct from the the standard production line models. These were the Custom Shop 1954 replica, the 50th Anniversary American Deluxe, the 50th Anniversary American Series, and the 50th Anniversary Golden Stratocaster (the last from their Mexican factory). This guide is essentially concerned with the 50th American Deluxe and 50th American Series Stratocasters.
The 50th Anniversary American Deluxe commemorative Stratocaster has a number of features that distinguish it from the standard production line American Deluxe Stratocaster. It was only produced in two-colour sunburst (as opposed to three-colour sunburst and other colours for the standard production line models) with maple neck/fretboard and single-ply parchment pickguard. It was fitted with goldplated hardware, and came in a special oblong deluxe tweed case with a '50th Anniversary' logo embossed in the lining (instead of the moulded cases that the standard production line models came with).
The 50th Anniversary American Series commemorative Stratocaster has even more features that distinguish it from the standard production line American Series Stratocaster. These had ash bodies (usually characterised by distinctive grain patterns which made them particularly attractive), as opposed to alder used in the standard production line models, single-ply parchment pickguards (unlike the 3-ply ones on the standard production models) and only came in two-colour sunburst with maple neck/fretboard. These also came in the special oblong deluxe tweed case. Less obvious, and without a doubt the feature that makes the 50th Anniversary American Series so desirable, are the special Custom Shop '54 pickups they were fitted with (these pickups are not the same as the after-market Custom Shop 54 pickups available in shops, and cannot be obtained any where else, unless they have been removed from a 50th American Series) .
Fender regrettably made it easy for scammers as all standard production line Stratocasters produced in the anniversary year of 2004 were fitted with commemorative neck plates. However, these alone do not make the guitars '50th Anniversary' models. Apart from the neckplate, these standard production line guitars are no different from those produced in 2003 or 2005. Many sellers now try to pass off standard production line American Deluxe and American Series Stratocasters as 'limited edition 50th Anniversary models' merely on the strength of the commemorative neck plates.
What to look for when buying a 50th Anniversary American Deluxe Stratocaster:-
Colour - MUST be two-colour sunburst, no other colour is genuine.
Neck/fretboard - MUST be maple, NOT rosewood.
Hardware - MUST be gold.
Neck plate - 50th Anniversary etched plate.
Pickguard - Single-ply parchment, NOT 3-ply white/black/white or any other colour, with laser-etched logo.
Pickups - SCNs with S1 switch system, in 3 single coils configuration only, NOT HSS.
Case - oblong tweed case with crushed gold lining, NOT black moulded case.
Fender inspection card - this should state the 'part' or model number 0112004803 together with the serial number of the guitar (standard production line models will show different 'part numbers').
What to look for when buying a 50th Anniversary American Series Stratocaster:-
Colour - MUST be two-colour sunburst, no other colour is genuine.
Body - MUST be ash, usually identifiable by prominant grain patterns.
Neck/fretboard - MUST be maple, NOT rosewood.
Neck plate - 50th Anniversary etched plate.
Pickguard - Single-ply 11-hole parchment, NOT 3-ply white/black/white or any other colour (the 50th American Series is quite possibly the only Fender Stratocaster model with an 11-hole single-ply parchment pickguard. All other parchment pickguards are either 11-hole 3-ply or 8-hole single-ply).
Pickups - Custom Shop '54s in 3 single coils configuration only, NOT HSS. Apart from the unbeveled pole pieces, these are difficult to distinguish by sight alone. If you have the opportunity, try out the guitar plugged into an amplifier, and, if possible compare with a standard Stratocaster, and you should be able to recognise a superior tone. However, tone is subjective, and a better way to distinguish the authenticity of the guitar by its pickups is as follows. The production line American Series models come with a hum-cancelling reverse wound / reverse polarity middle pickup, which means that positions 2 and 4 on the 5-way switch, which combine the bridge and middle pickups, and neck and middle pickups, are relatively hum-free. The genuine 50th Anniversary American Series on the other hand does not have a reverse wound / reverse polarity middle pickup, and positions 2 and 4 therefore hum as much as the other positions.
Case - oblong tweed case with crushed gold lining, NOT black moulded case.
Fender inspection card - this should state the 'part' or model number 0102004-803 (10 denotes American Series, 2004 denotes 50th Anniversary model, 8 denotes a deluxe tweed case, and 03 denotes a two-tone sunburst finish) together with the serial number of the guitar (standard production line models will have a 'part' or model number 0117402-7XX).
For those wishing to acquire one of these not only as collectors' items but also as outstanding musical instruments, it is the 50th American Series they should go for. Apart from the gold plating and purely cosmetic features, the 50th American Deluxe is no different from, or better than, the production model American Deluxes, and, with the SCN pickups, tend to have a more 'modern' than vintage sound. The 50th American Series, on the other hand, has an outsanding 'vintage' tone, and is widely acclaimed to be one of the best non-Custom Shop guitars ever produced by Fender. It is probably not surprising that there are now considerably more used 50th Deluxes for sale than 50th American Series', as owners have become wise to what they have and are more inclined to keep the latter. Accordingly, the 50th American Series' are becoming increasingly rare and rapidly rising in value.