1989 USA E9 Series Squier Stratocaster

jjudas

jjudas

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While I'm searching the ads on CL, this ad shows up for a beat up strat for $100. I look at the photos and it's a '89 E9 Made in the US Squier!
I meet the seller and it's a girl. She says that she's had the guitar for 12 years and it hasn't been played. It belonged to her ex boyfriend who gigged in a band. Also one of her insane friends took it apart and tried to sand the body and screwed up the finish. She tells me the guitar has a long story that goes with it but she doesn't want to share it. I offered her $80 and she accepted. Score! I just got a $350 guitar for $80. These guitars were only made for 2 years '89 & '90 and only 2000 were made. They were made at the Corona factory. I took it home disassembled it, sanded and darkened the body. Ordered parts. I installed new tuners, big block bridge/trem, jack & plate, neck plate and prewired loaded pickguard from Dragonfireguitars.
It sounds and plays fantastic!
Before:
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After:

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WOW Robert, Nothing like those Asians to make something unique like dots on the numbers of your knobs.

I once saw a funny show about Counterfeiting. They said some was unbelievably good, while another example makes me laugh to this day. They showed some perfect clones of fancy cars like a Mercedes. But in one case, they did a great job, front and back on a Mercedes. The only problem is it was 2 different models when one went from front to back HAHA.
 
chilipeppermaniac said:
WOW Robert, Nothing like those Asians to make something unique like dots on the numbers of your knobs.

I once saw a funny show about Counterfeiting. They said some was unbelievably good, while another example makes me laugh to this day. They showed some perfect clones of fancy cars like a Mercedes. But in one case, they did a great job, front and back on a Mercedes. The only problem is it was 2 different models when one went from front to back HAHA.
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Oddly enough, the knobs say Fender USA on the back. So do the tuners and parts of the Tremolo. Even the plastic 5 way switch says Made in USA.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Hey, Man...did your 1989 knobs have the little "dots" adjacent to the numerals like my 1987 Squire Stratocaster????View attachment 3058
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No little dots or markings other than the numbers. I use the tele type knobs on all of my Strat because I turn down the volume while I'm playing. I came up with a solution. I bought rubber gaskets from the hardware store and I use the gasket underneath the volume knob which is tightened down. Result is: it's hard to turn. It works for me.
 
The headstock looks the same. The only place it says "Made in USA" is the headstock. Tuners, bridge and electronics look Asian. I heard that the bodies and necks were the same as the American Strats being made at the Corona plant but the electronics and hardware was foreign. They made Squiers for 2 years at Corona while production transferred from Korea to Mexico.
 
jjudas said:
The headstock looks the same. The only place it says "Made in USA" is the headstock. Tuners, bridge and electronics look Asian. I heard that the bodies and necks were the same as the American Strats being made at the Corona plant but the electronics and hardware was foreign. They made Squiers for 2 years at Corona while production transferred from Korea to Mexico.
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My Squire feels unusually heavy. Body has a cap on it, which is visible from under the pickguard. The cap has developed some cracks over the years.

Everything on this one is marked USA. My bandmates chipped in and bought it new for me from the Fender dealer in Tulare, California in 1987.

Get this...the factory cast-metal tremolo block started cracking, so I needed a replacement. Import and Mexico blocks would not fit.

I had to buy a USA spaced block to replace the original...IMG_20170210_40326.jpg
 
Mine is heavy too. It's heavier than my other Strats. I put a Fender vintage style 2 1/16" big block 6 screw trem/bridge on it. Same bridge saddles as yours.
 
jjudas said:
Mine is heavy too. It's heavier than my other Strats. I put a Fender vintage style 2 1/16" big block 6 screw trem/bridge on it. Same bridge saddles as yours.
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Isn't that weight crazy!!!??

Everyone who picks it up complains about the weight. Heavier than my bandmates Custom Shop Stratocasters...

Those saddles are original on mine...
 
Robert Herndon said:
Mine appears to be a crazy mix of parts. When we bought it, they were just pulling it out of the box...
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They say that in the late 80s and early 90s you could find all sorts of odd parts on Squiers and Fenders. If they had extra American Fender parts, they would use them on Korean and Mexican models or Squiers.
 
I put all new hardware and electronics on mine. I want to be a player not a wall hanger. The neck is amazing on this thing! I could get double what I paid for it just for the neck on ebay.
 
jjudas said:
I put all new hardware and electronics on mine. I want to be a player not a wall hanger. The neck is amazing on this thing! I could get double what I paid for it just for the neck on ebay.
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Mine has original electronics/wiring/switch, but DiMarzio's were installed in the 1980's/1990's.

The neck on mine is super thin with the smallest fretwire. It's been leveled and crowned several times from wear so the frets are really low.

The fretboard is flatter than original, because my tech sanded the grooved out of the wood several times.

It plays well though, like you describe on yours.

Hey! Let's weigh them and post the results!
 
jjudas said:
While I'm searching the ads on CL, this ad shows up for a beat up strat for $100. I look at the photos and it's a '89 E9 Made in the US Squier!
I meet the seller and it's a girl. She says that she's had the guitar for 12 years and it hasn't been played. It belonged to her ex boyfriend who gigged in a band. Also one of her insane friends took it apart and tried to sand the body and screwed up the finish. She tells me the guitar has a long story that goes with it but she doesn't want to share it. I offered her $80 and she accepted. Score! I just got a $350 guitar for $80. These guitars were only made for 2 years '89 & '90 and only 2000 were made. They were made at the Corona factory. I took it home disassembled it, sanded and darkened the body. Ordered parts. I installed new tuners, big block bridge/trem, jack & plate, neck plate and prewired loaded pickguard from Dragonfireguitars.
It sounds and plays fantastic!
Before:
View attachment 3041 View attachment 3042
After:

View attachment 3043 View attachment 3044 View attachment 3045 View attachment 3047
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:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
FOOKING congrats on a gorgeous score my friend:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
 
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