Korean Squier Strat Dating?

MarkWills · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

Hi guys, this is my fisrt post to this site! I'm a 37 year old bedroom plank spanker (ooer misses etc) from the UK.

I own quite a few guitars (9 I think), but on inparticular is a favourite of mine: An old Korean Squier Strat that I picked up around 1992.

I was wondering, is there any way to date these guitars from the serial number? I'm just curious (it's NOT going on FleeceBay, it's just about my fave guitar - the guitar I keep coming back to, despite it being rather beaten up after all these years!)

My other axes, in case anyone is wondering:

Epiphone Les Paul Custom (2008): Not bad, 7 out of 10!
Epiphone Les Paul Special Edition (bright green, Korean): 9 out 10 AWESOME! (lots of knocks and dinks, picked it up for next to nothing, seems quite rare to me)
Fender Strat Sunburst (2007 - Mexican) - good guitar
Fender USA Strat 1957-2007 Special Edition (awesome, 3 position pickup selector!)
Old shit Squier Strat that I got for £20... Must get it set up...
Rockson Strat - Simply Incredible

Thanks chaps...

mark

1bassleft · Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, and my apols for taking so long to help out. I found this info put up by "Leadowner" on Fenderforum.com (after having a nasty experience from typing "Korean dating" into a search engine).

Quote:

Korean Squiers:

C refers to Cort, V refers to Saehan(Sunghan), S was already taken by Samick so Saehan(Sunghan) used V instead (Saehan(Sunghan) made the Vester guitars). Those made by Cort are the most desirable. The second character refers to the decade: N represents Nineties (1990's). And the first number following is the year. So, for example "CN6" = made by Cort in 1996 and "VN6" = made by Saehan(Sunghan) in 1996.

Exceptions:

Pro-Tone Series (solid ash bodies) had serial numbers with either a) no preceding letters and 7 digits, with the first number being the year, or b) starting with KC for Korean Cort, followed by 2-digit year.

Stagemaster Deluxe (neck-thru maple necks with basswood wings), and the Double Fat Tele Deluxe (all solid mahogany with set necks), with serial numbers starting with KC for Korean Cort, followed by 2-digit year.

There were also some KV (Korean Saehan(Sunghan)) serial numbers followed by 2-digit year.

The KC and KV forms are apparently associated with the change to Crafted in Korea. So, post-1996 models only would have this form of serial number.

Six-digit serial numbers with no preceding letters, with the first number being the year.

I hope this helps (and also, that Leadowner doesn't mind me pinching his research). Let us know if you get a date from the info Smile

MarkWills · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

Hi!

Thanks for the reply!

Well, your post led me on a bit search, nay, mission to find out when my old strat was built. Turns out, it was built in the Samick factory, in 1989. Serial is S999152.

It's a lovely old thing, and just coming up to 20 years old!

In DESPERATE need of a re-fret or stoning tho, so if you know anyone reputable...

I'll see if I can post any piccies of the old thing...

BTW: There's a great write up on them here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squier#Korean_Squiers

Thanks again,

Mark

MarkWills · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

Here's some pics of the axe in question! Delightful old thing... Worth bugger all I'm sure, but worth lots to me!

Mark.

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Gordy Smiff · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject:

Nice pics, thanks for sharing. Why not post some of the rest of your collection. Really like that multi-stand you have BTW.

MarkWills · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 4

Okey dokey, here goes:

2007 Epiphone Les Paul Custom. Made in China. Bought from GAK. Very very nice guitar. You can see it on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waepWA5rGFs

Korean Les Paul Special Edition. Made in 1996. Completely awesome guitar. Comes with Dimarzio pickups and coil tap on the back pickup (lift the back tone control knob). Bloody excellent guitar. Tone to the bone.

Chinese Squier plank. Completely crap. I have a guitar synth system, so I plan to fit the synth pickup to this. Otherwise, it's firewood.

Mexican Fender Strat 50's re-issue. Gorgeous tone. Nicely set up. Nice think neck. Really like this one!

Rockson Strat. Possibly the best guitar I have ever played. For tone, think Mark Knoper on his Pensa Surh. Just unbelievably incredible. Perfectly set up. Sex with frets.

A closer shot of the rockson. The pic doesn't really do justice to the finish. It's nicely polished and rather scrummy.

USA Fender Strat 1957-2007 Special Limited Edition. They only made these guitars throughout 2007. Blonde 'see through' paint job, thin 50's profile neck (thinner than the Mexican) and gorgeous tone. Very well built. Gold Hardware. Cost a frigging fortune! 3 Way pickup selector fitted, but comes with a 5 way if you want to de-solder the three way... I've left it totally original, in fact, in lives in the case!

Close up of the nice neck plate on the USA 1957-2007 Strat!

Hope you like 'em Smile

The green Les Paul is a pretty special guitar. Really like it. Gonna get a Tele next Smile

Mark.
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Tim · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 9:59 pm Post subject:

Why the heck would you want to recycle it?!

Nice pics though, nowt sexier than a black LP.

EDIT ...in the guitar world that is, obviously.

1bassleft · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 12:04 am Post subject:

, I noticed that EU "do not put this item in the bin" sticker on the neckplate, too. Great advice from Brussels.

Incidentally, and not wishing to hijack, but I've just put up my Fenix Jazz bass on Fleeb. I don't need it, hardly use it, but it's a wonderfully made guitar. There's no doubt that Korea can and did make very nice instruments. Just as MIJ shook off its cheapo image and fetch deservedly higher prices, I wouldn't be suprised if the Korean ones become more appreciated. Chinese and Indonesian Squiers just leave me cold.

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