Need a Stratocaster expert

What's the difference between an '88 American Standard Stratocaster and the same year for the '57 and '62 reissues...other than the later being about twice the price?  At the '87 NAMM show, Fender introduced the Standard Stratocaster, then being built in the newer Corona facility, and supposedly building a handful a day, with only about 10 floor workers, and good quality...  trying to dismiss the CBS era Stratocasters.  IOW, how can you [easily...hopefully!] tell the difference between these late 80's Stratocasters.  As a rough price range, it appears the Standards are worth in the neighborhood of $600+ with the reissues generally about $1100+ or more.  These prices tend to be the bottom range.

BTW, I've got an '88 Standard, I bought new, but can't "bet my life" it's a Standard vs the reissues.  I think my sales receipt says "standard" though.

"IOW, how can you [easily...hopefully!] tell the difference between these late 80's Stratocasters."
 
The easiest way is to consider the Vibrato Bridge. The American Standard one is, IIRC, called the American Standard Bridge.

Like I said... I'm almost positive the one I have is a Standard.  It's a two point trem, maple fretboard, alnico pups and the flatter radius neck....where I suppose the reissues have a 7.5" radius.  I can't tell finishes by just looking.  The frets look "medium size"... certainly not tiny, nor jumbo.

It's a nice guitar.  I did put a SuperVee trem on it, that just drops in and locking tuners and a roller string tree.  Not that I'll change it back to original, it can be done, without any damage done.

actually I had a typo... and it's 7.25 and the more modern C shape neck is 9.5".  I think that would be the biggest, noticeable diff, along with the attachment on the bridge/trem.   But as you know...Fender guitars are easy to swap parts on... any part, actually.

In addition to the 2 point vs. 6 hole trem (which for some reason Mike prefers the wrong one of ) and the neck radius, the # of frets are different - the reissues have 21 frets and the standards have 22.

drewfx1
In addition to the 2 point vs. 6 hole trem (which for some reason Mike prefers the wrong one of ) and the neck radius, the # of frets are different - the reissues have 21 frets and the standards have 22.

:-)

I love Strats. I have two right now, an 1995 Am Std, and an Am Deluxe about 5 years old.
 
My opinion is with most guitars, particularly guitars with bolt on necks like the Strat... you never know until you play it. They are like Levi jeans, they can be all over the board. Never buy a Stratocaster online, you need to go to several stores and play as many as you can. Play them unplugged. You can change pickups but if the neck feels good, the wood resonates and has a good tone unplugged, it likely will when you plug it in. Of course you want to play it plugged in too, and in a good amp with little to no distortion.
Sometimes a guitar will call to you from the wall... I cannot explain that. If you like the way it looks, IMO, you will play better. There are so many intangibles when it comes to a guitar, but I would never buy a nice guitar without holding it, unless it is a really high end guitar like a Shur or a CS Les Paul, or CS Strat... though with a Strat, I would go with a Shur or Tom Anderson before a Fender.
Just my 2 cent, for what it's worth.
 
I think I have told this before so I'll tell an attenuated version. When MARS was in business I spent a good but of time there. One rainy day I spent most of the day there. I played every Les Paul and every LP type guitar they had, Bluesbirds, everything... I took the best sounding of the TOTL CS Gibson LPs back to one of the rooms they had set up for trying out guitars and amps. I kept the best of the best of the high end back there and took one after another back to compare with it. I would NEVER have believed what I found... the guitar that sounded most like the very expensive Gibson CS LP was an 99 dollar bolt neck Epiphone LP-100. Really... so, you need to play them, listen to them, feel them, catch their vibe.
 
I'd forget everything else and decide hands on. That is the only way you will really know. Finishes, pickups, neck profiles all mean a little but they can still have the best finish, best pups, and best neck/fretboard and be a dud. They can be a Squire and be an absolute gem... not usually but you have to see them, hold them, and play them to really know anything about them... unless they are a Shur or Anderson perhaps a few others. Some builders don't let any dogs out the door.
 
J
 

thx guys... I believe it is spelled Suhr as well.  They're nice guitars.  I have my doubts about the $100 Epi.  Most Epi's in that price range were kinda dog-ish to me. Felt "Chinese" for a lack of better words.
 
I too love Strats and have several.  I was interested in learning more about identifying them, since there are so many models nowadays, and can't disagree about playing one before making it part of the herd...unless it's at that "impulse" price...which many GOOD guitars are nowadays.  Mexi Strats are a great example.

mixmkr
thx guys... I believe it is spelled Suhr as well.  They're nice guitars.  I have my doubts about the $100 Epi.  Most Epi's in that price range were kinda dog-ish to me. Felt "Chinese" for a lack of better words.
 
I too love Strats and have several.  I was interested in learning more about identifying them, since there are so many models nowadays, and can't disagree about playing one before making it part of the herd...unless it's at that "impulse" price...which many GOOD guitars are nowadays.  Mexi Strats are a great example.

Yes, it is Suhr. I have doubts about 100 Epis too... it is just what happened on one day with one wall of guitars, but it did happen. I didn't buy the Epi though, lol.
 
J