What year is 34346?

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What year is 34346?

Postby abstamaria » Mon Feb 07, 2022 12:30 pm

Hello, everyone. I know it’s been covered here, but my search turned up nothing. What year is Hank’s original Stratocaster 34346? is it technically a 1958? Is there a major difference between the 1957 and 1958 Stratocaster?

Many thanks in advance. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted here. I hope all are well.

Best, Andres
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby Tone » Mon Feb 07, 2022 1:46 pm

Hi Andy

I always thought that 34346 was a '59 and this would seem to be confirmed by this site:

https://www.guitarinsite.nl/serienummers-fender_eng.php

However, the site refers to the 'production year' of 1959 so I suppose technically it could have been a 1958 if the ''production year' didn't coincide precisely with the calendar year - rather like car 'model years'. Nevertheless, Hank didn't get the guitar until later in 1959 which would tend to confirm it was made that year.

Cheers.

Tony
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby Tab » Mon Feb 07, 2022 3:40 pm

Well I went on to that link where you are asked to enter a serial number to find the date of production.
I entered the serial number of my US 57 Re-Issue purchased in 1990 and it told me the guitar was made in Japan in 1996/7!
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby Teflon » Mon Feb 07, 2022 4:42 pm

Tab wrote:Well I went on to that link where you are asked to enter a serial number to find the date of production.
I entered the serial number of my US 57 Re-Issue purchased in 1990 and it told me the guitar was made in Japan in 1996/7!


Tried it with my Strat and it said "late '78 to '81". I bought it end of '78. It did offer later dates if in was manufactured in Japan (it wasn't).
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby abstamaria » Tue Feb 08, 2022 4:31 am

Thank you, Tony. I was thinking it was a ‘58 in specification but produced in 1959, just before Fender changed to the rosewood board.

Best,

Andy
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby MeBHank » Tue Feb 08, 2022 5:49 am

abstamaria wrote:Thank you, Tony. I was thinking it was a ‘58 in specification but produced in 1959, just before Fender changed to the rosewood board.

Best,

Andy

That's pretty much correct, Andy.

I believe (though my memory is more faulty now than ever before) that the Strat arrived in the UK in May 1959.
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby roger bayliss » Wed Feb 09, 2022 4:08 pm

Several sites that date on serial no come up with year 1959 for date of manufacture . The range of serial nos for 1959 is given as 30000 - 40000.

34346 is well into that range, getting on for nearly halfway , so it seems more likely 1959 rather than 1958.
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Re: What year is 34346?

Postby abstamaria » Fri Feb 11, 2022 2:20 pm

Many thanks, Justin.

Best,

Andy
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