This is a photo of the serial number. I tried using the Fender serial guide and its of little use. You can see it's a little mangled.  It looks like a letter with 6 digits. I know I might be able to find out more if I remove the neck and look at the butt end. Do all have info there or just some. 

The secret to the model year and country of manufacture is in that first character in the serial number. It is very obscured in the photo. Can you read it?

Here are a couple of good resources:

http://www.vintagerocker.com/fender/serial_numbers.html

http://www.themusiczoo.com/blog/2010/fender-instruments-serial-number-dating-guide/

Yep...there's a list.

But to double check, i contacted the guy at Fender.  Cause i had different tuners on mine and i knew by the serial it should be a Jap Strat, but the tuners were nicer.  He assured me the OC plant was closed the year they did the '67 reissues in Japan and i guess some of the parts are different.

OC Strats usually have FENDER on that back plate.  I thought.  Maybe that's changed.

I took the neck off mine.  Still a Jap Strat.  Mine had a stamp.  Um...i think mainly what that will help with is whether or not it's a replaced body.  Mine really does say Made in Japan on the headstock, but i just wanted to make sure it all went together.  ;)

Mine is a U, btw.

yes, mine was around '98-99.  one letter with six digits.

e-mail Fender photos of the gal.  they're really good about getting back.

woops...i mean the U's are 95-96.  It looked brand spanking new when i got it used in '99. 

U017319 MIJ

Brannon, how do you know it's American made? Is it printed or stamped somewhere on the guitar? Can you post a pic of the neckplate?

Take it off.  Take it all off.  The stamp on the butt will show you where she's been. 

It says "Made in U.S.A" under Stratocaster. Here's a pic of the neck plate and keys. 

Establishing the model year of Fender guitars can be such a pain in the ass sometimes. From the looks of this one I'd say it's between 1989 and 1994. Most likely it's 1992. Since you say it's US made I'm betting that first character in the serial # would be an "N"... but you're gonna have to rip her apart to know for sure.

There should be a date on the butt end of the neck. Also check to see if there are dates on the body (usually inside a pickup cavity) and on the pots. Good luck. Let us know what you find.

PS - My 1976 Strat has dual string trees like yours. When using the tremelo bar, I find it stays in tune much better if I bypass the string tree for the D & G strings (just run the strings over rather than under the tree). I also installed carbon saddles which helped immensely with tuning stability.

By the fact that the first number after the missing letter is a 2, then I would say it is either a 1982 or a 1992 US Strat. (See the decodes below).

Judging by the lettering style on the machine head and the hardware, I would almost bet on it being 1982. This would mean that the missing letter was an "E". Does that fit? I can see that the left edge is a straight line, but that could still be either an E or an N.

Most of the pictures on Google Images tend to look more like an '82 than a '92 strat based on hardware used and the lettering style. The hardware is 1970's style, although it could have been a reissue.

Serial Number on Peghead Decal.
U.S. made Fenders, starting in mid-1976 has the serial number on the peghead. Note the following number could be off as much as two years. Generally speaking, a "S" prefix equals the 1970's, "E" prefix equals the 1980's, and "N" prefix equals the 1990's. Note "E" and "N" prefix models are sometimes also Japanese-made (see below).

  7600000 ("76" in bold) = 1976-1977
  800000s = 1979-1981
  1000000 to 8000000 = 1976-1981 (7 digits)
  S100000's-S600000's = 1979-1982
  S700000's to S770000's = 1977
  S740000's to S800000's = 1978
  S810000's to S870000's = 1979
  S880000's to S980000's = 1980
  S950000's to S990000's = 1981
  E000000's to E100000's = 1979-1982
 E200000's = 1982
  E300000's to E310000's = 1983
  E320000's to E390000's = 1984-1985
  E400000's = 1984, 1985, 1987
  E800000's = 1988-1989
  E900000's = 1989-1990
  N900000's = 1990
  N000000's = 1990-1991
  N100000's = 1991
 N200000's = 1992
  N300000's = 1993
  N400000's = 1994
  N500000's = 1995
  N600000's = 1996
  N700000's = 1997
  N800000's = 1998
  N900000's = 1999

This guitar isn't mine. It may yet be. There's a bit of a story to go with it. I am now wondering if the serial number isn't dilebrately scratched out in the end and begining. 

Does it look anything like this 1982 strat?

http://www.vintage-guitars.se/1982_Fender_Stratocaster_E212502.htm

One of the two string guides has been removed in this guitar and the remaining one looks like it has been replaced. I hate the second string guide too. It makes the G string stick. (I think there might be a song in that!)

From the pictures you have shown, it looks like the same lettering, serial placement and hardware.

Its the same in every way.

So, is it a Fullerton or not a Fullerton era Strat?  This is so fun.  Do Fullerton's have the serial numbers on the neck stocks?

This one would have matched my Firebird...and gotten me just as many dates...V000500 '57 Reissue Fullerton, red bottomed pickup Strat.  Fiesta Red.  Although, i prefer blue...i like this shade.  Woops...I mean V000291.  Even better.  oh...1982 '57 reissue.  that '82 in the front, the 291, Color & red pups = $

Hey...it's more reliable return than the market. 

Your guitar looks to have the smaller headstock. Combined with the placement of the string trees (I.e. directly over the F in Fender), it looks to be a Dan Smith Strat. Ref: http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=562686

he does have the 70's logo, and the serial is on the logo.

I am seeing in these two photos a distance variation between the letter and the digits in the SN.

On my 95 model MIJ, there is no space between the letter and the digits.  Which is prob. indicative of nationality.

where's the truss rod adjustment?

an '82 Dan Smith head.

an '83 logo differs

Brannon, if they want you to buy it...they should provide photos of the inards.

How does it play and sound?

How much do they want for it?

Well, here's the thing: This guitar isn't for sale. There is a long and involved story about how it got here a couple of months ago and why it might be staying here. 

It does look like its a Dan Smith. It's in bad shape -rusted in every possible place. All fixable. 

can't ya offer to look at the condition of the insides.  ;)

It's how it sounds and what it can do for you.... :-)

People are so good a fakeing stuff now a days, you just never know anymore...

Feels good in your hands, sounds good to your ear that's all that matters, unless

your into selling and trading your tools...

My view only......Enjoy it.....

:)  MIJ owners of "not real Fenders" everywhere are smiling.