90's Stratocaster Made in Mexico 

Not cutting the strings until you're done with making adjustments is some of the most helpful advice anyone can give. Thanks, Dave.

That's a honest beautiful stratocaster love the colour. Stay safe dave all the best buddy

It’s just about 5 yrs to this day I said I was to going to give the guitar a try. I looked on Craigslist and found a MIM the same exact color for sale in my neighborhood ( 200 bucks). I ran and got it. Along with some new strings learned to tune it. Had some buzzing. Found a guitar tech the next day had a set up,paid for new strings again. Cost me 80.00 bucks. That’s when I said. “ I have learn to set my own stuff up” I went to RU-vid and Found your video’s. Its one of my favorite guitars. So Happy anniversary to us Dave, and that 1984 MIM fender Strat. LOL.

Beautiful Strat.Nice work Dave. You're an asset to the guitar community.

How many people on here have had their guitar (s) on Dave’s bench?! The cranky old guys usually do the best work. Love ya Dave!

Those bullet strings were probably the originals

I just discovered this channel. Dave rules. Watching his videos reminds me of why I sold my Kramer with the Floyd Rose trem...

AWESOME shirt Dave!! Unfortunately that station no longer here in Chicago... lol. Stay safe buddy, keep rocking!!

Listen to Dave! Don't cut the strings! Right on, Dave. You're a good man!

Turned out great Dave, cheers!!

I grow up in Chicago... LOVE the shirt 🤘🏼

Have that exact color on my Fender Prodigy. Lake placid blue. Awesome color.

wow! I just left a comment to keep on posting vids. wasn't expecting this fast

Dave what brand of cleaner do you use for cleaning the pots

Thanks Dave! I especially enjoy the parts like 6:55 etc. And I really mean thanks for another video and visit with you. 👍🏻 Not kidding.

Love the color, good call on not cutting the strings!!!!

Good to know your still cranking out the vids Dave, in these crazy times watching your vids is an oasis from the insanity of current life.

amazing work dave

So cool to hang out with you in your shop during these strange times, Dave. I wish I were as calm and collected as you sound here.

I have that same exact Strat, same color, same age, MIM. Great tone too.

Wish the LOOP was still around, Still pissed about that till this day!

those cut strings from the bridge side are great for cleaning out small engine carburetors

Another successful rescue. Great job. Amazing how guitars can be brought back with some TLC and know how.

This is an early one! 21 frets and vintage bridge, 9.5 radius board and Alnico pickups too, nice guitar.

90s guitar: something tells me that stripe was influenced by a certain "smells like teen spirit" video

Sweety guitar brought back to life, nicely done mate.

Sweet video! I have an ‘04 Mexican strat, and it’s the greatest guitar I’ve ever owned. That doesn’t say too much about how they compare to USA models, but it is a perfectly wonderful guitar that has all the things that make a strat the best with no craftsmanship issues. Even the neck is shaped perfectly compared to other strats I’ve had/played.

I have one from the late 90's that looks identical to that one. Sounds great and plays like a dream. Cost me $350 Canadian and came with a gig bag.

Nice color !!! As always great job Dave !!!

You're a treasure Dave, thank you for all the knowledge

Dave I have a question and will you please answer me I'm not getting an answer from anybody I have a crack that goes not across the neck like a broken neck but up the other way it goes up along the top of the fender logo just to about the middle of it and it goes all the way around the back what can I do to fix it just have it wood glued and c clamped?

That colour is killing!

All the bullets I've ever used snapped just at the nose of the bullet!

I got a Mexican strat back in the 90s because it was a lefty. Have since replaced the whole pick guard and electronics from an American strat. Plays and sounds great

Grew up on listening to The Loop! Nice 👍

Hell , I'd play that puppy! She just needs some love. Nice Lake Placid blue beauty. I hope your doin' good in this shit storm! The Planet is fixing to shake off a few of us. Just like a dog with a bad case of fleas. Hang on!!! 🧠👍🐉💀👽 🎸🎶🎵🌌🌠 Strat back to life thanks to Uncle Dave!

Had one of these, just that colour. Loved it, played like an absolute dream and I felt like a butt-kicking guitar player with it. For the first 18 months, then it just died on me. The sound and tone just disappeared. Tried all shit I could throw at it with no result. Gave it to a very fine guitar tech and he came back to me after a week with words to the effect "I'm sorry, man, this was a dead and. I only saw this once before in my 30 year career and I was lost back then too. Dunno what to do..." I miss those 18 months of my life :-(

More chilled!

Hi! I just got a 1990 MIM Strat. Typical, the volume knob is making noises. What did you do? Just air?? Or was that some liquid? Help please :)

my 91 mim strat has that same round dent. very interesting.

😎👍WLUP 97.9 FM CHICAGO, IL. USA

The "Eat Beef StewMac and Cheese" on the tool box always makes me laugh.

Freedom is not free , way to help out our Vets Dave

Interesting 90s MIM factoid. I have a 95 Sam Ash Special Fender Strat. It came w vintage (American made) pickups, bridge and tuners. It turns out the Mexican factory had a fire in 94 that destroyed all their bodies and necks so Fender shipped the needed bodies and necks to the Mexico plant to keep production going. So my MIM Strat is actually all American components, assembled in Mexico.

I used to not trim the strings...but once I bent over to look into a truss rod hole and poked my face badly with the end of a B string...so I started cutting off the strings but ran into issues like Dave described...so now I trim the strings down to about a 1” tail and come back when I’m done and cut strings off with Knipex flush cut knippers

Nice looking strat! I love that color.

Dave, I'm with you on cutting the strings at the end of the process. I have a 92 just like that one that I bought new. It has been a great guitar.

I missed the part where you helped the cracking of the fretboard. Did you apply anything to it?

Killer LOOP shirt Dave. F.M.97.9 Chicago. I think it was bought out and turned in shit station. I learned how to setup my guitars watching you. Thanks.

I have a very similar Mexican Strat from this era, same color, but with a maple fretboard. Reminds me, need to change the strings on it...plenty of time now, unfortunately...just noticed the Loop shirt! Nice, Davey!

ahahahahahahah "shit removal" you made my day :))))

Just started the video but I'm hoping the race stripe is coming off........... we'll see. :)

you know who NEVER cuts his strings? Buckethead 😎🎸

I swear the 12 th fret harmonic of the high E and B sounds like every doorbell made in the 70's (well the ones the cheap ass contractors installed when they were built anyway). lol. Those black tape stripes I think were OEM IIRC. That's a nice Mexistrat. She sounds good.

Hey Dave, what's the model # on your Knipex?

Can anyone answer why a volume pot would decrease the volume to about 5 and then increase from 5 to 0 again? Appears wired correctly. It's in a Fender Strat. Thanks in advance.

Nice strat, like that colour. Did ya oil the neck? And any fret work...looked a bit worn. Signed "The Claw"

There seems to be no earthing copper shield etc in the cavity’s? Or on the plate how noisy is that going to be Dave?

Do you work in the fiim industry Dave? What can we watch that you've been a part of?

Yup, beautiful color! I have the Tele version that I love 😊

It's alive!!¡!!! It's alive!!!!!!!👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸

I have. 91 Kinda yellow color. Plays and sounds great. I put some Tex-mex pups in it.

I work in a supermarket in the uk. We have to go to work while everyone is on lockdown. Wish I did have time to play my guitars

Wee bit info, Eric Johnson only removes second spring in from the left. He has that set up on all of his. Respect and be well to all.

On the contrary Dave, it’s makes helluva noise.

Does that stretching / catching rule apply to bigsbies and vibrolas?

That is a sweet looking guitar!

Dave, have you done instructional videos for basic set up tips for Gibson or Fender guitars? I imagine they'd be a pretty popular series if you were to make it. A series for basic/introductory set up for Gibson SG's, Les Pauls, Fender strats, telecasters, and the like?

what oil is in you pin oiler? do you use sewing machine oil? thanks, Dave, love your stuff!

SWEET! Could watch stratocasters being fixed all day from Dave! Love the low key video! Except now I gotta go get a sandwich!

Love the Loop shirt. Too bad the Loop is gone.

If I was Dave, I'd leave the string ends untrimmed just out of SPITE!

Ha! Can't leave those string ends wiggling with the old style Fender tuning machines; Leo had the right idea before the invention of locking tuners.

I certainly agree about how anyone who can go to Afghanistan... Know what Dave, you were maybe gonna be a little part of my Canadian adventure. I was actually thinking about hitting Toronto in June for my first time and seeing some music at TJF, then heading up there to visit you. Was gonna ask you a couple of Tele bridge questions and stuff in person if you were available, and tell you a couple a jokes for your trouble. But they’re talking now like things may not all be free and open enough to have a jazz festival by June. Jeez. Be glad when this crap’s over.

Nice Loop shirt, Dave. Just like Q107. Remember MojoRadio on 640?

hey dave...my 91 mim has 2 of those dents. mine's an oxblood or wine red, and it has two of those little nickel sized dents in it...exactly like the one on that lake placid. one on the back, on the lower bout, and one on the front edge near the input boat. they're the size of some clamp feet (but that doesn't make sense as they're a foot apart) and they're also pretty much the exact size of a perfectly flush hammer strike. they definitely occurred before painting. i own 9 nineties mim's and this 91 is the only one with these exact sized indentions. always been curious.

Would it be possible for you to Check the Auto-Generated Captions option when you upload your videos?

I have a mexican strat same color. You can see in the finish where they plugged the defects in the wood. no big deal though

What sets of strings u use?

"Lets cut the strings right away!!" lol. Hey Dave, I was wondering, what kind of electrical cleaner are you using? I've been using CRC but I'm not sure if it is the best for guitars. Thank You for all the videos and education.

Rumor is, those strings still are not cut yet! Lol

What is used to clean the pots????

Im looking for something new. Im liking this color, and adding a white pearl pick guard.

Wicked Sharp!

Really like this guitar, I'd change the pick guard so I could drop a JB in it👍

What kind of sandwich did you get? Thanks for another great video.

A friend of mine worked at Fender back in the 90's (and before that). In the mid 90's he said the Mexican built Strats were just as good as the American ones, EXCEPT the electrical was crap.

Stay safe

Looks exactly like my first electric. MiM fender strats are good guitars and can sound just as good as any MIA ones. That goes for all of their mexico made models. I think you're getting more for the money when you buy a MIM as compared to buying an US made because you're basically paying for that"made in corona, california" stamp. IMO

I has a Powerstrat fronm early 2003 and the pots went bad, so I replaced them and now the guitar doesn't has any sound!

I have one 93 the same

Hey Dave, great episode. Question... I heard that manually stretching the unwound high E and B strings caused the previous uniform string diameter to distort at random along its length affecting natural harmonics and tuning accuracy. But allowing these 2 strings to stretch through natural playing did not. Your thoughts??

What color blue is that? Agave Blue? Nice looking unit.

So, just to be clear...... when setting up a guitar, the second step, after changing strings, is to cut the long, loose ends off......

Dave, have you ever made a compensated /ing nut?

Dave a nice looking guitar, did you oil the fret board?

Surprised you didn't mention the extra pickguard holes in the body.

Nice video

Black tape racing stripes reminds me of a Kenny Wayne Shepherd sig model. Nice color tho...

I have a similar Strat, close serial number, got it new, and mine also has those mystery circle imprints.