ussfdoc,
Rick, nice strats you got there! I noticed the fender logo on your black strat is a little high, is that a special model?
Hey Bro,
That dark green strat with the pearloid pickguard is an RJ Strat with a Fender Logo stuck on it. It's a long story, but by profession I'm a psychiatrist. I decided a while back to do an experiement. I had six musicians blindfolded and played various types of music on this RJ Strat and a Fender Deluxe Powerhouse Strat I used to have. I told them one was a Fender Deluxe Powerhouse Strat and the other was a strat copy.
To make a long story short, every single one of them hearing the strats picked the RJ as the real strat. After that, my then 17 year old son stuck the decal on there.
To prove how good RJ's are, I have a friend, who is quite famous as a musician, but I will not mention his name (you friends of mine there who know him be quiet please). At any rate, he played this RJ Strat for several hours and never knew it was NOT a Fender.
Just goes to show ya, not everything is in a name.
The beat up old one is the real Fender.
God Bless,
Rick