These guitars seem to be appreciating in price. I'd put this guitar up against any Fender I've played including a friend's Custom Shop. I transferred the pickups and electronics to the Squier pickguard because it had that creamy yellow vintage look that can't be faked. I had a GFS pre-wired pickguard laying around.

I have almost the exact same guitar but an A series from 1984. The switch and pots are middle of the road quality and due to age will probably give you problems if you start playing it a lot.

They get a pretty good tone but the guitar will come alive with some better pickups. On that one if it's going to be a player I'd replace the pickups and electronics but keep the old parts in case you decide to sell it someday. They are incredible guitars if you can get them cheap enough. That one is based on a '62 but has many things that are not period correct. A lot of people call them reissues but really they are not. I sort of collect MIJ Squiers and Fenders. There is not a lot of difference structurally between the MIJ Fenders and Squiers. I've read it could be a standard, it could be a 62 reissue standard if you believe ST362V means strat 62 vintage, but who knows? No markings on any hardware except that it has Gotoh tuners from factory, they've never been off and the maple has faded around them and the squier by fender logo. Pickup covers and knobs are nicely yellowed and the WBW PG is clean and tidy but not yellowed. Very little fret wear, but then I think I mentioned in my OP, that it was a wall ornament for several years and totally unplayed until the current owner swapped it for a cheap strat copy! Completely stock, never been opened up by the look of it! The 5 way selector is stamped YM-50, the wiring is all factory standard stuff but looks a decent standard and untouched. It has no other markings on the body, but the pots a M250kohmA also stamped 83 K. Its a squier ST362V strat according to the neck stamp. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2.I now have this guitar at my house for a service and setup.

Pickups: Neck - Standard Single-Coil Strat, Middle - Standard Single-Coil Strat, Neck - Standard Single-Coil Strat.

Colors: Black (006), Brown Sunburst (032), (Gloss Polyurethane).

Squier stratocaster serial numbers