Guide · Guitars
Why some 1990 Fenders have N9 serials
A 1990 Telecaster with a “1999” serial? Here’s why it happens, and the better ways to date a US Fender.
Go deeper than the listing
Gear guides
Every item in the archive raised a question worth answering properly: why a 1990 Fender carries a “1999” serial, what the colors on a Lace Sensor mean, which preamp tube does what, and how a Turbo RAT differs from a RAT2. These guides answer them, checked against manufacturer documentation and other primary sources, and each one links back to the original listing.
- Guides
- 4
- Linked listings
- 4
- Sources
- Cited in every guide
- Last updated
- Oct 2026
Guide · Pickups
Lace Sensor colors compared
Gold, Silver, Blue and Red: what each Lace Sensor color is voiced for, and the Fender models that made them famous.
Guide · Amps & tubes
12AX7 vs 12AT7 vs 12AU7 preamp tubes
Same socket, very different jobs: gain, drive and headroom across the three classic preamp tubes.
Guide · Pedals
RAT vs RAT2 vs Turbo RAT
The op-amp, the clipping diodes and that backwards Filter knob: what really separates the RAT models.