Fender Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956)
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Item # 7623
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Fender Stratocaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 11061, two tone sunburst lacquer finish, ash body, maple neck, original tweed hard shell case.
This beautifully preserved early Stratocaster dates to the first few months of 1956, and survives as a wonderful example of this most iconic guitar's first incarnation. The body is dated 2-56 and the neck carries what looks like a 3-56 mark, although the pencil work is a bit sloppy on the bottom edge. The pots are dared to the fifth week of 1956 as well, and this guitar amazingly still has the original store receipt in the case documenting an initial sale in May '56. The body is made of ash (a single piece, from what we can see which is rare in itself) which would be changed to alder by the middle of the year. The neck contour is something of a transitional shape between the earlier round-backed design and the hard "V" profile used by 1957, with a soft spine but less "meat" to the sides than the typical '55. The string tree on the headstock is still the early round type. The finish is very thin lacquer, with a subtly blended 2-color sunburst on the body and a still-clean and clear natural on the neck. The early plastic parts still retain their bright white gloss with very little weathering. All three pickups are fully original and sound fantastic, with a particularly great bridge/middle "twang" combination. It is pretty rare to find a Stratocaster that has come down through the years as unmolested as this one, and plugging it in reminds us why so many of them got played into the ground over the last 60+ years!
Overall length is 38 1/4 in. (97.2 cm.), 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) deep. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). Simply a superb guitar overall, showing signs of play with the average light wear one would expect but no evidence of hard use. There are only two wear spots that go through the finish-one on the back just above the term cover plate and another on the back edge of the upper body horn. The body's lower edge has some wear and disturbance from contact with the case over the years. Overall the lacquer shows some very fine checking and scuffing but surprisingly little in the way of dings and dents. There is one small scrape from the trem arm being rotated and rubbing against the top. The frets are original with minor wear and fingerboard has only two notable wear spots, down around the first position-the one under the B string has a small touch-up applied. All hardware is original and intact, with a completely undisturbed wiring harness and all solder joints undisturbed. Even the original trem arm and bridge cover are included, and the cover has protected the saddles well -they show very little tarnish at all. This is a truly fantastic package-a great sounding original Strat, very nice early tweed case with a still-sealed key envelope, original strap, cable, polishing cloth (well used but with the instruction sheet) and even the original sale receipt from May 1956 are included. Excellent + Condition.
This beautifully preserved early Stratocaster dates to the first few months of 1956, and survives as a wonderful example of this most iconic guitar's first incarnation. The body is dated 2-56 and the neck carries what looks like a 3-56 mark, although the pencil work is a bit sloppy on the bottom edge. The pots are dared to the fifth week of 1956 as well, and this guitar amazingly still has the original store receipt in the case documenting an initial sale in May '56. The body is made of ash (a single piece, from what we can see which is rare in itself) which would be changed to alder by the middle of the year. The neck contour is something of a transitional shape between the earlier round-backed design and the hard "V" profile used by 1957, with a soft spine but less "meat" to the sides than the typical '55. The string tree on the headstock is still the early round type. The finish is very thin lacquer, with a subtly blended 2-color sunburst on the body and a still-clean and clear natural on the neck. The early plastic parts still retain their bright white gloss with very little weathering. All three pickups are fully original and sound fantastic, with a particularly great bridge/middle "twang" combination. It is pretty rare to find a Stratocaster that has come down through the years as unmolested as this one, and plugging it in reminds us why so many of them got played into the ground over the last 60+ years!
Overall length is 38 1/4 in. (97.2 cm.), 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) deep. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.). Simply a superb guitar overall, showing signs of play with the average light wear one would expect but no evidence of hard use. There are only two wear spots that go through the finish-one on the back just above the term cover plate and another on the back edge of the upper body horn. The body's lower edge has some wear and disturbance from contact with the case over the years. Overall the lacquer shows some very fine checking and scuffing but surprisingly little in the way of dings and dents. There is one small scrape from the trem arm being rotated and rubbing against the top. The frets are original with minor wear and fingerboard has only two notable wear spots, down around the first position-the one under the B string has a small touch-up applied. All hardware is original and intact, with a completely undisturbed wiring harness and all solder joints undisturbed. Even the original trem arm and bridge cover are included, and the cover has protected the saddles well -they show very little tarnish at all. This is a truly fantastic package-a great sounding original Strat, very nice early tweed case with a still-sealed key envelope, original strap, cable, polishing cloth (well used but with the instruction sheet) and even the original sale receipt from May 1956 are included. Excellent + Condition.