Fender Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1972)
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Fender Stratocaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1972), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 354187, sunburst polyester finish, alder body, maple neck, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a very early example of the now-classic mid-1970's pattern Stratocaster, mounting the then-brand new 3-bolt neck with the "Bullet" truss rod that was a controversial change at the time. Another then-recent change to the Strat include the cast bridge saddles and trem block. This mid-1972 example still carries some soon-to-disappear-in the-70s features including staggered-pole pickups (changed to flat-pole in 1975) and the white pickguard and trim supplanted by black plastic in 1976.
This Stratocaster has a neck clear-dated to April '72, with pots from the 6th week of that year as well. It is resplendent in a typical Fender sunburst finish, not much changed at this point from the first Poly runs in 1969 including a slight greenish tinge to the yellow center. This was applied more heavily than the earlier 1960's style but not yet the super-dense "Thick Skin" Polyester that enveloped the Strat starting in 1975. At 7.77 Lbs (without the bridge cover) this is fairly light for the period, a good playing and sounding Strat typical of its '70's era, now amazingly (to us old guys) 50 years old and not much the worse for wear.
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 7.77 lbs.
This early '70's Strat is quite clean overall with some typical minor wear. The finish is still shiny and unchecked; it has some scuffing and a few small dings and dents but really this is a better survivor than many. It remains all original down to the trem arm and even the snap-on bridge cover. Just remember this was the era of massive numbers of Fenders becoming Frankensteins of all sorts; they may have made a lot of these in 1972, but a large proportion are no longer so original and unaltered.
There is some small chips on fingerboard edges, and just a few worn spots on the fingerboard itself. The body shows a small armwear spot on the top, and a similarly rubbed-down area on the back/rear edge by the strap button. All hardware is original, complete and quite clean; there is one small crack to the pickguard off the screw just below the neck. There is some wear to the original frets wear in the lower positions, and they have been crowned down a bit but still have decent height.
This is a fairly spanky-sounding Stratocaster with a lively range of tones tone and some great "in-between" sounds, though you still have to balance the original 3-way switch to get them. Overall a nice example from this period, playing well and sounding like it should still living tin the original black Tolex Fender HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a very early example of the now-classic mid-1970's pattern Stratocaster, mounting the then-brand new 3-bolt neck with the "Bullet" truss rod that was a controversial change at the time. Another then-recent change to the Strat include the cast bridge saddles and trem block. This mid-1972 example still carries some soon-to-disappear-in the-70s features including staggered-pole pickups (changed to flat-pole in 1975) and the white pickguard and trim supplanted by black plastic in 1976.
This Stratocaster has a neck clear-dated to April '72, with pots from the 6th week of that year as well. It is resplendent in a typical Fender sunburst finish, not much changed at this point from the first Poly runs in 1969 including a slight greenish tinge to the yellow center. This was applied more heavily than the earlier 1960's style but not yet the super-dense "Thick Skin" Polyester that enveloped the Strat starting in 1975. At 7.77 Lbs (without the bridge cover) this is fairly light for the period, a good playing and sounding Strat typical of its '70's era, now amazingly (to us old guys) 50 years old and not much the worse for wear.
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 7.77 lbs.
This early '70's Strat is quite clean overall with some typical minor wear. The finish is still shiny and unchecked; it has some scuffing and a few small dings and dents but really this is a better survivor than many. It remains all original down to the trem arm and even the snap-on bridge cover. Just remember this was the era of massive numbers of Fenders becoming Frankensteins of all sorts; they may have made a lot of these in 1972, but a large proportion are no longer so original and unaltered.
There is some small chips on fingerboard edges, and just a few worn spots on the fingerboard itself. The body shows a small armwear spot on the top, and a similarly rubbed-down area on the back/rear edge by the strap button. All hardware is original, complete and quite clean; there is one small crack to the pickguard off the screw just below the neck. There is some wear to the original frets wear in the lower positions, and they have been crowned down a bit but still have decent height.
This is a fairly spanky-sounding Stratocaster with a lively range of tones tone and some great "in-between" sounds, though you still have to balance the original 3-way switch to get them. Overall a nice example from this period, playing well and sounding like it should still living tin the original black Tolex Fender HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.