Fender Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1964)
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Fender Stratocaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1964), made in Fullerton, California, serial # L16663, sunburst lacquer re- finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a cool vibey player's 1964 pre-CBS Stratocaster, sporting a very old refinish in a more 1950's look 2-tone sunburst but otherwise largely original. It was built in the last year before Leo's company was sold into CBS corporate slavery in January 1965. Apart from the body-only refinish (which looks like it was done decades ago) the guitar sports typical features for this period. The guitar appears refinished to have been more than once; markings etched into the body under the pickguard read "C.A.R. 67" which could indicate a prior Fender factory refinish in Candy Apple Red, but if so that was stripped off decades ago. The current sunburst finish looks to have been in place for decades and is naturally worn in, not artificially "reliced".
The neck is date-stamped 2 MAR 64B ("pre-CBS" officially by not quite a year) while the black-bobbin pickups are a matched set with yellow ink-stamped markings reading May-28-64. The tone pots are coded to the 33rd and 44th weeks of 1963, while the volume pot is dated to the 12th week of 1964; this last is a style we don't usually see in Stratocasters so may have been replaced along the way. The switch and cloth wiring are original, with some re-soldering from the various re-finishes but all correctly done.
The neck was not refinished but is fairly well worn. The '64 small headstock still carries the original thin lacquer and gold "Spaghetti" logo decal. The thin lam rosewood fingerboard has been refretted but retains the older "clay" dots phased out at the turn of 1964-5. The pickguard is still the lovely slightly greenish nitrocellulose plastic that would also disappear early in the next year, with some typical shrinkage and one common crack off the neck pickup screw. The other hardware is still solidly in the pre-CBS mode.
This is a great-sounding, medium weight resonant Strat from the time just before "things started a-changin" in Fullerton after the January 1965 sell-out to CBS. Although well-traveled over the past 60 years its sonic character remains intact; all three pickups have the typical 1960s sheen, powerful and crisp with a very full tone. The finish is quite old and has a cool naturally worn-in vibe but this guitar also represents an opportunity to re-finish again to any color desired; Sonic Blue? Burgundy Mist? Anything is possible! This remains a fine product of the last days of the "Leo" era at Fender, still housed in a well-worn original black Tolex case.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 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.)., 7.9 lbs.
While this is not a completely original guitar, it remains a nice playing and great sounding 60+ year old Stratocaster with a cool vibe. The lacquer on the body is quite old and naturally worn and weathered. The color is not technically correct for a 1964 Fender, looking more like a mid-'50s two-tone finish. This was pro lacquer work at the time, not a cheap "car shop" spray job. This lacquer shows some light checking with numerous dings, dents, chips and a decent amount of edge wear all around and to the typical armwear spot. A large swath of finish is worn off on the back.
The back of the neck is mostly worn down to the bare wood, while the headstock finish is original as is the "Spaghetti" Fender logo decal with a couple of small chips. The neck has that perfectly "Worn in Fender" feel, with very little in the way of dinks and chips. The guitar has been refretted with gold "EVO" fretwire and a new nut has been fitted.
The hardware remains original; the lovely "mint green" pickguard has some wear into the face and the typical split through the neck pickup mounting screw common to these; there is shrinkage overall but no other cracks popped corners. The area around the neck heel was shaved down slightly on one side. The original pickup covers, knobs and switch tip have "ambered" noticeably. The bridge/trem unit is original with some fairly heavy wear to the saddles; the trem arm was modified by being slightly shortened at some point. Internally the guitar retains the original pickups and electronics, with a few solder joints re-done for the refinish and the possibly replaced (but period) volume pot. The masking tape on the pickup wires has been replaced with electrical tape.
The gold "EVO" frets are taller than the original 1964 wire giving a more modern playing experience. These could be crowned down or replaced if desired. Some very minor divoting to the fingerboard in the first position still visible. This guitar has had some adventures over the last 60 years; it was obviously played both before and after one or more refinishes long ago. It remains fully playable and great sounding as it stands or could be a fine chassis for a "dream" colored '64 Strat of your choice. The original black Tolex "no logo" hardshell case is included in fairly well worn but functional shape. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a cool vibey player's 1964 pre-CBS Stratocaster, sporting a very old refinish in a more 1950's look 2-tone sunburst but otherwise largely original. It was built in the last year before Leo's company was sold into CBS corporate slavery in January 1965. Apart from the body-only refinish (which looks like it was done decades ago) the guitar sports typical features for this period. The guitar appears refinished to have been more than once; markings etched into the body under the pickguard read "C.A.R. 67" which could indicate a prior Fender factory refinish in Candy Apple Red, but if so that was stripped off decades ago. The current sunburst finish looks to have been in place for decades and is naturally worn in, not artificially "reliced".
The neck is date-stamped 2 MAR 64B ("pre-CBS" officially by not quite a year) while the black-bobbin pickups are a matched set with yellow ink-stamped markings reading May-28-64. The tone pots are coded to the 33rd and 44th weeks of 1963, while the volume pot is dated to the 12th week of 1964; this last is a style we don't usually see in Stratocasters so may have been replaced along the way. The switch and cloth wiring are original, with some re-soldering from the various re-finishes but all correctly done.
The neck was not refinished but is fairly well worn. The '64 small headstock still carries the original thin lacquer and gold "Spaghetti" logo decal. The thin lam rosewood fingerboard has been refretted but retains the older "clay" dots phased out at the turn of 1964-5. The pickguard is still the lovely slightly greenish nitrocellulose plastic that would also disappear early in the next year, with some typical shrinkage and one common crack off the neck pickup screw. The other hardware is still solidly in the pre-CBS mode.
This is a great-sounding, medium weight resonant Strat from the time just before "things started a-changin" in Fullerton after the January 1965 sell-out to CBS. Although well-traveled over the past 60 years its sonic character remains intact; all three pickups have the typical 1960s sheen, powerful and crisp with a very full tone. The finish is quite old and has a cool naturally worn-in vibe but this guitar also represents an opportunity to re-finish again to any color desired; Sonic Blue? Burgundy Mist? Anything is possible! This remains a fine product of the last days of the "Leo" era at Fender, still housed in a well-worn original black Tolex case.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 12 3/4 in. (32.4 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.)., 7.9 lbs.
While this is not a completely original guitar, it remains a nice playing and great sounding 60+ year old Stratocaster with a cool vibe. The lacquer on the body is quite old and naturally worn and weathered. The color is not technically correct for a 1964 Fender, looking more like a mid-'50s two-tone finish. This was pro lacquer work at the time, not a cheap "car shop" spray job. This lacquer shows some light checking with numerous dings, dents, chips and a decent amount of edge wear all around and to the typical armwear spot. A large swath of finish is worn off on the back.
The back of the neck is mostly worn down to the bare wood, while the headstock finish is original as is the "Spaghetti" Fender logo decal with a couple of small chips. The neck has that perfectly "Worn in Fender" feel, with very little in the way of dinks and chips. The guitar has been refretted with gold "EVO" fretwire and a new nut has been fitted.
The hardware remains original; the lovely "mint green" pickguard has some wear into the face and the typical split through the neck pickup mounting screw common to these; there is shrinkage overall but no other cracks popped corners. The area around the neck heel was shaved down slightly on one side. The original pickup covers, knobs and switch tip have "ambered" noticeably. The bridge/trem unit is original with some fairly heavy wear to the saddles; the trem arm was modified by being slightly shortened at some point. Internally the guitar retains the original pickups and electronics, with a few solder joints re-done for the refinish and the possibly replaced (but period) volume pot. The masking tape on the pickup wires has been replaced with electrical tape.
The gold "EVO" frets are taller than the original 1964 wire giving a more modern playing experience. These could be crowned down or replaced if desired. Some very minor divoting to the fingerboard in the first position still visible. This guitar has had some adventures over the last 60 years; it was obviously played both before and after one or more refinishes long ago. It remains fully playable and great sounding as it stands or could be a fine chassis for a "dream" colored '64 Strat of your choice. The original black Tolex "no logo" hardshell case is included in fairly well worn but functional shape. Overall Very Good + Condition.