Fender Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1967)
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Item # 11580
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Fender Stratocaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1967), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 204586, sunburst lacquer finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
Hold the presses! In the 2020s these don't just walk in anymore! This is a truly superb and completely original example of a "transition" early-CBS era Stratocaster, with some VERY light wear but looking original, unmodified, and very little used. This Strat was assembled right at the end of 1967; maybe somebody got it for Christmas this year. It seems to have mostly sat unused since; the 1960s' loss is our gain! Fender was moving in a lot of directions in 1967; the Stratocaster was an old model at the time (compared to those new Coronados!) and seems to have been produced in smaller quantities than both earlier (65-66) and later (69-70). 1967 Strats are comparatively rare, at any rate.
This guitar shows typical features for '67, with some notable differences from 1965 models. The neck is stamped 13 SEP 67B and features the recently introduced larger headstock still with the older gold "transition" logo decal. The dots in the thin-lam rosewood fingerboard are pearloid, as they had been since early '65. The finish is still lacquer; the next year CBS would begin phasing in harder coatings culminating in the infamous "thick skin" polyester of the 1970s.
The neckplate carries a large "F" stamped under the early 200000 series serial number, added in late 1965 when the 100,000 number series commenced. The pickguard is made of white ABS plastic, mounted over the scrap aluminum shielding plate used since 1959. The pickups are a nicely matched black bobbin set, not dated but sometimes seen in this period alongside the grey bobbin variety. The masking tape on the leads and the internal solder joints are all intact and untouched. The original pots are dated to the 18th and 24th weeks of 1966. All internal wiring is the original cloth-covered type; less than a year later, this would be replaced with thinned plastic-coated wire.
Other hardware includes the old steel stamped bridge saddles and trem block, but newer CBS-period in-house "F" plate tuning machines. The weight is fairly light for this period at just under 7 1/2 Lbs. While PRE-CBS has been a watchword for Fender afficionados for decades, this early-CBS Stratocaster is simply still a great-feeling and sounding guitar, a far cry from what the instrument would evolve into a couple of years down the line. This one has a super 1967-8 vibe; while Pete Townshend and Jimi Hendrix were taking '60s Strats and sacrificing them for immortality, it has spent the last half-century mostly sitting in its case, waiting for a chance to shine!
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 12 5/8 in. (32.1 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.)., 7.4 lbs.
This 1967 Strat is not absolutely mint, but closer than most and one of the best preserved examples we have seen in some time. It does not look to have been played much, or even taken out of the case a whole lot over the last 55+ years. The finish has virtually no fade at all; the colors are as bright as when it left Fullerton over a half-century ago. This one never hung in the dealer's window!
The headstock shows hints of lacquer checking but there is virtually none on the body. There are some very small dings, scuffs, and dents here and there, mostly on the lower back edge but very little that actually went through the finish, except for a couple of tiny chips on the lower body edge. There are some very slight curly-cord markings running across the back.
As far as we can tell we were the first ones to remove the pickguard and peer inside since it was screwed down at Fender, and yes we put all the screws back in their original holes. All wiring is original and untouched, even the masking tape wrapped around the pickup leads is fully intact. All hardware on the guitar is correct, complete, and original including the trem arm and bridge cover. The steel bridge saddles do have some typical corrosion, while the screws and springs remain very clean.
The back of the neck has virtually no finish wear. The original small frets show no notable wear either; they may have been crowned down a touch flatter than usual later on or it could just be slightly rushed work from the overburdened CBS/Fender crew. There is some minor wear to the fingerboard in the first position, and the high E string tuner is ever so slightly bent.
This Strat has survived a lot of time and tide without being much the worse for wear. It is clean enough to ogle, but has JUST enough wear to be inviting to play without fear. It rewards the player with a sound mostly locked away for a half-century; full, bright, and "Stratty" in the classic way without ever turning brittle or thin. Every position on the switch (which is of course the original 3-way but neatly holds the "in between" settings) offers a new slice of classic Stratocaster goodness. This looks like it would have sitting in a pawnshop in 1968, hardly used. The original black Tolex hardshell case is clean enough that it looks like a re-issue from afar and there is an original period strap, polish cloth, curly cord and box of Gibson(!) strings still in the pocket. Overall Excellent + Condition.
Hold the presses! In the 2020s these don't just walk in anymore! This is a truly superb and completely original example of a "transition" early-CBS era Stratocaster, with some VERY light wear but looking original, unmodified, and very little used. This Strat was assembled right at the end of 1967; maybe somebody got it for Christmas this year. It seems to have mostly sat unused since; the 1960s' loss is our gain! Fender was moving in a lot of directions in 1967; the Stratocaster was an old model at the time (compared to those new Coronados!) and seems to have been produced in smaller quantities than both earlier (65-66) and later (69-70). 1967 Strats are comparatively rare, at any rate.
This guitar shows typical features for '67, with some notable differences from 1965 models. The neck is stamped 13 SEP 67B and features the recently introduced larger headstock still with the older gold "transition" logo decal. The dots in the thin-lam rosewood fingerboard are pearloid, as they had been since early '65. The finish is still lacquer; the next year CBS would begin phasing in harder coatings culminating in the infamous "thick skin" polyester of the 1970s.
The neckplate carries a large "F" stamped under the early 200000 series serial number, added in late 1965 when the 100,000 number series commenced. The pickguard is made of white ABS plastic, mounted over the scrap aluminum shielding plate used since 1959. The pickups are a nicely matched black bobbin set, not dated but sometimes seen in this period alongside the grey bobbin variety. The masking tape on the leads and the internal solder joints are all intact and untouched. The original pots are dated to the 18th and 24th weeks of 1966. All internal wiring is the original cloth-covered type; less than a year later, this would be replaced with thinned plastic-coated wire.
Other hardware includes the old steel stamped bridge saddles and trem block, but newer CBS-period in-house "F" plate tuning machines. The weight is fairly light for this period at just under 7 1/2 Lbs. While PRE-CBS has been a watchword for Fender afficionados for decades, this early-CBS Stratocaster is simply still a great-feeling and sounding guitar, a far cry from what the instrument would evolve into a couple of years down the line. This one has a super 1967-8 vibe; while Pete Townshend and Jimi Hendrix were taking '60s Strats and sacrificing them for immortality, it has spent the last half-century mostly sitting in its case, waiting for a chance to shine!
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 12 5/8 in. (32.1 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.)., 7.4 lbs.
This 1967 Strat is not absolutely mint, but closer than most and one of the best preserved examples we have seen in some time. It does not look to have been played much, or even taken out of the case a whole lot over the last 55+ years. The finish has virtually no fade at all; the colors are as bright as when it left Fullerton over a half-century ago. This one never hung in the dealer's window!
The headstock shows hints of lacquer checking but there is virtually none on the body. There are some very small dings, scuffs, and dents here and there, mostly on the lower back edge but very little that actually went through the finish, except for a couple of tiny chips on the lower body edge. There are some very slight curly-cord markings running across the back.
As far as we can tell we were the first ones to remove the pickguard and peer inside since it was screwed down at Fender, and yes we put all the screws back in their original holes. All wiring is original and untouched, even the masking tape wrapped around the pickup leads is fully intact. All hardware on the guitar is correct, complete, and original including the trem arm and bridge cover. The steel bridge saddles do have some typical corrosion, while the screws and springs remain very clean.
The back of the neck has virtually no finish wear. The original small frets show no notable wear either; they may have been crowned down a touch flatter than usual later on or it could just be slightly rushed work from the overburdened CBS/Fender crew. There is some minor wear to the fingerboard in the first position, and the high E string tuner is ever so slightly bent.
This Strat has survived a lot of time and tide without being much the worse for wear. It is clean enough to ogle, but has JUST enough wear to be inviting to play without fear. It rewards the player with a sound mostly locked away for a half-century; full, bright, and "Stratty" in the classic way without ever turning brittle or thin. Every position on the switch (which is of course the original 3-way but neatly holds the "in between" settings) offers a new slice of classic Stratocaster goodness. This looks like it would have sitting in a pawnshop in 1968, hardly used. The original black Tolex hardshell case is clean enough that it looks like a re-issue from afar and there is an original period strap, polish cloth, curly cord and box of Gibson(!) strings still in the pocket. Overall Excellent + Condition.