Fender Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1964)
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Fender Stratocaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1964), made in Fullerton, California, serial # L46996, sunburst lacquer re- finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a good player's example of a late pre-CBS Stratocaster, made JUST before Leo's company was sold into CBS corporate slavery in January 1965. The guitar has an old refinish (looking like it was done decades ago) and a typical set of "transition" features specific to this period. The neck is date-stamped October 1964 ("pre-CBS" officially by three months), the grey bobbin pickups are a matched set but the hand-written markings are only vaguely legible. The pots are a lovely matched set coded to the 20th week of that year. The older style small headstock is also refinished with a correct repro gold "transition" logo; the rest of the neck was oversprayed. The thin lam rosewood fingerboard retains the older "clay" dots phased out in the next few months.
The sunburst finish on the body is darker with more red hue than the typical late '64 fender finish. The pickguard is still the lovely slightly greenish nitrocellulose plastic that would also disappear early in the next year, with some typical shrinkage. The other hardware is still in the pre-CBS mode. Internally the guitar remains original with pickups, pots, cloth wire, solder joints and masking tape intact.
This is a great-sounding, medium weight resonant Strat built just before "things started a-changin" in Fullerton after the January 1965 sell-out to CBS. Although the guitar was cosmetically re-worked long ago its playing and sonic character remain 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 nice 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.)., 7.66 lbs.
While this is not a completely original guitar, it remains a nice playing and great sounding 60+ year old example with a cool vibe. The lacquer on the body is a deeper 3-color sunburst, not EXACTLY correct for a '64 Fender but appearing decades old. This was pro lacquer work at the time, not a cheap "car shop" spray job. The lacquer shows some light checking with heavier chipping in a number of spots, as well as dings, dents and a plethora of small dinks above the bridge and treble pickup area. The upper armwear area on the face looks to have been sanded and buffed a bit to the red undercoat, possibly to smooth out a worn spot. The back of the neck has an old clear overspray over some older wear, while the headstock is completely refinished with a correct style repro Fender logo decal. There are some feelable dinks and chips to the back of the neck, mostly farther up especially a set clustered in the 10-12th fret area.
The hardware remains original including the trem arm and chrome bridge cover. The pickguard has the typical split through the neck pickup mounting screw common to these green guards; there is shrinkage overall with another small crack on the treble side of the neck pickup and the lower front corner popped off. Internally the guitar retains all original electronics, with a few solder joints re-done for the refinish. There is a piece of masking tape in the neck pickup cavity that was sprayed over.
The original small frets have been crowned down somewhat but are still fully playable; there is minor divoting to the fingerboard in the first position and the first few frets appear reseated but not replaced. This guitar has had some adventures over the last 60 years; it was obviously played both before and after a refinish long ago. It is 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 very good shape. Overall Very Good + Condition.
This is a good player's example of a late pre-CBS Stratocaster, made JUST before Leo's company was sold into CBS corporate slavery in January 1965. The guitar has an old refinish (looking like it was done decades ago) and a typical set of "transition" features specific to this period. The neck is date-stamped October 1964 ("pre-CBS" officially by three months), the grey bobbin pickups are a matched set but the hand-written markings are only vaguely legible. The pots are a lovely matched set coded to the 20th week of that year. The older style small headstock is also refinished with a correct repro gold "transition" logo; the rest of the neck was oversprayed. The thin lam rosewood fingerboard retains the older "clay" dots phased out in the next few months.
The sunburst finish on the body is darker with more red hue than the typical late '64 fender finish. The pickguard is still the lovely slightly greenish nitrocellulose plastic that would also disappear early in the next year, with some typical shrinkage. The other hardware is still in the pre-CBS mode. Internally the guitar remains original with pickups, pots, cloth wire, solder joints and masking tape intact.
This is a great-sounding, medium weight resonant Strat built just before "things started a-changin" in Fullerton after the January 1965 sell-out to CBS. Although the guitar was cosmetically re-worked long ago its playing and sonic character remain 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 nice 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.)., 7.66 lbs.
While this is not a completely original guitar, it remains a nice playing and great sounding 60+ year old example with a cool vibe. The lacquer on the body is a deeper 3-color sunburst, not EXACTLY correct for a '64 Fender but appearing decades old. This was pro lacquer work at the time, not a cheap "car shop" spray job. The lacquer shows some light checking with heavier chipping in a number of spots, as well as dings, dents and a plethora of small dinks above the bridge and treble pickup area. The upper armwear area on the face looks to have been sanded and buffed a bit to the red undercoat, possibly to smooth out a worn spot. The back of the neck has an old clear overspray over some older wear, while the headstock is completely refinished with a correct style repro Fender logo decal. There are some feelable dinks and chips to the back of the neck, mostly farther up especially a set clustered in the 10-12th fret area.
The hardware remains original including the trem arm and chrome bridge cover. The pickguard has the typical split through the neck pickup mounting screw common to these green guards; there is shrinkage overall with another small crack on the treble side of the neck pickup and the lower front corner popped off. Internally the guitar retains all original electronics, with a few solder joints re-done for the refinish. There is a piece of masking tape in the neck pickup cavity that was sprayed over.
The original small frets have been crowned down somewhat but are still fully playable; there is minor divoting to the fingerboard in the first position and the first few frets appear reseated but not replaced. This guitar has had some adventures over the last 60 years; it was obviously played both before and after a refinish long ago. It is 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 very good shape. Overall Very Good + Condition.