{"product_id":"fender-stratocaster-solid-body-electric-guitar-1954-13890","title":"Fender Stratocaster Solid Body Electric Guitar (1954)","description":"Fender Stratocaster Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1954), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 0970, two tone sunburst lacquer finish, ash body, maple neck, original tweed hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a generally well preserved example of a very early Fender Stratocaster from late 1954, one of the nicest from this period we have seen showing light typical wear but remaining all original with no alterations. The number of first-year Stratocasters that have survived in this kind of condition is very small and as the years go on becomes ever smaller. This guitar's neck heel was dated in pencil 10-54 by Tadeo Gomez and the body is marked in the trem cavity 8-54. It was wired up by Gloria on 11-08-54; her masking tape tag is in the electronics cavity and the visible pot date is to the 35th week of that year.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen this guitar was assembled only months had passed since quantity production of the Stratocaster commenced in summer 1954. Small numbers had been released earlier in the year (the official sales announcement claimed shipments would begin May 15) but the model was still being tweaked at the factory into the summer. Then-new plant manager Forrest White claimed that full-scale production did not begin until the Fender Sales office submitted a purchase order for 100 units in October 1954, the same month this guitar's neck was fabricated. While production data has never been widely published, according to Fender guru Richard Smith only 268 tremolo-equipped Stratocasters were recorded shipped in 1954. Even allowing for samples and artist instruments that slipped \"out the back door\" at the factory, this is an astoundingly small quantity by any later standard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis Stratocaster carries the later 1954 features of the model, only slightly evolved from the very first examples. The beautifully contoured 2-piece ash body has a lovely deep 2-tone sunburst finish and some fairly subtle grain pattern. Fittings include the single layer white plastic pickguard, brittle hard plastic pickup covers and knobs, round string tree on the headstock, Kluson Deluxe tuners with no name on the casings and the old style \"Spaghetti\" logo decal. The knobs are the second variation that appeared in summer 1954, with a more \"bone-white\" plastic than the very first ones and a wider skirt around the base. The Trem cover backplate has small round holes that many players found made re-stringing difficult; this complaint was addressed in 1955. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe one-piece maple neck has a round backed \"C\" profile with the faintest hint of dressed-away shoulders from the first to fifth frets. The edges are more smoothly sculpted on the headstock than later examples, indicative of the extra care taken with these first models. The original frets are very small, thin wire by later standards. The serial number is stamped into the neckplate, moved there in summer 1954 after initially being located on the trem cover. This guitar's number is #0970, still in a separate series only applied to Stratocasters. Within a few months all Fender serial numbers for the Strat, Telecaster and Precision Bass would be harmonized into a single neckplate series in the 6000 range. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is simply a superb, very early example of probably the most influential electric guitar ever designed. At a time when guitars were fairly conservative-looking, this instrument looked like it just arrived from the Stratosphere indeed! The sound is very rich, with the classic Strat sparkle and wide tonal range; all three pickups are nicely balanced. The Stratocaster is still such a futuristic design that it hardly seems possible this guitar is well past its 70th birthday, but there it is.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall 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.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile not a minty instrument, this early Stratocaster is in cleaner, more original condition than the majority of early-period Fender guitars we have encountered. The original lacquer finish on both body and neck shows some light ambering and general wear including scuffs, dings and dents but no major damage. There are a few dings and dents to the body, a couple along the top edge with a discreet black fill added and one on the lower back edge down to the bare wood. There are scuffs and scratches to the back but no large areas of buckle wear. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe original lacquer on the fingerboard has typical playwear marks with light divoting down to the wood from the nut up into the 10th fret area. The very small original frets have been crowned down in the lower positions, showing only the most minimal subsequent wear. The upper frets are untouched; a modern player might prefer to refret the guitar if is was to be heavily used, but that is a decision for the next owner of this historic piece. There is an inconspicuous mark on the headstock face where it looks like a rectangular sticker was once applied; this was removed along the way and fortunately did not damage the fragile over-the-finish decal. A small paper shim was added to the neck pocket at some point, which could be removed or replaced if desired. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEverything internal including all three pickups and the pots, cap and wiring and even the rubber grommets under the screws remain original. These last could use to be replaced as they are somewhat compressed after 70+ years but again we have left the instrument untouched original for now. The original three-way switch has a very solid feel, easily selecting the \"in-between\" tones for some truly righteous Strat sounds.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOverall the hardware is relatively clean; the neck pickup cover has a the typical \"Buddy Holly\" strum wear on the treble side tip but other two have only lighter wear. All three knobs have been cracked and been glued back together, which is unfortunately common on '54's and the reason Fender moved to a softer ABS plastic a year or along. The early single layer pickguard has some scuffing but no shrinking or distortion. The bridge components show the most wear with heavier discoloration on the steel saddles and some spotting on the chrome baseplate. The original switch tip, trem arm and back trem cover are well preserved as well.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar is sonically and visually a stunner, practically trip back to the mid-50s when the Stratocaster was the wonder guitar of the era. This two-tone gem rests in its first generation \"knuckle buster\" center-pocket tweed case that shows some noticeable external wear but still does the job. Overall Excellent - Condition.","brand":"Fender","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47275781849228,"sku":"13890","price":125000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_0068ee94-012d-422c-aa68-ccb9b8c1472b.jpg?v=1775339851","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/fender-stratocaster-solid-body-electric-guitar-1954-13890","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}