NOT a “re-issue” or contemporary ‘custom shop’ guitar, this is a genuine, almost entirely original 1974 Fender Stratocaster.

Comes with its original Fender assembly line inspection tag, owners manual, spare tremolo springs envelope, business card from the music store in Ogden, UT where it was purchased new and even a case tag identifying the original owner.

I was able to chase down that fellow’s stepson (an M.D. now in the Pacific Northwest) who told me: "He bought it brand new and played in a band for years. He put the guitar down about the time that he married my mother and later I played it for a bit through junior high and high school". Since then, the guitar was acquired from the collection of a working musician in Jordan, Utah who indicated that he was the second owner.

DATE CODES:

ALL codes are consistent. Serial #562178 dates the guitar to early 1974. The maple neck (with walnut "skunk" stripe) was built and is date-coded December 1973 and was/is inspector-hand-dated 1/15/74. All three original pots are matching date-coded February 1974 and all three original pickups are date-coded March 1974.

ORIGINAL:

Pots, pickups, neck, knobs, "ashtray" bridge cover, Fender-branded tuners, bridge, nut, crisp black "TV" headstock logo, twin headstock string retainers, assembly line inspection tag and owner’s manual.

The guitar also comes with its (original?) period-correct Fender logo case in very good structural and cosmetic condition with all hinges, latches and springs working properly.

NON-ORIGINAL:

The guitar was refinished though clearly a long time ago. From the stepson of the original owner: "He doesn't remember when he had it done but at some point the two guitarists in their band had their guitars painted to match each other."

Also, not uncommon, some time long ago the 3-way selector switch was changed to a 5-way. (Providing more/expanded pickup tone options, by 1977 the 5-way switch would become standard equipment for all Stratocasters).

IMPERFECTIONS:

The guitar has one entirely functional but a little sticky tuner, the threaded tremolo arm cavity in the bridge is blocked, there is little bit of visible wear in the frets and noticeable checking in the finish (which, of course, gives it character).

Most importantly, this guitar plays well and has that great vintage Stratocaster bite/sound.

A rare opportunity to own an almost entirely original vintage Stratocaster for an affordable price, why invest in a depreciating asset when you can own/display/play a piece of rock ‘n roll history?