*This is a vintage guitar in very good condition
*This is a consignment item
*Includes hard shell case
*Observations: This is an absolutely fantastic-sounding, great playing (and extremely light weight!) guitar from the glory years of Leo Fender and the infancy of the legendary Stratocaster. This one was owned by Gene Sabey of Gene and the Midnight Raiders, a 1960s country band from Salem, Oregon. A vintage 45 RPM record of their song "Loser of the Year" along with a press picture of the band and a live shot of Gene playing the guitar live is included. His name is also carved into the neck plate, presumably by Gene himself.
Aside from a refinished body, a replaced tremolo block (the original is included in the case), a replaced tone control, and a replacement tremolo arm, everything here appears to be original! The body is marked November of '54 in the trem cavity and the neck is pencil-marked January of '55 and bears the much-coveted "TG" initials of the great Tadeo Gomez, revered by guitar aficionados everywhere for the incredible-feeling necks he shaped at Fender in the 50s.
Overall condition is very good, especially for a 70 year old instrument. The pick guard has the expected scuffs, scratches and wear. There is dark oxidation on the saddles, pickup pole pieces and the metal shaft of the pickup switch from years of playing, and some light oxidation on the tuners, which are in good working order. The neck has been professionally refretted at some point, with medium-tall frets and they are in great shape. The pickup covers have some dark discoloration, small cracks and have been chewed on by string and pick contact, and the front edge of the fretboard has been worn down in a similar way. The fretboard has significant wear through the finish and into the wood in spots but it does not seem to affect playability.
The back of the neck from roughly the first fret down looks like the finish was worn away by years of playing or possibly intentionally sanded away and it feels great. The refinished body has scuffs, scratches and small dings from many years of use. There is no cover for the trem cavity, and since the the replacement trem block is slightly larger than the original, the edge of the block and the bottom of the springs extend just barely outside the cavity's opening.
The hard shell case is a tweed Fender model that may be from the 1980s. It has significant wear on the fabric covering but is fully functional.
The electronics are in fantastic working order. The original pickups sound absolutely beautiful, exemplifying everything that makes 50s Strats so sonically special---bell-like chime, clarity, airiness, sweetness---this guitar has it all, and then some. The bridge pickup twangs, the middle pickup sparkles, and the neck pickup has a gorgeous, throaty, Eric Johnson-esque tone. The controls have been modified slightly. The rear tone pot has been replaced with a modern no-load pot, and it is wired to the bridge pickup. The front tone control is wired to the neck pickup. The original 3-way switch is still here, but "in-between" pickup settings can still be had by wedging the switch between positions.
Finally, the playability is fantastic! The low E string rides a bit close to the bass edge of the fingerboard but in practice it rarely becomes an issue, even high up on the neck. The action is comfortable and the medium-tall frets make string bending a real pleasure. And at 6 pounds, 3.5 ounces, it is unbelievably lightweight!
This is an extraordinary guitar with an interesting pedigree that is not just a significant piece of guitar-making history but a true joy to play that beautifully delivers all the classic Strat tones you could want!
$44,999 plus $250 for shipping (consignment item)
PLEASE CONTACT US WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT (512) 243-6036 OR Sales@AustinGuitarHouse.com
