*This is a used vintage guitar in very good condition
*This is a consignment item
*Includes original hard shell case
*Observations: This is a great-playing, killer-sounding Strat from 1965, the important transitional year between Leo Fender's ownership of Fender and his sale of the company to CBS. This one sports a Candy Apple Red finish, a custom color at the time. Fender created Candy Apple Red finishes by laying down a metallic gold coat and spraying over it with red. On this guitar, large areas of the red coat have worn down to reveal not just the gold underneath, but the white primer coat as well, creating a striking look. There are a lot of worn down areas and large paint chips in the finish, and some areas have worn down completely to bare wood.
After many years of playing, there are also many scratches, scuffs and small dents on all its surfaces. The hardware and pickup pole pieces have some oxidation and pitting on them, and the knobs, pick guard and pickup covers have a little dark staining. The tuners have some light oxidation as well but they are fully functional. There are two identical, period correct string trees on the headstock, and although Fender did ship some Strats in this era with two trees, there is the possibility that it may have been added after the fact. All the other hardware appears to be original with the exception of the tremolo arm and the trem springs.
The original small Strat headstock is still present here. The slim C-shaped neck's stamp dates to September of 1965, with the standard Fender "B" neck width of the era. The neck appears to have been refretted with medium frets at some point in its life, and although they have been worn down a bit, playability is still very good. The fingerboard has some wear in a few spots with some light dents and small gouges here and there. The finish on the back of the neck has been either worn down or partially sanded away, giving it a very comfortable, broken-in feel. The original nut has been removed and a well-cut replacement has been installed.
The pickups appear to be original and sound great. The neck pickup was rewound by Lindy Fralin. The original 3-way switch has been replaced with a 5-way and although the pots have been replaced, the original tone cap was retained. Some of the original cloth wiring was replaced by plastic-covered wires in the process. The body cavities have sheets of metal shielding material laid down, soldered together and grounded to the electronics. Everything is in good working order.
The bridge pickup has a great chunky sound, the middle and "in between" positions are unusually smooth and the neck pickup is big, bold and fat-sounding. The neck is nice and straight and the setup is terrific, making this classic California beauty a true joy to play!
$49,999 plus $250 for shipping (consignment item)
PLEASE CONTACT US WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT (512) 243-6036 OR Sales@AustinGuitarHouse.com
