| Comments | This 1954 Fender Stratocaster is both one of the youngest and the oldest.Leo Fender introduced the Stratocaster in the spring of 1954, and the last date on this particular guitar is on the end of the neck: TG 10-54, for Tadeo Gomez, signing off in October, 1954. The body date is 8/54, and the electrical inspection strip reads ‘Gloria 11/8/54’. The visible pot codes match these dates.
These early models demonstrate the development of the design and the manufacturing process. The body contours are not as consistent and uniform as later models where automation, jigs and preset machinery was brought online to deal with exploding demand. These are very much handmade instruments. The Fender ‘Spaghetti’ logo is in very good condition (many have dried out and flaked off over the years) and there’s an extra decal from the original vendor – Wood Music Center with shops in San Angelo and Abilene, Texas. Also included with this fine vintage instrument is a review of the instrument by Gruhn Guitars of Nashville, stating that they have examined the guitar in detail and are of the view that it is indeed a 1945 Fender Stratocaster. |
| Serial Number | 0970, with the last date, TG 10-54 (on the neck) indicating October 1954. Built at the Fender shop in Fullerton, California. |
| Pricing | $47,999.99 Canadian with tweed case. SOLD |
| Neck | One-piece Maple neck with ‘skunk stripe’. 25.5 inch scale length, medium chunky V neck profile. The fingerboard is nicely worn. |
| Frets | Original, or very old, frets with minor wear. |
| Body | The original Stratocaster shape, in ash. Fender used Ash at this point, switching to Alder in 1956. The contours and finishing show a considerable amount of hand work in shaping and sanding. |
| Finish | Original gloss nitrocellulose lacquer two-tone sunburst finish, in good condition with a few touchups around the sides. The neck has the original clear gloss finish. |
| Hardware/electronics | Original hardware, with new knobs (the original Bakelite knobs are in the case). ‘No-Line’ Kluson Deluxe tuners, single ply white pickguard, single ply white backplate with round holes, white bakelite pickup covers, pressed steel bridge saddles. The original bridge cover is missing. Single round string tree. |
| Playability/Action | This fine vintage guitar plays quite well as is, and can of course be set up to the player’s requirements. |
| Case | Tweed ‘Center Pocket’ case included. |
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