Fender 59 Reissue Stratocaster Sunburst, 2013 (No Longer Available)

This Fender 59 Reissue Stratocaster sports the 3-tone sunburst Fender introduced in 1958, and the ‘Slab’ Rosewood fingerboard used when Fender first offered alternatives to one-piece Maple necks.   The body is Alder, which follows the model history. Fender initially used Ash or Swamp Ash, but by 1958 started to use Alder. With that change, a new finishing process was also used where the body wood was directly stained with yellow rather than adding yellow tint to clear lacquer (as is done with the red and black bands for the rest of the sunburst).   The neck is Maple, with a flat-bottom or “Slab” Rosewood fingerboard.  The process for using a Rosewood veneer wrapped on a curved neck blank wasn’t established until later in 1962.   The position marker dots are made of clay, and on this one the clay has a reddish hue.

These 1959 to early 60’s Rosewood fingerboard Strats are some of our personal favourites, due largely to the neck profile and dimensions, and the slightly slimmer body contours.

This Fender 59 Reissue example is in overall good condition though there is some scuffing to the Fender decal and some, I have to say ‘Vintage Style’ damage to the pickguard and body at the truss rod adjustment. A shortcoming of the original Fender design is the body-end location of the truss rod adjuster, used until the introduction of the head-end ‘Bullet’ adjuster in 1971. The idea was apparently that necks would be removed for making adjustments. However, that often did not happen and adjustments would be made with the neck in place and under tension. The result is that the years there have been a lot of instruments with damaged pickguards and bodies.

Otherwise this Fender 59 Reissue Stratocaster plays well and comfortably.

This Fender 59 Reissue Stratocaster is sold with its original brown G&G Fender-badged case, which contains all the original case candy including strap and bridge cover.