❌SOLD❌ Fender Stratocaster Elite Sienna Sunburst, 1983

Here’s a fairly rare sighting– from 1983, an original condition Fender Stratocaster Elite in Sienna sunburst. This model was built only in 1983 and 1984, and introduced a number of new features and hardware pieces.

Most visible of the 1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite updates are the short-lived FreeFlyte knife-edge trem, and the pushbutton pickup selectors. New pickups were installed, and the output jack went on the side – in this case, a standard barrel jack. With the three pickup switches, all pickup combinations are available, including all on or off.

Not so immediately apparent is the Fender Stratocaster Elite routing. From the top, this guitar looks very much like a Stratocaster. But if you turn it over, you see that there is no cover, or route, for the trem springs, just a small plate covering access to the output jack wiring. All of the other routing and assembly was done from the front, and this saved money in the production line. The neck uses a gold-plated four-bolt plate and also has the micro-tilt screw adjustment, previously introduced on the three-bolt neck design.   The tuners are gold-plated and likely built by Schaller,  with pearloid buttons.   The neck sported a new Fender feature – a Bi-Flex truss rod, capable of adding bow to a neck, not just removing it.  

The Fender Stratocaster Elite from these two years is fairly rare. This example is in good playing condition, and the body, neck and finish in very good condition with natural checking to the nitrocellulose lacquer finishing. The body is Alder, which has typically long grain that the checking follows. The gold plated hardware has very little wear, indicating that this guitar was not played much. The backplate even has some of its original protective plastic sheet!

The original Fender Stratocaster Elite pickups and electronics, active tone and mid boost, are in place and working.

This guitar plays well and sounds good, with a definite 1980’s vibe. The bridge is currently set as ‘decked’ to prevent wild pitch shifts in case of string breakage. 

The original hard shell case is included.