1973 Fender Stratocaster

1973 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst

I have always felt early CBS guitars have had a bad rep, sure there are some horrors out there but i have had plenty of fine Fender guitars pre 1975. This Stratocaster certainly is one of them and looks the part with its faded 3 tone to 2 tone sunburst finish. It weighs in at classic Stat weight of 7 lbs 7oz and is a one owner guitar from new. The original Sunburst finish is thin nitro sprayed of the poly sealer which is how it was done from mid 1968 until the all thick poly finishes started later in the 70’s as the stocks of nitro ran out. It’s nice to have a rosewood board as most seem to be maple or at least the ones that we have had in the past. The 3 bolt adjustable neck joint is tight and it looks to have been re fretted a few times in the past, the current frets are in good shape and sympathetic to the period. The electronics are all original including the 3 way switch and the three pots date the guitar to the 10th week of 1973. The neck date is unreadable. It has 3 superb original wind grey bottom staggered pole pickups giving a resistance reading of 5.6 k ohms neck , 5.5 k ohms middle and 5.35 k ohms bridge and sound superb. The plastics are all original too including the back plate, but there is a crack in the tip of the scratch plate lower horn which has been glued together and holds fine. The guitar comes in a 1970’s no logo Fender case and i suspect the tremolo arm is an old replacement.

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