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The plate was purely cosmetic, and tended to get in the way of important playing techniques such as palm muting, so many players removed it. To begin with, the pickup covers were made of polystyrene, sometimes [erroneously] termed Bakelite. These models had a serial number stamped into the back tremolo cover. The three-pickup design offered players increased versatility and choice in tone quality over earlier one- and two-pickup electric guitars, and a responsive and simplified vibrato arm integrated into the bridge plate, which marked a significant design improvement over other vibrato systems, such as those manufactured by Bigsby. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. A sunburst finish was the norm right from the start in 1954, with a small handful of guitars made for specific artists in specific colors around that timea gold one for Texas Playboys guitarist Eldon Shamblin; solid red models (later referred to as Dakota red) for Bill Carson and Pee Wee Crayton. I don't think the number is that high. It was significantly longer than what Fender later settled on. How many 1954 stratocasters were made. Similarly to first-issue books, the 1954 Stratocaster is the most collectible compared to all of the other years. The volume/tone knobs are a different shape too, known as short-skirts or mini-skirts, being slightly taller and slimmer with the numbered skirt being a much smaller variant of the famous 9/54 and later plastic Stratocaster knob. Should we find it sad rather than attractive that it is in such obviously unplayed condition? Is this correct? Maybe thats because it was so well designed to start with that it has existed largely unchanged for 60 years now, allowing it to become an ingrained form in the minds of successive generations. Fender released their first Stratocaster signature guitar for Eric Clapton in 1988. I see so many variations on the actual number made from 100-5000.Anyone know the EXACT answer? Signature Stratocaster Guitar Review", "Fender Tom Morello Stratocaster Review & Prices", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fender_Stratocaster&oldid=1157978307. Ubiquitous and essential, the Stratocaster has transcended its original intended purpose as a tool (a stylish one, at that) to become such an archetype. The Strat Plus was produced from 1987 to 1999 and was equipped with Lace Sensor pickups, a roller nut, locking tuners, a TBX tone control[34] and a Hipshot tremsetter. And utterly unbeknownst to Fender, players had other plans entirely for the Jazzmaster. It was like a workshop and there was more hands-on craftsmanship involved. Yet look closely at an original 1954 Stratocaster and you realise how different it is to the Strats of today. The tremolo tip basically stayed the same shape for all three generations of Stratocaster plastic. If the body of this '54 is not ash (or even alder) somebody has some 'splaining to do. In many ways, the Stratocaster is a guitar designed by guitarists for guitarists. The colors included white blonde, two-color sunburst, black, ocean turquoise, surf green, and ice blue metallic. I like guitars to be played as much as the next person, but I think sometimes you get certain [very clean] vintage guitars and theyve gone over the edge of something: its arguably come too far to take them down the Dog & Duck and start playing in your band or whatever. When Fender's Stratocaster was first released in the spring of 1954, one of the outstanding features of its futuristic design was its vibrato unit. Meanwhile, kids on both sides of the Atlantic were taking their first formative steps as a new generation of guitarists yet to come of age. The degree of finish aging depends on the finisher, but itll typically have a few small dings, checked finish, oxidized hardware, and aged plastic parts. Until 1970, Stratocaster bridge saddles were made from pressed steel and had 'pat pend' stamps. Youll notice that the skirt or the part the numbers are printed on are very short almost making the knob look like a top hat. Since all of the finishes were nitrocellulose at the time it would yellow giving the appearance of a yellow in the center of the burst over time. Note the ball-ends of the strings sit higher in their recesses in the vibratos block than on later Strats. The smaller headstock with more round edges than later Strats. The shape of the 3-way switch tip resembled a football. The novel mechanism pivots on a fulcrum design with a six screw bridge plate, allowing the whole set-up to "float" while transferring the strings energy directly into the body. The company regarded 1957 as a benchmark year for the Strat. These first few years (19821984) of reissues, known as American Vintage Reissues, are now high-priced collector's items and considered as some of the finest to ever leave Fender's Fullerton plant, which closed its doors in late 1984.[29]. During the CBS era, particularly the 1970s, the perceived quality of Fender instruments fell. The increased 1970s production levels saw a gradual departure from the high quality instruments of the 1960s and the introduction of Japanese manufacturers into the market. [21] When two pickups are selected simultaneously, they are wired in parallel which leads to a slight drop in output as slightly more current is allowed to pass to the ground. We even hand-stamped the serial number on the trem cover plate. This one looks like a 2 piece top though dont you think ? The original specifications were used, with three 57/62 pickups, aged pickup covers and knobs, a tinted 7.25" radius, 21 fret maple neck, an ashtray bridge cover, and three position switch (with five-position switch kit included). The first model offered for sale was the 1954 Fender Stratocaster. Stratocasters made from March 1954 to September 1954 were really hand-made prototypes, and the Strat's features did not "settle" until October 1954 (as you can see from the 1954 features listed below). As of 2019, these include the more affordable American Performer Stratocaster (successor to the Highway One and American Special Stratocasters) and the more expensive American Ultra Stratocaster (successor to the American Elite Stratocaster). 1954: This was the Stratocaster's very first year in production. READ MORE: Fender Stratocaster Buying Guide: 7 Strat Models Compared. By the late 1970s, Fender stopped shipping guitars with the bridge cover plate, though some more modern reissue and custom shop models still have them. It was in this year that the body shape and contour of the Strat were nailed down, and that its unique tremolo bridge was developed. It, however, is not the first Stratocaster ever made. The Custom Classic Strat was intended to be a combination of the best aspects of vintage and modern Strats. Now heres a curious thing. That sounds like something only Fender knows so contacting them would probably help you with an answer. [6][pageneeded], The Stratocaster was the first Fender guitar to feature three pickups and a spring tension vibrato system, as well as being the first Fender with a contoured body. There were no spokes on the underside of these volume/tone knobs. They even made sure they had the correct typeface on the control knobs. In the United States in late 1959, a flamboyantly talented 23-year-old Louisiana guitarist named George Buddy Guy had just got his first record contract the year before, and 22-year-old Californian Richard Monsour, who went by the stage name Dick Dale, had just released his first two singles on the tiny Deltone label. Neck dating marks were later stamped in ink from 62 on. The strings loaded through a cavity routed into the back of the guitar; first through holes in a plastic cover plate, then through a solid steel inertia block fixed to the underside of the bridge plate that ensured sustain, then up through holes in the bridge plate and over individual string saddles that could each be adjusted for string height and lengthanother marked improvement over the three-saddle Telecaster and itself a notable design development. The colors available were three-color sunburst, daphne blue, black, bing cherry transparent, cobalt blue transparent, and honey blonde.[37]. Later on, they were recessed much deeper. The skirt was larger and had three spokes on the underside of the skirt to provide support. It still looks really rich and lush, as it was when it left the factory, he adds. 0035 (April 1954), 0065 (June 1954), 0087 (May 1954), 0105 (May 1954), 0123 (March 1954), 0136 (May 1954), 0146 (April 1954), 0155 (March 1954), 0156 (March 1954), 0159 (March 1954), 0166 (May 1954), 0176 (May 1954), 0189 (May 1954), 0193 (March 1954), 0197 (May 1954), 0202 (May 1954), (0207 May 1954). In the floating position, players can move the bridge-mounted vibrato tremolo arm up or down to modulate the pitch of the notes being played. The Stratocaster had found its way into several acclaimed and influential hands by the time many of these design changes were implemented. But other parts are just like they were in 54. In the early stages of Stratocaster production, the shapers initials, in this case belonging to Tadeo Gomez, and completion dates were marked in pencil at the base of the neck. The serial numbers were stamped onto the tremolo plate. A single-ply, eight-screw hole white pickguard (changed to an 11-hole three-ply in late 1959) held all electronic components except the recessed jack plate, facilitating assembly. Back to the Pre-CBS Stratocaster Home Page. Those differences are not illusory but reflect small but significant changes in the way the guitars were made and each change tells a story about the way guitars used to be made, compared to how they are now. Never before has there been a more perfect reproduction of the guitar that changed everything. After 1965, the Fender company, under the control of CBS Instruments, saw a drop in sales of the Fender Stratocaster to customers. The Stratocaster's offset center waist, perfectly intonatable bridge, smooth tremolo, and three pickup options drew were all vastly different than anything else widely available at the time. Very early volume and tone pots for 54 Strats were 100k ohms, changed to 250k ohms around June 54, with brass-shaft pots manufactured by Stackpole. "Youll also see those kind of matching imprints on the neck pocket and the neck itself, Rod explains. The Tremolo metal bar has greatly exaggerated bends. In 1960, the available custom colors were standardized with a paint chip chart, many of which were Duco automobile lacquer colors from DuPont available at an additional 5% cost. Made In: United States. Is it wrong to feel a little intimidated by such time machine guitars? A triple-pickup configuration wasnt the Stratocasters only first. Not true. The Stratocaster's body is front-routed for electronics, which are mounted in a plastic pickguard. Fender guitars has now also begun making the Fender Pat Pend saddles again. Sharper headstock edges; chunky neck profile retained; c.450 shipped (c.70% increase on 1954). These are marbleized and a bit translucent. Bobby Lee style strap included with the guitar. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Leo Fender wasnt a serious musician, had little background (or interest) in the traditional crafts or lore of instrument building, and was even less interested in associating with the old-boy network of acquaintances who ran the major guitar companies and might have helped him get on his feet.". The Fender Custom Shop produced an entry level, team built Stratocaster that was discontinued in 2008. Lets see how far we can take it.. The vibrato system had to offer solid tuning stability without compromising tone, sustain, player comfort and ease of use, and Leo immersed himself in the task with his customary focus. C-V-U? It took quite a while, in fact, because if its true that the guitar was so well designed from the start that it has basically remained the same for six decades, its also true that it was so well designed that it was ahead of its time by at least a decade. The guitar introduced into the popular market several features that were innovative for electric guitars in the mid-1950s. The first 100 or so of the 1954 Fender Stratocaster had 4 digit serial numbers estimated to range from 0035 to 0213. The precise dimensions of familiar parts such as the volume and tone knobs are slightly different from the modern Fender norm, too. Although the prices commanded by rare vintage guitars have stabilised somewhat in recent years, the most sought-after vintage Fenders and Gibsons are still worth a lot of money in pristine, original condition. Design changes implemented in 1959 were significant enough for models introduced later that year to be considered the second incarnation of the Stratocaster. Neck attaches with 4 bolts and a metal neckplate. Some Custom Shop one-off, art, dealer select, road show models, FSR or Special Edition are not included. Other more minor changes took place (thinner aluminum shielding, thinner neck shape, a metal spacer added below the string tree, etc. Sunburst finishes also conveyed the extra advantage of lessening the apparentness of mismatched wood grain in the ash bodies, which typically (but not always) consisted of two or more pieces glued together. Dick Dale was a prominent Stratocaster player who also collaborated with Leo Fender in developing the Fender Showman amplifier. A guy has offered to trade a 2007 50th Anniversary '57 RI Mary Kaye Strat. Fender Production numbers are unfortunately not available. "That only lasted a little while. The first early 50s Stratocaster prototype model with Leo Fenders secondand vastly improvedvibrato bridge design. They were the plain ash in the center with a brown edge around it on the front and back of the body. Its perfectly original aside from a few extra screw holes that have been made in the scratchplate here at some point and a non-original cover over the vibrato cavity. Also, the switch tip came to be called a football tip. The body, still made with ash, was extremely contoured. The Supro was no Stratocaster. [4] Bridges generally come in two designs: the more common pivoting "tremolo" bridges,[nb 1] and the less common "hardtail" fixed bridge. Note that the very earliest Strats also had a one-tone sunburst that was left natural in the centre. Its a painted steel block. Depending on body wood and other variables, various preparations, color coats, clear coats, etc., were used. Because the earlier mini-skirt volume/tone knobs had problems with the skirt breaking (because it was so petite and thin), Fender changed the knobs to the now-famous standard Stratocaster knob shape. He says there were 2200 made. They include: (Left): Late 1950s Stratocaster with alder body and three-tone sunburst finish; (right): 1970s Stratocaster with large "CBS" headstock, "bullet" truss rod and die-cast bridge. A partial disassembly is the only way to examine all of the spec details that denote guitars of this vintage. 1956. Main Stratocaster Guitar Discussion Forum. Others prefer the larger, which was introduced in . ", and onwards through to "Let It Be". The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed between 1952 and 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. In December 1965 the Stratocaster was given a broader headstock with altered decals to match the size of the Jazzmaster and the Jaguar. Theyre just slightly different dimensions, but very recognisable. The neck is one piece of maple with black dot position markers. Across the Atlantic, however, a post-World War II import trade ban on U.S. goods made getting a Fender instrument next to impossible for youthful British guitarists in the late 1950s. 1953 Fender Stratocaster The Controversial Prototype, 1954 Fender Stratocaster The True Complete Guide, 1962 Fender Stratocaster The Full Complete Guide. And take it they did. Long-held conventions of design and method meant little if anything to Leo, which likely goes a long way in explaining the genesis of an instrument as extraordinary as the Stratocaster. Also, the switch tip football changed to a pear shape. Marvins Fiesta Red instrument illustrates another formative step in the history of the Stratocaster in the 1950s: the availability of custom colors. Those guitars started with the serial number 0035 going up through serial number 0213 are documented. ); suffice to say that the Stratocaster was poised for a new decade with a new look. Walnut skunk stripe down back of the neck where truss rod was installed. The Fender Stratocaster, colloquially known as the Strat, is a model of electric guitar designed between 1952 and 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The ranges of the serial numbers for the 1954 Fender Stratocaster (beyond the prototypes with the serial numbers stamped on the tremolo cover) are as follows. READ MORE: A Guide to Fender Single-Coil Stratocaster Pickups. The Strat Ultra was introduced in 1990, again with pickup variations, and also with an ebony fingerboard. Production improved and features such as the tremolo bridged were perfected. Marvin had seen Buddy Holly holding a Stratocaster on the cover of 1957 album The Chirping Crickets, and he mistakenly thought it was the same model that James Burton played on Ricky Nelson records. Guitarists soon discovered that by positioning the switch in between the first and second position, both the bridge and middle pickups could be selected, and similarly, the middle and neck pickups could be selected between the 2nd and 3rd position. And the pickup covers were changed slightly so as to have sharp edges (to increase strength, but often the sharp edges would round due to player wear). But with only 268 Stratocasters known to be shipped in 1954, along with a further 452 in 1955, it would be a few years before Fender's most successful design ever began to really catch on. Turn the guitar over, and a closer examination of the vibrato block reveals more subtle differences when comparedto later Strats. READ MORE: Surfing the First Wave of Hip-Hop: The 'Apache' Story I tried "Completed Listings" but the only examples were partscasters that went for around $800. . These are still considered pre-production and include the early short skirt (mini-skirt) knobs made of bakelite as seen below. Most often seen is Mary as in Mary Lemus, a Fender factory employee (Mary began work at Fender in 1954 as an assembler, eventually becoming a final assembly supervisor). The double cutaway, elongated horns, and heavily contoured back were all designed for better balance and comfort to play while standing up and slung off the shoulder with a strap. Strats from '54 are being sold for $100,000 or more. These guitarists inhibit the bridge's movement with a chunk of wood wedged between the bridge block and the inside cutout of the tremolo cavity, and by increasing the tension on the tremolo springs; these procedures lock the bridge in a fixed position. Leo Fender had assumed that Telecaster players would replace their instruments with Stratocasters, but that turned out not to be so. The only noticeable difference is the slight translucent plastic look the tremolo tip had from 4/54 to 7/54 during the first generation plastic parts era. How many Fender Strats were actually built between 1954 an 1965, How many Teles , Precisions..you get the picture. [29] Some early reissues from 1986 were crafted with leftover parts from the Fullerton factory. 1977present, five way pickup selector switch. I have read that the 54 Strat didnt have a truss rod. Made in Japan: Domestic Strats. That one was #0100, belonging to Richard Smith, renowned Fender expert and author of Fender: The Sound Heard Round the World. READ MORE: The Difference Between Strat and Tele Bridge Pickups Would like to know if they're asking for same $$$ on this '54 hardtail as a trem model. In very early 1954 there were models of the Stratocaster being released. Which is the Right Neck Shape for You? In response to player feedback on the Telecaster, Randall wanted the new guitar to have some kind of vibrato system, and Leo was eager to better the designs by his former business partner, Doc Kauffman, and by his contemporary, Paul Bigsby. Their input was invaluable, and while the Stratocaster was in one sense Leos baby through and through, it was in another sense the collaborative work of a remarkable group of designers and musicians. The mini skirt bakelite knobs were mounted on smooth solid shaft potentiometers too (the 9/54 and later conventional Strat knobs were mounted on knurled split shaft pots). Author Richard Smith notes in Fender: The Sound Heard Round the World that Leo uncharacteristically tooled up his factory to produce the system before fully testing it. The systemcuriously referred to by Fender using the misnomer tremoloused a bridge with rollers for each string and a separate tailpiece. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, While the floating bridge has unique advantages for wavering pitch upwards (like Jeff Beck), the functionality of the "floating" has been widely accepted, yet disputed by some musicians. 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Some guitars, such as Fenders Strat, become so familiar over time that they attract accolades such as timeless and iconic like a magnet attracts paperclips. Body: Comfort Contoured Premium Ash Body with Off-Center Seam. You must log in or register to reply here. Players quickly found, however, that they could get two combinations of pickupsthe neck and middle pickups together and the bridge and middle pickups togetherby carefully balancing the switch in the two points between the three notched positions. This was especially disappointing to young London guitarist Brian Rankin, who went by the stage name Hank Marvin and had just joined singer Cliff Richards band armed with a cheap Japanese electric guitar. Steel 2 piece tremolo, with 6 adjustable saddles. The neck plates were blank on those guitars. This is most often seen in mid to late 1954 Fender Stratocaster bodies. You are thinking of the 1949 and very early 1950 esquires. The new guitar certainly owed several design elements to its predecessor, though, and as late as early 1953 its body shape closely resembled that of the Telecaster. Some of these clues can be gleaned from the finish. The two-color sunburst finish became a three-color sunburst finish in the first half of 1958 with the addition of an in between red hue. Since its amber in color, it does not lend itself to being used for anything white; darker ivory is as close as it can get. Most notably, the one-piece neck-fingerboard was replaced by a two-piece construction consisting of a rosewood slab fingerboard (so nicknamed later on for its thickness and flat bottom) glued atop the maple neck. If a guitar has been played even a moderate amount you would expect to see cracks in those delicate materials.. The fingerboard had a 7.25 fingerboard radius with small (.078 wide) frets. Of the notable custom colors are 0001 which is a desert sand color with gold hardware and a gold anodized guard that belonged to David Gilmour for many years. Guitarist Rex Gallion is often credited with suggesting that a solid-body guitar didnt need squared-off edges since it didnt have an internal sound chamber, and with asking Leo himself, Why not get away from a body that is always digging into your ribs? The Stratocaster was consequently given rounded edges and deep body and forearm contours that made it remarkably comfortable and added to its sleekness. Strat Talk is the leading online community and marketplace for Stratocaster guitars. . Model Number: 015-1954- (803) Series: Limited Edition Series. With a little trepidation, we took up our screwdriverto peer under the hood of this elegant first-year-of-production example. Many Stratocaster players opt to tighten the springs (or even increase the number of springs used) so that the bridge is firmly anchored against the guitar body: in this configuration, the vibrato arm can still be used to slacken the strings and therefore lower the pitch, but it cannot be used to raise the pitch (a configuration sometimes referred to as "dive-only"). They charged through two songs, Thatll Be the Day and Peggy Sue, penned by the groups Stratocaster-wielding leader, a bespectacled 21-year-old singer/guitarist named Charles Hardin Buddy Holly. *FENDER Stratocaster, 1954, non-tremelo, sunburst, ash body? Its brief reign at the top of Fenders two-instrument professional guitar lineup ended in 1958 when a third pro model, the Jazzmaster, was introduced. This is seen mostly on the thinner plastic pickup covers than on the knobs, and the amount of translucency varies from guitar to guitar.

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