- FENDER
- chevron_right Stratocaster: Early Models (1954-1991 Mfg.)
This category covers the Stratocaster from its inception in 1954 to the end of CBS production in late 1984 and Japanese production through 1991. No U.S. production of the Stratocaster, other than the Vintage Reissue models, occured in 1985 and the only model standard production Stratocaster was produced in Japan. In 1986, Fender introduced the new American Standard Stratocaster under new managment led by Bill Schultz.
The Stratocaster is Fender's most popular guitar and they have produced thousands of them. Changes in production were fairly well documented and they often happened within a short period of time. While the basic information about Stratocasters between 1954 and 1984 are covered here, several books and other articles are written about the topic, and we suggest looking into these titles for more detailed information.
Custom color Stratocasters are extremely collectible in regards to their standard Sunburst counterparts. Blonde and Black finishes were introduced early on, but most custom colors were introduced in 1958. Below is a list of Stratocaster custom colors. All values listed below are for standard finishes, which is most ofen 2-Tone or 3-Tone Sunburst.
Please note that since there are so many variations of Stratocasters (finishes, body woods, fingerboards, etc.) that each guitar needs to be individually appraised and evaluated. The following values listed are strictly a general guideline, and we suggest getting more than one opinion when buying or selling a Stratocaster.
Black finish (1958-1984)
Blonde finish (1954-1982)
Blue Ice (1965-69)
Burgundy Mist Metallic (1960-65)
Candy Apple Red (1963-1973)
Charcoal Frost Metallic (1965-69)
Dakota Red finish (1958-1969)
Daphne Blue finish (1960-65)
Fiesta Red finish (1958-1969)
Firemist Gold Metallic (1965-1971)
Firemist Silver Metallic (1965-1971)
Foam Green (1960-69)
Gold Metallic (1958-59)
Inca Silver Metallic (1960-65)
Lake Placid Blue finish (1958-59)
Natural (1972-1982)
Ocean Turquoise Metallic (1965-1971)
Olympic White finish (1958-1980)
Shell Pink (1960-63)
Sherwood Green Metallic (1960-65)
Shoreline Gold Metallic (1959-1965)
Sonic Blue (1960-1972)
Teal Green Metallic (1965-69)
The Stratocaster is Fender's most popular guitar and they have produced thousands of them. Changes in production were fairly well documented and they often happened within a short period of time. While the basic information about Stratocasters between 1954 and 1984 are covered here, several books and other articles are written about the topic, and we suggest looking into these titles for more detailed information.
Custom color Stratocasters are extremely collectible in regards to their standard Sunburst counterparts. Blonde and Black finishes were introduced early on, but most custom colors were introduced in 1958. Below is a list of Stratocaster custom colors. All values listed below are for standard finishes, which is most ofen 2-Tone or 3-Tone Sunburst.
Please note that since there are so many variations of Stratocasters (finishes, body woods, fingerboards, etc.) that each guitar needs to be individually appraised and evaluated. The following values listed are strictly a general guideline, and we suggest getting more than one opinion when buying or selling a Stratocaster.
Black finish (1958-1984)
Blonde finish (1954-1982)
Blue Ice (1965-69)
Burgundy Mist Metallic (1960-65)
Candy Apple Red (1963-1973)
Charcoal Frost Metallic (1965-69)
Dakota Red finish (1958-1969)
Daphne Blue finish (1960-65)
Fiesta Red finish (1958-1969)
Firemist Gold Metallic (1965-1971)
Firemist Silver Metallic (1965-1971)
Foam Green (1960-69)
Gold Metallic (1958-59)
Inca Silver Metallic (1960-65)
Lake Placid Blue finish (1958-59)
Natural (1972-1982)
Ocean Turquoise Metallic (1965-1971)
Olympic White finish (1958-1980)
Shell Pink (1960-63)
Sherwood Green Metallic (1960-65)
Shoreline Gold Metallic (1959-1965)
Sonic Blue (1960-1972)
Teal Green Metallic (1965-69)
Models (12)
STRATOCASTER (PRE-CBS, MFG. 1954-1959)
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- offset double cutaway ash (1954-mid-1956, Blonde finish mid-1956-59) or alder (mid-1956-59) body, four-screw bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays, Strat-style headstock, six-on-one-side nickel-plated Kluson tuners, vibrato bridge, or six-saddle bridge with STB, single-ply white bakelite pickguard with 8 screws (1954 only), single-ply white plastic pickguard with 8 screws (1955-59), or three-ply W/B/W celluloid pickguard with a greenish tint and 11 screws (1959), three single coil pickups with staggered height poles, three knobs (v, two tone), three-way pickup switch, jack angled into the top, nickel hardware, available in standard 2-Tone Sunburst (1954-58) or 3-Tone Sunburst (mid-1958-59) finish or custom colors first appearing in 1957, 25.5 in. scale, mfg. 1954-59.
The backplate originally had round string holes, but they were changed to oval string holes in 1955. In 1956, gold hardware became optional. Original knobs were made of white bakelite and in 1956, they were changed to white plastic. Custom colors were first offered in 1954 with Blonde and Black, and various Dupont Duco (nitrocellulose lacquer finish) and Dupont Lucite (acrylic lacquer finish) appeared in 1957.
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Stratocaster "Mary Kaye"
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- similar to the Stratocaster (Pre CBS Mfg. 1954-59), except has gold hardware and a Blonde finish, mfg. 1956-58.
Fender offered a "deluxe" version of the Stratocaster with 14 karat gold-plated parts and Blonde (a creamy off-white) finish. This model is unofficially nicknamed the "Mary Kaye" model, due to entertainer Mary Kaye posing with the deluxe model in the 1957 catalog supplement.
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STRATOCASTER WITH ROSEWOOD FINGERBOARD (PRE-CBS, MFG. 1959-1965)
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- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on four-screw maple neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with clay off-white dot inlays, small Strat-style headstock, six-on-one-side tuners, tremolo bridge, three-layer celluloid W/B/W greenish tint pickguard, three single coil staggered height pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), three-way pickup switch, jack angled into the top, nickel hardware, available in standard 3-Tone Sunburst finish or various custom color finishes, mfg. 1959-1965.
In 1960, some models featured tortoiseshell pickguards, but this was not a standard feature. The first rosewood fingerboard used in 1959 was milled flat on the bottom in order to fit onto the maple neck's top and it is commonly referred to as a "slab board." By summer, 1962, Fender introduced a thinner rosewood fingerboard that was a lot more curved on the bottom and is referred to as a "curved board." An even thinner rosewood fingerboard was introduced by 1963, but is still referred to as a "curved board." 1965 is a transition year for Fender as CBS took over in Janauary 1965 and by the end of 1965, they had changed several things about the Stratocaster including the headstock and overall body shape.
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STRATOCASTER (CBS MFG. 1965-1971)
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- offset double cutaway alder body with smaller body contours, bolt-on four-screw maple neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with clay off-white dot inlays, large Strat-style headstock, six-on-one-side tuners, tremolo bridge, three-layer plastic white pickguard, three single coil staggered height pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), three-way pickup switch, jack angled into the top, nickel hardware, available in standard 3-Tone Sunburst finish or various custom color finishes, mfg. 1965-1971.
A 1969 Olympic White Stratocaster, similar to Jimi Hendrix's model commands a substantial premium with values ranging from $15,000 to $25,000.
"CBS Mfg." notation refers to the sale of Fender Electric Instruments Company to the CBS Broadcasting Co. in January, 1965. In 1967, a maple fingerboard that was glued onto the maple neck became optional. Between 1965 and 1967, a few models featured bound fingerboards. In 1969, a one piece maple neck/fingerboard was reintroduced. In 1967, Fender chrome-plated tuning keys (F stamped) replaced the original nickel-plated Kluson tuners.
"CBS Mfg." notation refers to the sale of Fender Electric Instruments Company to the CBS Broadcasting Co. in January, 1965. In 1967, a maple fingerboard that was glued onto the maple neck became optional. Between 1965 and 1967, a few models featured bound fingerboards. In 1969, a one piece maple neck/fingerboard was reintroduced. In 1967, Fender chrome-plated tuning keys (F stamped) replaced the original nickel-plated Kluson tuners.
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STRATOCASTER THREE-BOLT NECK (CBS MFG. 1971-1981)
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- offset double cutaway alder or ash body with smaller body contours, bolt-on three-screw one-piece 21-fret maple neck with black dot inlays, or maple neck with 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with clay off-white dot inlays, large Strat-style headstock with two string guides and truss rod adjustment at bottom, six-on-one-side tuners, tremolo bridgeor six-saddle hardtail bridge with STB, white laminated (1971-75, 1981) or black laminated (1975-1981) pickguard, three single coil staggered height (1971-late 1974) or flatpole (late 1974-1981) pickups with white covers (1971-75, 1979-1981) or black covers (1975-1981), three knobs (v, two tone), three-way (1971-77) or five-way (1977-1981) pickup switch, jack angled into the top, nickel hardware, available in standard 3-Tone Sunburst finish or various custom color finishes, 25.5 in. scale, mfg. 1971-1981.
During Leo Fender's five-year consultant contract with CBS/Fender, he developed a neck adjustment system in 1970 that corrected the pitch of the neck in the neck pocket with a micro adjustment in the neckplate (rather than the old-fashioned method of using shims). This device, along with the three-bolt neck plate, were installed on Stratocasters beginning in mid-1971. Ash bodies became more predominent in guitar production during the 1970s. In 1980, the Fender X-1 lead pickup (hotter output) replaced original parts/design.
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Stratocaster Antigua
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- similar to the Stratocaster Three-Bolt Neck (CBS Mfg. 1971-1981), except has an Antigua finish with a matching color laminated plastic pickguard, mfg. 1977-79.
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Stratocaster International Color
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- similar to the Stratocaster Three-Bolt Neck (CBS Mfg. 1971-1981), except features special International color finishes and a white laminated plastic pickguard with black plated screws, mfg. 1981 only.
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STANDARD STRATOCASTER ("SMITH STRAT," CBS MFG., 1981-83)
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- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on four-screw maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, small pre-1965-style headstock with black logo and two string guides, six-on-one-side tuners, vibrato bridge or six-saddle, three-ply white pickguard, three single coil pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), five-way pickup switch, jack angled into the top, chrome hardware, available in Sunburst and other custom color finishes, mfg. 1981-83.
In 1981, Fender hired Dan Smith as Director of Marketing, and he revised the Standard Stratocaster back to the four-bolt neckplate and smaller (pre-CBS) style headstock.
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STANDARD STRATOCASTER (CBS MFG. 1983-84)
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- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on four-screw maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays, small Strat-style headstock with silver logo and two string guides, six-on-one-side tuners, "Freeflyte" vibrato bridge or six-saddle hardtail bridge/tailpiece, single-ply 12 screw white pickguard, three single coil exposed pickups, two knobs (v, tone), five-way pickup switch, jack mounted on the pickguard at a right angle in place of the third knob, chrome hardware, available in the following Standard Colors: Black, Brown Sunburst, Cherry Sunburst, Natural, Sienna Sunburst, or White finish, and the following Custom Colors: Aztec Gold, Candy Apple Green, Emerald Green, Mocha Brown, Pewter, Ruby Red or Sapphire Blue finish, mfg. 1983-84.
This model featured a vibrato system that was surface mounted without a vibrato back cavity or plate.
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Standard Stratocaster Marble Finish "Bowling Ball Strat"
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- similar to the Standard Stratocaster (CBS Mfg. 1983-84), except has a streaking blue, yellow, or red finish that resembles a bowling ball, mfg. 1984 only.
This unique finish was the result of dipping the white primer coated bodies into an oil-based finish that floated on water. After dipping, the guitar received a top coat of polyurethane. Fender produced three dominant colors: Red finish that had black and white swirled in (sometimes resulting in gray areas as well), Blue finish that was mixed with yellow and black, and Gold finish that was combined with white and silver. According to the original purchase order, 250 Stratocasters were ordered (108 in Red, 105 in Blue, and 37 in Gold). These guitars were painted by Anthony Nasiatka in Floral Park, NY. (Information courtesy Anthony Nasiatka with help from Michael F. McCarthy).
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STANDARD STRATOCASTER FIRST VERSION (JAPAN MFG. 1985-89)
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- offset double cutaway Strat-style body, bolt-on maple neck, 22-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, Strat-style headstock with one string guide, six-on-one-side tuners, two-pivot vibrato bridge, white pickguard, three single coil pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), five-way pickup switch, jack mounted at an angle in face of body, chrome hardware, available in various finishes, mfg. 1985-89.
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STANDARD STRATOCASTER SECOND VERSION (JAPAN MFG. 1988-1991)
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- offset double cutaway Strat-style body, bolt-on maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, Strat-style headstock with two string guides, six-on-one-side tuners, two-pivot vibrato bridge, white pickguard, three single coil pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), five-way pickup switch, jack mounted at an angle in face of body, chrome hardware, available in various finishes, mfg. 1988-1991.
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