I've just returned from a guitar buying trip to Seattle, Washington to buy this 1963 Fender Stratocaster in Fiesta Red finish! It was a long way to travel but this Stratocaster was worth every minute. It's a fantastic original example of one of Fender's best custom colors and definitely the best Red color.
As a Fender guitar buyer, I'm always looking for the best examples of Fender Stratocaster guitars from the 1950s and 1960s. I'm especially fond of the custom color Stratocasters like this one in Fiesta Red. If you've inherited a Stratocaster and are looking for help with serial number to find the year it was made, check out Fender Serial Number Lookup. Or if you'd like to know how much I would value your Fender, contact me here to Sell a Fender guitar.
Fender Stratocaster 1963
The Fender Stratocaster model was in its 9th year of production by 1963, but was a vastly different guitar than those made in 1954. The Stratocaster bodies were now made of Alder instead of the earlier Ash, the contours were more refined, and the pickguards were thick nitrate instead of the thin Bakelite. The Stratocaster necks had a layer of Rosewood for the fingerboard area instead of the lacquered Maple of the originals. The "Fender" logo on the neck was still the same "spaghetti" shape but now included patent numbers underneath.
Finding the year of this Fender Stratocaster involves the serial number, neck heel stamp, and potentiometer codes. Fender applied the serial number to the neck plates in batches in a generally sequential order, but they weren't assigned to guitars in sequential order. For more on dating check out: Fender Serial Number Lookup. The neck heel ink stamp of this Stratocaster reads "2DEC62B" where 2 = Stratocaster model, DEC = December, 62 = 1962, and B = standard neck width of 1 5/8". The neck heel ink stamps were applied early on in the manufacturing process, so we can assume that this guitar actually left the factory in early 1963. The early 1963 potentiometer codes confirm that as well.
How much can I sell my Stratocaster for?
The value of an original Fender Stratocaster depends heavily on the year it was made, color, condition, and originality. You can contact me here to find out how much can I sell my Stratocaster for: Sell a Fender. You can find out the year your Stratocaster was made here: Fender Serial Number Lookup. Determining if the finish color is original takes a Fender guitar expert to identify. Refinished guitars are very common and their value is often half or less than a comparable example with its original finish.
I am a buyer for Fender Stratocaster guitars made in the 1950s and 1960s. Click the contact button below to find out how much you can sell a Stratocaster for. I buy Fender guitars from all over the world and can sometimes come to you for an in-person sale for the right guitar. I'm looking forward to checking out your Fender.
