I've just returned from an epic trip to northern Scotland to buy this Fender Stratocaster '65 in original Fiesta Red finish! It took nearly two days to fly to London, England, switch airports, fly to Inverness in Scotland, then drive two hours out to the remote town of Kylesku on the north west side of the United Kingdom. Fender offered three different red custom colors for the Stratocaster in '65 including Dakota Red, Candy Apple red, and my favorite is the salmon version they called Fiesta Red. It's a very interesting color that shifts from orange to pink to red in different lighting. Fender applied original Fiesta Red has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated.
I'm always on the hunt for nice examples of Fender Stratocaster guitars from the 1950s and 1960s. My favorite Stratocasters are the original custom color guitars like this Fiesta Red Stratocaster. If you've inherited a Fender Stratocaster and are curious about how much I would value it then you can contact me here: Sell a Fender. Or if you'd like to find the year of a Fender Stratocaster, check out Fender Serial Number Lookup.
This fantastic 1965 Fender Stratocaster in original Fiesta Red finish has survived in very nice condition. I purchased it from it second owner who bought it in Germany in 1971. He, like myself, is a fan of one of the most significant Stratocaster guitar players of all time: Jimi Hendrix. He was living in Germany in 1971 and found a seller with a Fender Stratocaster. He didn't have enough money to purchase the guitar outright, but he did have the newly released Chicago at Carnegie Hall Volumes I, II, III, and IV quadruple LP which the seller was willing to accept in trade. He kept the Stratocaster all his life but decided it was time to sell. I was thrilled to buy it!
I arrived to buy the Fiesta Red Stratocaster and began by playing the guitar unplugged. While I wasn't a fan of the .009 gauge strings, I could tell it was a really great guitar. I plugged it into an amplifier and found that all of the electronics worked great! I then removed the neck and strings to inspect the finish and the electronics under the pickguard. I found that the neck pocket and body cavities had exactly what I was looking for to prove that the Fiesta Red finish is original. I also found that the pickups, potentiometers, and three way switch are original and untouched.
Update: 8/25/2022 - New glamour shots added! The new pictures really show what color is Fiesta Red. Although earlier guitars appear more pink, the '65 era Fiesta is a bright orange red with less pink in it. An original finish during this time period should have a white undercoat, and we can see the white in the finish chips and in the masking tape mark in the pickup cavities underneath the pickguard. Earlier Fiesta Red finishes should have a tan undercoat called Desert Sand instead of the bright white. You can check out an earlier example here: Stratocaster Fiesta Red Gold Hardware '62.
This '65 Fender Stratocaster in original Fiesta Red finish has moved on to a new owner to make room for another guitar. As a Fender guitar collector, I'm always on the hunt for the nicest examples of all Stratocaster guitars made in the 1950s and 1960s. I am especially looking to buy custom colors like Fiesta Red, Olympic White, Lake Placid Blue, and Foam Green. You can contact me here to sell a Fender.
