This killer 1962 Fender Stratocaster walked into a Guitar Center in Wisconsin last year. It had a strange modification that I had never seen before: a Jaguar style switch plate with three on/off switches in the pickguard. Not only that, but the guitar was finished in a very nice Lake Placid Blue Metallic finish that was over the route underneath the switches!
I'm always a Fender guitar buyer, but I'm especially looking for Fender Stratocaster guitars from the 1950s and 1960s. You can reach out to me here to sell a vintage Fender Stratocaster guitar.
I filed this information away in the back of my mind. Fast forward to yesterday and I come across this 1963 Fender Stratocaster in original Sunburst finish with the same modification! I was quite surprised. This one looked very similar with identical green wiring so I thought it had to be from the same person.
I asked the Sunburst 1963 Stratocaster owner where it came from. He said he is the original owner of the guitar. It was ordered by someone from Metropolitan Music in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with the dealer installed modification. The guy who ordered it didn't like the way the modification turned out so he declined to buy it. This guy came in and liked the modification so he bought. He still has it.
He says that the switches are individual on/off switches for each pickup. They allow for different pickup configurations including neck and bridge at the same time as well as some phase switching. It sounds like something I'd like to try!
I went back to my friend at Guitar Center and asked where the blue one came from. He said it came from Wisconsin. How about that coincidence!
I'm always looking to buy vintage Fender Stratocaster guitars from 1962, 1963, and 1964. I'm looking for one with this same modification. Do you have a vintage guitar in Wisconsin like this? I'd love to check it out. You can reach out to me here to sell a vintage Fender guitar.
