Fender Stratocaster Left Hand Blond 1961
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I purchased this 1961 Fender Stratocaster in original Blond finish over Ash body and left hand configuration from the widow of its original owner. Left hand Stratocasters during this time period were made by custom order only and exhibit many unique features. This example has a 1950s style body route, hand finished tremolo cavity route, custom order masking tape on the shielding plate and in the control cavity, and pickguard with slightly different contours than the standard production right hand Stratocasters. I was thrilled to find this one with all the provenance including 9 old stage pictures, a record made with the guitar, and even a book written by its original owner which includes the story of the guitar. It's 100% original throughout except for the plastic volume and tone knobs.
Make and Model: Fender Stratocaster, Left hand, Blond finish with Ash body
Year: 1961. Neck heel pencil date "6/61", potentiometer code "304 6134" (304 = Stackpole, 61 = 1961, and 34 = 34th week of the year), and serial number "63791".
Measurements: 8.6 lbs / 3.9 kg total weight. The neck pickup reads 6.03k ohms, the middle reads 5.76, and the bridge pickup reads 5.5k ohms. The width of the neck at the nut measures exactly 1.65" / 42mm. The fatness of the neck profile measures 0.82" deep at the first fret and 1.00" deep at the 12th fret.
Originality: All parts, finish, and solder are original to this guitar except for the plastic volume and tone knobs. It seems the original owner preferred black knobs at one point in its life. The originals were lost and he installed reproduction knobs.
Playability: Excellent! The original frets are in nice condition, the neck is straight, and the electronics operate as intended.
Condition: Excellent. Its most significant flaw is the spot on the bass side near the bridge which I believe had a small medallion glued to it. The original owner removed it at some point and it was not with the guitar when I received it. The rest of the guitar has various nicks, dings, and scratches. The Blond finish shows light checking throughout. The top treble side tip of the pickguard is cracked off but lightly adhered to the shielding plate behind it.
Unique Features: Custom Fender orders until about 1962 often had masking tape with a letter prefix and three digit order code. The code for this guitar, "T 763", is found on masking tape in the control cavity and on the back of the shielding plate. The shielding plate masking tape reads "Blond LH Strat T 763".
Also of note is the 1950s style body cavity route with no "bump" in the control cavity for the extra screw for the nitrate guards. It's possible that a batch of left hand Ash bodies were made in the late 1950s and used when necessary. It's also possible that a new left hand template had not been made by the time this guitar was manufactured.
Included: The original case, tremolo arm, bridge cover, Tony's memoir, and record the band made.
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