Fender Stratocaster® Collectibility Rating: 1950's models: A, 1960's models: A-. First introduced in spring 1954, it may well be the most popular and copied guitar design ever. Vintage Specs 1950's Body Asymmetrical double cutaway body, contoured on back and on lower bass bout. Ash was the original choice of wood, but since 1956 Alder was used. 2-color sunburst finish. 1958 models had 3-color sunburst finishes. Neck truss rod adjusts at butt. Neck attaches with 4 bolts and a metal neckplate.Neck is 1 piece of maple with black dot position markers [pic] . Walnut "skunk stripe" down back of neck where truss rod was installed. Fingerboard  in 59 Slab Rosewood fingerboard with white "clay" position dots. Bottom of fingerboard (part glued to maple) is flat. Head  "Small" peghead, round string tree [pic], in 56 Rectangle string tree replaces round string tree. Decal Thin "spaghetti" peghead decal logo, no patent numbers.[pic] Pickguard Single layer, white vinyl pickguard with 8 attachment screws. A small aluminum sheilding plate is installed underneath the pickguard that covers the control cavity. In 59 Celluloid "mint green" three layer pickguard, with 11 attachment screws (some 1959 transitional models have only 9 or 10 screws). Also a thin aluminum sheild the size of the pickguard is installed underneath the pickguard. Pickups 3 single coil pickups with exposed poles, jack angled into top, Control   3 knobs (volume, tone, tone) [pic] , gold plated parts optional till 1967. Bridge tremolo standard. Steel 2 piece tremolo, with 6 adjustable saddles [pic]. Each nickel plated saddle is stamped "Fender Pat Pend" (note reissue models are stamped "Fender Fender"). Also available without tremolo (known as a "hardtail" model). Hardware gold plated parts optional till 1967. Serial Number  Serial number on neck plate (except April to May 1954 models on back tremolo plate). Vintage Specs 1960's Body Asymmetrical double cutaway alder body, contoured on back and on lower bass bout. 2-color sunburst finish. 1958 models had 3-color sunburst finishes. 68 Polyester thick finish replaces nitrocellulose lacquer. Neck truss rod adjusts at butt. Neck attaches with 4 bolts and a metal neckplate.Neck is 1 piece of maple with black dot position markers [pic] . Walnut "skunk stripe" down back of neck where truss rod was installed. Fingerboard  in 62 Veneer Rosewood fingerboard. Bottom of fingerboard (part glued to maple) is arched. Notice that 50's models were flat. In 64 Pearl fingerboard dots replace "clay" dots. 65 Maple fingerboard optional (2 piece neck, no "skunk stripe") Head  65 Peghead design enlarged significantly. [pic], in 56 Rectangle string tree replaces round string tree. 68 "F" style tuning gears replaces "Kluson-Deluxe" gears. Decal In 64 Gold Fender peghead decal thicker than previous "spaghetti" logo. Peghead decal logo now has 2 patent numbers (2,573,254 & 2,741,146).[pic] In 1962 3 patent numbers (2,960,900 added). 65 Peghead decal logo now has 5 patent numbers (2,817,261 added). 66 Peghead decal has 3 patent numbers (2,741,146 & 3,143,028 & DES 169,062). 68 Black Fender peghead decal with 2 patent numbers (2,741,146 & 3,143,028) Pickguard In 64 Plastic white three layer pickguard replaces celluloid Pickups 3 single coil pickups with exposed poles, jack angled into top, Control   3 knobs (volume, tone, tone) [pic] , gold plated parts optional till 1967. Bridge tremolo standard. Steel 2 piece tremolo, with 6 adjustable saddles [pic]. Each nickel plated saddle is stamped "Fender Pat Pend" (note reissue models are stamped "Fender Fender"). Also available without tremolo (known as a "hardtail" model). Hardware Gold plated parts optional till 1967. Serial Number  Serial number on neck plate (except April to May 1954 models on back tremolo plate). Vintage Specs 1970's Body Asymmetrical double cutaway alder body, contoured on back and on lower bass bout. 3-color sunburst finishes. 73 The "Mocha Brown" color is introduced on the Fender Stratocaster (perhaps Fender's most aesthetically challenged custom color!). A factory black pickguard was used for the first time on a Strat, but only on this color.Polyester thick finish replaces nitrocellulose lacquer. Neck 71 "Bullet" truss rod adjusts at peghead instead of butt-end of neck. . 70 3 bolt neck with micro-tilt replaces 4 bolt system. .Neck is 1 piece of maple with black dot position markers [pic] . Walnut "skunk stripe" down back of neck where truss rod was installed. Fingerboard  in 62 Veneer Rosewood fingerboard. Bottom of fingerboard (part glued to maple) is arched. Notice that 50's models were flat. In 64 Pearl fingerboard dots replace "clay" dots. 65 Maple fingerboard optional (2 piece neck, no "skunk stripe") Head Large peghead  [pic], 71 2nd string tree added on peghead to hold G and D strings. . "F" style tuning gears. 79 Last year for the "large" peghead. Starting in 1980, Fender switches back to the (more attactive) small pre-CBS peghead style on most models. Decal In 64 Gold Fender peghead decal thicker than previous "spaghetti" logo. 70 Peghead decal has 1 patent number (2,741,146) Pickguard 75 Black 3 layer pickguard, black knobs and black pickup covers (as used previously only on the Mocha Brown Strats). This color change transitions in. That is, black pickguards with white knobs and covers are seen first, followed by black pickguards and black knobs and covers. Pickups 3 single coil pickups with exposed poles, jack angled into top, 74 Flush pole pickups replace staggered pole pickups. Control   3 knobs (volume, tone, tone) [pic] Bridge 71 Die-cast 1 piece chrome Mazac tremolo replaces 2 piece steel unit. Bridge saddles are now cast with no stampings. Hardware Gold plated parts optional till 1967. Serial Number  Serial number on neck plate (except April to May 1954 models on back tremolo plate). 76 Serial number moves to peghead decal.

1954-1959 style maple fingerboard Strat. Notice the 2-tone sunburst colour. Click for images See Also      Fender Stratocaster history Vintage Fenders Appreciation page Serial Number/Year Identification Inside a 1954 Fender Stratocaster. Vintage Fender Guitar Pickup Specs Fender Electric Guitar Schematics Comparison of reissue and original Strat parts. Strat peghead decals 1959-1964 style rosewood fingerboard Strat