Up for sale, a 1961 Fender Stratocaster in excellent condition and in perfect working order featuring a one-piece ash body, and complete with the original brown tolex hardshell case and polish cloth. This vintage Pre-CBS Strat is 100% original save for a professional refret with vintage-spec wire and a nitro lacquer Blonde refinish courtesy of Riggio Custom Guitars. Checking every box for Fender’s quintessential Pre-CBS Strat feature set, this guitar features untouched electronics and original hardware, a dark slab Brazilian board, exquisite mint green guard, and a slender neck profile carve very representative of 1960-61. A prime example of the pinnacle of golden age Fender quality craftsmanship and tone, this Strat features a one-piece ash body, a true rarity highlighted by a transparent gloss Blonde finish. The acoustic tone is g. Lassy and snappy with loads of top end detail and percussive cut, yet not to the detriment of the bass register. Accomplishing what a single resonant piece of ash and a tight grained Brazilian rosewood slab should do, the bass response is textured and present with a complex midrange character and a dynamic, clear note attack. Has a distinct voice, with clear, percussive snap, ample sparkle and densely packed harmonics. The “in-between” positions on the switch have that snappy, thinned-out squawk, with a scooped sound that still has some muscle and presence. Quite simply, this 1961 Stratocaster is a prime example of the reverence afforded the “Pre-CBS” era. The guitar is nice and light at 7lbs 2oz and has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and spot-on intonation. The maple neck has a. Fast, effortless slender C carve at the nut with slight shoulders, tapering appreciably up the board with more roundness and heft in the higher registers, measuring. 775 deep at the 1st fret and. 960 at the 12th. As part of Riggio’s finish relic’ing, the neck profile has. Flawless aging, offering an ideal gradient between ambered nitro gloss and perfectly smooth bare maple. The Brazilian rosewood slab fretboard sports original clay dots. Maintaining a 7 1/4 radius at the nut and only slightly flattened up the board for easier bending without reaching a 9 1/2 modern curvature. The Brazilian board is an extremely dark, tight-grained cut, and the guitar features new 6230 size vintage-spec fretwire which shows virtually no wear. A new bone nut has also been carved, measuring 1 5/8 in width. On the headstock, the original single line Kluson Deluxe tuning machines are intact, and the decal is a modern, vintage-spec replacement. The pencil date on the neck heel appears to have been applied after a previous refinish, reading 4-60 and consistent with all other date codes on the instrument. On the body, all of the electronics are original, with original windings on all three of the black bobbin pickups, metering at 5.7k ohms in the bridge, 5.4k in the middle, and 5.35k at the neck. The original shielding plate beneath the guard is intact too. The vibrato unit is 100% stock and complete with pat. Pending saddles and the original trem block. Currently utilizing three springs, the vibrato actuates very easily, with a notable touch-sensitive response and stability. From quick flutters to more drastic dives, this vibrato unit works just as designed and the trem block is an integral part of a Strat’s sustain and tonal character. The vibrato arm is original with its stock tip. The original jack cup and neck plate round out the hardware, both with original gleaming chrome plating. The body features a professional refinish courtesy of Riggio Custom Guitars in one of Fender’s finest custom color finishes, Blonde. The tint and saturation of the Blonde has been meticulously matched to other examples from 1960-61, highlighting the broad prominent grain of the ash which Vs outwards central to the top. The finish is topped off with a light, tasteful Riggio relic including light lacquer checking and a few strategic simulated nicks and case rub on the outer body edges. This is truly a fantastic Strat in every sense of the word, and the black bobbin pickups resonating through an ash body and slab Brazilian rosewood board is truly something to behold. The strong acoustic character of the instrument translates perfectly through your favorite Tweed or Blackface amp, and this Strat chimes and sparkles with the best. Very original, meticulously examined and ready to be played, this Strat is not to be missed. The original brown tolex gold interior hardshell case is included. The case retains its original handle and trio of functioning latches, with only light wear on the brown leather ends. The original polish cloth and allen wrench are also included. Check out our shop “Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar, ” and please let us know if we can answer any questions! International orders will be declared as merchandise, and the value of merchandise will be declared as the amount paid. We cannot declare anything as a gift or for a lesser value. We do our best to describe all items with honesty and accuracy, but to be sure, please. The item “1961 Fender Stratocaster Vintage Slab Board Pre-CBS Guitar Blonde, One-Piece Ash” is in sale since Friday, September 18, 2020. This item is in the category “Musical Instruments & Gear\Guitars & Basses\Electric Guitars”. The seller is “mmguitarbar” and is located in Seattle, Washington. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Body Color: Blonde
- String Configuration: 6 String
- Model: Stratocaster
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Handedness: Right-Handed
- Model Year: 1961
- MPN: Does Not Apply
- Body Material: Ash
- Brand: Fender
- Body Type: Solid