1964 Fender Stratocaster, Sunburst
Picture perfect 1964 Fender Stratocaster. An excellent example throughout with Spaghetti logo, clay dots, black-bottom pickups, mint green guard and a Sunburst reminiscent of Tom Petty’s favourite 1964 Stratocaster.
Featuring all the desirable Pre-CBS traits, this early ’64 guitar has many of the features more often associated with 1963 guitars. It has a lightweight Alder body, free of modification or repair with original three-tone sunburst finish. The technique used is correct for early 64 with neck pocket paint stick silhouette and three nail holes all free of paint. Under close inspection and highlighted under blacklight there is a small amount of edge wear touchup otherwise the finish is in superb condition with minimal fade and checking. The neck has a Feb 64B ink stamp with a dark rosewood fingerboard, close spaced clay dots and a Spaghetti logo. The guitar still retains its original celluloid guard that has naturally aged to the minty hue associated with pickguards from this era, the pickguard is free form cracks and shrinking. Electronics comprise of three black-bottom single-coil pickups with staggered pole-pieces, all three have yellow ink stamps with the neck and bridge reading AC Apr264 and the middle AY Apr964. Pickups all appear undisturbed with factory tape and winds. The original 3-way switch is still fitted with three late ’63 Stackpole pots with the source codes 3046344 and 3046338. Single line Kluson Deluxe tuners, saddles, block and plastics are all correct and in as equally good condition as the rest of the guitar.
Weighing in at 7.8lbs it feels lively acoustically and amplified the pickups have a sweet, delicateness to them that suits all styles. They are well balanced from pickup to pickup and string to string. The pickups measure 5.76K, 5.95K and 6.48K neck to bridge. The neck has a fantastic profile with a 1st fret depth of 20.95mm filling out to 25.93mm at the 12th. The nut is the standard Fender nut width and measures 42.17m with callipers. The nut appears to be a well cut replacement, frets are replaced and play great.
All in all a wonderful example of Leo’s Stratocaster before the transition towards CBS ownership. These early 64’s are some of our favourites with a fuller neck profile, delicate, bell like tones from the pickups and an iconic three-tone Sunburst that just doesn’t get old.