History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

[Wonker]

History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Here’s some quick bullet points that will help you identify the different Fender Stratocasters between 1954 and 1985.

1954 –

* Ash body with 2 tone dark sunburst with nitro cellulose lacquer finish.

* 4-bolt one piece maple “chunky D shaped” neck. Neck shape is based on one half of a circle. Sometimes referred to as deep “U” shape

* Vibrato (also known as a tremolo) style tail piece and stamped “Fender patent pend.” nickel plated bridge saddles. Also available in hard tail (non trem)
version.

* Nickel plated Kluson “single line” tuning keys.

* Round string retainer, Fender “spaghetti style” logo, with slightly rounded edges on peg head.

* 3 single coil “black bottom” pickups with staggered pole pieces. The pole pieces have beveled top edges. 3 position pickup selector switch with cloth braid wiring and Stackpole brand pots.

* Single ply white “ABS” (vinyl) pick guard with 8 mounting screws. White “Bakelite” (polystyrene) knobs and pickup covers. White ABS back tremolo plate with 6 small string holes and serial number stamped into plate (first 200).


1955-

* Peg head edges are less rounded, and sharper. Body contours are rounder and deeper. By mid-1955, the round string holes in the rear tremolo cover are changed to oblong holes.

* Pick guard changes to to “shiny back” plastic.

* Hardshell case gets center pocket


1956-

* Alder body replaces Ash on sunburst finished Strats (blond Strats still use Ash). Also the body finishing procedure changes because of the change to alder - Now the yellow in the sunburst is dyed into the wood, instead of being sprayed (as was done on Ash body sunburst Strats).

* First custom color option offered.

* Neck back shape gets a large "soft V" shape.

* Rectangle string tree ("butterfly") replaces round string tree mid way through 1956.

* Hardshell case gets side pocket

 

[Wonker]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

1957-

* ABS plastic knobs and pickup covers replace "bakelite" (Polystyrene) knobs and pickup covers.

* Most 1957 Strats have a neck with a "strong V" back shape.

* Rectangle string tree ("butterfly") replaces round string tree.

* Minus symbol sometimes used in serial number.


1958-

* Sunburst finish changed to three colors (red added), going yellow to red to dark brown.

* Neck is a thinner "D" neck shape (the famous "V" neck is gone). As 1958 progresses, the neck back shape gets thinner.


1959-

* Slab Rosewood fingerboard with brown "clay" position dots and 7.25" finger board radius.

* Neck now has a very thin "D" back shape. This shape was based on one half of an ellipse as opposed to one half of a circle.

* Celluloid "mint green" three layer (white/black/white) pick guard (sometimes called a "nitro" pick guard), with 11 attachment screws.

* A thin aluminum shield the size of the pick guard is installed underneath the three layer pick guard



1961-

* Peg head decal logo now has 2 patent numbers

* The dark "Amber brown" part of the sunburst finish is now changed to "black".


1962-

* Peg head decal logo now has 3 patent numbers

* A thinner veneer rosewood fret board is used.

* March 1962 is the last month for a "penciled" neck date on the butt of the neck (only seen if neck removed). After March 1962, the neck date is now stamped with a rubber stamp, starting with the number "2" (to signify a Stratocaster neck). For example, "2APR62B" (where the "B" signifies a 1 5/8" nut width).

* Screw position on bass side of pick guard moves closer to the center
pickup.


1963-

* A thinner veneer rosewood fret board is used.

* Contouring of the body is slightly less dramatic.

* By late 1963, body dates were no longer used.

* The neck pocket is no longer entirely painted. Instead a "paint stick" (a piece of wire conduit hammered flat) is used to hold the body during the painting process. This leaves a bare area on the bass side of the neck pocket with no paint.


1964-

* A gold Fender peg head decal thicker than previous
"spaghetti" logo. This is known as the "transition" Strat logo. Now has 4 patent numbers

* The finish on the sunburst changes (especially the yellow, which is now sprayed in addition to the yellow body dye, and is far less translucent).

* Plastic white three layer pick guard replaces the "mint green" guard in late 1964.

* Pickups change from "black bottom" to "gray bottoms".

* Double line Kluson replaces single line tuners

 

[Wonker]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

1965-

* Fender is sold to CBS Musical Instruments

* Peg head design enlarged

* Peg head Fender decal has 5 patent numbers

* After serial number L99999, the serial number plate now has a large script "F" (known as an "F plate"). The serial number starts at 100000 but with no preceding "L".


1966-

* Neck date number code for Stratocaster changes from "2" to "13". For example, Instead of "2MAY65B" as used in 1965, the neck date would be "13MAY65B" (the number before the month is not the day but is the code for "Stratocaster neck" used by Fender).


1968-

* Guitars now finished in Polyester not Nitro Cellulous lacquer

* Black Fender Peg head decal with 2 patent numbers

* Kluson Dlx tuners replaced with F style stamped tuners

* Peg head decal placed under lacquer finish

* Cloth wiring replaced by Plastic (PVC) coated wiring


1971-

* Late 1970 “With Syncronized Tremelo” removed from headstock

* Die Cast 1 piece tremolo replaces 2 piece steel tremolo

* “Bullet” truss rod adjusts at peg head not butt-end of neck


1972-

* Ash bodies reinstated

* 3 Bolt “Micro Tilt” neck replaces 4 bolt neck

* 2nd string tree added to headstock

1973-

* “Mocha Brown” color introduced

1974-

* Flush pole pieces replace “stagger pole” design in late 1974.

1975-

* Black 3 ply pick guard with white knobs introduced, later replaced with black knobs.

1977-

* 3 position switch replaced with 5 position pickup selector


1979-

* Last year of the large head stock.


1980-

* Small “pre CBS” style headstock

* 4 bolt neck

* 3 ply white pick guard


1985-

* Fender moves from Fullerton, CA to Corona, CA

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Good info, I had to do all the research on colors, specs, plastics....NAIL HOLES....etc for 57 when I first approached Scott at Cleveland Guitars about my monstrosity. Some of that stuff is tough to track down.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Good info, I had to do all the research on colors, specs, plastics....NAIL HOLES....etc for 57 when I first approached Scott at Cleveland Guitars about my monstrosity. Some of that stuff is tough to track down.

Nah. It's easy. Just pay some money for a copy of "The Fender Stratocaster" by A. R. Duchossoir.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

In the late 60's they also re-introduced the maple neck, but instead of a one peice maple neck, it had a maple fingerboard glued on in place of the RW fingerboard.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Nah. It's easy. Just pay some money for a copy of "The Fender Stratocaster" by A. R. Duchossoir.

I've NEVER found a copy of that. Fender the sound heard round the world is getting re-released and I've got a copy of that coming.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

Re: History of the Fender Stratocaster – Manufacturing Info

I've NEVER found a copy of that.

It is a Hal Leonard publication.

ISBN 0-88188-880-X (1989 edition, red cover, Clapton Strat photo)

ISBN 0-7935-4735-0 (1994 revised edition, blue cover, '54 Strat photo)