An Exceptionally Fine Pre CBS 'L Series' Custom-Color Stratocaster.

1963 Fender Stratocaster.

This pre-CBS 'L Series' custom-color Stratocaster weighs just 7.50 lbs. and has a nice, fat nut width of just under 1 11/16 inches and a scale length of 25 1/2 inches. Solid alder body, contoured on back and lower bass bout, one-piece medium-profile maple neck with a Brazilian rosewood fretboard with 21 frets and clay dot position markers. Small headstock with decal with "Fender" 'Spaghetti' logo in gold with black trim, "Stratocaster" in black beside it, and "With Synchronized Tremolo" and three patent numbers in black below. Single "butterfly" string tree with metal spacer. Individual "single-line" Kluson Deluxe tuners with oval metal buttons. The neck is dated "2 DEC 63B." Three black-bottom white plastic-covered single-coil pickups with staggered polepieces and outputs of 6.27k, 5.68k, and 5.65k. Three-layer "minty" (white/black/white) plastic pickguard with eleven screws. Three controls (one volume, two tone) plus three-way selector switch, all on pickguard. The pots are dated "304 6315" (Stackpole April 1963). White plastic knobs with green lettering. Jack socket in body face. Fender "Synchronized Tremolo" combined bridge/tailpiece. Complete with the original tremolo arm and bridge cover. The Fiesta Red finish is bright and vivid and shows none of the usual fade associated with this color. There are a few miniscule surface marks on the body edges and a couple on the back but otherwise this forty-six year old custom-color Stratocaster is in near mint (9.25) condition, and is certainly one of the finest examples that we have ever seen. The only tiny ‘flaw’ is a small crack in the pickguard between the bass side of the neck pickup and the edge of the pickguard (this is the weakest point of the pickguard and is a very common issue). Complete with the original tremolo arm, bridge cover and even the original instruction manual with matching serial number (the instruction manual appears to have been washed at some time!). Housed in it's original Fender cream hardshell case with black leather ends and dark orange plush lining (8.75).

'63 Stratocasters in 'real' Fiesta Red are quite rare - This is the "real" Fiesta Red; NOT over sunburst, but over 'fullerplast' - which gives it a really rich color. '63's Strats have some of THE best neck profiles and are some of the best-sounding Strats ever! Outstanding condition original decal, Brazilian rosewood fretboard with original frets and nut, tight tuners, all the metal is shiny, original three-way switch. Nice light weight at 7 pounds, 1 ounces, original tremolo arm, bridge cover, and tremolo spring cover, and original cream case (the coolest case Fender ever put out!).

Unmolested, all-original-to-the-same-guitar-parts Custom Color Stratocasters are impossibly rare, hard to find, and/or, prohibitively expensive - this is a two-owner guitar from Minnesota; a music teacher bought it new and sold it to one of his students in the '80's - and he's had it since. One of our best friends is good friends with the second owner, who finally and reluctantly sold it…