(SOLD) Fender Stratocaster Olympic White 1979
Fender Strat, made in USA 1979, refin olympic white. This has a a whole lot of vibe, it's so cool. Now, if you were going to criticise Strats from this era, you could be forgiven for saying they're frequently heavy, with thick finishes, poor fretwork and thin-sounding, underwound pickups. This has none of those problems at all. At 3.7kg, it's nice and light, the non-original white finish is thin and lets the body breathe, the frets were professionally replaced to an excellent standard and the pickups were replaced with a superb set of Bareknuckle single coils. The original finish was white, the new coat was applied many years ago and has worn around the edges naturally with play as well as copping a light relic in some spots. The neck has been refinished on the back in satin clear nitro, which feels absolutely magic in the hands, it's so smooth. It's a nice moderate profile, typical of a 70s 'U shape', and the maple features some really gorgeous grain. The Bareknuckle 'Mother's Milk' single coils are voiced after a 1965 original set, so they're sparkly and clear through the top end but weighty, full and self assured through the lows with a juicy openness through the midrange. There's none of the thinness you sometimes encounter on late 70s Strats, it's got an understated beefiness that makes this instantly satisfying. The Hendrix aesthetic is definitely strong: worn white finish with the mint guard, golden maple board, big headstock with the bold black logos... I can hear the intro to Little Wing just looking at it. This is a really fun, great sounding Strat, it'll make a pragmatic Strat-enthusiast very happy indeed.
Model: Fender Stratocaster
Made: USA, 1979, Fullerton plant, (serial S955062)
Finish: olympic white, refinished, 3-ply mint green guard
Body: ash
Neck: maple, one piece w/skunk stripe, 7.25" radius, 25.5" scale, refinished to satin on the back
Weight: 3.700kg
Mods: frets replaced, body refinished in olympic white, neck refinished in satin clear on the back, pickguard replaced, strap buttons replaced, pickups replaced, wiring harness replaced (inc 5-way switch installed), locking nut installed and since removed, body cracked repaired
Pickups: Bareknuckle Mothers Milk single coil set (details here)
Case: basic non-original hard case, good quality and condition
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has some scuffs and marks on the end and dimples on both edges. The neck has some wear on the edge of the board and minor dimples on the back, it's clean and smooth in the hands. The back has a patch of finish presumably deliberately removed near the cavity, as well as a burn mark in the elbow area and widespread light scuffs and dimples. The sides have minor scuffs around the whole body, as well as a chip in the elbow area and a bunch of little chips near the jack. The front has a pair of chips on the top horn and some marks around the back edge, as well as widespread fading, dimples and scuffs. There's a crack behind the bridge that's been glued and is nice and stable, but the mark in the finish remains. Overall: good condition (6.5/10).
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. Frets were replaced at some point, they look very good, 8/10 for life left. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.