Guitars That got Away
1965 Fender Stratocaster
Certainly a refinish, but a pretty one!
A Vintage Stratocaster Refinish that was very tempting
This stunning looking 1965 Fender Stratocaster in Surf Green is about a ‘Beach Boys’ as it gets. I am certain is was a re-finish, and the frets were definitely newer jumbo frets, but that takes little away from the fact it was a great guitar. Put it next to a similarly coloured Matchless amp and you are set to go…except I did not pull the trigger on this one.
As tempting as it was, particularly as I had never owned a Stratocaster from this period, but no money was at hand when this came in for photography. In other respects, and at first glance the guitar seemed fairly original, or at least had parts on it that were ‘kinda’ right for the time. However, all is not as it seems…
Serial Number: 85856
Neck Date: 2 SEP 65 B
Body Date: N/A
For starters, the single line Kluson Tuners are from an earlier guitar and should have been two line Klusons at this time…and that serial number? The serial number is off a Pre L guitar from around 1963, so this ‘great’ guitar starts to smell a bit at this stage. Of course, none of that matters if you care little about originality, it plays and sounds great, and the price is right. But for me, at that time, I had no interest in these pieced together ‘Frankenstein’ guitars. I let this one sail right by…
This guitar is a great example of what Frank Lucido says about buying vintage guitars.
