1964 Fender Stratocaster Vintage Pre-CBS Electric Guitar Sunburst Collector-Grade w/ Hangtag, Case

Up for sale, a 1964 Fender Stratocaster in exceptional condition and in perfect working order, 100% original and complete with the original hangtag. This stunningly well-kept Strat hails from the tail end of Fender's golden age, with a fourth quarter '64 feature set including early gray bobbin pickups, a small headstock with "transition" logo, a mint green wide bevel pickguard, and a Brazilian rosewood fretboard with pearloid dot inlay.This alder-bodied Strat offers a balanced, clear acoustic tone that rings out with smooth sustain, qualities which translate faithfully through the gray bobbin pickup trio. The bridge pickup is all sparkle and bounce without being overly bright, and high trebles have a chewy snap, while the neck pickup is particularly burly and round, with a throaty chunk on the wound strings and more sprightly, warm plains. The “in-between” sounds on the three-way switch have all the squawk one expects, delightfully thin and cutting with Bridge+Middle engaged, and very smooth and chiming with the Neck+Middle pairing. The guitar is well-balanced on a strap and weighs 7lbs 11oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with fresh 10-46 strings, low action and spot-on intonation.The maple neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve at the nut with modest shoulder and a very gentle increase in overall heft as you travel up the fretboard. The palm doesn't perceive the neck carve to feel particularly hearty until the 10th fret and beyond, and the profile measures .815" deep at the 1st fret and .970" at the 12th. The Brazilian rosewood fretboard has a 7 1/4" radius, with pearloid dot inlay and original slender fretwire which shows virtually no wear. The neck is straight and the truss rod is responsive and optimally adjusted, with the truss rod nut flush with the neck heel and necessitating little adjustment in the last nearly 60 years. The nut measures 1 5/8" in width. On the headstock, the original nickel Kluson Deluxe single line tuning machines have near mint plating and turn very smoothly. The small Pre-CBS headstock shape retains its original nigh flawless transitional logo with zero oxidation of the gold "Fender" text. The neck heel retains the December, 1964 date stamp, and the original paint stick markings are present in the neck pocket along with an original shim.All three original gray bobbin pickups are intact with original windings on each coil, cloth-covered leads, and untouched solder joints. The bobbins are hand-dated to late December, 1964. The original CTS pots date to the 24th week of '64, and the original three-way switch is a bit deliberate in its motion, yet functional and reliable. All of the hardware is original including the last L-prefix neck plate, the jack cup, and vibrato unit with original block, arm, and Fender-stamped saddles which show light surface patina. Setup with three springs, the vibrato actuation is particularly smooth and easy, jumping back to the original pitch with ease, perfect for subtle shimmer and deeper expressive vibrato work. Plastics comprise the original bright white pickup covers and knobs which have practically perfect gold text. The wide bevel mint green pickguard is also present with its aluminum shielding plate, with one small corner missing on the treble-side tip, and the usual small split at the bass-side neck pickup height adjustment screw, which is perfectly stable.The original three-tone Sunburst nitro lacquer gloss finish is extremely bold and warm with zero touchup or overspray and a perfectly preserved central ring of orange-red. Cosmetic wear is limited to a bit of light chatter behind the bridge on top from a swinging vibrato arm, a spot of case rub on the outside edge of the treble-side body horn, and some requisite minor nicks and faint finish scratches on the body from very light, careful use, largely relegated to the back. There is also a bit of light lacquer checking extending from the neck plate and on the lower bout body edge. The nitro gloss on the neck profile is practically perfect, free of palm wear and silky smooth.A modern black tolex hardshell case is included, along with the original hangtag.