{"product_id":"1974-fender-stratocaster-vintage-electric-guitar-sunburst-w-case-hangtag","title":"1974 Fender Stratocaster Vintage Electric Guitar Sunburst w\/ Case, Hangtag","description":"Up for sale, a 1974 Fender Stratocaster, lovingly thrashed and extremely original, complete with the original hardshell case and hangtag. Played with vigor and yet surprisingly stock, this Strat is 100% original save for a medium jumbo refret and a fresh set of Fender F tuners.This Fender offers a lively, clear, and chiming range of tones with an extremely resonant and lively alder body, paired with a one-piece maple neck that lends the instrument a glassy, articulate treble snap. The guitar delivers equal parts sweetness and bite, and via the five-way pickup selector switch the guitar boasts chewy, snappy twang in the bridge position, and an array of fuller tones with great percussive clarity as you toggle towards the neck position single coil. The \"in-between\" switch positions also deliver the thinned out Strat quack heard on countless records and prized for its cut and sparkle. Lightweight for a '70s Strat at 7lbs 6oz, we've had this Fender professionally setup here at Mike and Mike’s Guitar Bar, strung with 10-46 strings and dialed in with comfortable action and solid intonation.The neck has a medium C profile carve with full shoulders and an easy-playing feel, measuring .845” deep at the 1st fret and .910” at the 12th. The maple fretboard has been professionally refretted with medium jumbo fretwire which shows only moderate wear on the crowns of frets 1-3, with lighter wear extending beneath the plain strings until fret 6. The gloss is worn through to the bare maple on the fretboard edges, and the guitar plays effortlessly up the 25 1\/2\" scale, retaining the original 7 1\/4\" fretboard radius. The nut measures 1 5\/8\" in width. The headstock gloss is smoked out to perfection and deeply ambered, retaining the original logo and fitted with a set of modern Fender F tuners that turn smoothly and hold pitch well.All of the electronics work as they should, with untouched solder joints and CTS pots that date to the 45th week of '73. All three pickups are original, with two gray bobbins and one black bobbin (black bobbins were reintroduced sporadically starting in '74). Both gray bobbins retain bold '74 date stamps on the bobbins too. The original plastics are all intact including the pickup covers, knobs, three-ply pickguard, and switch tip. The original vibrato shows surface patina across the stock block saddles, and the unit actuates smoothly for warbles and dives, jumping back to the original pitch reliably. The neck heel has a four digit stamp consistent with one of the lesser seen factory stamping methods used sporadically circa 1974-76. The pocket and heel also retain the original factory stamps, and the serial on the three-bolt neck plate dates to '74.The original three-tone Sunburst finish is vibrant and rich, retaining a deep central ring of red on both the top and back of the body. While the photos are largely explanatory as to the wear accrued through honest use, the guitar exhibits buckle rash along the edge of the belly contour and an assortment of nicks and scuffs, yet wear beyond finish loss and tight horizontal checking is ultimately more restrained than one might expect. The original smooth gloss finish on the neck profile shows just a few tiny marks, beyond the natural palm wear on the fretboard edges.The original black tolex hardshell case is included, along with the original hangtag. The case features functional latches and the original handle, with wear on the black leather ends and a portion of the small tail-less Fender logo intact on the exterior.","brand":"Fender","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":39837698523322,"sku":"575661","price":3899.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/4437\/4714\/products\/medium_18e07d3d-fbf7-4f34-87ed-59e24b6c45e8.jpg?v=1751566927","url":"https:\/\/mmguitarbar.com\/products\/1974-fender-stratocaster-vintage-electric-guitar-sunburst-w-case-hangtag","provider":"Mike \u0026 Mike's Guitar Bar","version":"1.0","type":"link"}