Vintage Fender 1961 Non-trem Stratocaster original case Start Price USD 25,000.00 Current Price USD 25,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Saturday, September 20, 2008 End Time Monday, October 20, 2008 Location Arvada, Colorado See more about 'Vintage Fender 1961 Non-trem Stratocaster original case' Description All original 1961 Hardtail Strat. Note the pots date october 1960. This is absolutely the real deal- NO MODIFICATIONS!! Original finish. Very Rare guitar! Not too many non-trem hard tails. I can't get over the condition of this Guitar! No repairs, no replacement parts except a plastic tip cap for the original 3 way switch .NOTE!! (I replaced the plstic cap with an actual vintage cap-- replaced 05/27/08.). BTW I left the original three way switch. it plays just fine with it. Besides, the switch position between the pickups on these you get such great harmonics and over tones. There are no issues with this guitar. Professionally set up. Original finish-all original hardware all excellent. I had this guitar proffessionally gone through-top to bottom. Even the pick guard is in tremendous original condition. I love the tint of mint green that these old pickguards have. (BTW_ New added pics! 6/01/08- please note the change to the pickguard horn. My Luthier added a little piece just at the tip-where the small original piece was missing...which of course is not uncommon, not the original pointy tip-just a little love. Also in order to raise the pickups, 3 screws were added one to each pickup. The original screws are in the case.) The case is original. I cannot believe the playability of this guitar! I own several amps. I can play the guitar thru a Super Reverb or a Marshall. Doesn't matter. You hear that tone. You know that it doesn't get any better than this. This is the holy grail. Plays like butter. The moment you feel it in your hands you can feel the history behind it. The thing is.... the guitar is also the best sounding and best playing strat i have ever played. You know how you can pick up a really well made relic and it just feels and sounds awesome? There is no comarison. The is no replacing the genuine article. Take advantage of this treasure. I also have a signed Gruhn's appraisal letter. The case and guitar are from the original owner's son. The case has original paperwork and her original strap. Description : 1961 Fender Stratocaster Guitar. Description-( borrowed from CHF's website): 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar Available: 1954 to present. Collectibility Rating: B Production: no official (or unofficial) production numbers available. General Comments: The Fender Stratocaster guitar is probably the most popular solidbody electric guitar ever made. Early models (1954 to 1965, known as "pre-CBS" models, since CBS Broadcaster Company bought Fender in January 1965) are the most collectible. Originality and condition are the two most important features of a vintage Fender Stratocaster guitar, and Fender Strats do seem to have been easily modified (due to their "bolt together" nature). In 1961 Fender started using a more robust red dye for their three color sunburst. Also the dark brown part of the sunburst around the edge of the body is slightly more black. Hence the sunburst finish on a 1961 Fender Strat is much bolder looking. Fender also felt the need to add patent numbers to the peghead during 1961. Still has the "slab" rosewood fingerboard, but the back neck shape is larger (and more comfortable in my opinion). Serial number range for the 61 Fender Stratocaster are generally 55000 to 72000 (on the neck plate). If you need to figure out the exact year of your pre-CBS Fender Stratocaster, use the serial number and the general features of the guitar. The serial number is located on the back metal neck plate. See the Fender Serial Number Info web page for help determining the year. If you have a vintage pre-CBS Fender Stratocaster guitar for sale, please let me know. I am a private vintage guitar collector (not a store), and you can contact me at cfh@provide.net See the previous year's 1959 & 1960 Fender Stratocaster guitar. See the next year's 1962 Fender Stratocaster guitar. Back to the main Fender Vintage Guitar Info webpage 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar specs: Peghead decal logo now has 2 patent numbers (2,573,254 & 2,741,146) Neck backshape is a fatter "D" shape, but still not nearly as fat as 1958 and prior Stratocaster necks. Fender now using a more robust red in their sunburst finish. Hence 1961 and later Strats don't have sunburst finished with a faded out red. The dark "Amber brown" part of the sunburst finish is now changed to "black". Hence the dark part of the sunburst is more striking and does not blend as well as prior sunburst finishes. It is a subtle change. White "chicklet" paper tone capacitor changes to a red round disc capacitor with yellow insulting tubing on one leg of the cap. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar with original brown tolex case. NOTE!! Here are some new pictures taken since my Luthier has cleaned up the guitar even more! The pickups are adjusted the fretboard has been conditioned. Pickguard has been relief cut ever so slightly which adressed the the shrink issues-(shrinking is common with these pickguards as I am sure you know). All sales final. Place a Bid!