Grants Pass, OR, United States
About this listing
1963 Fender StratocasterBlack Nitro refin with 1961 neck, slab Brazilian rosewood boardIt all started with the Beatles.On the 9th of February 1964, I watched them on Ed Sullivan. I was playing trumpet in the school band. And now, after watching the Fab Four play their amazing sets, I demanded my mother buy me a black electric guitar, like the one John Lennon played on the TV!So the next day, she took me down to Westlake Music, a small family musical instrument store in the suburbs of San Francisco. I saw the black guitar hanging on the wall as we entered the store. It wasn't a Rickebacker, however...it was a 1963 Fender Stratocaster...in Custom Color Black. The salesman took it down and let me strum it. I didn't even have a pick! My mother had taught me to play ukulele a few years earlier, so I was relatively familiar with at least 4 strings. I fell in love with it immediately. I entreated my mother to buy me my first electric guitar, and she turned the tag over to see the price: $259! "We can't afford this". she told me. "That's how much our house payment is!"I cried as we walked out of the door, and sobbed as we drove home - without a guitar. My mom didn't forget about my fever dream of owning an electric guitar, however, and weeks later, took me down to the Blue Chip Stamp Redemption Center (remember Blue Chip Stamps?) to surprise me with a brand new Teisco del Rey! NOT a Strat, but the beginning of my 60 year journey with guitars. And all these years later, I still have that Teisco!CUT TO:1998. eBay had become a great place to shop for guitars so I began my search for the guitar my mom couldn't afford to get me that day in February of 1964. I saw it on eBay. Not black, but... it was advertised as a '63, it had no finish (bare wood) , and when I received it, I was surprised to find that it had a 1961 neck on it - with a beautiful fat slab Rosewood board with clay dots. It was such a great player, and I got a pretty good deal (and an all original Custom Color Strats were out of this world price wise!) so I kept it and I've loved it ever since. 30 years.Seller told me that's the way he got it in the early 70s and he took the finish off because he didn't want that silly Sunburst like everybody else had.So I had a 1963 Strat with a 1961 neck and no finish in its original case! Was it built that way? Leo had done some curious things in the early 60s and of course players switched necks all the time if they wanted a different profile. But I didn't care.Green nitro guard has shrunk a tad, previous owner had an extra switch put in there at some point, but removed it and filled the hole in the guard. Original aluminum shield (also with old switch hole). Three black bottom pickups are original and came with the guitar. They sound heavenly - with a chime and resonance you don't find in any new guitars. I haven't opened it up for 25 years, never intended to sell it (joked that I would be buried with this guitar!) so I didn't even remember what they looked like. Three way switch, of course has been replaced, pots I have no idea as the codes are unreadable. They are at least 25 years old and could be original, I have no idea.All plastic, trem, hardware, tuners all appears to be original to 1963 and were there when I got the guitar. All I did was paint it.So 15 years ago, in tribute to mom, I had the body refinished by MJT (before they were MJT!) in black nitro with a white undercoat in a light relic finish. I have put a lot of my own wear on it since then. No extra routs. I left the 7/63 date in the trem cavity. It was clearly sunburst in its former life. Nick, he also has a faded date in pencil that looks like 7/61 - but it's hard to read so I can't tell you for sure what it is.I named her "Lola", my mom's name.Zero problems. Beautiful, comfortable neck is a dream to play. Original frets, single line Kluson tuners, era-correct decal replacement from Fender. There was no I got it.Some of the sweetest chimiest, Stratiest Strat tones you'll get out of a guitar - with great sustain, bad ass tonal range, and amazing playability. Brown Tolex case is original to the guitar and looks like an early 1960s Fender case, in good shape. Latches work, but springs are sprung. Ashtray Bridge cover and original '60s strap that came with it are included. Sold as is and as described so ask all questions before the trigger.Only selling this and my 1958 Strat (see other sales) because of my current health issues (liver cancer), so your purchase will help with my survival!
Price$18,500
+ $250 Shipping
