1963 Fender Stratocaster flame neck ARTIST owned by Merseybeat band The Searchers vintage 60s USA Strat

1963 Fender Stratocaster ARTIST owned by Merseybeat band The Searchers guitarist Mike Pender. The Searchers were arguably the 2nd hottest band to come out of the UK at the time (behind The Beatles) with world famous mega-hit "Love Potion Number Nine" that topped the charts globally. This song was of course the inspiration for the 1992 film of the same name starring Tate Donovan & Sandra Bullock. The Searchers performed on the Ed Sullivan Show as part of the "British Invasion" sweeping across America. The would go on to have other hits like "Needles And Pins" - "Don’t Throw Your Love Away" and "Sweets For My Sweet."

In a 2019 interview with Forbes Magazine, Mike Pender would chat about landing in New York and being one of the few British acts to get a slot on the Ed Sullivan show:

Jim Clash: You were part of the British Invasion that did The Ed Sullivan Show. What was that like?

Mike Pender: The Ed Sullivan Show was just a dream, because we’d all heard of it in the U.K. When I had my day job in book publishing before I went into the recording business, I remember coming home and looking at Elvis [Presley]and Buddy Holly on it, so we knew it was big. Later on, when we made the breakthrough and had been to the Star Club in Hamburg, Pye Records was on the lookout for other groups besides The Beatles. They heard us, and then it started. That would have been late 1962. In 1963, we made our first record, Sweets For My Sweet. By the time we had Sweets For My Sweet, Sugar And Spice, Needles And Pins and Don’t Throw Your Love Away - three No. 1 records of the first four in the U.K. - we were really happy guys.

Clash: What were your first impressions of America? Anything like you thought it would be?

Pender: It was absolutely brilliant. We’d seen The Beatles when they got welcomed to New York City, and all of the fans and girls screaming at the airport. We got a very similar welcome from the American teenagers.  Once we did The Ed Sullivan Show and a couple of gigs around New York state, we felt that the American audiences just loved us.

This guitar came to us directly via Mike Pender: Purchased by Mike Pender in Kansas City, USA in 1974 and used on subsequent tours. This guitar is mentioned on page 251 of Mike's biography 'Origins of The Searchers and the Search For Myself'. It is incredibly rare to get an early 60's Fender with ownership history dating this far back and artist provenance from a charting band playing alongside The Beatles in the UK's Merseybeat scene. One of the unique features is its flame maple figured neck. This guitar has had continuous traceable ownership with a known artist for the past half century. It doesn't get better than that! There are loads of guitars with "stories" and Frakenstrats, but this is the real deal with a rock solid, traceable past. For European buyers, I can deliver in person if desired. 

This vintage Fender guitar is part of the world famous instrument collection at Essex Recording Studios! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TWITCH and YouTube! @essexrecordingstudios

International buyers are welcome! We ship to any country in the world! This guitar will be packed and shipped with love, care and respect! The guitar is in normal played condition for a nearly 60 year old Fender - just watch the video here or on the Essex Recording Studios YouTube channel for full detailed condition! You are welcome to collect the guitar in person if you are local to our studio in Southend, England at postcode SS1 1AB directly opposite Southend Central train station. Collection available by appointment, just call 07455 251112.

YOUR PURCHASE HELPS MUSICIANS and supports our studio! Buying from us directly helps support unsigned musicians and bands that struggle to produce professional music without help from major record labels these days. Thank you for your support!