About This Listing

Olivia's Vintage would like to present this early 1957 Fender Stratocaster in its original Sunburst finish. It has a great playing neck with a "V" profile and good frets. All parts are original to this Strat and it is 100% complete along with its original tremolo arm, bridge cover and tweed hardshell case. The neck dates to February 1957, pots dating to January 1957 and the body date of December 1956. The pickup covers and knobs are the earlier "bakelite" type. There are nicks + dings, finish checking, and other cosmetic wear including some finish damaged from old glue-on letters on the body that spelled "HOMER VENDEVENTER" who we assume was the name of a previous owner. There is a very old crack repair in the body that is seen underneath the tremolo cavity springs. The crack ran from the back of the tremolo cavity, around the inner edge of the tremolo block cavity then leads underneath the pickguard from the top inner edge of the tremolo block cavity before it stops just inside the bridge position pickup cavity. Five dowels were glued in along the crack on the back side in the tremolo cavity before it was sealed in this brown coating. It is structurally sound and remains only a cosmetic issue that is concealed by the pickguard and tremolo cavity cover + springs. The guitar itself remains very structurally sound with no other cracks, breaks or repairs. The neck has a few short dark streaks that are a natural element of the wood used for this neck. All electronics work and sound great while all solder joints remain original and untampered with. The weight is 7 lbs. 11.6 oz. All three pickups have great readings with the neck position pickup reading at 5.82, middle 5.61 and the bridge position reading at 5.62.

Listed9 months ago
Condition
Brand
Model
  • Stratocaster
Finish
  • Sunburst
Categories
Year
  • 1957
Made In
  • United States
Color Family
  • Brown
Pickup Configuration
  • SSS
Right / Left Handed
  • Right Handed
Fretboard Material
  • Maple
Body Shape
  • S-Style
Number of Strings
  • 6-String
Neck Material
  • Maple
Offset Body
  • No
Wood Top Style
  • Plain
Finish Pattern
  • Sunburst
Finish Style
  • Gloss
Body Type
  • Solid Body
Body Material
  • Alder
Bridge/Tailpiece Type
  • Tremolo Bridge
Model Family
Series
Scale Length
  • 25.5"
Fretboard Radius
  • 7.25"
Neck Construction
  • Bolt-On
Number of Frets
  • 21

About the Seller

Olivia's Vintage

Carbondale, IL, United States
(1,237)
Joined Reverb:2014
Items Sold:1,715
Product Overview
The 1957 Fender Stratocaster is considered one of true classic Stratocasters. Fender switched from Ash to Alder as their primary body wood in 1956, so ‘57 is the first year with all Adler strats (excluding those with a blonde finish). Also in this year, Fender was amidst a gradual switch from bakelite to plastic pickup covers and control knobs, so some variation and mix between the exist within '57 Strats. This was also the last year of the thicker V-shaped neck profile.

Years of Production:
 1954 - present

Unique to this Year: Strats from 1957 include a mix of bakelite and plastic knobs and pickup covers as transition was still taking place. Also last year of V-shaped neck profile and "2-tone" sunburst finish. 

Body Style: Solidbody 

Wood Composition: Alder body, Maple neck with Maple fingerboard

Design Elements: Bolt-on neck, dot inlays, 3 single-coil pickups, 3-way pickup selector

Finish Specifications: 1957 was the last year of the "2-tone" sunburst finish as the "3-tone" sunburst was introduced in 1958. Blonde and black were available as custom finishes. 

Notable Players:  Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix
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