Second Hand Pre CBS 1961 Fender Stratocaster in Fiesta Red

Andertons is excited to offer this genuine player-grade Pre-CBS 1961 Fender Stratocaster in Fiesta Red. Priced at a fraction of what an all-original ‘museum-grade’ example would cost, this is an amazing way to own a real golden-era Fender Stratocaster at a much more accessible price point.

Vintage guitar collectors often claim that you can always tell a good one due to the high amount of play wear and mods on an instrument. This is one that falls under this category, and as the pictures show, this is a Strat that has truly been someone’s workhorse for many years.

The current owner has owned this example since the mid-70s and believes that its Fiesta Red finish, now beautifully faded and worn, is original; however, this can not be verified, as the history of this ’61 Strat is largely unknown up until around 1975.

Notably, this Strat has undergone a headstock repair prior to 1975, where a section of wood was removed from the back of the headstock where the tuners are attached and a replacement piece of Maple glued in and perfectly shaped and finished to match the rest of the headstock. As shown in the images, the repair has been done to an extremely high standard and has remained completely stable for over 50 years. On a recent visit to the store, legendary guitar builder and designer Paul Reed Smith commented on how he was blown away by the standard of the repair job done. It is also noted that at some point different tuners were added and old screw holes are present; however, this Strat now comes equipped with the correct vintage-style tuners.

It features a stunning slab Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard which has been refretted with jumbo frets which provide maximum comfort and playability. It has a replacement volume pot and wiring to the input jack, as well as an added 5-way switch; however, the tone pots and, most importantly, the pickups remain original.

The bridge is a high-quality replacement and features a narrower string spacing compared to the original Fender bridge. The original saddles remain in the case in case the new owner ever wanted to source a vintage-correct bridge and bring it back to original spec. The screws which attach the neck to the body are also replacements.

In hand, this Strat ticks every box! It's lightweight, resonant and lively, with an overall balanced tone and that perfect Stratocaster snap and articulation. Its C-shaped neck feels comfortable up and down the fingerboard, and overall it has that effortless played-in feel that just keeps you coming back for more. Its original pickups deliver the unmistakable glassy, bell-like single-coil tones you can only find on the real thing.

Offered in a Fender hardcase from the 1980s, this is the perfect centrepiece to any serious guitar collection!

Body

• Body Material: Alder
• Colour: Fiesta Red
• Pickguard: 3-ply "mint green" celluloid pickguard with 11 screws

Neck & Fingerboard

• Neck Material: Maple with a gloss nitrocellulose finish
• Neck Shape: C-shape
• Fingerboard Material: "Slab" Brazilian Rosewood
• Frets: 21 Jumbo
• Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
• Nut Material: Bone
• Nut Width: 1.650" (42 mm)
• Inlays: Clay dot position markers

Electronics & Hardware

• Pickups: Original
• Pots: Replacement Volume, 2x Original Tone
• Switching: Replacement 5-way
• Bridge: Non-original with narrower string spacing
• Tuning Machines: Kluson Deluxe single-line tuners
• Logo: Spaghetti logo featuring 2 patent numbers

Miscellaneous

• Notable Repairs: Headstock repair – see description and photos
• Case: 1980s Fender Case
• Included: Original Saddles, Trem Arm, Bridge Ash Tray Cover