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Post subject: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 3:20 pm
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Hi everyone!
Does anyone know, did Fender produce Stratocaster with alder body in white finish from 1972 to 1974?
My friend is looking for an original vintage Fender Stratocaster with alder body in white finish made from 1972 to 1974 but different experts tell him that Fender produced Stratocaster with only ash body in white at that time.
Please help me.

Thank you.


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 8:30 pm
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Can you post some detailed pictures?

There is always the possibility that it is a refinish in non-original color.

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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:30 pm
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Ash gradually reintroduced in 72 as the basic material for the body.
Olympic white 505 a std option.
There would be other clues to date the strat.... :D


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 1:44 am
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Many thanks for your answers.

>Can you post some detailed pictures?
Still my friend has not found such Stratocaster so there is no photo.

My friend wants to have original Stratocaster 1972-1974 with alder body in original Olympic white finish but he is offered Olympic white Stratocaster 1972 with ash body. And the seller told him that he had no chance to buy original Stratocaster 1972-1974 with alder body in white finish, because FENDER did not produce such guitars at that time.
Can anyone confirm or deny this information?
Does he have any chance to find such Stratocaster?

Thank you.


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 2:14 am
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I'm not sure if there was an exact date when they switched from alder to ash. Typically they'd be using up the last of their alder body blanks while phasing in the ash body blanks. So there might be some early/mid '72 alder body Strats. If so, it's likely they painted the alder bodies solid colors.

But once the alder was all used, it was gone. Your friend won't find a '73 or '74 alder Strat.


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 2:14 am
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I don't think there is a record of what wood went where, so a 100% certain answer won't be found.
But since alder was cheaper than ash, I'm almost sure Fender used both.

The 'heavier = better' ideology coming around, and the color selection favoring see-through finishes may have preferred ash to some extent, but my gut feeling is there were also alder Strats produced in those years.
To support this feeling, the always reliable web wisdom speaks about solid color alder Strats of the time.

And BTW & IMHO; this craving your friend has is weird... :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 3:28 am
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Quote:
But once the alder was all used, it was gone. Your friend won't find a '73 or '74 alder Strat.

Many thanks for your answer
There are many offers of alder Stratocaster 1972, 1974 in SUNBURST finish, but I have never seen the offer of alder Stratocaster 1972, 1974 in OLYMPIC WHITE finish.

Quote:
And BTW & IMHO; this craving your friend has is weird...

:) I can not agree with you.
There are many musicians who choose guitars by color.
Personally, I choose guitars by sound. Though my favorite colors of Strats are white and sunburst :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 3:31 am
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jmattis wrote:
....

And BTW & IMHO; this craving your friend has is weird... :wink:


I was thinking the same thing. :roll:

My understanding is Ash was the norm for the 70's over Alder. This may have been aesthetics and it is easier to run one species through the machines and chose suitable clear finish bodies from a pile of bodies rather than make that choice at the off set.

70's production was so slap dash that there is every possibility the bottom of a heap may have revealed Alder which would have been thrown together as a complete guitar either way. Certainly early bodies of the period would have used old stock.

Ash is a more distinctive, accepted and decorative wood to Alder so might make an Ash body seem more desirable and up market. They were competing with Gibson who made their bodies out of Mahogany which seems very exotic by comparison. The 70's was the start of the trend when all modern furniture, hi-fi cabinets and high end speaker enclosures were black ash so ash was the new Oak of the time.

So purely from a marketing and production point of view, assuming little variation in raw material costs, Ash seems like a good idea. It also fits in with the policy of the time which had very little to do with how the guitar played, felt or sounded.

We have similar market driven examples these days with "Swamp Ash", "Reclaimed Vintage Bridge Pine", Whisky Barrel amp cabinets, Old stock Mahogany, etc. etc. etc. None of these is necessarily going to make the instrument any better than stock, other than the added Mojo the material may transfer, but allows Fender the opportunity of charging twice the cost of the same item in the standard material.

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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 3:34 am
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Gennadiy wrote:
Quote:
And BTW & IMHO; this craving your friend has is weird...

:) I can not agree with you.
There are many musicians who choose guitars by color...


It's not the choice of colour which is weird. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:16 pm
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I’ve had no problem finding plenty, here’s one in olympic white with alder body.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-1973-St ... 2913396274


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 3:40 pm
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Quote:
70's production was so slap dash
Just the 70's, John...?!!! :DCheers - Peter.


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 1:16 am
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Peter S wrote:
Quote:
70's production was so slap dash
Just the 70's, John...?!!! :DCheers - Peter.

:D


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 1:17 am
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Blue Notes wrote:
I’ve had no problem finding plenty, here’s one in olympic white with alder body.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-1973-St ... 2913396274


Thank you. Thank you very much!!!


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 1:33 am
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Gennadiy wrote:
Quote:
And BTW & IMHO; this craving your friend has is weird...

:) I can not agree with you.
There are many musicians who choose guitars by color.

The 'weird' part (to me, and meaning no offence - that was just a side remark, meant to be somewhat amusing) does not lay in the color.
First, it's the choice of years; 1972-1974 aren't generally considered to be the glory days of Fender.
And then the wood choice - it seems not to be related to weight (since ash varies a lot). So, sound?

On the general availability of alder, a little googling brings up quite a few black, white and even the (famous/infamous) Mocha Brown Strats, which are advertized by usually reliable sellers as 1974 and alder.


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Post subject: Re: Question about Original Fender Stratocaster 1972-1974
Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 9:32 am
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I was not offended.
I really appreciate the opinion of everyone who answered my post.

The choice of years is easy to explain: older Strats are more expensive.
1972-1974 is a compromise between the price and the year of production.
Four-bolt Strats of an earlier production (until 1971) are more expensive.

The choice of wood is the choice of sound.
Many musicians believe that the wood does not affect the sound.
But many musicians, including me, like alder Strats.
Participants in music forums argue endlessly.

I used Google, Ebay, Reverb but I would like to be answered by the real owners of such Stratocaster.

Anyway I am grateful for your reply.


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