Greetings All,
I just found a 1974 Strat. It is a true closet classic. It was dirty but evey thing works great. It looks like it was kept in the garge or under the bed. It looks like it wasn't played much during its life. It is missing its original case. How important is the original case to its value? It is also missing its whammy bar. Should I try to replace them with original 1974 parts or just buy new stuff?
Also the finish is cracked behind the bridge. It looks like someone yanked too hard on the whammy bar when it was there. There is nothing wrong with the wood underneath.
This one is a keeper!

nice find, just buy a new case whamy bar and your good to go. tell next time take care.

I've seen 70's cases sell on eBay for several hundred dollars, so it is of some importance if you plan on selling it down the road. It's always better to have an original bar for the same reason, but much like fret jobs, it's one of those things that can be overlooked.

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