Thanks for the pics.

You didn't mention the fact that the guitar's been painted and sanded down a couple of times -- that will make it look a little different from those old 1953 photos. And that you're using hardware to make it look like those original in those old photos. And that you have taken the guitar in to Fender for the good folks there to look over. Did they give you any documentation?

I remember this stuff because your story's been told on a couple of Fender-related forums.

There's a nice website somewhere with "overlapping" photos which allow one to compare the grain of your body with those old 1953 photos.

Cheers.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

It is a pretty fine example of a stratocaster prototype. But the 3 spring design is very flawed on it though. No tension adjustment and all. We can safely say it was best with 5 springs.

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One of God's own prototypes. Too weird to live, too rare to die.

O.O



Any chance of a link?

Notice the 3piece body too. So 1 piece isnt vintage correct.

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No no and no

Probably "experiment" correct, though hehe.

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One of God's own prototypes. Too weird to live, too rare to die.

people with familiarity with the original piece(s?) would have to look it over.
You would have to document any kind of branding, or maker's marls, but I think unless it is clearly stamped the best you could hope for is strong opinions that it is legitimate, much like fine art.

I want 53 strat to keep posting because I am intrigued. I have seen stuff on this guitar on a couple other places.

But Jay I doubt there is anyway to prove 100% without fail that this is what it appears to be. But I think many experts feel that it actually is. With non-production prototypes, and probably sub standard documentation by fender at the time, it might be impossible to be 100% sure.

This reminds me a lot of the original LP prototype--very few were completely assembled and workable, but what many believe (including the good folks at Gibson,) to be the first fully realized prototype appeared in the possession of the son of a former factory worker, after many thought it had been destroyed. it would be awesome if 53 Strat has the equivalent Strat here.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Thanks. Even if you had my address it wouldn't do you any good. The guitar is now at an another location and quite secure. I don't know what you could do with it even if you had it, any sales of that kind of thing is easy to track.

And to the other guy that said it would be easy to fake this and paste a pic on the net. Who in thier right mind would try to fake something like this with no proof to back them up. First you have the no-nothings that think they know everything that will jump on it and then you have the almost experts that would jump on it and tell you whats up.

53 I assume you have had people with cred inspect this, can you let us in on some of what they looked for to try authenticate it? You don't have to actually prove your case here, but I'd like to know, did they establish a paper trail on it? Did people who worked for or with fender at the time offer opinions? That kind of thing.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I was thinking about modding it for you not stealing it. I reckon it would be great with a floyd rose, that trem looks a bit primitive to me
Also i notice the pickups are uncovered. I could put 3 open humbuckers in it and all kinds of switching options, if you want? I'd only need to remove a bit of wood under the pickguard.


Please take that with the humour with which it was intended.


Jay my woodworking skills are rudimentary mate. I'm snails pace slim on that pine body.

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No no and no

Ha! Good dig on the one-piece body thing! Anyway, one-piece bodies were never the standard, I just think there were more of them back in 1954-ish.

The site with the info & pictures of that prototype Strat body is
http://soundlogic-usa.com/electron/FDP/fdp229a.html

Check out a thread at the FDP (Fender Discussion Pages) where JMPRO (=53 strat) first came forward with this guitar/story. I don't want to try to put a link to another forum on this forum.

The story appeared in an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine too. I know that I had MANY questions after learning some of the story of this prototype Strat body and how it made it into 53 strat's family. It is real, people.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Had to change my post now that I read more into it O.O.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Boy, don't you guys watch CSI? The grain pattern of any piece of wood is as individual as a fingerprint, and could not be accurately reproduced, especially on the scale of this guitar body. Assuming the photos of the original prototype are authentic (and I don't think anyone is arguing that point), I would think it would be a pretty easy task to do a photo overlay of 53 strat's strat and the old photos.

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“All music is folk music, I ain't never heard no horse sing a song.” Louis Armstrong

Notice also that 53strat hasnt lessend the guitar by putting a fake decal on the headstock.

Well done that man.

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No no and no

So what are you saying like Photoshop creation of a photos for post?
Which would account on being able to match bodies because yes its true no two grains are alike as we all no.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson