vinnypop, you should really give Fender a call. I'm sure they can help you and I'm sure they would be very interested in your strat. You hold a very important piece of history, if it is the actual first strat, and it should be well preserved and documented.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/gmlasam

I actually have, which brings me to one of my first points in questioning the origins of this guitar:

some of my points I posted in the other thread this guy made:

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... hp?t=25166

While 53strat's strat has the 3 spring cavity, DOES NOT mean it is a '54. it is a fully legit '53, hand built by Fullerton and 53strat's father. this has been documented.

let me just get that out there, so that you know that the strat George is referring to is 53Strat's stratocaster, Vinny. this also has been proved in a interview conducted with George before his death.

now, on to the Jazzmaster/Strat prototypes.

back in '57-'58, Leo was in the middle of designing his next creation, The Jazzmaster. this guitar was to be the "Top-of-the-line" model in Fender's lineup. Leo made several prototypes, expirementing with different necks, wirings, pickups, and Tremolos. one such prototype is actually pictured in "The Stratocaster Cronicles".

Specs:

Serial: 5959

Alder body

Maple Neck, 12'-14' Radius at the Nut

Two Single Coil pickups

Standard Stratocaster Hardware

Unique "Two-Tone Blend" control scheme, using the two Tone knobs to blend the two pickups together.

This guitar is one of the first known Jazzmaster precursors.

My hunch is that what you have come across is the first test-bed for Leo's "Roller-Bridge" system, developed for the Jazzmaster. this explains why your knobs are not the "Mini-Skirt" style, like on all '54s, and on most of the prototype strats

it also explains the 11-screw pickguard, one of the other improvements made to Fender equipment in that period.

Even if this is the case, you hold a valuable piece of Fender's history. hold on to that sucker!

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http://www.twitter.com/CAE_Music

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It really is scary that I was able to piece this together... don't mean that to come out like bragging. I really must be a nerd!

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http://www.twitter.com/CAE_Music

That could be chanman but I could not imagine that trem on a 53/54. But it could be and ealy jazzmaster trem. If you notice it is missing the screws under Fender and across (5) screws. plus the saddles

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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

Sorry guys its a the documented 53 first production model this tremelo was designed in 53 for this body and in 58 was the basis for the jazzmaster.
Read the chronicles the Jazzmaster has the bridge separated from the upper area which is placed on the bottom of the guitar the tremelo is separate from the actual bridge piecè. This tremelo is documented and one complete piece it even states that the strings sat on 6 rollers which this does. Fender would never release a failed tremelo system in 1958 after it failed in 53. What they did do was use the design as Leo said in hius own words they used the design of the first tremelo vibrato.And besides the Australian who owned it as testified by his daughter owned it for more than 50 years bringing way ahead of any jazzmaster prototype.
It is what it is the first strat ever made given by Leo to an employee as a gift and then sold to the Australian musician this is the evidence and the only story. The initial guitar was made with 11 screw pic guard the knobs are not even close to the jazzmaster knobs. The body pic guard and tremelo and pic ups go hand in hand they are one cannot be separated.

Warning: this is inflammatory.

If I had the first Stratocaster ever made, I would not bait hardcore Fender fanatics with vague YouTube videos containing a handful of grainy photographs. The sort of people who post regularly -- and are currently debating the authenticity of this instrument -- are the sort of people who would love to see it close up: good pictures and, perhaps, a recording or two. If I didn't (or couldn't) sell it for some outlandish price, I would donate it to a museum or, at the very least, make it available for photographs and an examination by someone in the know (read: Mike Eldred).

The nature of this thread, to me, implies a deception; whether the owner of this guitar is, in fact, wrong about its origins, or whether we the community are being subjected to a hoax is immaterial. I personally believe that the owner may be mistaken, if for no other reasons than those helpfully provided by Chanman.

I won't be able to believe that this instrument is the first Strat ever made until I see definitive proof. 53Strat's instrument, for example, is unequivocally a 1953 Stratocaster; this, to me, looks like an old Strat with a Jazzmaster-esque tremolo. The Jazzmaster didn't appear until the late 1950s, and I doubt that Leo Fender began developing it -- and its rather intricate tremolo system -- until well after the Strat had been refined for production. On the other hand, I will heartily agree that this is the first Strat ever made if I see some better photographs and hear from those posters who are competent to make such an assessment.

I am not a scammer and will now for the first time unlock the mystery further by looking inside and taking photos which will go on youtube for all to see this is the only way we will ALL come to the truth ok is that fair enough their should be pot dates capacitor dates there must be something Holy Jesus save me and worst come to worst if the insides have been raped by someone I still stand by the fact that this is the first strat ever made only because the tremelo system is the one documented in the chronicles of fender so here we go folks please give me some time to eat get drunk and prepare for the best or the worse but it really cant get that bad can it. I came here because I respect this community please go easy on me ok thanks Vinny

One minute you are going praise the lord and I am going to play amazing grace .The next you are saying if someone wants pics for books you want cash. I dont know about this. First of all Fender would open the doors wide open to have a look at this ax and second you would want them to confirm the status,because after they did that ax would be worth a small fortune.Something dont smell right here.

He also wants time to"eat get drunk"

hey guy's i got the first guitar ever made from the year 1500
and i named it firstie boy and i will not show it to any of you.
the guitar is documented year 1500 which is first production model
with no hole and the tremelo is a good one not like the 1953 Fender cheap ones..believe it or not it has an Original Floyd Rose!! yes floyd on a acoustic that means i could do dive bomb's and it wont go out of tune...
look it up on the 50 made up Chronicles...

so dont say mine is a 1505 its documented 1500 because this tremolo has a lock with 2 screws at the neck lock ...im just an artist of the custodian arts

i will unlock the mysterie's and post dumb pictures that proof nothing along with a dumb song on youtube later on

\m/

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USA 1989 Clapton Signature Strat in 7up Green
USA Standard Telecaster all Blk w EMG 81/85
ESP Eclipse II w EMG 81/60
Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier & Road king 4x12

I have contacted Debbie Shuck from the Fender Museum and am waiting for a reply and yes I have opened up the guitar today and it is very interesting to say the least the body neck and bridge and pic ups are authentic 2pots are not Fender pots there are 3 strange markings on the neck body written in pen and the same markings are embedded under the tremelo vibrato these are the markings 61 is written on the neck butt the neck has 3 serial numbers which indicates a 62 neck inside the body is also written 61 and under the one of a kind bridge as described in the page 8 Fender Stratocaster and also page 50 Stratocaster Chronicles is an embedded steel stamped vertical 6 with a horizontal 1 underneath. To some they may say this is a 61/62 prototype but why create it with the 1953 bridge because that is what this bridge is the 1953 design. I am confused and hope someone here from Fender can please tell me what the tremelo brdge is doing on this 1961 strat. PS the routing hole for the bridge is proffessionally done and is deep this guitar was created by Fender so if Fender people can please tell me about this tremelo vibrato system I will appreciate it as it stands this is the 53 tremelo which has been put on a 61 strat body so Fender please help me understand what is going on. I wont be placing any pics up until Fender talks to me here and I am going to remove the youtube clip till I get some answers.

Hi vinnypop: fascinating thread.

Why don't you tell us the story of how you came by this guitar? Who did you actually buy it from, what did they tell you about it and what made you believe what they told you?

Provenance is everything in these cases...

Cheers - C

Yeah! I noticed you removed the pictures from your site.

who care's !!! even if it was real that doesnt mean your better than anyone
your guitar is a frankenstein how can you have a 53 body and a 62 neck.
someone saw you coming...

your killing everyone with your dumb post's
why didnt you contact fender and had them tell what it was
before posting and creating the first strat ever made video on youtube..

this whole thing is annoying and it wont go away its been 1st post since last night maybe if no one else post on here it will go all the way down to the end

_________________

USA 1989 Clapton Signature Strat in 7up Green
USA Standard Telecaster all Blk w EMG 81/85
ESP Eclipse II w EMG 81/60
Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier & Road king 4x12