Hello there, is there anyone who could help me solve this mystary.

Sharon, Your not the Sharon who graduated from st Augustines high school (near birmingham) around 88-90 are you. If you are, I had a terrible crush on you. I'll admit it now that I'm happily married.

Seriously there are good shops to take the guitar to. They will maybe charge £30-£60 for a valuation. With that you'll get a certificate of value for insurers/prospective buyers. I know one thing, your Dad had a very early strat for the UK. Hank Marvin got his first in 59(I think) it was a 58 model.

Try these people, they deal in vintage guitars and know their onions.

Heres a imaculate 56 their selling, there will be a contact link somewhere on the page.
http://www.vintageandrareguitars.com/


Celeach your on the wrong track to simply go by the decal. They do get changed occasionaly.

Pics from under the hood please! Pots and neck butt want to see fret board end.

Hello Sharon,
First and foremost please let me offer my condolences on the loss of your father. My own mother is in a nursing facility with brain cancer and they don't think she has very long at all, so I understand a little of what you must be going through. Please know you have my very deepest sympathies.

As far as the guitar itself goes, I would strongly have to agree with Nick here in that you should take it to a good shop and have it looked at by a pro. The simple truth is that folks aren't going to be able to tell that much from the pictures you have posted. Yes, the instrument certainly could be a nice, legit '61 but the honest truth (and I am NOT accusing you of anything here) is that there's so many people out there now a days who are so good at faking the relic look, that I would not place any bets at all based on pictures on an internet forum. There are a few things that would certainly be more telling...pictures of the back of the pick guard and such with any markings on the electronics clearly visible -but-...unless you have some good deal of experience with disassembling vintage guitars, I would not try this with this instrument yourself. Removing the pickguard isn't really all that hard but if this is indeed the vintage instrument that it's believed to be and more over a family heirloom...let's just say that some of those old parts can be a bit fragile. It really would be better to have a pro look at it in person and check these things for you and then as Nick said, you could get a certificate of authenticity and said person would be able to answer all of your questions in person and perhaps even give you an accurate value on the guitar. No disrespect to anyone here at all, but personally I would NOT trust the opinions of an internet forum for an accurate value on such an instrument.

BTW...while I will be the first to admit that I've faked a logo or two in my day (purely for my own amusement), I would NOT try to replace the logo on this instrument. If you can have the instrument authenticated, that's all the logo you need.

Even if you decide to keep the instrument as a family heirloom...and it does seem as though it would be well worth keeping (I still have my grandmother's 1937 Kay acoustic so I know the whole family value thing)...having the certificate would lay to rest any questions and such in the future.

These are just my own personal opinions and should only be taken as such. Again, you have my deepest sympathy on your loss.

Peace,
Jim