Hi all,

This question is geared more toward the 50's strats, especially the 57 reissue and the 56 NOS.

On my 57 reissue, the truss road adjustment is at the heel of the neck, yet the wood is colored in the shape of the truss rod adjustment hole at the headstock. Did the original 1957 stratocasters have the adjustment at the headstock or the heel of the neck?

And what about the 56 NOS?? When did Fender start putting the truss rod adjustments at the heel?

All Strats from the beginning had the adjustment at the heel until the 70s, when it was moved to the headstock end of the neck.

Edit:
The walnut plug at the headstock is to cover the hole used to put in the truss rod parts on the originals and reissues.

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Interesting! Why did they put the dark coloration in the shape of a truss rod opening at the headstock? i noticed the 60's headstocks didn't have these.

edit: ahh...I see. Any idea why the 60's models don't have a visible plug?

Because of the way the fingerboard is laminated onto the maple of the neck, they didn't need to access the inside of both ends of the neck the same way. They could put all the truss rod into the neck before the fingerboard went on.

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No no and no

Yes, what nikininja said. Just to add, that was only on the rosewood fretboards, except in 68-69 (and 70?) they had a glued on maple fret board without the plug, then went back to the skunk stripe and plug for the maple fret boards (one piece maple neck).

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

ah...makes sense now. After googling some 60's strats, now I see that the pre-68 maple fretboards were single pieces with the truss rod plug and that it was only the rosewood fretboards that lacked the plug.

Thanks guys.