My dad has an original 1953 Stratocaster which he's thinking about selling. I would appreciate any leads on how he can get it appraised (lives in BC). It was produced in May 1953 with the serial number in the 3000 series.

Thanks.

If indeed a prototype if documented as authentic it would be practically priceless to a collector of vintage fenders and guitars in general.The documentation and authentication would have to be absolutely unrefutable as there have been many scams run making the same claims and people have become extremely suspicious of such statements and finds.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Thanks for the info. Since I don't live near my Dad I'll have him send some photos and I'll post as soon as I can. I don't think it will be a problem demonstrating authenticity since he has photos of it playing it back in the day. It's been played all these years so it's a little worn but still in great shape.

I think it will be a little harder to verify than that. Reason being those few guitars (I'd imagine no more than 3/4. No one knows) were most likely all a little different from each other.
Forum user 53Strat has the body of one. It was identified because the grain exactly matches the grain of a photo of a strat in Duchoisser's book.

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Correct! That guitar is also shown (in somewhat better detail) in Smith's "Fender -- The Sound Heard Round The World) and I spent an hour comparing and authenticating photos that 53Strat posted on another forum to those in the book.

I'll hold any comment regarding the OP's instrument in abeyance until I see some visual documentation.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Hi yukonkay: hmm, we may be seeing that part of it differently. I shall watch this thread with fascination to see how the task works out for you.

Good luck - C

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I agree, a 1953 could ONLY be a prototype.....and being such, COULD mean it was played by a few well known musicians of the time, since Leo always wanted input from players "in the field" If you can get it verified as such, the sky is the limit on the price! You could probably sell it and buy a nice house, LOL. I, for one, am curious and anxious to see pics of this guitar !!!!

This '53 Strat prototype sported unusual features such as Tele knobs, black pickguard/pickup covers and a natural ash body.



Definitely a very rare piece!

Here's another shot of the first '53 prototype:



Another '53 Strat, probably the second or third prototype made in late 1953 (this guitar is not mine).



Cheers,

John

Chromeface.....that's the same '53 Strat that nikininja and Arjay were talking about and one of the forum members owns it,his father bought it.

These '53 prototypes had only 3 springs and a narrow rout on the back of the body. Very interesting fact, IMO.

ChromeFace.

All of those are the same body, look at the wood grain mate. Thats how forum member named "53Strat" confirmed it to be a 53 strat.

Theres no saying all of them only had 3 springs in the trem cavity. I believe they were given out (Bill Carson gave it to 53Strat's dad) as test run guitars to local gigging players.

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No no and no

A May '53 Strat !! I can't wait to see the pictures. A serial number in the 3000s sounds more like a 1954 Strat. The production of the Strat started around April 1954 and the first 100+ had the serial number stamped onto the tremolo cover before they changed to stamp them on the neckplate. So far the only confirmed 1953 Strat is the one pictured above.
If your dad's guitar is really 1953 Strat, it would be a historic find.

I would have to agree with 56Strat - a serialized early Stratocaster would have to be a '54. I wouldn't think that the '53 prototypes had regular serial numbers (they were probably market "Prototype 1" or some such somewhere on the guitar). I suspect his dad is just misremembering the year in which he bought the guitar.

Correct.

I seem to also recollect another documented prototype that had a slightly wider trem cavity with four springs.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Send your information to
customerrelations@fender.com
They are a great help.

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He who dies with the most Strats wins.