I have an old, beat up Fender "side pocket" case (black rectangular, short orange plush) that has a strap on the neck cradle. The strap is black and has metal snaps at each end, and attaches to the inboard side of the cradle block. When did Fender include these neck straps?

Brian
Reno, NV

Cool - you know I don't think I've ever seen a side pocket case with a neck strap.

I have a '79 Lead II; it has the "budget" case without a pocket (it has like 3 sections) but it has the neck strap. It seems like cases like the one with my Lead II were also used on Mustangs, Broncos, etc. during the late 1970s. It's possible that your side pocket case is from that era as well.

What kind of Fender logo is on the case? Is it the silverface-era amp logo? My Lead II case has that amp logo on it.

John,

I will describe the logo after I get home where the case is.

I wonder why only certain models would have warranted a strap? After all, a generic rectangular design like this fit all the solid-bodies equally poorly, and they all flopped around in the case.

Brian

I would not assume they put a lot of thought into it. I was a regional sales rep for Gibson back in the 80's and I always got a chuckle out of it when players wondered why Gibson stopped using one kind of knob, strap lock, case, or changed some production detail. Like there was some committee of wise men sitting around a table plotting this stuff out. It pretty much always boiled down to they had run out of a part, changed case makers (when I worked for them we got all sorts of complaints because their Les Paul cases didn't fit the guitar!), or started applying the body binding a little different just to try it out.

A lot of stuff just sort of "happens", and there's no real significance to it other than a change of suppliers or some doofus screwed up.

Ain't it the trooth!

John,

Well, of course the logo has fallen off the case, there are two mounting studs left where it was.

Siamese,

Point taken. However, none of us so far has ever seen a side pocket case with the neck strap. It could be significant for dating the case (which may or may not be worthwhile, some period cases do fetch significant money) or for figuring out which guitar it was for. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, but I am floating it on a few forums to see if anyone has any specific insight into it.

Brian