The earliest Stratocaster we have ever offered for sale here at Folkway Music, this June 1954 build bears several features specific to that year, including a “painted” truss rod plug, shallow neck pocket, and lack of worm route in the bridge pickup cavity. The neck bears Tadeo Gomez’ initials and a neck date of June 1954, and the tremolo spring cavity is also marked June ’54 in pencil. The control cavity has Gloria’s name on piece of tape dated to the 18th of June, 1954. The two tone pots have visible 1953 date codes, with the middle pickup tone pot dated to the 41st week of ’53.
Having lived a storied life, this ’54 Stratocaster has undergone several major modifications over the years. At some point in decades passed, this Stratocaster had an electric mandolin neck, pickup assembly, and bridge mounted to its bass-side. In order to accommodate the addition of the mandolin, a 2″ piece of wood was removed at the tip of the horn, a pickup cavity and wiring channel were routed out, and a small strip of wood was removed to fit the bridge. A strap button was added inside of the bass-side cutaway as the original was removed to accommodate the placement of the mandolin neck. The modification was later reversed with all previous routes plugged and a new 2″ of mismatched wood carved and grafted onto the missing bass-side horn tip. A small piece of pickguard has been replaced in the area where the mandolin’s bridge was previously installed. Unfortunately, we do not have any photos of the guitar with the mandolin neck mounted as the modification was reversed before the guitar’s current owner purchased it.
Much of the guitar’s finish appears to be original; however, there is obviously new finish over the areas that were repaired when the structural modifications were reversed. A little bit of yellow paint residue in the pores and low worn areas suggests that the body was likely once painted with something that didn’t bond with the underlying lacquer as the original sunburst finish is still intact. The burst itself is correct for the time period, and the contours suggest the guitar never had its finish sanded off. The neck shows signs of overspray and sections of refinish; the decal is under finish and is likely a good reproduction. Many of the plastics are original, including the pickguard, and two of the impossibly rare “short skirt” knobs. The original crumbling polystyrene pickup covers are included in the case pocket. The switch tip is a reproduction part and the original plastic backplate is long gone.
This 1954 Fender Stratocaster boasts a largely original wiring harness with three original black bobbin pickups. There are a number of solder joints that have been modified as the electronics for the previously installed mandolin pickup were connected to the original wiring harness. It is impossible to say with any certainty if the pickups are original or rewound, as such. They look and sound quite right, for whatever that’s worth.
The trio of black bobbin pickups sound truly incredible offering a full-bodied response with excellent midrange support in the bridge position (6.61K), an airy and harmonically rich voice in the middle (5.98K), and wonderfully warm tones that are articulate and clear from the neck (6.56k).
With a soft V carve, a first fret depth of 0.877″, twelfth fret depth of 0.972″, a nut width that is just shy of 1-5/8″, the neck carve is nothing short of heavenly. Playability is excellent thanks to a recent refret by our shop using modern 6105 wire. The guitar weighs in at a light 7.3lbs.
All of its modifications aside, this first year Stratocaster is a remarkably good guitar that holds huge historical significance. While it’s far from a case queen, this is still an early production first-year Stratocaster with a two digit serial number that plays, sounds, and works perfectly – and it’s available at a fraction of the cost of an otherwise original example.
With reproduction hardshell case.
