A lot of smart people think The 1957 Stratocaster is the GOAT.
(Greatest Of All Time for those who don’t speak the language of sports)
The elite collectors actually have the arguments about which of three years of Strats is the Holy Grail, 1954, 1957, 1962.
1954 is obvious. The first Strat came out in the spring of 1954.
You could get a tremelo version or not.
Since the 1954 is an obvious collector’s choice because it is the birth of the Stratocaster, you have to ask, “Who own the first one made?” Relax, it is in the good hands of David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame.
Is there a physical reason for the ’54-’55 attraction? Yes. Many prefer the ash body and they had a heavier, thicker neck. That adds some sustain. The neck had more of a U shape in those years. That is a comfort feature for some.
They sold for about $250.
Next, comes the much sought after ’57 Strat. It switched from Ash to Alder body. The big change was the large C shape neck of the ’54 became a slightly larger V shape. This is the year that had the most pronounced V in the neck that players like Eric Clapton preferred. Some of the collectibility is cosmetic. A true Strat lover will likely say the 1957 had the most classic sunburst finish. (Click the video link below and you will see an honest reference to a ’57 Chevy while talking about a guitar) FYI: The cost then was still about $250.
The 1962 Strat’s biggest change was probably the thinner Slim C neck. All Strats made 1965 or before are called pre-CBS. CBS Broadcasting bought Fender in 1965. A lot was going on with Fender then. If you have a Strat from 1962 with a “penciled” in neck date is was early. After March, 1962, Fender switched to rubber stamp dating. That seems like small details, but it is just an example of little changes that help collectors identify what they have. In 1962, you probably paid about $300 for one.
1954 Strat players: David Gilmour, Eric Johnson, Buddy Holly, Mark Knopfler, Jeff Beck, Ike Turner, Ronnie Wood
1957 Strat Players: Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Pete Townsend, Billy Gibbons, Jimmy Page
1962 Strat players: Jeff Beck (yellow favorite), Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Even without a big star holding it, a guitar from these three years will likely be 10s of thousands of dollars.
We got to hold a very nice 1957 Strat
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