Recently purchased from the daughter of the same owner since 1966, this '62 Sunburst Strat is a quintessential example of Fender's golden-era craftsmanship, representing for many the peak of pre-CBS design and one of the most desirable Stratocaster configurations ever produced. This year marked the refinement of many of the model’s now-iconic features, from it's 3-tone sunburst finish to it's incredibly playable neck profile.

The Alder body is finished in a beautifully aged and mellowed three-tone Sunburst that has retained just the right amount of red. The nitrocellulose lacquer has gracefully checked over the decades and the finish overall shows wear commensurate with age and moderate use over the years. The bucklewear goes through to the yellow stained Alder body and there are edge wear and dings throughout that only adds to its vintage character and mojo!

The Maple neck rosewood fingerboard is punctuated by the original clay dot inlay markers. The neck profile is a comfortable medium "C", typical of 1962, the back of the neck has worn nicely to creating that desirable vintage feel. Neck stamp is Sep'62. The headstock features the classic spaghetti Fender logo and to the rear the original single line Kluson tuners are present and functioning well.

Electronics include the original black-bottom single-coil pickups, delivering a clear, chimey tone with sparkling highs, hollow mids, and a pleasant rounded low end—in typical Strat style it lends itself to a variety of genres and styles from choppy rhythm playing to cutting lead line. The original wiring and components are untouched, the Stackpole pots date to 42nd week and the ceramic disk cap, pickup switch etc are present and correct.

This guitar has been in the same family since the '60s, and has spent the past few years in storage. We're delighted to have brought it to market so it can be played and enjoyed for many years to come!

Complete with its original Selmer UK case, this  is a fantastic instrument with all the tone, character, playability, and history one could hope for in a pre-CBS Strat. Whether played or preserved, it’s a benchmark example of a model that helped define the sound of modern electric guitar.