Fender / Stratocaster / 1954 / Sunburst / Guitar
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The very first Fender Stratocasters were built early -54, a few prototypes perhaps as early as January, but small scale production with lots of variations was started in March and full scale production not until October. This one is marked June/July -54 and has a very low serial number.
The story behind the guitar and it´s correct parts is as follows:
- Original finish
- Written on masking tape in the control cavity: Virginia 7/11/54
- Signature on the heel of the neck: TG 6/54
- Written in tremolo cavity: 7/54 #3
- Tone pots marked 304420 (250kOhm)
- Volume pot looks the same but the marking is covered by solder
- The truss rod plug is the painted version which is also seen on #0561 which is also a TG 6-54
- All three pickups original -54, but has had other pickups as evident by touched solder on all pots
- Original pick guard
- Comes in an original 50´s tweed case which came originally with a Fender Telecaster, front pocket
- The knobs are the version after short skirt, but they have no spokes so this could be version 2,5, the last version before the 3 spokes
- Correct bridge and saddles (the lower version)
These deviations can be noted:
- Modern pickup covers
- New switch tip
- Tiny hole behind the bridge (2-3mm) which has been filled and touched up
- Old but probably incorrect capacitor, Capax Made In Italy, perhaps someone has seen one of these in a -54 before? We have not.
- Some kind of carve in the bass side of the bridge pickup cavity, about 1cm - Rewound neck pickup with masking tape around the wire
- Newer pickup bushings (correct rubber but should be black)
- Tiny hole drilled in the neck heel, not sure why
- Heavily buffed body, headstock and heel
- Thin veneer glued to the side of the neck pocket to make it tighter
- Neck pocket bottom has had a glued in shim , now only evidence of glue
- Removed extra string tree for D&G strings, plugged hole
- Tape reinforced pick guard under
the middle pickup´s lower screw (due to cracks) - Tiny mark after heart shaped badge in the finish
- The original switch has been modified to have 5 positions
- No tremolo arm
Oscar Guitars, Sweden 
Oscar Guitars is today Sweden's largest specialist guitar store with a focus on vintage and used string instruments, pedals and amplifiers. In the store there is a constantly changing exhibition of stringed instruments from all ages and manufacturers, some call it a museum where everything is for sale.
The store is based on a vision that began full-time in 1997 and today, 25 years later, we are one of the the most famous vintage guitar shops in Northern Europe.
