Fender Stratocaster

NO RESERVE AUCTION:   Corrected descriptions:  Used Fender Stratocaster C-Neck...

One piece maple with skunk stripe... Excellent Condition. I believe this to

be either a Japanese or US neck. Circa Early 1980's, (approx 1980 - 1983). Style is Pre-CBS,

1950's through 60's.  It comes with Gotah tuners, nut and string trees.  The finish

is nicely aged, yellowed, not cracked or crazed, and the wood is solid, resonant and straight.

The 4 mounting holes are great and hold screws well.  Frets show minor wear- (see photo )..

Neck has nice finish on the fingerboard and profile. Minor scratches on the head and small ding at

top of head, logo is all there truss works fine. Heel width is standard 2 & 3/16 inch,

Radius measures at 9.5 inches. Neck looks played but well cared for, it's not new, only minor nicks

on the back as shown in photos. Other than the age and the fact that this neck has 21 frets,

the neck closely resembles the 2002 USA Highway One Neck that Fender put out. 

I tried this neck on a Vintage Fender 57' Style Guitar Body, tuned it and used it at a club

 and it played excellent- the guitar brought applause from everyone, sweet tone versus 

the re-issue theband was using, and sustain was noticably awesome. The rest of this guitar

was parted out some time ago and sold already.

Ask any questions BEFORE bidding.  Happy bidding!

STANDARD STRATOCASTER ("SMITH STRAT," CBS MFG., 1981-83)
- offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on four-screw maple neck, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, small pre-1965-style headstock with black logo and two string guides, six-on-one-side tuners, vibrato bridge or six-saddle, three-ply white pickguard, three single coil pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), five-way pickup switch, jack angled into the top, chrome hardware, available in Sunburst and other custom color finishes, mfg. 1981-83.

The pricing info:

Mint $1,800
Exc.+ $1,500
Exc. $1,250
Avg.+ $1,050
Avg. $900
General $750

As mentioned:  This neck is 1980 or 1981 so it could fall into any one of several categories listed:

1979 and 1980

The 1979 25th Anniversary Stratocaster was a first and important step in the evolution that would eventually result in the '87 American Standard. The '79 Anniversary Strat incorporated features that were a marked departure from the 70s CBS model: replacement of the bullet truss rod adjustment system in favor of a return to body end adjustment; and, the replacement of the 70s three bolt neck plate attachment with a return to the classic four bolt system (and the disappearance of the "MicroTilt" adjustment system).

Bear in mind the fact that in 1979 these feature changes were unique to the anniversary model. The standard 70s three bolt, headstock truss rod bullet system continued to be made and offered by Fender as late as 1981.

1980 saw the introduction of two very important models, the "Hendrix Stratocaster" (produced only in 1980) and a model simply called the "Strat" (1980-83). The 1980 Hendrix Stratocaster is a very interesting instrument, and worthy of its own article, but its important features with respect to the Stratocaster's evolution are its four bolt neck and, like the anniversary, the abandonment of the bullet adjustment system.

The "Strat" (designed by Gregg Wilson) took things a step further by incorporating a return to a smaller, though inaccurate, pre-CBS style headstock. It also experimented with a new bridge pickup, the X-1, and a new pickup switching system that allowed it to access nine different pickup combinations.

1981

While at the beginning of 1981 the CBS 70s style Strat was still the basic production model, things were about to change. Considerably.

But first, 1981 is marked by the introduction of the International Color Stratocasters, offering nine different, let's say "interesting", finish colors, but a model that is otherwise a standard CBS 70s styled Strat. With one exception. The Sahara Taupe International Color Stratocaster, unlike its eight relatives, features a four bolt neck and body end truss rod adjustment (no bullet).

Toward the end of 1981 a fundamental development in the evolution of the Stratocaster took place: the final abandonment of the features associated with the CBS 70s style Strat and the introduction of the Standard Stratocaster, the clear forerunner of the 1987 American Standard.

The Dan Smith Stratocaster

In 1981 Fender-CBS hired William (Bill) Schultz, John McLaren, and Dan Smith away from the U.S. division of Yamaha. Schultz became the president of Fender-CBS, McLaren the managing director, and Smith was appointed the director of marketing for Fender electric guitars.

In an effort to improve Fender's market position, Smith orchestrated a revamping of the basic production model Stratocaster and by late 1981 the new model was introduced as the Standard Stratocaster. It featured a more accurate version of the pre-CBS smaller headstock (compared to the 1980 "Strat"); a four bolt neck plate; the somewhat "hotter" X-1 pickup (introduced in the 1980 "Strat" model) in the bridge position; and, a body end truss rod adjustment (no bullet). What it did retain from its predecessor was the 70s-style headstock decal. Otherwise, the 1981 Standard Stratocaster signalled the end of the CBS 70s style Stratocaster.

The 1981 Standard Stratocaster was produced until 1983, when it was significantly revised by placing the jack plug on the pickguard flush with the body and offering only one tone control instead of two. The CBS 70s style headstock decal was also changed to a smaller, silver logo style that would be subsequently used in the 1987 American Standard.

It's the 1981-83 first version of the Standard Stratocaster that has come to be known on the street (and in third party literature) as the "Dan Smith Stratocaster". You won't see Smith's name on the headstock, or anywhere else on the instrument, but it's only fitting that Stratocaster enthusiasts have dubbed this model the "Smith Strat" in homage to the man who brought about such welcomed changes in the Stratocaster, and who, along with George Blanda and the FMIC team, would play an integral role in the creation of the 1987 American Standard.

The front and back of a 1982 Dan Smith Stratocaster. Note that it has 21 frets. The 1987 American Standard has 22.