Guitar collectors consider 1965 to be one of
the most significant years in history. It was
the year that the large corporation, Columbia
Broadcasting Systems Inc. (CBS), bought
Fender Instruments and Fender Sales. To
many players and collectors this year also
marks the beginning of a decline in the quality of Fender products that continued through
the 1970s.
The Stratocaster had been gradually evolving,
along with the rest of the Fender line, since
its debut in 1954. The most obvious change
occurred in 1959 when the one-piece maple
neck acquired a separate rosewood fingerboard. After the CBS buyout, more changes
took place, the most dramatic being the
enlargement of the headstock shape (
coinciding with the popularity of bell-bottoms?) in
December of 1965.
The rare 1965 Sonic Blue Strat featured this
month has details common to Strats made
during this transitional period. The November
1965 neck date shows that this is one of the
last small headstock Strats made until the
1980s. Other traits include Gold Transition
Logo (designed by Fender photographer Bob
Perine), pearloid position markers, double
line Kluson Deluxe tuners and an “F” stamp
neck plate. This guitar also came stocked
from the factory with large frets (often seen
in 1965).
More detailed information about Fender
Stratocasters can be found in The Fender
Stratocaster by A. R. Duchossoir, and The
Stratocaster Chronicles by Tom Wheeler.
Dave's Guitar Shop
Daves Rogers’ Collection is tended to by
Laun Braithwaite & Tim Mullally
All photos credit Tim Mullally
Dave’s Collection is on display at:
Dave's Guitar Shop
1227 Third Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601
608-785-7704
davesguitar.com
