1960 Fender Stratocaster - Fiesta Red

Serial number 49005

The example from the collection is a Fiesta Red Hardtail Strat, dating from 1960 (George Fullerton mixed up the first batch of Fiesta Red at a paint store in 1957). According to an early ‘60s Fender pricelist, a non-trem Strat cost $259.50. There was a 5% up charge for a Custom Color, so this Strat would have been about $272.47 (still $17 less than a sunburst tremolo version).

This Strat has a beautiful early “slab” fingerboard of Brazilian rosewood. The Kluson tuners on the headstock were replaced at some point with “double line” mid-‘60s Klusons. The undercoat below the Fiesta Red (seen through the scrapes and dings) is the color Desert Sand, which was the color of Duo Sonics and Music Masters. This color was often used as an undercoat for Custom Color guitars in the ‘50s and early ‘60s.

Hardtail Strats are seen less often than the tremolo versions, and are favored by bluesman Robert Cray and rocker Ron Wood.