FACTS OF STRATS
An Analysis of the Data
SERIAL NUMBERS
As mentioned in the section on parts, except for the very earliest examples, Stratocaster serial numbers were stamped on the neck plate, as they were on other Fender models of the period. The numbers initially began with four digits, and the number of digits increased as production progressed. There are, however, some discrepancies between serial-number sequences and actual production dates, as well as some surprisingly large jumps in the numbering. With the chart as our reference, let us trace how the serial numbers evolved.
Following the changes chronologically, the serial number that first appeared on the spring cover plate in 1954 was moved to the neck plate later that same year. It remained a four-digit number. Toward the end of 1954, however, the serial numbers suddenly jumped ahead by several thousand. The chart shows numbers in the 7000 range, although examples in the 6000 range also appear to exist.
Toward the end of the 8000 range, during 1955–1956, the numbers inexplicably became five digits with a leading zero. During 1956 the 9000 range was exhausted, and numbers beginning with a leading 1 appeared, although there seem to be occasional guitars carrying serial numbers from this range that actually date from 1955.
The sequence continued through 1956, and in 1957 another curious change occurred. The numbers themselves continued in sequence, but a minus sign was added in front of them. This appears to have begun at around serial number 17000. Since this feature is almost exclusive to 1957, it provides a useful means of identification. Care must be taken, however, since 1957 instruments with serial numbers in the 16000 range and below, without the minus sign, also exist.
In 1958, the minus sign was eventually replaced by a zero, apparently creating a true six-digit number. Curiously, however, this leading zero disappeared again before the end of the year.
From the end of the 1950s into the early 1960s, this basic format was retained as the numbers continued to climb. Production volume was also increasing, and once the 90000 range had been exhausted, the number following 99999 would normally have required another digit. Instead of simply beginning a six-digit series with 1, however, Fender used the letter “L.”
This was the beginning of the well-known L-series serial numbers. One theory holds that the “L” stood for Leo Fender, although there is no conclusive evidence that this was the case. The series, presumably beginning with L00001, progressed steadily, and by 1965 had already reached L99999.
By then the company had come under CBS ownership, and this time the numbering moved straightforwardly into the 100000 series. It reached the 200000 range in 1967, followed by the 300000 series from the end of the 1960s into the 1970s.
WEIGHT
Among the specifications of a guitar, weight is particularly significant because it can affect both playability and tone. The Stratocaster began in 1954 with an ash body and maple neck, but as requirements changed, the body wood was changed from ash to alder in 1956, followed in 1959 by the introduction of the rosewood fingerboard. These changes were accompanied by changes in weight. Let us examine what the data reveals.
Several factors can be considered when analyzing weight. Since the neck represents a relatively small proportion of the instrument’s total volume, it is reasonable to assume that the body, which accounts for a much larger proportion, will have the greater influence on overall weight. Viewed from this perspective, the figures in the chart reveal some interesting facts.
The first step is to compare the weights of guitars with ash bodies and those with alder bodies. If tremolo-less examples and instruments with unusually extreme weights are excluded from the chart and an average is calculated, the ash-body guitars weigh approximately 3,490 grams, while the alder-body guitars average approximately 3,460 grams. The remarkable point is how close these figures are.
Many of the alder-body examples, however, have rosewood fingerboards, which add a small amount of weight. There are also minor differences in weight resulting from variations in pickguard thickness. Taking these factors into consideration, the actual difference attributable to the bodies themselves would be somewhat greater. Even so, the average weights remain surprisingly close.
Looking more closely at the individual figures reveals something even more interesting. The weights of the ash-body guitars vary widely, from approximately 3,100 to 3,800 grams, while the alder-body guitars fall within a much narrower range of approximately 3,300 to 3,600 grams.
From this we can reasonably speculate that Fender was moving toward greater consistency in its finished instruments by changing to a material that could be obtained in a more stable supply and with less variation in weight. Incidentally, records indicate that Fender also used woods such as basswood and mahogany on a limited scale in addition to ash and alder.
NECK
The thickness, width, and overall profile of a neck directly affect playability. At the same time, the neck acts as a kind of tonal filter, with its rigidity and resilience exerting a major influence on the sound of the instrument. Because of the importance of these factors, particular emphasis was placed on the neck in this chart, with precise measurements taken at several points along its length.
The headstock is also especially revealing, since it provides valuable clues to Fender’s manufacturing methods during the 1950s. We will examine this in greater detail below.
CHANGES IN NECK PROFILE
Before examining the chart, it is useful to understand that vintage Stratocaster neck profiles can broadly be divided into four types.
The first is the 1954 Medium V. Common to both 1954 and 1955, this is the familiar V-shaped neck of moderate proportions—neither particularly thick nor particularly slim.
The second is the 1956 Fat V. Found predominantly in 1956, this is a substantial V-shaped neck and could reasonably be described as one of the thickest neck profiles in Fender history.
The third is the 1957 Hard V. This is a somewhat sharper and slimmer-feeling V profile. It fits comfortably in the hand and has remained a popular shape. Although it feels slimmer, its actual depth is not significantly different from that of the preceding years.
The fourth is the 1958–1960s Flat Neck. Compared with the V-shaped profiles, this neck is flatter and slimmer. Its suitability for a wide variety of playing styles has made it perhaps the most universally popular of these profiles.
CHANGES IN NECK THICKNESS
With these points in mind, the chart reveals a few interesting details. The first thing that stands out is the sudden change in thickness between serial numbers 028248 and 28634.
This change, which occurred around the middle of 1958, marks the dividing line between the V-neck group—types 1, 2, and 3 above—and the type 4 flat-neck group. The difference in the figures before and after this point is so pronounced that it almost resembles a geological fault line.
Calculating the averages makes the difference even clearer. Among the V-neck group from 0105 through 028248, the average neck thickness at the 1st and 12th frets is 22.7 mm and 24.9 mm respectively. For the flat-neck group from 28634 through 189025, the corresponding figures are 20.5 mm and 24.9 mm.
In other words, at the 1st fret there is a substantial difference of 2.2 mm. At the 12th fret, however, the figures are the same. This tells us that the flat neck is not merely flatter in profile; it also has a considerably greater difference in thickness between the lower and upper positions of the neck.
A closer examination based on body and neck dates suggests that this change must have occurred sometime between May and July of 1958.
It is worth remembering that the NAMM Show, where manufacturers introduced their new products to the trade, was held in Chicago each July during this period. If this major specification change represented an important effort by Fender to broaden its appeal in the market, the timing fits remarkably well. And considering that the flat neck remained Fender’s principal specification thereafter, it would seem fair to say that the change was a success.
NECK WIDTH
Since the dimensions at the neck pocket remained largely unchanged, neck width is best compared at the nut. Looking across the chart, the measurements can broadly be divided into three groups.
The first consists of the 1954 necks alone, which are relatively narrow. Their average nut width is 41.3 mm.
The second group comprises the remaining V-neck years, from 1955 through 1957. Their average width increases slightly to 41.8 mm.
The final group begins with flatter C-shaped necks. Here the width increases again, with an average nut width of 42.0 mm.
HEADSTOCK THICKNESS
As mentioned above, headstock thickness provides particularly useful clues to Fender’s manufacturing methods of the period. A quick examination of the chart reveals a significant numerical change around the transition from maple necks to rosewood-fingerboard necks.
Calculating the average for the maple necks from serial numbers 0105 through 028248 gives a headstock thickness of 14.6 mm at the tip and 14.2 mm at the base.
On instruments made by many other manufacturers, a tapered headstock normally becomes thinner toward the tip. These figures show exactly the opposite tendency. There is a good reason for this: this reverse taper was a natural consequence of the distinctive construction and manufacturing process used for Fender’s one-piece maple necks.
On a maple neck, there is a plug near the nut on the face of the headstock that closes the hole through which the truss-rod anchor was installed. After insertion, the plug was trimmed, and the radiusing around the nut area and the trimming of the plug were carried out as part of the same finishing process.
During sanding in particular, the plug was often shaped into a teardrop or oval form. If the plug sat relatively low, additional pressure had to be applied with the sander to achieve the required contour. This removed more material from that area, making the base of the headstock slightly thinner. This is the reason for the reverse taper.
This tendency begins to disappear from around serial number 32506, and by the time rosewood-fingerboard necks appear, the headstock is essentially flat in thickness. From serial numbers 48801 through 92561, for example, the headstock thickness remains relatively thin and consistent at 14.0 mm at both the tip and the base.
Unfortunately, the chart contains no data for 1963, but based on the author’s experience, the same general tendency appears to have continued through that period. In 1964, however, the situation changes dramatically, with noticeably thicker headstocks appearing.
The combined average for 1964 and 1965 is 15.4 mm at the tip and 15.2 mm at the base—an increase of more than 1 mm in a very short period. The long-held impression that guitars with transition logos often have thicker headstocks is therefore clearly supported by the measurements.
The precise reason for this change is uncertain, but considering the period in which it occurred, it seems likely that it was in some way related to the introduction and production of the round-laminated rosewood fingerboard.