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View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
Beware though, vintage guitars and seventies Strats are a mine field, approximately the size of China
I'd opt for the trem option, even if you don't use it - Colour option or maple/rosewood fingerboard is up to you
It is not the best period of guitar building - To be honest one of the worse and prices of models in this era are rising
Try and get one not to heavy and find one with a decent neck/body join - Some during this era have a wide gap that you can get a 1p down the side of
As to where - then try Reverb, Ebay, google and see what dealers have in stock as well - £1200/1800 is what they are going for as an all original clean example - Are they worth it is a different question
Seriously, if he wants a Strat then buy anything other than a '78 (or any '77-'81), and if he wants a '78 anything, buy almost any other guitar than a Strat.
It's true that it's not impossible to find a (rare) quite good one, but letting someone who wants to buy a present for someone else go shopping is just asking to be ripped off with the heaviest, lumpiest, ugliest and most overpriced example any dealer really wants rid of.
That said, a friend of mine is selling a '78 Antigua burst Strat, so if you want to see how bad they can really get, I can forward his number .
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Id love a birth year guitar, ideally a tele, but I haven’t felt the need to spend close to 2k on a lousy guitar
Or a Made in japan Yamaha SG or Ibanez Artist - solid body or semi acoustic
a 78 Rickenbacker 330 or 360 will be okay
Half the price, twice the guitar.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
If I was buying one just because it was a ‘78 I’d want a lot of evidence before buying. Here’s some decent info:
https://www.strat-central.com/70sstrats/
If if you see a sienna burst advertised as a ‘78 I’ve been told it’s incorrect as that colour wasn’t available until the 80’s. There’s probably more colours like that...
In terms of ‘78 guitars in general it’s also my vintage. I haven’t found anything worth buying/keeping in many years of looking. Mainly it’s overpriced shit that’s about.
Fender’s production was actually slowing down in this period - due to falling demand, because players were becoming aware of the awful quality and improving Japanese competition - so the later years have even more overlap.
To accurately date a Fender from this era you need to look at the stamps on the neck heel, neck pocket, back of the pickguard, and the pot date codes. All of them will most likely be different, and the latest is roughly the date of assembly, or at least the closest you can get to knowing it.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein