Players Grade 1973 Fender Stratocaster - Refurb to Resell advice .

musicalstash

Any ideas on the best course of action on this Players grade 1973 Fender Stratocaster . 

I am looking to sell it on but needs some work but not too sure what do leave and what to change . 

The finish which looks ok in the photos is quite poor close up , with drips and orange pealing on the whole body , it was done a while ago  so has wear and marks which is in keeping with its age  .  Also not too sure if they did a 73 Rosewood neck Stratocaster with a white pickguard especially as the black knobs are the 3 spine 70s ones . 


The Bad

Stripped finish and poor Refin( looks better in the photos ) with drips and orange peal ( was originally sunburst I think as the cavities are orange )  . 


- The tuners have been changed to Gotohs

- The bridge pickup not original 

- The pots have been swapped out 



The Good .

- Quite light weight compared to other 70s strats  I have owned
 
- Bridge is original

 - Frets are good as is the neck which feels great

- no routing or additional holes to the body .

- Neck and middle are the original staggered type ( thanks ICBM) . 


I have got quite a bit of old parts including some 70s Fender Schaller tuners  - Backplate ( black) .

Was going to replace the bridge pickup , knobs ( which look original ) and cutback the finish the best I can and get a shop to buff it . 

guitars4you

To a large degree I think you are better selling as it is and accurately describe all details as above

Knobs are from later 70's - early 70' still white - But a r/wood board for 73 is fine - Neck should have some date/code on it 

I'd probably pass no comment on the finish within your sale info, other than to say stripped, as that in itself indicates not perfect anyway

Probably best to leave tuners as they are now as even if you find some original examples you are going to leave tell tale signs

To refurbish with a new wiring loom, re-fin will cost you a pretty penny and if you are planning on selling it you won't gain anything either way

Nothing wrong with a good players grade guitar and in some ways you can often make them a far better guitar than they ever were - But will need to be priced accordingly - A potential buyer might buy/keep as it is, whilst others might restore 

welshboyo

I agree - leave it as is and sell with all the details as described above.

I love 70's Strats and have always wanted to buy one as a do-er up-er like this one, alas I can't afford it at the moment otherwise you would have a PM about it!!

Make a great player for some lucky individual

impmann

Frankly... thats a far more interesting guitar as it sits than if it were "restored" back to something it hasn't been for a very long time. Currently, it tells a *real* story - not a fake relic story achieved with sand paper and cold tea. Its probably a better guitar than when it left the showroom too...

Genuinely, if I wasn't up to my eyes with other projects I'd be PM-ing you about it. Thats a real player grade guitar - and one that needs playing. A. Lot.

Love it. Leave it alone.

ICBM

What they said - sell it with a full and accurate description and photos as it is. If you put money into restoring it, it won’t make it any more ‘original’ to people who care about that and hence won’t increase the value, but it might make it less desirable to those who like it the way it is or have specific ideas about how *they* would want to restore it.

As guitars4you said, the knobs are later 70s - Fender didn’t use black plastic parts until 1975.

Gassage

Inboxed you! I'm looking for a doner guitar for my Hentor Sportscaster project....

Bennyboy-UK

(blows dust off spare Floyd Rose)

musicalstash

Thanks for the advice,  will just swap out the knobs for an aged  white set and a white bridge pickup I have in my spares box. 

May keep it  for a while and hold out for the right buyer as it is just about the best playing 70s Strat I have owned and won't pay the 3.5k for an stock one. 

It's probably worth more parted out  as I have seen these early 70s necks sell for around grand but would like to sell it as is... 

Thanks again, will get a few pictures done be once sorted. 

guitars4you

musicalstash said:

Thanks for the advice,  will just swap out the knobs for an aged  white set and a white bridge pickup I have in my spares box. 

May keep it  for a while and hold out for the right buyer as it is just about the best playing 70s Strat I have owned and won't pay the 3.5k for an stock one. 

It's probably worth more parted out  as I have seen these early 70s necks sell for around grand but would like to sell it as is... 

Thanks again, will get a few pictures done be once sorted. 

Please don't brake it down into parts -  The neck is not all original ref tuners and appropriate holes so won't command top price - The body is not an original finish - The wiring loom/pick-ups are not original - These are generally the 3 most expensive 'parts' if/when all original - IMO you'll get a better price as it is

Now it is no longer original then no need to worry about any need to restore as 'original' - Any changes now, within reason, that retains integrity, will not detract any further from its value - So I don't mean add a F Rose - But not an issue to fit 3 new p/ups, good switch and a good loom as required - Knobs are an easy change - If it plays well, then it will just enhance the guitars 'players grade' appeal with some old school mojo 

downbytheriver

I have had great experiences with 72-73 Strats - I would definitely sell as is - maybe to me….

p90fool

Love it, leave it alone and just play it! 

musicalstash

Found an 90s fender usa pickupin my draw, it read 5.7k while the other two in the guitar read 5.4k, is it too far out to be suitable ? 

ICBM

musicalstash said:

Found an 90s fender usa pickupin my draw, it read 5.4k while the other two in the guitar read 4.87k, is it too far out to be suitable ?

It should work fine. The readings are all a bit on the low side, but consistent so I suspect your meter might be a bit out.

USA Standard pickups should have a slightly higher DC resistance than traditional construction ones because the plastic bobbin increases the size of the coil slightly, so the length of wire is greater even for the same number of turns.

musicalstash

ICBM said:

musicalstash said:

Found an 90s fender usa pickupin my draw, it read 5.4k while the other two in the guitar read 4.87k, is it too far out to be suitable ?

It should work fine. The readings are all a bit on the low side, but consistent so I suspect your meter might be a bit out.

USA Standard pickups should have a slightly higher DC resistance than traditional construction ones because the plastic bobbin increases the size of the coil slightly, so the length of wire is greater even for the same number of turns.

Sorry took the readings again, the two in the guitar are 5.4k while the usa one 5.7k. 

guitars4you

musicalstash said:

ICBM said:

musicalstash said:

Found an 90s fender usa pickupin my draw, it read 5.4k while the other two in the guitar read 4.87k, is it too far out to be suitable ?

It should work fine. The readings are all a bit on the low side, but consistent so I suspect your meter might be a bit out.

USA Standard pickups should have a slightly higher DC resistance than traditional construction ones because the plastic bobbin increases the size of the coil slightly, so the length of wire is greater even for the same number of turns.

Sorry took the readings again, the two in the guitar are 5.4k while the usa one 5.7k. 

5.4K is about right for a late 60's early 70's era 

ICBM

musicalstash said:

Sorry took the readings again, the two in the guitar are 5.4k while the usa one 5.7k. 

Yes, those are more what I would expect. I think they'll balance pretty well.

guitars4you said:

5.4K is about right for a late 60's early 70's era 

I think there's a reasonable chance those two pickups are original, although of course it can't be proved. They're certainly the right type.

musicalstash

ICBM said:

musicalstash said:

Sorry took the readings again, the two in the guitar are 5.4k while the usa one 5.7k. 

Yes, those are more what I would expect. I think they'll balance pretty well.

guitars4you said:

5.4K is about right for a late 60's early 70's era 

I think there's a reasonable chance those two pickups are original, although of course it can't be proved. They're certainly the right type.

Yes I think you are right,  they look identical to the one Eddie Vegas pulls out of 72 / 73 strats. 

The neck serial number dates it to 74 but the 8 digit neck stamp dates it to 73   - 09013993, is this common? 

The knobs I found were import size so will get a set of aged Fender ones ordered. 

ICBM

Serial numbers aren’t accurate enough for conclusive dating in that period. The neck stamp is what to go on.

DrumBob

My best friend bought a 73 Strat new, and it's one of the worst guitars I ever played. He had to have major work done on it years ago to make it playable. He's amazed at how mu8ch it's worth these days. I think he paid around $275 for it. 

WBT2079

musicalstash said:

ICBM said:

musicalstash said:

Sorry took the readings again, the two in the guitar are 5.4k while the usa one 5.7k. 

Yes, those are more what I would expect. I think they'll balance pretty well.

guitars4you said:

5.4K is about right for a late 60's early 70's era 

I think there's a reasonable chance those two pickups are original, although of course it can't be proved. They're certainly the right type.

Yes I think you are right,  they look identical to the one Eddie Vegas pulls out of 72 / 73 strats. 

The neck serial number dates it to 74 but the 8 digit neck stamp dates it to 73   - 09013993, is this common? 

The knobs I found were import size so will get a set of aged Fender ones ordered. 

Looking at that neck stamp, it would suggest the neck is dated 1979, but then I would expect to see a serial number on the head stock. Fender changed to the 8 number system in about 72/73.  Are there any other 4 digit codes stamped on the back of the heal, and is there a 4 digit code stamped on the body in the neck pocket or under the pickguard?

09 = strat,  01 = rosewood,  39 = week, 9 = 79, 3 = Wednesday 

p90fool

WBT2079 said:

musicalstash said:

ICBM said:

musicalstash said:

Sorry took the readings again, the two in the guitar are 5.4k while the usa one 5.7k. 

Yes, those are more what I would expect. I think they'll balance pretty well.

guitars4you said:

5.4K is about right for a late 60's early 70's era 

I think there's a reasonable chance those two pickups are original, although of course it can't be proved. They're certainly the right type.

Yes I think you are right,  they look identical to the one Eddie Vegas pulls out of 72 / 73 strats. 

The neck serial number dates it to 74 but the 8 digit neck stamp dates it to 73   - 09013993, is this common? 

The knobs I found were import size so will get a set of aged Fender ones ordered. 

Looking at that neck stamp, it would suggest the neck is dated 1979, but then I would expect to see a serial number on the head stock. Fender changed to the 8 number system in about 72/73.  Are there any other 4 digit codes stamped on the back of the heal, and is there a 4 digit code stamped on the body in the neck pocket or under the pickguard?

09 = strat,  01 = rosewood,  39 = week, 9 = 79, 3 = Wednesday 

Is the headstock face nitro lacquer? It wouldn't have been by 1979.