Fender (1975) Stratocaster - Natural w/OHSC

A great example of Fender's CBS-era Stratocaster, this 1975 Stratocaster pairs a natural finish over an ash body with a one-piece maple neck and the unmistakable appointments of the mid-'70s era: large CBS headstock, bullet truss rod, 3-bolt neck joint with Micro-Tilt adjustment, F-stamped tuners, and the six-saddle hardtail bridge.

This guitar retains its original 1975 Fender gray-bottom neck and middle single-coil pickups, along with an aftermarket vintage Dimarzio SDS-1 bridge pickup that appears to be a modification made in the late 1970's. This hotter, warmer pickup exemplifies the punchy tones found in more P-90 style soapbox pickups and was a common Stratocaster upgrade.

The electronics also feature a 5-way selector and replacement potentiometers. According to the longtime second owner, who owned the guitar for nearly 50 years, the instrument remained unmodified throughout his ownership and he believed it to be all original. This suggests that the electronic modifications may have been performed very early in the guitar's life, prior to his acquisition - likely in 1978-1979.  

The result is an interesting player's example of a mid-'70s Strat: largely retaining its original Fender construction and hardware while also reflecting the period practice of modifying Strats for greater output and switching versatility.

The guitar shows honest cosmetic wear consistent with its age and includes the original Fender hardshell case with red/orange plush interior.

Key Features

• 1975 Fender Stratocaster
• Made in USA
• Natural finish
• Ash body
• One-piece maple neck and fingerboard
• Large CBS-era headstock
• Bullet truss rod adjustment
• 3-bolt neck joint with Micro-Tilt adjustment
• F-stamped Fender tuners
• Six-saddle synchronized tremolo
• Two original/period-correct 1975 Fender gray-bottom single-coil pickups
• Aftermarket late 70's vintage Dimarzio SDS-1 bridge pickup with "Patent Applied For" label
• 5-way pickup selector
• Replacement potentiometers / modified electronics
• White 3-ply pickguard
• Serial No. 654198
• Includes original Fender hardshell case

Specifications

Body

• Model: Stratocaster
• Year: 1975
• Country of Manufacture: USA
• Body Material: Ash
• Finish: Natural
• Body Construction: Solidbody
• Pickguard: 3-ply white

Neck

• Neck Material: Maple
• Fingerboard: Maple
• Construction: One-piece maple neck
• Fingerboard Radius: Approx. 7.25"
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Frets: 21
• Inlays: Black dots
• Truss Rod: Bullet-style headstock adjustment
• Neck Joint: 3-bolt with Micro-Tilt
• Headstock: Large CBS-style
• Tuners: Fender F-stamped

Electronics

• Neck Pickup: 1975 Fender gray-bottom single coil - 5.73 kΩ
• Middle Pickup: 1975 Fender gray-bottom single coil - 5.75 kΩ
• Bridge Pickup: Late 70's Vintage Dimarzio SDS-1 pickup - 9.17 kΩ
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone, Tone
• Pickup Selector: 5-way blade
• Potentiometers: Vintage replacements

Hardware

• Bridge: Fender Hardtail
• Saddles: Original cast saddles
• Hardware Finish: Chrome
• Neck Plate: Fender "F" 3-bolt plate with Micro-Tilt access
• Serial Number: 654198

Included

• Original Fender hardshell case with red/orange plush interior

Vintage & Condition Notes

This instrument has been carefully inspected to distinguish its original components from modifications accumulated during its approximately 50-year history.

The neck and middle pickups are period-correct Fender gray-bottom single coils bearing 1975 markings and exhibiting construction consistent with Fender pickups of the era. The bridge pickup is a vintage late 1970's Dimarzio SDS-1 aftermarket pickup carrying a "Patent Applied For" label. 

The guitar is equipped with a 5-way pickup selector rather than the 3-way selector originally standard on a 1975 Stratocaster. Fender officially adopted the 5-way selector as standard equipment in 1977, making this an upgrade commonly performed by players during the period.

The potentiometers have also been replaced and the wiring shows evidence of previous electronic work. Based on the provenance supplied by the longtime second owner, these modifications appear to predate his nearly 50 years of ownership, although their precise installation date cannot be independently verified. Likely done in the 1978-1979 during the installation of the "PAF" SDS-1 aftermarket Dimarzio bridge pickup.

The guitar appears to retain its original Natural finish, maple neck, body, F-stamped tuners, neck plate/Micro-Tilt hardware, bridge assembly, saddles, pickguard, and two original 1975 Fender pickups, as well as the original hard shell case.

Cosmetically, the guitar exhibits finish wear, checking, scratches, small dents, hardware patina, and other signs of normal use appropriate for a vintage instrument of this age. These marks have been left intact as part of the guitar's history.

As with any vintage instrument, originality statements are based on our physical inspection, component markings, construction details, available provenance, and comparison with documented period examples.