1974 Stratocaster
BODY
Body Material: Alder or Ash
Body Finish: "Thick Skin" Poly/Lacquer
Body Shape: Slightly Contoured Stratocaster
NECK
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Poly/Nitrocellulose
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Fingerboard Material: Round Lam Rosewood or Fretted Maple Neck
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25” (184 mm)
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Vintage Style
Position Inlays: Pearl (Rosewood) or Black Dots (Maple), Narrow Spacing; Black Side Dots
Truss Rod: Bullet
Skunk Stripe: Yes
Micro Tilt
HEADSTOCK
Type: Large
Logo: CBS Black Logo with Patent Numbers
ELECTRONICS
Pickups: Alnico 5 Single Coil, Grey Bottom
Poles: Staggered until late '74, then Flush Poles
Magnet Wire: Plain Enamel
Middle Pickup RWRP: No
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck), Tone 2. (Mid)
Switching: 3-Position Blade
Configuration: SSS
HARDWARE
Bridge: Die-Cast Tremolo
Saddles: Die-Cast
Tuning Machines: Schaller/Fender "F" Keys
String Tree: #2 Wing
Pickguard: 3-Ply White, 11 Holes (config. modern)
Control Knobs: White
Pickup covers: White
Neck Plate: 3-Bolt, Serial
COLORS
3-Tone Sunburst, Blonde, Custom Colors
Body Material: Alder or Ash
Body Finish: "Thick Skin" Poly/Lacquer
Body Shape: Slightly Contoured Stratocaster
NECK
Neck Material: Maple
Neck Finish: Poly/Nitrocellulose
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Fingerboard Material: Round Lam Rosewood or Fretted Maple Neck
Fingerboard Radius: 7.25” (184 mm)
Number of Frets: 21
Fret Size: Vintage Style
Position Inlays: Pearl (Rosewood) or Black Dots (Maple), Narrow Spacing; Black Side Dots
Truss Rod: Bullet
Skunk Stripe: Yes
Micro Tilt
HEADSTOCK
Type: Large
Logo: CBS Black Logo with Patent Numbers
ELECTRONICS
Pickups: Alnico 5 Single Coil, Grey Bottom
Poles: Staggered until late '74, then Flush Poles
Magnet Wire: Plain Enamel
Middle Pickup RWRP: No
Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck), Tone 2. (Mid)
Switching: 3-Position Blade
Configuration: SSS
HARDWARE
Bridge: Die-Cast Tremolo
Saddles: Die-Cast
Tuning Machines: Schaller/Fender "F" Keys
String Tree: #2 Wing
Pickguard: 3-Ply White, 11 Holes (config. modern)
Control Knobs: White
Pickup covers: White
Neck Plate: 3-Bolt, Serial
COLORS
3-Tone Sunburst, Blonde, Custom Colors
Per maggiori dettagli sull'evoluzione dei singoli componenti della Stratocaster nell'era pre-CBS e in quella CBS consulta il capitolo Evoluzione delle Stratocaster vintage.
Ringrazio Paolo Bassi per le foto di questa Stratocaster del 1974 natural. Per la prima volta, durante quest'anno, la Fender propone i nuovi pickup flushpoles. Da notare anche i segnatasti laterali neri che non sono più collocati tra tastiera e manico ma solo sul manico.