1973 Fender Stratocaster Makeover

[@andreasimoncinicmm]

fantastic job

[@S69Classic]

You need to change the title of this video, its not a 73 Strat (headstock decal is from 76, 77, 78 or 79, plus black pickguards/backplates on Stratocasters didn't come out until late 75 early 76). Check the serial number on the headstock and the little white sticker under the pickguard, it will have a S meaning 70s, then the 1st number will give you the year of the guitar. 1973 Stratocaster headstock decals had a pat number under Fender and original contour body decal was at the end of the headstock, plus the serial number on a 73 strat would of been on the 3 bolt neck plate. Nice guitar, very clean, my only problem with 70s maple neck Strats is how many refrets has the guitar had? Too many refret jobs on the neck, the thickness of the neck becomes too thin, that's just my experience in playing 70s strats (that have had more than 4 refrets and also the fretboard radius sanded down from the original 7-1/4 inch down to 9 or more inch fretboard flatness).

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

Hello mate and thank you for the comment! We actually contacted Fender support because my costumer still have all the documents of when he bought the guitar but the serial number wasn't recognised by Fender website, so, knowing that website research page doesn't alway find a match we contacted the support. They told us that the serial suggest that the guitar is from te '70 but the can't tell exactly which year. The same goes for the dimension of the dots and, Ben from Fender, told us "The 70's in Fender's history were not renowned for being particularly consistent and you will find anomalys and odd things on 70s era instruments." I don't really know if that's the case but they say the guitar is an original and the receipt of the owner says '73... I really have to invoke the benefit of the doubt on this case. Again thank you very much for your comment is incredible how much knowledge we can find thanks to the web!

[@S69Classic]

Hi Andrew, I posted some more info about that guitar (on the date codes) but it hasn't shown up on your reply post? Cheers Rob.@@AndrewsGuitarShop

[@S69Classic]

Hi Andrew, I've gone over your video a few times now and I can see the serial number on the headstock, and I can 100% say that guitar is not a 73 Stratocaster. By the number I'm seeing, that guitar was built very late 78 early 1979. Also the pickups that you took out have flat pole pieces (if they were 1973 pickups the pole pieces would of been staggered) the date codes that are stamped on the bottom of the pickups also tell me that they are not from 1973. There are some good books on the Fender Stratocaster, one of them is by A.R.Dushossoir (which came out way before the internet) that have serial # referencing section. Cheers Rob. @@AndrewsGuitarShop

[@dansoderlund1614]

@@AndrewsGuitarShop S/n "S9******" means 1978-1981, probably '79 (based on the second digit). Definitely not '73. And the makeover is OK, not much that can't be undone.

[@Vigilius60]

Gran bel lavoro, solo una domanda: dove hai preso il circuito precablato?

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

Ciao! Ho aggiornato la descrizione del video con tutti i link

[@Vigilius60]

@@AndrewsGuitarShop Grazie!

[@angelonemo5551]

There's nothing to get over. People are entitled to make expensive mistakes.

[@anthonymazzola767]

Could you please tell me where to get the tuner pin jig that you use in this video? Thank you.

[@bm7760]

Does he want to sell the old pickups? I've a '73 that came with later pickups.

[@LiuteriaMarcellan]

I don't think so but I can definitely ask!

[@chrisorth]

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! Although, excellent work.

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

Thanks mate!

[@stavanski5083]

in my opinion it was quite a downgrade from whatever it used to be but i appreciate the work and aslong as a customer is happy with their request

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

The costumer is very happy. I tried my best to stop him from making too many irreversible changes...it didn't work.

[@DoktorDamage]

@stavanski5083: 0:24 LOL

[@CaffeineNightOwl]

watched this with mixed feelings

[@Dom_nar]

THE BEST WORK FENDER ,,,, GOD SAVE YOU MEN ,,,,BEAZIL FANS FENDER

[@walterjohnson6138]

The tremelo block looked like it was thinner than a credit card

[@stratplayr6997]

Honestly the only thing that I disagree with doing was the tuner swap. Otherwise everything else is easily reversible and can be restored to the original parts.

[@Luke-ot6mk]

The owner is crazy!!!!! Buy an inexpensive squire and do this job! But good Job anyway!

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

I agree. But Squier is giving me haemorrhoids lately 😅 Maybe a Mexican Fender Stratocaster Player!

[@Luke-ot6mk]

lol lol lol @@AndrewsGuitarShop

[@davidstorm4015]

@@AndrewsGuitarShop the early 1990's Squier Silver Series strats are great and not expensive. Made in Japan, excellent guitars and very mod-able, but I wouldn't even do irreversible changes on one of those as they are becoming rarer and will be very sought after one day

[@lousekoya1803]

Very Sad !

[@Metalcop5150]

I don't understand why the routing was even necessary? The new Fender pickups and harness should have fit w/ zero issues? Though I would have just used an entirely new pickguard assembly, and NOT done the routing. All of these mods are easily reversible, (except the questionable routing and tuner holes) so I don't see what the big deal is? I also would have spent the time finding a locking tuner that would fit within the same footprint as the originals, even though the old holes were covered. Sometimes it's better to protect the customers from themselves, though they may just get the next guy to make the mods. This was definitely a case of "get a different guitar".

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

The answer is easy. Fender Noiseless Pickups don't fit in most Fender bodies especially when we are talking about old guitars. There is no way to mount them without routing the body.

[@Metalcop5150]

@@AndrewsGuitarShop Thanks for the reply. I had no idea just how much taller the noiseless pickups are! That is definitely a mod that I (personally) would not do to a vintage guitar. But, to each their own, as you alluded to in your disclaimer. The fact that the customer has owned this guitar since new, somehow makes it more palatable (to me, anyway) that he's the one choosing to mod it.

[@ernestoviu3952]

Obviously, everyone does what they want with their guitar, but I would never make irreversible changes to vintage guitars, because you are devaluing it.

[@sythe77]

It's ok, early 70s ash Strats are gar-bage. Anything would be an improvement.

[@ricksound2215]

awful

[@Marco-eh5wu]

secondo me il proprietario ha fatto bene...io non l avrei fatto, ma con le chitarre ci devi suonare...secondo me e l approccio giusto...avendo soldi e coraggio..

[@AndrewsGuitarShop]

Sante parole!

[@patrickrouse7357]

Honestly, 70s Fenders and Gibsons were junk. And I'm sure if Leo was alive to see this he'd totally approve. The man was all about innovation and upgrading.

[@dansoderlund1614]

BS. The Micro Tilt and the 5-way-switch was great innovations by Leo in the 70s.

[@patrickrouse7357]

@@dansoderlund1614 Yes, those were great additions but I was referring to the quality control @ the time. Both companies were very inconsistent and were looking for ways to cut corners on materials and labor. Hence the reason the Japanese market starts to thrive @ the time.

[@dansoderlund1614]

But they are not junk. Far from it.