BUDDY HOLLY - COULD THIS BE BUDDY'S STOLEN '54 FENDER STRATOCASTER GUITAR?

In February 1959 when Buddy Holly died in a plane crash, Buddy's 1954 Fender Stratocaster was stolen.
This is the story about tragedy, treasure and what could be one of the greatest guitar finds ever.
The ’54 documentry film, claims to have discovered Buddy Holly’s 1954 Fender Stratocaster in Australia.
The Strat was thought to have gone missing on the night of 3 February 1959, when the rock ’n’ roll pioneer hopped aboard the ill-fated plane together with Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson. But now it seems as though the guitar has survived its original owner.
The ’54 charts the history of a particular 1954 Fender Stratocaster that Gil Matthews - he’s a drummer, producer and avid Fender collector - purchased two decades after the tragedy. Cross-examinations by experts point to a high probability that the guitar in Matthews’ possession is indeed Holly’s mythical Stratocaster.
Brett Kingman interviews Gil Matthews, who use to be the drummer of the Aztecs, an Australian rock band formed in Sydney. Gil went to Lubbock in Texas, the home town of Buddy Holly, in 1979 to buy a 1954 Fender Stratocaster.
Due to the markings on the guitar, COULD THIS STRAT BE BUDDY HOLLY'S MISSING GUITAR?
With thanks to Brett and Gil for this amazing story for all us Buddy Holly fans.
The full version can be viewed using this link
• The '54 - The Story Of...
©2019 Josh Owen and Brett Kingman for OKProductions.
All rights reserved and held by OKProductions.
Contact Brett Kingman for publication and use information.
Produced and Directed by Josh Owen and Brett Kingman
Edited by Josh Owen.
With very special thanks to Gil Matthews.
Filmed on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, April 2019.
Brett Kingman: / brettkingman​
Josh Owen: / joshowen28​
OKProductions: / burgsandjosh

[@cliffclone]

couple problems. the stolen '54 Strat was NOT the guitar that Holly was using at his last show. so what this "expert" said was completely wrong. The Surf Ballroom guitar was a '58 and it's in the Buddy Holly museum in Lubbock. It was never stolen or "missing". It was on the tour bus, not the plane he crashed in. The '54 Strat in question was stolen in Michigan in the fall of1957. Holly's tour of Australia was in 1958 so it's not that guitar, clear. Nor is there any proof that this '54 is the one that was stolen in MIchigan in 1957. The only one for sure known to be his is the one in the Lubbock museum and the one he played at the Surf Ballroom on Feb 2, 1959.

[@waynek6590]

@@HIWATTSteve I'm interested in your analysis but it would be helpful if you provided links demonstrating your claim. The album cover doesn't show the string tree. Here, are you talking about the view at 2:41? Do have an image of Buddy's guitar that shows something different? It would be very surprising to me if the owner (and others) didn't do a thorough, point-by-point comparison to verify there are no discrepancies.

[@waynek6590]

@@HIWATTSteve I found some decent shots of Buddy's guitar here: forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/has-buddy-hollys-1954-fender-stratocaster-been-found-in-australia.925607/ I think I agree with you as it appears the round screw is directly over the F (I did a screen cap of the area and expanded it). Here (2:41), it appears offset to the right. There's still a little doubt in my mind because the view here isn't straight on.

[@waynek6590]

@@HIWATTSteve Yeah, unfortunately most claims like this don't pan out. All that's needed to show it's not the same instrument is to verify your observation with measurements. If the screw locations don't match, there's no need to look at anything else.

[@waynek6590]

@@HIWATTSteve It looks like the yellow on this guitar extends farther out the upper horn than it does on Buddy's guitar. But that could be affected by lighting in the old photo's. The screw location is more definitive as it's something that could not be changed without leaving evidence of the change.

[@waynek6590]

@@HIWATTSteve I'm not a guitar expert by any stretch. I stumbled on this because I've been listening to Buddy the past few days and I like any kind of historical mystery, big or small.

[@balke7935]

Even if it’s not Buddy’s guitar: it’s a Leo Fender prototype! Blimey, one of the true holy grails of guitar history.

[@ronald8673]

According to Fender Musical Instruments only 3 actual Stratocaster prototypes were made.

[@1980bwc]

I've gone through pictures of Buddy holding his 54. The wear marks on the fretboards are nowhere near close to matching. There are worn spots on the neck of Buddy's 54, that the one in this video has absolutely no wear at all. The cracks on the bottom of the bakelite of the neck pickups are close, but the crack in Buddy's was actually a little more severe than this one. It doesn't take take long at all to come to the conclusion, that it's impossible for these to be the same guitars. Sorry

[@johnny90nine]

You're exactly right. Also, if you look at the wood grain on Buddy's, you can see a very distinct difference between the two across the top of the pickguard. Still a really great guitar he has though.

[@cruelcuts]

The chipped off pickup covers don't match up with the pictures of Buddy's guitar. On Buddy's guitar, the neck pickup cover has the 6th pole piece completely uncovered and the 5th pole piece partially damaged, where this one, the 5th pole piece is completely untouched. The middle pickup cover was also a lot more damaged on Buddy's guitar.

[@tsmith8567]

Guitar thieves need a special low part of Hell to spend eternity in

[@MrJeep75]

He didn't have his guitar in the plane

[@southernpride2003]

No he gave it to Dion

[@MrJeep75]

His first one was a early 55

[@nimitz1739]

Amazing story. This is what makes KZbin great.

[@mattcollier5957]

The Master Buddy Holly..... His Strat.... The Holy Grail

[@andrewcruz7595]

Yeah

[@billsedge7360]

Sorry it’s not , a 54 strat is a two tone this is a three

[@peelarat9578]

Hogwash that's not holly's guitar. Never ended up overseas in some hillbillies house .

[@beachcomber4141]

If this IS Buddy Hollys guitar, WOW!!! That should be up there in value with Hendrix's Stratocasters.

[@1980bwc]

Its definately not. The wear on these 2 guitars dont match up at all. Just another dude across the pond who got false information on an item. He lied about the photos being superimposed and matching up. Because they dont match at all.

[@TheTwangKings]

Holly's or not, this is a guitar that dreams are made of!

[@johnwheat5199]

To anyone who believes this guitar was owned by Buddy Holly, I have a pair of Julius Caesars socks I'd love to sell you!

[@RayLawrenceJrMUSIC]

Could Fender trace the serial number to the music store where Buddy hot the guitar? If it is in fact Buddy's strat. Shoudnt it be in the Buddy Holly center for all to see???

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Lubbock Texas must have seen hundreds of 2 tone sunburst strats over the years?

[@richtrophicherbs]

3-tone sunburst was not introduced until 1958.

[@billsedge7360]

Exactly

[@benwright6330]

..is the Woodgrain the same?

[@douglasboyd8475]

Gives me chills.

[@kevindoty6098]

Definitely not Buddy’s guitar. The real proof is the wood grain. The video never shows a closeup of the lower bout, which would be easy to compare to old photos, but even the grain to the left of the pickups doesn’t match. Kinda like fingerprints.

[@jackhopkins4679]

You look at pictures of buddy and the pickup covers look worn thru just like this strat

[@holomatrix]

I am dubious, if it was an early prototype I'd expect the serial to be on the rear white plastic scratch plate (which is missing) and have no serial on the metal backplate, I'd also expect the actual serial to be in the early 200s, however I'm aware Gilmours 0001 was probably not numero uno but possibly the first Mary Kay or 1 of the first custom colour strats however even that one was rumoured to be built for a competition). Eitherway, she's a beautiful 54, just curious where that numberplate would've come from as the potdates don't seem to match 🤔

[@charlyW34]

Hi everyone. This smells a lot like the fake story of Buddy's 1958 Impala that was wisely pulled from auction by Barrett-Jackson after the late Bill Griggs did some serious detective work and proved that the frame of that vehicle could not have been the car owned by Buddy. Is it the need for notoriety or greed that makes folks inflate the veracity of what they have? Is it not enough to say a car is the same make and year, or the guitar very similar to the model played by Buddy in '54?

[@ajbianchi85]

Hank Marvin? Bro, come on now.

[@richieluckenbill1590]

Nope, NOT Buddy's!

[@robinfereday6562]

Could do d.n.a. on the guitar

[@billsedge7360]

The 54 was a two tone . This is a three tone, so sorry , no way is this a 54

[@Sorryhurtsgazing]

I think this is the strat buddy used on the Arthur Murray dance party. Because I’m the video you can see the pickup covers have the same chips in the same spot. But it’s just my theory

[@richieluckenbill1590]

They are not the same shapes of wear marks though. Buddy's Strat was actually a '55. This video is falsely theorizing.

[@Schnitzeldawg]

Didn't one of his guitars get stolen in Windsor Ontario? At the Windsor Arena.

[@andyfletcher5412]

Yes. Then he bought a new one in michigan and it was stolen as well

[@jackhopkins4679]

If it was a prototype you would think Leo fender would have something saying that buddy bought it and have serial number could that be possible I'm sure those on here know more than me I would like to know more about this

[@dextermorgan1757]

Who would want to steal the king's strat

[@soofitnsexy]

me

[@alansimpson8962]

Actually i stand corrected he used a new 58 strat

[@CRi5_Ryder]

A Guitars Woodgrain is like a figure print, they are unique. The grain of Buddy's 1954 Strat has a few telling differences to the Guitar seen in the above Video claiming it could be Buddy's stolen Strat. Have a look past the worn pickups as that happened on most all early Stratocasters until the upgrade in 1959. Look close at the Body Grain, also neck ware. Buddy never played down the Neck.

[@ronald8673]

The bakelite pickup covers and parts were phased out in 1955

[@PhilTrigwell]

RUBBISH!!! . . .this strat has plastic knobs .. . .the 54's had very low numbers . .but IF it IS .. then BY LAW it must be returned to it's owner( or surviving family members!!!

[@ronald8673]

This has so many inaccuracies it is hilarious. If you do factual research you'll understand why this guy never claims it is, because it isn't. Look at all the media photos from that time period and if you are not completely blind, you can tell the difference.

[@user-rh9yo8ly7e]

Story goes is that the a small group of girls was bieng shown by the guys werw they were sleeping and stuff on that cold bus and the girl wich was my memaw saw were the guitars were on the bus and told her boyfriend wich was my pepaw about the location of the guitars and trust me when i say the guitar was stolen before buddy left for the air port just know one knew it at the time

[@user-rh9yo8ly7e]

Its not i know for a fact where the guitar is setting here looking at it hanging on the wall and i know the boy who was told from a girl exactly were it was on the bus that night😊

[@SoloSi2024]

Definitely seen pictures of him playing a guitar with those black marks on the pickup covers.

[@pjfdourley4998]

Even if its not, this is still very interesting , if you want a ridiculous story, head over to the iron maiden kossoff strat claim, apparently the guitarist bought his hero's guitar, sprayed it from white to black then proceeded to replace the neck, pick-ups and all wiring and nobs......would you really do that to your hero's guitar

[@rob_in_stowmarket_uk]

No… by the time Buddy died he was on his third Strat from ‘57 or ‘58.

[@dextermorgan4366]

Why would someone want to still the king's guitar

[@KRS_5150]

Lol @ “still”

[@SharpEdgeStandardOfficial]

OMG Cmon man, look at the Buddy’s’54 strat grain pattern it’s bold and there is a knot or dark curl in the wood grain just above the bridge and this strat in question has NONE of them grain features in fact it’s very plain and has almost NO grain patterns on the front. You’d be a fool to think this was buddy hollys guitar lol

[@AllSpace]

stiill i take the money this guitar worth 50k plus

[@kevinholly5517]

Ask Maria Elena (his wife) she would know, I’m sure!

[@TheWGLOVER]

Why? She didn't know him then.

[@nsplude5150]

Ok this is bs!!! Buddy’s 58 Stratocaster is in Lubbock Texas. His 55 was stolen in 1958 so that’s why he bought a new one. Get your facts straight before you put up BS like this.

[@kevinholly5517]

Great video but irritating guitar picking in background! Put me off the talking somewhat!

[@acaseoftheshakespsychobill4908]

DNA ?

[@DriveByShouting]

NOT Buddy’s stolen EARLY 55 Stratocaster. Nice try 👍

[@alansimpson8962]

He used a 55 strat on last performance

[@LARRY.B.LeeVRE]

parts guitar

[@2015Zoe]

hard to understand these guys