1965 Fender Stratocaster, Fiesta Red
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- / per
At a Glance:
Model: Stratocaster
Year: 1964/65
Finish: Original Fiesta Red custom colour
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood veneer
Inlays: Clay dots
Decal: Transition logo, 4 Patent no.
Neck Date: October 1964
Pickups: 3 x original grey-bottom single coils, dated Jan 1965
Pickup Readings: Neck 5.98k / Middle 5.2k / Bridge 6.3k
Pots: 3 x CTS, 1st week of 1965
Switch: Original 3-way
Tuners: Original single-line Kluson
Pickguard: Original 3-ply white
Bridge/Trem: Original tremolo block, original claw solder, all 5 springs present, correct Pat Pend saddles
Nut Width: 42.2mm
Neck Depth: 1st fret 20.8mm | 12th fret 24.7mm
Case: Original black Tolex hard case
Accessories: Original tags, ash tray, polish cloth, allen key
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1965 Fender Stratocaster, Fiesta Red
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1965 Fender Stratocaster, Fiesta RedDescription
A particularly special and exceptionally clean transition model, this 1964/65 Fender Stratocaster in it's original Fiesta Red finish is a superb custom colour example from one of the most desirable periods of Fender production. Finished in its original Fiesta Red over a white undercoat on a yellow-dyed alder body, it has all the hallmarks collectors hope to see, and on inspection this one presents remarkably well throughout. With its transition logo, small headstock, rosewood fingerboard with clay dots, white three-ply guard and L-series neck plate, it captures a narrow crossover period as CBS gradually introduced changes to the model.
Visually, the guitar is stunning. It is an impressively clean and honest example, complete with its original case and tags, and appears to have lived it's life mainly in inside it's original case. The neck is dated October 1964, with three matching CTS pots dating to the first week of 1965 and all three grey-bottom pickups initialled and dated January 1965.
Constructionally and cosmetically, everything here points the right way. The body shows the correct white undercoat beneath the Fiesta Red topcoat, with the yellow-dyed alder body visible in the pocket as expected. The neck pocket looks excellent, the three nail holes are present and correct, and the routing details are all very reassuring, right down to the fuzz in the worm route. There is masking tape remnants in the neck pocket too revealing the white undercoat as is often seen, and the overall impression under the guard is of a guitar that has escaped the sort of invasive work so many others of this age have suffered. Even the neck bolts are notably tight, suggesting it has not been repeatedly apart over the years.
Under the guard, the three grey-bottom pickups are exactly what you would want to find. They're all hand-dated and initialled MH (neck/middle) and AS (bridge), and the eyelet solder all looks right. The pickup readings are strong and healthy at 5.98k on the neck, 5.2k in the middle and 6.3k at the bridge. Sonically, these transition-era grey-bottom Strat pickups tend to have all the sparkle, woodiness and dynamic attack of the best sixties examples, with that unmistakable top end and punchy mid.
The trem claw solder looks spot-on and appears original, with correct-looking flux that fluoresces properly under UV. Overall the electronics present very well, and the three matching CTS pots dating to early 1965 tie everything together exactly as they should, and the original three-way switch remains in place.
Hardware and plastics all appear correct. It retains the right single-line Kluson tuners, original tremolo block, correct backplate with all five springs intact, white pickup covers, knobs, and the correct white three-ply pickguard.
In the hand, the neck offers a nut width of 42.2mm, with a depth of 20.8mm at the first fret and 24.7mm at the twelfth, giving it a comfortable and substantial mid-sixties feel without being oversized.
Overall, this is a superbly preserved and highly desirable Fiesta Red Stratocaster from one of the most collectable periods in Fender history. A serious collector-grade custom colour example complete with original case, hang tags (showing matching serial number), polish cloth and allen key. Stunning!
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At a Glance:
Model: Stratocaster
Year: 1964/65
Finish: Original Fiesta Red custom colour
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood veneer
Inlays: Clay dots
Decal: Transition logo, 4 Patent no.
Neck Date: October 1964
Pickups: 3 x original grey-bottom single coils, dated Jan 1965
Pickup Readings: Neck 5.98k / Middle 5.2k / Bridge 6.3k
Pots: 3 x CTS, 1st week of 1965
Switch: Original 3-way
Tuners: Original single-line Kluson
Pickguard: Original 3-ply white
Bridge/Trem: Original tremolo block, original claw solder, all 5 springs present, correct Pat Pend saddles
Nut Width: 42.2mm
Neck Depth: 1st fret 20.8mm | 12th fret 24.7mm
Case: Original black Tolex hard case
Accessories: Original tags, ash tray, polish cloth, allen key
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
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ATB Guitars has been trading since the '90s and we've sold thousands of guitars to date. We pride ourselves on our in-depth descriptions, detailed photography, honesty and transparency. We also accept no questions returns within 14 days so you can buy with confidence! Read more about our history below...
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