1973 Fender Stratocaster, Sunburst
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
At a Glance:
Model: Stratocaster
Year: 1973
Finish: 3-Tone Sunburst (nitro over poly)
Neck Date: JAN ’73
Neck Wood: Maple
Fingerboard: Maple
Neck Profile: Chunky C
Nut Width: 40.5mm
Neck Depth: 21.8mm at 1st fret | 24mm at 12th fret
Tuners: Correct F-stamp Schaller
Pickups: 3 x correct staggered pole, grey bottom
Electronics: Wiring disturbed, changed 5-way switch
Pots: Neck tone pot dates 1973, other pots appear changed
Hardware: Correct one-piece Mazak trem block, die-cast saddles
Modifications: Changed nut, refret, switch changed to 5-way, added foil shielding under pickguard
Other Notes: Extra screw holes under backplate
Case: 70s Fender Hard Shell
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.
1973 Fender Stratocaster, Sunburst
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
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1973 Fender Stratocaster, Sunburst
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Description
This is one cool looking Strat with some really attractive wear courtesy of decades of play. Paired with a great-feeling chunky maple neck it's a hard guitar to put down! These early bullet truss rod, 3-bolt, big headstock, staggered pole Strats have developed a strong following in recent years, and with this one it's easy to see why.
The maple neck is date stamped JAN ’73, along with the expected bullet truss rod, two string trees and bold black logo. The neck has a really comfortable chunky C profile that feels substantial in the hand without being oversized, measuring 40.5mm at the nut, 21.8mm deep at the 1st fret and 24mm at the 12th. It has been refretted and the nut has been changed, both sensible upgrades from a playing perspective, helping make it a very usable vintage Strat today.
Cosmetically it presents in a really vibey, worn 3-Tone Sunburst finish with some fine lacquer checking and wear through to the Alder in a few places. Finishes vary in this period, and the fine lacquer checking and patchy wear appears consistent with a Poly undercoat and Nitro top coat as is documented during this period.
Under the hood, the guitar remains broadly correct, although the wiring has clearly been disturbed over the years as you'd expect from a well used instrument of this age. The switch has been changed to a 5-way, and there is some untidy soldering on the volume and bridge tone pots, making the pot codes hard to read. The neck tone pot dates to 1973, and the wiring itself shows the expected black-and-white PVC type for the period.
It has the correct staggered pole, grey bottom single coil pickups. The neck and middle are both ink stamped 9420, while the bridge pickup is a slightly lighter shade of grey with a faded stamp. All three retain the correct plain enamel burgundy wire associated with the period. Bridge/trem block is the correct one-piece Mazak type with part number stamped to the underside, complete with the correct die-cast block saddles.
Overall, this is a very appealing and characterful early-'70s Stratocaster with the right look, a strong set of core original features, and a lovely substantial neck that should make it a very enjoyable player. A cool, honest vintage Fender definitely worthy of stage or studio!
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At a Glance:
Model: Stratocaster
Year: 1973
Finish: 3-Tone Sunburst (nitro over poly)
Neck Date: JAN ’73
Neck Wood: Maple
Fingerboard: Maple
Neck Profile: Chunky C
Nut Width: 40.5mm
Neck Depth: 21.8mm at 1st fret | 24mm at 12th fret
Tuners: Correct F-stamp Schaller
Pickups: 3 x correct staggered pole, grey bottom
Electronics: Wiring disturbed, changed 5-way switch
Pots: Neck tone pot dates 1973, other pots appear changed
Hardware: Correct one-piece Mazak trem block, die-cast saddles
Modifications: Changed nut, refret, switch changed to 5-way, added foil shielding under pickguard
Other Notes: Extra screw holes under backplate
Case: 70s Fender Hard Shell
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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Why Buy from ATB Guitars?
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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