1957 Fender 'Mary Kaye' Stratocaster, refin
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
At a Glance:
Model: Fender Stratocaster “Mary Kaye”
Year: 1957
Finish: Blonde refinish (by Huw Price)
Body: Ash, body dated 8-57
Neck: Maple with maple fingerboard, dated 8-57
Neck Profile: Soft V
Fingerboard: Maple (refinished)
Frets: Jescar 50085 refret
Pickups: 3 × original pre-CBS black-bottom single coils (bridge original windings, neck & middle expertly rewound)
Electronics: 3 × original pots dated week 23 of 1957, original switch and capacitor, some wiring replaced
Hardware: Much original gold hardware including single-line Kluson tuners, bridge plate, neck plate & screws, jack cup and some pickguard screws
Replaced Parts: Repro pickguard, vintage steel saddles (5 original gold saddles included with broken intonation screws), pickup mounting screws & tubing (originals included), strap buttons, trem arm
Case: Hard case
Notes: Body expertly refinished and small ash repair carried out by Huw Price; headstock face and fingerboard refinished as part of restoration.
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.
1957 Fender 'Mary Kaye' Stratocaster, refin
Regular price
- Unit price
- / per
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1957 Fender 'Mary Kaye' Stratocaster, refin
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Description
Few vintage Stratocasters capture the imagination quite like a genuine 1957 “Mary Kaye” blonde Strat, and examples rarely surface at anything approaching an accessible price point. This particular guitar offers the unmistakable look, feel and sound of a mid-’50s ash-body Strat, complete with much of its original gold hardware, while coming in at a price point that is almost unheard of for a guitar of this type.
The guitar started life in August 1957, with both the ash body and maple neck dated 8-57. The neck features the classic soft V profile that so many players associate with the finest mid-’50s Stratocasters. The maple fingerboard and headstock face have been refinished and the guitar has been refretted with Jescar 50085 wire. This fret size is slightly larger than the original specification and contributes to the excellent playability the guitar offers today.
The guitar retains three original black-bottom pickups; the middle and neck have been expertly rewound to maintain correct tone and output. The controls feature three original pots dated to week 23 of 1957, along with the original switch and capacitor, although some wiring has been replaced during its lifetime.
A pleasing amount of the original gold-plated hardware remains intact. The guitar retains its single-line Kluson tuners, neck plate, ash tray, jack cup and several pickguard screws, all of which show the gentle ageing you would expect from nearly seven decades of use. There is also remnants of gold on the truss rod cover.
As is often the case with well-played vintage instruments, a number of parts have been replaced over time. The pickguard is a very good quality reproduction, while the saddles have been replaced with vintage steel units for functionality (five of the original gold saddles are included, but their intonation screws having broken off.) The pickup mounting screws and rubber donuts, strap buttons and tremolo arm have also been replaced, with the original pickup hardware included in the case.
The body has been expertly refinished by Huw Price, who also repaired a small section of ash in the body during the restoration process. The result is a beautifully executed blonde finish that captures the classic Mary Kaye aesthetic perfectly, translucent enough to show the grain of the ash beneath, and paired with the remaining gold hardware to create the unmistakable look that made these guitars famous.
Most importantly, this Strat simply sounds and feels fantastic. Everyone who has spent time with it here has come away impressed by its lively response, classic Strat chime and effortless playability. It delivers all the character you expect from a great mid-’50s Fender.
Original Mary Kaye Stratocasters have become extremely sought after over the years, and the handful we have handled previously have all been priced considerably higher than this example. While this guitar has had some sympathetic restoration work, it still offers the core ingredients that make these instruments so special.
For anyone wanting the look, tone and feel of a genuine 1957 Mary Kaye Stratocaster without venturing into six-figure territory, this represents a very compelling opportunity... and one we suspect may not be around for long!
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At a Glance:
Model: Fender Stratocaster “Mary Kaye”
Year: 1957
Finish: Blonde refinish (by Huw Price)
Body: Ash, body dated 8-57
Neck: Maple with maple fingerboard, dated 8-57
Neck Profile: Soft V
Fingerboard: Maple (refinished)
Frets: Jescar 50085 refret
Pickups: 3 × original pre-CBS black-bottom single coils (bridge original windings, neck & middle expertly rewound)
Electronics: 3 × original pots dated week 23 of 1957, original switch and capacitor, some wiring replaced
Hardware: Much original gold hardware including single-line Kluson tuners, bridge plate, neck plate & screws, jack cup and some pickguard screws
Replaced Parts: Repro pickguard, vintage steel saddles (5 original gold saddles included with broken intonation screws), pickup mounting screws & tubing (originals included), strap buttons, trem arm
Case: Hard case
Notes: Body expertly refinished and small ash repair carried out by Huw Price; headstock face and fingerboard refinished as part of restoration.
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.