Fender Stratocaster 1961 Fiesta Red Refinished Slab Board Rosewood – Vintage Player’s Guitar

No sales tax for customers outside California.

This 1961 Fender Stratocaster in a Fiesta Red refinish with a slab rosewood fingerboard is a true vintage treasure for players and collectors alike.

This guitar weighs just 7.5 pounds - its a winner!

Originally built during Fender’s golden pre-CBS era, this Stratocaster delivers the tone and feel that have made early ’60s models legendary. The slab-board rosewood neck offers warm resonance and smooth playability. 

The original pickups have the lower output that the early 60s Strats are known for - they sound incredible.

The professional Fiesta Red refin gives this Strat an eye-catching vintage-correct aesthetic while maintaining its authentic early ’60s character. Unlike pristine collector-grade examples, this guitar is a player’s dream—ready for the stage or studio with decades of history and unmistakable Fender tone.  Being a nitro finish, it will wear and age like an original finish.

The finish on the neck is original.

The nail holes that Fender used to hold the guitar while finishing are visible under the new finish.  Tooling marks on the neck, the neck pocket, and the pickup routes are correct for the era.  No routing was ever done on the body, and there are no filled holes or any other destructive work done before the refinish.  

The guitar was professionally refretted with jumbo frets.  They feel great!  I have purchased quite a few guitars from the friend and customer who owned this guitar.  Some of them just don't work for me with the jumbo frets, but this one does.  I have sent a couple off in the past for refrets, and the work can easily be done by a professional with great results.  The original frets are in the case, retained for posterity.  The nut was changed - a necessary change for the larger frets.

The original switch is also in the case - a five-way switch was installed in the guitar.  Also stashed in the case are the original output jack wires.  Why they were replaced, I don't know.  There is a tremolo claw and screws in the case as well.  I'll have to look at those and see why they're there.  The trem claw in the guitar looks original.  

The pots are original, dated to the 34th week of 1961.  The tone cap and all the control wiring is original as well.  The solder joints between the pots are all original.  The wires from the pickups were unsoldered for refinishing, as was the bridge ground wire and those to the output jack.

The tuners are original and there are no additional holes in the headstock.  The bridge is original as are the saddles.  The backplate is in the case and appears to be original.

The pickguard is not original.

The case is a beautiful, original, brown-tolex beauty.

Every instrument at Mahar’s Vintage Guitars undergoes detailed inspection, expert setup, and professional photography, so you can buy with confidence.

Looking to explore more pre-CBS era and other Fender instruments? Browse our collection of vintage and used Fender guitars, or pair this 1961 Strat with a classic Fender amplifier to complete the authentic early ’60s rig.

• Color: Fiesta Red
• Weight: 7lbs 8oz
  
• Body: Alder
  
• Neck: Maple
• Neck Date/Code: 10/61
  
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Inlays: Clay Dot
• Frets: Jumbo refret, originals included
• Fret Count: 21
• Nut: Original
• Nut width: 1-5/8"
• Radius: 7.25"
• Scale: 25.5"
• Neck thickness at 1st fret: .895"
• Neck thickness at 12th fret: 1.0"
• Action 1st String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Action 6th String at 12th Fret: 2/32"
• Overall length: 38-3/8"
  
• Lower bout: 12-5/8"
  
• Waist: 9-1/4"
  
• Upper bout: 11"
  
• Body depth/thickness: 1-3/4"
  
• String gauge: .010-.046
  
• Hardware Color: Nickel
• Bridge Pickup/Brand: Fender Single Coil
• Bridge Pickup Reading: 5.53k
• Pickup Original?: Yes
• Middle Pickup/Brand: Fender Single Coil
• Middle Pickup Reading: 5.41k
• Pickup Original?: Yes
• Neck Pickup/Brand: Fender Single Coil
• Neck Pickup Reading: 5.56k
• Pickup Original?: Yes
• Pickguard: Orignal
• Bridge: Original
• Tuners: Original
• Knobs: Original
• Switch: 5 Way, original included
• Pots/Codes: Original
• Case: OHSC
• Notes:

Shipping policy:

There are multiple shipping cost options for purchases made on our site.  Select Ground, 3 Day, 2 Day, or Next Day Air Saver.  For Reverb purchases, there is one cost option for these Eastern states and shipment will be made by UPS three-day-air.  Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions.  If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to sales@maharsvintageguitars.com.  Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.