FENDER 1959 STRATOCASTER

In '58, with the "Jazzmaster"RecruitThis year marked a major change: the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, previously used on guitars, became standard on Stratocasters and other models from 1959 onwards. Until mid-1962, the neck and fingerboard were joined using a flat "slab board," but after that, the joint surface was changed to a curved "round board," which significantly affected the sound.
Early slab-finish models feature a thicker fretboard, resulting in a characteristically fuller tone.

From around mid-1959, the pickguard changed from a white, single-ply design with 8 screws to a three-ply design with 11 screws. This change in pickguard resulted in the control cavity's screw holes protruding, making it slightly narrower than before. This became the standard shape for the 1960s.

The wiring grooves in the rear pickup section vary from one instrument to another, but from around 1957 onwards, they were carved freehand, but with a rounded bottom and a consistent depth.

Jack made by "SwitchCraft"RecruitThe edges of the cavity are sanded and shaped after painting, but there are differences in the finish depending on the individual piece. There appear to be pin holes for jig fastening on the sanded edges, but I couldn't confirm them clearly.

The body's date is inscribed in the spring cavity on the back, confirming it as 1959.

From 1957 onwards, the contours tended to become shallower and shorter. The back contours were already shorter on both sides. Because the design was changed in detail over time, there are subtle differences from year to year.

The neck pocket is painted all over. The lacquer peeling at the joint is consistent between the body and the neck, so it's almost certainly the original set. From around 1962, a hanger was attached to the neck pocket before painting, so the paint only covered half of it.

This is an original pickup with black fiber paper used on the top and bottom of the bobbin. It remains in its original condition, even down to the masking tape used to bundle the wiring. The pickup uses a cylindrical Alnico Type V magnet and a coil made of AWG (American Wire Gauge) #42. The pole pieces are of the staggered type, with different heights for each string to balance the volume, a design used until the mid-1970s.RecruitIt is being done.
*Alnico Type V: An alloy consisting of approximately 50% iron, with the addition of aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co). Incidentally, the name Alnico is simply derived from the arrangement of the element symbols.
◎For your reference

(F)6.07kΩ (M)6.10kΩ (R)5.85kΩ

While serial numbers are generally an important factor in determining the year of manufacture, they don't always match. This is because errors can occur due to changes in the manufacturing process and other systems, and for various reasons, some items may have serial numbers and manufacturing dates that are extremely far apart. Since parts can be easily replaced, determining the actual year requires a comprehensive assessment that includes all the parts.

Pots have been around since 1957RecruitA round groove type potentiometer made by "Stackpole". The potentiometer date is "304-5948", so it can be identified as the 48th week of '59. The capacitor is a 0.1μF 150VDC made by "Cornel Dubilier", which was not potted from around '58.RecruitIt is. The switch is also an original "CRL" 3-point type with a distinctive trapezoidal (rice ball-shaped) circuit board.

Around mid-1959, the design changed from a single-ply vinyl chloride to a three-ply white/black/white celluloid design. Over time, the celluloid yellows, and the resulting mixture with the dark blue in the center (which appears black but is actually navy blue) gives it a greenish tint, hence its nickname, "Green Guard." Simultaneously with the change to the three-ply design, the aluminum shield plate on the back, which previously only covered the control section, was modified to cover the entire unit.

Following the Jazzmaster, from mid-1959...RecruitThe rosewood fingerboard was originally a slab-type, with the joint being flat, but from mid-1962 onwards, it was round-type, with the joint being curved. Unfortunately, the neck date cannot be confirmed...

After the V-neck (triangular neck) used until 1957, the guitar transitioned to a thinner, flatter grip from 1958 onwards. This thin neck shape was also a characteristic feature until the early 1960s. With the rosewood fingerboard becoming standard in 1959, the walnut skunk stripe that was present on the one-piece maple neck disappeared.
◎For your reference

Nut width: 42mm, 12th fret width: 51mm
Neck thickness: Approximately 21mm (at the 1st fret), approximately 25mm (at the 12th fret)

The tuning pegs are covered type made by "Kluson". They are "single-line Kluson" tuners with the "KLUSON DELUXE" engraving, and were used until around 1963.Recruit。

The so-called "spaghetti logo" is gold with a black border. The headstock has a sharp, angular appearance with almost no beveling. Until 1960, there was no patent number, and only "WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO" was written at the bottom.

From the latter half of '59, a spacer was added below the string guide. This reduces the load on the strings, resulting in softer string tension. It's a small detail, but it's surprisingly important.

You can see that the shape from the fretboard to the headstock has changed due to the introduction of rosewood. The maple version has a steep, downward-sloping radius, while the rosewood version has a much larger, gentler radius.
◎For your reference

1st string side: 14mm, 6th string side: 14mm

From around 1959 to 1963, matte position markers called "clay dots" were used. Also, midway through 1963, the spacing between the two dot markers on the 12th fret was narrowed, and the side markers were changed in the same way.

While the frets were previously pressed in from above, from this period onward, they are being slid from the 6th string side to the 1st string side and set into the fretboard.

This separate-type tremolo block integrates the "bridge" and the "inertia block," which functions as a tailpiece. The name "Synchronized Tremolo," which realized this innovative idea, comes from the fact that the integrated bridge plate and inertia block move in sync during arming. From around 1957, there were also types with a deeper groove for the "FENDER PAT.PEND." inscription on the saddle.RecruitHowever, it seems that there are quite a few individuals where both are confused.

Around 1958, the screws for the pickguard (11 screws on the top) and the jack (2 screws on the bottom) were changed from wood screws to self-tapping screws with notches extending to the top. The screws for the neck joint and spring hanger remained wood screws. The serial number was engraved on the top of the neck plate.