1963 Fender Stratocaster Hardtail - Sunburst

Clean 1963 Fender Hardtail Stratocaster 3-tone Sunburst. This guitar has an interesting background - basically it's a factory original 63 Hardtail with a late 50s body and replacement pickguard. The body is an original late 50s body with the missing additonal "corner" in the electronics cavity and the beautifully deep contoured body shape. It has been sent to the Fender factory for service in the 60s and a refin job was done. There is the typical soldering iron marking under the pickguard (S.B.37). We assume it might have been the front only because the color pattern and checking look slightly different. However, it blacklights 100% and the soldering points on the output jack look original. The pickguard, which technically would be a single-ply white guard, was changed with a later replacement guard. Besides the pickguard all parts are correct and are matching 1963 including the neck which looks also like it was never removed since 1963. Although it says it's B neck, there is "narrow" written on the back of the neck which we've seen before. The nut width is the narrower A-width of 38mm. Pretty rare feature! Looks like the former owner who got it refinished at the Fender factory wanted also a narrower neck - a true "custom built" if you want. It is a rare "hardtail" version, with strings through the body. Many famous players just like Joe Bonamassa prefer the hardtails over the regular models - they're fatter with more punch, twang and sustain. Just listen to ZZ Top's Blue Jean Blues...The guitar has only some minor playwear and some weather checking. The neck and the fretboard are clean as well, the original factory frets show barely any wear. The electronic is all original, there was a 5-way switch installed, but the original CRL 3-way Switch is back in place. The three "black-bottom" pickups have outputs of 5,77k(N), 5,90K(M) and 5,67K(B) and all three stackpole pots are stamped 304.63.18 = 18th week of 1963, the neck-stamp reads 2 MAY 63 B. Superb sounding instrument, great playability and super light weight with only 3,11 Kg! Comes incl. orig. black Tolex case with orange interior.