For a left handed vintage Strat, this is as rare as it gets! This is a factory original Left Handed 1964 Fender Strat in the ultra rare custom color finish: Red Sparkle. It is also known as Metallic Red, and the abbreviation of “MR” along with LH for Left Handed can be seen in the top of the body. The letters are in a style that is typically seen on custom color finishes done by the Fender factory.
This is a color that Fender rarely used, and is not even seen in the Fender factory finish literature. Most likely it was a color used for promotional purposes, such as the NAMM show. So it is more rare than even the rarest custom colors!
This guitar has an area of black finish in the neck cavity, which indicates that Fender originally finished it in Sunburst, and then stripped the finish before refinishing in the new sparkle finish. This was a very typical practice of applying custom colors for the cost-conscious Fender company.
This guitar was once owned by Jackson’s Rare Guitars in Australia back in the late 1990s. A copy of Jackson’s price list from 1999 is included with the guitar.
This guitar is an early 1964 with consistent date codes/specs and pure pre-CBS with none of the transitional features, and with all the desirable features: Spaghetti logo, black PUPs, green guard, clay dots, single-line Klusons, etc. Includes original Left Handed No Logo Case. It is in EXC overall condition, with a small area of buckle rash on the back. The neck is a slightly beefy C shape neck which feels great in the hand. The back of the neck is marked “Left Hand.”
This is also a really good sounding pre-CBS Strat!
Specs:
• Pickup Resistance: Neck/6.0K, Middle/6.1K, Bridge/6.1K
• Weight: 7 lbs, 10 oz
• Slightly beefy C shape neck
Date Codes:
• Neck Plate: L35158
• Neck Stamp: 2JAN64B
• Pot Codes: 137 6420
• Pickup Dates: Neck/APR 23 64, Middle/APR 24 64, Bridge/APR 23 64
This is one of the rarest pre-CBS Strats in existence, and it’s Left Handed!
