Origin of Species – the 1954 Fender Stratocaster
There have been many defining moments along the course of guitar evolution, but there are few instances when an instrument has appeared right out of the gate as a fully formed musical icon of the 20th Century and beyond. 1954 Stratocasters are widely recognised as the antecedent to countless other designs and have remained a template for what many consider to be the archetypal electric guitar. Since Fender introduced this perennially popular solidbody in April ‘54, its essential blueprint has not altered. Indeed, most of the changes Fender implemented throughout the decades were fundamentally cosmetic, such is the timeless appeal of the Strat. But while its basic layout has remained intact, those finer details and intricate subtleties which shifted over time tell a fascinating story.
The 1954 Stratocaster was Fender’s first “electric Spanish” guitar to be endowed with a sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer finish, which typically comprises of a bright Canary Yellow graduating into a Dark Salem brown outer layer. Complimented by this semi-transparent two-tone sunburst, ’54 Strats are also notable for their heavily grained ash bodies, with the occasional exception of those made from sassafras, such as Eric Johnson’s ‘Virginia’. Although it was supplanted by alder in mid-’56 (blonde guitars aside), many Strat aficionados find ash easier not only on the eye but also on the ear, perceiving it to have a broader tonal response. In addition, the ’54 Strat’s characteristically chunky neck provides greater resonant mass than the slimmer profiles of those necks produced in later years.
Look closely at the headstock of a ’54 Strat and you may notice the edges have been delicately rounded off – a unique and thoughtful touch of handiwork which, although it was abandoned by the following year, coordinates with the Stratocaster’s curvaceous figure. Together with its “synchronized tremolo”, the Strat’s “original contour body” was a major selling point – as per the headstock decals – and was developed by Leo Fender in collaboration with pro guitarists Rex Gallion and Bill Carson (Bill had previously ‘modified’ his Telecaster body with a saw!), while Freddie Tavares later assisted in refining the Strat’s final form. Such input from guitar players was crucial to Fender’s success and literally helped shape the future of the electric guitar. With a restless mind, Leo constantly sought to improve upon these historical innovations, and yet while the Stratocaster did receive an occasional tweak along the way, its ageless and ultimately versatile design is as relevant today as it was when it first appeared back in 1954.
Check out one of the earliest known Fender Stratocasters now on sale here at Vintage ‘n’ Rare Guitars: