During the late '50s and early '60s, the popularity of Fender musical instruments flourished, and although the Fender assortment had expanded to include many great new instruments, the Stratocaster® reigned supreme. By 1961, the Stratocaster had taken on a more refined aesthetic, with a 3-Color Sunburst reformulated with a more vibrant red and bolder black edge, topped with a 3-ply pickguard accenting the Strat's signature curves.

Featuring a set of Pure Vintage 1961 Stratocaster pickups and an incredibly comfortable medium "C"-shaped neck with a 7.25" radius Slab Rosewood fretboard, the American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster accurately replicates the classic tone and performance of the original. Bosting a period-accurate synchronized tremolo with cold rolled steel block and bent steel saddles, and six-in-line "Fender Deluxe" machine heads, the American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster is a celebration of a classic Fender instrument design.

The instruments in the American Vintage II collection are direct relatives of the original Fenders - designed for players who greatly appreciate vintage Fender tone and performance constructed with unparalleled quality, down to the last screw. The instruments in the American Vintage II collection are Fender in their purest form - the stuff of legends.

Features

• Alder Body
• Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish
• Pure Vintage '61 Single-Coil Strat® pickups
• “C”-Shaped Neck Profile
• Slab Rosewood Fingerboard
• Pure Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles

Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish - Boasting the same finish found on Fender instruments from the '50s and '60s, nitrocellulose lacquer is a gorgeous finish that reveals the instrument's inherent character.

7.25" Radius Fretboard - For the comfortable playing feel of a vintage classic, the 7.25" radius fretboard features vintage-tall frets for effortless fretting and bending.

1961 "C"-Shape Neck - In Fender's early years, the profile and thickness of their guitar necks varied greatly. The American Vintage II Series employ vintage neck profiles for an authentic experience.

Pure Vintage '61 Stratocaster Pickups - Constructed just as they were in Fender's golden years, Pure Vintage pickups have been meticulously voiced to recreate the authentic tone and classic performance of individual model years.

Vintage-Style Hardware - Each piece of hardware - from the bridge, to the string tree and machine heads - has been painstakingly designed to look, sound, and operate just as the originals did. Many pieces of American Vintage II hardware is still manufactured using the orignal machines from the '50s and '60s Fender factory.

Specifications

• Body
  • Body Material: Alder
  • Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Neck
  • Neck Material: Maple
  • Neck Construction: 4-Bolt
  • Neck Profile: 1961 "C"
  • Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
  • Fretboard Material: Slab Rosewood
  • Fretboard Radius: 7.25"
  • Frets: 21 Vintage Tall
  • Scale Length: 25.5"
• Electronics
  • Bridge Pickup: Pure Vintage '61 Single-Coil Stratocaster
  • Middle Pickup: Pure Vintage '61 Single-Coil Stratocaster
  • Neck Pickup: Pure Vintage '61 Single-Coil Stratocaster
  • Controls: Master Volume, 2x Tone
  • Switching: 5-Way Blade Pickup Selector
• Hardware
  • Bridge: Pure Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
  • Machine Heads: Pure Vintage Single-Line "Fender Deluxe"
  • Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
  • Truss Rod: Vintage-Style Butt Adjust
  • Neck Plate: 4-Bolt, Serialized
  • Nut Material: Bone