Fender American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster Guitar, Rosewood Fretboard, Aged Natural

PLAYER’S PERSPECTIVE

The early 1970s Stratocaster, with its large CBS headstock shape, 3-bolt neck plate, bullet truss rod, and other interesting features is probably the “oddball” model in the family of vintage Stratocaster guitars. However, it has quickly grown to be a cult classic in its own right, and as much as these guitars have become underrated, there are some examples from this period that have become serious rock n’ roll, R&B, funk, and indie rock machines.

Enter the American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster, a faithful reissue of the best the era had to offer. The series brings back the original “American Vintage Reissue (AVRI)” of old with improved upon pickup design, more accurate neck shapes, and other period-correct specs. A lot of us here at the shop grew up lusting after those guitars and we’re glad to finally get these into our hands years later.

On this 1973 Strat, which features a gorgeous Aged Natural lacquer finish, the ’73 Pure Vintage pickups sound crystal clear in all 5 positions, resonating nicely on the swamp ash body (which is relatively rare for a Strat), and the ’70s C shape neck harkens back to the Fender transition period between vintage and modern – it should be very familiar in your hands.

If you want a Strat with a distinctively vintage flavor but one that stands out uniquely in a sea of 50s & 60s designs, check out the 1973 AVRI II!

Manufacturer’s Description

The Fender® American Vintage II series presents a remarkably accurate take on the revolutionary designs that altered the course of musical history. Built with period-accurate bodies, necks and hardware, premium finishes and meticulously voiced, year-specific pickups, each instrument captures the essence of authentic Fender craftsmanship and tone.

By 1973, now-classic CBS design cues had become standard spec and were widely used by rock, funk, fusion and prog players around the world. Weekly late night music television shows like Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, In concert and Midnight Special provided more exposure than ever for Fender instruments, further cementing the Stratocaster’s dominance as a pop culture phenomenon. The American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster® exudes the spirit of the era and is outfitted with a trio of Pure Vintage ’73 staggered pole pickups, a large headstock with dual string trees, a convenient “Bullet” style truss rod nut and a three-bolt neck plate with Micro-Tilt™ mechanism. The “C”-shape maple neck plays like a dream with a 7.25” radius rosewood or maple fingerboard and vintage tall frets. The guitar is offered in three classic colors over ash: Aged Natural, Lake Placid Blue and Mocha, the latter being the first custom color ever to feature a black pickguard on a Strat®. Additional features include vintage-style “F” stamped tuners and a synchronized tremolo with bent steel saddles and cold rolled steel block.

The instruments in the American Vintage II series are direct descendants of the original Fenders: designed for players with a fine appreciation for vintage Fender tone and feel and built with unmatched quality, down to the last screw. These are Fender electrics in their purest form: Fender American Vintage II, the stuff of legends.

Fender®, Squier®, Stratocaster®, Telecaster®, Precision Bass®, Jazz Bass® and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found on the Strat®, Tele® & P Bass® guitars are registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation

Specifications

General

• Series: American Vintage II
• Orientation: Right-Hand
• Color: Aged Natural
• Country Of Origin: US

Body

• Body: Ash
• Body Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
• Body Shape: Stratocaster®
• Body Material: Ash

Neck

• Headstock: Large ’70s Style
• Neck Material: Maple
• Neck Finish: Gloss Polyurethane
• Neck Shape: 1973 “C”
• Neck Construction: 3-Bolt
• Fingerboard Radius: 7.25″ (184.1 mm)
• Fingerboard Material: Round-Laminated Rosewood
• Position Inlays: White Pearloid Dot – 7mm
• Side Dots: White
• Number of Frets: 21
• Truss Rod: Bullet Style
• Truss Rod Nut: Bullet Style
• String Nut: Bone
• Nut Width: 1.650″ (42 mm)
• Nut Material: Bone

Hardware

• Bridge: American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with “Ash Tray” Bridge Cover
• Bridge Cover/Tailpiece: Includes Chrome Bridge Cover
• Bridge Mounting: 6-Screw Vintage-Style
• Tremolo Block: Cold Rolled Steel
• Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment
• Pickup Covers: Aged White
• Control Knobs: Aged White
• Switch Tip: Aged White
• Hardware Finish: Nickel/Chrome
• Tuning Machines: Pure Vintage Fender® “F” Stamped
• String Trees: Dual-Wing
• Tremolo Arm: Screw-In
• Neck Plate: 3-Bolt “F” Stamped with Micro-Tilt™, Serialized
• Strap Buttons: Vintage-Style

Electronics

• Bridge Pickup: Pure Vintage ’73 Single-Coil Strat®
• Middle Pickup: Pure Vintage ’73 Single-Coil Strat®
• Neck Pickup: Pure Vintage ’73 Single-Coil Strat®
• Pickup Configuration: SSS
• Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck/Middle Pickups), Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup)
• Switching: 5-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup, Position 3. Middle Pickup, Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup, Position 5. Neck Pickup

Miscellaneous

• Strings: Fender® USA 250R Nickel Plated Steel (.010-.046 Gauges), PN 0730250406
• Case: Hard Case
• Instrument Weight: 8.8 lbs
• Serial #: V14539

Overall Condition

Music Store Live is proud to be an authorized dealer for Fender. This American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster is 100% brand new and is being sold with a full manufacturer’s warranty. Photos are of the exact guitar you’ll receive.

Our in-house guitar tech will inspect, test, set up, and clean all of our instruments on site prior to shipping. All of our instruments are guaranteed to be fully functional upon arrival.