Vintage 1959 Fender Stratocaster 3 Tone Sunburst Solid Body Electric Guitar

1959 was a transitional year for Fender, introducing several key changes that make models from this period unique and desirable to collectors. Fingerboard: Fender transitioned from a one-piece maple neck to a neck with a thick, flat-laminated or "slab" rosewood fingerboard in the spring/summer of 1959. Early 1959 models may still feature the maple neck. Pickguard: The standard single-ply white pickguard was updated to a three-layer (white/black/white) cellulose nitrate pickguard, which often appears with a "mint green" hue over time. Finish: The composition of the sunburst finish changed, with the red layer being less bright and tending to fade more over time compared to earlier models. Authentication: Guitars from this year often lack a pencil date on the neck heel, which is a correct characteristic for authenticating a 1959 model.