Late-1978 / 1979 Vintage Fender Stratocaster from the late CBS era, finished in classic 3-Color Sunburst with a rosewood fingerboard, black pick-guard and black plastics.

Serial number: S918670
Neck stamp: 0900-4481

This guitar has unusually good accompanying provenance, including a Fender hard-shell case and a substantial collection of period Fender paperwork/accessories.

Dating

Fender serial numbers from this period overlap considerably, so the S9 serial prefix by itself does not identify one precise production year. More useful is the documented factory neck stamp:

0900-4481

This decodes as:

• 09 – Fender Stratocaster
• 00 – rosewood-fingerboard neck
• 44 – 44th production week
• 8 – 1978
• 1 – Monday

The neck was therefore produced during the 44th week of 1978.

Given Fender's component-based production methods and the overlapping S9 serial range, I am describing the complete instrument conservatively as 1978/79 rather than claiming an exact final assembly date. The visible specification is period-correct for a late-1970s Fender Stratocaster.

I have not represented the pickups, potentiometers or solder joints as definitively original because I have not removed the pickguard specifically to authenticate the internal components.

Originality / inspection

The guitar retains its period-correct CBS-era Fender synchronized tremolo assembly. The tremolo block is clearly stamped 010347, the correct Fender casting/part number used on Stratocasters from this period.

The tremolo cavity, claw, grounding arrangement and output-jack wiring also appear period-correct. The jack uses the expected vintage-style construction with black/white wiring, and no obvious modern alteration is visible in these areas.

Five tremolo springs are currently installed. Fender originally supplied these guitars with three springs fitted plus two additional springs for alternative setups, so this is a normal and completely reversible configuration.

Detailed photographs of these components are included.

Classic late-CBS Stratocaster specification

• Made in USA
• 3-Color Sunburst finish
• Maple neck
• Rosewood fingerboard
• 21 frets
• 25.5" scale length
• Traditional approx. 7.25" fingerboard radius
• Large CBS-era Stratocaster headstock
• Bullet-style truss-rod adjustment
• Dual string trees
• 3-bolt neck attachment
• Fender Micro-Tilt neck adjustment system
• Fender/F-style sealed tuners
• SSS pickup configuration
• Black pickup covers
• 3-ply black pick-guard
• Black skirted Volume / Tone knobs
• 1 Master Volume
• 2 Tone controls
• 5-way pickup selector
• Fender synchronized tremolo
• Six individually adjustable bridge saddles
• Chrome hardware

The visible body grain is consistent with the ash bodies commonly encountered on late-'70s Sunburst Stratocasters.

Condition

Very Good vintage condition. The guitar shows normal cosmetic signs of use and age appropriate for an instrument approaching fifty years old.

• Fine scratches and handling marks across the finish
• Various small marks/dings consistent with normal vintage use
• Fine scratching on the black pick-guard
• Normal age/use marks on the hardware
• Normal signs of use around the controls, bridge and output jack
• Normal cosmetic aging to the neck and head-stock
• There are no obvious major cracks, head-stock/neck breaks or structural repairs visible in the photographs.
• The photographs were taken specifically to show the actual condition of the instrument and should be considered part of the description.
• The guitar has been tested and all three pickup positions, intermediate positions, controls and output jack are functioning correctly.
• The frets remain in playable condition with no immediate fretwork required.

Fender hardshell case

Included is the vintage Fender rectangular hard-shell case shown in the photographs, with black exterior and burgundy/brown plush interior. The case presents well for its age and shows normal vintage wear.

Case candy / documentation

A particularly attractive part of this example is the amount of period Fender material that has remained with it. Included as shown:

• Fender hardshell case
• Fender tremolo arm
• Chrome bridge/tremolo cover
• Case keys
• Original/period Fender Spanish-language Stratocaster/Telecaster literature tag
• Fender tremolo-springs instruction envelope
• Fender Limited Warranty / Registration paperwork
• Neck-stamp identification/documentation sheet

Shipping

The guitar will be secured carefully inside the hard-shell case with appropriate neck/head-stock support. The case will then be packed inside a suitable outer guitar carton with additional protective material to prevent movement during transit. Shipping will be tracked and insured.

International buyers are responsible for any import VAT, customs duties, brokerage charges or other fees imposed by their destination country.

Please contact me before purchase if you require a specific international shipping quotation.