Finding an all-original, unmodified Stratocaster from this era has become increasingly difficult, and that’s exactly what we have here. Even the parts that are so often replaced are still original, including the nut, the frets and the three-way selector. The original frets are in excellent condition. The three-way switch is a particularly telling detail, as it’s often one of the first things to be replaced on these guitars. This is a collector-grade example with its original Olympic White finish, which has mellowed to a lovely cream colour with subtle variations in shade. All the solder joints are untouched, further supporting the originality of the finish and reflecting the care this guitar has received. The electronics have never needed any work, and the wiring is in excellent condition. All three grey-bottom pickups are dated 1974 and sound equally good. Even the bridge pickup, which I rarely use, sounds great here, with a clear top end and no harshness. The neck pickup sounds round and enveloping, with plenty of body.

It plays beautifully. At just 3.5 kg, it feels light and lively. It’s very resonant unplugged, and the notes seem to leap off the fretboard. Rosewood fingerboards are considerably less common than maple on Stratocasters from this period. It’s set up with 10–46 strings and low, buzz-free action, and it’s a joy to play.

It comes with its original paperwork, including the 1974 inspection card, which identifies it as a Stratocaster and lists colour code 505, Fender’s code for the Olympic White custom finish. The original manual and a period European case are also included.

As you can probably tell I have a real soft spot for this particular Strat.