Accordo: 1957 Fender Stratocaster Blond “Whiteburst”

Questo esemplare ha l’hardware nichelato, quindi non si può definire una “Mary Kaye”, che in pratica era questa stessa chitarra, ma con l’hardware in oro (NdR: in realtà la foto promozionale originale di Mary è in bianco e nero, quindi è impossibile dire con certezza se l’hardware fosse nichelato o dorato).
Ma una caratteristica particolare della finitura della chitarra di Mary si può notare anche in questa stessa Stratocaster passata oggi sul banco di Vintage Vault: si tratta del “Whiteburst”, un nome che è stato creato per descrivere una particolare tecnica di applicazione a spruzzo della vernice, adottata da Fender tra il 1954 e il 1957, in cui si spruzzava una banda opaca lungo tutto il bordo del corpo, esattamente nello stesso modo in cui si spruzzava la parte scura del sunburst, ottenendo un effetto “sfumato” con un buon contrasto, quindi un … “sunburst bianco”.

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[EN] 1957 Fender Stratocaster Blond “Whiteburst” - serial 024937

Today at Vintage Vault we’re pleased to have an extraordinary piece, not only in full original conditions but one of those that survived to the passing of Time like if it was just made the other day.
This beautiful guitar is a Fender Stratocaster in custom color “Blond” that was made in 1957 at the Fender Factory.
This example doesn’t have gold hardware so we can’t call it a “Mary Kaye” model, which was basically this same guitar but fitted with gold hardware, even though in the original promotional picture of Mary nobody could tell if the hardware was nickel or gold (black and white photography does let us wonder at times!)
But a particular feature of Mary’s guitar finish can also be seen in this very guitar we’ve today on our Vintage Vault bench: it’s the “Whiteburst”, a name that has been created to describe a particular spraying application technique adopted by Fender between 1954 and 1957, where they would spray a opaque band all around the body edges, exactly in the same way they’d do to spray the dark part of the sunburst, resulting in a nicely contrasting “burst” effect, a.k.a. “whiteburst”.
This was done to hide the junction in two or three pieces bodies, and to blend in an overall nicer finish. Given the fact that more solid white pigment was used, overtime some of these guitars achieve a very nice contrast between the inner see through part of the finish, – which is more prone to yellow thanks to the higher amount of see through clear lacquer – and the “burst” all along the edges of the body.
The case candy of this guitar is phenomenal, from the original strap to the original and matched hang-tag with the serial number, from the 50s Fender tortoiseshell pick to the cable and polish cloth.
The beautiful pronounced contour body, which is unique to 1957 Stratocasters, perfectly matches this amazing custom color finish, and the overall guitar is perfectly balanced and lightweight.
The tone? It is mesmerizing to say the least! Infinite sustain, bassy, warm and rich of natural harmonics.
This is the case where a collector’s museum grade piece is also a fantastic sounding guitar.