1965 Fender Stratocaster Lake Placid Blue
Maker
Fender
(American, founded 1946)
Date1965
ClassificationsMusic
Description1965 Fender Stratocaster, serial number L62242, in Lake Placid Blue. This is among the last of the green guard "L" plate models before Fender put clear lacquer on top of the original finish. Its pots date to the 14th week of 1965, with a neck date of "4-65," and grey bottom pickups all dated "5-14-1965." The guitar is in original condition and is untouched inside.Fender introduced the Stratocaster model of guitars in 1954 after two years of design work by founder Leo Fender. The Stratocaster introduced several new design elements that have now become standard on electric guitars. Its double-cutaway body style was considered futuristic for the time, with an almost horn-like appearance. The guitar’s neck was more contoured than previous electric guitars, which provided better playability. Its use of three pickups also allowed for more tonal versatility compared to previous electric guitars that utilized one or two pickups. Lastly, its vibrato system – with integrated “tremolo bridge” – provided a simplified method for pitch changing.
Lake Placid Blue was a custom color introduced by Fender in 1960.
Stratocasters paved the way for the use of the electric guitar in popular music. Numerous famous guitarists have used Stratocasters, but the most notable among them are Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and John Mayer.
