1974 Fender Stratocaster Black

A Genuine 1974 Stratocaster with Original Pickups & Vintage Character

This 1974 Fender Stratocaster in Black is a great example of a classic CBS-era Stratocaster, featuring a solid alder body, one-piece maple neck, original grey-bottom pickups, original bridge and saddles, and its original three-ply white pickguard.

The guitar has been played and shows some honest signs of its history, while remaining in very good overall condition. The black finish is still glossy, with some tasteful checking, dings and scratches that are consistent with the guitar’s age.

The neck is stamped 0903-1144, dating it to September 3, 1974. It has a comfortable medium D-shaped profile and has been refretted with narrow-tall 6105 fret wire, providing excellent playability.

Highlights

• 1974 Fender Stratocaster
• Original factory Black finish
• Solid alder body
• One-piece maple neck with maple fingerboard
• Neck date stamp: 0903-1144 – September 3, 1974
• Comfortable medium D-shaped neck profile
• Refretted with 6105 narrow-tall fret wire
• Original grey-bottom single-coil pickups
• Original three-ply white pickguard
• Original Fender “F” tuners
• Original chrome tremolo bridge with original saddles
• Original volume and tone knobs
• CRL three-way selector switch
• Weight: 3.445 kg / 7.595 lbs
• Comes with a correct vintage Fender hard-shell case

Original Grey-Bottom Pickups

One of the highlights of this Stratocaster is its set of original grey-bottom pickups.

The pickup codes are:

• Neck & Middle: 9319 — 31st week of 1969
• Bridge: 9509 — 50th week of 1969

The pickup measurements are approximately:

• Neck: 6.00k
• Middle: 6.08k
• Bridge: 6.08k

These original pickups contribute greatly to the character and authenticity of this Stratocaster.

Electronics & Modifications

The guitar retains its original pickups and original wiring, with refreshed solder joints.

All three potentiometers were replaced at some point and are dated 1979:

• Volume: CTS
• Tone: Centralab
• Tone: Centralab

The guitar also has a later tremolo arm and switch tip, along with a couple of replaced screws.

Some aluminum shielding had previously been added to the cavities and inside the pickguard. This was carefully removed, leaving a small hole in the pickguard next to the controls, as shown in the photos.

Finish & Condition

The original Black finish remains glossy and presents very well for its age.

There are some signs of use, including:

• Light dings and scratches
• Natural finish checking on the back of the body
• Some buckle rash beneath the tremolo area
• A small repaired/covered bang on the lower horn, with a short piece of black tape
• A former sticker area on the upper arm contour, visible but without damage to the finish
• A small hole in the pickguard next to the controls

The headstock face remains original with no overspray, and the black Fender decal is clean.

The guitar has been examined under blacklight, and the condition is documented in the accompanying photos.

Neck & Playability

The one-piece maple neck has a comfortable medium D-shaped profile, making this Stratocaster very pleasant to play.

The maple fingerboard has been refretted with 6105 narrow-tall fret wire, which is currently in good condition.

Specifications:

• Neck: 1-piece maple
• Profile: Medium D
• 21 frets
• Black dot inlays
• 7.25″ radius
• Nut width: 1.610″ / 4.10 cm
• Scale length: 25.5″
• Neck depth: approximately .88″ at 1st fret / .92″ at 12th fret
• Tilt-neck adjustment

1969 Fender Shielding Transition

This guitar also reflects an interesting period in Fender’s electronics history.

Around mid-1969, Fender began moving away from the earlier aluminum shielding used in control cavities and started using metallic shielding tape instead. This was intended to provide the same basic function — reducing unwanted electrical noise and interference.

The shielding details on this guitar are documented in the photos and form part of its vintage history.

Vintage Fender Case

The guitar comes with a vintage black Fender hard-shell case, featuring the characteristic plush interior associated with the CBS-era Fender cases.

Professional Inspection & Setup

As with all guitars offered by us, this Stratocaster is professionally inspected and set up to ensure excellent playability and performance.

Manufacturing date codes, interior photos and additional documentation are available upon request by e- mail

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Important Note on the Potentiometers

I would specifically keep the 1979 potentiometer information very visible rather than hiding it in the specifications. For a vintage guitar buyer or collector, this is important information when assessing originality.

Also, there is one detail in your original text that appears contradictory:

• Earlier you state the pickups are dated 1969 based on codes 9319 / 9509.
• Later under Specifications you write: “Original grey-bobbin pickups read 071374 = July 13th of 1974.”

 

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