- Style: Pre-CBS Body (worm route) for Fender Stratocaster
- Wood: Two-piece Swamp Ash (American) or Two-piece Alder (Japanese).
- Finish: Fiesta Red (Hank Marvin) Nitrocellulose (worn)
- Routing: 3 Single Coil
- Weight: approx. 4lbs (1.8kg)
Up until 1960, Fender offered customers the option to have their new instrument (at the time these were: the Telecaster, the Precision Bass and the Stratocaster) finished in any colour of their choosing. In 1960 Fender introduced their very own selection of 'custom' paint options. Fiesta Red was one of these colours - made famous by many late-1950s and early-1960s guitarists, especially Hank Marvin's 1959 Fender Stratocaster.
There is often confusion over Fiesta Red and "Salmon Pink" or "Coral Pink" finishes. Although there is some evidence to suggest that a very small number of early-1960s Stratocasters left Fender's Fullerton factory in the 1950s Chrysler paint colour "Tahitian Coral", the majority of the original 1950s and 1960s Fiesta Red guitars have faded drastically over the past forty/fifty years, often so much so that it becomes hard to distinguish what the original guitar colour was from appearance alone. Many put this fading effect down to a poor batch of paint, different kinds (or lack of) undercoat, excessive exposure to UVs or a reaction with certain case lining materials. Whatever the reason, it is well-accepted that some Fiesta Red finishes from the Pre-CBS era faded very quickly whilst others still retain their strong red colouring to this day.
The photographs above demonstrate two of our Fiesta Red bodies aged to accurately portray the two different shades that the original Fiesta Red Stratocasters have now turned to as a result of aging, we also offer an authentic Tahitian Coral Pink nitrocellulose finish if faded Fiesta Red isn't quite what you're after. Available directly from us either in two-piece alder or swamp ash (Hank's original was alder), with the correct contours and worm route, thin and accurate nitrocellulose finish, and reliced to your requirements. Unless otherwise requested, heavily aged Fiesta Red bodies will always be supplied in the more faded hue as demonstrated above.
