By C.

One of the best parts of the vintage guitar world is all the great people you get to meet. And with many years in the business, we’re fortunate to be able to call our shop home to musicians from all over. This is a story about how we recently acquired this 1974 Fender Stratocaster from one of our longtime clients.

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It was a rainy morning, and the drizzle had just started to softly tap against the windows of our flagship Burbank shop nestled on a quiet stretch of Magnolia Blvd. Inside, the air was filled with the scent of polished wood and fresh coffee (because mornings just aren’t the same without it!). Behind the counter, one of our wonderful shop managers *ahem* began the morning opening-up duties. It was expected to be a slow day, rain does that to business in LA.

The chime of the doorbell startled him. A man walked in, carrying a gently-worn guitar case. He was in his late forties, with a low-profile pair of glasses and a black felt peacoat and beret. The manager recognized him instantly.

“Well look who it is!,” he said. “Long time no see, how’s it going?.”

The man started to take his coat off and use it to dab the guitar case. He gave a small smile. “Yeah, it’s been a while. Figured you guys might be the right place for this.”

Our eyes drifted to the case in the man’s hands. “What’ve you got there?”

The man placed the case on the counter and popped the latches. Inside lay a 1974 Fender Stratocaster, its Olympic White finish dulled by decades of use. The guitar’s paint, though no longer pristine, had a creamy, vintage patina that would grab anyone’s attention. Its surface bore the marks of a life well-lived. Yet, for its age, it was reasonably well-preserved, a testament to how much care he had taken over the years.

We carefully removed it from the case and inquired why he was selling it. The man hesitated, his fingers brushing over the guitar’s neck. “It’s time. Bills are piling up, and my gigs aren’t paying like they used to. Besides, it deserves to be played, not sitting in a closet.”

Musicians often came through our shop, trading pieces of their souls for a little cash to keep going. But this guitar wasn’t just another Strat in his arsenal; it was a companion, a witness to the man’s efforts and, it seemed, his struggles.

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“You toured with this, didn’t you? In fact, I remember seeing you play this a few years back” the manager asked, flipping the guitar over to examine the back.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice soft. “I’ve played this one all over. Lotta session work too. It’s been through a lot.”

“You can feel it. It’s vibey! Well i’ll tell you what, if you can stick around for a little bit, I should open it up and verify that everything is straight with it before we go any further. “Take your time, i’m not in any hurry.” “This is a cool guitar, you know. 1974 Strats aren’t all that rare, but this one’s got some character to it.”

After spending several minutes disassembling the vital parts of the guitar, we were pleased to see that all pickups and electronics were original, a plus for both parties. “Well, it’s all there, except it looks like its had a nice refret done somewhat recently, does that sound right?” “Oh definitely, I had my tech refret it since the originals were played almost all the way down to the fingerboard, and i’ve never been crazy about the small vintage frets in the first place.”

After naming his price, we were able to come to an agreement that worked for both of us. He set the Strat back in its case. “Yeah that’s fine. I appreciate you guys helping me out.”

Our manager paid the gentleman, who pocketed it and hesitated, his fingers lingering on the case one last time.

“Find it a good home.”

“We will.” the manager said, watching as our customer stepped out into the rain, leaving a piece of his past behind. “Now go buy an umbrella!”

With 4 stores across Southern California, we’re always buying! Not sure what your instrument is worth? Bring it by the shop or schedule an appraisal online