Hank with the white strat -1963 + a few more !

[anniv 63]

Certainly seems that Hanks white Strat is a brand new instrument from the pristine look and condition
of the Rosewood fingerboard and Headstock?
Some previous quotes even from Hank himself in some article interview suggested a colour respray at some stage?

Mike

[RUSSET]

Is that the one that they eventually put Tortoiseshell scratchplates on ?

T.

[AlanMcKillop]

I think you are correct Tony.

[Paul Childs]

Certainly seems that Hanks white Strat is a brand new instrument from the pristine look and condition
of the Rosewood fingerboard and Headstock?
Some previous quotes even from Hank himself in some article interview suggested a colour respray at some stage?

Mike

One way to know is look at the wood grain on the headstock on closeup pictures and see if it is the same. A bit like fingerprints.

[Iain Purdon]

Certainly seems that Hanks white Strat is a brand new instrument from the pristine look and condition
of the Rosewood fingerboard and Headstock?
Some previous quotes even from Hank himself in some article interview suggested a colour respray at some stage?

Mike

Given that the Shadows were issued with white Fenders around this time, would they not have been brand new?

[AlanMcKillop]

These were new guitars which they played as they were for a time, before changing the pickguards to tortoiseshell. That later combination blended in with the change to Burns Marvin's.

[Patrice]

Hi all,

We had the same discussion on a french Shadows site about the origin of these Olympic White Stratocasters.
No doubt that these guitars are new ones ?
Why ?
If you take a look (on the first picture) to the headstock and the « shape » that the rosewood fingerboard does just after the nut, you can easily see that the fingerboard is parallel to the nut…
With this kind of « shape », It’s sure that the guitar was made in (mid) 62.
So obligatory a new one…
If you compare the « shape », in the same place just after the nut, on the previous « slab board » Strat Fiesta Red, you can see that this rosewood fingerboard makes and has a « curved shape » not a parallel line...

I would like to add that:
Only (at this time) the Stratocaster in the two possible Custom finishes : Blond (See through like a Tele with an Ash body) and « Olympic White » (with an opaque finish on an Alder body…) were fitted (from the Fender factory) with this kind of «bluish nitrate pickguard" (BLUE and NOT White for the whole other finishes...) or "tortoise shell".
And these type of "bluish nitrate pickguards" are very rare… Rarest than the Tortoise ones...

The final question is to know if the Strats Olympic White + Tortoise shell pickguards, are the same of these Blue guards (= just modified with new pickguards ?…) or if these « others » Strats "Olympic White" are two other ones and also new ?
Because, and about the « type » of Fender nitrate pickguards, it was as difficult to order as a spare part and from the US two (!) bluish pickguard than two tortoise Shell…
And I can't imagine that these two Tortoise Shell pickguards were just taken from two new Strat (Blond ou Olympic for sale) in England…
But ?

Cheers and best regards from France
Patrice

[Uncle Fiesta]

All I can tell you is that for me, Olympic White + rosewood neck + torty scratchplate is the most sublime look ever for a Strat.

Damn. I shouldn't have read all that. I want one now.

[Gary Allen]

I wonder if they recorded anything with the white strats ?

[drakula63]

I've certainly NEVER seen any pics of Hank with an all-white strat before. So thanks.

With regards his hand, looks like he might have punched someone. Are there any reports of arguments in studio 2 Abbey Road at about that time? (only jokin).