1970's Serviceman Fender Strat - White
For your consideration, a 1970's Serviceman's Fender Strat copy from the post-war era!
The Servicemen Era of vintage guitars is misunderstood and underappreciated, which is likely why we are so fond of them. Most of the American troops headed to fight in the Vietnam War has to pass through the Philippines, where locals had quickly realized that making copies of the things soldiers loved back home could easily be sold to them for a profit. I can't imagine being shipped off to fight a war and having to put life on hold and leave everything behind. I was not there, but I've spoken at length with owners of Serviceman guitars and they all say the same thing: the guitars represented home.
Serviceman Era guitars were not manufactured in factories, they were built in people's homes and in small workshops. They were not mass-produced and the quality varies wildly. So many of the ones we see are very crude, and likely built only from using a Fender brochure as a reference. A Fender connoisseur can spot the shortcuts that have been taken, of course.
This guitar is dripping with mojo!
It is fully functional, with fully working electronics. The neck is straight and the guitar has been recently setup and restrung. The tremolo movement isn't great, but it does work. We made the trem bar, as it did not come with one when we acquired it. The guitar does sound Strat-ey!
None of these guitar builders were keeping records, and from what our research shows, it was rather difficult to try and get one back into the country after your tour was over. We may never know how many were made, and how many survived, and how many made it home. It's unfortunate, really. They've got a good story to tell!
No case is included.