Fender | 1963 Stratocaster Sunburst

The Fender Stratocaster is a model of electric guitar designed in 1954 by Leo Fender, Bill Carson, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continuously manufactured the Stratocaster from 1954 to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top “horn” shape for balance. Along with the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Telecaster, it is one of the most-often emulated electric guitar shapes. “Stratocaster” and “Strat” are trademark terms belonging to Fender. Guitars that duplicate the Stratocaster by other manufacturers are usually called S-Type or ST-type guitars.

Like 1962, very little changed about the Stratocaster for the production year of 1963. Sales were still extremely strong, and the Stratocaster continued to etch out its place as the one of the world’s most popular and iconic instruments. Some very minor changes seen in 1963 include a subtle shift in the shape of the pickup selector switch and a change in the location of the pickguard screw above the front two pickups. Also, by 1963 the “veneer” style of Rosewood fingerboard had become standard.