Product Description
Fullerton factory 1987 usa reissue of a 1957 Fender Stratocaster Vintage guitar
This guitar is 100% factory original, with original reissue tweed case, it has the nitro finish, small headstock, single ply guard, 3 way switch, cloth covered wiring, all the usual things that make up the original pre cbs series, these reissues are getting harder to find in original unmessed with condition,
This is the early corona factory version vintage guitar reissue still with the slim body profile, although the Fullertons 82 to 84 are the first reissues and in my opinion the ones to look for, but the early 86 to 87 coronas are the exact guitar but not built at Fullerton, i will always prefer the Fullertons because of history and the time stamp of just 2 years, but would never pass up a clean original corona built up to mid 87 with the slim body shape from Fullerton
In time collectors will wake up , they are being sort after but still not on everyones radar, get them while you can they are only going up in value rock solid investment, when you look at a original 57 stratocaster u have to put out around 50k, but the 82 reissue around 5k and rising fast, so around 10 percent of the original,
For those that cannot afford the original these are the way to go, of course you can buy all those custom shops that are churning out year after year, and some are really high end builds of course, so not knocking these custom shops, but it does seem there are unlimited production of these one off custom shops, or limited editions, or anniversary, or built by a name builder , it just goes on and on,
Vintage Reissue Series and how it began. The common myth is that Dan Smith designed the first prototypes of the ’57 Stratocaster and ’62 Stratocaster in 1981. This is far from the truth so let’s discuss. It’s conception PREDATES both Dan Smith and Bill Schultz. The true roots began in the late 1970s, with a project of John Page and Freddie Tavares to release a Vintage Reissue 50s Telecaster. Dan Smith, together with John and Freddie ultimately provided the specs on the project. Together, after touring the United States in search of Stratocasters, Telecasters, Esquires and Broadcasters made in Leo’s time, they found many guitars. One such place was a store near Chicago called ‘The Axe in Hand’. Ted Greene, Duck Dunn and Tom Bogert helped immensely along with a few artists and collectors of the day. It was after this travel/discovery time they would test and analyze many pre-CBS Stratocasters (1965 and older), using them as a base for the Vintage reissues.
Prototypes were hand built by renowned Masterbuilder, Scott Zimmerman. These guitars were presented at the winter 1982 Anaheim NAMM show and MESSE (Japan). It was unfortunate with all the hype and desire from that show, the reissues were delayed and distributed much later in 1982…the entire Fullerton factory was overwhelmed with the orders that came in. These were the glory years for Fullerton factory production under the design direction from Dan, John and Freddie. Scott Zimmerman built each and every prototype by hand, and was instrumental in working with the line to get the guitars into production as designed.
According to Fender, the Vintage Stratocasters were exact replicas of the originals, but there were a couple of minor differences that were not in the plan:
- the ’62 reissue model had a non-celluloid pickguard…impractical to re-create
- clay dots weren’t used, not in their plan.
- pickups were slightly different but then this was not 1959.
- neck was a slightly different shape, but again, they were hand carved in the Pre CBS days.
In any case, the reissues were excellent reproductions of the pre CBS era and still hold true today. They both had staggered poles pickups, small headstock, vintage style hardware and nitro finish with polyester undercoat. Moreover, the ’57 reissue had a single-layer pickguard and fretted maple neck, while the ’62 featured a 3-ply pickguard and maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. The entire 1982-1984 Vintage Reissues are coveted as some of the finest guitars made.
At the end of 1984, Fender closed the Fullerton Plant and moved to smaller facilities in Brea California…actually right next door. This location (Brea) was mainly offices with some assembly space. The necks and bodies were now being imported from from Fujigen, Japan. Yes…this is a fact! When someone tells you early Corona’s were the same as Fullerton AVRI’s…just smile and and move on. Now you know the truth. To directly quote Scott Zimmerman…”this is a great story in itself, American Standard…made in Japan!
By 1986, the new facilities in Corona were opened up and the first line of production crews began building the AVRI series here in California. The fine body sculpting-tapers that Scott Zimmerman built in Fullerton were revised for production time and costs reasons. Next time you hold a Fullerton AVRI…do not let go!
Thanks to our Fender hero’s: John Page, Scott Zimmerman, Freddie Tavares, Steve Boulanger and Dan Smith…these models renewed the electric guitar to come back into fashion. The reissues were the proof that Fender was still able to make excellent instruments. These men convinced Bill Schultz to start the group we now call CUSTOM SHOP
It has been estimated that around fifteen thousand guitars of this type were built, known as “Fullerton Reissues” or “AVRI”. The neck plate serial numbers began sequentially, starting with V000001 in 1982. By 1985, as they moved to Corona they were at approximately V015000. It must noted however that no “order” regarding serial numbers was followed. Talking with many from the era, the numbered ‘plates’ were in various bins, already stamped and often the grab and use method was the order of the day. We are left with relying on neck pencil dates and pot codes to date this era accurately.
These are highly regarded guitars that were hand built to accurate specs. Custom Color choices were available in 4 options, Lake Placid Blue, Olympic (vintage) White, Fiesta Red and Black.
The Custom color production was less that 5% of the total made that era, making these particularly desirable/collectable. Some, but very few, had NOS pickups; Grey Bottoms and Red Bottoms. Often times tags were glued in the neck pockets with the serial number that corresponded to the neck plate. V000001 to V001200 is the sequence associated with the year 1982. Of these, only about 150 had the NOS pickups grey or red, and only about 45-55 were painted in the 4 custom colors as above
By 1985, two colors were added; Candy Apple Red and Mary Kaye Blonde. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s (about 1989) that a third color was added…Seafoam Green (Surf Green).
There are only 2 years of these Fullertons the original factory guitars….the guitars that started the whole vintage reissue thing that continues today, though there will never be any more Fullerton vintage reissues…..82 to 84 is History
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