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Post by Shannon on Aug 20, 2007 14:23:28 GMT -7
Reading the adds in Vintage Guitar, several of the 50's and 60's Strats are labled as Slab board and look to be more valuable. What's the difference and how can you tell the difference?
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 20, 2007 14:55:59 GMT -7
They're talking about the rosewood fingerboard. When Fender first used a rosewood board it didn't have a flat bottom. The bottom of the fingerboard was radiused just like the top. (BTW that's how Lentz does his now) Later they left the bottom of the fingerboard flat and only radiused the top. I read where someone theorized that they could get more fingerboards out of a log using the radiused bottom. I have a 1930s Slingerland Nitehawk archtop and the rosewood fingerboard is only about 1/16" of an inch thick, more of a veneer actually. I may be wrong about the Fenders but that's the way I remember it. If I'm wrong someone will correct me I'm sure.
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 20, 2007 19:06:45 GMT -7
I think I had the sequence backwards.
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Post by Shannon on Aug 20, 2007 19:30:30 GMT -7
So the flat bottom fret board is rarer and more valuable? I'm guessing you would have to remove the neck to know the difference.
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Post by groovergeorge on Aug 20, 2007 20:17:11 GMT -7
So the flat bottom fret board is rarer and more valuable? I'm guessing you would have to remove the neck to know the difference. On the contrary. A 63' strat with a curved board will probably fetch just as much as an early 62' slab board. If you are really picky about the tone of your strat then some even say that a curved board sounds slightly different and not as dark as a thicker slab board. In the end fender ended up going back to a slab board as it is a lot easier to manufacture.
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 21, 2007 7:04:36 GMT -7
I did a little reading last night and the slab board was older. You can tell by just looking at the end of the fretboard down by the truss rod adjustment which kind your guitar has. Most are slabs.
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Post by Curt on Aug 21, 2007 14:16:52 GMT -7
Shannon, You can go to the MusicCraft site, neck section, and they explain and have pictures. They make replacement necks, the time frames above from Billy and George are correct, and I would think your '63 is a veneer, worthless...and the best playing vintage Strat I've played. I am in your will for the guitar..right?
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Post by Shannon on Aug 22, 2007 14:53:15 GMT -7
I googled Musiccraft and couldn't find anything relevant. What's that address?
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Post by bukowski on Aug 23, 2007 5:50:01 GMT -7
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Post by tweedpro on Aug 24, 2007 14:18:31 GMT -7
If you look at where the rosewood meets the headstock if the rosewood curves slightly toward the tuners then it is a slab. If it curves toward the body then it is a veneer. Slabs were 59-62 app. and veneer was 63-70's app.
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Post by mudskipper on Aug 24, 2007 15:09:50 GMT -7
Slab boards: Veneer board:
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