A super clean example of a 1970 Fender Stratocaster, this one is a great snapshot of the model at the start of the new decade. Finished in a classic 3-Tone Sunburst, it presents beautifully and is made all the more appealing by the amount of original case candy that has stayed with it over the years. Alongside the guitar itself is the original case, strap, trem arm and ashtray, plus a great collection of ephemera including a Fender catalogue, owner’s manual, hang tag, trem spring envelope, polish cloth, cable, a period set of strings and even a couple of Fender plectrums for good measure.

Spec-wise, it has all the right hallmarks of the era: big headstock, big decal, single string tree, rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays and the desirable 4-bolt neck construction. Under the hood, things look equally reassuring. It retains three matching grey-bottom staggered pole pickups, with intact solder, original masking tape and correct PVC wiring throughout. The CTS pots date to the 14th week of 1970, while the neck date stamp has faded beyond recognition, something that is not at all unusual on Fenders from this period. The plastics and hardware all appear correct and overall we can't see anything out of place.

In the hand, it has a very comfortable medium C neck profile that feels easy and familiar straight away. The nut width measures 40.8mm, with neck depth of 21.6mm at the 1st fret and 24.3mm at the 12th, giving it a well balanced feel that should suit most players. It plays very well having had a changed nut and refret by Patrick Eggle no less!

Tonally, this Strat delivers exactly what you’d hope for from a good set of grey-bottom pickups. All three are nicely balanced, with that unmistakable chime, clarity and sweetness. It’s a very good playing and sounding guitar, but also a particularly complete and collectible package, the sort of example that is becoming increasingly hard to find.