1956 Fender Stratocaster
A mid-1950s Stratocaster in the sweet spot of original production — past the rarity of 1954 but still deep in the pre-CBS era. One-piece maple neck, hand-wound pickups, and the refined original tremolo design.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Specifications
| Body Wood | Alder (two-piece) |
| Neck Wood | Maple (one-piece) |
| Fingerboard | Maple (integral) |
| Scale Length | 25.500" |
| Frets | 21 |
| Pickup Config | SSS |
| Bridge | Synchronized tremolo (six saddles) |
| Tuners | Kluson Deluxe single-line |
| Nut Width | 1.65" |
| Finish Options | Two-tone Sunburst, Custom colors (Fiesta Red, Shoreline Gold, etc. — very rare) |
| Est. Production | 1,700 |
Pickups & Electronics
Three hand-wound single-coil pickups. Three-way pickup selector. Individually adjustable pole pieces.
What Changed in 1956
Production was expanding rapidly as the Strat became established. Two-tone sunburst remained the standard finish. Custom colors were available but extremely rare.
Collector's Notes
Custom color Strats from this era are among the most valuable production guitars. Two-tone sunburst is expected — three-tone (with yellow center) began appearing around 1958. Verify maple neck originality.