1968 Fender Stratocaster
The 1968 Stratocaster — Jimi Hendrix territory. CBS-era large headstock, Indian rosewood board, but still an excellent rock and blues instrument. The guitar that defined Woodstock.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
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Specifications
| Body Wood | Alder (two-piece) |
| Neck Wood | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood (veneer — Indian rosewood) |
| Scale Length | 25.500" |
| Frets | 21 |
| Pickup Config | SSS |
| Bridge | Synchronized tremolo |
| Tuners | F-stamped Kluson-style |
| Finish Options | Sunburst, Custom colors, Natural (new) |
| Est. Production | 12,000 |
Pickups & Electronics
Three single-coil pickups. Gray-bottom style. CBS-era but still very playable.
What Changed in 1968
Jimi Hendrix's Woodstock performance in 1969 (with a 1968 Strat) would define the instrument's image forever. Indian rosewood now standard. The Strat was at the center of psychedelic rock and blues.
Notable Examples
Jimi Hendrix played a 1968 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White) at Woodstock — the most famous guitar performance in history.
Collector's Notes
Hendrix association makes late 1960s Strats culturally significant beyond their strict collector value. Olympic White Strats from this era command premiums. CBS-era quality is often underestimated.
How to Authenticate a 1968 Fender Stratocaster
The 1968 Stratocaster — the Hendrix Strat. Large headstock, CBS era, Indian rosewood fingerboard standard. These guitars are culturally significant beyond their strict vintage specifications. Olympic White examples are particularly sought after due to the Hendrix Woodstock association. Serial numbers on the neck plate with F prefix (six digits). For 1968, numbers should match documented CBS-era ranges. Neck date stamps (now often ink-stamped rather than penciled) on the heel remain important. Potentiometer date codes (typically CTS or Stackpole pots with EIA source codes and date stamps like '304-6' + last two digits of year + week number) help verify the production date. Large headstock with CBS logo (some still have transition logo). F-stamped tuners. Pot codes should show 67 or 68 dates. Indian rosewood fingerboard (verify — some sellers claim Brazilian). Neck date stamp should read 1968. Four-bolt neck. Standard synchronized tremolo. The Olympic White finish should show appropriate age yellowing. The finish should be nitrocellulose lacquer, though the transition to polyester was beginning at Fender. Nitro finishes check and wear naturally. Look for consistent aging — the finish should show wear at natural contact points (back of body, forearm area, behind the neck). Under UV/blacklight, original nitro fluoresces differently than poly finishes. Refinishes are detected by examining under the pickguard and in pickup cavities for color consistency. The Hendrix association creates incentive to misrepresent other years as 1968. Verify neck date stamp. Olympic White Strats are frequently refinished — the color should show even yellowing to cream, not bright white. Check under the pickguard for consistent finish. Be wary of 'Hendrix played this' provenance claims without documentation. The 1968 differs from 1967 in further standardization of CBS features and the cultural Hendrix association. It differs from 1969 in that 1969 is when polyester finishes began appearing and the transition to the bullet truss rod was approaching.