1979 Fender Stratocaster
Late CBS-era Stratocaster with the now-standard 5-way switch. Widely available and excellent player instruments. Natural ash and black finish examples are particularly attractive.
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 | Ash (standard) or Alder |
| Neck Wood | Maple |
| Fingerboard | Maple (maple boards returning) or Rosewood |
| Scale Length | 25.500" |
| Frets | 21 |
| Pickup Config | SSS |
| Bridge | Synchronized tremolo (4-bolt neck returning) |
| Tuners | F-stamped or Schaller F-style |
| Finish Options | Sunburst, Natural, Wine Red, Black, Arctic White, and more |
| Est. Production | 22,000 |
Pickups & Electronics
Three single-coil pickups. 5-way switch now standard (previously 3-way). '70s Fender pickups have their own character.
What Changed in 1979
The 5-way switch became standard — this had been requested by players for years and finally acknowledged what everyone was doing manually. 4-bolt neck returning on many models. The late CBS era before Fender's quality improvements in the early 1980s.
Collector's Notes
5-way switch is correct for 1977 and later. Late 1970s Strats often have heavier bodies — weight matters to players. Black finish Strats from this era have a strong following.
How to Authenticate a 1979 Fender Stratocaster
The 1979 Stratocaster is the last of the CBS-era models covered here. Five-way switch, S-series serial, polyester finish. The 4-bolt neck was returning on some models, signaling the quality improvements that would continue into the early 1980s. Both maple and rosewood fingerboard options available. Serial numbers on the headstock decal (moved from neck plate around 1976). Format is typically S + six or seven digits for late 1970s (S-series). For 1979, S-series numbers should match documented ranges. Potentiometer date codes and neck date stamps (ink on heel) provide secondary verification. Some transitional instruments may still have neck-plate serials. Five-way switch. S-series serial on headstock. Pot codes should show 78 or 79 dates. Check neck attachment — both 3-bolt and 4-bolt appeared in 1979 as the return to 4-bolt was beginning. Polyester finish. Check for correct tuner style (F-stamped or Schaller). Original pickups with CBS-era construction. The finish may be nitrocellulose lacquer or thick polyester (poly became standard through the 1970s). Polyester finishes are noticeably thicker, harder, and do not check or wear like nitro. Poly-finished guitars tend to be slightly heavier. A thick, glossy, chip-resistant finish with no checking is consistent with CBS-era polyester. If the finish shows nitro-style checking on a claimed 1979 instrument, verify carefully — it may be a refinish or misidentified earlier guitar. The 3-bolt to 4-bolt transition in 1979 creates authentication nuance — both are legitimate. Watch for modified 3-bolt necks converted to 4-bolt (check for filled screw holes). The return to 4-bolt was a quality signal, so 4-bolt 1979 models may command a slight premium. Verify all date codes for consistency. The 1979 differs from 1978 in the beginning return to 4-bolt neck attachment on some models. It differs from 1980-1981 in not yet having the full quality improvements that came in the early 1980s under new CBS management before the eventual employee buyout in 1985.