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
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.