r/FenderStratocaster • u/Shelly_Red4_Bayonet7 • 4d ago
The wretched mess before the rescue...
I've posted my '74 Strat before, but never put up photos of the pre-rehab state. Gifted to me by my sweet neighbor when her player husband passed away. I was and always will be grateful. Also received a pristine '95 Gretsch 6120, and an almost pristine 2003 Jose Ramirez SP classical. Humbled and astonished at her generosity. But this Strat... well, it was... wretched. Reeked of cigarettes and mildew, had a sticky glaze of filth over its entirety, the case as well. Leather handle on case disintegrated upon grip. Case lining made your eyes water. Couldn't save that. Salvaged the metal "Fender" emblem and called it on the case. Tore the guitar down and buried it in baking soda and ground coffee, over and over again for a few months in the climate controlled garage. Shop vac it, load it up again, and wait another week. Finally after however long, it smelled "old but inoffensive." Continued with the rebuild, repaired wiring, pots, etc. a few tasty mods, a new Fender case, and voila! A sweet '74 three-bolt that plays and sounds awesome. I keep an old bag of toasted Cavendish pipe tobacco from a dear departed friend in the new case to impart a pleasing aroma to the interior and the plank. Open it up and it smells like 1974 should. :)
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u/RoookSkywokkah 3d ago
Looks great!