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Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar - Black Certified Open Box

Solidbody Electric Guitar with Alder Body, Maple Neck, Maple Fingerboard, and 3 Single-coil Pickups - Black
Rated 5/5 1 Write review Item ID: StratAV257Bkd1
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Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar - Black

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$2,069.99
Savings: $350.00

New for $2,419.99

Condition Notes:

There are cracks in the neck plate next to the upper treble side screw. There are other fine scratches on various parts of the instrument that are not photographed. These scratches do not show well in photos, if at all. The instrument comes with the following accessories: a trem arm, a key for its case, and an action adjustment wrench.

This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team and is backed by Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty. These images are of the exact item advertised, and provide as accurate a representation of its condition as possible. If you need further information, please call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700.

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Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar - Black
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Coveted ’57 Stratocaster Charm

Before the heyday of early-’60s surf rock, Fender and several guitarists were on a quest to uncover the perfect Strat sound. Everything from the newly manufactured Alnico III single-coil pickup down to the nitro gloss finish was manipulated with the goal of distilling Stratocaster tone like no other. With the American Vintage II Strat, Fender has now brought back the quintessential 1957 model with unparalleled authenticity. Built with alder and maple tonewoods and featuring an exclusive trio of single-coil Strat pickups, the ’57 Strat is a perfect emulation of a beloved axe classic. Considering it retains the same V neck profile and familiar fretboard access, holding an American Vintage II guitar feels akin to wielding an instrument rife with legendary 20th-century tone.

Classic Strat maneuverability

The shape, feel, and build of a guitar are the first things you notice before you’re about to play. With that idea in mind, Fender took care in making sure that the American Vintage II ’57 Strat was as authentically manufactured as its predecessor. The same classic V-shaped neck profile completes the ’57 Strat’s true maneuverability, allowing you to glide between notes. An accurately designed alder and maple construction feels like holding an authentic musical artifact while amounting to a sturdy build. Topped off with a delicate nitro gloss finish, this Strat is the closest thing to grabbing a real-deal axe off the line in 1957.

Definitive single-coil trio

What’s the most iconic detail of a ’57 Strat? Its mid-end punch and bright treble tone, of course! Lined with three Pure Vintage ’57 single-coil Strat pickups, you’ll revel in this guitar's mid-century audial palette, including singing high notes, textured rhythms, and everything in between. The classic Stratocaster control panel includes a 5-way pickup switch and twin tone knobs, letting you maximize your output to your desired taste. Tied together with a single volume knob and easy access to a vintage synchronized tremolo, you’ll be able to conjure up any tone that crosses your creative wit.

American Vintage II authenticity

As with Fender’s first American Vintage series, the American Vintage II line of guitars strives to be as accurate as possible in terms of looks, build, tone, and appointments. When you’re buying an American Vintage II guitar, you’re not only getting a classic-looking axe, but you’re also afforded handpicked vintage-style hardware that’s designed to emulate the performance of a true 20th-century instrument. When it comes to gear, Sweetwater musicians are big fans of the classics. Trust us: after playing an American Vintage II guitar, it’s not easy to put it down.

Fender American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster Features:

  • Alder and maple construction provides a vintage build with added stability and comfort
  • Authentic 1957 V-shaped neck profile provides maximum maneuverability and a solid hold on your fretboard
  • Nickel and chrome hardware made to model coveted guitar appointments of ages past
  • Faithful vintage synchronized tremolo with bent steel saddles generates warm guitar waves with ease
  • 3 Pure Vintage ’57 single-coil Strat pickups flawlessly replicate an entire spectrum of classic sounds
  • Tune in to your perfect sound with a standard 5-position pickup switch, dual tone knobs, and a single volume control
  • Pure Vintage Single Line “Fender Deluxe” tuning machines keep your intonation stable while providing a stellar visual display
  • Premium gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish presents a renowned Strat shine

Why Buy Your Guitar from Sweetwater?

See how Sweetwater goes to great lengths to give you the very best online guitar buying experience. From our online Guitar Gallery that allows you to see and select the exact instrument you want to our 55-point Inspection process and our in-house guitar techs, we take the guesswork out of buying your next guitar online.

What is Certified Open Box Gear?

At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call "Certified Open Box" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

Certified Open Box (also known as a demo) means we’ve had it out of the box for our YouTube channel, displayed at events, tested in our studio, or maybe it was in a customer’s hands for a few days and isn’t ‘factory fresh’ as a result. Every Certified Open Box item we sell has Sweetwater’s 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ warranty and has been tested and verified up to ‘new’ specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it’s in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

Note: While Certified Open Box items from Fender do not include the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation warranty, you can shop with confidence knowing that this item is backed and covered by Sweetwater’s 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ warranty.

When you buy a Certified Open Box item at Sweetwater, you get:
  • 2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!
  • Products inspected and tested by our factory-authorized techs, guaranteed to function like new (or better)!
  • FREE shipping on most items
  • Equipment that will MEET or EXCEED your expectations!

Click HERE to browse our current inventory of Certified Open Box equipment. Purchasing Certified Open Box gear from Sweetwater is a smart and safe way to save!

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Tech Specs

  • General
  • Model American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster
  • Number of Strings 6
  • Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
  • Body
  • Body Type Solidbody
  • Body Shape Stratocaster
  • Body Material Alder
  • Body Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
  • Color Black
  • Neck
  • Neck Material Maple
  • Neck Finish Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
  • Neck Shape 1957 V
  • Neck Joint Bolt-on
  • Radius 7.25"
  • Fingerboard Material Maple
  • Fingerboard Inlay Dots
  • Number of Frets 21
  • Fret Type Vintage Tall
  • Scale Length 25.5"
  • Nut Width 1.650"
  • Nut Material Bone
  • Hardware
  • Bridge/Tailpiece Pure Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
  • Tuners Fender Deluxe Pure Vintage
  • Electronics
  • Neck Pickup Fender Pure Vintage '57 Strat Single-coil
  • Middle Pickup Fender Pure Vintage '57 Strat Single-coil
  • Bridge Pickup Fender Pure Vintage '57 Strat Single-coil
  • Controls 1 x volume, 2 x tone
  • Switching 5-way blade pickup switch
  • Miscellaneous
  • Strings Fender USA 250R Nickel Plated Steel, .010-.046
  • Case/Gig Bag Hardshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 0110232806

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

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Reviews

Rated 5/5
Killer strat
The finish on this guitar is perfect! It looks amazing. The factory setup which came with .010's was decent but needed some work to get it to my feel, but now that it is, it feels great. The pickups are exactly what I needed them to be. They are chimey and bell-like. This strat is perfect for modification but the pickups won't be swapped. Being a 1957 reissue, it has a 7.25" radius but it doesn't fret out. Also as a '57, the middle pup is not reverse wound/reverse polarity so positions 2 and 4 hum. The switch is 5 way which if it's truly a 1957 model, should be 3 way but I'm not complaining. I'm glad I don't have to swap it. I plan on doing some wiring mods to my personal preferences like adding a treble bleed, a half blender and series switch. I would highly recommend this guitar to anyone who loves a strat.
Music background: Player for 30+ years. Audio engineer

It’s impossible to imagine a world without Fender guitars, and if you’re like many of the guitarists at Sweetwater, then Fender not only made the first guitar you ever bought " they made the last one too! From building the first mass-produced solidbody electric guitars and basses in the 1950s to creating some of the most influential amplifier designs in history, it’s no wonder why Fender is one of the biggest names in the business. As one of the world’s largest Fender dealers, we have countless guitars, basses, amps, effects pedals, and accessories in stock and ready to ship, whenever you need them. We’re always getting our hands on their latest creations, and there’s nothing we love more than to tell our customers all about them! So, whether you’re looking for your first axe or a Custom Shop creation, make sure to give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700.

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