FOR SALE: ORIGINAL FENDER PROTOTYPE ELECTRIC GUITAR CIRCA 1980
It would be hard to argue that perhaps no other electric guitar line is more collectable than Fender. While vintage Strats and Teles can fetch thousands of dollars, Fender collectors go even further, collecting old catalogs, vintage parts, etc. Well, I believe we have an instrument that any Fender collector would love to own. First, the back story: we purchased this guitar from a member of the Sightsinger family. Sightsinger Music (now defunct) was a large Orange County music store in Santa Ana. They were the store for Fender products in the 60's-90's. Due to the fact they were large Fender re-sellers and they were geographically close to the Fender factory, they would often get "first-dibs" on cooler or even oddball guitars. This prototype is one of them.This guitar was obviously a working prototype of what was later named the Fender Bullet Standard.  This guitar was designed by legendary builder John Page. (Page is widely considered one of the finest living guitar designer is the world.) This prototype features a Telecaster neck, 21 fret with maple fingerboard. The guitar has 2 Mustang pickups controlled by a 3 way slide switch with one volume and one tone.  The body is made from period correct ash. Please observe the photo of the headstock: while the lacquer checking is bad, you can still see the Fender logo. But that's it. It does not say Telecaster, this meaning that this neck was destined for a guitar that was not yet named.  Although the serial number plate denotes a 1974 date, the pots date to 1980 . Since the made in USA Bullet Standard came out in 1981, I believe that 1980 would be the correct year of manufacture. The Bullet was essentially the marriage of a Mustang with a Telecaster. I have included a photo of the completed Bullet. You can the similarities (shape of body for sure) but also the differences, most notably the absence of a full pickguard, the pickups being mounted in 2 black metal "surrounds". Also notice the use of the slide switch as a pickup selector rather than a std. 3 way switch.On condition: the guitar has been in the garage of it's previous owner for decades. It was neglected and subsequently got some finish damage. The body is just fine but humidity/moisture got under the lacquered neck and bubbled it up. A lot of the lacquer has since chipped off, leaving a satin finish on a lot of the neck. The neck however, is still straight and after a complete set-up, plays rather well. It sounds like a Fender! Note the ash body, it is unpainted and still shows the "indexing" marks in the wood, as this would be period-correct for Fender guitars of this era. Knowing the provenance of this guitar and going by the words of Mr. Sightsinger, I have no doubts that this instrument was indeed the pre-cursor of the John Page designed Bullet.  This Bullet prototype was the first guitar designed by John Page for Fender. Although I have no direct evidence, it is quite likely that Page probably built this instrument himself. Please check the hi-def photos closely and let me know if you have questions. I will do my best to answer them.
THANKS FOR LOOKING...WE SHIP REALLY QUICK!