FENDER AMERICAN VINTAGE II 1973 STRATOCASTER
By Paul Riario
OF ALL THE carefully chosen guitars Fender unveiled in their exciting brand-new American Vintage II Series, I decided to check out one of the more overlooked models: the American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster. Indeed, Seventies-era Strats have historically been perceived as a lesser Stratocaster (compared to pre-CBS Stratocasters) for many problematic reasons besides its most visible change — the enlarged and reshaped headstock. Sure, we all pined for the original smaller headstock Strats found in the hands of Clapton and Gilmour; however, many old-school players will recall that their first fond impressions of a Stratocaster had been the prevalent Seventies-era Strats being legitimized by local scenester guitarists and guitar idols from Blackmore to Malmsteen. But aside from debating the merits of a large or small Fender headstock, there seems to be a fashionable resurgence for “everything old is new again,” as evidenced by the American Vintage II lineup of nearly period-correct models that span three classic decades of iconic Fender guitar and bass designs. And while the American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster is meticulously built to original spec, what is abundantly clear is that Fender has skillfully improved the issues that made 1970s Stratocasters controversial, making this overhauled model a far more appealing instrument.
FEATURES There’s no need to step into a time machine; the American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster is built to look and feel exactly like a new Strat plucked off the rack from a music store in 1970-something. What’s noticeably absent is the boat-anchor weight and impenetrably thick poly-gloss finish found on many of its original Seventies-era predecessors. Now, while the AVII 1973 Strat is finished in a gloss polyurethane, it feels fairly soft rather than shellacked, and the guitar arrives at an acceptable welterweight of 7.5lbs. Another detectable difference is that the “C”-shape maple neck is no longer chunky, but fashioned to a comfortably rounded profile that is quintessential Fender and inarguably enjoyable. Of course, the guitar comes in either a round-laminated rosewood or maple fingerboard with a vintage curvature of a 7.25–inch radius that many modern players may not be accustomed to, but thankfully, the vintage tall frets will be agreeable to most players. Fender went to great lengths in balancing original spec with improved functionality because none of the guitar’s sturdy hardware and solid construction appears wonky or flimsy. The period-accurate features like the “Bulle
