Fender Stringmaster Triple Neck Steel Guitar 1950's

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 22 Oct 2016 6:48 pm

The earliest I've seen a brown tolex case is 1959. It came with a double neck Stringmaster with the blade switch. I also have a '59 Champ and previously had in my position a Studio Deluxe with the same brown tolex style case. They used them until 1962 is what I've been told.
I bought the Champ with the brown tolex case from the original owner who bought it new in 1959 on his 16th birthday.
Unfortunately, in his later teens he painted the guitar black! Teenage angsts I guess. At least he didn't paint the tweed matching amp.

Duane Belotti · Post by **Duane Belotti** » 23 Oct 2016 5:16 am

I read about that guy too. Funny they went to black a few years later anyway. So it appears that Fender producing tolex cases in the late 1950's.

J Fletcher · Post by **J Fletcher** » 23 Oct 2016 7:00 am

1959 is the year Fender switched from tweed covering to tolex. Early 1959 tweed , later in the year tolex appeared on the amps and guitar cases. Some tweed amps were built as late as 1960.
No tolex before mid 1959 that I have ever heard of.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 23 Oct 2016 7:16 am

Fender had several "transitional" periods. For example, after they introduced the Stringmaster they continued making the older design, Dual Pro and Custom, for a couple more years. Both styles were available for a while, even though the older style did not appear in the catalogs. I've seen a pencil date of 1956 on a Dual Pro. Leo believed in using up all stock on hand.

I had a 1962 tweed Fender Champ amp. I was shocked when I checked the serial number and discovered that the amp was made in '62. Fender catalogs of the era show only brown tolex amps.

Bill Thomson · Post by **Bill Thomson** » 24 Oct 2016 10:33 pm

Check the tuner pan. Under the Fender logo does it say "Pat. Pend" or does it say "Pat.2838974"?

Duane Belotti · Post by **Duane Belotti** » 25 Oct 2016 3:26 am

Hey Bill: It says "PAT. PEND." I have an idea where you're going... what does that mean?

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 25 Oct 2016 5:55 am

Bill Thomson wrote:Check the tuner pan. Under the Fender logo does it say "Pat. Pend" or does it say "Pat.2838974"?

Not sure how useful that would be as they used Pat Pend up to about 1962 and I don't think anyone is suggesting it's later than that anyway.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 25 Oct 2016 9:04 am

Yeah, that's like the old National finger picks. They had the pat. no. on them from sometime in the 1930s until the 1970s.