MARY KAYE STRATOCASTER

Mary Kaye models are probably the most desirable of all 1950s Fenders, so the very first one made must be the ultimate vintage Strat

- Words Huw Price Photography Matt Lincoln

Mary Kaye models are probably the most desirable of all 1950s Fenders, so the very first one made must be the ultimate vintage Strat Gretsch had the Chet Atkins 6120, and Gibson offered various Les Pauls — but Fender’s most famous artist signature model was never officially anything of the sort. It’s maybe because the guitars were selling like hot cakes that Fender is better remembered for its manufacturing processes than marketing strategies.

Unlike all the other big US guitar manufacturers, Fender never bothered with artist signature models during the pre-CBS era. Even so, the Mary Kaye Stratocaster eventually acquired that status in a de facto sort of way and has become the ‘holy grail’ of vintage Fenders for many serious collectors.

There was nothing fancy about the neck profile, the pickups or the wiring. In fact, only two features distinguished a Mary Kaye Stratocaster from any other Stratocaster that might have rolled off Fender's production line during the mid-to-late 1950s. The most immediately recognisable was a translucent blonde finish over an ash body.

By 1955, the ‘butterscotch’ finish Fender applied to Broadcasters, Nocasters and early Telecasters was being replaced by an off-white ‘blonde’ finish to match the newly introduced white pickguard. Although sunburst was the standard Stratocaster finish, blonde examples have been documented from early 1955 onwards, but they came with regular chrome and nickel-plated hardware. To be a true ‘Mary Kaye’, a Strat must also have factory-fitted 14-karat gold-plated hardware.

Keys To Kayes