Overend Watts/Mott The Hoople: A 1954 'Hardtail' Fender Stratocaster, believed the earliest of its type to be shipped,
serial no. 0052 stamped on neckplate, double-cutaway, contoured ash body with two-tone sunburst finish, single-ply white eight-screw scratchplate, three single coil pickups, non-tremolo bridge with six adjustable string saddles, the maple neck with dark walnut centre back strip, headstock with Kluson machineheads, one round string tree, Fender 'spaghetti-logo' decal without 'Synchronized Tremolo' lettering, nickel-plated metal hardware, with original centre pocket, hard rectangular red plush-lined tweed case with Fender yellow ticket and inspection booklet
Saleroom notices
- Further research indicates that the neck date initials are for maker Taddeo Gomez, who was also responsible for making the neck on Eric Clapton's 'Layla' Stratocaster.