A STRATOCASTER NECK

This 1972 Stratocaster neck first appeared in Jeff Beck’s collection in early 1975, when it was switched on to the body of a 1960s Strat with stripped/natural finish that he used extensively from around 1968-1976. It is believed that much of Beck’s seminal 1975 album Blow by Blow was recorded using the battered natural Strat, during which time the present neck was fitted to the natural Strat body. That natural Strat body, which had been damaged and repaired a number of times, was sold at a charity auction in the 1980s and now resides in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In mid-1976, Jeff switched this neck on to a white Stratocaster body that he owned at that time and was used extensively on stage through 1976, until it was believed stolen in late 1976. The inscription WING REBORN is a curious one and could be a reference to Jimi Hendrix, who had inspired Jeff to take up the Stratocaster again after a dalliance with Gibson Les Pauls. Much later, in around 2011, Jeff would begin to add the Hendrix song ‘Little Wing’ to his live set, playing with a reverse headstock Strat just as Jimi had done. Alternatively, it could be a reference to the history of the guitar itself, reborn with its new neck in around 1975 after another smash and repair.