“For guitar fans who understand the historical importance of the woman, the finish, and the Fender Stratocaster itself”: The original Mary Kaye Strat became one of the most iconic Fender builds of all time – now it’s heading to auction

The original Mary Kaye Fender Stratocaster – the distinctive electric guitar, which coined a completely new term for Strat finishes – is set to go under the hammer later this week.

As far as Stratocasters go, it’s one of the most influential examples to ever exist. The translucent blonde-finished, gold-hardware six-string first made its debut in the arms of legendary Las Vegas performer Mary Kaye, who was famously snapped holding the guitar in 1956 during a Fender promotional shoot that featured The Mary Kaye Trio.