Johnny Marr’s 1962 Fender Stratocaster (White)

Marr used this white 1962 Fender Stratocaster to write and record The Boy with the Thorn in His Side. Since that song was recorded around August 1985, Marr probably got the guitar shortly before that, sometime in mid-1985.

Prior to Marr, the guitar belonged to Gary Shaughnessy from the band Sweet Sensation – an eight-piece soul group from Manchester, England who were active in the 70s.

The Two Switch Mod

Marr’s 1962 Stratocaster had an unusual modification: an additional toggle switch was installed just above the standard 3-way switch which controlled the three pickups. However, the exact purpose of this second switch remains unclear.

The most likely explanation is that the second switch allowed for pickup combinations like bridge/middle, neck/middle, or possibly all three pickups together—if it was indeed a 3-way switch. In theory, a single 5-way switch could achieve most of these combinations (except “all three pickups together”), but Fender only introduced a 5-way selector in 1977. So, it’s possible that compatible 5-way switches weren’t widely available when the guitar was modified by Gary in the ’70s.

However, since it’s unknown whether this custom switch was actually a 3-way switch, its function might have been as straightforward as an on/off switch.

Dot Spacing, Serial Number

One interesting detail is that in the photos shown in Marr’s book, where he has this guitar and another 1962 sitting right next to it, it is obvious that the guitars have a different dot spacing on the 12th fret. This Strat has a narrow dot spacing, which should mean that it was made in 1963 (the year when Fender made this change), and the dot spacing on his other 1962 is period correct – where the dots are further apart.

Not only that, but the Fender logo on the two guitars looks different. This guitar has thinner lettering, and no golden details can be seen in the letters. And what’s weird about that is that now it’s the opposite story, the guitar with the wrong dot spacing has the right logo, while the guitar with the wrong dot spacing has the right logo for that period.

Maybe this is just Fender’s inconsistency during those years, but if you happen to know anything that would explain these discrepancies, be sure to post a comment below.

Also, according to information from the book, both guitars were made in 1962. However, depending on which source you consult, this guitar—with the serial number 70012—could have been made in 1961. For example, according to GuitarHQ, the cutoff between years is at serial number 72000.

Connecting this to the earlier discussion about dot spacing, it becomes even more confusing because a 1961 Strat would definitely not have narrow dot spacing.