What kind of plastic where the first Fender Stratocaster pickup covers made of?
Doing research and talking to George Fullerton and plastic molders I found that the plastic was called Cycolac brand polymers and is from a unique family of ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) thermoplastic resins produced by the Marbon Chemical Division of Borg-Warner. The info I found was from 1963 and at that time the plastic came in nine major formulations. After a short time Fender started using a nylon based material for it s injected molded covers. Cycolac brand plastic is well suited for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications. It didn t work to well for the constant abuse from strumming and picking and the covers became brittle and pieces would crack and chip off. Depending on the formulation the plastic worked well in other applications. I think it was a combination of molding and the thinness of the walls that caused it to fail upon use. Cycolac brand polymers also offered seven other product improving advantages. 1. Good electrical properties: It had low wate
