I am a big fan of Hank and really look up to him. And think the same of Paul and Gary, too. I wonder though how reliable memory is 53 years on. (I know how mine is relative to things that happened in 1960, and at 64 I'm younger than Hank.) Against Hank’s recollection, data seem to make it reasonable to conclude that Fender fitted only flatwounds (tapewounds) to the early Stratocasters, that in fact Fender proclaimed the guitar was designed for them. that roundwounds weren’t available in 1959 in the US and then only under one small brand, that it was unlikely Fender wouldn’t have fitted them right away, and that accordingly Cliff’s directly imported Strat would have been fitted with flatwounds. Then there is at least that photograph someone blew up that seemed to show flatwound strings.
Roundwounds might have been available in the UK earlier; I don’t know that for sure, although at least one member here has said the new Strat he then bought in Europe (France?) had flatwounds. If the Strat did come with flatwounds, perhaps Hank swapped the strings immediately. But this seems unlikely as he was in awe of the Strat its strings, and at the time tended to hang on to old strings.
I suppose we will never know for sure. Paul, be brave and tell Hank, “Hank, you know, your Strat most likely came with flatwounds,” and see how he reacts.
In the meantime, Paul, Gary, please try either Thomastik Infeld (I suggest the George Benson set) or Pyramid flatwounds and tell me what you think. They are the old-style flatwounds. (I have no interest in either company, unfortunately.) I for one would be very interested in what you think.
I am not on a crusade pro flatwounds; I have been happy with my D'Addario 12-52 roundwounds. It's just that the evidence keeps piling up and telling me "he must have used flatwounds on Apache." Oh well, it is good we have these arcane issues to keep us occupied and happy. May we never know for sure.
Best to all,
Andy