This is a 33 year old, original Fender Custom Shop Page-O-Caster built by master builder Fred Stuart. Serial number 0263.
I acquired this piece in 2004 from the collection of Larry Henrikson - a vintage/high-end guitar dealer/collector from DeKalb Illinois. It was purchased from his guitar store Ax-In-Hand from a then dwindling collection of high-end guitars he had acquired over his many years in business. Some say Larry was one of the first, and best-known vintage guitar collector/dealers in the world, and began touring his collection globally in the eighties, as the 'Ax-in-Hand' traveling guitar show. During the ’70s, on a regular basis Pablo Cruise and The Doobie Brothers would show up at his store. And Larry would take instruments into the city to different concerts like The [Rolling] Stones, The Who, INXS [and] Tom Petty. Larry unfortunately passed away in 2000 much too soon.
Side note: you can read more about Larry's background and involvement in Fender's introduction of the '57 and '62 reissue of the Stratocaster here:
Interview: Fender Visionary Dan Smith on How to Turn | Reverb News
This amazing piece features a bird's eye maple neck, with walnut back-stripe, spaghetti logo peghead decal, mahogany back, spruce top with the Page-O-Caster dual f hole, semi hollow construction. It has one hand wound pickup in the bridge position, gold plated metal hardware, clear lacquer finish with Fred Stuart's signature on the back of the peghead.
The guitar is in excellent condition with little to no wear. Since in my possession the last 20 years, it's seen mostly closet time, only to be brought out on occasion to play in my home studio, pampered and put back. It comes with the original tweed case it was sold to me in (shown), but the case is in the same condition, with wear, that it was the day I purchased the guitar from Larry's Ax-in-Hand guitar store, then run by one of his sons. And of course it has the certificate shown, which too, is in the same condition as the day I purchased the guitar.
The action on this guitar can only be described as amazing and a true specimen of the work that master builder Fred Stuart produced. I am not in a hurry to sell the guitar but am happy to consider serious offers.
