Here for sale we have a Fender Richie Sambora Standard Stratocaster in Lake Placid Blue finish. Made in Mexico in 1996, this guitar comes from the Mexican series of Richie Sambora signature models. By the early '90s Fender was itching to work with Sambora, and masterbuilder Jay W. Black produced two prototypes for him. The resulting model was the Richie Sambora Stratocaster, closely based on a Japanese 'Hot Rodded Reissue' guitar he had been seen to use with it's Abalone Star fret markers. This model remained in production until '99 when it received a re-design, and was ultimately discontinued in 2002. The Mexican version we see here entered production in '94 and was discontinued alongside the US version in 2002. 

Of course featuring a bolt-on construction, this instrument comprises a Poplar body, Maple neck and 21 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Chrome hardware is fitted including a Floyd Rose II double-locking tremolo system & Fender standard/sealed tuning machines. The trio of passive pickups are fitted in an HSS configuration, with a DiMarzio Custom PAF Pro humbucker in the bridge & Fender Special Design single-coils in the neck & middle positions. These are wired to a 5-way blade switch, master volume, neck tone & middle tone controls. 

The Maple neck plays very well, with Sambora's Flat Oval Modern 'C' profile filling the hand nicely for a substantial grip when chord playing, yet remaining slim enough for fast articulate lead lines. The Polyurethane finish to the back of the neck is pleasant to the touch, and assists with smooth and speedy navigation of the 25.5" scale. The Rosewood fingerboard has a nice tight grain, and with its 9.5" radius provides a smooth, durable and practical surface for a wide variety of playing styles and techniques. This is enhanced by the Medium Jumbo frets, which encourage faster playing whilst improving the feel of string bending and vibrato techniques. 

The HSS configured pickups installed in this guitar deliver huge screaming tones that project a deep bass and punchy mids, as well as a searing bright treble to help you cut through the mix. The Special Design Single Coil neck pickup produces a thick, rounded sound tone with plenty of power for your solos and lead lines. The DiMarzio Custom PAF Pro Humbucker bridge pickup is of course brighter, and with a higher output drives the front end of an amp into a beautifully saturated distortion. The familiar Stratocaster control layout offers comprehensive control of your tone without being intrusive to the playing experience. 

Brand- Fender

Model- Richie Sambora Standard Stratocaster

Finish- Lake Placid Blue

Year- 1996

Made In- Mexico

Body- Poplar

Neck- Maple

Neck Profile- Flat Oval Modern 'C'

Fingerboard- Rosewood

Fingerboard Radius- 9.5"

Frets- 21 Medium Jumbo

Scale Length- 25.5"

Nut Width- 1.650"

Pickups- DiMarzio Custom PAF Pro Humbucker (Bridge), 2x Fender Special Design Single-Coil (Neck/Middle)

Controls- 5-Way Blade Switch, Master Volume, Neck Tone, Middle Tone

Luthier Report

Our ID: 1230926244230

Weight: 8.35lbs  

Serial: MSN623724

Aesthetic Condition:

Headstock: Overall excellent condition. Light indentations are present around the perimeter of the headstock, most notably along the bass side edge near the 5th A tuner. Light finish discoloration is present at the bass side near the nut where the guitar would make contact with a hanger. 

Neck: Overall excellent condition. A very light indentation is present to the skunk stripe to the rear of the neck, this is located at the 3rd fret and can lightly be felt in the playing position. Any other markings are difficult to discern.

Body: Overall excellent condition. All aspects of the body display light scratching which can only be seen under direct light. The pickguard shows mild scratching consistent with playwear. 

Condition of Frets:

The frets demonstrate light signs of use, not affecting playability. There is considerable material remaining for any fret work the new owner may wish to perform.

Current Set Up:

Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (3/16" hex) not included.

Hardware: Very good condition with moderate scratching to the rear cavity cover. 

Structural: No concerns or issues to note.

Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.5mm - Bass 2mm

Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.

Strings on Guitar - 9-42

Electrics: 

Fully functional.

Case & Accessories:

No case is provided with this guitar.

Tremolo arm included. Truss rod tool not included. 

Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.