2003 Fender Showmaster

Oh, great. A Strat that walks into a Les Paul costume party like it thinks it belongs there. Bold of you, Fender. We appreciate the enthusiasm, but putting a gold top on a Strat doesn’t make it a Les Paul.

It couldn’t possibly fit in. Right?

Fine. Hand it over.

Well. It's annoyingly comfortable for starters. It settles in nicely, the neck feels quick, and there’s no middle pickup for my pick to keep introducing itself to. As someone who has remained fairly underwhelmed by Les Pauls, I’m beginning to appreciate the arrangement. Still, plenty of guitars feel good before you plug them in.

So let’s hear it.

Oh.

That is not the sound my budget told me to expect from a guitar like this. Those humbuckers have real shove—big, thick, immediate—and suddenly I’m playing the same riff again. A little harder this time. Then a little louder.

Now I’m letting chords hang instead of moving straight to the next one. Taking another run up the neck. Going back to that riff because it sounds ridiculous, and apparently I need to hear it once more before I can conduct any further business. The guitar is still sitting comfortably, my picking hand has room to work, and the amp is making a compelling argument for leaving everything exactly where it is.

I glance down at the gold top. Okay. The finish is kinda pretty in the sunlight...

I came over prepared to tolerate another oddball Fender. Now I’m supposed to put it down? I’ve got one more thing I want to try! But what if I...

Oops. It's an hour later. What?

That thick humbucker authority, this easy feel, nothing in the way of my pick—where has this guitar been hiding my whole life?

This is a USED guitar in GOOD condition. A small cosmetic finish split at the edge of the middle bout below the pickup selector accounts for the overall grade. All electronics function properly, and a hard case is included.

Specs
Body / Construction
Top: Carved
Top Binding: Body front only
Neck Construction: Set neck
Neck Binding: Yes
Fret Count: 24
Hardware
Bridge: Tremolo
Tremolo Bar: Not included
Headstock Markings: Fender logo on front; serial number and "Made in Korea" on back
Electronics
Pickup Configuration: HH
Neck Pickup: Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: Humbucker
Controls: Volume, tone
Switching: 5-way blade switch
Electronics Condition: All electronics function correctly.

ZONE_A5