Fender Stratocaster Custom Shop Solid Body Electric Guitar (1999), ser. #R6758, tweed hard shell case.

Fender Stratocaster Custom Shop Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1999), made in Fullerton, California, serial # R6758, Fiesta Red over sunburst finish, Alder Body, Maple Neck, Rosewood Fingerboard, tweed hard shell case. This vibey vintage-style Stratocaster started life as a Fender Custom Shop piece in 1999, and has had some modification since then. The body has been overfinished by MJT in a well-done Fiesta Red OVER the original sunburst, as Fender guitars occasionally were in the 1960s. The original custom Shop marks have been preserved as the overfinish does not extend into the body cavities. These include the Custom shop stamp and "EC'" die stamp in the neck pocket, "NOS" hot stamp and "WLS" in the pickup cavities and "3TSB" in the control cavity. The neck date is penciled 3-11-99, and ink stamped Mar 12 1999 with a die stamped "RELIC"; there are further indecipherable signature marks in both pencil and pen.Internally the electronics show signs of work; the neck PU is a grey bobbin with the Fender Custom shop marking, the middle & bridge are black bobbins, unparked with beveled magnets. It is wired with a vintage-style 3-way switch but does the "in between" settings nicely. The neck is a 60-62 style with a slab rosewood fingerboard, era-correct frets and an accurate period profile; the original CS finish is unaltered. The pickguard is a more recent repro 'green guard'; the original whiter one is in the case along with an alternative set of pickup covers and knobs. The PU covers on the guitar are slightly yellowed and the knobs are subtly mismatched with the volume just a bit whiter than the tones. This is a great playing and fine sounding modern/vintage Fender, customized into what was probably somebody's dream Strat. It maintains a nice vintage vibe, with the unusual dual-finish configuration as the main distinctive feature. The trem is functional but no arm is included. It lives in a modern RoadRunner branded deluxe tweed case. Length is 38 1/4 in. (97.2 cm.), 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm.) width, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) deep. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.)., 7.7 lbs. This guitar shows "slight relic" wear to the Fiesta red overfinish with checking and some dings and dents through to the sunburst beneath, but not much other wear. It is difficult to say if most of this is actual or simulated wear, most likely the latter. The hardware is very clean, the frets show very little wear and the guitar does not appear much played over the last 20+ years. While not all original it has a cool vibe and plays and sounds excellent. Excellent Condition.