Fender Customshop 60s Empress Strat®J-Man BLK MBYS Masterbuild Yuriy Shishkov 2306g
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2017 Fender Custom Shop '60s Empress Stratocaster Journeyman Relic – Black – Masterbuilt by Yuriy Shishkov – Only 2306 g (5.1 lbs)
One of only three built. The only black one, allocated to Europe. Barely played.
In 2017, Master Builder Yuriy Shishkov built three ultra-lightweight Empress Stratocasters with a paulownia body and an airplane-grade spruce neck. The two siblings, both finished in Tennessee Orange, were allocated to the US and Japanese markets. This one, serial YS2740 and the only black example, went to Europe. I bought it new in spring 2019 at Musik Schmidt (Session Music) Frankfurt. It has been part of my collection ever since and has hardly been played.
THE BUILDER
Yuriy Shishkov began building guitars in the 1980s in a small workshop in Gomel and has been part of Fender's Masterbuilt team since 2000. Over years of working with renowned artists such as Jimmy Page and Dimebag Darrell, he developed an exceptional feel for the fine nuances of an instrument. The Empress is a showcase of that sensibility, and it is an experiment most builders would never attempt.
THE WOODS
Body: paulownia. Paulownia grows mainly in East Asia and is extremely light yet highly resonant. For thousands of years, Chinese makers have used it for the soundboard of the guqin, the classical seven-string zither. It is one of the most tonally revered woods in Asian instrument making.
Neck: airplane-grade spruce. "Airplane grade" is a strict selection standard originally used in aircraft construction. The wood is quartersawn, dead-straight in grain, free of defects and dried for maximum stiffness relative to its weight. That makes the neck light and stable at the same time.
THE RESULT
At just 2306 g (5.1 lbs), this is one of the lightest Stratocasters you will ever hold. The resonance is extraordinary: close to that of a semi-hollow guitar, and far beyond what an ordinary solid body can deliver. The whole instrument vibrates against your body, and the response is immediate and bright, rich in overtones, with a lively, open voice even when played unplugged. It is a Strat for players who want to feel the wood speak.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Model: Fender Custom Shop '60s Empress Strat J-Man BLK, MBYS (Masterbuilt Yuriy Shishkov)
- Year: 2017, serial YS2740
- Finish: Black, Journeyman Relic
- Body: paulownia
- Neck: airplane-grade spruce
- Weight: 2306 g (5.1 lbs)
CONDITION & INCLUDED
- Collector's piece, barely played since purchase in 2019
- Original Fender Custom Shop certificate of authenticity (COA)
- Original purchase invoice (Musik Schmidt Frankfurt, 2019)
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| Listed | 24 days ago |
|---|---|
| Condition | Excellent (Used) Excellent items are almost entirely free from blemishes and other visual defects and have been played or used with the utmost care.Learn more |
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