Fender ST72-145RB Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster

Olympic White

Serial: P051166

Comes in Original Fender Case w Tremelo Arm

$$$ It has just been professionally set up and dialed in for optimal tone and playability. It has low action with no buzzing. The frets are in perfect condition and polished to shine like a mirror, it is truly stage or studio ready/worthy. Including New Strings,  Perfect Intonation, Truss Rod Adjustment and Low Action Read Our Feedback and Rest Assured, The Dude Abides!

Fender Japan ST72-145RB Ritchie Blackmore Signature Stratocaster  

Circa 1999 – Near-Mint Olympic White Unicorn

Stop everything. This is the one Blackmore devotees dream about but almost never see: a late-’90s Fender Japan ST72-145RB in flawless Olympic White with the legendary deeply scalloped neck. And yes, it’s super cool.

Condition is ridiculous: blinding, factory-fresh Olympic White poly that still looks like it was shot yesterday—no yellowing, no checking, no arm wear, no pickguard rash, no headstock scars. The only imperfection on the entire guitar is one microscopic 3 mm ding on the lower edge (see pics). That’s it. Frets are 100 % original, in phenomenal shape and shine like a mirror. The rosewood scallop is so clean you’d swear it’s never been played. Spaghetti logo pristine, chrome sparkling, even the original trem arm is still in the bag.

This is the authentic Ritchie Blackmore model, built by Dyna Gakki when they were absolutely on fire:

- Deeply scalloped rosewood board (frets 17–21 are full-on trenches for those endless, singing bends)

- Big ’70s headstock with bullet truss rod

- U.S.-spec hand-wound staggered-pole pickups that deliver pure “Burn,” “Highway Star,” and “Lazy” mayhem

- Graduated volume knob wiring – roll it back and the bridge stays viciously ice-picky

- Vintage 7.25" radius, vintage-tall frets, correct ’70s “F” tuners

Tone? Razor-edged Strat snarl with that unmistakable mid-’70s Blackmore bark—quacky, aggressive, harmonically explosive, and scary articulate. The scalloped neck turns grown adults into speed-bending lunatics; notes leap off the board and vibrato feels limitless.

Just received a full pro setup: 10-46 strings, buttery-low action, laser-perfect intonation, and a trem that floats and returns like it’s on rails. Ships in the original Fender Japan gig bag with hang tags still attached.

Olympic White ST72-145RB examples were produced in tiny numbers compared to the sunburst models, and finding one this clean in 2025 is basically a statistical miracle. Most have been thrashed, refinished, or turned cream over the decades. This one is the exception—the closet queen you thought only existed in old Japanese catalogs.

One tiny ding away from dead-mint, and that tiny ding is the only reason it’s not priced in the stratosphere.

If you’ve been hunting the ultimate no-compromise Blackmore Strat that looks, plays, and sounds brand-new, your search ends here. This isn’t just a guitar—it’s a time machine wearing a white tuxedo.

Serious buyers only. It’ll be gone before you finish the solo in “Smoke on the Water.” Message now and claim your white whale.

The Fender Japan ST71-145RB Ritchie Blackmore Stratocaster features two high-output Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Flat SSL-4 single-coil pickups and a unique wiring scheme that uses a non-active middle "dummy" pickup and a 3-way pickup selector switch. PickupsThe guitar uses only two active pickups: 

• Neck Pickup: A Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Flat SSL-4 single-coil.
• Bridge Pickup: A reverse-wound/reverse-polarity (RW/RP) Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Flat SSL-4 single-coil. This RW/RP configuration provides hum cancellation when both the neck and bridge pickups are used together.
• Middle Pickup: A non-active "dummy" pickup is installed (mounted flush with the pickguard) purely for aesthetic replication of Blackmore's personal guitar and is not part of the circuit. 

These pickups have 1/4-inch diameter Alnico 5 magnets, delivering more than double the power of a standard single-coil and a robust tone with pronounced upper-midrange harmonics. Wiring and ControlsThe wiring is modified from a standard Stratocaster setup to accommodate the three-way switching and dummy coil: 

• Switching: A 3-position blade switch selects between the two active pickups.
• • Position 1: Bridge pickup only.
  • Position 2: Bridge and Neck pickups together (hum-canceling due to RW/RP configuration).
  • Position 3: Neck pickup only.
• Controls: The guitar has three black plastic knobs:
• • Master Volume.
  • Tone 1: Controls the Neck and Middle (inactive) pickups.
  • Tone 2: Controls the Bridge pickup. 

This configuration gives the player the essential neck, bridge, and combined neck/bridge tones that Ritchie Blackmore utilized, while the dummy coil provides an authentic visual appearance and potentially some passive tone-shaping properties (though primarily inactive). 

The Fender Ritchie Blackmore ST72-145RB is a Japanese-made Stratocaster with an alder body, maple neck with a slender "C" profile, and a graduated scalloped rosewood fretboard. The guitar has a 70s-style synchronized tremolo bridge, vintage-style "F" stamp tuners, and is finished in Olympic White. 

Body

• Body Material: Alder
• Finish: Olympic White
• Tremolo: 70s Vintage Style Die-Cast Tremolo
• Tuners: Fender/Schaller Vintage 70's "F" Style
• Bridge Plate: 3-bolt with "F" stamp
• Neck Plate: 3-bolt with "Fender Japan" stamp
• String Tree: #2, Wing type 

Neck

• Neck Material: Maple
• Neck Shape: Slender "C" profile
• Fretboard: Rosewood with graduated scalloping
• Fretboard Radius: 7.25"
• Frets: 21, vintage-style
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Nut: Graphite, 42mm (1.650") wide
• Truss Rod: Bullet 

Electronics

• Pickups:
• • Seymour Duncan "Quarter Pound" SSL-4 (Bridge)
  • Non-functional dummy pickup (Middle)
  • Seymour Duncan "Quarter Pound" SSL-4 (Neck)
• Controls:
• • Master Volume
  • Tone 1 (Neck)
  • Tone 2 (Bridge)
• Switch: 3-Position Blade
• Configuration: S(S)S (Bridge, Neck+Bridge, Neck)

This guitar has been professionally set up and dialed in for optimal tone and playability. Unless otherwise noted in the listing, It features low action with no buzzing or dead spots, perfect intonation, a brand-new set of American-made strings, and a straight neck with a fully functional truss rod. If needed the frets have been leveled, dressed, crowned, and polished to a mirror shine. The fingerboard has been thoroughly cleaned (unfinished rosewood and ebony boards are treated with Fret Doctor, a premium all-natural oil). All electronics function flawlessly. The guitar has been deep-cleaned and detailed and arrives stage- or studio-ready. 

About The Guitar Dude 

Three-time NAMM Top 100 Dealer worldwide. Specializing in premium Gibson, classic Fender guitars from all eras and the best Japanese made treasures. Known for the highest-quality consignment sales and custom layaway plans (available on select guitars and extendable beyond 45 days to fit your budget—contact us for details).  

Often copied, never duplicated. Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for beautiful guitar content. Like what you see? Let us go to work for you. @TheGuitarDude

Our Guarantee  

We stand behind every guitar we sell. “Good enough” is never good enough. Every instrument is inspected, set up, and tested by multiple people immediately before shipping. We deliver the highest standard of quality and have built a reputation as a three-time NAMM Top 100 Dealer since 2009. The Dude Abides.  

Neck & Setup - (unless otherwise noted)

- Neck is perfectly straight with no truss-rod issues. 

- Intonation is spot-on.  

- Professionally set up with low action and new American-made strings.  

- All frets are dressed, leveled, crowned (if needed), and all frets on all guitars are polished to shine like new with no divots.  

Return Policy, Restocking Fees & No Tire-Kicking Policy 

We follow Reverb’s 7-day return policy. However:  

- You must notify us in writing within 3 days of delivery (per tracking) of your intent to return.  

- Original shipping and return shipping costs are not refunded unless the guitar is damaged in transit or is significantly not as described.  

- A 15% restocking fee applies to all returns for any reason other than damage in transit or significantly not as described.  

We record demo videos of every guitar before shipping to document exact condition and performance. Additional photos, measurements, or in-hand descriptions are available upon request prior to purchase.  

Minor adjustments and tweaks to a set up (for example to correct a slight buzz or truss-rod tweak) are normal after shipping due to carrier mishandling the package, climate & atmospheric changes, especially when moving from South Florida to colder or less humid environments. These slight issues do not constitute “significantly not as described.” Guitars must be returned in the exact same condition as received/advertised or additional repair/restocking fees will apply.  

We are a small business, not a big-chain retailer. We invest significant time and effort into every guitar. This is a NO TIRE-KICKING shop. There is no post purchase haggling or partial refunds. If minor cosmetic marks, tiny imperfections, or the possibility of a post-shipping setup tweak makes you uncomfortable, please do not buy. Plenty of large retailers offer free trials and can absorb shipping costs—we do not.  

Payment, Shipping & International Duties  

- All items can be shipped internationally. Buyer is fully responsible for all import duties, taxes, and customs fees.  

- We accept PayPal, PayPal Credit, Affirm, and other major payment methods.  

- Most U.S. shipments are sent via UPS or FedEx with full insurance, tracking, and signature confirmation. All packages are professionally packed for maximum protection.  

International Shipping Note 

International shipping prices shown are for most countries. Certain countries have higher costs. We try and avoid USPS and mostly ship UPS. Express services (UPS, DHL, FedEx) are always available. Contact us for a personalized quote.  

Thank you for considering The Guitar Dude. We look forward to earning your business and delivering a guitar that exceeds your expectations. Contact us anytime for questions, consignment inquiries, layaway details, or a personalized shipping quote.