When it comes to vintage Fender lore, the pre-CBS era tends to get all the attention, and rightfully so. But let’s not forget, some truly great guitars came out of the CBS years too. Leave it to the Fender Custom Shop to channel that era with style and substance, as seen in this beautifully executed 1969 Daphne Blue Stratocaster.

From the first strum, this guitar just feels right. The "1969 U" neck profile (.82-.90") strikes a great balance between feeling substantial, but incredibly comfortable. It's not the U neck you'd find on an early-'50s Tele, but something smaller and more approachable. Modern touches like "vintage upgrade" frets (45085) and a 9.5" radius bring added playability.

You’ll find a set of Custom Shop hand-wound '69 pickups that capture all the sounds of the late-'60s. The middle and neck positions round things out with chime, warmth, and just the right amount of compression while the bridge pickup has that great Strat bite - though not ice-picky or shrill.

This is a Strat that feels dynamic, alive, and ready for whatever you throw at it. Add in the realistic and very well done Journeyman relic finish, and you’ve got a guitar that looks, feels, and sounds the part.

• Body//Style--Solid Body, Body--2-Piece Alder, Finish--Nitro Lacquer, Color--Faded Daphne Blue, Aging Level--Journeyman
• Hardware//Pickups--FCS '69 Strat, Controls--Volume / Tone / Tone / 5-Way Switch, Electronics--1/2 Blender, Bridge--Custom Shop Vintage Stratocaster, Tuners--Schaller, Pickguard--3-Ply Parchment
• Neck//Neck--Plain Grain Maple, Fingerboard--AAA Rosewood (round laminate), Carve--1969 "U" (.82-.90"), Radius--9 1/2", Nut--1.65" Bone, Frets--Vintage Upgrade/45085, Scale Length--25 1/2"
• Other//Weight--7lbs 13oz, Case--Hardshell

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The Music Emporium has been a fixture of the Boston music community since 1968. We're a shop built by musicians - players, luthiers, photographers, and gear obsessives - and that shapes everything about how we do business.

Every instrument we ship is inspected and set up by our in-house guitar techs before it leaves the shop.

We're a Fender Showcase Dealer, Collings' largest dealer worldwide, and a Martin Custom Shop Expert Dealer. Our showroom is at 165 Massachusetts Ave in Lexington, MA.

Questions about any instrument are always welcome. We're happy to talk gear.