Fender Masterbuilt David Brown '50s Stratocaster Shoreline Gold/DLX Closet Classic

While we've had quite a few David Brown guitars come through, this is the first '50s-style Strat we've gotten from him (the others have all been '60s models). And like those, this one is simply outstanding: loud and resonant acoustically, with what feels to our hands like a perfect neck profile.

Because these Strats were released right on the heels of the Telecaster in the '50s, they still carry some of that T-style DNA. They're snappy, airy, and have a sweet, beautifully complex chime in the trebles.

This Shoreline Gold, alder-bodied Strat is tastefully aged in a way that makes it feel older than it is without resorting to gimmicks. We sometimes imagine firing up the time machine, heading back to the '50s, and hauling a great Strat home with us - and this one has exactly that quality. Like an old guitar forgotten in an attic and only just rediscovered.

About that neck: it's a '57 Soft V (.85"–.99"). Like those numbers point to, it has a really pleasing and natural feeling taper - manageable down in the cowboy-chord region (frets 1–3), then filling out beautifully as you climb, which makes it ideal for lead work and bending.

The Fat '50s pickups do exactly what great '50s Strats do. As we said, there's more air and twang here (think great Tele), and they're far less compressed than '60s Strat pickups. That really pays off playing rhythm on the bridge pickup through, say, a Vox-style amp - gorgeous "krang" and clarity - while heavier tones stay taut and muscular in the neck position. The 2 and 4 positions are more open and nuanced than later decades delivered, which in our book is a brilliant thing.

• Body//Body--2pc Alder, Finish--Nitro, Color--Shoreline Gold, Aging Level--DLX Closet Classic
• Hardware//Pickups--Handwound Fat 50s, Controls--Volume / Tone / Tone / 5-way, Bridge--American Vintage, Tuners--Vintage Style, Pickguard--1-ply White
• Neck//Neck--Maple Rift Sawn, Profile--'57 Soft V (.85"-.99"), Radius--7 1/4" - 9 1/2", Frets--21 Medium Jumbo (6150), Inlays--Black Dots, Nut--Bone 1.65"
• Other//Weight--7lb. 6oz., Serial Number--R147520, Case--Hardshell w/CoA

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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.