Fender Custom Shop 1957 Stratocaster Hardtail Journeyman Relic 2-Tone Sunburst Electric Guitar With Case

There aren't many (if any) guitars that are as classic as a 50's era Sunburst Strat.  What you don't see very often (either vintage or new) is a hardtail version.  For many players, this is a must have - a "true" Strat, with all of the feel and tone that one would expect, but without the tremolo.  For those players, we try to get a few Custom Shop Hardtail Strats - and they always go quickly.  This one just landed, and we were thoroughly impressed.  The Custom Shop nailed it!

The lightweight ash body was given a perfect Journeyman Relic treatment over the 2-Tone Sunburst nitro lacquer finish, providing a true vintage vibe.  To keep it period correct, we made sure to ask for the deep body contours that are found on '57 Strats.  The ash is highly figured, both on the front and the back - be sure to check out all of the photos.  The neck is a AA Flame Maple (one piece), with the correct 57 Style Soft "V" neck shape so that it has a vintage feel, but with the modern preference of a 9.5" radius and 6105 frets making it easy to play.

In terms of sound and functionality, this Strat has it all.  It has Hand-wound 1957 Strat pickups, which provide clean vintage tones but with enough bite to cut through the mix.  The crystal clear, bell-like tone, created by Alnico 5 magnets, Formvar magnet wire, and staggered pole pieces, keep it accurate to what you would expect in a vintage '57 Strat.  The reverse-wound, reverse-polarity middle pickup eliminates hum for whisper-quiet performance.  It's a calibrated set, ensuring evenness in all positions.  All of this sent to a five-way switch and vintage modified #2 wiring on a single ply white pickguard.  This wiring features a master volume, tone #1 (neck and middle pickups), and tone #2 (bridge) with treble bleed (for keeping mids and rolling off highs without adding bass).