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Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Dale Wilson 1957 Stratocaster NOS Surf Green

Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt Dale Wilson 1957 Stratocaster NOS Surf Green

SKU 00FCS343
by Fender
Sold out
$ 9,200.00 - $ 9,200.00
$ 9,200.00
$ 9,200.00 - $ 9,200.00
$ 9,200.00

Masterbuilt Dale Wilson '57 Strat

Truetone Music is proud to have a long and close relationship with Fender, especially with the Custom Shop.  Every so often, we make a pilgrimage there to sit down with Masterbuilders to cook up a batch of amazing guitars.  Sometimes we go for vintage-styled recreations, sometimes we go for modernized tweaks.  Sometimes it's a classic color, sometimes it's a totally new color or even reclaimed wood.  No matter what, they always knock it out of the park!

This killer 1957 Stratocaster is a result of this partnership.  In 2018, we met with Masterbuilder Dale Wilson and came up with the idea for this guitar.  We specifically ask the builders what they would like to build, colors they want to use, etc., in an effort to partner on guitar they are excited to build.  As Dale gets many requests for relic'ed guitars, he expressed a desire to reverse course and do an NOS (New Old Stock).  That was the genesis of this amazing '57 Strat in Surf Green.  After a 5 year wait, it exceeded our expectations in every way.

This color was Dale's idea - he loves the classics like Surf Green.  The intent was to create a Strat like it was fresh off the line in 1957, but with modern playability.  He absolutely nailed it.  It has a super thin nitrocellulose lacquer finished, buffed to an NOS finish.  The photos look great of course, but it's even better in person.  The alder body is super resonant - even unplugged, this guitar just sings.

The other main calling card of this Stratocaster is the rock solid Quartersawn Maple neck.  While what you'll often see out there is more about showing off flame or birdseye maple, we opted to go for a simpler approach.  We asked Dale to pick the best piece of Quartersawn Maple that he could, and he most definitely did.   We chose to keep this guitar period correct and went with a 57 Style Soft "V" neck shape.  It's a very comfortable vintage feeling neck, slightly thicker than a lot of Custom Shop guitars (which quite often have a 60's Oval "C" shape).  The modern tweak is that it has a 9.5 radius and Narrow Tall (6105) frets.  This makes it easy to play, even up high on the neck when bending notes.  You won't fret out on this one.  Carving vintage necks is one of Dale's specialties, and he definitely nailed this one.

It's not just about looks and feel - the third element - the sound - is where this guitar really shines.  We want to stay true to the unmistakable tone of a vintage Strat, so the guitar is loaded with Josefina Handwound '57 Strat pickups.  They provide the clean and clear mid-50's Strat tones that the era is known for.  These are vintage correct pickups, made just like they were back in the day.  These give you the archetypal 1950’s Stratocaster tone. Percussive lows, round mids and smooth high-end chime produce perfect medium-output late-’50s punch, with components including black fiber bobbins, vintage staggered alnico 5 magnets, wax potting just like the originals, and 42-gauge Formvar wire.  Handwound by the legendary Josefina Campos, these pickups are the real deal.

We stayed period correct for the hardware, going with vintage tuners, bridge, etc.  We wanted to keep it "true" to what a '57 Strat should be. It comes with a Custom Shop tweed case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.

If you're looking for a brand new classic Strat built by one of the best, you're found it.  Dale Wilson is so highly in demand that Fender won't even take orders for him anymore (if they did, the ETA would be about a decade).  For those that know, there's a good reason for this.  And for those that really know, this one won't last long.  A Masterbuilt instrument is like no other, and this is truly a one of a kind.  Come to Truetone Music to experience it today, or make it yours right here.

ABOUT THE BUILDER:
Dale Wilson arrived at Fender in 2003, joined the Custom Shop in 2005 and became a Master Builder in 2011. Building guitars has been a driving passion for the California native since childhood. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve always loved guitars,” he said. “I didn’t dream of being a rock star; I dreamed of building the ultimate guitar. I was equally enthralled with the guitars just as much as I was with the players”.   Woodworking runs in the Wilson family, and the requisite Custom Shop zeal for outstanding craftsmanship has long been part of Dale’s DNA. He enjoys calling upon his extensive and varied experience as a craftsman to create highly distinctive guitars.  His style of building is instantly recognizable, and his craftsmanship is second to none - this is largely why his waitlist has grown immensely. 



    • Serial # CZ574965
    • Model# 9213000570
    • Weight: 7.4 lbs
    • Finish Package: NOS
    • Finish: Nitro Lacquer; Super Thin Closet Classic Buff to NOS
    • Color: Surf Green
    • Body: Alder
    • Neck: Quartersawn Maple
    • Neck Shape: '57 Style Soft V
    • Tint: Medium (lighter in the middle)
    • Frets: 21
    • Fretwire: 6105 Narrow Tall
    • Radius: 9.5"
    • Dots: Micarta Black
    • Neck Nut Width: 1.650"
    • Neck Thickness at 1st Fret:  .850"
    • Neck Thickness at 12th Fret:  .990"
    • Neck Butt Width: 2.200"
    • Pickguard: Single Ply White
    • Neck Pickup: Josefina Handwound '57 Strat
    • Middle Pickup:  Josefina Handwound '57 Strat
    • Bridge Pickup:  Josefina Handwound '57Strat
    • Bone Nut
    • Tuners: Vintage
    • String Guide: Vintage
    • Bridge: Vintage Synchronized Tremolo
    • Neck Plate: Vintage
    • Back Plate: White
    • Switch: 5 Way
    • Pots: 250K 10% Taper Split
    • Wiring: Standard
    • Case: Custom Shop Tweed