Fender Custom Shop Masterbuilt David Brown 1960 Stratocaster Deluxe Closet Classic Brazilian Rosewood Black With Case

 Masterbuilt Masterpiece

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 exquisite 1960 Stratocaster is a result of this partnership.  When a new Masterbuilder is announced, we jump on it and immediately reach out to start working together.  In this case, it was easy - the newest Masterbuilder was our old friend David Brown, who had been at Fender previously.  It was a lot of fun to reconnect and start dreaming up a batch of amazing guitars.  We specifically asked him what he was interested in doing and worked on the design together.  That was the genesis of this unbelievably awesome guitar.

One of the first things you'll notice, from the title alone, is that this guitar has a Brazilian Rosewood fretboard.  Rarely seen and highly desirable, this upgrade is only available through the Custom Shop on Masterbuilt instruments. David picked out a beautiful piece for this one.  The neck itself feels amazing, especially with the finish worn off the back.  That's a custom touch that we asked for, to give it a broken in feel without the look of a Relic.  It has all of the feel & comfort you would expect from a masterbuilt instrument.  David really does amazing work with the fine details on a neck, from the perfectly seated frets, rolled edges and overall playability.  We went period correct with the 60's Style C neck carve, which has become the most popular for Custom Shop guitars over the years  It has a 9.5" radius and Medium Jumbo (6150) frets, making it easy to play, even up high on the neck when bending notes.

For the finish, we went for simple, refined, and high-class:  this is a Deluxe Closet Classic in Black with a Matching Headstock, with a Black Anodized pickguard, gold hardware and black pickup covers and knobs.  You probably haven't seen one like this before, and there really hasn't been one exactly like this.  The Deluxe Closet Classic finish package is described like this: imagine a vintage guitar that was well taken care and religiously polished through the years, by an owner that took pride in keeping it clean.  Moderate finish checking and slight oxidation of the hardware would occur naturally.  Over time, the finish started aging, and like a fine wine, evolved into something complex and refined, with a distinct look and feel.  An over the top description, yes - but accurate for a guitar like this!

For the pickups, we discussed it with David and settled on the Custom Shop 60's Strat set.   There are a ton of options out there, but if you want the sound of a vintage Strat from the 60's, this is the way to go.  Alnico 2 magnets, formvar wire and a vintage stagger recreate the tone that millions have fallen in love with.  Glistening highs, warm punchy lows, and the right amount of bite to cut through - that's the classic 60's Strat sound, and that's what this has.

This guitar has all of the mojo of a vintage instrument, with a few twists and modernizations for playability.  It comes with a period correct hardshell case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity.

David Brown’s music adventure began in the late `70s while he was in middle school. By the time he was in high school, he was playing in bands and working at a local store in Anaheim where he learned guitar repair and construction. In 2000, David got the opportunity to work at Fender and thus began his career with the company. By 2006, he received a degree in marketing from California State University at Fullerton and was now working in the Fender Custom Shop building new models as well as making instruments for various artists.

“I hope to bring a perspective that takes into account all of my previous experiences in guitar building and construction. I hope to create these instruments that are the industry standard when it comes to accuracy and feel for the musician. Becoming a Master Builder for the Fender Custom Shop means that you’ve arrived. There is no higher pinnacle than this.”

Apart from electric guitars being his passion, David enjoys designing and building tube amplifiers and playing original music with his classic rock band. He and his wife enjoy traveling abroad as well as rescuing and fostering dogs and cats. He also enjoys black and white landscape photography.

A Masterbuilt instrument is like no other, and this is truly a one of a kind.  Come to Club Fender at Truetone Music to experience it today, or make it yours right here.

• Serial # R125260
• Weight: 7.5 lbs
• Model# 9211003233
• Finish Package: Deluxe Closet Classic
• Note: Heavy Checking
• Finish: Nitro Lacquer
• Color: Black with Matching Headstock
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Rift Sawn Maple
• Fretboard: Brazilian Rosewood
• Tint: Medium
• Note: Remove finish from back of neck
• Neck Shape: 60's Style Oval "C"
• Neck Nut Width: 1.650"
• Neck Thickness at 1st Fret:  .790"
  
• Neck Thickness at 12th Fret:  .930"
  
• Neck Butt Width: 2.200"
• Frets: 21
• Fretwire: 6150 Medium Jumbo
• Radius: 9.5"
• Dots: Micarta White
• Pickguard: Black Anodized
• Neck Pickup:  Custom Shop 60's Strat
• Middle Pickup:  Custom Shop 60's Strat RWRP
• Bridge Pickup:   Custom Shop 60's Strat
• Bone Nut
• Hardware: Gold
• Tuners: Vintage
• String Guide: Vintage
• Bridge: American Vintage
• Neck Plate: Vintage
• Switch: 5 way with Modern Wiring
  
• Case: Custom Shop Brown