Truetone Music has been selected to take in a special collection of instruments from a very special long-time customer and friend of ours.  A collector of only unique, rare, vintage and high-end guitars & amps, he amassed a serious collection of these years.  For the first time, these pieces are available on the market for the first time.

We are proud to present a highly collectible guitar: a Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster with Relic work by the esteemed Vince Cunetto.  

Vince Cunetto was a pioneer in the creation of "aged" guitars and Fender fanatics will recognize his name immediately.  "Cunetto era" instruments hold a special place in the history of the Fender Custom Shop.  Guitars that he worked on have become very desirable.  This one was built in the summer of 1996 - at that time, Cunetto was doing all of the Relic work for the Custom Shop.  

This particular Strat is serial # R1673.  It features a gorgeous maple neck, which seems to have both birdseye and flame to it (look at the photos and you'll see what we're saying). It's really stunning.  The Soft V profile and 9.5" radius makes it extremely comfortable to play.  It measures .864" at the 1st fret and .980" at the 12th fret.

This Strat sounds amazing too, courtesy of the Custom Shop 50's Strat pickups.  The ash body was finished in what's known as Mary Kaye Blonde with gold hardware.  The lacquer finish has aged perfectly. The aforementioned Relic work by Vince Cunetto gives it the perfect vintage vibe.

The Custom Shop 50's Strat comes with the original tweed case and Certificate of Authenticity signed by John Page.  It's all original.  The guitar has been setup to play perfectly by the techs in our shop.

A Cunetto era Custom Shop Relic is a rare bird.  These don't become available often, so don't miss out.  Come to Truetone Music to experience this amazing Strat, or order it today right here to get it sent straight to your home.

MORE HISTORY:

In 1994, a small team spearheaded by Vince Cunetto began producing classic reissues that were extremely well-built but intentionally distressed to make them look as if they had actually weathered a career since their year of their production specs.  In 1995, Fender debuted those models at the NAMM Show, and orders from dealers all over the world overflowed into Fender. Those "aged" replica prototypes give birth to Fender relics.  A few years later, in March 1999, Vince Cunetto received a phone call from Mike Eldred, manager of Fender Custom Shop, informing him and his team that Fender intended to do all the relic in-house after they finished their current backorders. The last Cunetto relic was shipped out in May 1999. Ever since then, the Relics have become a Fender institution - and it all began with Vince Cunetto.