Built By A Master
Throughout the years, Truetone Music has been fortunate to have had many Custom Shop guitars. They're all special, but when a Masterbuilt piece lands, it feels like an event, not just a guitar. This is especially true with one like this. It's a classic, with a twist. As always, Jason Smith nailed it.
One of the first things you'll notice, of course, is the finish: it's a Heavy Relic color over color. The guitar started as 3-Tone Sunburst, was then painted Olympic White, and then relic'ed heavily to bring out the underneath color. This gives it a crazy cool custom look, and Jason Smith did an amazing job. The guitar has the look and feel of a guitar that has been around for decades as a serious player's main axe, and the finish shows it. It's all tastefully done. It's obvious he put his own care and taste into the guitar, which is exactly what we wanted. We really didn't know what the outcome would be when originally spec'ing it out, but couldn't be happier with the result. It's perfect.
The alder body is super resonant, and really sings, even unplugged. The rock solid quartersawn maple neck has the 60's Oval "C" profile, by far and away the most popular neck choice for Custom Shop Strats. We went with the modernization move of a 9.50" radius and 6105 (narrow tall) frets on the slab rosewood fretboard. So, fret not, you won't fret out on this guitar, even when your bending goes to the extreme. The heavily stained clay dots are the finishing touch.
This amazing '62 Strat features Josefina Handwound Fat 60's Strat pickups. They provide mellow vintage tones but with enough bite to cut through the mix with crisp articulation, and are over-wound for a hefty low-end punch. Alnico 2 magnets, Formvar magnet wire, period-correct cloth wire, and a fiber bobbin keep it accurate to what you would expect in a vintage Strat, with a warm, sweet output. The reverse-wound, reverse-polarity middle pickup eliminates hum for whisper-quiet performance. Legendary Josefina Campos, who came up under the tutelage of historic pickup winder Abigail Ybarra, did the handwinding for these pickups.
As a common modern tweak, the guitar is wired with a 5 way switch. Other features include a 3-ply parchment pickguard, American Vintage bridge, period correct tuners, string tree, and other hardware. The guitar comes with a Custom Shop deluxe case, strap and Certificate of Authenticity signed by Jason Smith.
This amazing example from one of Fender's premier Masterbuilders was created as a one-off guitar for Truetone Music - and we couldn't be happier with the result. Don't hesitate, as it will be at least 2 - 3 years till we get another, as that's the wait time for all Jason Smith builds. Any Masterbuilt Stratocaster is a special instrument, and this one really stands out. Come to Truetone Music to check it out today, or order right here to be shipped to your home.
About the builder:
A Custom Shop veteran and son of longtime Fender R&D legend Dan Smith, Jason Smith grew up on Fender—“It has always been in my family,” he said, “And I was always extremely interested in everything my father did.”
Born in Rochester, N.Y., and raised in California, Smith remembers meeting guitar greats from about age five on through his father’s work with Fender—Eric Clapton, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jeff Beck and Robben Ford, to name only a few. He went to his first big rock concert at age six—Rush—and Smith remembers going backstage with his dad and meeting Geddy Lee after the show. Before he was even in his teens, Smith was going to see Pink Floyd, ZZ Top and many other major artists.
Rock music and Fender are part of his DNA. Smith joined the Fender Custom Shop in 1995, and in 2006 completed a five-year apprenticeship under acclaimed Senior Master Builder John English. Among many diverse projects with English, Smith worked on a pair of double-neck Stratocaster guitars for Stone Temple Pilots guitarist Dean DeLeo. He has since crafted fine instruments for players and acts including John 5, Michael Landau, Flea, Josh Klinghoffer, Geddy Lee, Steve Harris, Reggie Hamilton, Linkin Park, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Neon Trees and many others.
- Part # 9211003123
- Serial # R147478
- Weight: 7.2 lbs
- Finish Package: Heavy Relic
- Finish: Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Color: Olympic White over 3-Tone Sunburst
- Body: Alder
- Neck: Quartersawn Maple
- Tint: Dark
- Fretboard: AAA Rosewood - Slab
- Neck Profile: 60 Oval "C"
- Depth at 1st Fret: .790"
- Depth at 12th Fret: .930"
- Nut Width: 1.65"
- Radius: 9.50"
- Frets: Narrow Tall (6105)
- Inlays: Vintage Clay - Heavily Stained
- Tuners: Vintage
- Pickups: Custom Shop Josefina Handwound Fat 60's Set (RWRP Middle)
- 5-way Switch
- Pickguard: 4-ply Tortoiseshell
- Knobs: White
- Bridge: American Vintage
- Neck Plate: Vintage
- Custom Shop Deluxe Hardshell case
- Certificate of Authenticity Signed by Masterbuilder Jason Smith
- Custom Shop Strap
